I hope neither party is allowed back

[Mrs.Malone]

That sounds good in theory, but doesn't always work in reality.

Let me start by giving a quick view of my needs in the park.
I use a wheelchair full time, have ADHD, severe anxiety and PTSD that manifests and social phobias, an inability to regulate body temp, heart rate, or blood pressure, and a whole host of other problems. I obviously tour the parks when they are not crowded, etc (I live 6 miles away from DL, so I have some flexibility).

This is MY AVERAGE experience with Radiator Springs Racers in DCA. It does not apply to any other ride or mean that the same thing will happen to you.

My particular GAC allows me to get a "return pass" for Radiator Springs Racers that is roughly equal to the posted wait time (give or take 15 minutes). I then go somewhere close to wait for the ride. Despite what people (not you, but people in general) think, I am not riding lots of other rides while waiting for my "return pass" for Racers. I am usually resting nearby. I use a manual wheelchair I push myself, so I am not going far while waiting - I just do not have the energy to push myself too far...

So I wait the 90-120 minute average wait time for my "return pass." This has been in lieu of my waiting in the standby line, which I cannot handle. Now I enter the Fastpass line. This line, depending on how many FP people actually return and how many "return passes" were issues for people with certain GAC/needs (those are not limited in number), this line can be anywhere from 5 to 35 minutes. On average, it is about 15-20 minutes. I have already waited the length of the stand-by time, and now add on the 15-20 minutes for the Fastpass line (the ride breaks down often, so getting stuck here is not uncommon).

Once I hit the merge of the FP and standby lines (which I have essentially waited the length of both), I now am directed to the wheelchair line. This line generally is at least 20 minutes long, and I have once waited 45 minutes in this line. So now I am in line #3 for Racers.

So I get to wait #1 Standby Time, #2 Fastpass Time, #3 Wheelchair Line

I really do not mind getting a "return pass" as I would have no hope of making it through the mainstream queue. And since I use a wheelchair, I know that there will almost always be an extra line for me.

I just wanted to point out that at least at the major attractions, there will almost always be a wheelchair line AFTER the mainstream/standby time. Not that the current system makes it perfect at all, but I will say that the "return pass" system currently at Racers does not provide an equal wait time - it requires a longer wait time, though one that usually meets my needs...

I wish I had a magic answer, but I think perhaps a balance of the current system and the "return pass" system would result in an equal experience (when you averaged the times all out)

I think they could pretty easily come up with a formula to calculate how long on average people wait in those secondary lines, and subract that from the return time.
Nothing will help everyone exactly equally. There was a discussion here where a mother was arguing against the return pass because her autistic child could not handle the disappointment of having to leave and come back. For her child, the only solution that would prevent a meltdown was near-immediate ride access.

 

[FortForever]

My particular GAC allows me to get a "return pass" for Radiator Springs Racers that is roughly equal to the posted wait time (give or take 15 minutes). I then go somewhere close to wait for the ride. Despite what people (not you, but people in general) think, I am not riding lots of other rides while waiting for my "return pass" for Racers. I am usually resting nearby. I use a manual wheelchair I push myself, so I am not going far while waiting - I just do not have the energy to push myself too far...

So I wait the 90-120 minute average wait time for my "return pass." This has been in lieu of my waiting in the standby line, which I cannot handle. Now I enter the Fastpass line. This line, depending on how many FP people actually return and how many "return passes" were issues for people with certain GAC/needs (those are not limited in number), this line can be anywhere from 5 to 35 minutes. On average, it is about 15-20 minutes. I have already waited the length of the stand-by time, and now add on the 15-20 minutes for the Fastpass line (the ride breaks down often, so getting stuck here is not uncommon).

Once I hit the merge of the FP and standby lines (which I have essentially waited the length of both), I now am directed to the wheelchair line. This line generally is at least 20 minutes long, and I have once waited 45 minutes in this line. So now I am in line #3 for Racers.

So I get to wait #1 Standby Time, #2 Fastpass Time, #3 Wheelchair Line

You're right. This sure doesn't sound like equal access. I had not thought out all the details of it.

Using this system at WDW - where I'm guessing there are far more guests - things could get ugly fast.

On to Plan B...

BTW, people are nuts if they think disabled people are off riding other rides during the wait time! That would have NEVER occurred to me. If anyone thinks that is even feasible, they are quite ignorant about most disabilities.

For her child, the only solution that would prevent a meltdown was near-immediate ride access.

I would have suggested to her that Disney is not the ideal vacation spot for her son if that was the case. Having an autisic son myself, I know exactly what it was like as he was growing up. I also know that I taught him that the world was not always going to cater to him.

I believe I prepared him well for what to expect for society as he is now able to drive, hold down a full time job, and function on his own. Things are always difficult for him, but he does it. It's my opinion that parents aren't doing their children any favors by babying them because society won't.

 

[mskermit]

it all makes me sick. I WISH we didn't even have to get a GAC for my daughter. My 17 year old daughter would love nothing more than to be able to stand in a line at Disney and walk all the miles of park like others do instead of being in a wheelchair, sometimes it breaks my heart I wish I could wave a magic wand and make her disability go away. People just dont realize how hard it is to be in a chair

 

[Kristen K]

Plus, if she was really part of the 1%, why not pay Disney for one of their VIP guides and not skulk around trying to hide hat you are doing.

