Still confused about GACs

[Aminniedala]

I've read the FAQ's and general thread on GACs, but I'm still not sure what I can expect if I get one.

My daughter is 3 1/2 and was diagnosed with ASD in July. We have been to WDW with her twice before she was diagnosed, so we already have some idea of what to expect. We are visiting during the off season (last week of Feb/first week of March); we're staying on-site at a monorail resort. We know about fast-pass and we put together a "line survival kit" with bubble, stickers, small toys, etc. So do we even need to get a GAC? I understand it doesn't let you bypass lines, so how would it help us?

My daughter is a sensory seeker; noises and crowds don't bother her. Waiting in a quiet place wouldn't be very helpful if she still had to wait for extended periods (more than 15-20 min). It's the waiting itself that sets her off. The worst problems we've encountered are for shows like "Finding Nemo" or "Festival of the Lion King" where you have to get in line very early in order to get a decent seat. Does having a GAC help at all in this kind of situation?

 

[visitingapril09]

It sounds like, from what you describe, that the GAC won't particularly help you in your scenario. It sounds like you have thought it out well. The GAC doesn't help with the wait times (in almost every case) and we have never found it particularly helpful when it comes to shows.

 

[Jonell]

I've read the FAQ's and general thread on GACs, but I'm still not sure what I can expect if I get one.

My daughter is 3 1/2 and was diagnosed with ASD in July. We have been to WDW with her twice before she was diagnosed, so we already have some idea of what to expect. We are visiting during the off season (last week of Feb/first week of March); we're staying on-site at a monorail resort. We know about fast-pass and we put together a "line survival kit" with bubble, stickers, small toys, etc. So do we even need to get a GAC? I understand it doesn't let you bypass lines, so how would it help us?

My daughter is a sensory seeker; noises and crowds don't bother her. Waiting in a quiet place wouldn't be very helpful if she still had to wait for extended periods (more than 15-20 min). It's the waiting itself that sets her off. The worst problems we've encountered are for shows like "Finding Nemo" or "Festival of the Lion King" where you have to get in line very early in order to get a decent seat. Does having a GAC help at all in this kind of situation?

If I were you I would still get a GAC. Explain your situation to guest relations and they may be able to issue you a card that will help. My husband has a problem with waiting in lines and for shows due to a non-mobility related medical condition. He was given a GAC that met his needs. Have a great trip.

 

[clanmcculloch]

My 12 year old is a sensory seeker but she has trouble in non-moving lines because she IS a sensory seeker. She has to move. This results in bumping people, then the people start looking at her but she dislikes being looked at which leads to a meltdown. The more she tries to stay still the more agitated she becomes which means she's more sensitive to being looked at. It becomes a vicious cycle that leads to meltdowns. We do get a GAC because alternate waiting areas, while quieter and therefore not meeting her sensory needs, do allow her the freedom to move which allows her to self-fulfill her own sensory needs without disrupting others.

We really don't need to use our GAC very often since we discovered TourGuide Mike. TGM is a touring plan service that teaches you how to tour WDW in a way that keeps you out of the crowds and lines. We went last year over Christmas and found that it felt less crowded to use and lines were shorter than when we went over low season in February (exact same week you're going) without using TGM because with TGM we knew the best place to be at all times. DD12 can handle the regular lines when the waits aren't long so we finally get to experience what the regular line queue are like and get a more "normal" experience. We can also accomplish a lot more in a shorter period of time which is important to us since we can't do more than a couple hours in a park each day due to DD12. TGM is a board sponsor of the Touring board here on the DIS. If you go there via the ad on that board you can save $3 on the subscription. IMO the $20 it costs for the service is the best $20 I've ever spent on a WDW trip. Honest, I don't work for them and don't get any kickback for saying all this. LOL

One more note. Please don't use bubbles in lines. The bubbles don't stay contained to only your family and people may have allergies.

 

[SueM in MN]

I second the TourGuide Mike (TGM) advice.

Many people with children with sensory issues or autism have found TGM to be more useful than a GAC. Not all attractions have accommodations like a quieter place to wait, so even with a GAC, you will still have times where you are in the 'regular' area with everyone else.

Remember that a GAC only helps you while waiting in attraction lines. If there are lines for other things (bathrooms, restaurants) you will be waiting in line for those. TGM will help you to be in the park that is the least busy, so you will have shorter waits for those too.
Also, when the parks are busy, you end up in slowly moving mobs of people to get anywhere. A GAC won't help with that, but TGM will.