GAC location to pick one up?

[visitingapril09]

Are there any locations, outside of the actual park boundaries, to pick up a GAC? We need to get a GAC for our son when we get there and I was wondering if there is somewhere outside of the parks themselves to get one as I know there is usually quite a long wait for Customer Service.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Each of the Parks has a Guest Relations Window (or more than one) outside of the Park Entrance. These people can also issue a GAC, as well as the people inside the Park. Note that in any event the person with the disability must be present.

You cannot get the GAC at a Resort, a DTD Guest Relations Office, or a Water Park.

 

[SueM in MN]

To add to what Cheshire Figment wrote:

- there is more information about Guest Assistance Cards in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread. You can find it near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature to get there.

- when you go to an outside of the park Guest Relations, the setup is that the CM is inside and you are standing outside the window, separated by glass with a hole to speak thru. Depending on when you go, you may also find a line there as people are often resolving ticket issues before they can enter the park.

Just like to warn people since some don't like talking to a CM thru glass.

 

[AJKMOM]

What we do is: usually arrive the night before our first park day, and take the bus to the nearest theme park to get the card. The lines aren't long, if any, at night or afternoon. Then, we don't have to get it the next morning.

 

[visitingapril09]

What we do is: usually arrive the night before our first park day, and take the bus to the nearest theme park to get the card. The lines aren't long, if any, at night or afternoon. Then, we don't have to get it the next morning.

Thanks everyone for your information. We have 10 day passes so I didn't want to go into a park at night just to get the GAC as we want to make full use of all our days. Yet, I don't want to wait in the long lineups in the am.

Thank you for your thoughts. I may try an outside window to avoid having to go to Town Hall our first park morning.

If I have our last one, can I take that with me and just show it at guest services so they know what accomodations we need on the new one?

 

[PatMcDuck]

I think MK has the longest lines for Guest Relations, so we try and hit a different park the 1st day to get one.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thanks everyone for your information. We have 10 day passes so I didn't want to go into a park at night just to get the GAC as we want to make full use of all our days. Yet, I don't want to wait in the long lineups in the am.

Thank you for your thoughts. I may try an outside window to avoid having to go to Town Hall our first park morning.

If I have our last one, can I take that with me and just show it at guest services so they know what accomodations we need on the new one?

You can bring the old one - that is often helpful. Even with that, be prepared for the CM to still ask some questions about the needs the person has. They often still ask questions to make sure that nothing has changed.

 

[AJKMOM]

Thanks everyone for your information. We have 10 day passes so I didn't want to go into a park at night just to get the GAC as we want to make full use of all our days. Yet, I don't want to wait in the long lineups in the am.

Thank you for your thoughts. I may try an outside window to avoid having to go to Town Hall our first park morning.

If I have our last one, can I take that with me and just show it at guest services so they know what accomodations we need on the new one?

When we stay at the BWV, we just walk over to the outside entrance of the International Gateway. All the theme parks have outside-the-gate Guest Services.

 

[Bete]

do you do a GAC at each park, each day or only once for your whole stay?

 

[SueM in MN]

do you do a GAC at each park, each day or only once for your whole stay?

The GAC you receive in one park will be dated for your whole stay and will be valid for all the theme parks ( not the water parks).

There is more information in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[Dzalumni]

Does it help if you have the child's IEP?

My nephew has Autism, looks like every other kid and at times will communicate great, other times he just shuts down. He is hyper sensitive about having "special attention" paid to him, however long lines are just meltdowns waiting to happen.

 

[SueM in MN]

If having an IEP along would make someone feel more confident asking for a GAC, it's fine to do. Just be aware that CMs will probably not want to see it.

There is much more information in post 6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread about GACs in post number 6. You can find that thread near the top of this board or follow the link in my signature.

GACs are not meant to shorten the wait ( that is printed right on the card) and one thing to be aware of is that the same GAC may be handled differently at each attraction, depending on what is available. It may even be handled differently on the sane attraction on the same day because conditions change.
This can be especially hard with a child with autism who wants everything to be the same at each attraction. Many people have found that using Gastpasses and a good touring plan is more helpful to them than a GAC because the touring plans help you to be in the least busy parts of the least busy park and avoid long waits. A touring plan can also help in places a GAC can't, like restaurant, bathrooms and just walking around.
The current most popular is touringplans.com

 

[jmartinez1895]

We have 10 day passes so I didn't want to go into a park at night just to get the GAC as we want to make full use of all our days.

You do not have to go inside the park and use your ticket. For example, you can take a bus over to MK and go to the guest services station that is located before you get to the gate. Once you get your GAC you get back on the bus and go on about your night unless you want to go inside the park.

 

[jmartinez1895]

Does it help if you have the child's IEP?

My nephew has Autism, looks like every other kid and at times will communicate great, other times he just shuts down. He is hyper sensitive about having "special attention" paid to him, however long lines are just meltdowns waiting to happen.

It has been my experience ( and I have seem many people post here as well) that the CM's will not look at paper work.

 

[kylmac]

We were just at Disneyland and my husband and daughter just kept our son busy right outside the door while I gave them CM the info. I also had a GAC from our previous trip to WDW at Christmas last year. I explained that our sons disability is autism and she just called him over and had him say "hello". No big deal for him but that could present a problem with someone is non verbal. I brought a note once to WDW from our pediatrician and that was accepted as well. For our upcoming trip to DLP I am getting a doctors note and will bring the GAC from DL to show them. Either way, it has cut down on melt downs -don't you just love those melt downs?
Hope this helps!
Elizabeth

 

[staceyhzoo]

Our shortest time to get dd's GAC was at Epcot. It was during F&W and they had CMs at every station. DH goes in and I wait with dd and ds outside. When he starts walking up to the CM I go in and we tell him dd's needs. While's the CM is getting her GAC (we use stroller as WC and quiet place to wait) we ask is it's ok for one of us to go outside. This has worked many times, we lost our card last year prior to going to MK. It was chaos.

 

[mackay_j]

We were just at Disneyland and my husband and daughter just kept our son busy right outside the door while I gave them CM the info. I also had a GAC from our previous trip to WDW at Christmas last year. I explained that our sons disability is autism and she just called him over and had him say "hello". No big deal for him but that could present a problem with someone is non verbal. I brought a note once to WDW from our pediatrician and that was accepted as well. For our upcoming trip to DLP I am getting a doctors note and will bring the GAC from DL to show them. Either way, it has cut down on melt downs -don't you just love those melt downs?
Hope this helps!
Elizabeth

In DLP you will need some sort of medical evidence. They usualy look for a disabled badge or equiv. They donot offer it for all things (could not get one for diabetic daughter as have done in WDD- In wdw it allowed her and either dh or myself to join the rest of party at end of queing keeping her out of the heat thus keeping sugars more steady and also meant that she could eat, loo stop (also has a kidney condition) or inject as required ). When we went to paris it was 80oC but she had to stand in line causing numerous hypos and pull out of long lines (1.5hrs plus) if she went low or needed a pit stop. Resulted in her and one other having to push way back in through grumpy people

 

[kylmac]

I have a note from our doctor indicating our son's diagnosis as well as his inability to wait in lines for too long. We do not have a bracelet or jewelry of some sort to indicate his autism. I hope this does not cause a problem at DLP. Thanks for the "head's up"!
Thanks-Elizabeth