GAC for Stress-Fractured Foot Questions

[Boo Bear]

I have been refered to this forum to ask questions about getting a GAC. I have a stress fracture in my right foot. I won't need a wheelchair or motorized vehicle, but I do need to avoid standing on my feet in the heat waiting for rides. Will a GAC allow me to sit down somewhere while I wait for rides? Also, will my boyfriend be able to go with me somewhere while I wait or do I have to go alone? I shouldn't be climbing steps either. Thanks.

[livndisney]

I have been refered to this forum to ask questions about getting a GAC. I have a stress fracture in my right foot. I won't need a wheelchair or motorized vehicle, but I do need to avoid standing on my feet in the heat waiting for rides. Will a GAC allow me to sit down somewhere while I wait for rides? Also, will my boyfriend be able to go with me somewhere while I wait or do I have to go alone? I shouldn't be climbing steps either. Thanks.

WDW suggests a wheelchair for mobility issues. There is a sticky in this section with lots of info. The GAC does not provide a place to sit down in line, nor does it cut down on lines or waiting times.

Hope you have a wonderful trip.

[OneLittleSpark]

Some rides do have an alternative waiting area, but not all of them do. You'll find more information on the GAC in the FAQ section, but for any kind of mobility concern, Disney does tend to ncourage Guests to use a wheelchair or ECV. I have heard of a few people being turned down for GACs for mobility or stamina problems.

I know that it can be a daunting prospect, but Disney is the easiest place to wheel about that I've found. Do remember that at Disney you will do a lot more walking than most people do in their regular lives. Apparently the average Guest walks 6-10 miles each day at Disney. That amount of walking could aggravate the fracture, and put you in a lot of pain: not something you want generally, let alone on holiday!

If you did rent a wheelchair or ECV, you wouldn't have to use it the whole time. A lot of people use it to get between places, then park up and explore. Or, you could walk when your foot was feeling good (either parking the wheelchair, or using it to carry bags), and ride when you need to take the weight off it.

Just a couple of ideas there, I don't know if they'll be any help to you or not. Hope you guys have a great trip, however you choose to play it! :goodvibes

[Hook's Girl]

Additionally to what other's have posted, if you do not want to rent a wheelchair, most attractions provied one so you can sit just for the length of the queue.

[Eeyores Butterfly]

While most attractions have wheelchairs, they are not designed for this type of use. I used to work attractions in Fantasyland, and those wheelchairs are for the sole use of people with ECVs. There are many attractions in which the queue and load platforms are not wide enough to accommodate an ECV- like Winnie the Pooh. Therefore a person with an ECV must park it outside the attraction and use one of the wheelchairs to navigate the queue. These are the only attractions that I have seen with wheelchairs, and we can't give them to people without ECVs, because we can and have run out before, which means that the person with the ECV either has to wait for one to get returned, for us to find one, or has to stand/walk through the line.

It is not a good plan to depend on the attraction having a wheelchair for you to use in a queue as most don't, and those that do are specifically for people using ECVs.

[Hook's Girl]

While most attractions have wheelchairs, they are not designed for this type of use. I used to work attractions in Fantasyland, and those wheelchairs are for the sole use of people with ECVs. There are many attractions in which the queue and load platforms are not wide enough to accommodate an ECV- like Winnie the Pooh. Therefore a person with an ECV must park it outside the attraction and use one of the wheelchairs to navigate the queue. These are the only attractions that I have seen with wheelchairs, and we can't give them to people without ECVs, because we can and have run out before, which means that the person with the ECV either has to wait for one to get returned, for us to find one, or has to stand/walk through the line.

It is not a good plan to depend on the attraction having a wheelchair for you to use in a queue as most don't, and those that do are specifically for people using ECVs.

That's not the case at Epcot and Hollywood Studios. All of our attractions provide wheelchairs for guests who need them.

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Is this new? I had lots of friends in attractions at DHS and Epcot, and it was the same thing. Are you a CM? I just find this very odd as I have never heard of this before.

In any case, it's not a good diea to depend on it, if you need a wheelchair, your best bet is to rent one. If you are staying on property, the resorts all have a very limited number you can borrow for free for the duration of the trip, you can ask for it when you check in. They are on a first come first serve basis, so make sure that you budget a rental, but this might be another route for you to go.

