Party larger than six at rides

[Juliah]

We are a family of five, including two DDs in pediatric power chairs. We always wait for the accessible boat at the Jungle Cruise so one of the girls can stay in her chair. My husband carries our other DD on (I can lift the girls, but I can't carry either down into a boat like that, so we have to use the lift for one DD).

We will be meeting a family for a day at MK during our upcoming trip. That will make eight of us that day. I know the limit for going through an alternate entrance is six (and I am not trying to fudge on that!) How will they handle our group so that we can all ride together in the accessible boat at Jungle Cruise? Should we send the rest of the family through the regular line even though they may get to the front at a different time than the accessible boat arrives?

Any tips on other rides where we need to arrive in the same place at the same time, like sitting together in the row with wheelchair seating in Philharmagic? On a ride like Buzz, where the cars only carry two anyway, would you just not worry about going through all in a row?

Thanks!

 

[OneLittleSpark]

For Buzz the wheelchair users go through the mainstream queue, right up until the boarding point, where you get pulled aside. You could always queue together as far as that point, then arrange to meet up somewhere afterwards (the party with the wheelchairs will probably take a little longer to get around). As for the other attractions, yes there are official limits but a lot of the time, if you talk nicely to the CM and politely explain the situation, they'll be prepared to make an exception. This, of course, isn't required of them, but if you're polite to them, they'll often go out of their way to make your day a little more magical .

 

[AJKMOM]

I thought it was 6 in the party for each GAC. If you had 2 GAC's then you could have 12 together. Am I incorrect in this?

 

[SueM in MN]

I thought it was 6 in the party for each GAC. If you had 2 GAC's then you could have 12 together. Am I incorrect in this?

It didn't actually sound like the OP was asking about using a GAC, just using wheelchair loading areas (not all people who use wheelchairs/ECVs use a GAC).
When we go to request a GAC, they do always ask how many are in our party. So, they don't automatically make it out for 6 - they will do less if there are not 6 in the party.
We have occassionally been able to get a GAC for more than a total of 6, but the CMs usually will give for only a maximum of 6. When we've had a larger group, we have gotten Fastpasses for our whole group. That way, we could all wait together and meet up again after the ride if we could not board/sit together.

For people with wheelchairs without GACs, it is usually a total of 6 (5 plus the person in the wheelchair). We have sometimes been asked to split our party and have only 1 person with DD in her wheelchair. Since the OP has 2 wheelchairs in their party, it's more like 2 wheelchair parties of 4 people each.

Some of the 'whether or not' a larger party will be allowed is going to depend on the area available for waiting and how many other people with wheelchairs are waiting. Some attractions, like Winnie the Pooh, have a very small area available and you will have to wait for the accessible car to come around. Even if your party is together, the others in your group will probably be boarded just to clear the area.

Many of the attractions are accessible like Buzz Lightyear, where everyone waits together until close to the actual boarding area.
I don't think it will be a problem for the Jungle Cruise. They fill the accessible boat with people with disabilities and then go to the 'regular' dock to pick up other passengers. If you were wanting to get on with a group of 16, I think it would not fly, but I don't think 8 will be a problem.

 

[DaisyD]

On our GAC we get it for 7 people. I am not sure if you aren't using a GAC though.

 

[SueM in MN]

On our GAC we get it for 7 people. I am not sure if you aren't using a GAC though.

That's especially common if you have a group of 2 adults and 5 children; or a combination of things like mom, dad, grandmparents and kids. They are not going to split up a group like that if it's fairly small (a group of 12 will probaby not be given a GAC).

 

[DaisyD]

That's especially common if you have a group of 2 adults and 5 children; or a combination of things like mom, dad, grandmparents and kids. They are not going to split up a group like that if it's fairly small (a group of 12 will probaby not be given a GAC).

Good to know! We are usually 3 adults and 4 kids. I was always worried that they might split us up.

