This is the moment… will Whitney be coming on the ship? 🛳🐾♿️

After 48 hours of vet visits, paperwork, and endless emails, Whitney and I made it to the terminal to board the Disney Wonder.

But no official boarding approval from Disney. We’re minutes from departure and still don’t know if my service dog will be allowed on.

#DisneyCruise #AccessibleTravel #ServiceDog #CruiseDrama #WheelAroundTheWorld

[CandiceMcCool]

My daughter uses a manual wheelchair and has a service dog. I often wondered how going on a cruise would be and what all hoops we’d have to jump through to make it happen. Thank you for sharing your experience.

The people commenting that you were being dramatic obviously have a skewed view of what a disabled person and their family go through on a daily basis.

You were direct but polite with your explanation of what you experienced with the confusing and conflicting instructions you received. Thank goodness you had all that documented proof!

People have no idea how hard it is to do every day things in a wheelchair, much less enjoy a vacation like everyone else. Props to you for going out there and living your life!

[xxmadixx]

bless the ministers office for speaking so respectfully of Whitney

[DavidHurrell-zy]

More patience than me my friend, best wishes to you and your mate.

[charlottenaomi]

Very glad Whitney got to go on the cruise with you. It shouldn’t be this hard to get the accommodations you need, constantly having to advocate for yourself can get exhausting! I seriously hope they improve things going forward!

[CCO-Music]

The fact you had printed proof I feel is the only reason they allowed you on, I could see they were going to say NO until you pulled out the proof and they knew how bad the publicity would be, I've had to fight to get a disability pass for our trip. They need to learn we're human and shouldn't be treated as third rate citizens. It's so sad.

[silverlake]

Thank You for the open captions. They are awesome!

[MrKarmapolice]

You shouldn’t have to go through all of this just because of your disability. My dad had a stroke in 2020 and was in a wheelchair for 6 months until he started walking with a walker it’s a big eye opener, even the local therapy center I took him to didn’t have self opening doors.

[yvonnekerridge]

Last year 2024, I spent a few days with a dear friend in England, both of her children have disabilities. Even though we were not on a cruise, we went to London for the day. I hadn't realised how people with disabilities were ignored and made to feel they do not deserve the same right as an able bodied person. It was shameful and embarrassing.

[spacemonkey]

I'm not surprised by this. It's absolutely exhausting juggling all the additional paperwork to just have access needs met

[EliteNode]

This reminds me of a local disabled lawyer who would deliberately go to businesses around the area only to sue them into oblivion because of any infraction he could find. Petty crap, like paint fadding on the parking spot. A restaurant that was in a super old building did not have an ADA ramp. Nearly all orders were to go because the building was so small, hardly anyone could eat inside. Even though they would take orders outside for disabled people. Its never enough....

[zoea]

i love your videos. its so annoying that this happens, and cruise ship employees aren't fully educated (not just the ship employess- but the cruise liners as well), I am glad you both got to travel together

[davis]

Disney stopped caring for its guests a long time ago. All they care about now are money and shareholders.

[rustytrain]

Here in the UK Ambassador Cruise Lines even let the Guide Dogs for the Blind Train Onboard will in port and there very happy as long as your dog has this
Ambassador can accept registered assistance dogs on board that have been specifically trained to assist a person with a disability and has been certified by an organisation that is a full member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI) or International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), the accrediting bodies for assistance dog organisations worldwide.

Please note that assistance dogs are subject to relevant legislation regarding travel. It is your responsibility to check that the assistance dog can be carried to the ports of embarkation and disembarkation and that the dog is not prohibited from going ashore at the various ports of call. Assistance dogs must have all necessary papers and comply with the relevant legislation regarding health, inoculations, training and travel.

And also Ambassadors flagship ship has what they say is the worlds first at sea dialysis room


They are trying to pave the way so everyone can enjoy a cruise

[Skittl]

Your comment about the life rafts being accessible, the answer is almost certainly not. You should ask during the muster drill what the procedure is for a disabled passenger on the lifeboat; how they transfer you into it.

[ladymacb]

I wonder if the fact that Disney only started doing cruises from Australia last year and that they don't usually do 'just' domestic cruises in places that were a factor in screwing up Disney. They probably have a form response to do and don't have policies in place yet.

[sabaducia]

I can't believe you had to go to the minister. How do they not know their own protocol, and their own responsibility under legislation. Absurd.

[mellchiril]

Australia does have very specific rules when it comes to animals. The back and forth is absolutely stupid, there should be one clear answer, but sadly that's just never the case when you try to talk to instances. In Dutch we have a saying 'van het kastje nar de muur gestuurd worden' which translates to 'being sent from the cabinet to the wall', meaning no one really knows where you're supposed to go for something so they send you all over the place, usually to end up in the spot where you first started. This definitely sounds like one of those cases.
I hope Sydney will be alright letting Whitney into the country, I don't really want to believe the stories of Australia when it comes to foreign animals, but... there's some scary stories around that I don't want to see happen to Whitney, especially not 'to see if we can'.

[senamoore]

THANK YOU! I'm PRAYING 🙏🏾 for YOU!

[OcraStars]

I can’t believe you’re going through this again. 😢

I’m not physically disabled, but I do have an assistance dog. I’m going to Hobart (from Perth) in August, but I’ll be having to leave my good boy behind because he doesn’t have his flying license. It’s horrible to think that a part of me is relieved because it doesn’t mean having to go through all the paperwork and hurdles I’m sure flying involves. Things really need to change… 😔

[nicogs]

What’s so hard for them to just pick up the phone and directly talk to the government why make the customer be the middle person trying to figure out their job?