Uh oh...who heard Sherri Shepherd on the View today?

[ireland_nicole]

I am not accusing ANYONE of lying. I totally DID NOT mean to give that impression. I am only saying thet just because it doesn't happen to you doesn't mean it doesn't happen at all. I have spent a fair amount of time conversing with disabled individuals and families at Disney in the interest of carrying info back to others. It may be time of year, ect, but I can only report on what I have observed and been told by familes using disabled access. Many, many times they are completely by passing the regular lines. It may not be waht happens all the time, but it DOES happen. That is all. I don't think anyone here is lying, but I do think we have had different experiences.

Fair enough. I appreciate your response. I know sometimes we can all get a little heated, and I'm glad that we have the freedom to share all of our opinions, even when we don't agree.

 

[AnninMaine]

This is my first post although i'm a long time lurker and I just feel I have to get my two cents in on this issue as I believe it is something that effects everyone of us. I have personal knowledge and experience that the GAC does indeed get you FOTL privileges regardless of what others have posted.

On one occassion while traveling with a group in which one person had a GAC (needed a EVC to get around) we (all 15 of us) were able to board Soaring through the fastpass lane. The CM never questioned us nor did they look at the GAC to discern what needs this individual had. To my surprise, we were just able to cut the line.

My neighbor has a child on the spectrum (autism) and has traveled to Disney the last three years in a row. On their most recent trip, they had planned to go during spring vacation week. I had just been to Disney in January, a surposedly slow time, and we had waits up to 60 minutes for the most popular attractions so I mentioned this to the mom and she said something to the fact that she was "not concerned about waits because she had the pass". I honestly believed she would still have to wait, although maybe not as long, due to the extreme busy time of year, but nope, when she came back she went on and on about how they just walked in through the fastpast lane sometimes two and three times in a row, no questions asked.

This infuriates my DH, As he puts it, "we pay the same amount of money for our vacation and even though we pull our kids out of school to avoid the busy times, we are still unable to go on every ride even once never mind three times in a row". He has even gone so far as to suggest we get the same pass next time we go. I am of course against this, but if my husband is thinking this way I can only imagine how many people actually do get a GAC even though they do not need one. And if a tv show like the View is actually publicizing this perk it will only get worse. No one should have to wait up to 90 minutes to get on a ride. Disney must do something about this problem.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

What on earth should disney do about the waits?

As for your fp lane trip through Soarin, the Soarin line is mainstreamed. You can take an ecv all the way through and park by the ride. A cm screwed up if they did any different for you and your group.

We always travel in January, and I've never seen a 60 line. So, since I have seen this and experienced it, it must be the way it alsyays is. Just like your experience should somehow translate to everyone.

 

[mickeylove2]

It was Jason Bateman and he didn't cut in line to get his Iphone, he waited in line with everyone else, the line apparently wrapped around the store. after a while of waiting, security from the store came and got him out of line and escorted him inside to get his phone. I'm sure it was more to do with the safety of him and everyone else and they didn't want something crazy happening, you know how some people can be around celebrities. Could you imagine if a stampede broke out when people realized who he was??? I'm just saying. It's not like he pulled up and walked right inside in front of everyone who was there before him.

Anyway, Idk who she is nor do I watch the View but it sounds like she made a really ill-informed comment about the GAC at Disney.

 

[princessmom29]

What on earth should disney do about the waits?

As for your fp lane trip through Soarin, the Soarin line is mainstreamed. You can take an ecv all the way through and park by the ride. A cm screwed up if they did any different for you and your group.

We always travel in January, and I've never seen a 60 line. So, since I have seen this and experienced it, it must be the way it alsyays is. Just like your experience should somehow translate to everyone.

