GAC and stroller question

[123LuckyMom]

I'm about to go to WDW with my husband, sister, mother, and two children ages 4 and 11months. My mother has stamina issues and will be renting an ECV. I have back issues with nerve pain, but my injury is under control, and I want to try to go without a wheelchair or ECV. That may not be possible, but here is my dilemma. I cannot use a carrier for my 11 month old. My back injury will not allow me to hold her weight even using an Ergo. My husband also cannot use a carrier due to shoulder issues. That leaves only my sister to hold the baby in long lines. I just can't ask her to do that. Would it be possible, do you think, to get a GAC allowing us to use our stroller in lines when the disability is not the child's but the adult who is unable to hold her? We can hold her for brief periods, but if the wait is longer than 10 minutes, we'll be in trouble. If we had the stroller in the line, the baby would be safe, and it would also serve as a sort of walker for me. Having the stroller to lean on actually helps my walking considerably. Do you think that would be possible?

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes.
That is a reasonable accommodation for your needs. Other people have been able to use a stroller in lines for that reason.

You will need to explain that it is to met your needs as you did in this thread. You will need both a Guest Assistance Card and a sticker on the stroller (kind of looks like an airline baggage tag) to use it in lines.
You can find more information in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQ thread bar he top of this board, or follow the link in my signature.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

I'm about to go to WDW with my husband, sister, mother, and two children ages 4 and 11months. My mother has stamina issues and will be renting an ECV. I have back issues with nerve pain, but my injury is under control, and I want to try to go without a wheelchair or ECV. That may not be possible, but here is my dilemma. I cannot use a carrier for my 11 month old. My back injury will not allow me to hold her weight even using an Ergo. My husband also cannot use a carrier due to shoulder issues. That leaves only my sister to hold the baby in long lines. I just can't ask her to do that. Would it be possible, do you think, to get a GAC allowing us to use our stroller in lines when the disability is not the child's but the adult who is unable to hold her? We can hold her for brief periods, but if the wait is longer than 10 minutes, we'll be in trouble. If we had the stroller in the line, the baby would be safe, and it would also serve as a sort of walker for me. Having the stroller to lean on actually helps my walking considerably. Do you think that would be possible?

Hi Luckymom. My son is 15mo and I have gotten the stroller as a wheelchair GAC card and stroller sticker for our last 3 trips. I also have chronic back issues and ended up getting the GAC halfway through our first trip when he was 6mo. It's not just waiting in line, but getting in and out of ride vehicles, on and off the buses, etc.. The combination of everything will take a toll on your back, so best to save it as much as possible and use the stroller in line.

On all 3 trips I went to guest relations in the MK and explained my chronic back issues. I have never been given a hard time, they always give me the stroller sticker/GAC card without any issue.

 

[123LuckyMom]

Thank you for the replies. I will definitely seek a GAC. Now I feel only excited about our trip. I was really worried about having to cope with walking and lines myself AND having to deal with the baby.

Would the GAC stroller as wheelchair also mean we would not have to fold the stroller for the buses? That would be a most extraordinary help!!! I was figuring for on and off buses my sister would take the baby, I would deal with my toddler and whatever cargo we had, and my husband would fold and carry the stroller. I haven't been looking forward to this, but I figured we wouldn't be taking buses so often that it would be impossible.

 

[Kellykins1218]

Would the GAC stroller as wheelchair also mean we would not have to fold the stroller for the buses?

No, you'll still have to take the baby out and fold the stroller. It's a safety issue.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

remember to get the stroller as wheelchair tag along with the GAC. you will need both.

 

[SueM in MN]

No, you'll still have to take the baby out and fold the stroller. It's a safety issue.

Yes. That is true.
It is not safe or legal for a child to stay on the stroller during bus rides.

You may find some drivers go would (illegally) let you do it with the sticker, but strollers are not meant for bus transportation and your child could be injured in even a very minor accident or sudden stop.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

The GAC is only meant to be used when it comes to park attractions. It does not help with most lines for character greetings or the buses.

If you talk to the bus drivers they may let you load with the baby in the stroller and then wait to fold it up once you're on. Otherwise, it's not safe for the baby to stay in the stroller when the bus is moving and there really is a risk that the wheelchair restraints could damage the stroller frame. Strollers aren't meant to take the same level of strain on the frame as a wheelchair. Your previous plan is probably going to be the best since there is someone who can carry the baby on. There isn't as much room to fold the stroller on the bus even if a driver does let you load before you fold it.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Thank you for the replies. I will definitely seek a GAC. Now I feel only excited about our trip. I was really worried about having to cope with walking and lines myself AND having to deal with the baby.

Would the GAC stroller as wheelchair also mean we would not have to fold the stroller for the buses? That would be a most extraordinary help!!! I was figuring for on and off buses my sister would take the baby, I would deal with my toddler and whatever cargo we had, and my husband would fold and carry the stroller. I haven't been looking forward to this, but I figured we wouldn't be taking buses so often that it would be impossible.

Unfortunately the stroller as a wheelchair GAC does not apply to the buses. That was my most difficult part of the day.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

The GAC is only meant to be used when it comes to park attractions. It does not help with most lines for character greetings or the buses.

