I just got off the phone with John Shamrock and the other head honcho (I forget his name) of Carowinds and it was the most pleasant experience. They were completely open to my suggestions and were very kind. The park sounds better suited for people with disabilities like my brother and sister with the new policy, and as stated at the end of my post dated 10-31 I made those suggestions to the park and they were very open to the things I said.
I would say from that experience I will take my siblings back to that park and I am happy to see that they are keeping the "fakers" out and letting those that really need the support "in" on the special pass.
Monday, November 3, 2008
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Update on Carowinds
Here is the update for the Carowinds experience. I spoke with Cedar Point whom I understand to be the "head office" for all Cedar Fair parks which Carowinds is apart of. They told me that they did have a policy change recently but could not verify an exact date that it took effect.
As I read a few stories stating that it took place It seemed that it changed around the same time we went. Aside from that there still are a few things that still need to take place. No where on any Cedar fairs companies does it state the change in policy. And Carowinds has yet to change the web page for the discounted prices for Disabled guests.
I guess I kind of hope for perfection, but at least the important thing has been taken care of, that is once again people like my brother and sister can enjoy the parks like the rest of us.
As I read a few stories stating that it took place It seemed that it changed around the same time we went. Aside from that there still are a few things that still need to take place. No where on any Cedar fairs companies does it state the change in policy. And Carowinds has yet to change the web page for the discounted prices for Disabled guests.
I guess I kind of hope for perfection, but at least the important thing has been taken care of, that is once again people like my brother and sister can enjoy the parks like the rest of us.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Hope for a Change
Some of you have read this, or at least heard about our experiences of this summer with an amusement park. I wanted to share this with more people on a broader scope. I will let you read whats happened thus far and I am in the process of talking with all the "right" people to see whats happened since. When and if I ever get some clear answers I will let you know. But for now, enjoy my two cents on the matter at hand (FYI I wrote this for a writing class):
As far back as I can remember I had a special place in my heart for the amusement park Carowinds. Growing up on the North/South Carolina border where Carowinds is located, we would often venture there as a family. It was a great place to play especially for my brother Jonathan, who is disabled. He absolutely loved the rides. Since those early experiences at Carowinds we went on to explore other amusement parks like Disney World, Universal Studios, Hershey’s Park, Lagoon and many others. But for me, those adventures at Carowinds are the ones I recall as favorites.
This summer we went to Carowinds (owned by Cedar Fair) for the first time in years as a family, but it was not a pleasant visit. When my parents, brother, husband and I visited your park it was a very taxing experience for us all. There were several things that occurred that made the visit more difficult on us as a family, given my brother’s disabilities.
First we went online to buy tickets and were unable to find any type of discount for guests with disabilities so we purchased five adult tickets. Only, after arriving at the park did we find out that there were indeed discounts for guests like my brother. Next, while renting a wheelchair for him, we asked an employee if there was a special pass for someone with disabilities to access the rides. The employee assured us that all we needed to do was go through the special access gates (or exits) to get on the rides.
On our first ride we were told that we needed a special pass to get on board. We headed back to the front entrance to get the pass, having to go to two different windows to find out where to obtain the pass. When we finally got it, we were just given a bunch of papers and sent on our way with no explanation of how to use the pass or the park’s policies relating to special access. The experience of accessing each ride was cumbersome, as every operator seemed to have his or her own interpretation of the policy.
While these issues listed thus far are really minor problems, communicating better with your employees and costumers could eliminate all of them. That aside, the biggest issue seems to be the actual policy Cedar Fair now has in place for disabled guests. On your website for Carowinds under “Procedures for guest with Disabilities” the current policy states:
Only one riding companion may enter through the Special Access Entrance with you. Other members of your party are asked to enter the ride in the standard manner through the line. Special Access Entrances are intended to accommodate wheelchairs and those guests with mobility restrictions and not to bypass others waiting in line (Carowinds).
