Use of ECVs at Disneyland parodied on this week's episode of South Park

[clippers6]

This was posted before, but moved to the TV thread. I messaged a moderator and was told it was OK to start a new thread as long as we focused on the Disneyland aspect of the episode. If anyone would like to watch this episode, South Park Studios leaves new episodes up for a week after it airs and then removes it from their website until reruns, so you have until next Wednesday. And yes, South Park does like to provoke, but I think they are entitled to their opinion and bring up some good points this week. We've had some spirited debates about the same subject they poke fun of this week on this forum. I think it says a lot that a popular, fairly mainstream show is addressing the topic. (Remember when The Simpsons had a joke about how little there was for kids to do in DCA?) Certainly it shows that this is something that has been noticed outside the online Disney fan community.

Minor spoiler warning.

In this week's episode "Raising the Bar", Cartman decides to start using an electric scooter to get around which leads to him developing a huge sense on entitlement. And yes, there is a scene where he goes to Disneyland and uses the scooter to skip the line. In the scene they also show how his sense of entitlement affects some poor kid that legitimately can't wait in line. So props to South Park for showing that there are people that legitimately need special access. There is also a scene where other Disneyland guests have to move out of the way to avoid getting run over by Cartman.

[misfits138]

That episode was absolutely hilarious! Thank you for directing me too it. I hope "rascal tipping" catches on

[Trevor]

The Guest Assistance Program at Disneyland has for a long time been looked at by some as abused. In fact, this very topic has been noticed by Disney Executives as Al Lutz outlined in his recent article "The Party's Over" in a section titled "The Line King". How Disney balances providing above and beyond the call of duty for guests who need the assistance while stopping abuse and ensuring fairness for everyone is a complex issue.

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[swampymarsh]

I enjoyed that Cartman went into the HCA line on Jungle Cruise, found that line to be huge. Then when he complained about all the people in line who didn't need to be there was a single person with a legitimate(visible) need to use the line.

[orbitalpunk]

James Cameron doesn't do what James Cameron does for James Cameron.

James Cameron does what James Cameron does because James Cameron is… James Cameron

[fifthrider]

For all the guff and heated debate this topic sometimes brings to this board, the abuses of special privileges is a legit concern to both the people who legitimately have the qualifying condition as well as those who don't. The people who abuse it affect both of us. This issue will probably get worse and worse over time until it reaches the boiling point causing Disney ( or anyone in their similar position ) to have no choice but to take action.

I understand the arguments from those who defend/explain why Disney doesn't ask proof of medical condition but in the end the simplistic solution ( establish a system to validate ) will probably be the best. To those who would complain about any entity ( theme park, governing body, etc. ) getting more stringent, just remember that someone else had to abuse a system in the first place, and force the problem to the degree that the governing body HAD to take action.

Al Lutz's article outlined a good step in the right direction. I wish Disney luck with it's implementation.

[MochaCat]

xD my boyfriend and I were cracking up!

They got the disneyland part spot on! and they kept it responsible by bringing up that "hey! there are people who use scooter/wheelchairs for real reasons and they deserve to be in the shorter line! but then there are those that abuse it."

oooh! ho ho! so much fun was had in that episode.
but HAHAHA! as cartman was barreling through the crowds saying how everyone ignores him and he is embarrassed.

[JMazz]

When he was on the stand, choking up, I laughed so hard. Then he whipped out a "grabber" to get tissues to wipe away the crocodile tears... I laughed even harder!

Did anyone catch the medalion in the hub? "Where Magic Happens" - sounds like a tagline DL would use.

Did anyone catch that the GAC line was called "express loading"???

[orbitalpunk]

did you catch that the mickey balloons each had one deflated ear so that they wouldn't breach copyright of the mickey ears logo?

[jcruise86]

Here's the link again:
Raising the Bar (Season 16, Episode 9) - Full Episode Player - South Park Studios

And here's a link to a Saturday Night Live parody of Clint Eastwood's Superbowl commercial that also refers to ECVs at Disney parks.
http://www.hulu.com/watch/328540

I'm not posting these because they reflect how I feel about overweight people, but just because they relate to Disney parks.

I wouldn't be surprised if a year from now there were widespread jokes about Disney's prices.

[Mr Wiggins]

did you catch that the mickey balloons each had one deflated ear so that they wouldn't breach copyright of the mickey ears logo?

Yup. Hysterically funny episode. The Cameron scenes were classic -- I thought of the Imagineers who have to deal with that monumental ego on the Avatar project. (If there still is an Avatar project, that is.)

The Guest Assistance Program at Disneyland has for a long time been looked at by some as abused. In fact, this very topic has been noticed by Disney Executives as Al Lutz outlined in his recent article "The Party's Over" in a section titled "The Line King". How Disney balances providing above and beyond the call of duty for guests who need the assistance while stopping abuse and ensuring fairness for everyone is a complex issue.

Exactly right. If the increasing number of eyewitness accounts on Disney fan forums is any evidence, the problem of GAC abuse is growing by the month. It's going to reach a tipping point sooner than later.

There's an increasing sense of injustice to this issue that transcends other Moronic Guest Games like line cutting and photo bombing: GAC con artists prey on the Company's policy of fairness to guests who truly need assistance. Their self-centered greed not only threatens the GAC policy, but as a byproduct inflames the public's already negative view that handicapped people get unfair special treatment.

[Rex Dopey24]

hahah i enjoyed that episode

[swampymarsh]

I wouldn't be surprised if a year from now there were widespread jokes about Disney's prices.

There aren't now? People talk about Disney prices all the time, because the prices have been going up for decades.

[PirateLover]

So funny!

I think this quote from Al Lutz's article about the RSR line backup, sums up the whole thing -
"The irony of a 45 minute line for people who freely acknowledge they can’t wait in line is not lost on any of the Cast Members from Guest Relations or Radiator Springs Racers."

[JerrodDRagon]

I think you know something must be wrong when a "small" problem like this (i mean the chairs at Disneyland) is put into an episode