Guest Assistance card at Disneyland?

[Amberle3]

We're headed off to Disneyland tomorrow, and I'm trying to find more information on the Guest Assistance Program.

My mother has arthritis in her lower back. As a result walking is sometimes difficult, stairs can be difficult, and standing for extended periods is definitely out. She has a handicapped parking permit. Now how badly she's affected by the arthritis definitely depends on the day, some days are worse than others. For any day as far as walking is concerned, she just takes it slow and sits down here and there on her way to wherever it is she's going.

I called Disneyland to ask about the GAP as it would pertain to my mother. The only answer they were able to provide is that the situation would be evaluated there (understandable) but most likely she'd just be told to rent a wheelchair. My mother is not at all happy with this, as like many seniors she's extremely resistant to the idea of one day having to be in a wheelchair, and would rather not be in one any sooner than necessary.

We're not looking for line passes, we're looking for some place toward the boarding area where she can sit and wait for the rest of our party to catch up.

Does anyone have any experience with the new GAP at Disneyland?

 

[SueM in MN]

We're headed off to Disneyland tomorrow, and I'm trying to find more information on the Guest Assistance Program.

My mother has arthritis in her lower back. As a result walking is sometimes difficult, stairs can be difficult, and standing for extended periods is definitely out. She has a handicapped parking permit. Now how badly she's affected by the arthritis definitely depends on the day, some days are worse than others. For any day as far as walking is concerned, she just takes it slow and sits down here and there on her way to wherever it is she's going.

I called Disneyland to ask about the GAP as it would pertain to my mother. The only answer they were able to provide is that the situation would be evaluated there (understandable) but most likely she'd just be told to rent a wheelchair. My mother is not at all happy with this, as like many seniors she's extremely resistant to the idea of one day having to be in a wheelchair, and would rather not be in one any sooner than necessary.

We're not looking for line passes, we're looking for some place toward the boarding area where she can sit and wait for the rest of our party to catch up.

Does anyone have any experience with the new GAP at Disneyland?

If you go to www.mouseplanet.com and then go on their forums, you will find information. The forum called something like "Theme Park Access Guide" has info about touring with disabilities and Guest Assistance Cards.
I know they do have a card that allows the person with a disability to avoid the part of a line that has steps. But, she is likely to have a wheelchair or ecv suggested for the needs you are outlining. Even though she might not like the idea, it's actually the most logical solution.

One of the problems at Disneyland is that since it is a very old (and small, compared to WDW) park, there are not the many places where anyone can sit near the boarding area and wait for the rest of their party.

Another thing about wheelchairs is people often have very negative attitudes toward them - like getting into one is one step away from the grave. A more postitive attitude is to look at them as tools to help get more enjoyment from the energy being expended. If you think of the energy as a bank account, would you rather spend you energy doing the fun things or walking around the park?

 

[cupcake]

Hello!

I totally understand where your mom is coming from, but they had rampant handicapped access problems at DL and have changed their policy. I am willing to bet anything that if you go into Guest Services and say that your mom has endurance issues, they will tell you to rent a wc. This is their official policy now. Not sure what they do if your mom can't do steps and does not opt to use a wc. Likely tell her to rent a wc but I am not sure.

I had a lengthy post re my experience with hc access at DL, but I can't seem to find it with the search function. The gist of it is that they don't run things as well as they do at WDW, but maybe they will get better over time as they tinker with things. For example, I had consistent problems with signage, landing by my ECV when exiting an attraction if I didn't stay in the ECV, and CMs not boarding me so as to make sure I ended up on the right side to get back to my ECV, etc.

If your mom opts to walk, be warned that there are quite a few attractions with unexpected steps (well, unexpected if you are used to WDW). For example, there are a TON of steps for the TOT. A lot of attactions are built up to conserve space and thus have steps.

In my experience, they do not have a place to wait as opposed to standing in line. I tried, trust me. I have medication-induced photosensitivity and they (Guest Services) were flat out unhelpful. The CMs at attractions tried to help, but since there was no place to put me and they don't issue cards letting you come back at a specified time like WDW occassionally does if needed, they couldn't do anything to address the problem. Not only do you get stuck in sunny long lines, but they don't pre-load shows, even if you are using mobility assistance. Everyone stands and waits outside and then crowds in at once.

I recommend playing it by ear. If the holiday crowds haven't kicked in yet and your mom is having a good day, see how she does. Honestly though, I would rent. There's a lot of walking and lines. Remember, DL is like MK used to be a long time ago (not lots of mainstream access) so they did have issues and and there's a lot of bad feelings built up about the situation. DCA is mainstream access (hence no incentive for people to abuse the system) but they follow the same policy. I can't imagine that they would issue a GAC for endurance issues, no matter how genuine those issues are. That's just not the way they handle it now.

