To get a GAC pass or not?

[sassyMNmom]

Hi all...

I'm not sure if it's appropriate for us to get a special pass for my son or not. We are leaving for Disneyworld in about a week--our first trip ever!--and I need advice about this issue.

My hubby and I have three boys ages 2, 4 & 6. Our 4 year old has autism...but is surprisingly well behaved an 'normal' looking. We have worked very hard for over 2 years to see these great results! He has language delays and social & sensory issues.

This is the beef: I would really love to not have to get a special pass, as we do very little in our family to make Owen seem/feel different than our other kids. Although he has a disability, we have high expections for his behavior and he is progressing so beautifully with this disciplined approach. However....we can not ignore the possibility that the sights and sounds may be too much for his sensory system to bear and long wait lines could send him into a meltdown (we haven't had a meltdown for over a year now...hurray!).

So should we arrive and just wait and see? Should we get one just in case? Is our situation not serious enough to warrant obtaining one at all? Help!

Please advise!

 

[ducklite]

Getting a GAC is something you can do at any time during your trip. I'd just wait and see. If things get sketchy, get the pass.

Have a great trip!

Anne

 

[Cheshire Figment]

It does not hurt to get it when you arrive at your first park. You may keep it in your purse the entire time, and it would be great if you did not have to use it.

However, it is like any insurance policy, it is there if it is needed. I would hate being at the back of a park and then finding it was needed.

 

[LindaR]

I'd get one first thing and use it if you need to. I got one for myself on my first trip after my spinal surgery because I just didn't know what my stamina and tolerance would be like. At that time, I had alot of nerve damage (leg would just "quit" functioning and I fell often) and my back would "freeze" and "lock" when standing for any length of time.

I never had to use it! But it was there in case I needed to. I was afraid that my daughter would not have a fantastic time because of my limitations and restrictions. Believe me..........with the size of the parks, you do not want to have to go from one end to the other just to get a GAC. Get it on the way in on your first morning (it is good for the whole stay).

 

[SueM in MN]

If you haven't yet, check out the information about GACs (Guest Assistance Cards) in the the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

This is the beef: I would really love to not have to get a special pass, as we do very little in our family to make Owen seem/feel different than our other kids. Although he has a disability, we have high expections for his behavior and he is progressing so beautifully with this disciplined approach. However....we can not ignore the possibility that the sights and sounds may be too much for his sensory system to bear and long wait lines could send him into a meltdown (we haven't had a meltdown for over a year now...hurray!).

Even though a lot of people call it a 'pass", it is not a pass (which implies special treatment). It is a card that tells the CM what sorts of assistance are needed by someone because of their disability. From what you wrote, I'm guessing that this explanation might help you understand that it's not meant to give special treatment, but is meant to give the assistance that he/your family needs.

We think of and use the GAC like insurance - good to have when you need it, but not something we use for every attraction.
There are some things you can do to cut down your waits in line.
One would be to use Fastpass as much as possible. You could send your husband and one of your children ahead with everyone's park passes to get Fastpasses.
Another is to go to the parks right at opening if you can. Even during busy times, it's possible to go to everything in Fantasyland with very short waits by doing that.

You obviously have a good handle on what might cause problems for him and he has some 'tools' for dealing with things (otherwise he would not have gone a year without a meltdown!). Many of the same things that you use at home will also work at WDW, so your experience at home will help you a lot at WDW.

 

[Brightsy]

I have two DSs. My older son is ADHD and my younger one has ASD. He's 5 yrs. old and HFA.
We always get a GAC first thing. I stick it in my wallet and only pull it out when/if it's needed.
My DS is very cool at WDW, but even so he can't handle waits much longer than 20 or 25 minutes, he just freaks out. The GAC helps us out a LOT. Often the wait is still the same but we're able to minimize things by getting him a situation where there are fewer people around. We've found that if we can minimize one sensory input he is better able to deal with the rest.
Getting a GAC is a good idea, like others have said, it's insurance. Better to have it if needed than discover a need and have to go out of your way to get it later.

Sara
Here's some dancing 'nanas 'cuz my little one wants them...

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I would get the GAC - we always get one for Joshua who is also Autistic, however we try and build up his patience at the parks and only use the GAC if we really need to, you could do the same, use it just if you have to.

 

[Schmeck]

Try getting a GAC that would let you take your son's stroller in the queues - if he likes/is calmed by being in a stroller, that is...

 

[don8life]

i would get it in the beginning. Don't feel bad becasue your son looks normal. My daughter looks as healthy as an other child but with her disease she can have a melt down at any moment and BOOM ruins the whole day. So to prevent the melt down we use the GAC and enter the exit where we can. This speeds up our time in the park and we are home before she gets too lethargic and malaised. Cause I really hate it when peopel look at me like she is throwing a tantrum or just being fresh because they have no idea what is really going on.
Meltdown, sounds so cruel becasue she can't help it but that is what it feels like.

 

[dbal]

I would vote to get one too... just in case. We did this on our 04 trip when my asd dd was 6. Luckily we never needed it. It did ease some apprehension on my own part having it though. We just returned from another trip last week. We didn't get one this time or ever felt we needed it. There were a few meltdowns, but nothing was really ride or line related.

If you need it, it's always better to have it. When my own dd was having a difficult time, I would really have to just stop and reavaluate our plan or approach. We all get caught up in the excitement of WDW , and I think that sometimes it lead to her having a meltdown. But all in all, we had a wonderful trip!


I hope you have a great trip!

 

[pokemon_master]

I think what some people have said is good. Just because you get it doesn't mean you have to use it, but having it means that if anything goes wrong it's there.

In my family I wouldn't get one, but this is just me. We have 2 Aspergur Syndromers in our family, one of which is myself. We probably could get one, but I'd be terrified to use it. Whilst having AS has an impact on my life, and in my view could be one of the reasons why I am kinda impatient (my mood did keep getting slightly worse and worse on the line for It's a Small World, but otherwise I was OK, as was my DB who has Aspergur Syndrome) I would doubt if I needed it in the park.

Long story short, ignore my ramblings and get one when you go..