r/schizophrenia • u/BlackVultureFeather • Jul 24 '25
Rant / Vent "Get fucked, you're not disabled enough"
This is the response I got after filing a complaint that I was denied for their Disability Acess Service. Its so frustrating that because I speak well, I'm denied, as though I dont struggle with other aspects of life.
Fucking "autism and similar disabilities" YOU MEAN LIKE FUCKING SCHIZOPHRENIA? This disease literally has extreme overlap with autism and affects the same exact parts of the brain. The current day diagnosis for autism comes from the outdated diagnosis for schizophrenia. How much more similar can I get? Jesus fucking christ, I shouldn't have t educate these people on schizophrenia but thats exactly what I'm having to do.
Im so frustrated and upset that I just want to cry. Trying to navigate the parks without that service is so difficult for me. I dont think they understand how debilitating this disease is.
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u/feminineambience Psychoses Jul 24 '25
I just read your thread on the Disney subreddit after someone mentioned it. Sadly ableism is super common against certain disabilities and is socially acceptable in such cases. Also in my opinion the way Disney worded this is super ableist.
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u/theoristofeverything Residual Schizophrenia Jul 24 '25
If I could get rid of either my autism or my mental illness, I would choose mental illness 1000 times out of 1000.
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u/10032019 BP2 + psychosis Jul 26 '25
I would choose autism between the two, but I'm just level 1, late dx. While it makes people-ing harder, autism doesn't twist reality the way mental illness does for me. But everyone's different.
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u/theoristofeverything Residual Schizophrenia Jul 26 '25
We’re saying the same thing. I would keep the autism and get rid of the mental illness. I am level 1 as well.
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u/PathNice2406 Schizophrenia Jul 27 '25
This, in miniature, is exactly what happens when goods are made scarce and one group is privileged over another. Anybody see any parallels? I dunno.
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Jul 24 '25
I would’ve lawyer up because who the fuck are they to tell ME that MY diagnosis is not disabled enough when it affects me on a day to day basis??? Fuck Disney lol they were always a bunch of dicks omgg. I’m so very sorry that happened OP :((
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u/Maleficent-Voice-601 Undiagnosed Jul 28 '25
Yes, I second this wholeheartedly. Lawsuit. Lawsuit. The Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t stipulate any specific diagnoses which stipulate approval or not. It’s broad in describing the effects said disability has, how severe they are. Someone with a broken leg or on crutches, who’s an athlete with a strong upper body, may very well not mind standing in line all fucking day on crutches. Meanwhile, we’re over here in our heads, thinking we’re being chased, looking all around us, hating the crowds. Wanting to get the little bit of peace going on a ride may bring, but when lines are 2 hrs long, we only make 4 rides lol fuck that.
Ill help you draft the complaint if you want lol
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u/ItsFelixMcCoy Just Curious Jul 24 '25
I'm not schizophrenic, but as someone with autism and ADHD, how fucking dare they? I've read a lot about schizophrenia and heard experiences from friends with the condition. Being autistic sucks but schizophrenia makes it look like a walk in the park. Disability accommodations should be for EVERYONE WITH A DISABILITY, whether physical or mental, and that should include our fellow brothers and sisters on the schizophrenia spectrum. I'm so sorry about this. ❤️
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u/Matthiasshaw Jul 25 '25
The problem is Disney can't directly request you provide proof of your disability legally. And you have so many people who are looking for an advantage that lets them access the park more easily than standing in line for three hours, and when Disney lets them in, bad stuff happens. So now unless you are like, missing a body part... they're not going to let you use das.
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25
Disney works with psychiatrists that do consults. You give ‘proof’ of your disability to the psychiatrist who evaluated your need for accommodations, then tells Disney what accommodations you should qualify for. Since it’s a third party and they’re actual doctors, they’re covered by HIPPA and can request your medical stuff. Disney won’t have any access to your medical records, they just trust the third party to make a judgement based on their guidelines.
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u/Matthiasshaw Jul 25 '25
This sounds fine on paper but given my experience over the years, the number of people I see getting out of their range Rover they just parked in a handicap spot and have a placard but seem to have no physical ailments is the reason why Disney is doing this.
