Lynnette Prescott, of Macungie, Lehigh County, said her two-year-old daughter was kept off a ride at Dorney Park in South Whitehall Township on Friday because she has Down syndrome.
"When we approached to get on, this ride attendant said she, meaning Isabella, can't go on this ride," said Prescott. "She said she's an infant. She can't walk."
Isabella, who is small for her age, was prevented from riding the Road Rally ride in the Planet Snoopy section of the park, a ride her mom said Isabella has ridden before.
"Just goes around in a circle in a track," said Prescott. "I'm not asking you to allow her on anything strenuous."
Jason McClure, vice president and general manager of Dorney Park, said it's not discrimination, but safety concerns for the rider.
"The specific ride requires you to stand and to be able to brace yourself, and those are requirements you have to review," said McClure.
According to the ride requirements, a parent must be present with children under 3, and a seat belt is designed to hold the rider in place.
Little Isabella can walk and stand with a walker. Prescott said she wanted to show that to the park employee, but she claimed the worker didn't want to see it and instead told her Isabella didn't look like she could handle the ride.
McClure said it's not the park's standard procedure to tell guests they look like they should not ride.
Riders in question are required to pass a verbal checklist based on their ability, said McClure. If it's determined they're not safe to ride, he said they won't ride.
Prescott said she is taking legal action against the park, but said she really just wants an apology.
I would like to see her being treated like any other future child who goes into the park with a disability," said Prescott. "I want her treated equally and not judged by the way you look."
It was mentioned to her AT the park and ON many Forums. That was NOT the reason. The reason was safety
ReplyDelete