GAC specifics

[christymarie]

I have been reading posts about the GAC and have looked at the frequently asked questions. I was hoping someone could help me with some specifics. We have not gone to the park since 8yo was a baby (18mo) and never before that so I don't have a lot of experience with the park.

We have two children with autism. One child is a flight risk and has a service dog as well as a special needs stroller to help with containment. We are going to use the stroller almost exclusively and are keeping the dog with us in case DS does get out of the stroller and we need to have the dog "track" him.
My DS has, in the past, tried to climb out of rides mid ride and I have had to hold him down or, in one case, put him in my lap during the ride. He likes the rides but needs to feel very secure. For his GAC I am going to ask to treat the stroller as a wheelchair, allow handoff of dog (similar to baby swap), waiting in shade (I realize this may not be possible), and to allow me to hold child in rides where it is possible. Can any of you think of other accommodations I have not considered?

For my other DS we have patience issues and crowd issues. He will wait in line for quite a while and then give up at the very front of the line (drives me crazy). He also gets overheated quickly especially when already anxious so waiting in a cool quite place is helpful. For GAC I am going to ask for a quite place to wait away from crowds and the ability for us to wait in line and then bring him to the front when we reach the front of the line. Is there anything I am forgetting?

I so appreciate any help you can give me in this.


Thanks,
Christy

 

[dclfun]

I think you will have problems requesting to bring him to the front of the line when you get there- many queue lines don't have a place to wait where you CAN get to the rest of your party once they reach the entrance. Is there any type of "wrap" he will wear to feel safer in the ride vehicle? I can understand your concerns- I'd really be worried too about him getting up in the middle of an attraction with a moving vehicle. You won't need to ask about a dog swap- that is done automatically on attractions where SD's are not allowed. If you're coming this summer please be aware of the hot pavement on paws issue and the fact that dogs can overheat very quickly and can die from overheating. CM's are very good about offering water- we also use the cooling neck wraps and ice in SD vest pockets..---Kathy

 

[pudge the fish]

I can't answer your questions as to the GAC but kinda want to do a
public service announcement about Florida & heat

if you are going in a hot month be prepared for HEAT all the time- just not waiting in line- it's HOT going from Fantasy Land to Tomorrow Land- not a lot of shade - in Epcot no shade going thru the countries- AK is hot- just plain old hot..

so plan to not have hot temps just while waiting in lines- heck it's hot here NOW! (next week it's supposed to cool down but still it's HOT in Florida most months of the year

Big Hats, mister fans, cool packs around the neck sunscreen or a big umbrella-

I hope someone can answer your other questions- I just feel that everyone needs to know it is HOT all the time - not just while waiting in line.

 

[christymarie]

LOL! Ok, got it, Florida is hot! We realize that heat will be an issue with both the boys and the dog. We have cooling items as well as hats and paw lotion to help with the ground heat. The main thing was heat and people standing very close. It's going to be hot anyways and then to add the stress of being in a crowd we are prime for a huge meltdown.

I am a bit worried that there is no way to get him into the line at the end. I'm really not opposed to waiting in lines, just not with him. Will they allow you to use the fastpass lane if you have a GAC? I'm not sure how much help that will be for us since he doesn't like roller coasters and there are not a lot of fastpass rides. I guess we'll just have to wing it. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a good idea after all.

Are there rides where you can hold your child in your lap, Pirates? Haunted Mansion? Pooh bear ride?

Thanks for letting me know about these things!!

Christy

 

[adisneymama]

I might can answer a few of the questions. Pirates etc. while he may not be able to be in your lap (although I think on this one he can) he would be right beside you and you could put your arm around him pulling him into your side. Does that make sense? Goofy's barnstormer would be another one that again you can "hold" him without him being in your lap.
With using a stroller as a wheelchair, you will be able to bring the stroller in whatever the access for wheelchairs is. We have a GAC for DD because she has seizures. We also use our stroller as a wheelchair and have never had a problem. I hope this helped some. Have a great trip!

