JLTraveling
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2005
- Messages
- 2,701
Those of you who know me here are aware that I've been one of Universal's biggest champions ever since the park opened. On numerous threads, I've defended Universal and encouraged people to take a day away from Disney to give them a chance. After tonight, I'm officially done. I'm coming back to the light side.
The back story is here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2569458. In essence, my father has numerous medical conditions/stamina issues that have resulted in a GAC at WDW with no problem. It's issued for three months at a time since we have APs. At Universal, he had to go through a long verification process (2 weeks) and present a stack of documentation that was personally verified by the Disability Manager. He was entered into Universal's system for up to 6 GAP Express Passes during the day, and 2 for HHN. This was back in 2005, and he's been in the system ever since.
This year, Universal's mostly gone to a new system called an Attractions Assistance Pass. It's sort of like a Fast Pass, and it's the generic thing that they give out to disabled people. Long story short, GAP Express passes are still available for those who actually need them. We had an issue at the beginning of HHN, so we went through a Guest Services Coordinator and Dad's GAP Express passes were re-verified.
Well, it's working fine for daytime. But every. single. HHN. we've had to fight with Guest Services to get the GAPs. But with 30 minutes of back and forth, we've gotten them every night. Until tonight.
We showed up shortly before the park closed and went to Guest Services. The plan was to grab the passes and then head to Finnegan's for dinner. Well, we went back and forth with the Guest Services agent, who informed us that Dad was only approved for ONE night of HHN, back on the 7th, as "compensation." Compensation for what??? Yet Dad's gotten the passes every night. It didn't make any more sense to the agent than it did to us, so he got his supervisor. She informed us that Dad is in the system for daytime, but not for HHN. We went back and forth and she got her supervisor.
This particular person came out with a chip on his shoulder and never let up. He informed us that the GAP Express is not "appropriate" for Dad's disabilities. We asked why Dad's been in the system for five years if it's not "appropriate," and he told us that policies are subject to review at any time. He then began yelling at my father that he "assessed" Dad's condition and made the decision NOT to issue a GAP Express for HHN, though he'll still honor the notes in the system for daytime GAP Express. Now, the latest note in the system is from a Guest Services Coordinator that we talked to by phone, yet this person stated that the Guest Services Coordinators have no authority to make decisions! So she didn't have authority, but he's honoring her note on the system for daytime, but he's making a medical determination for evening?
Meanwhile, Dad was having a hypoglycemic attack standing at the counter. This guy held us for nearly an hour, screaming, berating and calling us liars the entire time. Dad was broken out in a very obvious cold sweat, his face was bright red, he was leaning more and more heavily on the counter, and he finally broke out his medication container and took out the dozen evening pills to get to his glucose pills, which he took while we were standing there. Just exactly how much sicker would he need to be for this guy to "assess" that he "deserves" a GAP Express pass?
The kicker was that while we were arguing, a woman came in. She's also in the system. She received her GAP Express and went on her merry way in less than 10 minutes. So clearly the GAP Express still exists; it wasn't suddenly discontinued after last night (when Dad got the passes again).
By that point, we were out of options. The new pass doesn't work for Dad. He tried it twice before calling to straighten out his GAP Express. He made it through a whopping two haunted houses each night before he had to leave. I was furious and Dad was feeling sick, so we had to leave the park.
I'm done. I've championed Universal for the last time.
The back story is here: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2569458. In essence, my father has numerous medical conditions/stamina issues that have resulted in a GAC at WDW with no problem. It's issued for three months at a time since we have APs. At Universal, he had to go through a long verification process (2 weeks) and present a stack of documentation that was personally verified by the Disability Manager. He was entered into Universal's system for up to 6 GAP Express Passes during the day, and 2 for HHN. This was back in 2005, and he's been in the system ever since.
This year, Universal's mostly gone to a new system called an Attractions Assistance Pass. It's sort of like a Fast Pass, and it's the generic thing that they give out to disabled people. Long story short, GAP Express passes are still available for those who actually need them. We had an issue at the beginning of HHN, so we went through a Guest Services Coordinator and Dad's GAP Express passes were re-verified.
Well, it's working fine for daytime. But every. single. HHN. we've had to fight with Guest Services to get the GAPs. But with 30 minutes of back and forth, we've gotten them every night. Until tonight.
We showed up shortly before the park closed and went to Guest Services. The plan was to grab the passes and then head to Finnegan's for dinner. Well, we went back and forth with the Guest Services agent, who informed us that Dad was only approved for ONE night of HHN, back on the 7th, as "compensation." Compensation for what??? Yet Dad's gotten the passes every night. It didn't make any more sense to the agent than it did to us, so he got his supervisor. She informed us that Dad is in the system for daytime, but not for HHN. We went back and forth and she got her supervisor.
This particular person came out with a chip on his shoulder and never let up. He informed us that the GAP Express is not "appropriate" for Dad's disabilities. We asked why Dad's been in the system for five years if it's not "appropriate," and he told us that policies are subject to review at any time. He then began yelling at my father that he "assessed" Dad's condition and made the decision NOT to issue a GAP Express for HHN, though he'll still honor the notes in the system for daytime GAP Express. Now, the latest note in the system is from a Guest Services Coordinator that we talked to by phone, yet this person stated that the Guest Services Coordinators have no authority to make decisions! So she didn't have authority, but he's honoring her note on the system for daytime, but he's making a medical determination for evening?
Meanwhile, Dad was having a hypoglycemic attack standing at the counter. This guy held us for nearly an hour, screaming, berating and calling us liars the entire time. Dad was broken out in a very obvious cold sweat, his face was bright red, he was leaning more and more heavily on the counter, and he finally broke out his medication container and took out the dozen evening pills to get to his glucose pills, which he took while we were standing there. Just exactly how much sicker would he need to be for this guy to "assess" that he "deserves" a GAP Express pass?
The kicker was that while we were arguing, a woman came in. She's also in the system. She received her GAP Express and went on her merry way in less than 10 minutes. So clearly the GAP Express still exists; it wasn't suddenly discontinued after last night (when Dad got the passes again).
By that point, we were out of options. The new pass doesn't work for Dad. He tried it twice before calling to straighten out his GAP Express. He made it through a whopping two haunted houses each night before he had to leave. I was furious and Dad was feeling sick, so we had to leave the park.
I'm done. I've championed Universal for the last time.
