Interpreter allows Disney attractions to be fully enjoyed

By Stephen Roldan | The Olympian's Diversity Panel • Published July 25, 2008

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Recently, my family returned to California to attend a wedding and take a much-needed vacation. For months my wife and four kids were bubbling with excitement to go to Disneyland. As a native Californian, I went to Disneyland about once or twice a year and always had a great time.

We moved to Washington five years ago and haven't had a chance to return to California, so I went online to look at the new rides and prepare for the trip.

Looking through the menu, I noticed a link for disability accommodations. I found I could request, just like any other business, an ASL interpreter to fully enjoy the park's attractions. The Americans with Disability Act has been around for 17 years and established the legal foundation for providing such disability accommodations. Disney's Web site provided an e-mail address to send itinerary and arrange for an interpreter. I even learned of a cool option for handheld captioning for rides like Pirates of the Caribbean.

As I shared the possible live shows with our family, I got a roar of approval. Although I've always loved the shorter lines that occurred during the parades and shows, my family's enthusiasm convinced me to go check out the shows.

"What the heck," I thought, "the shows should be cool and I'm curious what the House of Mouse can do with an accommodation request." A few e-mails later I had an interpreter set up to meet me at City Hall at the appointed time.

I'll admit I was nervous about what was going to happen as I've never made such a request before and hoped Disney wouldn't let me down. I'm pleased to say I was impressed by the professionalism of the park staff and the interpreter. It made all the difference in the world as I went to the different attractions with full accessibility. With an interpreter I could go back to being my old self and enjoy the park. I didn't need someone to interpret my screaming neighbors on Space Mountain, but for live shows like Jedi Academy, it was great to be included again.

After dinner, while we were waiting for Fantasmic to start, a deaf couple found my interpreter and asked me whether they could join us for the show. I was more than pleased to do this, however we had limited space in the reserved seating and it was the Disney folks' decision whether we could include our new friends. We presented our case and lo and behold, it was approved. I commend the employees on their flexibility and understanding as it certainly made our visits much more enjoyable.

Maybe my brain is still stuck in Fantasyland, but I'd love to see more businesses follow Disney's lead in recognizing the value of providing disability accommodations. The ADA isn't perfect, but with the right attitude all of us can make it work.

If you want to help provide accommodations to an employee or someone you know but aren't sure of the process of how to make it happen, feel free to contact me.

Stephen Roldan, a member of The Olympian's Diversity Panel, is statewide coordinator of deaf services for the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. He can be reached at roldasj@dshs.wa.gov.