I think the idea is that if everyone who is getting GAC's simply to skip the lines and not out of any real need were stopped then the lines would be shorter for everyone, as they would not get to skip to the front. How true that is, I don't know, but as has been said before everyone here has had different experiences. There is no need to get nasty about someone sharing one that is contrary to yours. As to the CM screwing up, it seems to be happening more and more often. I really think it is at least in part due to the number of guests screaming that they are entitled to FOTL access due to having a GAC, WC, ECV, small child, elderly person or whatever else it is that they think makes them entitled. They just don't want to deal with telling them no and them getting ugly so they just put evryone with a WC, ECV, or GAC to the front to avoid it. It is sad that people can be so rude that this has become the way to handle it, but it would appear that it is happening more often than in the past.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I wasn't nasty! Explain that one to me. My whole point is that just because someone has an experience (me or you) it doesn't make it the absolute you can count on it way it is and will always be. Life doesn't roll that way. Disney isn't known for consistency. Soarin has huge aisles. If an ecv wasn't sent that way it was a mistake.

If the cm's are not enforcing the rules, then Disney needs to deal with that. I don't have a problem with that. That doesn't mean that I think that they should stop issueing GAC's etc. You don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

 

[princessmom29]

I wasn't nasty! Explain that one to me. My whole point is that just because someone has an experience (me or you) it doesn't make it the absolute you can count on it way it is and will always be. Life doesn't roll that way. Disney isn't known for consistency. Soarin has huge aisles. If an ecv wasn't sent that way it was a mistake.

If the cm's are not enforcing the rules, then Disney needs to deal with that. I don't have a problem with that. That doesn't mean that I think that they should stop issueing GAC's etc. You don't throw out the baby with the bathwater.

I thought the assumption that she was applying her experience to everyone to be a bit of a stretch and a little harsh, especially sine she doesn't post much and thought it important to share her experience.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

I would say that the statements by her husband showed just that. To say the small segment of human beings that manage to bypass the system are the reason there are long lines is ridiculous. But that is my opinion.

I only have negative feelings about the poster that mocked the handicapped. As a mom of a handicapped child it infuriates me. I know that is just feeding the nasty person's fire, but it is what it is.

 

[princessmom29]

I would say that the statements by her husband showed just that. To say the small segment of human beings that manage to bypass the system are the reason there are long lines is ridiculous. But that is my opinion.

I only have negative feelings about the poster that mocked the handicapped. As a mom of a handicapped child it infuriates me. I know that is just feeding the nasty person's fire, but it is what it is.

I guess i just didn't read it the same way, it looked more to me like an expression of fustration. I don't think abusers of the system are the whole problem, but I do think they contribute.

I chose the "if I ignore it mabye it will go away" track for the mockery, but it really bothered me as well. Sort of a "don't feed the troll" mentality.

 

[melancholywings]

This whole post is filled with so much ignorance and hate it's really sad.

The ADA is a wonderful and does so much for those with disabilities. In the US children with disabilities are still being denied their rights, being denied equality, denied an education and denied safety all because they are disabled. Can you imagine your straight A student being denied his diploma because he's had one to many sick days due to his disability? Or being told that one of your children will have to bus to a far away school away from her siblings and friends because her school won't accomidate her? Or being a single mom who has to quit her job because the school won't provide anyone to give her chid a simple injection?

And you're snarky at it, and at these families who are dealing with the unimaginable - all because some family got on a ride before you? It must be such a luxary to live a life that lets you belittle the needs of others for something as trivial as a 5 minute theme park thrill.

 

[princessmom29]

This whole post is filled with so much ignorance and hate it's really sad.

The ADA is a wonderful and does so much for those with disabilities. In the US children with disabilities are still being denied their rights, being denied equality, denied an education and denied safety all because they are disabled. Can you imagine your straight A student being denied his diploma because he's had one to many sick days due to his disability? Or being told that one of your children will have to bus to a far away school away from her siblings and friends because her school won't accomidate her? Or being a single mom who has to quit her job because the school won't provide anyone to give her chid a simple injection?

And you're snarky at it, and at these families who are dealing with the unimaginable - all because some family got on a ride before you? It must be such a luxary to live a life that lets you belittle the needs of others for something as trivial as a 5 minute theme park thrill.

