Leaving for WDW in a few days...

[annieb727]

Ok. So I am taking my boys to Disney -- we leave on Friday. We will arrive on Saturday, Dec 14, and our last day in the parks will be Dec 24.

I wasn't nervous until I read that they changed from the GAC system to the new DAS. I guess I am worried that they will deny one for me. Yes, I have some mobility issues and they always issued the GAC, but I never had to say anything about my other stuff. But now I guess I have to. I have anxiety/PTSD issues (along with panic attacks and dissociation episodes). I realize that I am not going at the best time of year because it gets REALLY busy at Christmas...though I did work to avoid Christmas Eve/Day and then through New Years. It's really the only time it was going to work to take my boys.

I use an ECV because of mobility issues. But I also need the alternative waiting area...because of the anxiety/panic and dissociation issues. Which are all particularly triggered by large crowds...and certain people (I might see someone who resembles one of the men who abused me -- and it could trigger a reaction -- and I never know when/how that might happen). And even worse is if I see someone who might trigger that reaction and I can't get out of line or have anywhere to go....and be stuck there for a long time. I do have my anxiety medicine, which I will keep with me...but I have to admit...just writing this and thinking about the possibilities has my anxiety really high...

It's kind of late to reschedule the trip at this point...especially since my boys know about it...(they are 9 and 11 years old -- it's just going to be the three of us)

Any advice...encouragement...warnings....that I might need?

Thanks...

 

[Tripletmom2001]

When we approached guest relations, I started with " I was interested in accommodations for my son, in the past we have received a GAC for my son and I understand you have a new policy". They were very nice & I didn't have to go into all the details. We went on 11/24 and Magic Kingdom was our first park. Good luck and don't stress about it.

 

[2tinkerbell]

I would approach GR with your other issues first. You don't need to tell them your diagnosis. You need to be able to state your needs other than your mobility needs, which are met by a mobility device. It seems to me that an alternative place to wait is the accommodation that would work for you. I, too have PTSD with disassociation and anxiety, so I can understand where you are coming from. An alternative place to wait my turn would be perfect for me.

Use FB, FB+ (if available to you), and your DAS. There is a thread about someone who recently returned and reported how she worked FP with the DAS. It will take a bit more planning, but, it is very doable.

Hope that you have a nice trip!

 

[annieb727]

thanks so much for your response. I appreciate it. feeling a bit less anxious...and I did read that thread about PF with DAS. And we are staying at Pop Century, so we do have FP+

 

[bookwormde]

Remember with GAC, DAS, or without either you rights to equal accommodation under ADA are exactly the same.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you have not been to this thread, it is worth reading the first post.
That post is DAS FAQs and will help you to understand the changes.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3178976

 

[Schmeck]

Ok. So I am taking my boys to Disney -- we leave on Friday. We will arrive on Saturday, Dec 14, and our last day in the parks will be Dec 24.

I wasn't nervous until I read that they changed from the GAC system to the new DAS. I guess I am worried that they will deny one for me. Yes, I have some mobility issues and they always issued the GAC, but I never had to say anything about my other stuff. But now I guess I have to. I have anxiety/PTSD issues (along with panic attacks and dissociation episodes). I realize that I am not going at the best time of year because it gets REALLY busy at Christmas...though I did work to avoid Christmas Eve/Day and then through New Years. It's really the only time it was going to work to take my boys.

I use an ECV because of mobility issues. But I also need the alternative waiting area...because of the anxiety/panic and dissociation issues. Which are all particularly triggered by large crowds...and certain people (I might see someone who resembles one of the men who abused me -- and it could trigger a reaction -- and I never know when/how that might happen). And even worse is if I see someone who might trigger that reaction and I can't get out of line or have anywhere to go....and be stuck there for a long time. I do have my anxiety medicine, which I will keep with me...but I have to admit...just writing this and thinking about the possibilities has my anxiety really high...

It's kind of late to reschedule the trip at this point...especially since my boys know about it...(they are 9 and 11 years old -- it's just going to be the three of us)

Any advice...encouragement...warnings....that I might need?

Thanks...

Alternative waiting areas - do you mean the roped off areas you wait in before a show?

 

[lovethattink]

Since you are going at a busy time, be prepared for the FP+ lines to be longer than usual. Also, attractions that didn't have a FP line now do. Often then are parallel but much shorter to the standby line. And they've put up a tall wall between the two, making them a bit more closed in and harder to get out of line, especially with a wc/ECV.