[merryweather20]

Is this new? I had lots of friends in attractions at DHS and Epcot, and it was the same thing. Are you a CM? I just find this very odd as I have never heard of this before.

In any case, it's not a good diea to depend on it, if you need a wheelchair, your best bet is to rent one. If you are staying on property, the resorts all have a very limited number you can borrow for free for the duration of the trip, you can ask for it when you check in. They are on a first come first serve basis, so make sure that you budget a rental, but this might be another route for you to go.
Just to add to what EB said there are so many places with walking and long waits, not just rides that it just wouldn't work as a strategy. Even the hotels themselves are huge a wheel-chair would make sure you could get back to your room safely each day.

[KPeveler]

a few points

1. it is more walking than you think at disney, and many attractions need to be experienced standing - for instance, pre-shows, which you would not avoid even if there IS an alternative waiting area. also, may have to wait a long time for things like wishes, and then stand for the show, and there is no GAC for wishes.

2. most rides do NOT have an alternative waiting area, and disney will not send you past the standard line if there is not a alt waiting area. they will suggest you rent a wheelchair.

3. if you get stuck with your foot hurting badly partway through the day, you will have to gave someone in your party go back and rent a wheelchair for you, while you sit alone. there is no guarantee that there is a wheelchair available later in the day.

my suggestion is either to rent an ECV, or if you do not think you will use it much, get a wheelchair and push it yourself. that way you can still walk between attractions and you dont have to be pushed, but you have a place to sit in the lines. that is what i do on "bad" days at disney, because standing is worse than sitting for me.

Also, you should get a GAC if you cannot do stairs (i think a GAC can be used for this) if you do not use a wheelchair, because they will not let you bypass stairs without it i think. however, that same GAC will not shorten waits, nor will it shorten walking distances.

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Ok- I just talked to my friend who still works in Fland, and this is what he told me:

The attractions with greeters have them, so in Fantasyland that is Pooh, Philhar, Small World, and Pan. However, if the entire queue is ECV accessible, the wheelchairs are not in a good place for the person to get. Here is what I know about Fantasyland:
1.) Small World's are at the loading dock because ECV's can go through the line but not on the boat. This means that the greeter would have to leave their position, go down to the dock, and bring it back up.
2.) Philhar's are stored behind Tink's Treasures, so the greeter would have to leave their position and walk a fair ways, then come back with it. This is very problematic if there is one person as both greeter and FastPass Return because we are not supposed to leave the entrance unattended.

As I said, Snow White, Dumbo, Teacups, and Carousel do not even have them because they do not have greeters. I can't speak for other parks or for other lands, but at least in Fantasyland it will be better for you to bring your own.

[ireland_nicole]

I agree w/ pp's that if you can't stand in line, you probably need a w/c or ECV; the only reason you might need a GAC is for an unable to climb stairs stamp if you don't get the w/c.

[mechurchlady]

The problem is thinking that you can go so far or do so much when it all adds up to hours on your feet, walking, and stretching like getting into a boat. I can stand for half an hour in line but 10 lines and I am crying exhausted and in pain.

I strongly suggest a wheelchair or ECV. If he cannot stand long periods of time then what about the times he is on his feet walking? What will he do when waiting for things like transportation, to exit and enter the park, to get food or a drink of water, to see shows like in Canada Pavillion, and for people to move. Nothing like hitting a traffic jam which is as bad as waiting in line.

[Cheshire Figment]

Please ask the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are traveling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

[J&J'sMOM]

Please ask the following questions. Here are the suggested answers to go with them.

1. Are you disabled (even temporarily)? Yes.

2. Do the people you are traveling with, such as your family, know you are disabled? Yes.

3. Do you expect to meet anyone you know during this trip who may not know you are disabled. Probably No!

4. Do you expect to meet a bunch of people who you will probably never meet again in your life? Probably yes!

5. Is there any reason at all that you should care what these people think about you? Absolutely No!!

6. Will using a wheelchair or ECV make for a better vacation for you and your family? Absolutely YES!

Thank You Cheshire Figment!

