new blog: Guest Assistance Cards Vs. FastPass+

[ttintagel]

I am sooooooo hurt by this comment! I DO have a neurological issue. I have had brain stem & spinal cord surgery as well as cervical fusions. I trip over many words per day. I am a retired teacher with a Master's degree. I am not ignorant - but when I cannot remember the word MILK or CANE or LEG - I am NOT fooling around. Not GAC worthy for this issue, but it happens to me often.

Please don't judge others with a subject which you are unfamiliar with. It hurts very, very much.

Thank you!

Hi,

I'm not the one judging - if you read my whole post - including the parts in parentheses) you'll see that I'm actually disputing the people who think that way. That was an actual comment I read on another message board, and it bothered me, too.

 

[ttintagel]

Wow, this tops the cake for making excuses for people obviously fraudulently using a GAC. This type of post is what hurts those needing the GAC the most. But, whatever excuse you want to make for people like that is certainly your privilege, but I, for one, did not buy it then that they needed it, and I'm not buying it now, and this is *my* privilege.

I don't see how assuming the best of people until I have enough information to think otherwise hurts anyone. I need a GAC myself, but you probably wouldn't know it to look at me. That's why I extend the benefit of the doubt to others, because I know how it feels to be judged by people who don't know my situation, and I want that same benefit of the doubt extended to me.

I would be the worst kind of hypocrite if I went around saying, "I can tell just by looking that that person doesn't have a disability," and expecting others not to do the same to me.

 

[rammh]

I posted this on the thread that got closed just before all the really ugly stuff happened, but last time my daughter came to WDW, the woman at GS gave her the GAC but wrote on it: Molly-9 years old. This was an easy way to prevent use by other family members without Molly. I had NO qualms about that at all and would say it may even help when it comes to children. It just assures that the child who needs it is the one who is actually using it.

 

[RevKjb]

http://www.disunplugged.com/2013/01/16/guest-assistance-cards-vs-fastpass-let-the-battle-begin/

I would kindly ask the Moderator(s) to remove this link/discussion as it is hurtful and inflammatory. There ARE legitimate GAC users in this group. If it wasn't for a GAC we would not be able to go to the parks @ WDW .... Would that make the OP happy ? Maybe an apology is in order.

 

[North of Mouse]

I would kindly ask the Moderator(s) to remove this link/discussion as it is hurtful and inflammatory. There ARE legitimate GAC users in this group. If it wasn't for a GAC we would not be able to go to the parks @ WDW .... Would that make the OP happy ? Maybe an apology is in order.

The *Moderator* posted this link!! She has nothing to apologize for - it was open for discussion. The blog is there for all to read whether it was posted on this board or not.

 

[barbarasc]

here's my 2 cents for what it's worth. My daughter Jenny (now 25) is both physical and intellectually disabled and her disability is sever. She also has an uncontrolled seizure disorder. If she has to wait in line for 2 hours or even 45mins it means she will not be able to enter that attraction period. If those that are able bodied and have to wait (those so called "normal" folks to bad. If they believe Jen disability does not warrant front of line access then they can walk one day with me and help my 25 year old beautiful daughter use the restroom, FEED her every meal, try to guess what her need is because she does not talk and hold her when she has a seizure out of the clear blue. I DARE anyone to question her need! Further more I have to add that if Disney would accept a letter from doctors introducing the guest and explaining the need allowing Disney to offer what is best for the guest it would solve a lot of issue. I will go further and say that if Disney discounted or offered free admission it their parks it would take the sting out of not being able to gain access to attractions. Other parks do it why not Disney? It's about money that's why.

 

[Piper]

Although I regret that my health has deteriorated so that I will not be returning to WDW, I am glad that I will not have to endure judgement from people like the ones who are posting on several threads. I am so sorry for these people....to be so intolerant and judgmental must make life difficult for them. I cannot imagine spending my time looking for people that I think are "faking" disability!! I sincerely hope they do not find out first hand how much some conditions limit your activities.

 

[SueM in MN]

The *Moderator* posted this link!! She has nothing to apologize for - it was open for discussion. The blog is there for all to read whether it was posted on this board or not.

I want to point out that the Moderators of this board did not post the link and had nothing to do with the blog.

