Frequent and unexpected restrooms needs?

[Jewel3k]

My dh has ulcerative colitis. When it is flaring up he has a need for very frequent and immediate bathroom stops. Is there a GAC that will allow him to leave line to use bathrooms that aren't open to the public? Most likely this won't be an issue for our trip, but its always something we plan for.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

1. There is nothing for this for the GAC.

2. The only restrooms cast members are allowed to use are backstage at the break areas. As a general rule it is further from work locations to the cast restrooms than to the public restrooms.

3. If there is a flare-up, generally he can tell a CM when leaving the line and be allowed back in on return.

 

[Jewel3k]

Thank you for answering so quickly.

 

[Bete]

For example, use the facilities before each attraction and even afterwards.

Time your situation. You should have a general idea of how often; so, if you need to do it every 90 minutes then time it that way.

Be particularly aware of your eating times and act accordingly.

If you are not familiar of where the bathrooms are located everywhere you go then find one before you enter an attraction; so, you can be ready.

If necessary take other precautions like incontinence products and/or a change of clothes.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

I'd also suggest looking up the length of ride times. For instance Ellen's Energy Adventure is I believe 37 minutes long and if someone needs to leave the ride for an emergency situation, the entire ride shuts down. Be aware of rides that can be extended because of handicapped boarders like HM or SSE and that those situations can add a few minutes onto ride times. I haven't heard a lot of it but I know at Kiliminjaro Safaris sometimes an animal can block the road or make it unsafe for the truck to continue so that can add minutes onto a ride.

 

[xavibelle]

Your DH is allowed to get a GAC for his Colitis. I am taking my 5 year old with Crohns colitis this year and spoke to a rep yesterday. She tells me (I have never been) it is like a fast pass. I have also been reassured by many IBD sufferers that there is hardly ever a wait for a restroom, although I have been told to try to get a "I have to go" card for her just in case (CCFA).
Bete, the nature of the disease is unpredictable and doesn't depend on meals. My daughter was npo for three days and in the bathroom a dozen times a day, but some days she goes once. It just depends on the day and cannot be controlled.

 

[deegack]

Your DH is allowed to get a GAC for his Colitis. I am taking my 5 year old with Crohns colitis this year and spoke to a rep yesterday. She tells me (I have never been) it is like a fast pass. I have also been reassured by many IBD sufferers that there is hardly ever a wait for a restroom, although I have been told to try to get a "I have to go" card for her just in case (CCFA).
Bete, the nature of the disease is unpredictable and doesn't depend on meals. My daughter was npo for three days and in the bathroom a dozen times a day, but some days she goes once. It just depends on the day and cannot be controlled.

Unfortunately the CM that answer the phones often know very little about park operations and some of them have never even visited the parks. Just be warned that what you were promised and what will happen probably will be very different. The people who post on here have lived the accommodations so usually know better than anyone what will likely happen.

 

[ZehnJahren]

I have bad stomach issues and get a GAC on each trip. It has saved my trips; otherwise, I spent a lot of time standing in line and then leaving it for the bathroom, and then going back and standing in the same line (and sometimes having to leave the line again).

I suggest going to Guest Services and explaining that your husband has ulcerative colitis which makes him need to use the bathroom suddenly, including times when you are in line, and that you would like to not have to repeat standing in line if this should happen. Personally, if it wasn't for fast pass or GAC I'd never be able to ride TSMM due to the fact that the anxiety over having to leave the line would leave me completely unable to even GET in line.

I'd also suggest checking out ride lengths before you go, so he doesn't get stuck on a ride that's too long for him to wait, like Ellen's Energy Adventure. I personally can't ride that one.

 

[xavibelle]

I've actually been looking into this for a bit and other people with children that have Crohn's/UC have visited and been given a GAC for their condition...I just called Disney to verify

 

[LockShockBarrel]

OP not to sound argumentitive, but the phone call doesn't necessarily make a difference. When you call Disney, you are speaking to a call center. A call center CM rarely has any actual working park experience and some of them haven't even been in the parks. There are tons of first hand accounts on these boards (not just disability, but the whole forum) of people calling to ask a question and getting an answer that is completely wrong. I'm not saying that THIS CM gave you the wrong answer for sure, just that it happens. Calling Disney does not "verify" anything unless it's a reservation or ADR. I don't say this to be mean, I just don't want you to go expecting what this CM said to be absolutely 100% guarenteed.