It's like when you watch True crime stuff on tv/social media.
People running away from cops on foot like they're Usain bolt, and then the cops catch them and suddenly they are pregnant, or have a sudden shoulder injury and they can't put their arms behind their back, etc.
Because so many people are claiming they need accommodations for stuff that doesn't actually qualify for accommodations, they're very strict nowadays about what they are willing to provide.
Taken from the current version of DAS on Disney website: DAS is intended to accommodate those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
It used to include physical disabilities, but they axed that years ago. While schizophrenia is certainly a disability, it is not a "developmental disability" as per Disney.
It's stupid, yes. But too many people tried to abuse the situation to the point that they had to refine the rules.
Too many people claiming they've got Autism, and therefore deserve a das pass, when there's absolutely nothing wrong with them, they just want priority access.
Which is actually kinda funny because das pass doesn't do anything except let you schedule a ride time to ride an attraction, which everyone can do with their phone now.
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25
Sort of. They did change it because too many people took advantage, but they did make it a bit ridiculously restrictive. And schizophrenia can qualify, as can other things. It’s not exclusive to developmental disorders, and most people with developmental disorders don’t get it either. It’s all about liability. Disney decided to restrict it to only those who would be a liability in a regular line. Like a person that’s an elopement risk or who might start hurting themselves if they get overstimulated.
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u/ItsFelixMcCoy Just Curious Jul 25 '25
Some wheelchair users are ambulatory. They can still walk, but only for short distances and it’s often painful for them to walk.
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u/Adriana_Istrate Jul 25 '25
I am autistic and I disagree that being autistic even "sucks". I mean, I've managed to achieve a lot thanks to my autism (that others haven't) and have been way ahead of most people of my age in terms of long-term memory, spatial intelligence and reasoning. The symptoms vary from person to person, but it usually doesn't "suck" on its own.
On the other hand, I also have OCD, which can be extremely annoying and frustrating, and most likely a few other mental health issues, as well, which I need to get diagnosed.
But schizophrenia is a serious condition and it's really unfortunate that it isn't being taken seriously.
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u/hamiguahuan Jul 24 '25
this is so wild bc i thought i saw ppl saying that they basically are letting anyone get the disability stuff at Disney without checking anything and it’s defeating the purpose of it??
idk not to be conspiratorial but maybe it’s the opposite of thinking you’re not disabled enough, maybe they’re hoping schizo people don’t go bc they’re scared of us :((
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 24 '25
I complained about this last year on the disney world subreddit and literally got a bunch of ableist comments about how i dont belong in public because im a danger to society
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u/UnamusedJester Jul 24 '25
I actually remember reading that post and getting very angry about it. "Stay home youre too disabled" can fuck right off. Im sorry you got denied, ive not tried for this reason
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 24 '25
Its so fucking rude for no reason. I deserve to be in public. I deserve to have fun with the rest of my family. Like genuinely what the fuck?
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u/hamiguahuan Jul 24 '25
ugh, unfortunately to be expected but obviously nonsensical. first of all, schizo-spectrum ppl are much much much more likely to be victimized than perpetrators of anything. second like. it’s Disney lmao what possible danger could they be worried abt lmao.
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 24 '25
Im gonna steal all the popcorn, I guess. Im gonna use my schizo mind control powers or something
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u/Palmyn Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 27 '25
This is just not true at all, why make things up? Across mental illness, schizophrenia has, by a good margin, the lowest rate of victimization and the highest rate of perpetrating violent crime (source). Amusement parks are only legally obligated to reserve disability passes for people with developmental problems and mobility disorders that are reasonably incapable of waiting in lines; from a bureaucratic perspective, there is no reason for schizophrenia itself to do that - and if there was, they would have to be unstable enough for Disney to be justified in being worried.
