Give a Day Passes with a GAC

[Kim in PA]

I posted a similar question several months ago when the GAD passes were still new, but now that we are leaving in 7 days, I wanted to see if anyone has already been there, done that and has recommendations for us.

Has anyone used the GAD (Give a Day) fast passes if you already have a GAC?

We will be in WDW next week and I am wondering which will help us more. Ashley will have a stroller as a wheelchair GAC. Will we need the GAD passes or does the GAC give us better access?

We all made blankets for Project Linus so we have 5 days worth. Even Ashley was able to do the knots. We can't use them for tickets because we have a package.

Can anyone tell me which attractions the GAD passes would be better for than using her GAC? Are you basically using the same line on most attractions?

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[SueM in MN]

If you already have tickets, I think that the only thing you can trade your GAD vouchers for are the GAD Fastpasses.
All of the Fastpass lines are wheelchair accessible, so there is no reason you could not use a GAD (or regular) Fastpass to shorten your wait with a GAC.

This is a link to a thread on the Theme Parks Board about GAD Fastpasses, where people are posting their experiences.
Someone posted that they just got back on 6/16 and were able to use the GAD Fastpasses on these attractions:
We were able to use them for a total of 6 rides at each park.

Disney's Hollywood Studios Theme Park this is what I remember:

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Toy Story Mania!
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

Star TOurs
Lights motor stunt show
(can't remeber the 3rd one).


This was the same for MK.
Magic Kingdom Theme Park:

Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
Jungle Cruise
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Peter Pan's Flight

This may be subject to change.

Guest Assistance Cards are not meant to shorten or eliminate lines or give better access, just to give assistance that meets the needs of the guest. It is printed right on the card that the guest should use Fastpasses if they want to shorten their wait in line.
For a "stroller as wheelchair", the GAC allows you to bring a stroller into lines and use it where strollers would not normally be allowed.
Most lines at Epcot, the Studio and Animal Kingdom are wheelchair accessible in the regular line and you will be waiting in the regular line with the stroller.
MK has some attractions that were not able to be made accessible for wheelchairs, so those do have special access. That does not necessarily mean a shorter wait, just one that is accessible.

 

[Kim in PA]

Hi Sue,
Thank you for your help! I guess I am wondering which attractions will already put you in the fast pass line (with the GAC) and which ones you use the regular line with the stroller.

The GAD fast passes are limited to 3 Donald and 3 Daisy attractions at each park and are good anytime of day you just get right in the fast pass line - no return time needed.

With the stroller as a wheelchair GAC, I remember from last time that at some attractions we used the stroller in the regular line, and at others we were sent to the fast pass line. I specifically remember this happening at Kali River Rapids, but can't remember what we did at other attractions. I don't want to "waste" one of the Give a Day passes (since we will only have 6) on an attraction where we would be sent to the fast pass line any way due to the GAC.

For example, I am reading that a lot of people are using their Give a Day passes at Toy Story Mania, but I can't remember how we lined up for that one last time. IS TSM an attraction that we would normally go through the regular line with a stroller GAC, or would they send us to the fast pass line with the GAC? I hope this makes sense. Is there any place online I can find out which type of entrance they would normally send us to? It would help us alot in our planning.

I am not trying to gain better or quicker access by using the GAC. I know that is not what it is intended for. Ashley needs the GAC to get through the day. However, we do have the opportunity to use Give a Day vouchers which are supposed to provide quicker access for families who participated in Disney's volunteer activities. I am just asking about the entrances most used with the GAC stroller as a wheelchair so I can plan the best use of our GAD vouchers and not drive my twins or DH crazy making them wait in front of an attraction while I am trying to figure out what to do. The kids worked hard to earn the vouchers and I want them to have fun with them.

Thank you!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Normally the only time a wheelchair or ECV is automatically sent through the fastpass line is if the regular line is not accessible for one reason or another.

At TSMM the standby line is fully accessible, and merges with the Fastpass line just before the stairs. At that point anyone with a wheelchair or ECV is moved to the special accessible boarding area.

 

[SueM in MN]

As Cheshire Figment mentioned, the only time a wheelchair would be routed to the Fastpass line is when the regular line is not accessible.
There are no attractions I can think of where guests with wheelchairs are automatically routed all the time to the Fastpass line. We have been routed to the Fastpass line several times at Buzz Lightyear, especially when the Stand-By-Line is very short, but that is because it would not really be any different wait for us no matter which line we went into - and the Fastpass line is less turns.
It's not automatic, so I would not count on using the Fastpass line with a wheelchair/stroller as wheelchair. If your child's GAC had other accommodations besides using the stroller as wheelchair, there may be times and situations where you would be directed somewhere besides the standard entrance. But, even with a GAC for other accommodations, you may not always be directed to the same place each time you enter the attraction.

Like Cheshire Figment pointed out, Toy Story Mania's line is wheelchair accessible up until the stairs. At that point, the wheelchair accessible line is routed to a ramped area.
The Safari line is also fully accessible until just before the boarding area; at that point, guests with mobility devices are routed to the accessible boarding area.

 

[SueM in MN]

Also, something I thought of after posting -
The GAD Fastpasses are only valid on certain attractions and those are 'subject to change' to quote the WDW official website.
When you trade in your vouchers, I would ask if they have a list of the current attractions you can use the GAD Fastpass card for. You could also try asking at Guest Relations when you get your DD's GAC. There may be some at each park that you know automatically you want to go on or some you know you don't want to go on at all.

I would just use the GAD Fastpass at those attractions you can use them for and not worry about the GAC at all for those. Since you will need to see the CM at the entrance to the queue to use the stroller as a wheelchair, the CM will let you know if you have to do anything special to use the stroller in line with the GAD card.

 

[KPeveler]

Something else to consider is that a GAC may be handled differently every time you show up at the attraction, depending on how long the wait is, how many people are ahead of you, who the CM is, etc. (stroller as wheelchair does not change - you can always use the stroller, but the line you are directed through may change).

If there is a ride you MUST get a fastpass for (for me, it is Soarin - I cannot handle the regular queue) and that is an option on the GAD FPs, then you may want to consider using it for that. That way you are guaranteed to get on the ride with no problems!