GAC Changes???

[ttintagel]

Originally Posted by WantToGoNow

The very first attraction they went to was SE - the cast member told the friend to stop being lazy and walk like everyone else (this was reported to guest services).

Wow. That person is NOT Disney material.

(Which probably means he or she will be transferred to the Haunted Mansion immediately...)

[IndianaPrincess]

My son has selective mutism and there was only one time that the CM tried to confirm with him directly. My son doesn't like attention from strangers so if we go back and need a GAC, I thought that we could ask them to write "doesn't speak" or something on the card. That one time didn't seem to bother him, but it would raise his anxiety if he had strangers trying to talk to him all day long.

Also, we got in line for the characters in the new circus tent thing. My son lasted not 3 minutes before he was wailing. I left and asked the CM at the door if we could wait outside until my husband and daughter made it to the front of the line. He asked if we had GAC, then took us around back and we got to meet all four right away. Of course, not sure if that was just the CM but it seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary for all the CM working at the tent.

[smidgy]

Originally Posted by ttintagel

Wow. That person is NOT Disney material.

(Which probably means he or she will be transferred to the Haunted Mansion immediately...)

[lovethattink]

Originally Posted by IndianaPrincess

Also, we got in line for the characters in the new circus tent thing. My son lasted not 3 minutes before he was wailing. I left and asked the CM at the door if we could wait outside until my husband and daughter made it to the front of the line. He asked if we had GAC, then took us around back and we got to meet all four right away. Of course, not sure if that was just the CM but it seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary for all the CM working at the tent.

Unless they changed it, it was probably the CM. My son didn't care for the tent either. There is so much stimulation in there. I hadn't shown the GAC when we went in there, but I did ask after the fact and was told there wasn't an alternate entrance.

[lanejudy]

Originally Posted by IndianaPrincess

Also, we got in line for the characters in the new circus tent thing. My son lasted not 3 minutes before he was wailing. I left and asked the CM at the door if we could wait outside until my husband and daughter made it to the front of the line. He asked if we had GAC, then took us around back and we got to meet all four right away. Of course, not sure if that was just the CM but it seemed to be nothing out of the ordinary for all the CM working at the tent.

It was likely just the CM sprinkling pixie-dust for you! Unless they have changed the GAC very recently, the GAC specifically states that it is not for use at character greetings. Now, that said, some people have posted they were able to use a GAC at a greeting, but it shouldn't be expected.

[Vickie46]

I have seen the GAC used at the Character connection at Epcot.

[LockShockBarrel]

I don't get why people always feel the need to come and contradict things like this. I'm not trying to single anyone out but please!! the GAC is NOT intended for character meets!!! Just because you've seen it happen doesn't mean it was supposed to or will always happen!! It's not fair for those people who come to these boards with questions to lead them on saying "we've see it!"

[smidgy]

Originally Posted by LockShockBarrel

I don't get why people always feel the need to come and contradict things like this. I'm not trying to single anyone out but please!! the GAC is NOT intended for character meets!!! Just because you've seen it happen doesn't mean it was supposed to or will always happen!! It's not fair for those people who come to these boards with questions to lead them on saying "we've see it!"

especially if little kids expectations are involved.

we got a GAC for the 1st time, towards the end or our trip, and used it once. (for visual disabilites) when we get one next trip, I will report on our experiences, but if we get "pixie dusted" I will report it as such. I don't want anyone to think they will necessarily get the same benefits. (esp. since the "benefits" or I should say" accomodations" vary SO much with the visual disabilites, and the CM.