Last time we rode Pooh, the FP+ line was 30 mintues. We were able to give ds plenty of room so nobody could bump him or brush up against him or lean on his chair.

Yesterday, we walked around Epcot without going on anything. But I noticed how closed in the FP+ line looks for character connection. Not sure how long the actual walk of the line is, but what we could see from the window it's a window to the left and a tall wall to the right. Wouldn't be much room at all to have to make a quick exit.

 

[disneybound2]

We are at Walt Disney World now and have been at 3 parks so far. The DAS does not make it impossible but it sure does make it ALOT harder to manage things.

 

[annieb727]

thanks for the input everyone. I am very nervous about it all...i will definitely report back on how it all goes.

 

[tinkerpea]

We are at Walt Disney World now and have been at 3 parks so far. The DAS does not make it impossible but it sure does make it ALOT harder to manage things.

It does make it harder but if you use it in conjunction with FP or FP+ if available it can help a lot more,
Also if you make sure you go to GR and ask them to mark your card with the 1st ride you want to go on by them acting as the ride, you can the ride the 1st ride by the time you walk to it!

Not many know about this but it is something that helps.

 

[disneybound2]

It does make it harder but if you use it in conjunction with FP or FP+ if available it can help a lot more,
Also if you make sure you go to GR and ask them to mark your card with the 1st ride you want to go on by them acting as the ride, you can the ride the 1st ride by the time you walk to it!

Not many know about this but it is something that helps.

We did use the FP+ with our Magicbands. We used My Disney Experience app and updated our fastpasses constantly because the times were hard to keep when adding in medical issues and disability limitations. It was just too hard for use to circle a park multiple times to work with the fastpass in some situations.

 

[disneybound2]

Try calling the disabilities department before you leave. I talked to several people in the department and wrote an email with my concerns about not getting questions answered. A very nice person called me back from the disabilities department and gave me some very good advice on how to present your limitations to the CM when you get your DAS card.

 

[annieb727]

I'm here now. The guy I spoke with was great. I explained the anxiety/panic attacks and PTSD and how it affects me. They gave me the DAS card. So here goes...

 

[disney david]

I'm here now. The guy I spoke with was great. I explained the anxiety/panic attacks and PTSD and how it affects me. They gave me the DAS card. So here goes...

Great hope all goes great with the rest of the trip.

 

[annieb727]

Apparently if you choose to use FP+you only get those three and cannot get any regular FP?!?

 

[disney david]

Apparently if you choose to use FP+you only get those three and cannot get any regular FP?!?

Correct and starting dec 18 ak is testing fast pass only no legacy fast passes will be given out during the test.

 

[disneydenisel]

Apparently if you choose to use FP+you only get those three and cannot get any regular FP?!?

Is this really official now? I had read that the FP+ wasn't working as well as they had hoped so that they did not know for sure when they would limit the regular FP.

Is there official word on this? I set up FP+ "just in case," though I did not like the choices and times, but I thought it would be a good backup in case the DAS was a disaster. If it is true that the use or choice of FP+ will prohibit us from using regular FP, I will probably need to cancel all of the FP+ selections that took me days and hours to select due to the buggy software on the mydisneyexperience site .

 

[disney david]

Is this really official now? I had read that the FP+ wasn't working as well as they had hoped so that they did not know for sure when they would limit the regular FP.

Is there official word on this? I set up FP+ "just in case," though I did not like the choices and times, but I thought it would be a good backup in case the DAS was a disaster. If it is true that the use or choice of FP+ will prohibit us from using regular FP, I will probably need to cancel all of the FP+ selections that took me days and hours to select due to the buggy software on the mydisneyexperience site .

You can edit the times of your fast pass plus reservations. Paper fast passes days are limited as so far two resorts are testing magic bands only and ak is starting dec 18 fast pass plus only.

 

[SueM in MN]

We used Fastpass Plus in October and November with no problems. We were able to change ours on the fly as needed. I've got a couple suggestions.

1) Make sure your smartphone/tablet operating system and My Disney Experience app are up to date.

2) Capture a screen save of each day's FP plus selections and keep a picture of it on your smartphone/tablet.

3) There are CMs at various places with iPads ready to help people with My Disney Experience. If you have problems with getting into the app, see if they can help you. We did not notice any actual signed places where these CMs were, but saw them near attractions and near Fastpass machines.
There also were some unattended Fastpass Plus stations. They were smaller than Fastpass machines, but pretty visible. I think I took a picture of one and will post it if I find it.