 

[Juliah]

Thank you for all the info! I do not know if we will be getting a GAC or not. In the past we have, but after all the threads I've read on here, I wonder if we will be able to get one. I guess we will just have to explain our needs and see what happens.

If we can get a GAC, and they allow six people in addition to the person in a wheelchair, or in our case persons, that should keep all of us together. If not, it's not the end of the world if we split up on some of the rides. I just wanted to get some idea of how it would be handled.

Thanks again!

 

[Forevryoung]

Thank you for all the info! I do not know if we will be getting a GAC or not. In the past we have, but after all the threads I've read on here, I wonder if we will be able to get one. I guess we will just have to explain our needs and see what happens.

Take the old one to guest services in a park and you can get an updated one. Unless you are asking for something completely wacky and unreasonable, I can't see Disney denying you a GAC.

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you for all the info! I do not know if we will be getting a GAC or not. In the past we have, but after all the threads I've read on here, I wonder if we will be able to get one. I guess we will just have to explain our needs and see what happens.

If we can get a GAC, and they allow six people in addition to the person in a wheelchair, or in our case persons, that should keep all of us together. If not, it's not the end of the world if we split up on some of the rides. I just wanted to get some idea of how it would be handled.

Thanks again!

It's a total of 6; 5 plus the person using the wheelchair.

If you have an old GAC, bring it with you to show to the CMs and explain that it helped you and you would like one for this trip. Otherwise, as you mentioned, just explain your needs (there is more info about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread).

 

[Juliah]

Take the old one to guest services in a park and you can get an updated one. Unless you are asking for something completely wacky and unreasonable, I can't see Disney denying you a GAC.

I will definitely try that, if I can find the old one...it's been three years since we went!

Part of my concern, BTW, is because we were turned down once, or more accurately, we were given a FP that didn't meet our needs, despite repeated explanations. The next trip I was a little more insistent and got the FP that did meet our needs, but the CM really hesitated. I'm not sure what the issue is. Our DDs are not simply physically disabled; they have serious medical needs that relate to heat, stress, feeding times, etc. I don't *expect* WDW to do anything for us beyond equivalent access, but if they are going to have a GAC program, it seems like DDs are very much the type of people they are trying to assist with the card. Maybe CMs see the wheelchairs and just assume their needs are so obvious that we don't need a GAC.

Didn't mean to turn this into a GAC discussion. I hope that some of our problems (esp. the heat) can be solved simply by going late in the day. We will be attending a conference so are eligible to buy "after 4" tickets. Except for the one day we are meeting the other family, the plan as of now is to take it easy in the morning and not even try to go to the parks until late in the day so DDs won't be in the heat as much. Will that mean FPs will all be gone, though?

 

[Juliah]

It's a total of 6; 5 plus the person using the wheelchair.

If you have an old GAC, bring it with you to show to the CMs and explain that it helped you and you would like one for this trip. Otherwise, as you mentioned, just explain your needs (there is more info about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread).

Thanks you for the clarification on the number of people.

I am going to borrow your wording about it helping us on our last trip. That was very nicely--and politely--put!

 

[SueM in MN]

Maybe CMs see the wheelchairs and just assume their needs are so obvious that we don't need a GAC.

Some do.
If you can't find it, it still might be helpful to tell the CM that you did have one , approximately when and what it said (if you can remember).
If the one they give you doesn't help, go that same trip and explain what problems you still have (you may have already done that on your last trip, but just in case you didn't).

 

[Juliah]

Thanks, Sue. Great advice!

 

[Nik's Mom]

I'm glad to hear that will allow more than 6 on a GAC. I have 2 children on the autistic spectrum. This time, we are traveling with a group of 12. We plan on splitting up, but I want my elderly Mother and in-laws to come with us. That would make 7 of us. My Mom and Father-in-law are both elderly and will need some assistance getting on and off rides. My Mother-in-law can help us with them while dh and I tend to the kids.