disability pass

[j&p'smom]

Hello to everyone. This is my first post, we are a family of four- my husband,myself,my 14 yr old son,and my 7 yr old son with autism and several structural abnormalities in the brain. We are considering buying a yearly pass to WDW and Universal. Is it possible to get a disabled pass, [my son CANNOT wait in lines] that lasts for the year or do we have to get a new one each time we go?

 

[Talking Hands]

You have to get a new one each time you go. The longest I have gotten one for was 3 months. Got a real nasty CM this last time who would only give it to me for the day.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES.
The "disability pass" that you are asking about is called a "Guest Assistance Card" (GAC) and you can request one at Guest Services. You will need to bring your child there and explain to the CM what sorts of problems you have with waiting in line. They will explain that the card is not meant to bypass lines, or shorten your wait, but may allow you to wait somewhere other than the line.

Usually, the CM will ask how long your current visit will be and give you a card good thru your whole trip. Lisa was very un-lucky last time to get a card for only one day; that is the exception, not the rule at WDW.

Several people have reported that having to get a card each day at Universal is the usual procedure. Also, that it is more difficult to get a disability card at Universal. Here's a
thread about GACs at Universal.

 

[klwally]

My son is autistic, and I had NO problems getting a GAC the last time I was there. the second I said Autistic, she was behind the counter typing one out. She gave it to me for '6' people since that was the size of our whole party and for the length of our stay at WDW. I had NO problems.

 

[ilovemky]

I am an adult, 35% total disabled by State of California guidelines. I do not normally use a wheelchair but have great difficulty walking long distances without sitting and standing is the worst with shooting pains down my legs, feet and back. I also have a parking placard for handicapped parking. Would the GAC be issued to me and my DH or does it have to be a child? What would this really help me with?

I normally just don't ride the rides if the wait is unbearable and I would like to be able to do them this time especially flying clear across country!

thanks

ilovemky

 

[Nanajo1]

iluvmky,
Have you considered renting an ECV? This would allow you to ride between attractions and conserve your strength. You wouldn't need a GAC if mobility issues were solved by a w/c or ECV. Adults can certainly get a GAC if they have conditions which warrant waiting out of the sun or unable to use stairs (but aren't using w/c or ECV) or for some reason are unable to wait in line.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree with Nanajo. You would be wise to consider an ECV or wheelchair. The amount of time (and distance) you would be standing and walking in line is very small compared to the distance and time to get between attractions. Most don't people don't think about the amount of miles they will be putting on their feet each day at WDW. For example, the distance around the waterway at WS in Epcot is about 1.3 miles. You can easily walk 3 to 4 (or even more ) miles in a day at WDW. I think you would enjoy your trip much more if you could avoid that walking.
They do give out GACs to adults, as Nanajo said, but you may find that a GAC doesn't really help all that much for someone with mobility problems. Even if you are using a GAC or a fastpass, you still have to walk from the entrance to the boarding area - which can sometimes be quite a distance. Almost none of the rides have benches or anywhere to sit down. For many shows, you will be standing in a waiting area before getting into the show or preshow. In some cases there are benches along the wall, but they are taken by whoever gets in the waiting area first. Many of the shows have a preshow that lasts from 3-6 minutes that you will need to stand for. You would be able to bring an ecv or wheelchair with you (without needing a GAC) into almost all shows, so no worry about standing.

Here's a
link to the DIS page about mobility disabilities. It lists information about renting wheelchairs and ecvs. If you scroll all the way down to the end, you will find information on which attractions you can stay in a wheelchair or ecv for the whole ride.

 

[Julia H.]

I just wanted to mention that last year right after we got our annual passes, we got a GAC that was good for a whole year. It was issued by a cast member at EPCOT (who has a disability himself, btw) who said since we had annuals, it only made sense to make the GAC as long as our passes.

 

[Jade90]

Hi,

I know all about the Guest Assistance Pass. However I am concerned about getting back to my chair after rides.
I am asingle adult travelling with two young children. Will my children be expected to bring my chair to the ride exit or will staff assit in any way.