As I understand it, this policy is to prevent people from abusing special access to the rides and is not for guest to “bypass others waiting in line.” (Carowinds) I know there are many issues that have arisen in the past from the old policy by allowing disabled guests to “jump” ahead in the line. I am aware that prior to this new policy there were many people that took advantage of it and faked a disability to get to the front of the line. And there were some that were physically disabled in some way, but they were still capable of waiting the time span they would have waited in the regular line. The new policy is fair for those that can wait for a long time in line, but what about those who cannot wait for a very long time? What the policy does not taken into account are those who really do have special circumstances like being unable to cope with waiting; people like my brother.
Jonathan is 26 years old, has cognitive disabilities, physical limitations and autism. While he shares some commonality with others who have disabilities, he has unique needs. He is capable of walking and standing for short periods of time; his mentality is that of a four year old; but like so many others with autism he experiences fixations, poor social skills, and lacks a conceptual understanding of time. His typical demeanor is happy and carefree, however, due to his limitations he does not fully understand what is going on around him. For someone like him who is not able to sit and wait for a long time, it becomes unreasonable because he cannot mentally process it.
This circumstance is not unique to a variety of people with cognitive and pervasive disabilities. With the growth of autism at the rate of 1 in 150 (ASA), this specific disability presents prevalent issues for families. Parks, like Carowinds, caters to families, but which ones? A mother explains how the policy at Six Flags, one similar to yours, is not doable for both of her autistic children.
My children don't understand time…the things that are reasonable to us make no sense to them. Anything more than five or 10 minutes can be a screaming meltdown for my kids. (Niles)
The mother also spoke of how the wait was so stressful for her daughter that she threw herself down to the ground and bit her caregiver. (Niles) There is a need for a policy change specifically for people like my bother and the children of this woman.
John L. Woodatch the Director of Office of Americans With Disabilities Act at the Department of Justice writes in response to a person inquiring about persons with disabilities being permitted to “cut” in line at an amusement park.
Public accommodations, however, are required in certain cases to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, or procedures when modifications are necessary to afford goods, services, facilities, privileges or advantages to individuals with disabilities. See section 36.302 of the title III regulation at page 35596-97, and preamble at 35564-65 [Located in the Americans with Disabilities Act]. In light of this requirement, an amusement park may be required to modify its policies to allow an individual with a disability to be admitted to an attraction without waiting in line, if delay would prevent the individual from participating in the service because of the nature of the disability.
Based on the interpretation from the John L. Woodatch of the Americans with Disabilities Act cases like Jonathan would allow them to be next in line. To do otherwise would be not in alignment with the laws and it could be see as discrimination to those persons.
Parks like Carowinds are meant to enhance the family experience, and that includes the experiences of those who support and care for them. The event should not make it more troubling, difficult or, in our case, toilsome and certainly that was not the intention of the policy, park, or owner. In an attempt to better serve those individuals with disabilities and their families (especially those with autism and other prevalent disabilities), I offer a few proposals.
• Have the ticket purchasing process for guests with disabilities clear on the web page and state the price of the ticket. If tickets for people with disabilities should be purchased at the park and not on line, let people know it.
• Combine wheelchair rental and special access passes at the same location to decrease family frustration, and increase “play” time in the park.
• Make a policy within the policy that addresses special circumstances. People with unique needs should be treated with exceptions to the rule. These families and caretakers deserve the respect and support of the community at large. By keeping the current rules it will still serve the purpose of eliminating misuse.
• Train each park employees about the policy so it is consistently and respectfully applied. Train the staff to recognize authentic cognitive disabilities and provide culturally competent training to the employees to address the special needs of those with a variety of disabilities.
• Provide a special color-coded pass to those who fall within the context of the cognitive disabilities that will permit them to be next in line. This pass will allow park employees to see the difference right away. It will allow those with special needs enjoy the park to the fullest by allowing them to be next in line for the ride.