Everytime you post this, it reminds me of why I NEED an ECV for our trip! You have put my mind at ease again!:worship:

[I Love Pluto]

I just came back from a very frustrating trip at Disney. The bottom line on your disability (and mine) is that Disney does NOT care about you or your foot. You MUST fit the mold of a person in a wheelchair or Disney will NOT help you. A GAC does no good at all if you are using a cane or rollator. I am still very bitter, and I probably will not visit Disney again unless I am able to walk and board rides without issue.

[SueM in MN]

I just came back from a very frustrating trip at Disney. The bottom line on your disability (and mine) is that Disney does NOT care about you or your foot. You MUST fit the mold of a person in a wheelchair or Disney will NOT help you. A GAC does no good at all if you are using a cane or rollator. I am still very bitter, and I probably will not visit Disney again unless I am able to walk and board rides without issue.
I'm not sure what you expected.
Most lines are accessible (i.e. without stairs) and for those that are not, they do have a GAC that allows the user to bypass the parts of the queue that are not accessible or to board at whatever is the accessible entrance for the attractions with moving walkways.
The distance walked in line is not usually going to be much (if any) different for someone using a GAC than not. And, in some cases the distance is very long - the Safari at AK, Soarin' at Epcot, A Bug's Life at AK for example. Even many of the theater shows involve a lot of walking once you enter the building - like Mickey's Philharmagic and Laugh Floor have several rather large preshow/wait rooms you need to go thru before getting to the actual theater. They can't make the distance shorter because the distance from one place to another is far. That (plus the distance between attractions) is why they recommend a wheelchair or ECV for anyone who is concerned with either walking distances or stamina/endurance. Even with a GAC, it's still a long walk between attractions.

[KPeveler]

I just came back from a very frustrating trip at Disney. The bottom line on your disability (and mine) is that Disney does NOT care about you or your foot. You MUST fit the mold of a person in a wheelchair or Disney will NOT help you. A GAC does no good at all if you are using a cane or rollator. I am still very bitter, and I probably will not visit Disney again unless I am able to walk and board rides without issue.

What did you want a GAC to do for you that a wheelchair/ECV cannot do? Since so many lines are mainstreamed, a GAC will not allow you to skip a line (which does not decrease your walking length, just time standing, sometimes) if a scooter will help. Perhaps you were misinformed ahead of time as to what a GAC can do for you, and that lead to some bitterness and misunderstanding.

Also, what exactly is a "wheelchair mold?"

And why would a cane or rollator not be a help? If you cannot do stairs, tell GR that. Other than that, I dont see how a cane or rollator would keep you from using mainstream lines. (I use a cane in daily life). If a cane is not enough for disney, then rent a scooter, so you can enjoy the elaborately themed queue lines with the rest of your party...

[merryweather20]

I just came back from a very frustrating trip at Disney. The bottom line on your disability (and mine) is that Disney does NOT care about you or your foot. You MUST fit the mold of a person in a wheelchair or Disney will NOT help you. A GAC does no good at all if you are using a cane or rollator. I am still very bitter, and I probably will not visit Disney again unless I am able to walk and board rides without issue.

I'm not sure what yu mean by "the mold of a person in a wheelchair". Even just asking the people on this board you will find that the differences from one person to the next make wheelchair users as similar as night and day.

A GAC certainly can work well for someone using a cane or a rollator, what are there needs? They'd likely need to avoid stairs perhaps, extra time to board an attraction. If that problem includes stamina though, the problem is with the mobility aid not with Disney. Canes and rollators are useful but don't do much to mitigate a stamina problem.

[mechurchlady]

wheelchair mold

i have heard from someone at DLR and at times was treated at DLR as a second class citizen among disabled people. I had to set in the back on a waist high wall with my butt in the damp dirt to pin trade while people in ECVs and wheelchairs were allowed to use the low table at the front of the pin trading area. Often we sat in the cold rain in the back with no trades.