 

[summabreeze]

I have suffered with Crohn's and IBS-D since 2005. I take 100 students every March to Disney World. This is the first year I am going to try to get a GAC this year. I have a letter from my doctor, is this all I need? Should I get something from the CCFA as well? I have researched this a bit and noticed there are different levels to GACs assigned. Anyone want to share their experience with what "level" was assigned to them with Crohn's and a GAC? I am particularly interested in what the GAC helps with in regards to long lines for attractions and almost hourly need to use the restroom.
thanks for any help

 

[mom23kids]

I've actually been looking into this for a bit and other people with children that have Crohn's/UC have visited and been given a GAC for their condition...I just called Disney to verify

My son has CD. Both times we gotten a GAC for him.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'd also suggest looking up the length of ride times. For instance Ellen's Energy Adventure is I believe 37 minutes long and if someone needs to leave the ride for an emergency situation, the entire ride shuts down. Be aware of rides that can be extended because of handicapped boarders like HM or SSE and that those situations can add a few minutes onto ride times. I haven't heard a lot of it but I know at Kiliminjaro Safaris sometimes an animal can block the road or make it unsafe for the truck to continue so that can add minutes onto a ride.

On our last trip, we were on the Safari for almost an extra 30 minutes because an animal was blocking the road. We were near the end of the line of stopped vehicles - and could see a long line of vehicles stopped in front and behind us.
So, if there is an 'animal stoppage' it can cause delays for a large number of vehicles.

I have suffered with Crohn's and IBS-D since 2005. I take 100 students every March to Disney World. This is the first year I am going to try to get a GAC this year. I have a letter from my doctor, is this all I need? Should I get something from the CCFA as well? I have researched this a bit and noticed there are different levels to GACs assigned. Anyone want to share their experience with what "level" was assigned to them with Crohn's and a GAC? I am particularly interested in what the GAC helps with in regards to long lines for attractions and almost hourly need to use the restroom.
thanks for any help

Everything you need to know is in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
You do not need a doctor's letter, although some people feel more confident asking for a Guest Assistance Card with one. The disABILITIES FAQs thread is near the top of this board and there is also a link in my signature.

You will have to explain your needs to the CM in Guest Relations and they will determine what accommodatons are available to meet those needs and provide a GAC that covers those accommodations. There is more information in post 6 of the FAQs about this.
There are different stamps that can be put on the GAC to communicate your needs to the CMs at attractions. A particular stamp is not a guarantee that the GAC with that stamp will alway be handled in a particular way at each attraction and is not a guarantee that there will be no wait. (it is actually stamped on the card to say that). Not every attraction has the same 'features' available for guests who need accommodations to use, so your GAC may be handled differently at different attractions, based on what they have. Even coming back to the same attraction at a different time may not be handled exactly the same because of different conditions, like how many people are in line, staffing at the attraction, etc.
That is one of the reasons we don't like people to post exactly what happened with their GAC - first of all, Disney can change the exact things that happen at any time and second, what happened with one person is no guarantee that exactly the same will happen with anyone else.
I can say that your needs will be accommodated, but no guarantee of exactly how - and I don't like the angry PMs I have gotten in the past from people who read what others posted, planned on certain things always happening and we upset when it did not happen exactly that way.

If you are using Fastpasses, any guest can leave the Fastpass line before they have handed their Fastpass to the CM in line - that usually occurs not long before boarding. When you come back, you just get back into the Fastpass line.

There are many bathrooms at WDW and they are well marked on the park maps. Mens rooms tend to have very short or no waits (just because men take a shorter time than women - there are equal numbers of bathroom, so not like sporting events where there are more men's rooms).
Whether or not there is a wait for the restroom is going to depend on a lot of things. For example, a restroom outside of a large attraction that lets out lots of people at one time is probably going to have a line just before and after the show ( like outside any of the stage shows such as Festival of the Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Finding Nemo, Indiana Jones Stunt Spectacular). There are also lines just before and just after parades, especially the restrooms close to the park entrance, as people try to hit the bathroom before leaving the park after the parade.
Other than that, you will probably not find lines, especially if you are traveling at non-peak times.

I am going to close this thread because the questions have been answered.