I used to work for the family that founded MCI and AirFone, cheapest people I ever met in my life. Just because the 1% have money, does no mean that they are easily parted with it.

I too have concerns that somehow when this all pans out and the facts are known (because right not there are few actual facts, everything is hearsay) that it's going to make it even more difficult for those people that do need and use GACs to get them. I'm furious that the tour guide would pander her GAC like she's accused of.

 

[mskermit]

I used to work for the family that founded MCI and AirFone, cheapest people I ever met in my life. Just because the 1% have money, does no mean that they are easily parted with it.

I too have concerns that somehow when this all pans out and the facts are known (because right not there are few actual facts, everything is hearsay) that it's going to make it even more difficult for those people that do need and use GACs to get them. I'm furious that the tour guide would pander her GAC like she's accused of.

i just read on CNN that Disney is actually looking into it

 

[stitchlovestink]

Here's the article CNN posted about Disney looking into it...

http://m.cnn.com/primary/cnnd_fulla...es&category=cnnd_travel&branding=&pagesize=10

Now the point is made that more often than not, a GAC does shorten your wait (contrary to what many posters want to say on This Board) otherwise this wouldn't be such an issue, now would it??

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's the article CNN posted about Disney looking into it...

http://m.cnn.com/primary/cnnd_fulla...es&category=cnnd_travel&branding=&pagesize=10

Now the point is made that more often than not, a GAC does shorten your wait (contrary to what many posters want to say on This Board) otherwise this wouldn't be such an issue, now would it??

Even though the article says Disney is looking into it, the source is Martin (the writer of the book), who is using this all as publicity. And she doesn't exactly say they are, she presumes they are.

She also states in the interview that it is "Disney policy that guests with disabilities do not wait", but go to the front of the line for everything.
In all her interviews, she uses the same example of one woman saying her daughter waited in line for one minute for Small World when the line was 2 and 1/2 hours. That is false.

She is getting great publicity for her book without checking if anything is she was told is actually factual or not.

Your reported experience that using a GAC more often than not shorten your wait does not mean that other people's experience that waits tend to even out over the course of the day is wrong - some attractions shorter, some attractions longer, some the same.
Despite what you continue to post, no one posts that the wait is always longer, just that it could be.
In the Small World pictures I posted, many of those people in the 'handicapped' line had GACs, not a mobility device. They were waiting in the same line, not going ahead of the people with mobility devices.

 

[mistysue]

I don't have the direct experience, but even just from reading everybody argue about it ten times a day I can tell you that it has become clear that a GAC shortens your wait IF the parks are busy and IF you don't have a mobility/transfer sort of issue.
To be blunt about it, yes, if you have a GAC that gives you an alternate entrance and the alternate entrance is the fastpass line you would have to be an idiot not to see that the wait is shortened. Many people are getting a GAC because so-and-so "can't wait" for whatever reason... so obviously they repeat the process because it meant they didn't have to wait.
So what is left are the situations where the alternate wait takes you to some other area, where the general public has no clue what is going on or where you are. Maybe the wait is shorter, maybe it is longer, but the perception of most people who do it is that their wait is shorter. Maybe they are just more entertained because they have a CM to be annoyed at for questioning them. Who cares? Is it really worth arguing over anyways?

What matters is that people who have a need should have the need met, and people shouldn't fake needs.

Here's the article CNN posted about Disney looking into it...

http://m.cnn.com/primary/cnnd_fulla...es&category=cnnd_travel&branding=&pagesize=10

Now the point is made that more often than not, a GAC does shorten your wait (contrary to what many posters want to say on This Board) otherwise this wouldn't be such an issue, now would it??

Your reported experience that using a GAC more often than not shorten your wait does not mean that other people's experience that waits tend to even out over the course of the day is wrong - some attractions shorter, some attractions longer, some the same.
Despite what you continue to post, no one posts that the wait is always longer, just that it could be.
In the Small World pictures I posted, many of those people in the 'handicapped' line had GACs, not a mobility device. They were waiting in the same line, not going ahead of the people with mobility devices.

 

[babyrich]

All the news stories I hear on TV about this have mentioned something about the family not wanted to spend the $350 on the fast pass.... what fast pass??? I was under the impression you could not buy any type of fast pass.....

 

[SueM in MN]

All the news stories I hear on TV about this have mentioned something about the family not wanted to spend the $350 on the fast pass.... what fast pass??? I was under the impression you could not buy any type of fast pass.....

One of the issues and fact check problems with the story.
Fastpasses are free.

WDW does offer their own tour guides, which in some cases, bypasses some waits. One level of WDW official tour guides is $350 per hour.

 

[babyrich]

One of the issues and fact check problems with the story.
Fastpasses are free.

WDW does offer their own tour guides, which in some cases, bypasses some waits. One level of WDW official tour guides is $350 per hour.

Thank you.... I keep telling everyone the Fast Pass for $350 is malarkey .... one of my friends said to me yesterday... well that's what they said on the news... I said, the news is wrong... and she said... no, they would check those things.

 

[ttintagel]

In today's news media, fact checkers are as rare as proofreaders.