I only see one person here who could possibly be classified as doing that. You assume that none of us have been there, and you are wrong. I teach children with disabilities every day and see thier struggles.I have NEVER heard of a child denied credit because of ilness related absence. In fact, if we have a standing doctor's note about a mediacl condition all a parent is required to do is call in to say thier child is sick. The absences are not counted agianst them and we send work to them. We do everything we can to accomodate everyone no matter what. I think very few disabled people are maliciously denyed their rights, at least in our school system. For us it is often not that we don't WANT to help, we do. Lack of funds is most often the reason we cannot accomodate someone. There is a LOT of money involved in accomdations for the disabled, and many schools jst don't have it. it is sad, but true in many cases. We have a center for autism at our school, and I interact with those kids every day, so believe me, I get it.

For me it is not about people going ahead or not, but about the need for Disney to change thier policy to reflect what they are actually doing to accomodate gusets with disabilitles. As it is, it causes a lot of confusion and resentment.

 

[AnninMaine]

I would say that the statements by her husband showed just that. To say the small segment of human beings that manage to bypass the system are the reason there are long lines is ridiculous. But that is my opinion.

I only have negative feelings about the poster that mocked the handicapped. As a mom of a handicapped child it infuriates me. I know that is just feeding the nasty person's fire, but it is what it is.

What do you mean by "the small segment of human beings..."? You can not possibly know how many people are abusing or exploiting this system. In the two examples I gave, neither of them were isolated incidences. The person with the scooter is a seasoned veteren to Disney and knew exactly what she was doing. As for the mom, it was not on one ride or even one vacation, but each and every time.

Also, I'm not sure if you were referring to me, but I can assure you I was not mocking the handicapped. I may have mocked the mom who exploited her child's illness for, how was it put, a 5 minute theme park thrill ride, but certainly not the child.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

It was Jason Bateman and he didn't cut in line to get his Iphone, he waited in line with everyone else, the line apparently wrapped around the store. after a while of waiting, security from the store came and got him out of line and escorted him inside to get his phone. I'm sure it was more to do with the safety of him and everyone else and they didn't want something crazy happening, you know how some people can be around celebrities. Could you imagine if a stampede broke out when people realized who he was??? I'm just saying. It's not like he pulled up and walked right inside in front of everyone who was there before him.

Maybe they should have a separate waiting area for celebrities so they'd still wait the same amount of time but in a different area.

 

[Indiana Rose Lee]

You know, this issue is too close to my heart still. And, I realized that we received special accomodations with my son. His was not an invisible disability. His twisted body and demeanor of a 2 year old were very evident. I had never heard of a gAC. But until he got his big boy chair (a 9 year old weighing 40 lbs.) we kept him in the stroller through the lines. The cm's would see him, and allow this without question.

It does make me sick that people think 'hey, I'll pretend to be disabled to get FOTL access." But I can't help sick minds. That is not in my power.

I am walking away from this thread. Many people have made points about the system and people that are accurate or at least their experience. The system isn't perfect. I'd rather it lean to helping people in need than being like the govt. and legislating to the losers. Be well, and have a happy holiday weekend.

 

[ireland_nicole]

What do you mean by "the small segment of human beings..."? You can not possibly know how many people are abusing or exploiting this system. In the two examples I gave, neither of them were isolated incidences. The person with the scooter is a seasoned veteren to Disney and knew exactly what she was doing. As for the mom, it was not on one ride or even one vacation, but each and every time.

Also, I'm not sure if you were referring to me, but I can assure you I was not mocking the handicapped. I may have mocked the mom who exploited her child's illness for, how was it put, a 5 minute theme park thrill ride, but certainly not the child.

ok, I didn't say anything with the first post, but now I'm so done just listening. Just because a mom knows about the GAC and how it will actually allow her AUTISTIC child to experience some of what DIsney has to offer does not mean she is exploiting anything. She was not given FOTL access, she was sometimes steered to the fastpass line- which btw, you could also use at any time- just pick up a pass- you can optimize your FP by using a good touring plan. And you know what? She didn't spend the same money for her vacation as you did, because you have no idea how much she had to spend for treatments and therapies and special diets and supplements and special equipment and doctors- just to be able to go at all. An average family can spend the entire day at a park if they choose- and many do- or they perhaps take a short nap or rest and then return. Our average time in the parks is about 3 hours / day. We plan every second of our trip so that we are in the least crowded place all the time- it's not just the tight queues that will cause DD to get completely overstimulated, it's the crowds tight around her anywhere. There are many attractions my kids will never experience, many opportunities at Disney they will never have. And if you see the same family in line more than once, keep in mind that there may only be a couple of attractions in all of Disney that their child will do; due to perseveration or overstimulation. So while you go off to your next 20 attractions, that may be their only one for the day. (fwiw, we don't do that; but we're very blessed and able to sort out our 3 hours in other ways, and I will be the last person to tell them they are wrong.)