 

[livndisney]

LOL! Ok, got it, Florida is hot! We realize that heat will be an issue with both the boys and the dog. We have cooling items as well as hats and paw lotion to help with the ground heat. The main thing was heat and people standing very close. It's going to be hot anyways and then to add the stress of being in a crowd we are prime for a huge meltdown.

I am a bit worried that there is no way to get him into the line at the end. I'm really not opposed to waiting in lines, just not with him. Will they allow you to use the fastpass lane if you have a GAC? I'm not sure how much help that will be for us since he doesn't like roller coasters and there are not a lot of fastpass rides. I guess we'll just have to wing it. I'm beginning to wonder if this is a good idea after all.

Are there rides where you can hold your child in your lap, Pirates? Haunted Mansion? Pooh bear ride?

Thanks for letting me know about these things!!

Christy

The GAC says right on it-not intended for immediate access. Dlcfun is correct most lines it would be almost impossible to get him to the front of the line. Some of the lines are very narrow-you would not be able to pass people. Some of the lines are in AC and are well themed. For example the Buzz Lightyear ride. He may "enjoy" the line.

I would suggest use Fastpass where you can and also "child" swap. Even with a GAC there can STILL be a long line.

 

[Hook's Girl]

Are you staying onsite? Extra Magical Hours are a wonderful way to avoid both crowds and heat!

 

[Schmeck]

Is it possible to plan your trip for a time when it is not hot and crowded? End of October/early November was nice for us - cool, especially in the morning, not too crowded, etc.

For many of the attractions without FP, your best bet to get on quickly would be to get to the park at rope drop and go on as many of the attractions as you can.

 

[christymarie]

Thank you so much for you input. I really don't mind waiting in lines, I just wanted to not have him standing in lines. For us, patience is not a virtue, it's an elusive magical ability that eludes us constantly, lol. Oh well, it's the Magic Kingdom so maybe there's hope.

We've been talking about our younger son and I think we've decided to try to keep him in his stroller/wheelchair on as many rides as possible. I'm going to have to check the FAQs again to see if they list rides that allow you to stay in your chair. I think it's our safest option.

We can't change our time since we had to use timeshare points by May 1st. We're only going to be in the parks for 3 days and have hopper tickets so that should help.

I appreciate your input with this. I'm beginning to wonder if a GAC would really help us much. We'll see.

Thanks again!

Christy

 

[bookwormde]

Our experience with GAC is that where possible CMs will have you wait somewhere within eyesight and wave you over or bring you in a separate entrance when the time is “right”. This may be shorter or longer than you would have waited, but does provide a “system” where our children are not exposed to the social stress of the queues when they cannot tolerate them.

Once we actually “bailed out” of a line and we showed the CM the GAC and then just waited a while (which helped with decompression) and then were waived in. We have the extra fun that my DS got an extra dose of social justice gene and will not even consider entering the ride or attraction until he has waited at least as long as those who are using the standard queues.

There are lots of other “tricks” in other past treads about ways to make WDW more manageable so that may be helpful also

bookwormde

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Former attractions CM here:

Holding the child on your lap can create some serious safety issues. The basic rule of thumb is that if there is no height restriction it is probably safe to hold him on your lap. If there is a height restriction there is no way they will let you due to the nature of the safety mechanisms. Rides with height restrictions are more dangerous and I would never bring a child with that kind of issue on rides. Either way, that is not something they will specify on the GAC.

Please think long and hard about which rides to take your older son on. I realize you said he likes the rides, but you have to consider how well you will be able to keep him on the ride as he is probably much bigger than he was the last time you did this. This is an incredibly dangerous situation. I know rides like Winnie the Pooh or Snow White (two of the rides I worked) do not look dangerous, but they are. A child could be seriously injured if he climbed out of the ride vehicle. You also have to take into consideration that there may be times that the ride stops. This happens for a variety of reasons. A person could take too long getting into their vehicle which would cause the ride to back up. There can be a malfunction, etc. In many cases we are able to get them back up quickly, but sometimes it takes a few minutes. The ride could start back up at any time and we would have no way of knowing if he climbed out of his car. Very rarely the downtime can be closer to 30-45 minutes, especially if an evacuation is needed. We try not to let it take that long but things happen. If your child is not able to handle something like that, you may want to switch off for rides. There are many wonderful things about Disney besides attractions- shows, parades, attractions without ride vehicles. You will have to decide what your son can and can't handle.

