We just got back from a wonderful 2 week vacation to San Diego, CA and Disneyland. We had a blast and are all very tired now. As always, traveling with Daniel is an adventure.
We had decided long ago that we would not let Daniel's disability get in the way of him experiencing everything that we experience. It is still very surprising to me how people with disabilities are treated. Sometimes very good and sometimes very bad. It is very clear that many people are not at all thoughtful when it comes to someone who is disabled. It may be even more difficult for us with Daniel as he has a wheelchair that does look very much like a stroller, but it does say wheelchair and it does have a wheelchair tag on it so there really should be no excuse. What bothers me most are the people who are supposedly "in-charge" that do not have the experience.
The good places are the places that train their employees and have a reputation for being accessible to all individuals. Sea World, Disneyland, and the San Diego Zoo are all good places. For the most part all of these places did well. It is impossible to have it right across the board so there were some areas that need improvement. In many of the lines at Disneyland and Sea World waiting for the rides there is a separate entrance for wheelchair accessible individuals. Sometimes the wait would be even longer than the regular line. Many times it felt as though we were being ignored, as though we were not even there. Disneyland has a newer park called California Adventure and in my opinion it is this park where they have really started to incorporate the disabled person. In California Adventure there are hardly any (if at all) rides where you go in a separate entrance. In all the rides we went on you would go in the regular lines and the queue was big enough to accommodate wheelchairs.
Of course Mother Nature couldn't really control the National Parks so that kind of goes without saying. Sea World was another one that had a separate entrance however, there weren't too many rides to contend with in Sea World, mostly shows and exhibits.
Despite having to wait longer at times or having to split up at certain rides, we had a great time. The only real bad thing that left a bad taste in my mouth was our flight home. We left San Diego at 5:15 in the morning to get to the airport by 5:30am for a 7:00am flight. Of course the line to check our bags was so long it took a good half hour to get through and then--then, the line for the security check snaked around two or three times. We kept waiting in this line as they pulled those people whose flights were boarding. As we got closer to getting checked a lady said that I should take Daniel and his wheelchair to the exit. Well, that was the first time anyone said that AND then our flight was boarding so we quickly got out of the line and we took off our shoes and what not but YES, that one woman was correct, I did need to go to the exit line with Daniel. But first I had to go up to the scanner and they asked me, "Can he walk?" Of course all I want to say is: "Why yes, but I felt like buying this $1000 wheelchair anyway!" I did not say that and we were told to go all the way across the room and wait. Yes, our plane continued to board. Daniel and I waited, while a male (for Daniel) and female (for me) TSA officer were rounded up. They came and
slowly took us to a different area where my husband and daughter were not allowed to talk to me or to even hand me my shoes! We waited in this area while the agents had to explain everything to Daniel--DANIEL and me before they touched him. Poor boy had no idea. They needed to swab his wheelchair and his shoe inserts! Then they patted me down and patted Daniel down. I do not know how long this lasted (felt like several years). I told Jason and Alison to go to the plane to get seats (maybe two and two), but without his whole party, they wouldn't let him on! Finally, after the agents tried to make small talk, we were allowed to go to the gate. Daniel and I ran and we were let on the overly full plane. Daniel and I luckily found two seats together with Alison in the row behind us and Jason ended up somewhere else and finally was able to sit in the 3rd seat after we were in the air. Quite the adventure!
I write about this not to get anyone in trouble but to hopefully open the eyes of some people. Traveling is difficult in and of itself. Add to that two children and then add a disabled child and you have even more to think about. It was interesting though that after our flight home was over and we were waiting on the plane to get off (because we were in the way back), a gentleman commented that our son did well on the plane and said that it gets better. I quickly told him that Daniel was Developmentally Delayed and he said that he has twins that are delayed. One parent to another who completely, without any verbal conversation--just knew.
