“Three disabled people have sued Walt Disney World for not allowing them to use their Segways to move around its theme parks. … Disney says it fears Segways could endanger other guests because they can go faster than 12 mph.” (AP/Centre Daily Times (Pa.), Nov. 11). More: Washington Post, MagicalMountain.net. in Orlando Sentinel columnist Mike Thomas (“Note to Disney: Don’t give up on Segway suit”, Nov. 13) writes:
If a disabled person can get around just as well in a wheelchair as on a Segway, does Disney have the right to pick the wheelchair in the interest of guest safety?
One of the people suing Disney says she did not want her children seeing her rely on a wheelchair.
But to go that route means we expand the ADA to accommodate not only people’s disabilities but also their feelings about their disabilities.
I feel for that woman, but this is a huge legal leap.
13 Comments
You have to stand up to use a Segway. I have used the powerchairs at Disney, and once a wheelchair when they were out of powerchairs, because I can’t stand for long periods of time as well as walk far. Since they are expensive to rent I now have a neat little Rollator walker that has a built in seat so I can sit whenever I need too. This will be especially handy at the malls this Christmas season since there’s never any place to sit…
Of course we have to accommodate their feelings. Not doing so is intentional infliction of emotional distress, and offending people is illegal now.
I’ve litigated a number of ADA cases in the Middle District of Florida and it is clear that our District is not particularly sympathetic to these claims – especially those filed by the serial ADA plaintiffs. The now infamous “cottage industry” decision came out of the Middle District and the opinions have only grown terser since then. I am also not particularly fond of these claims — has something to do with the whole property rights thing, I’m sure — but even I’m a bit skeptical of the Disney rationale. I have to wonder – do they clock wheelchairs to see how fast they can go?
“and offending people WHO MATTER is illegal now.”
There, fixed. And we all know of “certain groups” that don’t really matter… (Christians, conservatives, Republicans, any corporation or bbbusiness too large to be called “Mom and Pop” which doesn’t donate to the “right” causes, etc.)
Seriously, the people who get all uppity about how stuff is “offensive” are generally offending 50+ % of the population, who (mostly) politely suffer through.
One of the people suing Disney says she did not want her children seeing her rely on a wheelchair.
But she has no problem letting her children see her use the legal system bully others into giving her what she wants
I’m not saying I approve of the litigation, but was wondering. If the chairs are expensive to rent, is it unreasonable to require someone who already has a Segway, which is therefore effectively free, to pay the additional money to rent a chair instead?
kat,
you can purchase a really good powerchair for less than a seqway costs. You can sit in it, you can carry things, if a child gets really tired you can share. Can’t do any of that with a Segway.
Mr. Harrison.
The power chairs go less than 12 mph. There’s one that advertises it can go 9 mph.
Powerchairs are generally for people who are disabled, whereas Seqways seem to be more for people who aren’t.
If they let ‘handicapped’ individuals use Segways, will they require proof of disability to use one? And how long will it take for some “able bodied” person to sue for not being allowed to use one too.
The Irony is I can see Disney losing this suit and then someone getting hurt by a segway and that persons sues Disney too for not taking the proper preventative steps.
It’s interesting to note; that there was (do not know if it still there) a Segway demonstration in Epcot Center.
After doing a little research, it sounds like it is pretty easy for the rider to hurt themselves when operating. These people strike me as the kind who file a lawsuit against the park because they ended up injuring themselves on park property. Disney can never win.
Of course Disney can never win! They have lots of money and aren’t themselves lawyers. That’s the way the system is designed.
[…] missed this story in February, but a federal judge in Orlando threw out the suit (Nov. 13) claiming that Disney World discriminates against the disabled by not permitting Segway […]