Disney first timer, have questions about GAC

[Filomali]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I'm also a first timer to WDW. We are going at the end of September. As this is our first visit, I'm reading a lot about WDW.

My daughter has microcephaly (smaller brain and head size) and she has autistic-like characteristics, she's on the spectrum. I was worrying about her for this trip and came across GAC. She is prone to meltdowns and she has behavior issues and ADHD too. Do we need a doctor's note to get the GAC?
It is such a good thing if Disney has this assistance for special needs children because I appreciate whatever help I can get to make this trip easy and enjoyable for her and the whole family.

As I understand you can get a GAC and use it when necessary. What exactly is the accomodation? Do we get into rides faster or what?
How is it different from a fast pass?
ok so.. if one day we come to the park after a late breakfast and all the fast passes are gone (I heard there is just a number of FP per day?) can we still get in some rides if we have a GAC?

I'm thinking of bringing in a double stroller, I read about the Stroller as a wheelchair tag, is this as an addition to the GAC card? I need to bring in a stroller because sometimes she just doesn't want to touch the ground and we might end up carrying her, which could be a nightmare in WDW.
Do we get a GAC card every time we visit a theme park or do we keep one for the entire week visit?

I heard GAC can actually not be a good thing in some instances, like the regular lines might be better. How can this be?

Of course, any and all assistance will be greatly appreciated. Sorry if these are totally novice questions. This is our first trip and quite unplanned, just booked it 2 weeks ago and I'm so excited. I'm reading a lot but there are just some things about going there with a special needs child that I need to clarify.

Thanks.

 

[Filomali]

oh you know what.. I just saw the disability FAQ thread up there.
Sorry for impulsively creating this thread. I'm going to read the FAQ now.
But you can still answer my questions if you want..

Thanks ..

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Hi and welcome to the boards.

Head back and read the FAQs about the GACs. http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=595713 You can find the answers to a lot of your questions here. I'd start there, and then you can always come back and ask if you have any additional questions you don't see answered there.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Haha, we posted at the same time!

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Hi, I'm new to this forum and I'm also a first timer to WDW. We are going at the end of September. As this is our first visit, I'm reading a lot about WDW.

My daughter has microcephaly (smaller brain and head size) and she has autistic-like characteristics, she's on the spectrum. I was worrying about her for this trip and came across GAC. She is prone to meltdowns and she has behavior issues and ADHD too. Do we need a doctor's note to get the GAC? No, you do not.
It is such a good thing if Disney has this assistance for special needs children because I appreciate whatever help I can get to make this trip easy and enjoyable for her and the whole family.

As I understand you can get a GAC and use it when necessary. What exactly is the accomodation? Do we get into rides faster or what? The accommodation will depend on what your child's specific needs are
How is it different from a fast pass? Fast passes simply give you a time to come back. GACs provide an alert to the CM at an attraction that additional accommodations are needed. Not all rides will be handled the same way based on what the ride actually is, what the vehicle is like, etc etc.
ok so.. if one day we come to the park after a late breakfast and all the fast passes are gone (I heard there is just a number of FP per day?) can we still get in some rides if we have a GAC? FPs usually only run out for headliners and usually only during very busy times. Things might change with the new FP+ and whatnot being added but no one can answer that too much because its all still in testing. You will be able to ride rides, but that will again be based on what your child can ride safely,and what the wait times are.

I'm thinking of bringing in a double stroller, I read about the Stroller as a wheelchair tag, is this as an addition to the GAC card? I need to bring in a stroller because sometimes she just doesn't want to touch the ground and we might end up carrying her, which could be a nightmare in WDW. If I remember correctly, to use a stroller as a wheelchair you will get both a tag that goes on the stroller itself and a GAC that says it's being used that way, any additional accommodations that might be needed will also be listed on the GAC
Do we get a GAC card every time we visit a theme park or do we keep one for the entire week visit? You can visit guest relations at any of the 4 parks and the can issue a GAC for the length of your visit. Some people like to bring a holder so they card doesn't get lost or damaged.

I heard GAC can actually not be a good thing in some instances, like the regular lines might be better. How can this be? This is where it can get sticky. The main example of this is if at a certain ride, for instance Toy Story Mania, there's only certain ride vehicles that are wheel chair accessible. If there are several people ahead of you in the wheel chair accessible part of the line, you may wait longer than what the stand by ride time is because you'd be waiting for the correct vehicle to be loaded, go through the ride and come back around however many times based on however many people are ahead of you. In this case, if someone could walk through the line they might find it faster. It's a case by case, day by day and really ride by ride issue.