Using your stroller as a wheelchair sounds like a great idea. In my experience you will be able to take it anywhere that you take a wheelchair. The only ride that I worked that that might be a problem is Winnie the Pooh because we use a seat belt to strap the wheelchair in. Make sure the frame is strong enough. Also be aware that there will be rides that the service dog cannot go on for safety reasons, and you will need to do a swap. Again, there isn't a specific GAC for this so you will need to talk to the CMs involved.

A shaded wait area is not a problem, but be aware that you'll experience a lot of heat just getting from ride to ride. As others have said, there is no GAC that will allow your son to join you at the front of the line. Some rides this may be possible, some not. It will depend on the design of the queue, the crowd, and the cast member. It never hurts to ask, but have a back up plan in case they say no.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm going to have to check the FAQs again to see if they list rides that allow you to stay in your chair. I think it's our safest option.

You can find a list in post #11 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
For some of those rides that are listed, there is a wheelchair car that his special needs stroller may or may not fit on.

SHows and movies would be no problem.

 

[BeckyScott]

I didn't want DS on anything where I couldn't have my hands on him. He has some history of trying to bail out, too. He didn't try to do it at Disney, though. But, I still didn't want him on anything where I couldn't get an arm around him.

There were only a few attractions where it wasn't possible, and most of those were the "scary" rides anyway which he wouldn't go on in the first place. You'll be able to see the ride vehicle when you get close to the front of the ride, or some of them have display cars, and you can see if it's going to work for you to be right next to him or not, you can always chicken exit. Lots of attractions have bench seats so while you shouldn't put him in your lap, you can sit very very close to him and get your arm around him. Lots of them are also 3 people wide, so you can put him in the middle.

 

[mechurchlady]

Also harness him so you can keep the leash in hand and if he bails you will immediately have the harness in one hand and leash in the other.

 

[SueM in MN]

I didn't want DS on anything where I couldn't have my hands on him. He has some history of trying to bail out, too. He didn't try to do it at Disney, though. But, I still didn't want him on anything where I couldn't get an arm around him.

There were only a few attractions where it wasn't possible, and most of those were the "scary" rides anyway which he wouldn't go on in the first place. You'll be able to see the ride vehicle when you get close to the front of the ride, or some of them have display cars, and you can see if it's going to work for you to be right next to him or not, you can always chicken exit. Lots of attractions have bench seats so while you shouldn't put him in your lap, you can sit very very close to him and get your arm around him. Lots of them are also 3 people wide, so you can put him in the middle.

Putting him in the middle would be a good idea.
That way, when you get off or on, you will always have someone going before him.
Allearnetnet.com has a page of attraction ride car photos that may be helpful to you. Here is the link.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I didn't want DS on anything where I couldn't have my hands on him. He has some history of trying to bail out, too. He didn't try to do it at Disney, though. But, I still didn't want him on anything where I couldn't get an arm around him.

There were only a few attractions where it wasn't possible, and most of those were the "scary" rides anyway which he wouldn't go on in the first place. You'll be able to see the ride vehicle when you get close to the front of the ride, or some of them have display cars, and you can see if it's going to work for you to be right next to him or not, you can always chicken exit. Lots of attractions have bench seats so while you shouldn't put him in your lap, you can sit very very close to him and get your arm around him. Lots of them are also 3 people wide, so you can put him in the middle.

Actually, it depends on the attraction and the size of the child. In Fantasyland we had absolutely no problem with lap sitting, as long as the restrain could close properly. We also require that all kids sit on the inside of the car so that here is not an easy opening to escape from. That will help this situation as well if you do not have him sit on your lap. Churchy's idea about the harness/leash is also a good one. Will he tolerate something like that on his body? That will make it much easier for you on attractions.

 

[SueM in MN]

I have been reading posts about the GAC and have looked at the frequently asked questions. I was hoping someone could help me with some specifics.