We can (and will) close this thread if it becomes problematic. We do not have power to edit or delete the blog post.

I am not going to remove the link to the blog in the first post on this thread because that provides the context for the comments already made here.

 

[North of Mouse]

I want to point out that the Moderators of this board did not post the link and had nothing to do with the blog.

We can (and will) close this thread if it becomes problematic. We do not have power to edit or delete the blog post.

I am not going to remove the link to the blog in the first post on this thread because that provides the context for the comments already made here.

I was quoting and answering another poster. It was not myself asking, just explaining to this poster.

 

[SueM in MN]

I was quoting and answering another poster. It was not myself asking, just explaining to this poster.

I understand that.
I was clarifying that the Moderators of this board did not post the link since your reply to the other poster could be read to mean we had.

 

[mistysue]

Everybody "knows" it happens, but how do they know?

Seriously, I get sick of that argument, you cannot possibly know what disabilities someone may or may not have.

The problem with a return time pass is that you have to go there to get it, leave and come back. This can add a lot of extra walking for those that may have limited mobility that may not need a wheelchair or ECV, return time passes might force them to rent one, even though the exercise would do them good, but the extra walking would be too much.

This is why return time passes wouldn't work, but the scanning the pass would.

The only other way return time passes would work is if there was a way to get them before going to the attraction. Either from phone or kiosk. But the extra walking is definitely a problem with return time passes.

Just to be clear, I don't have some delusion that I know every person's disability status. People know abuse happens because they meet people who tell them they do it. I met a woman not long ago in my town who told me to get one of those passes, and she didn't know my kids. (BTW, I have 3 special needs kids, all with completely different invisible issues)

I hadn't thought much of the scanning passes thing, I guess it is sort of like the return time in reverse though. That makes sense. Anything that would reserve times or change the line system for needs but that isn't an unlimited immediate fastpass would cut down on people having this idea that if they just ask they get a magic pass.
I understand the sometimes needing to do something right away especially when dealing with an emotional or neurological issue. It also happens that many (not all) people who have those issues, don't need the GAC constantly. Of course some do, but not all. Obviously people need to police themselves, but I see overuse as a type of abuse.

 

[North of Mouse]

I understand that.
I was clarifying that the Moderators of this board did not post the link since your reply to the other poster could be read to mean we had.

 

[aubriee]

Although I regret that my health has deteriorated so that I will not be returning to WDW, I am glad that I will not have to endure judgement from people like the ones who are posting on several threads. I am so sorry for these people....to be so intolerant and judgmental must make life difficult for them. I cannot imagine spending my time looking for people that I think are "faking" disability!! I sincerely hope they do not find out first hand how much some conditions limit your activities.

While I agree to a point, sometimes it's not a matter of looking for people that are faking. Sometimes they just fall into your lap. I know of at least three people that faked the need for a GAC or used someone else's handicap tag.

1. I have a coworker who made her first ever WDW trip a few years ago. She went down there with her sister, neice, the neice's husband, and their six kids. She told me the neice made a special trip to her pediatrian every year to get a note saying one of her kids was disabled, couldn't wait in lines, and needed a front of the line pass (even though there is nothing wrong with any of her kids). I informed her there was no such thing and even if there was WDW was not allowed to require a doctor's note. She spoke with the neice again, and the neice told her that a couple of years before, just a few days before their first trip, she had to take one of the kids in to see the pediatrician and the WDW trip got brought up. The pediatrician laughed and told her that he was going to write her note saying one of the kids was handicapped and couldn't wait in lines without having a melt down. At first the neice was going to refuse because none of the kids are handicapped, but the doctor convinced her to do it and said he's done it before. He then laughed and said it was inhumane to try to have six kids in line in WDW during the July heat. Since then every year, the neice gets a GAC for one kid saying things like they can't be out in the heat, need to take the stroller in, can't wait in lines, etc. I was shocked and told my coworker that a GAC says right on it that it's not for front of the line access. When they got back from their trip, my coworker told me I was wrong and that they got to skip most lines with the GAC. She said there was absolutely nothing wrong with her great neices and nephews, but her neice had no problem getting a GAC for one of them each trip and did so, just so they didn't have to wait in long lines and their wait was always shorter.

