Guest Assistance Cards ending, to be replaced with Fastpasses?

[Octoberbaby]

Just the thought: if according to the current ADA laws amusement parks cannot ask for a proof of disability and many people who are not disabled are taking advantage of that to the point of getting national media coverage ("rich Manhattan moms") then maybe that law should be changed... because it is not a good law. One poster indicated somewhere that in UK proof of disability/doctor's note is required to get any disability access in the parks. Laws can be changed or challenged as in the case of little girl in Philadelphia dying of cystic fibrosis waiting for a lung transplant. We can vent our frustration on different boards, facebook, sign petitions or write letter to Disney, but is Disney going to listen to our voice? It seems they have made their decision already about DAS.

Love this thought. I wish it was required to show proof and I don't see why it would be so bad to have to provide that proof! I wish the laws were changed. I always take medical records and a note from my daughter's Oncologist when we go to WDW so that they know she really needs the card. She IS in a wheelchair and cannot walk. I have already posted this but we would get rude comments from people about having to wait on her for a ride, bus, etc. It was ridiculous. People don't understand that she would LOVE to be able to walk and STAND long enough to wait in stand-by. Disney is supposed to be the happiest place on Earth but some people can't see past the end of their nose and are making it not so much anymore.

 

[Emagine]

I always take not only both our sons letters but our Service Dogs proof. We should at least be able to volunteer the info even if they can not ask. I would never have an issue. Heck I have an almost full 4 drawer filing cabinet full. I would not deny them.

 

[Granny square]

You all know that in 15 minutes flat I could have a drs note complete with diagnosis codes. It is meaningless in this world of easy word documents.

 

[Gracie09]

My husband is very private about his disability. You wouldn't know anything was different about him by looking at him but he takes tons of medication to appear "normal". Fortunately using a touring plan an fastpass we don't really need to use his gac. My younger daughter has a variety of developmental delays due to abuse and neglect by her birth mother. I shouldn't have to explain her entire history in front of other guests and cast members. It's great that people want to discuss their personal medical information but not everyone does not should they have to to someone who is not a medical professional treating them.
I can count on one hand the number of times we have used dh's gac and they were times we pushed for one more ride before taking a break. Our lesson learned.

 

[Gracie09]

Just the thought: if according to the current ADA laws amusement parks cannot ask for a proof of disability and many people who are not disabled are taking advantage of that to the point of getting national media coverage ("rich Manhattan moms") then maybe that law should be changed... because it is not a good law. One poster indicated somewhere that in UK proof of disability/doctor's note is required to get any disability access in the parks. Laws can be changed or challenged as in the case of little girl in Philadelphia dying of cystic fibrosis waiting for a lung transplant. We can vent our frustration on different boards, facebook, sign petitions or write letter to Disney, but is Disney going to listen to our voice? It seems they have made their decision already about DAS.

So make it more difficult for disabled people to get assistance they may need in the real world where they spend 99% of the time, so they don't have to wait on lines at a theme park. That makes so much sense to me. ::eyeroll::

You petition your congressman to reopen the ADA (which was recently up dated) so that your child, spouse, whomever can get front of line access to a theme park. Let us know the result.

Oh the law wasnt' changed to allow the little girl to have a lung transplant. The rules of the transplant governing body were. That is very different.

 

[davedmaine]

Ok. What about the people that aren't able to SIT AND WAIT 45 min every single ride they ride? Kids that have certain needs ARE NOT going to understand why they have to wait. It has nothing to do with them not being patient or because they are better then the other people but because they have certain conditions that keep them from being able to HELP IT when they have certain emotions. Which cause seizures, meltdowns, etc. which will ultimately keep certain people from being able to enjoy their vacation. People that are perfectly healthy cannot comprehend this because they have never experienced this.

Nobody is saying they can't ride, just now they'll get a fast pass.

 

[doconeill]

Even if you volunteered the information, Disney Cast Members are not trained medical professionals and cannot make a decision on eligibility based on medical need.

