Priority Access Card Disneyland Paris

[Vidia2]

I was going to post this on the Disneyland Paris board but I saw that someone else posted here regarding Hong Kong and Tokyo parks so maybe this is the appropriate spot.

Does anyone have first hand experience using the disabilities priority access card at Disneyland Paris for a cognitive disability? We'll be there in June of 2015 so it will be crowded and hot.

I had a short chat with a CM online but not sure if the same rule applies over there regarding getting a different answer every time so...

We have all of the documents and are aware that we'll need something that's dated within three months of when we're there.

We were there a few years back and didn't need anything but it was a bad weather day and our son was only interested in characters and there were literally no lines.

Since it will be crowded, we considered getting a suite to get the VIP pass for the maybe two days will spend in the park and stay offsite for the rest of our stay in Paris. The CM said that the priority pass would work better for us as the VIP pass is only good for nine rides. Anyone have knowledge of this? We'd prefer to stay on Disney property but would prefer to not have to pay for a suite to accommodate our son's disability.

Also, I'm interested in specifically how it works. Do you get a return time. Do you go through the exit or Fastpass line? Is it only good for certain rides?

Any information from someone who has actually been there and used the accommodation would be hugely appreciated!

I'm assuming he will qualify for the priority card instead of the easy access card since his disability is permanent.

 

[lanejudy]

You might try cross-posting on the DLP board as well. I believe those with mobility devices use a separate disabled entrance, but documentation is required to obtain that service. It could be the same "disabled entrance" for cognitive challenges as well, and I would also presume you'd also need medical documentation, though I'm not sure what that entails for non-Europeans.

There are at least a couple posters who post on this board from the UK and/or Europe with children on the spectrum. Hopefully they'll have more insight.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Jenheartsdisney]

I last went to DLP 3 years ago and I had to take proof that I'm on disability at middle or high rate to get the card. They don't take letters from UK guests it has to be an award for disability. Not sure how it works for guests out with the EU

 

[Vidia2]

Thanks for both replies. We'll make sure we have proof of disability with us. I think the system allows shorter lines/waits for kids with autism, according to CM as well as website but am still unclear how their system works specifically. I did read on one site that you enter through the exit.

Maybe someone who has used this will still respond. I think the next step will be to email them and get some sort of official policy.

Thanks again.

 

[Jenheartsdisney]

Yes sorry they let me in at the ride exit and also into a special area to view the parade.

They let me have 3 other people with me.

Most CMs speak English but the French can be quite blunt - don't take It personally!

Allergies aren't as well catered for here in the EU, things are well labelled but you won't always be offered an alternate.

 

[Vidia2]

Yes sorry they let me in at the ride exit and also into a special area to view the parade. They let me have 3 other people with me. Most CMs speak English but the French can be quite blunt - don't take It personally! Allergies aren't as well catered for here in the EU, things are well labelled but you won't always be offered an alternate.

Thanks for even more info! This helps a lot! Thankfully we don't have food allergy issues so won't have to stress about that.

 

[lelalittlelegs]

My DD 6 is autistic and also has cerebral palsy. We've been to DLP several times with her and each time we have taken all paperwork with us (we take them all anyway in case of any hospital admissions) and we weren't asked for any of them. This could, in part, be due to the fact that our DD is clearly disabled (due to her physical disabilities) but I still take it all, just in case. There are several options on the card: from sight impaired to physical to cognitive etc and accommodations vary depending on what is required. We always enter via the ride exit as our DD relies on a paediatric wheelchair and although it's only ever the 3 of us, we've known other families to have up to 7 + the guest on the pass. In the wheelchair only areas at parades etc it is limited to one carer only due to space issues. I am not sure whether this area is open to those without physical disabilities as sadly our DD ticks both of those boxes and I have never studied who else has been in there with us as she only lasts 5 minutes but depending on your child, I would definitely recommend ear defenders as DLP is a massive sensory overload for our DD so our time in the parks is limited and we spend LOTS of time in our hotel room. Wishing you a magical time.

 

[Jacqui8374]

Paperwork must be from a doctor. The is a mix of exits, return times and accessible queues. It depends on the ride. The studios have accessible queues. In the magic kingdom the fantasyland dark rides are exits. Big thunder, haunted mansion and others are return times
Jacqui

 

[SWofDisorder]

We use to hold AP's to DLP. The card is for disability access but not priority access. There are no front of the line cards in any park.