In DLR there seemed to be, this was long ago, chairs versus others. Some people feel that since they are not in a chair that they are ignored or treated in a lesser manner. I saw it usually only at the pin trading but at times it was rough without the chair but I could not use one or afford an ECV.

that said, there is a myth that GAC and being disabled gives you instant access but trust me on the pain I suffered over the years because I could not afford a wheelchair or ECV. I now am planning a trip and will take the trolley, take my mom's spare wheelchair or rent an ECV there but I will not try to even venture out of the hotel walking as I know my limits. It is chair/ECV or not all.

[I Love Pluto]

Please don't judge me. I am speaking of my problems, not judging others.

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Pluto: We're not trying to judge you, just genuinely surprised. Could you elaborate on the problems that you experienced? Perhaps we could provide you with some insight and help make your next experience better. You could also help us to see what problems there are so we can be so forewarned. Your post was just not specific so there's no way to know what the problem was or why you experienced it. We just have your subjective statements that Disney does not care. As a former CM, I do find that offensive because many of us cared a great deal and tried to do what we could to help guests with disabilities.

[OneLittleSpark]

Please don't judge me. I am speaking of my problems, not judging others.

Nobody's judging you :hug:. It's just sometimes easy to misunderstand each other, when you don't have the added clues of gestures, facial expressions and voice tone (I know, I've misunderstood people sooo many times on forums and internet messages).

We were just hoping we could get some more information on your situation, what happened; what you were hoping for; what went wrong etc, so we could help you for your next trip, and maybe help others who are here to plan their trips. I think a lot of us were just surprised, as we've had very good service from Disney, regarding our disabilities. Maybe you ran into a new CM who wasn't sure what to do? Or you found someone who was having a bad day? I'm not in any way trying to trivialise your experience, just trying to find out what happened.

Sorry your trip didn't go as well as you'd hoped :hug:

[SueM in MN]

Nobody's judging you :hug:. It's just sometimes easy to misunderstand each other, when you don't have the added clues of gestures, facial expressions and voice tone (I know, I've misunderstood people sooo many times on forums and internet messages).

We were just hoping we could get some more information on your situation, what happened; what you were hoping for; what went wrong etc, so we could help you for your next trip, and maybe help others who are here to plan their trips. I think a lot of us were just surprised, as we've had very good service from Disney, regarding our disabilities. Maybe you ran into a new CM who wasn't sure what to do? Or you found someone who was having a bad day? I'm not in any way trying to trivialise your experience, just trying to find out what happened.

Sorry your trip didn't go as well as you'd hoped :hug:::yes::
That was what I meant by posting.
I was trying to figure out if you got incorrect information that led you to expect something different than what you found. If that was the case and you got the information here, I want to know so I can clarify it.

[I Love Pluto]

OK - I'll explain. No attacks, please. My thoughts are for me and my situation, not to belittle or judge others.

First, let me explain my life in the last 8 months. I was a very active music teacher, mellophone player in a drum corps doing lots of parades, and a very active sports-inclined individual. I was the type who never sat still - ever. I had some bone & joint defects in my feet & ankles which were causing problems, so my pain level decided that it was time to do some surgery which I had put off for about the last 20 years. Part of my surgery included a titanium ankle.

I was allergic to titanium, developed an infection, almost lost my foot, and almost lost my life. Three surgeries later - due to the infection - I have lost bone, muscle, and tissue, and have trouble walking at all. I can walk with the aid of a walker, but I have been told by my doctor and physical therapist that I will never be able I to walk again the way I once did. They suggest a wheelchair so that I can get around. I am very stubborn, and I cannot get to the point of accepting the wheelchair. I applaud any of you who have accepted life's challenges and have accepted the wheelchair for what it is - an aid to help, not a curse. Maybe someday - I'll be able to get to this point of acceptance.

The "wheelchair mold" is the set of 6 questions that Cheshire Figment has people ask themselves before going to WDW to determine whether or not to use a wheelchair. I do answer positively to these questions, but I do not fit the common sense mold of acceptance. This is what I meant when I stated that I do not fit the mold. It was never an attack against anyone.

I did obtain a GAC, but it was never assumed that it would do anything but help me get more time to enter & exit a ride vehicle, and to use an alternate entrance if available. I never expected it to be anything more than that. If the average wait time is 60 minutes, I will wait 70 or more for my turn. I do know what a GAC is intended to do.