 

[buckeev]

Wait for it....7----6---5----4......

 

[buggy]

I have seen other threads where someone claimed GACs shortened wait times flat out called liars and told, often by mods (not of this board specifically), that GACs do not shorten wait times. If that is indeed true then these objections are unfounded.

It was a well-respected Mod on this board who often stated that GACs did not always shorten wait times because she was referring to her own experience with her child that can't always transfer from a wheelchair and had to wait for one of the few wheelchair accessible ride vehicles.

I at first thought the Mod was just saying this until we experienced it firsthand with our physically disabled daughter who can't transfer either. There was not one ride that was wheelchair accessible that we went on that took less time in comparison to the stand by line and we used the GAC in most cases!!

If you are so sure that this new system will be fair to all parties, then why don't you request to wait for a wheelchair accessible ride vehicle the next time you come to the end of the queue and see how long it takes to show up?

 

[adisneymama]

I too am very worried about this. My oldest has several medical issues that make touring the parks very difficult, Epilepsy, learning difficulties, stamina/muscle deficiencies to name a few. We have used the GAC the last few years after our DR told us about it. We have never been given front of the line access. We are typically taken thru the fast pass line when there is one. So how does this affect anyone in standby? It is no different than if we had a traditional FP ticket instead of the GAC. The problem I see is FP+ only allows 3 fastpasses per day. If traditional FB tickets are done away with once FP+ is fully implemented how is this going to help those of us with disabilities? Currently without a GAC I can get more FP tickets in a day than 3. Between the constant price increase and all the changes Disney is making we are starting to look into other vacation ideas. Really sad since we have gone at least once every year since 2003.

 

[SueM in MN]

There were people who posted frequently that using a GAC always got them on faster and that anyone who said it did not shorten the wait was lying.

Then, there were those of us who posted that there was no guarantee that someone using A GAC would wait shorter. The wait could be shorter, longer or the same.
This was especially true if the person needed to wait for an accessible vehicle, but also happened at other times. It really had to do with timing.
If you arrived at an attraction with very few other people with disabilities, the wait could be short.
For example, at Spaceship Earth, the alternate entry was at the exit. You signed in and waited until a CM came from the exit to lead you up the exit ramp. You could get there when there was no one else waiting and end up boarding in 5 minutes. Or, you could come when there was a long line and wait 30 minutes.
Many people using GACs did not look at the return time.
If they had in both of those examples, the standby return time was 5 minutes (late afternoon).

Here's an example in pictures:
Disney receives thousands of requests for special access to attractions each year. The new process is designed to create a more consistent experience for all guests, as well as prevent abuse by people without disabilities.
One of the things they are trying to improve is situations like in the Spacship Earth example and these pictures at Small World where the wait in the alternate entrance was much longer than the wait in the regular line.

The actual entrance to the handicapped line here is where you can see a woman in a reddish shirt in front of a man in an orange shirt. All the people to the right side of the picture are also in the handicapped line. This is at least a 45 minute wait.
The entrance to the 'regular' line is at the sign near the woman in the orange hat.

This is the posted wait time for Small World at the same time. You can see how widely spaced the people are.

This does NOT mean that anyone is 'abusing' the handicapped line (who in their right mind would enter that crowded line if they felt they could go in the regular line shown in the picture).
It just means that many more people joined that line at the time than it can possibly handle. One of the aims in the new program is to spread out guests arriving at attractions so there will not be such wide variations in wait time.

This thread has updated information about the switch from GAC to DAS.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3151785

 

[FireDancer]

But why do you feel that way?

Because I feel the GAC or whatever they put in place should be focused on access, not guaranteeing the same experience. That is how the GAC should have functioned all along and that is how people shouted form the heavens that it did work despite evidence otherwise. As long as everyone has access to the parks for the same amount of time each day I don't feel the GAC needs to adjust wait times to make up for not being able to take advantage of the hours of operations.