I am soooo grateful that DIsney makes it possible and safe (including being able to accomodate my kids special diets and allergies) for us to actually have a vacation. There are very few places we can actually go- even with a high functioning kid. I'm grateful that Disney is so motivating for them- the first time my son actually said I love you was at Disney- of course it was to Mickey, but I am totally ok with that- he was 4.

It makes me physically sick that y'all think that she's "lucky" to have an autistic child so she can "exploit" the system. Maybe try for even one second to put yourself in the shoes of someone with a kid with special needs; imagine needing a trauma specialized counselor because you live in a war zone with your child 24/7. Who one minute can be absolutely "fine" and the next second be lost in a biting, kicking, screaming rage, or seizing (like mine, 25%of kids w/ autism have a comorbid seizure disorder). Imagine watching your life savings, and your dreams for your childs future go down the drain. Imagine watching your baby suffer and struggle every day to try to do things other people take for granted. Think long and hard if all that is worth it to get the "perks" of an alternate entrance or place to wait.


ETA: I do not mean in any way to exclude or minimize the struggles of those with other disabilities- I only feel the "right" to speak of my own experiences, of my reality

 

[tjmw2727]

These threads always make me scratch my head !

In my experience the GAC or wheelchair make it possible for some in my family to enjoy Disney at all. It isn't really a perk and as others have said they would trade it in a heartbeat for the ability to tour without it.

In my actual experience the waits are as long and sometimes longer with a WC or GAC so we use tourguide books, FP and other strategies to minimize the use of GAC in the first place.

But but the "typical guest" only sees a segment of our day. Mabye the one time the CM sprinkled a little pixie dust our way and brought us down the FP line as opposed to the other times when the wait was longer due to the larger number of WC's on an older ride not designed for WC accessablity.

I honestly think that we wait much less using FP and tourguide strategies when we are not with a member of the family who uses a WC or GAC - we love both experiences however.

Every time I hear someone say they will rent a WC to skip the lines I just chuckle. I know that after a couple hours or so they will realize they wasted their money on the WC (more on an evc) and their time waiting and return the chair.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I fully agree.We saw FOTL many many times at out last visit. Every WC got in before us. They just rolled in and then jumped out of the WC and got into the attraction.Magical healing???
Next time I will get a GAC and wheelchair because I like getting FOTL access

Not amusing in the least. Your perception (every wheelchair got in before us) doesn't make it fact.

Last time I rode Kiliminjaro Safari, I, as always, went through most of the queue with all the other Guests. In the ECV, I split off from the main line about thirty feet before everybody else boarded - right behind another wheelchair party. Everybody in the regular queue continued on, and boarded as trucks arrived.

I couldn't. The other party took the first two rows of the truck - the ramp-accessible ones. They got their own private safari. I had to wait for THAT TRUCK to make its full cycle. That's right. There was ONE wheelchair-accessible truck operating that morning. Guests who weren't even in line yet when I reached the boarding area, were already on trucks boarded before I did; Guests with whom I
d been in line were off the safari and on to another attraction before my truck got back to the loading area - yet it would appear to the naked eye that I "jumped to the front of the line".

Sorry Sue but I'm not buying that one.
I know from experience that a WC and a GAC really does mean FOTL excess no matter how Disney tries to hide this. Bin there done that.

Respectfully, no, you haven't. Been there, done that. Sue HAS. You have "been there, seen something, made assumptions".

Accommodation is not the same as a free entrance for every one. The US ADA system is providing free FOTL excess for EVERY ONE without questions asked.