I'll tell a little "anecdote" here.

at epcot, the CM allowed us to use the GAC to enter the handicapped viewing area for the Illuninations. he did ask that we not STAND in front of wheelchairs, ecvs.etc.

understandable. there was a LOT of empty space towards the end of the handicapped spot,(at the WSplaza) closest to the shop, closest to the Candlelight Processional viewing area.

there were about 3 rows of wheelchairs, ECVs, along the rail. we stood behind them.

but there was one row of people leaning against the back railing. with 2 ecvs with them. and a huge space (enough to fit about 6 rows of wheelchairs, ecvs) between the last row we were standing behind, and the group who chose to be in the back.

now as we were waiting, I watched. there were kids going back and forth with the dad unhooking the chain, between the CP viewing area and the handicapped area. and the dad was talking to the 2 in the ecvs. (hubby is always amazed at how quickly I can figure out the family dynamics)

anyway, once the show started, one of the guys came up and told us we should sit down. his mom and dad are in wheel chairs. (ok, they were actually in ecvs, but that is what he said. no matter, same thing to me)

now, we could NOT sit down, because there were 3 rows of wheel chairs in FRONT of us. we stood BEHIND them.

I told the guy, "my husband has macular degeneration, and would like to see the show as long as he still can., which is why we are in the handicapped area. we will be happy to stand BEHIND your mom and dad. move them up, and we will stand BEHIND them.

no the able bodied in their group (some of which were going back and forth to the CP spot) wanted to be able to lean on(sit on) the back railing and they wanted to be NEXT to the mom and dad.

so, rather than the whole group move up when the show started, (so those who are visually handicapped could stand behind them), they sat themselves as far back as they could, and demanded that no one stand in front of them. (there was a HUGE gap between them and the rest of the people lined up behind the lagoon rail).

I sat, hubby tried as he could to kinda squat through half of it, and finally I told him to stand and enjoy the show. they were welcome to move up in front of us if they wanted to.

[smidgy]

um, sorry, went off on a tangent.. guess my point was, I hate to tel someone else "you are visually impaired? no problem! they will issue you a GAC, and there are handicapped areas roped off to make it easy for you to view Illuminations."

I don't want to get anyone's hopes up.

but then again, maybe it was just this particular group that night. you would think, in a handicapped area, it isn't "fight tooth and nail" attitudes. you would expect more of an attitude of :

" gee, our group had THIS impairment, your group has THAT impariment. let's see how we can all work together so everyone can enjoy the show." silly me.

[SueM in MN]

Just to clarify things, post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread is all about GUest Assistance Cards (GACs). You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.
Disney does not publish anything official about GACs, so you will not find any official notice of how GACs work; what is on that post is as accurate as possible.

Sometimes CMs are able to make exceptions, so people will sometimes see or post they have done things that GACs are not usually used for. That's a pixie dust exception though, and not to be expected, as was already mentioned.

[LockShockBarrel]

Lol I know going off on a tangent well.

I won't go so far as to get into the entitled argument but it does have similarities. We all say it on here, that just because your GAC was handled one way (at an attraction it was intended for) doesn't mean it will ALWAYS happen that way therefore it's ridiculous to imply that at an attraction it isn't intended for that you can go in expecting something. Act of kindness, pixie dust, heck even "this family is driving me insane so I'm gonna bend the rules to get them out of my hair"...whatever it is, accept it for what it is and don't confuse others with anecdotal evidence.

[LockShockBarrel]

Originally Posted by SueM in MN

Just to clarify things, post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread is all about GUest Assistance Cards (GACs). You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.
Disney does not publish anything official about GACs, so you will not find any official notice of how GACs work; what is on that post is as accurate as possible.

Sometimes CMs are able to make exceptions, so people will sometimes see or post they have done things that GACs are not usually used for. That's a pixie dust exception though, and not to be expected, as was already mentioned.

That's all I mean. While I'd hope those who need a GAC do their research on here about it first, I can see how someone new to the system would get confused when people come and imply that since they've seen this happen it's the way things will always be.