My problems - WITH the GAC - were as follows:

1 - Epcot - I was denied entrance into the American Adventure. I cannot sit up top due to heights (epilepsy), and the CM would not permit me to walk down a concrete ramp to the front. [I was permitted to do this at Fantasmic, Indiana Jones, and Beauty & the Beast.] The CM nastily told me to "get a wheelchair". I asked if they had one I could use, but they did not.

2 - Epcot - Nemo -I tried to explain, but none of the CMs would listen - that I can stand for a while on a flat surface, but that the inclines in their cue were severly affecting my ankle. They would not allow me to use an alternate entrance, even with my GAC. I suffered through all of the inclines because the only help the CMs would give me was advice of "get a wheelchair". They did not listen when I explained that it was not stamina, but their inclines. [I did see the manager at Guest Relations on a second visit - who allowed me to use the flat entrance through the gift shop. I did use a wheelchair to board the ride, since the moving floor cannot be stopped.]

3 - The only way into MK is by ferry, monorail, or bus from your resort. We know this from our yearly trips. However, even with a handicapped tag, there is no way into MK other than the bus for me. I cannot use the ferry or monorail due to my epilepsy, and I had terrible trouble getting onto the buses due to my foot & ankle. No one could help me at all. I was trapped into taking the bus, using the wheelchair ramp. [I was humiliated getting on to the buses with some drivers, but I guess there is nothing Disney could have done for me to be able to take a car to MK. It was the attitude of individual drivers who told me that I should "get a wheelchair".]

4 - MK - The CM at Small World gave me a lot of attitude about walking onto the wheelchair boat with my rollator. She denied access to me the first time. She told me I should "get a wheelchair". (I went back to Guest Relations and they called over to them, allowing me to walk with my rollator onto the wheelchair boat. What a ridiculous amount of extra walking and aggravation this was!)

5 - DHS - no problems with boarding rides. No problem with entering shows.

6 - Animal Kingdom - The CM wanted me to leave my walker with the other wheelchairs before getting on to the Safari ride. I told them that I needed it to walk there. After much arguing, I was permitted to use my walker to get into a seat, then my daughter had to place it with the wheelchairs.


So - as I was stating in my previous post - it just didn't feel very magical at WDW for me this year. I felt many times that CMs just didn't care to listen to what I was asking, and that I was in their way of the REAL guests. Yes, I am bitter at my lack of acceptance at many places in WDW. I'm just me - trying to get through it all.

I'm sorry this is so long. I didn't mean to hi-jack anyone's thread. But - I felt forced into defending myself.

Thanks for listening. :goodvibes

[SueM in MN]

No one was attaching you, so no need for defense.:grouphug:
We didn't know what you meant.
i don't have time for more reply now (getting ready for work), but will later.

[mechurchlady]

This board is like a community in that we work to help prevent problems and to solve problems. Through the bad times others learn what to do. I want to know why you felt the way you do about WDW. From your list the people on this board can teach others what to do.

For example on Kilamanjaro Safari the CM should have let you roll your rollator to the ride vehicle so you could get into the vehicle. Either the CM or a member of your party could then park it. If a CM were to tell me I could not wheel a chair, walker or other form of aide for the disabled then he would be getting his lead and then a manager. If not satisfied then I would be at guest relations. Know your rights granted by Disney and your legal rights. In the case of the Safari ride they should have let you use your device until the last possible minute then have the device near by.

From your problem with CMs at that ride others will learn what their rights as a guest of Disney is and what they should do if that happens to them. I have learned some much from the problems of others on this board.

drats mom needs dinner so later. She is being good so I got to be good and early, lol
hugs
not judging or putting you down, just curious and wishing I could help

[merryweather20]

If you read through the forum you will find equivalent experiences and difficulties from people using wheel-chairs. The first time I went to WDW in a wheel-chair, my Dad kept getting so upset at the rotating procedures, and lack of explanations, not to mention the longer waits we finally started waiting separately in line:lmao:

Rest assured they are not picking on anyone not in a wheel-chair.

