We just returned from WDW last night and I had no problem getting a replacement GAC from our previous trip. The CM at Guest Services did notice that I was holding a letter as well as my previous GAC and he asked me: "what's that - a letter from your doctor?" - I told him yes and I unfolded it and he did read it. I don't look like I need a GAC - so, he was probably skeptical. The last time (and, first time) I got a GAC - I was at the tail end of a panic attack and clearly very upset - and was a given a GAC very quickly.
Anyway, all went well until we reached the Pirates ride. The line was long both outside of the building and inside and we had waited for about 15 already snaking through the outside lines before getting to the CM at the door just before we entered the building. The last time we were at WDW, I didn't need to use my GAC because the lines were basically walk-on. I didn't know what the alternate entrance "protocol" is for this attraction. So, once we reached the CM, I showed her my GAC and she said: "you will have to stay in this line because we can't open the alternate entrance door when the wait is less than 25 min". I explained that we had already waited for 15 min in the crowd and the massive crowd/line inside is definitely more than 30 more minutes of waiting. Mind you, I have absolutely no problem waiting for any rides. My problems are waiting in dark spaces in big crowds of people with no immediate escapes. I could already feel the panic starting to kick in at this point and I continued to wait in the standby line. Well, the crowd began closing in and the room was dark and after about 10 more minutes, I sank into a HUGE panic attack. We hadn't moved more than 20 steps from that CM and I couldn't even see her anymore for the huge crowd between us. It was at that moment that my fear kicked in full swing and I began trampling through the crowd to get out. By the time I got to the CM, I was a big crying, wind-sucking, snot-bubbling mess and I still couldn't get out because of the rope maze. I had to climb over & squat under several rows of ropes and I heard her yelling at me to "be careful of the ropes". Once I finally escaped - I sat on the bench near where the strollers & wheelchairs were parked and waited on my valium to kick in. Once that happened, I found another CM and explained my problem and showed him my GAC. He offered to go find my family and take us to the alternate entrance or just take me. He also told me the next time to "find a cast member that will take us to the alternate entrance." Well, I never did attempt to return to Pirates during that day - but, a couple of days later the CM took me and my family directly to the alternate entrance. As a matter of fact, I rode Pirates probably 3 or 4 times over the course of the following 8 days and each time the line was just as long and the CM at the front of the attraction sent me to alternate entrance. I was told that the standby line has to be 25 min by the first CM I encountered at Pirates to use the alternate entrance and another CM told me 20 minutes. The latter CM also told me the line for pirates is always more than 35 minutes long these days because of the recent renovation. One of the CM's that took us to the back entrance even gave us a mini tour of that area - he told us "welcome to one of the most beautiful areas at WDW" while passing a bunch of dumpsters
Other than Pirates, I had no problems using my GAC at alternate entrances when needed. Most CM's were very nice - with the exception of the always eye-rolling Soarin' CM's that I've encountered every single time while using my GAC - I know it is a busy ride - but, the standby line/crowd that starts out about 10 people across and funnels down to a single line is more than I can handle and we always seem to be at Epcot during the evening and the fast passes are gone for the day. I tried during my last trip and ended up in panic and trampled my way out. Oh, I did have a problem with a HM CM during my last trip, too. Overall, though - without a GAC, I'd be spending a LOT more time waiting on park benches while my family rides rather then spending time with them. I never use my GAC more than once on each ride during each day we are at a specific park and if we don't have fastpasses. I never walk my family through on rides that I do not intend on riding as well. I did however, end up exiting the river rapids ride while my family rode because once I reached the ride and was supposed to get on, I just couldn't. I've never ridden that ride and really thought I could do it but couldn't go through with it when the time came. My family is very good at utilizing the fast pass system and we use those a LOT and they use them for everything that I will not ride - or, they wait in standby if fast passes aren't available.
I've witnessed GAC abuse by families traveling with "grandma" in a wheelchair and the family runs into the ride and gets to the front of the fastpass line only to find out that nobody brought grandma inside with them and have the CM turn them away. I also saw one sad, elderly (guessing 70-ish) lady sitting in a wheelchair in the Mission Space space exit room and she looked miserable. She was all alone and when her young family (looked early 20's) exited the ride, they didn't even speak to her - they just began pushing her wheelchair and discussing what their next ride would be. I don't understand why - with situations like this - that clearly the person in the wheelchair never intented on riding the ride and are pushed through to the exit - the CM's don't require the rest of the group to exit with them?? I guess WDW wants to keep everybody happy and it is too much work to police the abuse with so many people passing through everyday. I did notice that there were far fewer GAC riders (actually, it was quite rare with the exception of visable disabilities) in the lines with me during this trip than there were during my last trip. Perhaps Disney is really trying to get a handle on the GAC abuse. There was a CM at one attraction that was tracking the GACs on some type of chart on a clipboard when we entered (can't remember which attraction this was at??).
So - for those wondering what the magic words were that I used to get a GAC, I don't know. As stated previously, I've only had 2 and the first one was issued while I was at the tail end of a panic attack and it was basically handed to me as soon as I walked into guest services. I had a letter from my doc during that visit - but, the CM didn't even want to look at it. During my recent trip, the CM read my letter because I looked "fine" and I was expected to explain my needs. Once I explained, he was very nice and gave me new disability guides for all of the parks as well as a new GAC.