• Allow families to board together. In these special circumstances, families often need to provide psychological support and physical assistance to the person with the disabilities.
Leo F. Buscaglia once said “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” I urge you to consider your power to provide this small act of caring for these people who would otherwise miss out on the enjoyment of the park. Make a difference for people that have to deal with so many hardships by creating a simple place in line. With proper training and a new policy in place Carowinds and all Cedar Fair amusement parks can once again become a great place for persons with disabilities and their families.
WORKS CITED
(ASA) Autism Society of America, What is Autism: Facts and Stats Page August 18, 2008. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). August 18, 2008. http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_factsstats
Buscaglia, Leo F. ThinkExist.com Quotations August 21 2008. August 21, 2008. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/too_often_we_underestimate_the_power_of_a_touch-a/213531.html
Carowinds | North and South Carolina's Themed Amusement Park August 21, 2008. Carowinds| Procedures for guest with Disabilities. August 21, 2008. http://www.carowinds.com/News/detail.cfm?item_id=29
Niles, Robert. Theme Park Insider August 21 2008. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 21 2008. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200709/474/
Woodatch, John L. United States Department of Justice June 26 2001. Letter in response to inquiry of ADA. August 17, 2008 http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal308.txt
As far back as I can remember I had a special place in my heart for the amusement park Carowinds. Growing up on the North/South Carolina border where Carowinds is located, we would often venture there as a family. It was a great place to play especially for my brother Jonathan, who is disabled. He absolutely loved the rides. Since those early experiences at Carowinds we went on to explore other amusement parks like Disney World, Universal Studios, Hershey’s Park, Lagoon and many others. But for me, those adventures at Carowinds are the ones I recall as favorites.
This summer we went to Carowinds (owned by Cedar Fair) for the first time in years as a family, but it was not a pleasant visit. When my parents, brother, husband and I visited your park it was a very taxing experience for us all. There were several things that occurred that made the visit more difficult on us as a family, given my brother’s disabilities.
First we went online to buy tickets and were unable to find any type of discount for guests with disabilities so we purchased five adult tickets. Only, after arriving at the park did we find out that there were indeed discounts for guests like my brother. Next, while renting a wheelchair for him, we asked an employee if there was a special pass for someone with disabilities to access the rides. The employee assured us that all we needed to do was go through the special access gates (or exits) to get on the rides.
On our first ride we were told that we needed a special pass to get on board. We headed back to the front entrance to get the pass, having to go to two different windows to find out where to obtain the pass. When we finally got it, we were just given a bunch of papers and sent on our way with no explanation of how to use the pass or the park’s policies relating to special access. The experience of accessing each ride was cumbersome, as every operator seemed to have his or her own interpretation of the policy.
While these issues listed thus far are really minor problems, communicating better with your employees and costumers could eliminate all of them. That aside, the biggest issue seems to be the actual policy Cedar Fair now has in place for disabled guests. On your website for Carowinds under “Procedures for guest with Disabilities” the current policy states:
Only one riding companion may enter through the Special Access Entrance with you. Other members of your party are asked to enter the ride in the standard manner through the line. Special Access Entrances are intended to accommodate wheelchairs and those guests with mobility restrictions and not to bypass others waiting in line (Carowinds).
As I understand it, this policy is to prevent people from abusing special access to the rides and is not for guest to “bypass others waiting in line.” (Carowinds) I know there are many issues that have arisen in the past from the old policy by allowing disabled guests to “jump” ahead in the line. I am aware that prior to this new policy there were many people that took advantage of it and faked a disability to get to the front of the line. And there were some that were physically disabled in some way, but they were still capable of waiting the time span they would have waited in the regular line. The new policy is fair for those that can wait for a long time in line, but what about those who cannot wait for a very long time? What the policy does not taken into account are those who really do have special circumstances like being unable to cope with waiting; people like my brother.