Here is my pep talk for your mom. We who use some sort of mobility assistance think about it a lot more than others do. It's great to get out and experience whatever you want to do as opposed to sitting on a bench in pain and watching life go by. If some jerk thinks you are old bc you use a wc, or whatever, ruining your vacation by sitting on a bench or managing to get around somewhat in pain isn't going to enlighten them, all it's going to do is prevent you from experiencing as full a vacation as you might have. So get out there and have fun!!!!

Do report back with any info about your experiences, and best wishes to your mom.

Cupcake

 

[Amberle3]

Thanks for all the advice, I do appreciate it.

My mother's very reluctant to use a wheelchair - I think she's afraid of them when it comes right down to it. Not of the chair itself, but of having to use one on a regular basis down the road. She'd like to keep her independence as long as she can.

Plus I'm a little annoyed that their standard response these days seems to be "rent a wheelchair". I understand cracking down on the abuse of the system - I'm at Disneyland every year or so and I've seen way too many teens renting chairs so they can bypass lines. I saw some of them in February in fact, who were arguing about who got to ride in the chair. It just doesn't seem like "rent a chair" is a good response.

 

[dclfun]

Actually, advising someone to rent a chair is the kindest, most appropriate thing they can do when there aren't any other alternatives. If they have no place for your Mother to sit down, then they can't issue a card that will allow it. WDW would say the same thing for someone with endurance concerns. I can understand how your Mom might feel about using a w/c but perhaps if you can assure her it's just for use for a vacation day so that everyone can enjoy themselves she might feel better about it. If she doesn't rent it, you'll be concerned about her and she'll probably end up exhausted, at best, even if she's having a good day. As Sue mentioned, it's a tool to use to help someone get the most enjoyment out of life and in her case would be a temporary tool. Kathy

 

[Cheshire Figment]

I would suggest rather than a wc, seriously consider an ECV. Several reasons for this.

It will give your mother more of a sense of independence as she can scoot along and not have to have someone push her.

The basket and floorboard will hold a lot of packages, so she can carry things to help the rest of the group.

Many people would consider their using an ECV less of a "Stigma" than a wc.

Tell her it will make the entire family group have a better trip as she will not slow down the others.

Don't worry about what anybody not in your group thinks, they don't matter as (1) she doesn't know them and (2) she will never see them again.

Mike

 

[JudithM]

Here is my pep talk for your mom. We who use some sort of mobility assistance think about it a lot more than others do. It's great to get out and experience whatever you want to do as opposed to sitting on a bench in pain and watching life go by. If some jerk thinks you are old bc you use a wc, or whatever, ruining your vacation by sitting on a bench or managing to get around somewhat in pain isn't going to enlighten them, all it's going to do is prevent you from experiencing as full a vacation as you might have. So get out there and have fun!!!!

Cupcake, great pep talk!

Amberle3, I use an ECV only at the theme parks. I don't need it at home. I do hope your mom reconsiders at wc or an ECV. It will help everyone in your group. Enjoy!

 

[cupcake]

Here's another thought. The set-up is quite different from WDW. DL, DCA, and Downtown Disney are all close together on 3 sides of a big plaza. I don't know where you are staying, but we stayed offsite pretty much directly across from the main DL entrance. I rented an ECV from an offsite place, Alan’s Wheelchairs (714) 870-9840. it was $127.39 for a full week (wow!). So I scooted across the street into the main entrance, which is where you would be dropped off by the tram if you drove. Not sure where the hc parking is, as I didn't use it. I assume nearer to the security entrance to enter the plaza.

The configuration means that the crowd flow works differently than WDW. DL is analogous to the MK, but has more little side streets and other tights spots. It is generally tighter than the MK overall, as well as more consistently crowded all over. Bc the three areas (DL, DCA, Downtown Disney) abut each other, it is phenomenally easy to park hop. DCA is not nearly as popular as DL, but it does absorb a good number of people and when it closes, DL, which is already crowded, gets really, really crowded.

Thinking about the layout for your mom, in my mind, it makes it even more desirable for her to rent either a wc or an ECV. The plus of offsite is that she would have it for her use all over. The closeness of the three places to go makes it more desirable in my opinion to have your own. I assume you can get a wc at a different park with your receipt like at WDW, but I am not sure if DD has them and even though the 3 places are walking distance, it is an awful lot of walking. Folding wcs are easy to transport in a car. Also, at WDW, offsite rentals are WAY more comfortable than the WDW wcs (adjustability & back support). Remember, WDW/DL picks tank-like wcs that wear well and that are hard to steal. They don't care about comfort or ease of pushing.

