Guest Assistance Pass

[Linlo]

We have been traveling to Disney for the last 4 years and we got a Special Assistance Pass for people with non-apparent disabilities for my son. This is the only way that we can take him. It allowed us to use the fast pass entrance on the attractions. Someone told me that a while back, there was talk that these passes were no longer available. Does anyone have any recent info on this.

 

[SandrainNC]

From what I remember, Disneyland had a big problem with people taking advantage of the pass. I don't remember if they are just more strict now or did away with the pass there. At WDW, you can still get a pass. There are certain disabilities that are allowed to get the pass and some that aren't I think. I believe they will ask you the nature of the disability and then give you the pass if they think you need it. I tried looking for the information I read and can't find it. Sorry!! I do remember that autism is on the list to receive the pass though.

Sandra

 

[SueM in MN]

At WDW, it has been called a Guest Assistance Card for about 5 years (not called PASS, because people thought that meant that they got immediate access).
The Guest Assistance Card has not changed, or, I should say, they have not changed the program. They changed the card to make it more easily/quickly understood by CMs. They used to have a lot of words on it, but now have little pictures to tell what sort of assistance is needed.
WDW's cards were always based on the needs of the person with a disability and the messages on the card were individualized to meet those needs. So, when you go to Guest Services to request a card, you need to bring the person with the disability with you and be able to explain/describe your needs.

They did change the program recently at Disneyland. The cards they had there were called Special Assistance Pass until just recently. Disneyland's cards were all the same berfore, but since late December, they have been changing over to the same "needs-based" system used by WDW.
I don't have time to write more now, or to look for it, but there was a big thread in January on this board about the changes.

 

[scratchboat]

Just got back from Disney World this week. My daughter has cardiovascular condition that requires her to use oxygen. She can walk short distances, but tires very quickly - 20' - 50' is about it. We brought a letter from her Cardiologist and Disney provided us with a GAC indicating that "stroller could be used as wheelchair" and "alternate entrance could be used where available". At most attractions we had no problem using either the "fast pass return" entrance or the handicapped entrance once we presented the pass. This worked whether my daughter was in her stroller or not, or whether she was connected to her oxygen or not. Frankly, the hardest part was often finding the alternate entrance or getting the attention of CM so we could get their authorization to use the alternate entrance!

We must have circled Dumbo three times before we realized that there was a handicapped entrance - it was completely blocked by "non-riders" socializing with other members of their group who were in line or taking photos of people riding on the flying elephants.

 

[SueM in MN]

Here's a link to the thread about stopping SAP at Disneyland (which was actually changing their program, not totally eliminating it. Also, here's some further information about GACs.

The GAC isn't given based on diagnosis, so there isn't a "Yes, a child with SID will get one" or "no, they won't" answer; it's given based on needs.

To request a Guest Assistance Card (we call them GACs to avoid typing so much), go to Guest Services in any of the parks with the person with a disability and explain your needs. Just saying, "My child has ADHD or SID" does not help much, because some people with that diagnosis will have minimal problems waiting in line and others will have lots of problems. The CMs are not medical people and may not know what types of difficulties people with specific disabilities/conditions might have. You don't need a doctor's letter to get a GAC, although some people feel more confident asking for one with a doctor's letter in their pocket.
You need to be able to explain what sorts of behaviors/problems you expect to encounter. The GACs have different messages stamped on them, depending on what the needs are. GACs issued in one park are good in all parks and are usually valid for your entire length of stay (You don't need to get a new one each day). GACs are usually issued for the person with a disability plus up to 5 members of their party - there may be times when you are asked to split into smaller groups because of attraction capacity in the special needs area for that ride.

In general, people who use wheelchairs or ecvs don't need and won't be given a GAC because just having the wheelchair/ecv alerts the CM that they need an accessible entrance. If that meets the needs, you don't need a GAC. But some people need a quieter place to wait, a place out of the sun, a place away from other people or to be able to bring a stroller into line and have it treated the same as a wheelchair. The GAC is a tool to alert CMs of that sort of invisible need. It is not meant to (and usually won't) shorten or eliminate your wait in line.