2. My mom and I were staying at AKL last Sept. One day we had parked in the handicapped area right in front of the lodge and I was getting my mom's ECV out of the trunk. A couple pulled up beside of us. As they got out, the man told his wife, "Make sure we don't forget to get my dad's handicap plaquard out of this rental car. If I forget to bring it back to him he'll kill me". The wife assured him she wouldn't forget and made the comment that she was sure glad they brought it, because it kept them from having to walk so far and they should have been bringing it every year. The man said, Yeah and they'd be bringing it from now on.

3. Same trip, last Sept, I had just popped the trunk and was getting my mom's ECV out of the trunk early one morning in the Epcot parking lot. We were parked on that very first row close to the gate. A group of young boys around 18-20 y/o parked beside of us in a crew cab pickup. They immediately offered to help me get the ECV out of the trunk and even when I said I was fine, insisted on getting the parts out of the trunk for me. I thought wow, there are still some nice, well mannered teens out there. But then, as they started to walk off, I heard one of them tell another how smart he was to borrow his grandparents handicap tag and how he couldn't believe how close they were able to park with it. The other teen, said yeah, he used his grandparents handicap plaquard more than they did, because the grandparents couldn't drive much anymore and it saved him and his parents from having to walk in parking lots. He also made the comment that if they rented an ECV or wheelchair in the parks that they could use it to skip lines. Another of the boys, said, "nah, that's too much trouble and would probably cost too much". The first boy said yeah, but if they shared the cost, it wouldn't be too bad and it'd let them skip all the lines. Since my mom uses an ECV I know that's not true, but was sortof hoping they'd do it, just so they could learn that for themselves. Using the grandparent's handicap tag, did let them use the handicap parking space though.

Anyway, I wasn't particularly looking for abusers, but these three just sort of fell in my lap, so to speak (two on the same trip yet). You know there has to be alot more though.

 

[SueM in MN]

I totally understand how guests not understanding how the GAC is supposed to work can be incredibly frustrating for CM's. I wish WDW would spend the money to hire more people to deal with unruly guests so that each CM wouldn't have to cope with so much by him- or herself.

But just because a guest is a jerk who doesn't understand how things work doesn't necessarily mean you can tell he doesn't actually need any assistance at all. It just means he's an ignorant jerk who hasn't bothered to learn what assistance is available and what isn't.

There are times at attractions when the wait in the regular standby line is relatively short. The regular lines are often winding with lots of turns. An ECV or wheelchair in that line actually slows things down for the other guests when the line is otherwise moving quickly.
In those cases, they do send more guests with wheelchairs and other special needs thru the Fastpass line.
That happens quite often to us at Buzz Lightyear. We go to the regular line and are directed to go into the Fastpass line instead. Several times, we have had someone else with a wheelchair or other special needs ahead of us, who was saying how 'nice it was to bypass the line.'
Only, they did not look at the standby line posted wait - we did and knew it was less than 10 minutes, so it would really not matter that much which line we got into, our wait would be pretty much the same. But, it would matter to the guests in the regular line who would be slowed down as we negotiated each corner.

That is the type of situation where it makes sense for CMs to direct certain people to the Fastpass line for ride efficiency. The problem is, they are not telling people that; they just do it.
So, the people who were directed there think it was because of their GAC or wheelchair and expect to use that line for everything.
They argue with CMs who won't let them enter there and sometimes cause enough of a ruckus that the CM just gives up. I have seen posts on another website where one of the Moderators says that is the 'handicapped access' despite the instruction to "obtain a Fastpass or enter through the Mainstream queue" listed in the official WDW Guidemaps for guests with disabilities. You can get links to one for each park here, on the bottom right of the page:
http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guests-with-disabilities/

CMs explaining those things would help.

While I agree to a point, sometimes it's not a matter of looking for people that are faking. Sometimes they just fall into your lap. I know of at least three people that faked the need for a GAC or used someone else's handicap tag.