NO IT DOES NOT! The Amiericans with Disabilities Act provides REASONABLE accommodations in an effort to make things as EQUAL as possible. Not better, NOT free, not superior, not first. As equal as possible.

 

[DisneyMomx7]

Disneyadore - you really seem to have a problem with wc and gacs.

Hopefully you'll never need them.

When we did our gg two years ago my 80 year old mom needed a wc for the parks. Sometimes, such as Kali River Rapids we actually waited longer than the regular line.

We never used the GAC but may have to this summer. My 12 year old dd broke her leg in two places at our schools' Fun Day. She had to have surgery to put screws in and has been in a full leg cast since May 28th and will not get it off until July 28. We arrive at Disney July 30. The orthopedic surgeon has already told us - mimimum walking, no water slides etc. So while it may seem like a "miracle healing" that she can get up from the wheelchair she really won't be able to walk for long periods of time. No miracle - just a medical fact.

She will have spent most of her summer in a full leg cast - we have a inground pool that she hasn't been able to use and we've had to pay hundreds of dollars in changing/cancellation fees with the airlines.

Believe me I would love to go back to that day and have her not go down the inflatable slide. I know full well that this is a limited bump in the road and MANY people have a lot worse things happen to them. I know this because my own ds has bone cancer when he was 3 and had to have his leg amputated and a year of chemo. Thankfully he survived and is a wonderful young adult.

So if you see a 12 year old getting out of the wheelchair at times it's not a miracle cure - don't be so hasty to assume the worse in people.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Fair means equal access and not preferred access and this has nothing to do with being disabled.
I always thought that disables persons fought for equal rights and not FOTL or "we are disabled and deserve preferred access".

You know, in Fantasyland in Disneyland in an ECV, I tried to wait until what I perceived as my turn in line, despite having to use the wheelchair entrance. Sometimes the CMs were agreeable, more often they would insist I board the next available vehicle.

I don't know of a single disabled person fighting for or demanding or asking for "preferred" anything. I don't understand why you think that. If a Walt Disney World or Disneyland Resort Cast Member chooses to provide a little pixie dust, let them. Maybe it'll make up just a little bit for the sixty-seven times that Guest had to stop short that morning to avoid hitting Guests of all ages who 'didn't see' them or tried to beat them into an empty spot in a line...

Yes, once in a while I get directed to an alternate entrance at a WDW attraction. I use an ECV, I have trouble with a wheelchair and have nobody to push me - and no, I'm NOT looking for sympathy. But by using the alternate entrance, I miss out on some attractions' best features. I've only been through Tower of Terror's lobby and library three times in six years - despite many rides, and I've had to BEG to get two of those trips and sneak through for the first one ; I haven't been through the mainstream queue at Rock 'N Roller Coaster, not because I don't want to, but because it's not ECV accessible; and I only got to ride Pirates of the Caribbean with assistance from two managers from a different area in Magic Kingdom.

 

[visitingapril09]

I have avoided this thread but need to say something........then I will say no more.

My son is 12. We took him to Disneyland last year and yes, we used a GAC. He uses a wheelchair but can walk. He walks like a 2 year old and has no balance so, trust me, you wouldn't want him standing beside you in line. He uses oxygen, a feeding pump, IV pumps and all these things come with him to the park. The wheelchair must be kept with us due to the thousands of dollars in machinery on it. Yes, sometimes the lines are quicker, no, sometimes they are not.........sometimes the wait was longer............Small World was 1.5 hours in what some of you are referring to as the FOTL pass. Yes, people abuse the system......... Honestly, I am glad my son can return to Disney in March with us as he has a disease that will take him from us at a young age. My very last concern, when we are there to see his smiling face light up when he gets to enjoy 2 weeks of his year without constant hospital stays etc, is whether or not the other people using the 'special access line' deserve it or not......My only focus is on my family. We aren't cheating anyone, we aren't line cutting, we are doing what the cast members tell us too, we are accomodating his very REAL needs............Do some people use it that shouldn't? Absolutely. Will I let it ruin my holiday with my precious boy if we have to wait cause some of them are in front of us.........No........you know why........cause this will likely be MY child's last visit to Disney.