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome, Jade.
For rides where you have to get out of your wheelchair, you will be boarding at the exit, so your wheelchair will be at the exit when you get off. When you are getting on, the CMs can help steady your wheelchair and move it out of the way after you are on. They can offer a hand to steady you, but they can't transfer you. When you get off they can move your wheelchair closer for you and steady it. For many rides, the same CM that helped you get on will help you get off.
For some rides/attractions, you will be able to stay in your wheelchair thru the ride. Small World and the ride in Mexico and the Land at Epcot, have boats that a wheelchair can roll right on. They also have room in the boat for both of your kids and you. Some other rides, like Buzz Lightyear and Pooh have wheelchair cars, but there is only room for one more person in the car (maybe both your kids would fit if they are really small).
Here's a
link to the DIS page about mobility disabilities. If you scroll down to the bottom, you will find lists of which rides you can go on without getting out of the wheelchair.

 

[Carrieberry]

Hi everyone! This is my first post here in this board and this thread looks like exactly what I came here to find out. My four year old son is deaf with a cochlear implant (only got it a few months ago-does not talk or sign) and slightly autistic as well. He does not understand lines, and has complete breakdowns if he has to wait longer than five minutes for just about anything. I have heard about these passes and I am wondering, what exactly are they? Do they reduce admission cost or just allow you to wait somewhere else rather than in line? If you wait somewhere else, how long do you have to wait? Do you get these inside or outside the park? Do I need to bring any proof or paperwork with me? If so what type? Thanks in advance!

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to see you here, Carrieberry.
The Guest Assistance Card is a card that you obtain at Guest Services at (inside) any of the parks. There is no cost to it. Alo, to answer your quesrtion about reduced price admission, WDW doesn't give any price reducation for people with disabilities. Bring your son with you and be prepared to explain what sorts of difficulties he will have. You don't need any documentation, although some people feel more comfortable bringing something from their child's doctor or school with.
The card says right on it that it is not meant to (and probably won't) shorten your wait. What it will allow is your party to wait somewhere more appropriate for your needs. You might also need to be at the front of shows so that your DS can see the people/ characters talking and be closer to the action.
Depending on when you are going, you may find that the lines are short enough that you don't really need to use the card. Even in March around Easter, we did not need our card for every ride. By using fastpass and looking for short lines, you can see quite a bit without waiting.
The card is usually given out for your entire stay and can be used by the person with a disability plus up to 5 members of their party (total of 6 people).
Here's a
link to a page that might be helpful to you.

 

[Carrieberry]

Thank you so much!

 

[adisneyfan2]

Although it is not required, I have found that it helps to have a letter from my DS's pediatrician. DS is autistic with no visible disabilities. I asked the pediatrician to include in the letter the relevant symptoms of his disorder -- e.g. that he can become overwhelmed when surrounded by people where he cannot see(i.e. in a line), that he can freak out if he is touched unexpectedly (like in a line), etc. I think worded that way it was very obvious to the CM what would be most helpful to my DS. Also, we have APs, but have always been told that we can only get LOS GACs. No big deal -- it only takes a few minutes the first day of our stay.

 

[Poohboy]

We just got back last night from Disney.

I have three boys, one of which is on the Spectrum. I got a pass for our family, which let us enter in the FassPass Return section. This made an UNBELIEVABLE difference in our trip. My son had less tantrums, got less confused and this made our family trip a wonderful, happy and memorable one.

I can't tell you how appreciative I am of Disney, Universal and SeaWorld for putting this GAC into place.

If anyone has any questions about the pass or going to Disney with a challenging child, just email me.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks, Poohboy. Glad you had a good time.

 

[Talking Hands]

Just got back from Disney and the castmember at Guest Services in Animal Kingdom took my GAC and just extened it to a year from when it was originally issued. I am an annual passholder and this means I will not need to hit guest services everytime I go to the parks. I really appreciate that.