1. I have a coworker who made her first ever WDW trip a few years ago. She went down there with her sister, neice, the neice's husband, and their six kids. She told me the neice made a special trip to her pediatrian every year to get a note saying one of her kids was disabled, couldn't wait in lines, and needed a front of the line pass (even though there is nothing wrong with any of her kids). I informed her there was no such thing and even if there was WDW was not allowed to require a doctor's note. She spoke with the neice again, and the neice told her that a couple of years before, just a few days before their first trip, she had to take one of the kids in to see the pediatrician and the WDW trip got brought up. The pediatrician laughed and told her that he was going to write her note saying one of the kids was handicapped and couldn't wait in lines without having a melt down. At first the neice was going to refuse because none of the kids are handicapped, but the doctor convinced her to do it and said he's done it before. He then laughed and said it was inhumane to try to have six kids in line in WDW during the July heat. Since then every year, the neice gets a GAC for one kid saying things like they can't be out in the heat, need to take the stroller in, can't wait in lines, etc. I was shocked and told my coworker that a GAC says right on it that it's not for front of the line access. When they got back from their trip, my coworker told me I was wrong and that they got to skip most lines with the GAC. She said there was absolutely nothing wrong with her great neices and nephews, but her neice had no problem getting a GAC for one of them each trip and did so, just so they didn't have to wait in long lines and their wait was always shorter.

2. My mom and I were staying at AKL last Sept. One day we had parked in the handicapped area right in front of the lodge and I was getting my mom's ECV out of the trunk. A couple pulled up beside of us. As they got out, the man told his wife, "Make sure we don't forget to get my dad's handicap plaquard out of this rental car. If I forget to bring it back to him he'll kill me". The wife assured him she wouldn't forget and made the comment that she was sure glad they brought it, because it kept them from having to walk so far and they should have been bringing it every year. The man said, Yeah and they'd be bringing it from now on.

3. Same trip, last Sept, I had just popped the trunk and was getting my mom's ECV out of the trunk early one morning in the Epcot parking lot. We were parked on that very first row close to the gate. A group of young boys around 18-20 y/o parked beside of us in a crew cab pickup. They immediately offered to help me get the ECV out of the trunk and even when I said I was fine, insisted on getting the parts out of the trunk for me. I thought wow, there are still some nice, well mannered teens out there. But then, as they started to walk off, I heard one of them tell another how smart he was to borrow his grandparents handicap tag and how he couldn't believe how close they were able to park with it. The other teen, said yeah, he used his grandparents handicap plaquard more than they did, because the grandparents couldn't drive much anymore and it saved him and his parents from having to walk in parking lots. He also made the comment that if they rented an ECV or wheelchair in the parks that they could use it to skip lines. Another of the boys, said, "nah, that's too much trouble and would probably cost too much". The first boy said yeah, but if they shared the cost, it wouldn't be too bad and it'd let them skip all the lines. Since my mom uses an ECV I know that's not true, but was sortof hoping they'd do it, just so they could learn that for themselves. Using the grandparent's handicap tag, did let them use the handicap parking space though.

Anyway, I wasn't particularly looking for abusers, but these three just sort of fell in my lap, so to speak (two on the same trip yet). You know there has to be alot more though.

Which points out that 2 of the more common ways people suggest for 'proving disability' would not work (doctor's letter and handicapped parking permit).
Heck, there was even a black market in Make a Wish pins at one point.
There are people who will not have a problem stooping really low to gèt what they perceive is an advantage.

I do think CMs in Guest Relations and attractions should be doing more explaining

 

[wheels on fire]

in uk to get a exit pass you need to have actual proof .either a statement from school or letter from school with dx .and blue badges ( parking permits )have photo on so harder to abuse

If line is wheelchair accessible then you are expected to queue .though few times we been sent up the fp line as chair tends block access .

If have probems queuing then you need a letter with dx of autisum /aspergers or social communication disorder or something along those lines.

Means it does work well and less likely to be abused

.but downside in uk wheelchair users are not allowed to ride most rides no matter how strong are in upper body so personally for me I will take your us system which allows me to ride just about everything

 

[icouldlivethere]

I can't believe how judgmental some people can be. Thankfully, the majority of people I meet are very kind and supportive. I also can't believe how much time some people waste trying to figure out if they think somebody is "faking it" or not.

I'm not able to stand for long or walk very far so I have a scooter I use to get around on whenever I go anywhere. To look at me you would not know that I have so many health issues. Appearances are deceiving. Very few handicaps are obvious to the casual observer. I've never used a GAC because I haven't felt a need to. Using my scooter has been adequate for my needs.