Of course, any and all assistance will be greatly appreciated. Sorry if these are totally novice questions. This is our first trip and quite unplanned, just booked it 2 weeks ago and I'm so excited. I'm reading a lot but there are just some things about going there with a special needs child that I need to clarify.

Thanks.

The quick answers to your questions are up there in the quote in purple. You'll understand more as you read through the FAQs

 

[1 DISNEY FAN]

Hi may I just add that double strollers may not fit the q lines so please double check about this.

 

[SueM in MN]

Hi, I see you got/found answers to your other questions about Guest Assistance Cards.
I will also suggest some other specific posts in the disABILITIES FAQs thread for you to check out.
Post 3 has a lot of specific information for different conditions or concerns.

Posts 18-22 on page 2 has information about boarding for different attractions. There s also a post on page 2 with the list of attractions with warnings and one about claustrophobia, which may be helpful for some people with sensory difficulties.

Hi may I just add that double strollers may not fit the q lines so please double check about this.

A double stroller will fit as long as it is no bigger than a wheelchair - no wider than 32 inches and no longer than 48 inches.

 

[lanejudy]

I wanted to add some suggestions to "think outside the box" as to what might help your DD cope. There are crowds (though sounds like you are going at a less-crowded time of year - good!); there is a lot of sensory stimulation - visual, audio, etc.; it may be hot even in late September; vacations tend to get us off our normal routine.

First and foremost, we try to stick close to normal routine - getting up about the same time, eating meals at usual times, snacks at usual times, naps (if still napping) back at the resort, usual bedtime (yes that may mean missing evening events). This helps tremendously with behavior, it's amazing how getting off-schedule for even a couple of days can really impact the experience. There are plenty of ways to make vacation "special" without throwing routines out the door completely.

Does your DD have any sensory issues? Would sound-blocking headphones help her? Or maybe an iPod and earphones with her favorite music to block out what's happening around her in lines. Sunglasses to keep the sun out of her eyes, a canopy on the stroller that can be pulled down, and maybe even a blanket thrown over the top to create a little "hide-out" for her. Bring something to keep her busy while waiting in lines - whether you feel comfortable handing her your cellphone to play a game, or an iPad, or small toys or whatever is easy to pack and carry to bring out only while in lines. It can make lines a special time to play with a special toy.

Carry plenty of snacks and stay hydrated. CS locations will provide a cup of ice water for free on request - ask for large. We carry reusable water bottles and either individual packets of lemonade or MIO flavoring. Stop frequently for breaks and be prepared to leave the parks after a shortened day if she's done. Know that on your first visit, you will NOT be able to do everything so don't stress over missed rides or shows.

Find a good touring plan - there are free ones online or ones to purchase. Use it to determine the best park each day and even which area of each park is less crowded. Don't try to following an exact routine of "run for FP and do this ride first, then this ride, then another FP runner and go to this ride, etc." But we find using a touring plan to guide your day to the least crowded park and areas, along with use of FPs whenever available, is much more helpful than the GAC. As another poster explained, alternative entrances CAN result in a considerably longer wait than the normal queue - we've found this especially true at rides with stairs to avoid and those with ADA accessible ride vehicles, as you don't get to "cut" in front of the wheelchairs waiting ahead of you (maybe on occasion, but not until you've gotten quite close to the end of the line anyway).

You don't mention how long a trip you are planning. We always schedule a non-park day -- hang out at the resort, swim, visit the playground, maybe walk DTD or the Boardwalk and/or tour some resorts. Don't underestimate the power of the WDW transportation to be considered a "ride" to your kids. Take a boat between DTD and POR, or a boat from HS to the Boardwalk area; ride the monorail from MK to lunch or dinner at a monorail resort; ride the train around MK numerous times in a row

Most of your time at the parks is actually spend outside of ride lines - getting between attractions, meals, shows, parades, etc. GAC does nothing for these experiences, so planning for more than the lines will help your experience tremendously.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[anonymousegirl]

My nephew has the same diagnosis. We have gone to Disney World and Disneyland with him. For him, we had to get the noise canceling device, he just couldn't tolerate the volume level (or even the crowd noise level) without them. If you go for the foam earplugs, make sure they are child sized.