 

[tink&cinderella]

I fainted in my shower last December and went right through the shower wall, drywall and all. I was o.k. - the wall wasn't though. After a ride to the ER and much testing the doctor has determined that temperature changes, the flu shot (which I had the day prior) and just having a threshold lower than the average person for fainting was the cause. However, since then I get that fainting feeling if I am standing for long periods of time and usually need to sit down in order to avoid a fainting spell.

When we went to WDW in Jan/Feb 2004 I received the Assistance card and it permitted me onto the rides without waiting in line. I have to say that I felt awkward at times using it - as no one could see that I had a legitamate issue. I tried to go without the card for 2 days but had nearly 3 fainting spells which required me to get out of a line up very quickly and find a bench.

Anyway. I wasn't even aware that these access cards existed until a CM advised me of it. I did not need to provide any proof - ie: letter from the doctor to receive it. Next year I will be travelling with my mother in law who is 83 and in a wheelchair - I suppose we will need two card then.

Tink & Cinderella

 

[SueM in MN]

When we went to WDW in Jan/Feb 2004 I received the Assistance card and it permitted me onto the rides without waiting in line.

You went at a not very busy time; that affects how they handle GACs and you are much more likely to be going into rides without waiting in line when it's not busy. That's because the waits in line are short then anyway and it's easier for the CMs just to deal with people as they come up. During busier times, expect that you might be given a card at a ride with a time to return (sort of like a fastpass) or be given a place to wait while sitting down.
One thing that people who can't stand for long periods have brought to WDW is canes that have a fold down seat. I don't know if that would help you, but some people have found them to be very helpful, especailly in case you end up in a place where there arre noplaces to sit, but you do have to wait (like for some of the movies and shows where (no matter what) you will have to wait for the next show to begin. You can find them at many sporting goods stores.

Next year I will be travelling with my mother in law who is 83 and in a wheelchair - I suppose we will need two card then.

She will be able to go in most lines with the wheelchair and doesn't need a GAC to access the wheelchair accessible lines, so unless she has some other needs that are not met by having wheelchair access, she won't need a GAC. The GACs are usually valid for the person with a disability plus up to 5 members of their party, so she can accompany you on your GAC.

 

[lucky978]

I am travelling to WDW in December with my 84 year old grandmother. She will definately be in some sort of chair, either an ECV or a regular wheelchair. Should I get a GAC as well?

 

[Figment1964]

Originally posted by lucky978
I am travelling to WDW in December with my 84 year old grandmother. She will definately be in some sort of chair, either an ECV or a regular wheelchair. Should I get a GAC as well?

Not necessarily. If she's just needing help with mobility the CM's will see the wheelchair or ECV and direct you where you need to go if the line isn't mainstream, which most are. If she also has some need that isn't visable, that's where a GAC comes in handy.

 

[JudithM]

I was very disappointed last week to learn WDW no longer gives guests the fastpass stamp on their GAC (unless you are Give Kids the World or Make a Wish).

 

[SueM in MN]

Originally posted by JudithM
I was very disappointed last week to learn WDW no longer gives guests the fastpass stamp on their GAC (unless you are Give Kids the World or Make a Wish).

I was wondering where you got this information and if it might be a misunderstanding. We have gotten a GAC to use alternative entrances (which sometimes ends up to be the fastpass entrance). The current stamp doesn't use the words "fastpass entrance"; it has an icon and says to allow use of alternate entrances. They changed from "wordy" explanation stamps to easy to read icon stamps about 9 months ago. The last time we got a GAC was the end of March and it had the "alternative entrance" wording. I have been told that stamp is not given out very often because most people's needs are met with a lesser level of access.

The old stamp said something like "Guest may use the fastpass entrance if the ride/attraction has Mainstream access for people with disabilities." That was confusing to CMs if their ride did not have fastpass and some of them didn't know if their ride was Mainstream Access of not. For example, the CM at Buzz Lightyear 2 years ago told us his ride was not Mainstream Access when the Guidebook for Guest with Disabilities said it was.
I think they have gotten rid of the Fastpass stamp, but replaced it with something that is more understandable to CMs and guests that provides the same assistance.