I just wanted to point out some of the reasons we don't have a lot of specifics posted:

1. What is available at each attraction might be somewhat different. Some include a quieter place to wait, some don't. In some, you can wait outside of the line and then go into the attraction at the last minute; in others that is not possible.
2. What is available changes from time to time. For example, they were doing some work on the floors in the waiting lines for Soarin' a while ago. During the construction, they routed people different ways.
3. CMs may route people with GACs differently based on how busy it is. If the standby (regular waiting line) is not busy, but there are lots of people waiting in the handicapped boarding area or quieter waiting area, the next guests to come with a GAC may be handled differently than they are when it is less busy. Sometimes when the posted wait time is very short, that can mean the CMs route everyone with a wheelchair into the Fastpass line - Not because that is where people with wheelchairs normally go for that attraction, but because the regular line will move more smoothly and quickly if guests with wheelchairs are not in it.
4. Because of all these things (and others I have not listed) sometimes the same person with the same GAC will be handled one way on an attraction and will be handled differently on the same atraction, even on the same day.

 

[adisneymama]

Good Points Sue! I think the best advice anyone can give is to explain your situation to the CM giving the GAC. They will list anything they can on the card for you. Usually, what we do is while my dh waits to the side with the kiddos I will go over to the CM and show the GAC and ask where we need to go. As Sue said, it isn't always the same as it was the previous time. I would suggest doing this and if you have any concerns or questions about wait times/locations ask the CM then while explaining your concerns. We have never had a bad experience with a CM at Disney when using the GAC. Have a great trip!

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

The great thing about the GAC is that you don't necessarily need to explain your situation. In many times, you will be approaching the Fastpass return person, and let me tell you, that position tends to get very hectic and harried on a busy day. With the GAC you just show it to us and we will route you where you need to go- no fancy explanations needed.

If you feel we are not doing the right thing for your situation, you may bring it up and explain it to us, but please do so politely. We have very specific training on how to handle the specific GACs at each attraction and we do this day in and day out. I can't even begin to count the number of people who screamed me out for not doing what they thought I should do based on their GAC. As Sue pointed out, it varies from ride to ride. Many of the newer rides have wheelchair accessbility in the standby queue. This is not true of some of the older rides and the people with wheelchairs would be directed to an alternate accessible entrance. People didn't seem to be aware that where they go depends on the accessibility of the ride and would take it out on the CM at the front. I doubt you will do that as you sound like a very polite woman, but I'm putting that in there for anybody else reading this thread.

The best thing to do is to explain your needs at City Hall (or Guest Relations at the park you are at). When they give you the GAC they will explain what it can and cannot do and will give you advice on how to handle your situation.

 

[SueM in MN]

I can't even begin to count the number of people who screamed me out for not doing what they thought I should do based on their GAC. As Sue pointed out, it varies from ride to ride. Many of the newer rides have wheelchair accessbility in the standby queue. This is not true of some of the older rides and the people with wheelchairs would be directed to an alternate accessible entrance. People didn't seem to be aware that where they go depends on the accessibility of the ride and would take it out on the CM at the front..

The other thing that is very important is to check the Guidebook for Guests with Disabilities. They are available at Guest Relations in each park and there is a link to the text from the Guidebook in post #3 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
We just got back from WDW on 3/24/09 and they had something new since our last trip - the Guidebooks are now in a map form, the same as the park maps. It does list where the wheelchair accessible entrance is for each attraction. For some of the older MK attractions (especially in Fantasyland), it tells you to contact the CM at the attraction. But, for most attractions, the instructions say to enter thru the Mainstream Queue (which means the regular line).
We saw some people trying to enter Small World at the exit, which was the handicapped entrance before it was renovated a few years ago. There was also a thread not that long ago where someone was writing to complain that the CMs at park opening would not let her use the Fastpass line to access Space Mountain. She had done that before when the side of the line that is accessible at Space Mountain was not open, making Fastpass the only accessible way in.
So, it is important to look at the Guidebook and not just assume nothing has changed.