Service dogs and GACs

[Schmeck]

What is 'pre-training'?

 

[LockShockBarrel]

Yes that is our guide dog in my avatar. His name is Racer, and he was mortally embarrassed when we put the hats on him. I also have a pic of him in a rocker wig at the RockNRoller coaster and he owns his own set of classic mickey ears with his name on them. We went for MNSSHP and his costume was a tourist. I got some glow in the dark necklaces from the dollar store and wound them around his harness and he wore his mickey ears.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

When I trained, I was told that technically if you have a wheelchair you still need a GAC stating what the specific accommodation is since there are rides in which you cannot enter through the regular queue. I was also told we never actually enforce the policy. Most CMs will not say anything (there will be one or two who will occasionally. I will tell people that they may want to consider it just to make their lives easier).

A service dog is different. I worked attractions, and this is the low down according to my training:

You do not need a GAC. In fact, I don't know what a GAC would do for you. Service dogs can go on some rides. In Fantasyland, we could have them on any ride except Peter Pan and Dumbo because the rides were in the air.

As Sue mentioned: The Guidebook for Disabilities will be your best friend. That will tell you exactly which rides are approved for service dogs. For rides that are not you will basically do the same thing you would do with a baby swap. One person stays with the dog while the rest of the party goes through the line. Once they get off, you switch. GACs are not useful in this situation.

If you get a GAC, it will be for issues unrelated to the dog itself. You need to tell them exactly what accommodations you need (for example: an entrance that can accommodate wheelchairs.)

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I speak from experience when I say that even if you are in a wheelchair, I would still get the GAC. A couple of years ago, we made it all the way through our week long trip without a GAC. No one ever said anything to us about DD. Our LAST day in the park, we were given grief by one of the CM's at Splash Mtn because we didn't have a GAC.

Most of the time the issue we have is when a person with a wheelchair insists on using the fastpass line when the standby line is the regular wheelchair entrance. In that case they absolutely must have a GAC if they are asking to use anything other than the standard wheelchair entrance. (Obviously that was not the issue at Space Mountain since you cannot go through the standard entrance with a wheelchair.) If you are using the standard wheelchair entrance, you are still supposed to have one, but 99.9% of CMs will not say anything.

 

[LockShockBarrel]

We tend to encounter the gungho CM's it seems because on the last trip we had about 8 ask us for the GAC whereas the last trip only one did. I figure it's just safer to have it on you in case you're asked for it.

Also remember that you can ask for the Handicap Guide Pamphlets at every guest services, and a lot of times they'll have all 4 parks so you don't have to stop at each one. It'll tell you the locations of family bathrooms, which rides allowed what kind of wheelchair/ecv and if they stop, as well as what rides service animals are allowed and the approved potty areas for them.

If the potty area is backstage which quite a few are, or you just can't find it, ask any cast member and they'll be able to escort you/help you.

 

[dclfun]

I just wanted to mention terminology. I have no idea who has "what" kind of SD, but the term, "guide dog", generally refers to a dog who guides the blind or visually impaired, rather than "service dog", which would be a dog who is trained to do other tasks to mitigate a disability. I also agree that a GAC is *not* needed for a SD as they can go through any queue line and up/down stairs, and you would be required to get a fastpass just like everyone else to go through the FP entrance. If other accommodations are needed, that's when it's a good idea to get a GAC but not just because you have a SD.---Kathy ( and Skye)

 

[NEVERENOUGHWDW]

Aw is that ur guide dog in your pic there? Hes so cute!

Thanks for sharing that info. It helps me to feel a bit better. Our guide dog will be young and in pre-training when he first visits so I hope he gets so used to everything and learns to feel comfortable there.

I was just walking through Times Square today and I saw a few guide dogs and it was packed and crazy! I could barely stand the sensory overload .( I will stick to going on weekdays only from now on!) If those dogs could handle that they could easily handle Disney.

Taxis almost mowing people over , loud music , horns sounding everywhere , etc . . There was no one way flow of traffic so the dogs were going everywhich way to avoid getting knocked into.

I havent had any experience with a guide dog yet but from the looks of things they seemed pretty well trained.

Wow, Times Square is closed to traffic.

 

[cinderella73]

Wow, Times Square is closed to traffic.

Not all of it. Just a small section with some chairs . Well actually it is further down. I stand corrected. They had a ton of vendor carts going down that strip.

But I didnt say I was ONLY in Times Square did I?
Are u my new friend now? Did you want me to post pictures?