Gac

[alisonbestford]

Just a quick note about the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) you can get for WDW

I was advised, by DISers on the DISability board, to get one for DH as he is unable to stand for long periods and is unable to queue in the sun.

After grudgingly agreeing to a wheelchair off the plane DH was pretty against admitting that he was anything other than 100% fit
The first Disney visit was to MGM studios where DH spent the day sitting under a tree in the smoking area, feeling dreadful..............

The next visit, to Magic Kingdom, I marched him into Guest Relations and asked for a card which covered the whole period we were in Florida, requesting that he be able to wait in the shade

Well, what a difference this made to our days

I didn't realise that it more or less acts as a 'fast pass' (which was great as some of the fast passes were on 3-4 hr time schedules, due to it being so busy - longer than our days in the parks really) so, after checking with the Cast Members on the ride, we were able to join the fast pass queue.

We also asked whether they would honour the pass at Universal, now that you have to pay for the fast passes, and they said yes

We made a second trip to MGM, on the last day of our holiday, and had a great time.

Here's the link to info:

http://pixiedustinn.com/disabilitiesfaq/GACFAQ.html

I'd really encourage anyone, who might be entitled, to request a pass.

 

[AlanUK]

Glad to hear that it worked so well for you

It's nice to know that the schemes in places to make peoples lives better actually do have such a positive effect

 

[florida sun]

Alison

Thats really great news, Im so glad it worked out well for you

 

[cathydisneynut]

My DS is autistic, we have requested the GAC at both WDW and US, never had any problems with it, a most wonderful thing!

 

[alisonbestford]

That's great Cathy

I didn't even realise Universal did a GAC pass - we were so impressed that they honoured the WDW one though

 

[wilma-bride]

That's interesting information - as some of you may know DD1 has ADHD and, therefore, is extremely impatient and can tend towards violent/impetuous outbursts when she feels under pressure to behave in a certain way of wait for a long time.

Although she is on medication and we have explained to here repeatedly that she will have to queue for the rides, we fully intended to utilise Fastpasses as much as possible to minimise wait times. It the GAC works in a similar way, it may be worth a thought.

Alison, did you take a doctor's letter with you - I know that link said you don't necessarily need one but would you think it would be better to take on anyway?

 

[alisonbestford]

Hi Wilma Bride,

Yes, we did take a doctor's letter but,at no time, were asked for it

I would definitely ask for the pass

It made the world of difference to us

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We use a GAC pass for Joshua although we only use it when absolutely necessary, mainly when an attraction has a pre-show we want to skip.
So we don't always use it but it's nice to have it if required, he doesn't really understand what a queue is , but we try and plan our days so we avoid q'ing as much as we can.
Although you cannot completely avoid them, we do actually try and queue if the wait time is 5 minutes or so, as it helps to bid up his patience etc

Therefore the GAC passes are used sparingly.

 

[cathydisneynut]

Wilma, I hope you don't mind me replying to your questions, but the GAC card at Disney can only be used after all the Fastpass machines are out of tickets, or through the exits on rides like IASW. At US\IOA. the GAC can be used at any time. I have taken a doctors letter, but never needed to show it.

 

[wilma-bride]

Thanks Alison and Cath for your replies. Sian is 13 so she is old enough to understand that she will have to queue for certain rides/attractions. I am just a bit nervous because part of her ADHD means she is extremely impatient/intolerant and this can/does cause outbursts occasionally. To be honest, I don't see it being a big problem - as I said, she is getting old enough to understand (even if she doesn't like it) that she will have to wait. I would just hate the magic to be ruined by her causing a scene. It is nice to know that there may be an alternative later in the day when FPs may not be readily available and her medication is wearing off

Would you suggest that we get the GAC and just use it if necessary then

 

[cathydisneynut]

Yes, absolutely!