We did have a GAC and used it occasionally, but he was okay with trying to wait it out for the most part.

If your child can handle routine changes, I strongly suggest making Rope Drop at the parks. This will give you a good hour of walk on attractions. Some child cannot cope with the early rising to make rope drop, luckily, my DN could. He loved the low crowds and be able to go back to the resort to swim when the crowds and queues got big.

 

[seidelhd]

Great advice so far. The ones that we always try to do involve getting to the park before or at rope drop (opening). If you are staying on-site, take advantage of the morning Extra Magic Hours. The park will be less crowded and you will be able to get on more attractions with less wait.

An afternoon break from the park (nap, swim, general down time) cannot be over-stated. Everyone in your group will need time to relax and it will make the trip much more enjoyable. We usually go from rope drop (8-9ish) and leave around 2ish (after lunch). We usually stay off site in a condo or vacation home, so we go back after dinner (unless we are there for Food and Wine). We can get on a few rides and then see Wishes/Fantasmic/Illuminations. If the park is open late and the kids rested, we may go on a few rides after, but that typically does not happen.

Along the same lines, when we go over Spring Break (week-long trip), we always alternate park days with "off" days. On the off days, we sleep in, may do a character breakfast at 1900 Park Fare or Chef Mickeys, play mini-golf, hang out by the pool, watch movies, go to Downtown Disney, etc. Again, the down-time allows us to re-energize for the park days.

Good luck! We love Disney for how well they treat my my DD12 and her younger brother and sister. I'm sure you'll have a great time and this will be the first of many trips in the future.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Do we need a doctor's note to get the GAC? No and they would never look at one if you did presnet one

As I understand you can get a GAC and use it when necessary. What exactly is the accommodation? that is up to YOU.. you tell them what you need Do we get into rides faster or what? NO. it is NOT a front of the line pass and in fact can result in a longer wait
How is it different from a fast pass? Not every ride or attraction/show has FP. all FP does is let you bypass the reg line during the window( and it is strictly enforced now)
ok so.. if one day we come to the park after a late breakfast and all the fast passes are gone (I heard there is just a number of FP per day?) can we still get in some rides if we have a GAC? a GAC is a not a replacement for FP in any way. while the Cast member may send you through the FP line base don the type of GAC you have it should not be considered a universal one

I'm thinking of bringing in a double stroller, I read about the Stroller as a wheelchair tag, is this as an addition to the GAC card? yes and no. you can get a SaWC tag and not get a GAC if the only accommodation you need can be met with the tag
Do we get a GAC card every time we visit a theme park or do we keep one for the entire week visit? They are making changes to the GAC, how they are issued and how long they are good for so anything we say now may not be accurate during your trip

I heard GAC can actually not be a good thing in some instances, like the regular lines might be better. How can this be? in some cases your wait can be much longer than even using FP or standby. For instance a couple of rides you have to go to a completely separate entrance and wait for a CM to let you on the ride. or they have no way to accommodate a need at all



Thanks.

you will need to be very specific with regards to what your child will need( separate waiting area, shaded waiting area, etc)

 

[old lady]

There are information about some rides that might be too extreme for her.

 

[Aladora]

I can't talk about WDW specifics. I am on the west coast so we go to DL, but we've now done 3 trips with our 8 year old son who is autistic. You've gotten a lot of good advice that I have to echo.

I can't remember how old you said your dd was but I cannot emphasize enough how important taking an afternoon break is. We are heading back for our 4th trip in a few weeks and this is the first trip that we have even thought about trying a day without an afternoon rest. Chances are that we will rest at least one of the days.

My son loves the maps. He always likes to plan where we are going to next and how we will get there. The maps are also great to keep him from getting bored waiting. Having said that, I always bring his Nintendo DS along for when we wait. We have always had a GAC for him but don't always use it, the game helps for times that we don't use it and have to wait in line for a while. We have had some people give us that look for being the parents who let their child use an electronic device but I tend to ignore them. I've never had anyone be outright rude yet!

You know your child best. Call it a day when she is done, if you can leave before things start to go downhill, great!

Snacks and water are really important, many meltdowns can be avoided with them!

Take it easy and let her guide the vacation as much as possible. It might not be a bad idea to let her watch some utube videos of the rides so she knows what I expect.

Enjoy!