<p>Thumper–never really had any interest. I don’t have a lot of money for travel, and there are so many places I’d rather see. I’m sure it would be fun, but it’s not even close to bucket-list standing for me.</p>
<p>Garland…and others who haven’t been to Disney…my comment was not directed at you. I just was saying…for ANYONE who wants to avoid long lines, there are better and worse times to go to Disney.</p>
<p>We took our kids on a trip to Disney (at absolutely the WORST time for crowds and lines) the week after Christmas one year. It was their gift from Santa. Tickets in their stockings Christmas morning and it was a surprise for them. They still say that this was the best vacation we took (and we have been on plenty) and they would like to go again as a family, we are hoping to do that next winter…maybe January.</p>
<p>Actually if the lines are decent and with fast passes you don’t have long to wait anyway. And stay in the park and get in early if you have the money.
This sounds like a status symbol “I have enough money to scam the system” thing for snobby people with nothing better to do. I’m surprised they just don’t send the kids with someone else than go themselves–that would save more time.
The separate entrances for wheel chairs often cut out some enjoyable parts of the ride experience. So their loss.</p>
<p>We went to Universal on Thanksgiving Day one year (we’d gotten together with family earlier in the week) and there were NO lines for anything. We had tons of fun!</p>
<p>Hunt, at the prices for on-site Universal hotels, you earned the fast lane. We always stayed across the street., for less than $100.</p>
<p>I’ve offered to take the worm and g/f, because I want to see the Harry Potter street. No takers.</p>
<p>I’ll go with you, Bookworm!</p>
<p>It reminds me of the millionaires in another thread who alllegedly arrange their finances to qualify for Pell grants (and then can brag that their kids got “scholarships”.)</p>
<p>I think for people who do this, part of the incentive must be the satisfaction of getting away with something.</p>
<p>According to the pros on the Disney boards, they are not really getting away with anything. Those using wheelchairs/scooters do not get to go to the head of the line, they usually wait about the same amount of time even if in an alternate line. We have done several Disney or Universal trips and enjoy them, but have learned how to best manage waits, as these ‘tour guides’ probably do for their clients who think they are getting the advantage.</p>
<p>I wonder if they count that as a donation when they file their taxes?</p>
<p>This is an aside–if you want to go and stay in the park’s hotels call them directly. You can get cheaper prices sometimes even from the parks own website. Sometimes only one hotel will have specials running. Be ready with any discount you can dream up–best deal, AAA, military ,whatever. More than once it has been cheaper to stay in the parks and enjoy their perks rather than getting an off site hotel.
Now back to the snobby moms…</p>
<p>They should just take grandma and make her sit in the wheelchair. No one is going to question whether or not an elderly person needs a wheelchair. I’m surprised they don’t just strap on a removable walking boot/cast on a member of the family and bring along some crutches for realism. Who needs to hire a truly disabled person?</p>
<p>H & I went to Disney for the first time in our early 20s, arriving early January. The place was empty and they were just starting to take down the Christmas decorations. I’ve been told the least crowded times are early Jan-early Feb (before President’s Day weekend) and mid-Sept to late-Oct. The second week of November is reserved for NJ residents, as many people head there for the 2-day teacher’s convention! (did that about 10 years ago - it was crowded, but not too bad).</p>
<p>If you analyze this scheme as a business transaction, with who benefits vs who suffers, you aren’t calculating the main point, which is that these people are getting a benefit through dishonesty. They pay someone to become part of their family who are not part of their family group. </p>
<p>People who get ahead through dishonesty hurt all of us, because they coarsen our whole society. It’s like the broken window theory.</p>
<p>This article confused me a lot, because when we went to Disney we bought fast passes and I don’t think we stood in line more than a minute or two for anything. Why bother trying to game the system? I find it hard to believe people are actually doing this.</p>
<p>To the best of my knowledge, Disney does not have any VIP passes that are for sale. They do have special escorted tours for genuine VIPs–for example, Jimmy Carter and his family have vacationed there, and I am certain they did not stand in line. Also, fast passes are free–there are just restrictions on how often you can get one.</p>
<p>Disney is different in this regard from Universal Orlando, where you can buy your way to the front of the line. I prefer Disney’s philosophy.</p>
<p>Okay, I guess Disney does have VIP passes after all. Disappointing.</p>
<p>What is the reason to allow handicapped person to go ahead of the line? I could understand if the person is on crutches. If he/she is sitting in a wheel chair, what’s the difference?</p>
<p>Hourly rate, non-holiday season, for those staying at Disney resort hotels: $315.</p>
<p>Having visited Disney World with 2 guests in their upper eighties who used rental scooters that they needed, I can answer oldfort’s question: The regular entrances are often inaccessible to people with the motorized scooters, and some are difficult for people in wheelchairs. (The scooters are preferable to wheelchairs for many elderly people.) There is often a short wait when using the alternate entrances. There need to be arrangements to stop the continuous-loop rides temporarily when people with limited mobility are getting on, and it is useful to Disney to group those people so that multiple riders can enter the ride at a single time.</p>
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<p>I think it mainly harms our sense of fairness. People who follow the rules have to wait in line for hours, while the cheaters walk right on. It’s also unfair to the people who forked out the cash for the official VIP or FastPass or whatever. The cheaters get the same benefit without having to pay. </p>
<p>I saw that article this morning, and my first thought was: if people will go to these lengths to cheat for a ride at Disney World, what might they do in more important situations… such as applying for college?</p>