The thing that has always baffled me is how many people claim to have seen people misusing the GAC's. We go to WDW twice a year and I can honestly say that I have never even observed anyone using a GAC. I'm too busy worrying about myself and making sure I don't run into anybody with my scooter. I don't understand why anybody would make it there business to try and figure out if somebody else "deserved" to have a GAC or "deserved" to ride a scooter.

Could I go to the doctor before each trip and get a doctor's excuse explaining why I need to ride a scooter? Sure, I could. But, I don't think anyone should have to pay to go to the doctor's office to get a medical excuse for anything Disney related. If people really wanted to get a GAC or use a scooter they could forge a doctor's note so that wouldn't solve anything.

Some of the rides at Disney have a warning not to ride if you have neck, back or heart problems. What if they decided that everyone needed to make a visit to the doctor's office before leaving home and get a note from your doctor stating that you have no neck, back or heart problems in order to ride those rides. Would you want to schedule doctor's appointments and pay for each member of your party to go get a doctor's excuse stating it was ok for you to ride the rides before each Disney trip? Would you like people judging you as you got in line and determining just by looking at you if they thought you had back, neck or heart problems?

As far as using handicapped parking placards as proof of disability goes, if you are using your placard to park your car, how can you carry it with you to prove your disability? It needs to stay with your car. Also, some people have handicapped license plates in lieu of a placard. You can't take the plates off your car in order to carry them to the entrance of the park just to prove disability.

Do I think there are abuses going on with handicapped parking spaces? Yes. As an example, we are time share owners at BWV and if you arrive in the afternoon you will find all the handicapped parking spaces gone. However, if you go to the parking lot late at night after Epcot has closed or early in the morning before Epcot opens there are plenty of handicapped parking spaces in the lot. I suspect there are people who are using the BWV parking lot to go to Epcot without paying parking fees. When handicapped parking spaces are full anywhere and I'm forced to park in a non handicapped spot then I don't feel safe having to ride through the parking lot on my scooter because it's hard for drivers to see me.

 

[hsmamainva]

You only have to go to Costco on a Saturday to speculate that the disability parking placards are being handed around.



What burns my rear is the parking lot at our elementary school! Every morning, I find people in the handicapped parking spaces -- no placard or license plate or anything. And then they'll see us waiting for the space and we'll get a "Oh...sorry! I was just running in for a few minutes."

This happens at least once a week, if not more often. Or they'll stop behind the handicapped spaces to let their kids out of the car.

It's not a drop off spot! It's *handicapped parking*. You don't block it or park in it if you don't have a disability!

There's a separate drop off lane but, because there are a few cars lined up, it's easier for these folks to just use the handicapped spots.

 

[cmwade77]

in uk to get a exit pass you need to have actual proof .either a statement from school or letter from school with dx .and blue badges ( parking permits )have photo on so harder to abuse

If line is wheelchair accessible then you are expected to queue .though few times we been sent up the fp line as chair tends block access .

If have probems queuing then you need a letter with dx of autisum /aspergers or social communication disorder or something along those lines.

Means it does work well and less likely to be abused

.but downside in uk wheelchair users are not allowed to ride most rides no matter how strong are in upper body so personally for me I will take your us system which allows me to ride just about everything

That is one of the things that has been done at Disneyland lately, they even make you initial the pass indicating that you understand it won't guarantee immediate boarding.

 

[SueM in MN]

That is one of the things that has been done at Disneyland lately, they even make you initial the pass indicating that you understand it won't guarantee immediate boarding.

At WDW, they often use a yellow highlighter to highlight certain areas (like the part that says it is not meant to shorten or eliminate waits and the part that says if you want shorter waits, you should get Fastpasses.
They have also recently added a stamp that says the GAC is not valid for character greetings.

Not every CM and not every time, but it is a start.

 

[cmwade77]

Now, I do think it should be honored for character greetings, at least ones that are permanent like Enchanted Tales with Belle for example. We missed out on it this trip because there was now way I could handle the 120 minute wait with my issues.

Its just a matter of making everything equal. I have no problems waiting, but the way the queue is designed, if my issues arise when I am in the middle of it they would have to shut down until janitorial came.