Anyway, all went well until we reached the Pirates ride. The line was long both outside of the building and inside and we had waited for about 15 already snaking through the outside lines before getting to the CM at the door just before we entered the building. The last time we were at WDW, I didn't need to use my GAC because the lines were basically walk-on. I didn't know what the alternate entrance "protocol" is for this attraction. So, once we reached the CM, I showed her my GAC and she said: "you will have to stay in this line because we can't open the alternate entrance door when the wait is less than 25 min". I explained that we had already waited for 15 min in the crowd and the massive crowd/line inside is definitely more than 30 more minutes of waiting. Mind you, I have absolutely no problem waiting for any rides. My problems are waiting in dark spaces in big crowds of people with no immediate escapes. I could already feel the panic starting to kick in at this point and I continued to wait in the standby line. Well, the crowd began closing in and the room was dark and after about 10 more minutes, I sank into a HUGE panic attack. We hadn't moved more than 20 steps from that CM and I couldn't even see her anymore for the huge crowd between us. It was at that moment that my fear kicked in full swing and I began trampling through the crowd to get out. By the time I got to the CM, I was a big crying, wind-sucking, snot-bubbling mess and I still couldn't get out because of the rope maze. I had to climb over & squat under several rows of ropes and I heard her yelling at me to "be careful of the ropes". Once I finally escaped - I sat on the bench near where the strollers & wheelchairs were parked and waited on my valium to kick in. Once that happened, I found another CM and explained my problem and showed him my GAC. He offered to go find my family and take us to the alternate entrance or just take me. He also told me the next time to "find a cast member that will take us to the alternate entrance." Well, I never did attempt to return to Pirates during that day - but, a couple of days later the CM took me and my family directly to the alternate entrance. As a matter of fact, I rode Pirates probably 3 or 4 times over the course of the following 8 days and each time the line was just as long and the CM at the front of the attraction sent me to alternate entrance. I was told that the standby line has to be 25 min by the first CM I encountered at Pirates to use the alternate entrance and another CM told me 20 minutes. The latter CM also told me the line for pirates is always more than 35 minutes long these days because of the recent renovation. One of the CM's that took us to the back entrance even gave us a mini tour of that area - he told us "welcome to one of the most beautiful areas at WDW" while passing a bunch of dumpsters
Other than Pirates, I had no problems using my GAC at alternate entrances when needed. Most CM's were very nice - with the exception of the always eye-rolling Soarin' CM's that I've encountered every single time while using my GAC - I know it is a busy ride - but, the standby line/crowd that starts out about 10 people across and funnels down to a single line is more than I can handle and we always seem to be at Epcot during the evening and the fast passes are gone for the day. I tried during my last trip and ended up in panic and trampled my way out. Oh, I did have a problem with a HM CM during my last trip, too. Overall, though - without a GAC, I'd be spending a LOT more time waiting on park benches while my family rides rather then spending time with them. I never use my GAC more than once on each ride during each day we are at a specific park and if we don't have fastpasses. I never walk my family through on rides that I do not intend on riding as well. I did however, end up exiting the river rapids ride while my family rode because once I reached the ride and was supposed to get on, I just couldn't. I've never ridden that ride and really thought I could do it but couldn't go through with it when the time came. My family is very good at utilizing the fast pass system and we use those a LOT and they use them for everything that I will not ride - or, they wait in standby if fast passes aren't available.
I've witnessed GAC abuse by families traveling with "grandma" in a wheelchair and the family runs into the ride and gets to the front of the fastpass line only to find out that nobody brought grandma inside with them and have the CM turn them away. I also saw one sad, elderly (guessing 70-ish) lady sitting in a wheelchair in the Mission Space space exit room and she looked miserable. She was all alone and when her young family (looked early 20's) exited the ride, they didn't even speak to her - they just began pushing her wheelchair and discussing what their next ride would be. I don't understand why - with situations like this - that clearly the person in the wheelchair never intented on riding the ride and are pushed through to the exit - the CM's don't require the rest of the group to exit with them?? I guess WDW wants to keep everybody happy and it is too much work to police the abuse with so many people passing through everyday. I did notice that there were far fewer GAC riders (actually, it was quite rare with the exception of visable disabilities) in the lines with me during this trip than there were during my last trip. Perhaps Disney is really trying to get a handle on the GAC abuse. There was a CM at one attraction that was tracking the GACs on some type of chart on a clipboard when we entered (can't remember which attraction this was at??).
So - for those wondering what the magic words were that I used to get a GAC, I don't know. As stated previously, I've only had 2 and the first one was issued while I was at the tail end of a panic attack and it was basically handed to me as soon as I walked into guest services. I had a letter from my doc during that visit - but, the CM didn't even want to look at it. During my recent trip, the CM read my letter because I looked "fine" and I was expected to explain my needs. Once I explained, he was very nice and gave me new disability guides for all of the parks as well as a new GAC.
