question about DAS and character meets

[Maggie'sMom]

Did the old GAC allow front of the line access at character meet and greets? The only children I have ever seen have front of the line access to character meets are Make a Wish children. If the old GAC didn't allow front of the line access to GAC holders, I don't see why the OP thought she could skip the line under the new DAS system.

I'm sorry her son had a seizure but I have to admit I am genuinely curious about why she stayed in the park while her child had a meltdown for 2 (two!) hours, especially when she had already been told that the DAS didn't work for the A & E meet and greet at DL and they would have to wait in the line if they wanted to see them.

We never used the old GAC, but my understanding is it that, like the current DAS, it didn't work for character meet and greets that didn't offer FP. But it could be used if there was a FP option, like the Town Square Theater meet & greets. There just weren't many meet & greets that offered FP prior to the roll out of FP+. Now several have been added, which is great for people with disabilities which make waiting in the traditional line difficult or impossible.

Have you ever tried to move a child with autism who is mid-meltdown? I don't see where the OP says how old her son is. When DD was 2 or 3, I could more easily move her when she was melting down, but by the time she was 5, I couldn't physically move her once if she went into full-scale meltdown. More often than not, we'd have to drop right where we were until she worked through it. It would be near impossible for me to be able to completely remove her from the park while she is still in the middle of a meltdown. Luckily now that she is older and she has learned better how to work through frustrations (and I've learned better how to head them off before she "goes nuclear"), I can usually guide her towards a quieter, out of the way place before starting to help her process through what's upsetting her.

But I think we should cut the OP some slack. She realized her mistake in assuming the A&E meet and greet would honor the DAS. She came here to ask a question to better plan for her WDW trip. And the way I read it, she was most upset about being asked to move her son when he was in full meltdown and then seizure. She wasn't expecting the CMs to say "just skip the line" at that point. I think she was hoping for some offers of "is there anything we can do to help" rather than "you need to move your son away from here." It's exhausting and embarrassing when you are dealing with a meltdown in public. I'm usually on edge and comments from others, unless they are understanding offers of help, just add to the emotional turmoil.

 

[aaarcher86]

We never used the old GAC, but my understanding is it that, like the current DAS, it didn't work for character meet and greets that didn't offer FP. But it could be used if there was a FP option, like the Town Square Theater meet & greets. There just weren't many meet & greets that offered FP prior to the roll out of FP+. Now several have been added, which is great for people with disabilities which make waiting in the traditional line difficult or impossible.

Have you ever tried to move a child with autism who is mid-meltdown? I don't see where the OP says how old her son is. When DD was 2 or 3, I could more easily move her when she was melting down, but by the time she was 5, I couldn't physically move her once if she went into full-scale meltdown. More often than not, we'd have to drop right where we were until she worked through it. It would be near impossible for me to be able to completely remove her from the park while she is still in the middle of a meltdown. Luckily now that she is older and she has learned better how to work through frustrations (and I've learned better how to head them off before she "goes nuclear"), I can usually guide her towards a quieter, out of the way place before starting to help her process through what's upsetting her.

But I think we should cut the OP some slack. She realized her mistake in assuming the A&E meet and greet would honor the DAS. She came here to ask a question to better plan for her WDW trip. And the way I read it, she was most upset about being asked to move her son when he was in full meltdown and then seizure. She wasn't expecting the CMs to say "just skip the line" at that point. I think she was hoping for some offers of "is there anything we can do to help" rather than "you need to move your son away from here." It's exhausting and embarrassing when you are dealing with a meltdown in public. I'm usually on edge and comments from others, unless they are understanding offers of help, just add to the emotional turmoil.

I think the posts in this and other threads of 'Disney couldn't care less' and 'stupid Disney' are more off putting than anything else. That particular statement DOES make it seem like the OP was expecting Disney to bend a bit because of her circumstances. I don't really understand the confusion of the OP if the GAC wasn't able to be used for meet and greets without FP options either.

Hopefully she can get into A&E using the DAS in WDW since it's accepted there, or grab a FP+ for a time for her child.

 

[Goddesstree]

At WDW, doesn't one have to approach the queue in order to get a DAS time? The OP should have a plan in place for that - either send someone else to get the DAS card signed with a return time, or start now on a social story about going to get a time, then returning for the meet and greet.

I think the best bet at WDW would be to get a FP+.

 

[Coonhound]

At WDW, doesn't one have to approach the queue in order to get a DAS time? The OP should have a plan in place for that - either send someone else to get the DAS card signed with a return time, or start now on a social story about going to get a time, then returning for the meet and greet.