Jonathan is 26 years old, has cognitive disabilities, physical limitations and autism. While he shares some commonality with others who have disabilities, he has unique needs. He is capable of walking and standing for short periods of time; his mentality is that of a four year old; but like so many others with autism he experiences fixations, poor social skills, and lacks a conceptual understanding of time. His typical demeanor is happy and carefree, however, due to his limitations he does not fully understand what is going on around him. For someone like him who is not able to sit and wait for a long time, it becomes unreasonable because he cannot mentally process it.
This circumstance is not unique to a variety of people with cognitive and pervasive disabilities. With the growth of autism at the rate of 1 in 150 (ASA), this specific disability presents prevalent issues for families. Parks, like Carowinds, caters to families, but which ones? A mother explains how the policy at Six Flags, one similar to yours, is not doable for both of her autistic children.
My children don't understand time…the things that are reasonable to us make no sense to them. Anything more than five or 10 minutes can be a screaming meltdown for my kids. (Niles)
The mother also spoke of how the wait was so stressful for her daughter that she threw herself down to the ground and bit her caregiver. (Niles) There is a need for a policy change specifically for people like my bother and the children of this woman.
John L. Woodatch the Director of Office of Americans With Disabilities Act at the Department of Justice writes in response to a person inquiring about persons with disabilities being permitted to “cut” in line at an amusement park.
Public accommodations, however, are required in certain cases to make reasonable modifications to their policies, practices, or procedures when modifications are necessary to afford goods, services, facilities, privileges or advantages to individuals with disabilities. See section 36.302 of the title III regulation at page 35596-97, and preamble at 35564-65 [Located in the Americans with Disabilities Act]. In light of this requirement, an amusement park may be required to modify its policies to allow an individual with a disability to be admitted to an attraction without waiting in line, if delay would prevent the individual from participating in the service because of the nature of the disability.
Based on the interpretation from the John L. Woodatch of the Americans with Disabilities Act cases like Jonathan would allow them to be next in line. To do otherwise would be not in alignment with the laws and it could be see as discrimination to those persons.
Parks like Carowinds are meant to enhance the family experience, and that includes the experiences of those who support and care for them. The event should not make it more troubling, difficult or, in our case, toilsome and certainly that was not the intention of the policy, park, or owner. In an attempt to better serve those individuals with disabilities and their families (especially those with autism and other prevalent disabilities), I offer a few proposals.
• Have the ticket purchasing process for guests with disabilities clear on the web page and state the price of the ticket. If tickets for people with disabilities should be purchased at the park and not on line, let people know it.
• Combine wheelchair rental and special access passes at the same location to decrease family frustration, and increase “play” time in the park.
• Make a policy within the policy that addresses special circumstances. People with unique needs should be treated with exceptions to the rule. These families and caretakers deserve the respect and support of the community at large. By keeping the current rules it will still serve the purpose of eliminating misuse.
• Train each park employees about the policy so it is consistently and respectfully applied. Train the staff to recognize authentic cognitive disabilities and provide culturally competent training to the employees to address the special needs of those with a variety of disabilities.
• Provide a special color-coded pass to those who fall within the context of the cognitive disabilities that will permit them to be next in line. This pass will allow park employees to see the difference right away. It will allow those with special needs enjoy the park to the fullest by allowing them to be next in line for the ride.
• Allow families to board together. In these special circumstances, families often need to provide psychological support and physical assistance to the person with the disabilities.
Leo F. Buscaglia once said “Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” I urge you to consider your power to provide this small act of caring for these people who would otherwise miss out on the enjoyment of the park. Make a difference for people that have to deal with so many hardships by creating a simple place in line. With proper training and a new policy in place Carowinds and all Cedar Fair amusement parks can once again become a great place for persons with disabilities and their families.