Like I said, it is just my opinion. Whatever they do they do. I'm not going to write letters or claim I'm not going because I don't like their implementation. I have just heard for years people bend over backwards to either say or imply that GACs don't shorten wait times and now it appears Disney is redesigning the system to work the way they have been claiming it works all along.

 

[SueM in MN]

This is a video someone posted on YouTube that shows the Toy Story Mania accessible part of the queue. Anyone either mobility issues, can't do stairs or is using a mobility device needs to use that access because of stairs in the regular line.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=...top_uri=/watch?v=q464fj2r-YI&feature=youtu.be

She apparently took the video to make the case for continuing the GAC program without change because the places she got in faster were offset by those with longer waits.
But, it actually illustrates one of the reasons they are changing the program - there is no predictable flow of guests to that area. You could get there and find few (which some posters have claimed they always do) or you could arrive and have the ramp filled all the way to the start of the ramp, not just to the first bend like the video shows. They load on pod of cars (6 passengers because one car seats only 2 instead of 4) per ride cycle, so that line is really going to have a long wait.
One of the aims of the new program is to get more consistency in guests with special needs arriving at attractions.
There is no way for the ride to handle that many people without backing up.

 

[AndreaA]

Because I feel the GAC or whatever they put in place should be focused on access, not guaranteeing the same experience. That is how the GAC should have functioned all along and that is how people shouted form the heavens that it did work despite evidence otherwise. As long as everyone has access to the parks for the same amount of time each day I don't feel the GAC needs to adjust wait times to make up for not being able to take advantage of the hours of operations.

Like I said, it is just my opinion. Whatever they do they do. I'm not going to write letters or claim I'm not going because I don't like their implementation. I have just heard for years people bend over backwards to either say or imply that GACs don't shorten wait times and now it appears Disney is redesigning the system to work the way they have been claiming it works all along.

I guess I just feel very differently. Equal access is not enough, in my opinion. If someone said "well we put wheelchair ramps in at the school, the kids can all get in now", and declared that there would be no extra assistance for kids with various issues, that would never fly. The kids need an equal education EXPERIENCE, not just the ability to enter the building. Obviously we're talking about a theme park, which is certainly not as important as education, but I will never understand the mentality of "well, they're able to get in, that's good enough" with the unstated "and that will inconvenience me the least!" when we're talking about people who life lives that are more difficult than most people can imagine.

The fact that some people may have said that the GAC didn't guarantee a shorter wait (which is very true, as demonstrated by Sue) doesn't take away from that. As I said in another post, I wouldn't be surprised if people said that in part to try to cut down on abuse.

 

[FireDancer]

I guess I just feel very differently. Equal access is not enough, in my opinion. If someone said "well we put wheelchair ramps in at the school, the kids can all get in now", and declared that there would be no extra assistance for kids with various issues, that would never fly. The kids need an equal education EXPERIENCE, not just the ability to enter the building. Obviously we're talking about a theme park, which is certainly not as important as education, but I will never understand the mentality of "well, they're able to get in, that's good enough" with the unstated "and that will inconvenience me the least!" when we're talking about people who life lives that are more difficult than most people can imagine.

The fact that some people may have said that the GAC didn't guarantee a shorter wait (which is very true, as demonstrated by Sue) doesn't take away from that. As I said in another post, I wouldn't be surprised if people said that in part to try to cut down on abuse.

Education is a right in this country, going to a theme park is not. I don't feel they should have the same level of accommodation but I respect your opinion even if I don't agree with it. We'll see how it gets implemented. I suspect it will eventually be rolled into the Magic Bands and FP+ to make a single solution.

As for the bolded, I fail to see how that isn't lying and I always thought there was at least some skirting of the truth if not out right lying about how GAC worked when it came to wait times.