 

[alisonbestford]

We use a GAC pass for Joshua although we only use it when absolutely necessary, mainly when an attraction has a pre-show we want to skip.
So we don't always use it but it's nice to have it if required, he doesn't really understand what a queue is , but we try and plan our days so we avoid q'ing as much as we can.
Although you cannot completely avoid them, we do actually try and queue if the wait time is 5 minutes or so, as it helps to bid up his patience etc

Therefore the GAC passes are used sparingly.

As Johnny says, the GAC is fantastic for when you need to use it

I, personally, had been pretty hesitant to ask for one (mainly because I didn't realise their importance )

The queues for Easter were, generally 75- 95 mins and the fast pass was come back in anything between 1 and 5 hours.....

As our time in WDW park was well under 3 hours we benefitted, greately, from the GAC

I think DH rode about 4 WDW rides in all , throughought his stay
But all of them were without some ridiculouss wait which would mean nothing to most of us

 

[alisonbestford]

Wilma, I hope you don't mind me replying to your questions, but the GAC card at Disney can only be used after all the Fastpass machines are out of tickets, or through the exits on rides like IASW. At US\IOA. the GAC can be used at any time. I have taken a doctors letter, but never needed to show it.

I thought this too but we were never able to use the fast pass , on their 'normal' time passes and we were fine
All you need to do is ask

Most of the 'fast pass' times were way beyond our time zones but, without even attempting to explain this, we were fine

 

[cathydisneynut]

I must've gotten "jobsworths" Alison, we've always been told to get fastpassses from the machines and use the GAC after these are empty! Nevermind.....

 

[disneyholic family]

I never got a GAC for us because my son wouldn't permit it. We managed with FPs and arriving for shows just before they began (like Festival of the Lion King, Tarzan, etc.). If there were no seats available at that time, we skipped it.

My son wore a full body brace and was in significant pain when standing even for relatively short periods (also when sitting - which is why we switched to business class, although even business class was less than comfortable for him).

Every year, I offered that we either get a wheelchair for him or ask for a GAC. He refused.

He must take after my mother. When she joined us at WDW for her 78th birthday celebration, she refused any sort of assistance - no wheelchair, no anything. Despite severe back and feet problems (an after-effect of her chemotherapy combined with severe arthritis).

 

[wilma-bride]

Your son sounds incredibly brave Beth

 

[mushumadness]

Hiya Alison

gald you have a good time

we get this pass when jordan goes with us, as ques etc seem to get her anxious
bt we only use it when she is able to ride.

its a good thing as its better for her to be relaxed, as we cant really be sure she understands why she is waiting for something, or what we are doing.

with her wheelchair etc, gac makes it so much easier.

 

[alisonbestford]

I must've gotten "jobsworths" Alison, we've always been told to get fastpassses from the machines and use the GAC after these are empty! Nevermind.....

I think that we were able to use it as we did because the parks were so busy and, as I mentioned earlier, the fast pass times were all in 3-4 hours time.
Added to that the fact that it was rare we got to any of the parks before 2pm and all the passes were gone anyway....

I'd estimate that DH only rode about 4 or 5 attractions throughout all the parks, the rest of the time it was just Eve and I who, obviously, queued whilst DH rested

Phil thought that, by refusing the GAC, on the first day, he was being brave but lets just say it earned him a 'Grumpy' t-shirt and a wife wondering why on earth she'd arranged a vow re-newal for the following week......

 

[Minniespal]

Excellent news ~ Glad it worked out for you.

 

[disneyholic family]

Your son sounds incredibly brave Beth

yes, but i think it's more a question of not wanting to draw even more attention to oneself. He's a bit twisted (physically that is) and it is quite noticeable. Going through a special line or sitting in a wheelchair would make people look even more. At least that's how i've interpreted it. I've never asked him why he refuses. (no need to upset him more than i know he already is). In any case, it's his decision.

But i do see lots of people using the GAC. Although sometimes it's refused and i don't know why. Or maybe it's not the GAC being refused, but something else that's being shown (like at Soarin, i saw some people waved through and others not, but i don't know why).