$_POST for disabled select

Answer 1

This is the correct behavior. disabled disables the element, and does not send it's value when a form is POSTed.

You can use JavaScript to un-disable the form before you submit it. Something like this (untested):

document.getElementById('myForm').addEventListener('submit', function() {
    for(var i = 0; i < this.children.length; i++){
        var child = this.children[i];
        if(child.disabled){
            child.disabled = false;
        }
    }
});