Any change in GAC policies since 01/2006?

[riu girl]

We have not had to use DDs GAC since 01/2006 but are now planning a 2008 Christmas week (Dec 21-Jan 2) trip so think we may have to use it on occasion due to huge crowds.

My ?s: 1. Has there been any changes in GAC usage policies that anyone is aware of since 01/2006.

2. Can we take her old GAC from 01/2006 to guest services and simply ask them for a new one for Christmas trip or will I have to explain her needs all over again?

I wouldn't call us disney pros by any means but am planning on arriving at parks one hour prior to opening ( staying off site), following some sort of a touring plan and probably skipping character greetings since I assume lines would be extremely long and can not use GAC in that circumstance.

Thank you

 

[SueM in MN]

We have not had to use DDs GAC since 01/2006 but are now planning a 2008 Christmas week (Dec 21-Jan 2) trip so think we may have to use it on occasion due to huge crowds.

My ?s: 1. Has there been any changes in GAC usage policies that anyone is aware of since 01/2006.

Not really.
Our last trip was in October 2007, and things were pretty much the same. What is written in the disABILITIES FAQs thread about GACs is still valid.

2. Can we take her old GAC from 01/2006 to guest services and simply ask them for a new one for Christmas trip or will I have to explain her needs all over again?

We took DD's old GAC in with us, I explained that her needs had not changed and that the accomodations on that GAC had met DD's needs.

I wouldn't call us disney pros by any means but am planning on arriving at parks one hour prior to opening ( staying off site), following some sort of a touring plan and probably skipping character greetings since I assume lines would be extremely long and can not use GAC in that circumstance.

Thank you

That sounds like a good plan.
The GAC isn't generally used for the outdoor character greetings, but if there are any characters she is especially interested in, you could ask the character handler if she could wait outside the line.
It may be different for some of the indoor 'character is there all the time' greetings because for some of them, there is a quieter, off-line place she could wait.
You might also be able to get a list of character greeting times/places from Guest Relations.
Character meals are another good way to see characters without waiting in lines.

 

[riu girl]

Thank you for the info.

 

[Vemnox]

2. Can we take her old GAC from 01/2006 to guest services and simply ask them for a new one for Christmas trip or will I have to explain her needs all over again?

Unfortunately this policy, for the most part, has been changed. Guest Relations cast cannot "renew" GAC's anymore due to their recent "black market" sales. Just re-explain to the host/hostess what assistance you require. You can present the old one but, in general, they are told to disregard it and re-evaluate the situation.

 

[SueM in MN]

Unfortunately this policy, for the most part, has been changed. Guest Relations cast cannot "renew" GAC's anymore due to their recent "black market" sales. Just re-explain to the host/hostess what assistance you require. You can present the old one but, in general, they are told to disregard it and re-evaluate the situation.

Thanks for the information.
When we took DD back to get a new GAC in October, I did quickly re-explain her needs and that the GAC we had before met the needs.
I wish they would take identification and actually put people in the computer when a GAC is first issued. On subsiquent trips, it would be pretty easy to verify that the needs are the same and recheck the ID.

 

[wilde_oscar]

I figured that getting a GAC would be complex, given the recent spat of sales online... but three weeks ago, in City hall, I told them my grandfather has mobility issues, he was standing there with his walker. And they wrote it up with out a fuss. The next day of all things, I had lost it, turns out it showed up in a pocket when I did laundry when I got home... but stopped in while my Grandparents were getting their ECVs and told them I needed to get another one, cause I lost it. And they made up another one.

There were not many times where it was necessary, but the few times it was necessary it was priceless.

 

[Daydreamer64]

I wish they would take identification and actually put people in the computer when a GAC is first issued.

We were at WDW over New Year's Week 2007/2008. I asked to update and reissue our card. I stated that our needs were the same and the gs person went to a computer, typed something in and said no problem.

I always thought that they did keep a record on file? I wish they would ask for parent Id's when issuing a GAC so only the people who had the card to start with, were the only ones who could get it renewed.

Sigh- it gets harder every day for the ones who eally need assistance.

 

[SueM in MN]

We were at WDW over New Year's Week 2007/2008. I asked to update and reissue our card. I stated that our needs were the same and the gs person went to a computer, typed something in and said no problem.

I always thought that they did keep a record on file? I wish they would ask for parent Id's when issuing a GAC so only the people who had the card to start with, were the only ones who could get it renewed.

Sigh- it gets harder every day for the ones who eally need assistance.

I thought they did too, because they usually went to a computer, typed something in and then said not problem. But, there have been times when they did not check anything - so I don't know if that means they don't keep a record or they didn't have access to it for some reason on some days (computer temporarily out or something).

I do wish that they would ask for ID for the person the card is being issued to or the adult with a child.

 

[livndisney]

Unfortunately this policy, for the most part, has been changed. Guest Relations cast cannot "renew" GAC's anymore due to their recent "black market" sales. Just re-explain to the host/hostess what assistance you require. You can present the old one but, in general, they are told to disregard it and re-evaluate the situation.

Just yesterday at MK I handed in my old GAC and they gave me a new one. They did not ask me any questions.

 

[riu girl]

I do wish that they would ask for ID for the person the card is being issued to or the adult with a child.

I was thinking the same thing. I would assume 100% of adults and almost 100% of children would have some sort of ID with them. If they could ask for ID from previous GAC users , it would 100% stop any sort of blackmarket sales of the GAC card.

 

[afnaechiquita]

I thought they did too, because they usually went to a computer, typed something in and then said not problem. But, there have been times when they did not check anything - so I don't know if that means they don't keep a record or they didn't have access to it for some reason on some days (computer temporarily out or something).

I do wish that they would ask for ID for the person the card is being issued to or the adult with a child.

That would be great. Even if all it did was make it easier for those who have had it before to just get a new one without explaining everything again, it would be a great idea.

 

[Beccastuff]

I've never heard this term before. Thanks!

 

[SueM in MN]

I've never heard this term before. Thanks!

GAC is the abbreviation we use for Guest Assistance Card.
It is a card that helps to clue in the Cast Members (CMs) about what sort of assistance a guest with a disability needs. GACs are more used for things that would not be readily visible.

If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, there is a whole section about GACs. I have a link in my signature to the disABILITIES FAQs thread.