ETA: I don't think Disney ever meant for GACs to shorten wait times. They just didn't implement them the right way from the beginning so guests were able to take advantage of an unintended benefit (ie: a loophole). All this new program is doing is closing that loophole and making the system work the way it was supposed to all along. That is my take anyway. Closing loopholes is good. I wish more entities would close loopholes they have unwittingly opened.

 

[kahblue]

I'm not going to add anything to what's been said. I just wanted to share what Marineland in Niagara Falls does at least did when we were there a few years ago. For people with disabilities: once you get on a ride they ask if you want to ride twice. It avoids having to get off the ride and getting right back in line if you want to ride it twice. It's very helpful but the crowds are lower than Disney.

I think for some rides, like the continually moving ones, this could be done.

 

[FireDancer]

I'm not going to add anything to what's been said. I just wanted to share what Marineland in Niagara Falls does at least did when we were there a few years ago. For people with disabilities: once you get on a ride they ask if you want to ride twice. It avoids having to get off the ride and getting right back in line if you want to ride it twice. It's very helpful but the crowds are lower than Disney.

I think for some rides, like the continually moving ones, this could be done.

As long as it is done for everyone on rides like TTA or Spaceship Earth when there is not wait I'm all for it. I don't feel anyone should be able to keep re-riding when there is a wait no matter what their disability. That is never a need, that is a want.

 

[Octoberbaby]

As long as it is done for everyone on rides like TTA or Spaceship Earth when there is not wait I'm all for it. I don't feel anyone should be able to keep re-riding when there is a wait no matter what their disability. That is never a need, that is a want.

It is obvious you don't have anyone in your family with a disability, and I hope you never do.

 

[AndreaA]

That is never a need, that is a want.

Really this is demonstrating your lack of knowledge. Naturally there is no life-and-death NEED to ride anything at all, but for some people especially some with certain mental/neurological issues, re-riding something approaches close to a medical necessity, and lack of that ability will most certainly keep some families out of the park.

I also really think that people (not directed specifically at you, but others as well) need to step outside the DIS bubble. Just because some members of a forum here stated that GAC didn't guarantee a shorter wait (which is totally true) does not mean that everyone who used one was saying that. And really, so what if they were? If you're not disabled in some way then how did that lack of knowledge affect you? It didn't. It just possibly kept some people from abusing the system or giving nasty looks to those who might have been carrying a red card in their hands. It feels like a lot of people on this board keep latching onto a sort of "you're all liars and deserve your comeuppance!" sort of thinking. Besides coming off as sounding bitter and petty, it also seeks to penalize ALL disabled Disney visitors for the words of an extremely small subset of that group.

And as for closing loopholes I'd love to see the outrage that people are directing at the people who just want to help their disabled family members, directed at people proudly proclaiming how many FPs they were able to get the machines to spit out for them, using everything anything with a magnetic strip.

 

[Octoberbaby]

Really this is demonstrating your lack of knowledge. Naturally there is no life-and-death NEED to ride anything at all, but for some people with certain mental/neurological issues, re-riding something approaches close to a medical necessity, and lack of that ability will most certainly keep some families out of the park.

I also really think that people (not directed specifically at you, but others as well) need to step outside the DIS bubble. Just because some members of a forum here stated that GAC didn't guarantee a shorter wait (which is totally true) does not mean that everyone who used one was saying that. And really, so what if they were? If you're not disabled in some way then how did that lack of knowledge affect you? It didn't. It just possibly kept some people from abusing the system or giving nasty looks to those who might have been carrying a red card in their hands. It feels like a lot of people on this board keep latching onto a sort of "you're all liars and deserve your comeuppance!" sort of thinking. Besides coming off as sounding bitter and petty, it also seeks to penalize ALL disabled Disney visitors for the words of an extremely small subset of that group.

And as for closing loopholes I'd love to see the outrage that people are directing at the people who just want to help their disabled family members, directed at people proudly proclaiming how many FPs they were able to get the machines to spit out for them, using everything anything with a magnetic strip.