I think the best bet at WDW would be to get a FP+.

Well there are kiosks too, so you don't have to actually approach the ride, you can get a return time on a kiosk

 

[SirDuff]

Well there are kiosks too, so you don't have to actually approach the ride, you can get a return time on a kiosk

They've added kiosks for DAS at WDW? That's great. I thought only DL had the kiosks.

 

[lanejudy]

Well there are kiosks too, so you don't have to actually approach the ride, you can get a return time on a kiosk

Is this very new? Or possibly you are thinking of the FP+ kiosks? There are kiosks in WDW where people can get additional FP+. However, last I knew these were not part of the DAS program, unless that just changed.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[SueM in MN]

Is this very new? Or possibly you are thinking of the FP+ kiosks? There are kiosks in WDW where people can get additional FP+. However, last I knew these were not part of the DAS program, unless that just changed.

Enjoy your vacation!

As far as I know, the WDW kiosks are just for making actual Fastpass Plus times, nothing to do with DAS.
If this changed, the change occurred since April 11. Because that was when we returned fro our last trip.

 

[Gracie09]

At WDW, doesn't one have to approach the queue in order to get a DAS time? The OP should have a plan in place for that - either send someone else to get the DAS card signed with a return time, or start now on a social story about going to get a time, then returning for the meet and greet.

I think the best bet at WDW would be to get a FP+.

As far as I know someone has to approach the queue to get a return time but it doesn't have to be the person to whom the das has been issued. So a parent or sibling etc can get a return time.

 

[su_A_ve]

I actually was looking into information regarding lines at characters M&G for our upcoming SWW weekends.

Although we frequent WDW every yr/2yrs, we haven't done characters in a while. DS13 is on the higher end of the spectrum and been able to tolerate longer lines. We've done several XMAS trips and got used to the parks packed. He doesn't like many of the tier 1 attractions and we take advantage of eve EMH. So the GAC was used seldom and last Xmas was the first time we used the DAS. Even thru Xmas, we used it a few times only.

Thinking back, I do remember using the GAC at Epcot in innovations (where they have several characters in a row) but this was about 7 years or more. My guess is that the CM was not knowledgeable about it. Similar to the first time we used it on Soarin, where we were sent down the FP lane and the CM at the other end insisted we needed FPs. Had to nicely ask him to get a supervisor before DS would start to flip out (and the folks behind me too).

Obviously, we won't be using in this fashion this time around, although the trip is to meet characters first, then do attractions. We've been talking a lot about this and how we will need to be ready to wait in line and such.

It's just DS13, DS17 and myself. Poor DS17 will be waiting in line while I walk DS13 around. But he's an excellent brother...

The way I see it, it can't be any worse than MK on Xmas day... Oh and yes, we are going during weekend 4, when Mark Hamill will be there...

 

[SueM in MN]

Thinking back, I do remember using the GAC at Epcot in innovations (where they have several characters in a row) but this was about 7 years or more. My guess is that the CM was not knowledgeable about it. Similar to the first time we used it on Soarin, where we were sent down the FP lane and the CM at the other end insisted we needed FPs. Had to nicely ask him to get a supervisor before DS would start to flip out (and the folks behind me too).
...

Regarding the characters in Innoventions......
They did not always have Fastpass. For characters, GACs (the now-discontinued Guest Assistance Cards) could be used at most permanent character locations. So, GACs could be used at Innoventions, but not for the locations where a character just comes out - for example, the area outside of Mexico where Donald periodically appears.

Many people think GACs were all the same and all guests with GACs were pretty much handled the same at each attraction.
Actually, each GAC had a stamp or stamps that indicated how the GAC should be handled,depending on the guest's needs. Some stamps - like one to avoid waits in the sun and one to avoid stairs - would not have been applicable for Innoventions or Soarin' because neither has stairs or lines outside.
Other stamps - like the arrow stamps or alternate entry stamp - might be used to access the Fastpass line. GACs with those stamps would have been used at both Soarin' and Innoventions.

It was very confusing for both guests and CMs because there were so many possibilities. Sometimes CMs gave the wrong accommodation for the particular stamp or, because many guests with wheelchairs had a GAC, some CMs expected every guest with a wheelchair to have one.
And, the accommodations that were available at each attraction were different and might even differ depending on staffing or how busy the attraction was.
The new DAS is much easier from that standpoint because there is only one possibility - getting a Return Time that is determined by what the current standby line wait is.