I normally am a big proponent of EVCs, for the reasons Cheshire Figment stated, and I like offsite bc they are better than the WDW/DL ones (easier to drive & maneuver) and you have no availability concerns. And as he said, there is a great feeling of independence in an ECV. However, I am not so sure I would 100% recommend it for DL. Your mom could get the feel for it in DCA, which is pretty open. But DL itself, where you would likely spend much of your time, is tighter than the MK and is consistently very crowded. Someone (you pushing or her driving) may well get more easily frustrated in those conditions. Plus DL isn't that big so it isn't as hard on you to push.

I guess overall I would think seriously about an EVC. It is not the total no-brainer that would be at WDW for someone like your mom, but the price is so low and you do get lots of benefits. I was pleased with Alan's and would use them again.

To my pep talk (thanks for the compliment, Judith!), I will add the analogy to wearing a bathing suit on vacation. No one knows me on vacation except my dh so I don't care if I resemble a giant orca in my black and white swimsuit. So too with your mom. Not that she looks like an orca (I have the market cornered on that) but it is a one time thing that will make her so much more comfortable and enjoy herself more and people who don't know her will NOT be thinking about her, they will be thinking about themselves and their vacation.

Oh, I recommend the Unofficial Guide to DL. I thought it was very helpful.

Cupcake

 

[SueM in MN]

Cupcake, great pep talk!

Amberle3, I use an ECV only at the theme parks. I don't need it at home. I do hope your mom reconsiders at wc or an ECV. It will help everyone in your group. Enjoy!

My FIL had been "thinking of" using an ecv for years before he finally used one on the last day of our WDW trip last Spring. He has arthritis in both knees and both hips, has problems with stairs and with satnding still. He didn't feel he was "disabled enough" to use one and "What would other people think" (he was equating them to my DD who uses a wheelchair because she can't walk).
The day he finally rented an ecv, he could keep up with the rest of us for the first time in about 10 years and best of all, he ended up the day feeling good instead of being in extreme pain. He actually said that he wished he had rented one years before because he had missed out a lot because of his stubborness to avoid using one. He's already making plans to rent one from off-site on our next trip to WDW.

 

[JudithM]

Sue, Cupcake, Mike & many others: If it weren't for all the positive comments on read on this bb in the fall of 2000, I might still be walking around WDW on each trip. You all gave me the incentive to rent an ECV - it didn't matter what others thought, only how much better my trip (& those with me) would be. I now hope we can pass along that same encouragement to others.

 

[Joyce Kingkade]

The last posts I saw for this were in 2004, maybe I missed some, so please forgive me if I did. Is there a guest assistance card at DL and DCA for my autistic son? If not, we may have to re evaluate our spring vacation. He does well, but crowds get to him. WDW most always allows him a quiet place to wait! I understand if they have no place to have him wait, but DCA is newer and should have prepared for that.

 

[SueM in MN]

The last posts I saw for this were in 2004, maybe I missed some, so please forgive me if I did. Is there a guest assistance card at DL and DCA for my autistic son? If not, we may have to re evaluate our spring vacation. He does well, but crowds get to him. WDW most always allows him a quiet place to wait! I understand if they have no place to have him wait, but DCA is newer and should have prepared for that.

The Guest Assistance Card at DL works pretty much the same way as it does at WDW. Disneyland used to have a different program called a Special Assistance Card, that was the same for everyone, regardless of what their needs were. That was changed in about 2000 to be the same sort of system that WDW uses, where you explain your needs and a GAC is issued to with accomodations to meet that need.
If you go to the disABILITIES FAQs thread, the information about GACs in that thread was written about WDW. The GAC are issued and work pretty much the same at Disneyland though.

 

[chatterboxchick81]

I went last year and got a GAC. I am one with a hidden disability, Lupus. Luckily I was "warned" about what I would be asked. I have severe arthritis and I was only 28 years old at the time. For me my disease caused weak bones and a broken hip which pinched a major nerve in my leg / hip. I let the staff know that standing / steps / direct sunlight were a major issue. And that due to the nerve damage in my leg a wheelchair is not an option as I am having to do a lot of unnecessary up and down. due to my hip issues. They were friendly and fine with my answer. unfortunately I think it depends on who helps you. There was a gentleman in his 50's that had back issues and they were very rude to him... So kind words and detailed explanation should help. I was able to enjoy my trip with my daughter with little stress.

 

[SueM in MN]

Closing this thread since it was originally from 2004.