As I understand it, the Give Kids the World card hasn't said anything about using the fastpass entrance. I don't know the wording, but I think it says something like "do whatever is necessary to allow entrance." I know I have seen GKTW parties come in the exit and go past other guests with disabilities at some of the rides where handicapped access is thru the fastpass line.

 

[HopperFan]

The stamp on the card says "Guests can use an alternate attraction entrance, where available".

This was the first time ever we inquired about it, our son's situation has become more complicated and we felt we needed any assistance possible.

Now I do not know anything about how they determine if you qualify for this particular stamp. When the CM at Guest Relations saw my son, no questions asked, she just stamped it and handed it to me. It was a life saver with him.

We did not see alot of people using one, maybe they have become more restrictive.

It was usually the Fast Pass entrance or if not as in Spaceship Earth it was the wheelchair entrance.

ps On one ride there was a Make a Wish Child in front of us and all they showed the CM was her nametag. There seemed to be alittle discussion but they got on okay.

 

[Anne MN]

this is off topic-

scratchboat- if you don't mind me asking, what cardio condition does your DD have.

one of my DD has a congenital defect and she is having a hard time of it now.

if you want to PM me, we can not take up board space.

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
I was wondering where you got this information and if it might be a misunderstanding. We have gotten a GAC to use alternative entrances (which sometimes ends up to be the fastpass entrance). The current stamp doesn't use the words "fastpass entrance"; it has an icon and says to allow use of alternate entrances. They changed from "wordy" explanation stamps to easy to read icon stamps about 9 months ago.

The old stamp said something like "Guest may use the fastpass entrance if the ride/attraction has Mainstream access for people with disabilities."

I think they have gotten rid of the Fastpass stamp, but replaced it with something that is more understandable to CMs and guests that provides the same assistance.

Up until this trip I had a GAC that said I could use the fastpass line. It was a different stamp than the "use an alternate entrance" stamp. I got the definite impression from two Guest Relations CMs - one at EPCOT, one at MK - that the alternate entrance stamp does not offer the same assistance as the "fastpass" stamp. They both told me the "fastpass" stamp was being abused.

I am glad to read you mentioned this changed about nine months ago as one of the CMs told me it changed a couple of months ago, after the first of the eyar. I know it changed before my previous trip in early December 2003 because I was concerned after reading about the changes prior to the trip. However, the fastpass stamp was still being used last December.

I didn't really try much to use the GAC because we mostly did EPCOT & MK as part of the DVC Member Homecoming (which was a lot of fun!).

Kudos though to the CMs working Star Tours last Saturday about noon: We were scheduled to leave WDW Saturday morning. So I packed a lot of stuff - including the GAC - in anticipation of leaving. Late Friday evening we decided to extend our stay by another night - our same room at OKW was available & I could extend my ECV rental from Walker another day. I forgot that I packed the GAC until I got to Star Tours Saturday in the middle of a Star Wars weekend. Previously when I had the fastpass GAC, I would walk through the wheelchair entrance. The CMs hadn't seen me in the ECV & I didn't have the GAC, but they were kind enough to let me use that alternative entrance.

 

[SueM in MN]

From what I understand, the old, old alternative entrance stamp was often used to allow people who were not in wheelchairs to use the wheelchair accessible entrance. It allowed use of the accessible entrance when the regular line was not handicapped accessible, but not a whole lot more than that. Also, my experience is that the old "Fastpass" stamp was used sometimes for people who were already using wheelchairs/ecvs/walkers (and would already be using the accessible entrance), but had additional other disabilities that made waiting in the regular accessible lines or getting/using fastpasses difficult. One of the good things about the internet is that people who need GACs, but didn't know they existed, can find out about them in places like this. One of the bad things though, is that people who are looking for things to abuse can also find out about GACs on the same internet sites. One of the things I tried to do (unsuccessfully) for a long time, was to keep the "fastpass" wording off this site. I think knowing it existed did help some people use the information for unscupulous reasons.

