See this story at BrooklynDaily.com.
By Joanna DelBuono
Brooklyn Daily
What’s next? Occupy the tea cup ride movement?
I read an item in Tuesday’s Post, “Rich Kids Cut Line at Disney,” and apparently the one-percenters, super-entitled, and extremely spoiled Manhattan parents now pay disabled people to tour them around the park — just so they don’t have to wait on long lines in the hot sun with the common folk.
Apparently, the families of handicapped kids rightfully get special treatment at the land of make believe, and now the über wealthy are cashing in by paying $130 an hour to hire a handicapped person to show them around the park — and beat all the lines in the process.
And if it’s not bad enough that people are doing this, wait until you hear how they rub it in.
“You can’t go to Disney without a tour concierge,” said one mom who, not surprisingly, didn’t want to share her name. “That’s how the one percent does Disney.”
One over-privileged little tyke only waited one minute to get on “It’s a Small World,” while the other poor shlubs waited upwards of two and a half hours in the tropical heat.
Apparently, the super-indulged are passing around the name of the guide company that sets up this scam like recommending what the best mocha chocha coffee is at Starbucks. How proud they must feel.
It makes me want to hurl, but in some strange way it seems to make them proud.
“It’s insider knowledge that very few have and share carefully,” said Dr. Wednesday Martin, an anthropologist, who learned about the underground practice while researching her book “Primates of Park Avenue.” “You’re affirming that you are one of the privileged insiders who has and shares this information.”
And, according to Martin, the service is much better than the park’s other beat-the-line system known as the speed pass.
“Who wants a speed pass when you can use your black-market handicapped guide to circumvent the lines all together?” she said.
What happened to enjoying the happiest place on earth with a little waiting? Isn’t that part of the joy of the ride — the anticipation of getting there?
Ryan Clement, who the article states manages the guide company mentioned, refused to comment. However, he did confirm that one of his workers does have an auto-immune disorder, which necessitates her use of a scooter on the job.
How convenient.
I think a little waiting is a good thing. It teaches patience, tolerance, and how to be receptive to life’s little disappointments. After all, you can’t always have what you want, when you want it or where you want it. You just have to learn to go with the flow and wait.
Not for Nuthin™, but if this really catches on, maybe Disney should change the name of the ride to “It’s a Rich World After all.”
Follow me on Twitter @JDelBuono.
Joanna DelBuono writes about national issues — and scams — every Wednesday on BrooklynDaily.com. E-mail her at jdelbuono@cnglocal.com.