Overheard and Annoyed: CM abusing GAC

[lilpooh108]

At 12pm yesterday, I was in line at Earl of Sandwich. While in line, I overheard a CM and his friends chatting behind me. They were blatantly and loudly discussing whether they "felt like" getting a GAC card.

Yes yes, I know, the guy may have had an "invisible" disability. But I highly doubt it. He was young (mid 20s), explained that he was a CM, and further that he had to "update" his GAC registration and would only do so if his friends felt like going on "all the rides" in both parks.

Further, he laughed at his friends for trying to use another friend's Premium pass w/parking while getting to DLR. The parking attendant figured out that it was another person's pass, wrote down their names, and admonished them to "never do it again or the pass will be confiscated."

My annoyance level was boiling over.

This is how the conversation went.

Friend: So, how much discount do you get for buying stuff.
CM: 35%. Did you guys park ok?
Friend: Yea, I tried to use my friend's premium pass for parking, but they caught us. So they wrote our names down ....
CM: Dude, you're so cheap. It's only $15. Anyway, do you guys wanna do both parks today?
Friend: Can we get through both parks today?
CM: It's noon, so probably not. We can if you want me to get a GAC. If I don't, then there's no way. It's crowded today.
Friend: Well then get your GAC, man.
CM: I'll talk to some guys. I have to update the registration. Mine expired a while ago.
Friend: Can we do both parks with the GAC card?
CM: Put it this way, you won't be able to both parks WITHOUT the card. I'll just put my name down. It's no big deal.


Here are my thoughts:
Well obviously, anger. And 35%? IMO this CM is from corporate, or the Studios (I have a friend w/the same discount and she's higher level corporate). What an idiot. I hope he gets caught, and I hope he gets fired. Truly.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Is it possible that he uses a GAC and that he needed to go get it at Guest Relations if they were going to go on rides, but if not, he wasn't go to go get it because there was no point? Just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt as overheard conversations don't always offer the full picture.

- Dreams

 

[mamaCta]

What is a GAC? and why is this controversial?

 

[Pinup Mommy]

This is very frustrating!


When requesting a GAC at City Hall no medical record is required, I assume because of HIPPA.

So you can pretty much say anything you want and it is up to the attending CM if you deserve one or not. I was denied, actually my DD. Since she looked fine we could do with out. Yes, my child looks fine, but has ASD (autism).

This is one thing that has really disappointed me about the Walt Disney Company.

 

[jmpurcel]

I'm 31 and I'm sure I look fine and I use a GAC because of my medical issues and if it wasn't for my sister who was a CM I would have never knew about it. She used to go get it for me since I was embarsed that I would shake so bad I couldn't sign the card. Now that I have lived with my issues for awhile it doesn't bother me,plus they require you to be there anyways now.She used to also get my family and friends discounted rooms and treat us to a meal. I'm not sure I found that abusing the system but I guess others do.

 

[nikkislaght]

What is a GAC? and why is this controversial?

Guest assistance card, given to guests with hidden disabilities.
When you are using a wheelchair you will use the exit for most DL rides..

The CAC will allow some people depending on what you have it for. to use that entrance as well.. sometimes it will get you a hand written fastpast.. etc.

There is a lot of controversy around these cards as some people abuse the card.. Just the same as some people will rent a wheel chair for the sole purpose of "getting to the front of the line".

 

[nikkislaght]

I'm 31 and I'm sure I look fine and I use a GAC because of my medical issues and if it wasn't for my sister who was a CM I would have never knew about it. She used to go get it for me since I was embarsed that I would shake so bad I couldn't sign the card. Now that I have lived with my issues for awhile it doesn't bother me,plus they require you to be there anyways now.She used to also get my family and friends discounted rooms and treat us to a meal. I'm not sure I found that abusing the system but I guess others do.

Lots of people use their work discounts for family etc.. my husband works at Nintendo and we use our discount as much as we can.... and I wouldnt call it abusing the system.. its amazing when it comes to Disney how normal people can turn so feral when they hear a family member got me a ticket or meal etc.. when they would do exactly the same in your position..

Anyway I too use the GAC but dont feel bad about getting it.. believe me... if I could stand and use stairs and do what "normal" people do then I would.. and be grateful of the wait... as it is... 20 mins walking 30 minutes waiting and Im done in... so if I can reduce the wait by just a little then all the better for me.

 

[pennyring]

I knew some people who abused GAC some years back. I had a group of friends, and two of them would get GAC if the park was crowded. They were both "big" people, but didn't really have any medical conditions. There was a CM in our group. He would go with those riding with the GAC two.

CM friend didn't get the GAC, but he was in the group using it. So yeah, it happens.

Interestingly, one of the GAC abusers is now married to a man in a wheelchair, so she won't "need" to do that again...

 

[DarthMole]

Lots of people use their work discounts for family etc.. my husband works at Nintendo and we use our discount as much as we can.... and I wouldnt call it abusing the system.. its amazing when it comes to Disney how normal people can turn so feral when they hear a family member got me a ticket or meal etc.. when they would do exactly the same in your position..

Anyway I too use the GAC but dont feel bad about getting it.. believe me... if I could stand and use stairs and do what "normal" people do then I would.. and be grateful of the wait... as it is... 20 mins walking 30 minutes waiting and Im done in... so if I can reduce the wait by just a little then all the better for me.

