My family took a vacation of a lifetime and we went to Orlando. We stayed two weeks and had tickets for both Disney World and Universal Studios. We timed our vacation to be there for the opening of Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express. Let me just say that Disney World was wonderful and Universal Studios can sink into the ocean for all I care. We have a ten year old daughter who has Caudal Regression Syndrome which means she is missing the lumbar and sacral vertebra. She cannot walk but she gets around great in her wheel chair and "walking" on her hands. Let me just say she is an amazing little girl who we have raised to believe she can do anything she wants. She is not handicapped but handicapable! Universal Studios refused to let her ride any rides including the kiddie rides. They said it was clearly stated in the ride brochure. It is NOT! We had spent a lot of money on 3 day passes that included both parks. We left with this beautiful little girl crying because she felt she had ruined her brother’s vacation.
We stopped at customer service to lodge a complaint. After waiting in line for 30 minutes, I told the young girl at the counter that I was extremely angry and that I would like to speak to a manager because she was not paid enough for me to take it out on her. She said first I needed to let her know what was going on and I told her about the ride operators letting my little girl get on the ride only to have a supervisor come over and say no, they don't let cripples ride and she would need to get off. This happened not once, not twice but 5 times and that included the kiddie rides. I was furious but controlled myself since it was not this poor girls fault. She then went back to get her manager. We waited another 15 minutes then this young girl came back and said her manager authorized her to refund our tickets for the day. I said very nicely, where is the manager and she said her manager told her to do this. I asked if my complaint mattered and she said of course. I said apparently not since the manager couldn't even bother to come and talk to me! The young lady left close to tears and I almost felt bad but considering why I was there and the fact that I did warn her stopped my pity.
The Public Relations manager came and with her came the ride manager Brian. Brian, I will never forget. The young man needs to learn to listen! I told them what had happened and Brian said yes that was company policy. I said where does it state this? In the ride brochure. i held it up and said show me where? I have looked and nowhere in there does it say handicapped people can't ride. It listed weight limits, operating instructions, height requirements but nothing about people who can't walk not being able to ride! He tried to take the brochure from me but I refused to give it to him. The public relations lady asked me what i wanted and I told her an apology to my daughter and I wanted Brian to escort her to any ride she wanted and make sure she got to ride it provided she met the restrictions posted and not the ones they made up to keep her off. She offered to refund all three days and I told her no this wasn't about money it was to teach my daughter that she was worth fighting for and that people like this park where wrong! Brian said no no no. He talked over me and could not even acknowledge what I was saying or even apologize because we felt that way. He was right and we needed to leave. I will never go back there and I tell everyone who considers going that they better be in excellent health or they will waste their money!
Universal Orlando Reviews
My family took a vacation of a lifetime and we went to Orlando. We stayed two weeks and had tickets for both Disney World and Universal Studios. We timed our vacation to be there for the opening of Diagon Alley and the Hogwarts Express. Let me just say that Disney World was wonderful and Universal Studios can sink into the ocean for all I care. We have a ten year old daughter who has Caudal Regression Syndrome which means she is missing the lumbar and sacral vertebra. She cannot walk but she gets around great in her wheel chair and "walking" on her hands. Let me just say she is an amazing little girl who we have raised to believe she can do anything she wants. She is not handicapped but handicapable! Universal Studios refused to let her ride any rides including the kiddie rides. They said it was clearly stated in the ride brochure. It is NOT! We had spent a lot of money on 3 day passes that included both parks. We left with this beautiful little girl crying because she felt she had ruined her brother’s vacation.
We stopped at customer service to lodge a complaint. After waiting in line for 30 minutes, I told the young girl at the counter that I was extremely angry and that I would like to speak to a manager because she was not paid enough for me to take it out on her. She said first I needed to let her know what was going on and I told her about the ride operators letting my little girl get on the ride only to have a supervisor come over and say no, they don't let cripples ride and she would need to get off. This happened not once, not twice but 5 times and that included the kiddie rides. I was furious but controlled myself since it was not this poor girls fault. She then went back to get her manager. We waited another 15 minutes then this young girl came back and said her manager authorized her to refund our tickets for the day. I said very nicely, where is the manager and she said her manager told her to do this. I asked if my complaint mattered and she said of course. I said apparently not since the manager couldn't even bother to come and talk to me! The young lady left close to tears and I almost felt bad but considering why I was there and the fact that I did warn her stopped my pity.
The Public Relations manager came and with her came the ride manager Brian. Brian, I will never forget. The young man needs to learn to listen! I told them what had happened and Brian said yes that was company policy. I said where does it state this? In the ride brochure. i held it up and said show me where? I have looked and nowhere in there does it say handicapped people can't ride. It listed weight limits, operating instructions, height requirements but nothing about people who can't walk not being able to ride! He tried to take the brochure from me but I refused to give it to him. The public relations lady asked me what i wanted and I told her an apology to my daughter and I wanted Brian to escort her to any ride she wanted and make sure she got to ride it provided she met the restrictions posted and not the ones they made up to keep her off. She offered to refund all three days and I told her no this wasn't about money it was to teach my daughter that she was worth fighting for and that people like this park where wrong! Brian said no no no. He talked over me and could not even acknowledge what I was saying or even apologize because we felt that way. He was right and we needed to leave. I will never go back there and I tell everyone who considers going that they better be in excellent health or they will waste their money!