Tragic to Magic

Well, it happened, just as I predicted. Disneyland has stopped - or at least changed - its policy with regard to the disabled being able to go to the front of the line. It's not terrible, but it's kind of sad.

I wrote Maggie World: Perking along a few months ago, talking about some folks who were abusing the system at Disneyland hiring disabled "guides" to assure them front of the line status at the park. IF that is true, I can only quote Daffy Duck, (a Disney competitor):

I use the word "if" on purpose. It is just a little too convenient that this horrific story with anonymous evildoers get all this press and 90 days later Disney changes its policy. Quite convenient. It sounds a little like Disney magic to me - orchestrated perfectly like everything else they do.

The changes are not horrible. One who is "deemed disabled" (whatever that means) can still avoid the lines for the most part. They will be given a reservation to come back to the ride at a certain time. It's good. Not AS good, but good. Here's the story: http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/Disneyland-Disabled-No-Longer-Skip-Lines-224810762.html.

I went to a conference sponsored by Disney a few years ago and they shared a slogan they use internally. When something is going wrong for a guest they just  "Change the tragic to magic." Perhaps a crowd is getting unruly because of the long lines. Before it gets out of hand,  Mickey Mouse appears. It's Magic! Everyone is happy again!

This policy change reeks of a little "tragic to magic" at work. Disney is still better than most companies when it comes to the disabled, even with these cutbacks, but it feels a bit manipulative.  Instead of just cutting back and updating their system, which would have brought many cries of FOUL! Disney blames these unidentified folks abusing the system.   Disney comes out smelling like a rose for merely cutting back on a program instead of eliminating it.

That's an E ticket I'm not buying.

And if you remember what an E ticket is, go take a nap.