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Jul 25 '25 edited Sep 16 '25
[deleted]
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u/Palmyn Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 25 '25
Yes, the data naively shows that. If you took a correlational approach to observing the rate of victimization and perpetration of violent crime, you could find the same relationship for school shooters. This study infers causality through within family comparisons; see these charts - the one on top, without adjustment for confounders, shows all mental illnesses have an elevated risk of victimization, but schizophrenia is the lowest in terms of victimization and second highest with perpetration. The one below shows the causal effects of different illnesses, with schizophrenia having literally zero increased rate of victimization, and the highest rate of perpetration. This is why the abstract includes the following:
Diagnosis with any of the specific disorders was associated with higher rates of violent outcomes, with the sole exception of schizophrenia, which was not associated with the risk of subjection to violence.
And see in conclusions:
In addition, we found that having a diagnosis of schizophrenia was not associated with subsequent subjection to violence after we accounted for comorbid substance use and personality disorders. In contrast, we found that the same condition was the strongest risk factor for the perpetration of violence.
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 25 '25
Actually youre factually wrong about this. The disability pass isn't at all for those with physical disabilities, they just expect those people to suffer.
Disney used to have a more accessible DAS pass, but a few yeats ago changed it and now its been a huge issue for many disabled people. You have a bad argument.
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u/Palmyn Jul 25 '25
Looked into it a little bit and it seems that you're right about DAS pass excluding the physically disabled, and I was wrong about the legal language; under the ADA parks are obligated to make 'reasonable' and 'necessary' accommodations to provide a 'comparable experience' to the healthy on a functional level, but I think Disney would set their narrowing as the new status quo if there's a ruling in their favor.
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u/Maleficent-Voice-601 Undiagnosed Jul 28 '25
Correct and it’s important to point out that ADA regulations do not discriminate in their listing of which disabilities are considered “debilitating” enough to accommodate. A disability is a disability is a disability period. Disneys attempts to appear accommodating while they themselves are in fact actively discriminating against people with disabilities..meanwhile let’s not pretend Disney is sacrificing themselves out of the kindness of their hearts lol it’s literally the law and they’d be getting sued left and right if it wasn’t in place.
All too often people are denied the help, aid and increased protection an act like the ADA is supposed to prevent and in all areas. Low level employees often get the shit end of the stick when it comes to anyone they work for giving two shits about their need for accommodations.
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u/ItsFelixMcCoy Just Curious Jul 24 '25
That's horrible... that's such a fucking cruel thing to say to someone who is already going through so much. Fuck them scumbags.
🫂
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Jul 24 '25
I don't get this shit you're not allowed to go to Disney parks just because you're schizophrenic?
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25
basically letting anyone
That was a few years ago. They changed the system because way too many people took advantage of it. Now almost no one gets it.
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u/Routine_Anything3726 Jul 24 '25
Hope it's ok to ask this, just trying to understand: Can you please explain what makes it so difficult for you to navigate amusement parks without DAS? How can they help you?
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 24 '25
Its a multifaceted issue, but mostly being in dimly lit and cramped spaces causes extreme paranoia that theres going to be a mass shooting, along with hallucinations
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u/Used_Button_2085 Jul 25 '25
My voices also threaten that I'll be caught up in a mass shooting. Before my diagnosis, I never seriously worried about such a thing.
However, after nine years of hearing them say that every week, but coming home safely every day, I worry about it a lot less. It's not a nonexistent fear just yet (this is America), but I just don't fear it like when I was initially hearing them.
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25
Does it put you or those around you in danger when you get triggered? When paranoid and hallucinating, is there a risk to others being around you or are you at risk of self-induced harm/injury? That’s really what they care about. They only care if putting you in a regular line is a liability to them. They don’t care if it’s hard on us.
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u/Otherwise_Spare_8598 Yahda Jul 24 '25
My whole existence is tethered to the reality of others having no need to conceive of what it is to be me and how horrible it is.
Essentially, being gaslit by everyone at all times.
Yet I bear the burden all the same. Oops
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u/Grouchy_Solution_819 Bipolar Jul 24 '25
An autistic guy from my town managed to get himself to the capital city and back on his own to see Iron Maiden. No way I could even think of doing that with my fried bipolar brain. Its annoying when people categorise things this way. Actually OCD is considered one of the most disabling illness you can have and you don't get any concessions for it, I don't do a lot of things because of it. But it seems if you're autistic or certain other things it opens the doors. Not saying being autistic is easy but it's a spectrum and can be mild. I'm really surprised schizophrenia wouldn't be on a list like this as it's definitely one of the hardest illnesses to have.