From reading your post it seems like you ran into some mistaken/uninformed CM's. The problems with the bus seem bad enough that maybe you should write a letter? I know you probably didn't get anyone's name, but its not exactly rocket science that you'd have trouble with bus steps if you were using a rollator. What were they thinking? Its not as though a rollator is a highly unusual mobility aid that they'd have no idea what would help :confused3

As for the wheel-chair thing, maybe I had it easy because, I had no choice. I physically couldn't walk. But, I'm sure you used wheel-chairs during your hospital stay, did they somehow change you, define you, well anything at all? Didn't you just see it as a sensible way to get from point A to point B given your surgery :confused: Its the same deal now.

[hematite153]

2 - Epcot - Nemo -I tried to explain, but none of the CMs would listen - that I can stand for a while on a flat surface, but that the inclines in their cue were severly affecting my ankle.

3 - The only way into MK is by ferry, monorail, or bus from your resort. We know this from our yearly trips. However, even with a handicapped tag, there is no way into MK other than the bus for me.

I agree with merryweather, we've had problems to match during every trip, although I usually find that my biggest gripes are with the other guests (I mean, last year someone stole our w/c!) rather than the CMs--but there's always at least one CM who has done something that feels unforgivable.

I wanted to respond specifically to these two points.

I'd forgotten, but, with you mentioning it, I'm remembering watching a man with obvious knee problems walk around the edges of the Nemo ride passing through some of the gates to take a shorter path to the front. The CMs weren't very nice to him and at first glance it looked like he was just trying to find a way to move around us and our w/c. But, he told the CM that he was happy to wait for his party to catch up to him, he just couldn't handle the inclines in the queue. They didn't react as well as I've come to expect of wdw CMs. It may be that somehow the training in place right now isn't conscious of the implications of the slight inclines in that particular queue. It would probably be helpful for many people if you were willing to take the time to write disney a letter mentioning this problem.

In terms of accessing the MK, you mentioned that the bus from your resort is your only option. If you have a car and another driver, I remember once seeing a drop-off spot on the MK side of the lagoon. I can't find it on the map, and I remember that we'd gone through a gate that required a pass to get there, so, it might be hard to get access to. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? We were on a bus that had headed off on a detour due to a closed road because of an accident. If this doesn't work, you should be able to at least have someone drop you at the contemporary and then return to park in the TTC. (Realistically, it's probably easier to take the bus, but, I wanted to suggest other options.)

As for the bus drivers, there seem to be quite a spread and we seem to get them in clumps. Some trips we've loved the bus drivers, other times we've found them to be horrible and insensitive--we were once told that my DW's w/c wasn't allowed on the bus! I really need to start note-taking and sending commendations and complaints on.

[I Love Pluto]

:grouphug: Hugs to all of you. You really are a great group of people.

Thanks! :goodvibes

[kaytieeldr]

I Love Pluto - you say you will not go back to Disney for a long time, if ever, so this suggestion probably won't work for you. It works for ME because I've been there about thirty times (and yet, there are still things I haven't done!). ANY time I run into an especially notable issue, positive or negative, I stop at Guest Services and either fill out a comment card/sheet myself, or explane the situation to one of the CMs there. Sometimes I will even stop right where I am and (politely but firmly) request the presence of the Attraction Lead, or a Manager. I figure - Disney can't fix a problem if they don't know it exists.

[mechurchlady]

MK has three options for getting to the main gate.
1. Monorail
2. Ferry
3. Disney Busses

The monorail and ferry travel from TTC to MK and there is drop off area near there. The problem is that the original poster cannot or will not take the ferry or the monorail so that leaves the busses.

There are Disney rules but that does not mean that every CM will follow those rules let alone understand them or even know them. Stand your ground if you know you are right and ask for a lead.

Disney recommends getting a wheelchair or ECV and I do too. I am going on a trip to San Antonio and taking the wheelchair so that I can lean on it when my back is tired and so that I can set in it when I am tired. i had to change plans so that I could go on the trip and decided the wheelchair was the only answer for me. I love walking and not setting but I also do not do well when i am in pain. Tonight for the first time in many months I used an ECV in a grocery store. I knew my limits and right now the meat is in the car and I am tired but a third of out groceries got bought.

I know I could never do one park for one day without a chair or ECV. I will admit that i have limitations.