WORKS CITED
(ASA) Autism Society of America, What is Autism: Facts and Stats Page August 18, 2008. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2007). August 18, 2008. http://www.autism-society.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_whatis_factsstats
Buscaglia, Leo F. ThinkExist.com Quotations August 21 2008. August 21, 2008. http://thinkexist.com/quotation/too_often_we_underestimate_the_power_of_a_touch-a/213531.html
Carowinds | North and South Carolina's Themed Amusement Park August 21, 2008. Carowinds| Procedures for guest with Disabilities. August 21, 2008. http://www.carowinds.com/News/detail.cfm?item_id=29
Niles, Robert. Theme Park Insider August 21 2008. Fort Worth Star-Telegram. August 21 2008. http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/200709/474/
Woodatch, John L. United States Department of Justice June 26 2001. Letter in response to inquiry of ADA. August 17, 2008 http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/foia/tal308.txt
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Update on Steve Holt
I figured since I have my computer fixed I need to update some pictures on our cute dog Steve Holt.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Carowinds
This video of the ride we took at an amusement park in South Carolina is hilarious. John and Daniel aren't so excited to be on the ride (especially Daniel), but Jonathan's has nothing but pure joy on his face. ENJOY!
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
I'm Steve Holt!
My name is Steve Holt and I am 4 months old and I am so FINE! If you want to learn more about my name click here . Mommy BB and Daddy DD almost didn't get to have me in there lives. You see we had met about a month ago and it just wasn't the right time for ma and pa to have a pup so ridiculously good look as me. After about three weeks they came back to the shelter and of my siblings I was the only one left. But to make things more dramatic when DD and BB came back there was a cute little boy that carried me around for about an hour and a half. All the while his parents went back and forth on whether or not they wanted to adopt me. They left saying they would think about it and Becky and Daniel came to adopt me the second I was let go by the little boy.
Now I am in my new home and loving it. Especially all the space and carpet that I get to pee on its great!
Me continued...
Here I am with my "Grandma".. She says I am her favorite Adopted Grandson. 
I am a Shar Pei/ Irish Terrior Mix pup. Top picture is a Shar Pei and bottom is Irish Terrior.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Something about Sexxyback - Post by Double Dee
Becky and I have learned the best way to cheer Jonathan up is to blast some SexxyBack while riding in the car....his reaction, as always, is contagious! Can you tell which part of the song is his favorite:):):)?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
We represent the lollipop kids - Post by Double D
In our first family ward calling as a newly wed couple Becky and I were called to be teachers of the CTR 5's in our ward. The calling was a sort of rite of passage for all the newly-weds in the ward but it was certainly a surprise to us. I for one haven't worked with kids in more than 8 years and have grown accustomed to the quick, efficient talk of the business world. Becky is very good w/ youngins but because she works w/ atleast one guy who requires the attention of a youngin (arguably more attention) all week long she thought that the Lord would see fit to allow her a 'day of rest' from her normal grind. Now that we've been released, we look back w/ lots of fond memories and gratefulness for the opportunity we had to teach these young and precious souls. As I mentioned before, it wasn't an easy pill for us to swallow at first. After the first few awkward encounters I finally remembered what types of things kids like and the types of questions they respond to (mostly following BB's lead) and everything began to click. Becky is a great teacher. She had a knack for coming up w/ creative activities and games that always grabbed the attention of the boys.
Contrary to the pics above, we actually had 9 boys we taught on a regular basis. Despite what logic or simple arithmetic would lead us to believe (9 boys + 2 hours of Sunday School = utter mayhem, temper tantrums and gray hair growth acceleration) it was an amazing experience. The boys were by far the most reverent group in the whole primary. And even during our class time they were attentive and excited about learning. Becky and I always left church in awe of their humility and desire to learn. There were moments, however, that would leave Becky and me shaking our heads during class...but as we reminisced those moments after church they would always give us a good chuckle. Some examples:
Scenario 1
Me: How do we show our love to our parents?
Boy1: We kill 'em.
Me (trying to ignore Boy1 and move on w/ the line of questioning): What things can we do to show our brothers and sisters we love them?
Boy1: Kill them!!