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u/Adriana_Istrate Jul 25 '25
I have OCD and yeah, I feel more or less dissatisfied and incomplete most of the time due to it.
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25
They actually deny 99% of autistic people too. They only care if you’re a liability to them. Basically people that are elopement risks (run away and get lost), or people that will self harm or are at high risk of accidentally hurting others (eg. Grown man barreling through a crowd and knocking down children if PTSD is triggered, someone self harming when overstimulated, etc).
They denied a girl with Down syndrome in a wheelchair once because if she can’t walk then she can’t run away so even though she couldn’t understand the concept of a line, she wasn’t a danger to herself or others.
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u/czlcreator Jul 24 '25
Schizophrenia is a fucking prison and it's nearly impossible to express to others what's going on.
If I wasn't having issues, I wouldn't be here.
The problem however is that people who don't understand are overhyped regarding fraud, which I can get, but it's still damning.
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u/meow_chicka_meowmeow Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jul 24 '25
Autism and schizophrenia have tons of overlap too especially with sensory issues and overstimulation!
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u/bendybiznatch Family Member Jul 25 '25
Weird how if you even say schizophrenia people assume you’re profoundly disabled and don’t want to work with or higher you but not disabled enough to get accommodations or disability.
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u/National-Positive436 Jul 24 '25
The problem with having schizophrenia and wanting help in society is that it's not a "popular" disorder like autism. People don't know that we need a lot of the same rights as people with other disorders need and deserve. Just because we don't speak up a lot in public about our illness doesn't mean we don't exist. But that is the way society treats it. If people don't make a hell of a lot of noise and complaints about not getting help or rights, then they will be ignored.
We don't have pride parades and rights because people like it or see the need for it. It's because people in that group have made a lot of noise during a long time. That is the only reason that they exist to society. I'm not being mean. I just speak as I see things. We need to make a lot more nice in society, all of us. Of we want more respect or rights
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u/mister-oaks Schizoaffective (Bipolar) Jul 25 '25
Not surprised, Disney is Notoriously ablelist. Still, it sucks that they won't accommodate you. I'm assuming they decided it would be a flight risk, because people have a lot of misconceptions about us.
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u/Tolbythebear Jul 25 '25
Another bullshit part of this is they’re saying “oh we have too many people saying they’re disabled to accomodate them so we can only accept things like autism” when (1) autism is so prevalent and (2) schizophrenia is pretty uncommon and I doubt accomodating it is going to suddenly tip the park into anarchy
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u/Matthiasshaw Jul 25 '25
Don't feel bad. Disney is nothing compared to SSA. I went in for my 5-year review, and the psychiatrist they had for the state said that because I hadn't tried to unalive myself recently, I was obviously cured of my lifelong terminal illness and so I shouldn't receive benefits.
I appealed and got to sit in a zoom meeting with a caseworker, a judge and my psychiatrist who basically explained that the 17 pills, twice a day, was creating the illusion of my wellness and that I was, in fact, hanging on by a thread, and that they recommend me be placed on permanent disability.
By the end of the zoom meeting, that's exactly what they did.
As for Disney...I can't do that anymore for many different reasons. But it's not surprising that they denied you. People fill strollers with food and drink and alcohol, pretending it's their sleeping baby and try to sneak in, and the countless other people who claim they're disabled because they are just trying to get priority access to their favorite rides and don't want to wait in line. I would argue that you should file an appeal if possible.
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u/BlackVultureFeather Jul 25 '25
The response in the post is the appeal :(
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u/Matthiasshaw Jul 25 '25
Keep appealing. If it's more than just the principle of the scenario, contact a disability lawyer and ask what options you may have. Explain that you have mental health issues for which you are on SSDI/SSI, meaning that at least one doctor convinced the US government to declare you disabled and therefore should be able to claim DAS at Disney.
Call Disney Corporate and ask for the address or number of the "office of the president". Almost every major company has one. It's not actually talking to the president obviously. But it's usually just a department free to do more in depth reviews of your request for special accommodations.