[smidgy]

Lock, shock etc.).. I know nothing is guaranteed. but I would think someone with a visual impairment (where the GAC is stamped "front of shows") should be able to use the handicapped area for illuminations.
since it was christmas time (early dec) it DID say it didnt' apply to the Candlelight Processional. understood. it didn't say it didn't apply to illuminations.
wouldn't you think someone in wheelchairs, ecvs, should line up in the front, not the back? ok, until we came, there was no one in front of them, but they left tons of space in front of them, and NO space behind them. we stood behind everyne lined up, in rows, behind the rail along the lagoon.

as anywhere, if you choose to sit further back, you can't guarantee no one will be in front of you.

even if we had gotten there FIRST, before anyone, NO WAY would we have stood along the rail and let wheel chairs line up behind us. if we had been there first, we would have sat at the rail. if there were wheelchairs AT the rail when we got there... well then we would have let wheelchairs in front of us as long as we were behind them. but no way should we have to sit on the ground BEHIND wheel chairs, ecvs, so the wheel chairs behind us can see, when they can easily go in FRONT of us.

it was obvious to me that the rest of the family wanted to sit against the back rail, and demanded that NO ONE stand in front of them. very selfish.

[KPeveler]

Originally Posted by smidgy

Lock, shock etc.).. I know nothing is guaranteed. but I would think someone with a visual impairment (where the GAC is stamped "front of shows") should be able to use the handicapped area for illuminations.
since it was christmas time (early dec) it DID say it didnt' apply to the Candlelight Processional. understood. it didn't say it didn't apply to illuminations.
wouldn't you think someone in wheelchairs, ecvs, should line up in the front, not the back? ok, until we came, there was no one in front of them, but they left tons of space in front of them, and NO space behind them. we stood behind everyne lined up, in rows, behind the rail along the lagoon.

as anywhere, if you choose to sit further back, you can't guarantee no one will be in front of you.

even if we had gotten there FIRST, before anyone, NO WAY would we have stood along the rail and let wheel chairs line up behind us. if we had been there first, we would have sat at the rail. if there were wheelchairs AT the rail when we got there... well then we would have let wheelchairs in front of us as long as we were behind them. but no way should we have to sit on the ground BEHIND wheel chairs, ecvs, so the wheel chairs behind us can see, when they can easily go in FRONT of us.

it was obvious to me that the rest of the family wanted to sit against the back rail, and demanded that NO ONE stand in front of them. very selfish.

When I got to Illuminations last time, there were lots of people along the back rail and benches, and no one along the front rail right by the water. I checked with the CM manning the area, asked if I could go along the front rail. They said yes, so I did so. My wife sat on the ground next to me, so no one was blocked by her standing, but I figured if they did not want to be along the front, that was fine. But since it is the wheelchair viewing area, I was not going to sit all the way in the back when there was viewing in hte front no one wanted. I figured if they had a problem they would move up.

I wish the CM would tell people in the HA viewing area at Illuminations that they either need to move to the front or be ok with people sitting in front of them. They are very deep areas and it is silly to expect NO ONE to be in front of you when you are all the way in the back!

[smidgy]

Originally Posted by KPeveler

When I got to Illuminations last time, there were lots of people along the back rail and benches, and no one along the front rail right by the water. I checked with the CM manning the area, asked if I could go along the front rail. They said yes, so I did so. My wife sat on the ground next to me, so no one was blocked by her standing, but I figured if they did not want to be along the front, that was fine. But since it is the wheelchair viewing area, I was not going to sit all the way in the back when there was viewing in hte front no one wanted. I figured if they had a problem they would move up.

I wish the CM would tell people in the HA viewing area at Illuminations that they either need to move to the front or be ok with people sitting in front of them. They are very deep areas and it is silly to expect NO ONE to be in front of you when you are all the way in the back!

oh! BLESS your little heart!

thank you for posting this. Hubby has a hard enough time admitting he is disabled to begin with. but he has finally decided "I have been bumped, bruised. bled, etc. enough, bumping into things rails curbs, etc. people pushing me to hurry up in the cattle pen lines that I am moving as fast as we can in. this last trip he said , toward the end "ok, lets get the GAC, I'll take whatever help I can"

(now, I have been asking him if we could do this for a few years....)

you shouldn't sit as far back in that very deep area, with wheel chairs, and expect that NO ONE will be in
front of you.

my husbands visual disability is as very real as their parents physical disability that made it necessary for them to use ECVs during their trip. the further back he stands, the less he sees. but he was willing to stand behind them. they just didn't want to move up, cause the younger guys in the group wanted a place to rest their butts.