We brought our medical records and do they read them. Be prepared to answer questions that you may not feel you would be asked in the USA.

Once you have your card, you will be given return times to meet and greets. There are seating areas for the fireworks and parade.

Be prepared, it is not WDW. It is Disneyland Paris by name. They are trying hard to train the CM's to be more interactive. Also, it is France.

The park is full of details and most beautiful. Enjoy your trip.

 

[lelalittlelegs]

We use to hold AP's to DLP. The card is for disability access but not priority access. There are no front of the line cards in any park. We brought our medical records and do they read them. Be prepared to answer questions that you may not feel you would be asked in the USA. Once you have your card, you will be given return times to meet and greets. There are seating areas for the fireworks and parade. Be prepared, it is not WDW. It is Disneyland Paris by name. They are trying hard to train the CM's to be more interactive. Also, it is France. The park is full of details and most beautiful. Enjoy your trip.

Can I check: are return times new? We haven't been in 2014 yet but up until 2013 we were never given return times. Just the standard green card that we showed at the exit of each ride. Obviously everything has changed at DL and WDW but I wasn't aware that return times were now being introduced at DLP?

 

[Vidia2]

Can I check: are return times new? We haven't been in 2014 yet but up until 2013 we were never given return times. Just the standard green card that we showed at the exit of each ride. Obviously everything has changed at DL and WDW but I wasn't aware that return times were now being introduced at DLP?

After reading on other sites it looks like the disability card works for cognitive disabilities very similar to the way the old GAC worked at WDW, with the alternative access being the exit instead of the Fastpass line. There's another card for temporary injuries and pregnancy that works differently. Thanks for replying and please let me know if you find other info.

Edited to add: the return times are maybe for crowds? Not sure. Based on other websites, it looks like this is discretionary like it was in the past at WDW.

Thank you so much for the great information in your other reply! It's very helpfu!

 

[Vidia2]

We use to hold AP's to DLP. The card is for disability access but not priority access. There are no front of the line cards in any park. We brought our medical records and do they read them. Be prepared to answer questions that you may not feel you would be asked in the USA. Once you have your card, you will be given return times to meet and greets. There are seating areas for the fireworks and parade. Be prepared, it is not WDW. It is Disneyland Paris by name. They are trying hard to train the CM's to be more interactive. Also, it is France. The park is full of details and most beautiful. Enjoy your trip.

Didn't mean to imply "priority". I called the card that because that's what they call it.

We've decided to spend 2 or 3 nights in a suite to get VIP passes to be used with the disability pass and regular fastpasses and the rest of our Paris stay at another Disney property. Hopefully, we'll get everything done in the 2 or 3 days that we want to do there.

Thanks for your reply!

 

[Vidia2]

Paperwork must be from a doctor. The is a mix of exits, return times and accessible queues. It depends on the ride. The studios have accessible queues. In the magic kingdom the fantasyland dark rides are exits. Big thunder, haunted mansion and others are return times Jacqui

We don't require accessible queues. The rides you mentioned with return times have fastpasses? Hopefully VIP passes work for those. This is basically a do-over Paris trip for us so we are hoping to have it go smoothly.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

Hi, I'm a 19 year old with autism. I went for the first time in June 2013 and yes, we needed doctors letters. We ended up getting one for my sister as well since she gets tired easily from her health issues. The only time we had problems with was Thunder Mountain. The CM there was rude and there were a lot of groups with kids like my sister and I waiting. Unfortunatley, only ONE other person can go with the person.

Other than that, we had no problems.

 

[lelalittlelegs]

After reading on other sites it looks like the disability card works for cognitive disabilities very similar to the way the old GAC worked at WDW, with the alternative access being the exit instead of the Fastpass line. There's another card for temporary injuries and pregnancy that works differently. Thanks for replying and please let me know if you find other info. Edited to add: the return times are maybe for crowds? Not sure. Based on other websites, it looks like this is discretionary like it was in the past at WDW. Thank you so much for the great information in your other reply! It's very helpfu!

I agree that DLP definitely works more like the old GAC did at WDW. I have no doubt that eventually the standard will be universal but certainly as recently as 9 months ago it was still working with entrance via the exit for us. Again though, this will be different depending on the disability.