There's a huge difference between abusing a program created to assist the disabled and taking a discount intended for friends and family. We're going to be using a friends and family voucher for our DLH stay at Christmas and we're using it as intended. We woulld never request a GAC unless we had something we felt was a valid disability. It's apples and oranges here. I wouldn't be surprised if the CM mentioned above was abusing the GAC system. Any time there's a program where one segment of society gets an advantage, real or perceived, you'll find people willing to abuse it. What's interesting is many say the GAC does not provide a huge benefit, that it's not a line pass and can take longer to use than the regular line. I guess abusers know which rides to use it on and which to just use the regular line.

 

[Iceman93]

Well, it's tough to jump to conclusions based on hearing part of a conversation, but it sure seems like these are people who abuse whatever system they can learn about. Of course there's nothing wrong with the CM using his 35% discount on food or merchandise when at the parks with his friends. But the fact that the friends tried to get free parking using someone else's AP and that they want their CM friend to get a GAC just so they can ride more attractions smacks of entitled people who selfishly do whatever they can, despite the cost to others, simply because they can.

I am a believer in karma. These people will get theirs eventually. What is truly shocking is the group, and particularly the CM, talking about it so loudly and blatantly in public. That right there may be the undoing of their taking advantage of the system someday...

 

[msd1776]

Based on what I saw on another blog the use GACs is a growing problem: it limits fast pass distribution and increases stand by wait times. I really would like to see Disney find a way to police this since people have no shame but instead a sense of entitlement. If people want front of the line access/ special accommodations to make at trip meet their needs, then this is something that as a business Disney should evaluate how to price. I say this because the people abusing the system are costing me more money and time as I extend my vacation to get things done that I would like to get done when I go to Disney.

 

[Pinup Mommy]

Based on what I saw on another blog the use GACs is a growing problem: it limits fast pass distribution and increases stand by wait times. I really would like to see Disney find a way to police this since people have no shame but instead a sense of entitlement. If people want front of the line access/ special accommodations to make at trip meet their needs, then this is something that as a business Disney should evaluate how to price. I say this because the people abusing the system are costing me more money and time as I extend my vacation to get things done that I would like to get done when I go to Disney.

Wow, that is a cruel and insensitive thought processes. Charging someone an additional fee with special needs because they temporarily inconvenienced you?

 

[larina]

Wow, that is a cruel and insensitive thought processes. Charging someone an additional fee with special needs because they temporarily inconvenienced you?

Yea, that's just not going to happen. Can you imagine?

 

[Freesia123]

Why don't they simply give you a pass saying the rime to come back based on the waiting time? This would be a fair solution.

I don't think the previous poster meant that disabled people should pay more. I think he meant that if there was an option to pay more and wait less that people would not "fake" disabilities to get a GAC. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Reddy]

I just wish they could ask for a Doctor's note - anyone with a real problem will be happy to bring one but due to HIPPA they can't & that is getting around to the abusers

 

[Pinup Mommy]

Why don't they simply give you a pass saying the rime to come back based on the waiting time? This would be a fair solution.

I don't think the previous poster meant that disabled people should pay more. I think he meant that if there was an option to pay more and wait less that people would not "fake" disabilities to get a GAC. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

I am not Disney, nor can speak for them. I can only speak from my experience.

I was denied a GAC, even though I have and was willing to share documentation. I was told they were not able "look" at my medical records, do to a privacy act. So we went with out, but I do not let it ruin our trips. I just use it for behavior training.

I also have learned you can never judge a persons disability by what they look like on the "outside".

There are just people who know how to work the system and take advantage of it, but it is not fair to punish a group of people for a handful of dishonest ones.

Charging one group of people an additional fee would more than likely cause a class action lawsuit, which would truly cost every one more money.

 

[bumbershoot]

I am not Disney, nor can speak for them. I can only speak from my experience.

I was denied a GAC, even though I have and was willing to share documentation. I was told they were not able "look" at my medical records, do to a privacy act. So we went with out, but I do not let it ruin our trips. I just use it for behavior training.

the process of getting one has you tell them what you need and they figure out if they have a way to meet that need. If they can't, they can't. Showing them you records does not help them know what you need.

 

[pennyring]

Based on what I saw on another blog the use GACs is a growing problem: it limits fast pass distribution and increases stand by wait times.

Please clarify. GAC is not tied to any "system" in the park. How does it limit fast pass distribution?

 

[sherilaine]

Based on what I saw on another blog the use GACs is a growing problem: it limits fast pass distribution and increases stand by wait times. I really would like to see Disney find a way to police this since people have no shame but instead a sense of entitlement. If people want front of the line access/ special accommodations to make at trip meet their needs, then this is something that as a business Disney should evaluate how to price. I say this because the people abusing the system are costing me more money and time as I extend my vacation to get things done that I would like to get done when I go to Disney.

Charge people with disabilities? Wow, I am pretty sure the type of people who shares this opinion are not who Walt built Disneyland for - I am pretty sure he'd pass on your attitude visiting the parks ever again if he were alive to read such selfish ranting...

 

[bumbershoot]

I'm having aboard time seeing the problem the OP saw.

The friends asked what kind of discount he got. He told them. He changed the subject.

When they told him what they had tried with parking he told them they were cheap and moved on.

Sounds like he has some issues that require him to get a GAC but it expired. If the plans for that day involve a lot of rides he will update it. If not it sounds like he isn't in as much need because the day would be at a slower pace, so he won't. The people he is touring with have big plans, so in order for him to take part in the plans he needs to update it. Should we just have him sit on a bench while his friends have fun? That sounds horrible.