The Gacs have gone loopy

[blondietink]

We have never been able to use our GAC at Soarin' or any other attraction where the line is designed to handle people with wheelchairs. We always get a FastPass for those.

The only time we got front of the line access for characters was when my son went on a Make-A-Wish trip and had to wear a special button that alerted the CM's of the special trip. Once in a very great while a CM will see us standing in line with 2 wheelchairs for a character and will come back to us and tell us to go to the front of the line. We have even said we don't mind waiting and they insist we go to the front of the line. This has never happened with the fairies, though. We were lucky on our trip in August to go to the character spot in Epcot and the line was a 45 minute wait. We were heading toward the end of the line and the CM yelled at us to stop and she opened up the rope for us to proceed directly to the characters. WOW! It all depends on who the CM is and what their mood is, I think.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We get a GAC but only use it where we feel absolutely necessary, we encourage Joshua to queue and be patient if we feel the wait time for an attraction is reasonable.
It builds up his and our confidence and also means we stand in line like everyone else is doing.

Rides like Soarin' are more difficult as the wait times are often very long, without the GAC we probably wouldn't have been able to get on.

 

[Schmeck]

We get a GAC but only use it where we feel absolutely necessary, we encourage Joshua to queue and be patient if we feel the wait time for an attraction is reasonable.
It builds up his and our confidence and also means we stand in line like everyone else is doing.

Rides like Soarin' are more difficult as the wait times are often very long, without the GAC we probably wouldn't have been able to get on.

That's why using Fastpasses really comes in handy too - it gives a scheduled time to come back, and limits the wait too.

 

[MomToAp1699]

We used a GAC for our last trip and there where two times where we it was recognized for a show and it was not us who brought it up. At Turtle Talk with Crush the CM saw it as we where walking in and filtered us right out of the line going in and in another entrance and to the front row. It actually took me a second to realize what was going on. Same sort of deal at Light Motor Action stunt show. I had the GAC in a see thru card holder around my neck and a CM saw it and escorted us to the handicap seating. We would never expect it as the norm but appreciated it as a special chance and since neither show was too crowded or had a lack of seating in the handicap area we felt it was a good choice for our son.
This trip will be a bit different as we have both my sons and my disabilities to deal with this time. He has matured some and is much better dealing with things like people being too close but still has a lot of his original issues with personal space and waits etc. In addition I have issues from Fibromyalgia that mean one second I can be standing fine with no aches at all and 5 minutes later my leg or arm etc can hurt so bad it feels like it has just been ripped off and then its fine a half hour later.. I also couldn't rent an ECV because my anxiety and social fear are so great that I would be in constant terror of all the details involved in the ECV that I would never enjoy myself.. Thank God my husband will be with us.. lol..

 

[snow_white's_mom]

When we were there in May, we showed our GAC at the entrance to the princess-fairies lines. We were given a card with a number and directed to the waiting area outside of the exit. At some point a CM would come out and escort us in through the exit. It was by no means a short wait, but it provided a less crowded waiting area. Is this no longer being done?

We had the same experience of getting the number. We were fine to wait the full wait time, it was just the having DD stand in line that long would not have gone over well with those around us. We have used the GAC at the character connection in epcot too, not to skip the line but we had my mom stand in line and when she got to the front of the line the cm let DD and me in too that way we could wait outside and I could walk her around.

 

[clanmcculloch]

We had the same experience of getting the number. We were fine to wait the full wait time, it was just the having DD stand in line that long would not have gone over well with those around us. We have used the GAC at the character connection in epcot too, not to skip the line but we had my mom stand in line and when she got to the front of the line the cm let DD and me in too that way we could wait outside and I could walk her around.

One thing you should note. Make sure that the person giving you the card actually TELLS somebody that you're waiting. After waiting for 40 minutes (we were told it would be up to I think a 30 minute wait; I know we waited at least 10 minutes longer than the time they gave us) and a crowd growing in the side waiting area, we finally went over to the CM at the front who originally gave us the card. She went to talk to the CM that was supposed to come get us and she said that the CM's radio didn't seem to be working so nobody knew that there was a growing line. The area was getting really crowded by this point which was defeating the purpose of the alternate waiting area. I'm really not sure where the breakdown in communication was, but please do be sure that somebody is notified that you're there if you're the first person to be in the area (we were).

 

[ratlenhum]

Last year they let us in a side door for the Character Connection at Epcot and put us right at the front of the line, and also in an alternate door to see Buzz and Woody at Pixar Place. This year we skipped Character Connection because we saw everyone from there at meals. When we asked at Pixar Place they said no, they couldn't accommodate us but to keep asking at any place there was a character because some places would let you ahead of the line, some wouldn't. Maybe it depends on the CM and how long the line really is?

 

[ratlenhum]

We get a GAC but only use it where we feel absolutely necessary, we encourage Joshua to queue and be patient if we feel the wait time for an attraction is reasonable.
It builds up his and our confidence and also means we stand in line like everyone else is doing.

Rides like Soarin' are more difficult as the wait times are often very long, without the GAC we probably wouldn't have been able to get on.

We do the same thing, and we also use the regular fast pass system. But if my son HAS to go on THIS RIDE RIGHT NOW or a day ending meltdown will occur, the GAC comes flying out!

 

[SAGE]

When we were there in May, we showed our GAC at the entrance to the princess-fairies lines. We were given a card with a number and directed to the waiting area outside of the exit. At some point a CM would come out and escort us in through the exit. It was by no means a short wait, but it provided a less crowded waiting area. Is this no longer being done?

I like that idea! DS can wait much better if it's in a quieter area.

(I feel out of the loop...... what is the "princess-fairies" line???
Is it a new meet & greet?

 

[SueM in MN]

I like that idea! DS can wait much better if it's in a quieter area.

(I feel out of the loop...... what is the "princess-fairies" line???
Is it a new meet & greet?

It is a meet and greet in Toontoon in the 'tent' area. They have Tinkerbell and other fairies in one line and Princesses in another.

The quieter waiting area is at the exit. There are benches where you can sit while you wait. They give you a card which has a number noted on it. The CM at the entrance is supposed to contact the CM inside the meet area with your number. Printed on the card, it does say that your wait will be at least 30 minutes (at least that was what the card we used had).