If you talk to the bus drivers they may let you load with the baby in the stroller and then wait to fold it up once you're on. Otherwise, it's not safe for the baby to stay in the stroller when the bus is moving and there really is a risk that the wheelchair restraints could damage the stroller frame. Strollers aren't meant to take the same level of strain on the frame as a wheelchair. Your previous plan is probably going to be the best since there is someone who can carry the baby on. There isn't as much room to fold the stroller on the bus even if a driver does let you load before you fold it.

You can keep your stroller in the character greeting lines if you have the stroller as a wheelchair GAC. It's the other stamp that may/may not be permitted.

I only had one driver allow me to fold the stroller on the bus, it did make it much easier. I wish they were more flexible with this, especially in the middle of the day when there's hardly anyone on the bus.

 

[ttintagel]

It's also possible that you won't be able to bring it into some restaurants if they don't have room.

 

[123LuckyMom]

Thank you all for your responses. I understand the safety issue. I'll just be grateful for the tremendous help of having the stroller in the lines!

 

[owl0306]

maybe stay at a resort where you do not need a bus as much like the mono resorts or an epcot resort. You do not have to keep folding the stroller.

 

[livndisney]

You can keep your stroller in the character greeting lines if you have the stroller as a wheelchair GAC. It's the other stamp that may/may not be permitted.

I only had one driver allow me to fold the stroller on the bus, it did make it much easier. I wish they were more flexible with this, especially in the middle of the day when there's hardly anyone on the bus.

Folding the stroller before getting on the bus is a DOT regulation.

 

[nhmommy]

We found when the busses were not busy we could take the baby out but leave the stroller unfolded. Clearly this would not be the case on a crowed bus.

 

[SueM in MN]

We found when the busses were not busy we could take the baby out but leave the stroller unfolded. Clearly this would not be the case on a crowed bus.

I would not count on doing it even if it is not busy.
As another poster mntioned it is a DOT (Department of Transportation) regulation that strollers must be folded.
The bus drivers should not have allowed an unfolded stroller on the bus and could have gotten in trouble for letting you do that.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

Folding the stroller before getting on the bus is a DOT regulation.

That may be, but when I'm the only one boarding the bus in the middle of the day, or it's us plus a few others, my stroller wouldn't cause any harm rolling on and then being folded before they drive away.

Usually we stay somewhere that goes straight to the park from the resort, or may make one more stop. Now with the stroller, I always choose to be at the 1st stop. It's not like a city bus, where you get on a crowded bus. I realize common sense does not prevail over bureaucracy, so I don't argue.

 

[disney david]

That may be, but when I'm the only one boarding the bus in the middle of the day, or it's us plus a few others, my stroller wouldn't cause any harm rolling on and then being folded before they drive away.

Usually we stay somewhere that goes straight to the park from the resort, or may make one more stop. Now with the stroller, I always choose to be at the 1st stop. It's not like a city bus, where you get on a crowded bus. I realize common sense does not prevail over bureaucracy, so I don't argue.

Dot say it has to be folded they don't care if your the only one on the bus the driver can be ticketed and lose his cdl license then job. Most people don't like following policy or rules so if the driver would let them on then their nothing to say they wouldn't give the driver a hard time and refuse after getting on be bus. Just look if the driver gives an inch people would take a mile you had one driver let you on now you want every one to let you on that way. that why it important for the drivers to enforce it across the board the same way so their no confusion,


It posted on the side of the bus if Need more explanation Disney and their drivers have to follow the laws the dot put in place.

 

[livndisney]

That may be, but when I'm the only one boarding the bus in the middle of the day, or it's us plus a few others, my stroller wouldn't cause any harm rolling on and then being folded before they drive away.

Usually we stay somewhere that goes straight to the park from the resort, or may make one more stop. Now with the stroller, I always choose to be at the 1st stop. It's not like a city bus, where you get on a crowded bus. I realize common sense does not prevail over bureaucracy, so I don't argue.

That is not your decision to make. DOT says that strollers must be folded prior to boarding. So clearly there is "harm". DOT issues the regulations. They are to be followed by Disney bus drivers and guests.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Dot say it has to be folded they don't care if your the only one on the bus the driver can be ticketed and lose his cdl license then job. Most people don't like following policy or rules so if the driver would let them on then their nothing to say they wouldn't give the driver a hard time and refuse after getting on be bus. Just look if the driver gives an inch people would take a mile you had one driver let you on now you want every one to let you on that way. that why it important for the drivers to enforce it across the board the same way so their no confusion,


It posted on the side of the bus if Need more explanation Disney and their drivers have to follow the laws the dot put in place.

Agreed...there's nothing keeping the person from not taking the child out of the stroller at that point. I've actually witnessed someone attempt to open their stroller on a fairly empty bus and try to put their sleeping child in it because they didn't feel like holding them after the bus was moving! Wow!! That was a mess! You wanna talk about causing a riot! LOL The other guests are saying 'Umm..you can't do that!' and then the bus driver is like 'Hey, you can't do that!' and the guest was like 'How are you gonna stop me? You're busy driving the bus now!!' Wow!! Just Wow!! That was one mess!! I really thought the bus driver was going to have to pull over and quite honestly I would have been fine if he did! Personally, I think the driver should have radioed ahead to our destination and there should have been security there to meet this family and they should have been 'banned' from using Disney transportation at that point. They were really indignant that they were going to do what THEY wanted to do regardless of the rules until other guests backed the driver up. Some people....and the sad part is that they were really jeopardizing their own child's safety.