Lesson learned - fool me once, shame on you...fool me twice, shame on me.
Scenario 2
Me: What should we do if we are sad (correct answer is pray)?
Boy1: Poop!
Me (once again, trying to ignore Boy1 and move on w/ the line of questioning): What can we read to help us feel closer to our Heavenly Father (correct answer is the scriptures)?
Boy1: Poop!!!
Lesson learned - see scenario 1. Also, potty humor is hilarious! Its sad though that my use of it hasn't been refined past a five-year-olds.
There are so many other silly things that happened that have helped me to take life less seriously. This calling has helped me to smile more often, let my guard down around strangers and to question what I think is important (to enjoy the moment rather than be so focused on completing a lesson plan). And to that I'm thankful.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Man of my Dreams!
Who would have ever thought I would marry the man of my dreams. I remember when I was 15 years old my dream guy had the following:Blue Eyes, Dimples, Dark Brown/Black Hair, Freckles, Tall, Buffer than me, Funny, Loves me, Loves my brother, Strong Faith, Honest, Strong LDS member, Athletic, Loves basketball, Plays the guitar, and ridiculously good looking!
WOW! I cant believe I got everything I wanted and more! We have been married for about nine months now and I couldn't be happier. I love this man! I am so lucky to have found someone made just for me.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
The House We Are Buying..hopefully
"The House" Its not official yet, but everything goes smoothly we will be moving in the end of May... Cross your fingers for us. The house was built in 1990 & its got 90's written all over it. It has 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths, and its 4 times bigger than our apartment, I am so sick of living in our tiny 500 sq ft apartment.
Here is the master bedroom w/ a walk in closet and our own bath. YEA!
Formal Living room w/ a great 90's touch... MAUVE carpet
Formal Dining Room
Backyard
Family Room
The Kitchen... and yes the tile is pink.Monday, March 3, 2008
Go-Go-Go Globetrotters - Post by Double Dee
About a month ago the Globetrotters were in town and I decided it would be a great event for Jon and I to go to. I remember that as a kid I would see commercials promoting globetrotter games in the area. The commericals were filled with high flying dunks, beautifully orchestrated loopty-loop passes intermingled with zany, staged gags. Oh how high were my hopes! Ultimately, the performance was quite the disappointment; alas I was about 15 years past the targeted audience. Jon, however, became the globetrotters greatest fan that night as I became an even bigger fan of Jon. Watching him and trying to see things through his eyes makes every occassion that much more enjoyable. As you watch this video you can see why! I have a lot to learn from his pure and unfeigned attitude.
Friday, January 18, 2008
On Top of the World
I looked in the rear view mirror and the sky looked like it was on fire. It reminded me of when I served my mission in Hawaii. The sunsets were so beautiful there. I had to stop and turn around, I couldn't pass this moment up. I took this picture up on this hill thats referred to as "The Top of the World". I just happened to have my camera and camera stand with me at the time to capture this. Once upon a time I wanted to be a photographer, well at least obtain some skill. Every once in a while I luck out and get a great shot. But alas I have to admit this talent doesn't come easy to me as it does others that I so envy. I am okay with that now, now that I have found something that I love and excel in. I love helping others. Now I am aspiring to be a nurse. I love my Anatomy and Physiology classes. The human body is so amazing. I cant wait to get into that field. The more I learn the more I want to know. Who knows maybe I will exceed my goals.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Jonathan has troubles waking up and going to the bathroom at night and so he has to wear a diaper to bed. He is good at putting the diaper on himself. One night my mom and Daniel were helping him get ready for bed and they gave him his diaper to put on and he put it on his head an laughed.It was hilarious! For those of you that don't know Jon, he has quite the since of humor. He may be mental disabled, but he is no dummy. He is good about getting a laugh out of people.
Since that night he has done it every once in a while. This captures what it looks like. I love this kid he cracks me up! Hope you laughed as hard as I did when I saw him do this......
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