It's frustrating when the naysayers that keep repeating that bathroom issues are an easy fix, as usually the ones who have never had to deal with this kind of disease. It's life altering and debilitating. When I have a flare I can be in the bathroom for an hour or more. My spot in line won't even exist anymore by that point. I also travel solo a lot of the time. So now I have to trust strangers to be understanding and not put up a fight if I need to leave and come back much later?
Universal's response to this is shortsighted and disappointing.
Listen, I get it and I hear you. I have lived with IBS for 25 years now. I can't work outside the home because of it. It has ruined countless days of my life that were supposed to be spent doing fun things. I have had to cancel plans literally hundreds of times because I've been stuck in a bathroom literally all day. I have missed flights, almost missed graduation ceremonies, missed doctors appointments, hair appointments, holiday celebrations, etc. It really sucks.
That said, there is NO accommodation in a theme park that can help when I'm having a flare. Literally nothing save for a toilet actually being the ride vehicle. I just have to miss out entirely. My son has had a
DAS at Disney for years and the way it works wouldn't help at all. When you gotta go, you gotta go. When I'm having a flare and HAVE to be away from a bathroom, I use adult diapers, because what is the other option? But a theme park day is not one of those "must do" things, so I simply skip it on days where I'm not confident I can be away from a toilet for more than 30 minutes at a time.
My IBS also causes frequent urination. I am at the point of needing to always wear a pad due to bladder leaks that happen spontaneously when I have spasms.
This is a tricky thing for theme parks to accommodate because at SOME point, you are going to have to figure out whether your bathroom issues are even compatible with a day at a theme park. I imagine there are many disabilities like this, where a logistical need overrides the ability to provide an adequate accommodation. This is where personal responsibility comes in. It isn't fair. Nothing about having a condition like this is fair.
My husband with combat PTSD has had to take a months long break from theme parks. He just can't handle the crowds at this point without spiraling into a panic attack almost immediately upon entering. An assistance pass doesn't address that, so it's useless. I took our kids to WDW last week and he stayed home. It makes me really sad, but neither Universal nor Disney is responsible for making everything accessible to everyone at all times. They are doing their best, but sometimes personal limitations override that.