Many people are able to use fastpass in the usual way and don't need a GAC as long as fastpass is available. So, some people who used to use GACs might need them any more, at least for the fastpass attractions. I think there were people who were abusing the "Fastpass GAC" when they could have been able to use regular fastpass. I know we have seen people using a GAC for every attraction, no matter what the wait was in the standby line. I know when we got our first GAC, we were given some "ground rules/ettiquitte" which included not using the GAC if the standby wait was less than 15 minutes. The reason for that was to kind of limit use of the GAC to when it was really needed. Whether people are still being asked to do that or not, I don't know (so some who are using it for every attraction might have never been advised not to).
I don't remember exactly when it changed, but some WDW CMs posted about it, basically saying it was a change in the card rather than the program. It also involved education to CMs so that they knew what the different messages on the cards meant to their individual attraction. I know it was quite a ways before the first of the year, because it was before the changes came to Disneyland (which was around Christmas/New Years).

 

[HopperFan]

When we got ours a couple weeks ago, no explanation was given to us on how to use by Guest Relations CM. We did get a pamphlet that we read through, but even it was confusing. (It was our first time to request).

We did use regular fast passes, especially early in the day, and waited in several standby lines. We did present it to a CM when the ques were quite long and would have been difficult for our son to manage. We left it up to each one of them to tell us what to do. Only at Spaceship Earth did we enter the wheelchair access entrance. It was indoors in ac, they put our name on a clipboard and we had a place to sit and wait until they called our name. Based on the line I think we probably waited about the same time had we been in the que. That was fine with us - it is having him in the que that becomes a problem.

I must say the CMs were wonderful ! We always have had a good experience down there, but this trip they really stepped up the kindness factor. Maybe because he is older and obviously has more issues. We even had a CM ask if he wanted to go ahead to meet Snow White (he was obviously becoming agitated by the heat), one of his favorite characters. We said no that I would wait in line and he would wait in the shade until his turn - there were mothers in that line that did not appear to be very sympathetic at the moment. We had to go to First Aid and they were great with him, providing the meds he needed and even calling to inquire about his favorite character.

KUDOS to the CMs for making his trip very magical !

 

[JudithM]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
One of the things I tried to do (unsuccessfully) for a long time, was to keep the "fastpass" wording off this site. I think knowing it existed did help some people use the information for unscupulous reasons.

I, too, tried not to refer to the fastpass stamp on public bbs until this week. Oh well ...

 

[cupcake]

I used a wc at WDW for a good ten years (and had moobility issues long before that ) before finding this board. I did not know about all kinds of useful things, including the possibility of getting a GAC for sun sensitivity, until I found this board. I hope that the information on the board is used for good-- I certainly can reflect back over the years and recall the days when it was much easier to travel in a wc in WDW bc people were not abusing them.

So a big THANKS to everyone here, especially members who repeatedly held my hand when I was freaking out about renting an EVC! This board is really, truly helpful.

Cupcake

 

[SueM in MN]

At the time that fastpasses first came into use, I think it was more of an issue than it is now to have the info on bbs. When fastpasses first came into use, there were frequently threads on the other boards about how to "scam" the fastpass machines by putting in anything with a magnetic strip. I thought some people who were willing to risk damage by putting their driver's license or a credit card into a machine (which some people posted they did) would probably be willing to "scam" Guest Services too.
In many ways, it's good the way things are. When we started going to WDW, in 1988 with DD's wheelchair, we were usually pulled out of line at the beginning and either loaded then or sent to the exit to wait. I think there was much more animosity toward people with special needs then because the general public saw access as a "perk", rather than a way for WDW to provide access in the way that least disrupted the general boarding process.

 

[diseyore]

I know that we wrote to Disney and complained about the old GAC and about 2 months later they changed their process as promised.

The problem is my daughter has invisible disabilites, Lupus and Servere Fibromylgia. I am unable to push her in a wheel chair due to my neck and back problems. They refused to let us sit in the Disabilities areas in either the Fantismic Show or the Indiana Jones show. We went during a really slow time, so there was no reason to deny us access. What really angered us was a person with a small child was asked if they would like to sit in that area. I don't understand why you would sit in the back when the best seats were available up front. She has problems climbing the stairs, especially if she has been on her feet for a long period of time. She has refused to go back after the incidences, but we will be moving to the area and I hope she changes her mind. She always muddles she want to go to work for Disney to train them about disabilites and the differences out there. She has worked with a theatre in our area that incorporates the disabled into the community plays.