Question about the disability card please

[Bertie131]

I have a trip planned for the end of the year. My parents, sister, and brother in law are also going. My mother has severe arthritis and bad knees. My father has a pacemaker. My sister has MS. My mom is unable to control a scooter. This means pushing her in a wheelchair. Due to the other medical issues in the family in addition to my mom's , do you think we can get a disability card for her and my dad? Standing for long periods of time in lines would be difficult all around. I am sure there are worse cases than ours but I want to know your thoughts since this is all new to me. Thank you!

 

[Belle1962]

A couple of questions: will your sister have a mobility device (such as wheelchair/ecv?) When you say your mom can't handle a scooter/ecv do you mean she is afraid/she physically can't handle it, etc? Who will push your mom in a manual wheelchair? if they are not used to pushing a chair in daily life Disney can be a hard place for first timers. I would suggest practicing at home beforehand.


Disney doesn't have a "disability pass" Please see the Disability FAQ for more information on the Guest Assistance Card. Basically--you just need to go to Guest Services and describe your needs as you described them here (Standing for long periods of time in lines would be difficult all around).

HTH

 

[Piper]

Guest services standard answer to standing is to get a wc or ecv. Please remember that the lines are just a small part of WDW--the distances between attractions requires a lot of walking!

Even with a mobility aid, they would be in the same line as everyone else because most of the lines are mainstreamed. You need to use fastpass to your advantage and might consider a service such as RideMax or Tour Guide Mike.

 

[SueM in MN]

there is not a 'disability pass'. What you are asking about is called a Guest Assistance Card (GAC) that is meant to help clue the CMs on what needs you have related to a disability. The GAC is not meant to shorten the wait or provide immediate access and using a GAC will usually not shorten the distance walked or provide a seat to use while waiting.

I don't have time for a long answer right now, but you can find what you are asking about in post #6 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.
There is a link to that thread in my signature or you can find the thread near the top of this board.

The members of your party with medical needs will need to think about and explain their needs because people with the same diagnosis can have very different needs. For example, some people with MS might not need any assistance and are able to walk the whole distance involved in a day in the park. Others may need an ECV or wheelchair, but don't need any other assistance. Someone else with MS may have many needs that are not met by those things and will need a GAC to let the CMs know what assistsnce they need.

Something potentially more helpful to your group than a GAC would be using a touring service/plan lime TourGuide Mike or RideMax that will help you to be in the quietest part of the least busy park.
Also, the attractions with the longest waits are usually the thrill rides that your group is not likely to be going on.

 

[Bertie131]

Thank you so much for all the info. My sister will not be in a wheelchair. My mom is unable to drive a scooter due to motor ability. She will crash! I did talk to Poly---where we are staying--and they said that wheelchairs are on a first come basis if we want a wheelchair for our entire visit vs just grabbing one at each park. I think that would be the way to go b/c my Mom will not be able to do all the walking that it takes to get to the parks. I think this will all be challenging, but I am up for it. I think the GAC will at least help make things a touch easier for us. I heard--maybe on the podcast---that if you have a GAC you do use a separate entrance for some attractions. Is that true? Thanks so much!

 

[KPeveler]

Thank you so much for all the info. My sister will not be in a wheelchair. My mom is unable to drive a scooter due to motor ability. She will crash! I did talk to Poly---where we are staying--and they said that wheelchairs are on a first come basis if we want a wheelchair for our entire visit vs just grabbing one at each park. I think that would be the way to go b/c my Mom will not be able to do all the walking that it takes to get to the parks. I think this will all be challenging, but I am up for it. I think the GAC will at least help make things a touch easier for us. I heard--maybe on the podcast---that if you have a GAC you do use a separate entrance for some attractions. Is that true? Thanks so much!

I suggest that you rent a wheelchair from off site- the ones in the resorts are terrible! Some of them do not even work, and they are meant to really just be used in the resorts. they are not adjustable at all, so if they do not fit her, then she is kinda stuck. they weigh a ton and are VERY uncomfortable. The armrests and footrests are not adjustable, and they come in two widths (about 16 inches, suitable for me at 100 lbs or 22 inches, which is quite wide and harder to control)

If you rent an offsite one, you KNOW you will have it.

A lot of people choose to use the ones in the resorts, and I have heard of people not getting one when they needed it...

 

[SueM in MN]

Thank you so much for all the info. My sister will not be in a wheelchair. My mom is unable to drive a scooter due to motor ability. She will crash! I did talk to Poly---where we are staying--and they said that wheelchairs are on a first come basis if we want a wheelchair for our entire visit vs just grabbing one at each park. I think that would be the way to go b/c my Mom will not be able to do all the walking that it takes to get to the parks. I think this will all be challenging, but I am up for it. I think the GAC will at least help make things a touch easier for us. I heard--maybe on the podcast---that if you have a GAC you do use a separate entrance for some attractions. Is that true? Thanks so much!

It depends on the needs of the person and also on the attraction.
Most attractions have Mainstream (accessible) entrances where all guests enter and wait in the same area.
The separate entrances are mostly in MK where the regular entrance is not accessible and there was not a way to make it accessible. A separate entrance does not necessarily mean you will get on any faster.

I agree with what was posted about renting a wheelchair from an offsite place. There area companies recommended by DIS posters listed in post #2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I suggest that you rent a wheelchair from off site- the ones in the resorts are terrible! Some of them do not even work, and they are meant to really just be used in the resorts. they are not adjustable at all, so if they do not fit her, then she is kinda stuck. they weigh a ton and are VERY uncomfortable. The armrests and footrests are not adjustable, and they come in two widths (about 16 inches, suitable for me at 100 lbs or 22 inches, which is quite wide and harder to control)

If you rent an offsite one, you KNOW you will have it.

A lot of people choose to use the ones in the resorts, and I have heard of people not getting one when they needed it...

I was just about to post this myself! I've used the resort ones before, and they are beasties. They're all very heavy, and often they will have a pronounced veer to one side or the other, meaning you are constantly fighting against them to get them to go straight. I've now done a few trips with my own chair, and it's been soooooo much easier. Not only is my chair lighter and easier to steer, it is also a lot more comfortable and is adjusted to fit me. When you rent the chair, ask if they can rent you a decent wheelchair cushion, as these make a huge difference. If she uses a cane or crutches for transfers, you can also ask for holders to be attached to the back of the chair.

Does your sister have fatigue issues, with her MS? If so, we can suggest various things you can do to help make the trip easier for her.

Good luck and have a great trip!