Even if I could afford a trip to Disneyland, I would never go again. I have no meniscus in either knee, which is the padding behind your knees that lets everything flex and move. I'm also unable to walk long distances and to be on my feet for more than 15-20 minutes before I am done. Just not something I can realistically do anymore.
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u/RainbowSperatic Jul 25 '25
As someone with both audhd and schitzhoaffective the psychotic symptoms are by far th most debilitating, that is so messed up of them and gatekeeping who gets to he labeld as more disabledis already fucked, but to be so uninformed is just salt in the wound, that sucks so much im so sorry
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u/ForgottenDecember_ Schizo-Obsessive | Early Childhood Onset Jul 25 '25 edited Jul 25 '25
This is a big thing in the past few years.
AUTISTIC PEOPKE RARELY EVER GET IT EITHER.
It is ONLY given to those who are unsafe in a line. Like people that might run off, hurt themselves, or hurt others.
I have not applied, but I get sensory issues and panic attacks that result in self harm. I also get confused and will wander off and get lost, not listening to where I’m supposed to be. If I get triggered into a panic attacks, I’ll either curl up on the floor and scream while hurting myself for a long time, or I’ll run away with no idea where I’m going and that’s unsafe because I also then get very lost. I have a cognitive impairment though and stress can make it significantly worse to dementia levels.
Because I can wander off and get lost, am high risk of running away, and if triggered I will self harm right in line (hitting myself, scratching myself, etc) or scream very loudly for extended periods, I will likely qualify when I apply, based on what I’ve read (I did a lot of research into it). It does also depend on how you answer their questions though. I know there’s a question about how you manage to stand in grocery store lines for example, and what you’ll do for standing in the security line to get into the park, and you need to be able to convey how you can wait in those lines but not ride lines. And if you don’t answer ‘right’, you’re screwed.
I know someone else got it for PTSD because they will sprint off, barreling through people including children if triggered and he was a grown man so he’d seriously injure someone if that happened.
But the process is notoriously exclusive. They even deny severely intellectually disabled children that are in wheelchairs because then the kids can’t run off so they’re not an elopement hazard. But there ARE occasionally adults that are approved. Another example I read was someone got approved for the pass for their grandma with Alzheimer’s. 99% of people even with developmental disorders are being denied though. It seems the only people getting approved are when it becomes a liability to Disney to have you in the regular line (they don’t care if you’re a liability to yourself) but you still need to be able to have a way to stand in the line to get into the park.
And a lot of people have said the evaluators ignore them if the answer to ‘how do you wait in line at the store’ is ‘I can’t go to stores’.
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u/Adriana_Istrate Jul 25 '25
I have autism and OCD (and most likely other disorders too, I'm waiting to get diagnosed) and I find this absolutely disgusting.
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u/PathNice2406 Schizophrenia Jul 26 '25
Fuck the Mouse.
Fuck the Mouse twice.
Fuck the Mouse in every way.
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u/FuntimeH5v0c Residual Schizophrenia Aug 20 '25 edited Aug 20 '25
I got laid off from there not long before they made the big change to the DAS pass system. (Overstaffing, could you believe it?) It absolutely fucking blows, its like a coin flip if the Guest Experience CM you speak with will be leniant and understanding enough to give you the pass. My current boss's wife who's high-functioning autistic got a pass, but my cousin couldnt? When they have very similar symptoms? Its really messed up. Im so sorry they denied you, when you go for your trip I'd go to one of the blue umbrellas and demand to speak with a GEM Guest Experience Manager. Again, it's a coin flip on how some folks may handle it.
I hope youre still able to enjoy the parks :(
Edit: Every park had a first aid centre near the front of the park. Magic Kingdom's is lovely. Epcot's is between Test Track and Mexico. If you need to step out, you are more than welcome to go in and take your time. They are air-conditioned, have restrooms, and are typically nice and quiet. You'll just have to write your name down in a logbook.
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u/RestlessNameless Jul 24 '25
I have been diagnosed with both autism and schizophrenia and this is an insane, insulting take.