Universal now requiring documentation be sent to a third party for accessibility

[DLgal]

sifting thru the comments here, it’s apparent that many are experiencing what appears to be high level of stress over this. Could have been mitigated to some degree if there had been advance notice and more thorough explanation IMO.

tip ‘o the hat to the Mods who are doing a great job here keeping the thread going

I do find it discouraging to read the posts in these sorts of threads that reek of an off-putting superiority of a sort/them vs us thing. Hard to interpret tone on a message board, does come off as to some thinking their personal issues are more viable than others.

We all roll differently. However, it’s good to remember there are few absolutes in life. Never hurts to take a deep breath and walk a mile in one’s shoes before passing judgment

many experiences detailed here are quite contradictory to what others are reporting. Could be that it’s still a work in progress & people are reporting anecdotal information.

However, I really don’t think it’s a one size fits all determination in play here, more like they are stating the general guidelines and procedures. side effect that setting up hoops as to documentation will weed out the requests, may have been an afterthought On U’s part.

ok, now my request :

I’m looking for updates from those who have completed their process and can share their actual, RL experiences.

a few questions:

1. if one has the approval card from IBCCES, is the number they assign the same one that is used in the park’s system?

2. is Universal (or Sea World for that matter) actually calling guests in time before their planned trips or does one need to call them?

3. If one does need to call ”them”, what is the specific phone number/department involved?

4. What is a gold pass? A direct escort? Not wrapping my head around it via the comments as to it I see being mentioned here, portrayed as the only one that will be helpful to guests. Or not, May be it’s just my (mis?)interpretation of emotional posts here?

4. additionally, quite confused by the recent posts here as to people being denied by U for standing/queuing issues. Would think selecting the Sensitivity selection would flag anxiety issues:

“Standing/Queuing: individual is not able to stand for a significant amount of time

Sensitivity to crowds or enclosed spaces”

The answer to #1 is:

IBCCES will issue you a card with a CREDENTIAL number

Universal will issue you a CASE REFERENCE NUMBER.

Once you have a case reference number, it will appear on your digital IBCCES card.

There will be 2 numbers on the card. They are different numbers.

 

[HavendishSquare]

sifting thru the comments here, it’s apparent that many are experiencing what appears to be high level of stress over this. Could have been mitigated to some degree if there had been advance notice and more thorough explanation IMO.

tip ‘o the hat to the Mods who are doing a great job here keeping the thread going

I do find it discouraging to read the posts in these sorts of threads that reek of an off-putting superiority of a sort/them vs us thing. Hard to interpret tone on a message board, does come off as to some thinking their personal issues are more viable than others.

We all roll differently. However, it’s good to remember there are few absolutes in life. Never hurts to take a deep breath and walk a mile in one’s shoes before passing judgment

many experiences detailed here are quite contradictory to what others are reporting. Could be that it’s still a work in progress & people are reporting anecdotal information.

However, I really don’t think it’s a one size fits all determination in play here, more like they are stating the general guidelines and procedures. side effect that setting up hoops as to documentation will weed out the requests, may have been an afterthought On U’s part.

ok, now my request :

I’m looking for updates from those who have completed their process and can share their actual, RL experiences.

a few questions:

1. if one has the approval card from IBCCES, is the number they assign the same one that is used in the park’s system?

2. is Universal (or Sea World for that matter) actually calling guests in time before their planned trips or does one need to call them?

3. If one does need to call ”them”, what is the specific phone number/department involved?

4. What is a gold pass? A direct escort? Not wrapping my head around it via the comments as to it I see being mentioned here, portrayed as the only one that will be helpful to guests. Or not, May be it’s just my (mis?)interpretation of emotional posts here?

4. additionally, quite confused by the recent posts here as to people being denied by U for standing/queuing issues. Would think selecting the Sensitivity selection would flag anxiety issues:

“Standing/Queuing: individual is not able to stand for a significant amount of time

Sensitivity to crowds or enclosed spaces”

Answer to question #2 based on my experience:

Here is my experience with the new process:

I applied to IBCCES on July 16th and was accepted by them on July 24th. I submitted the last page of a psychological evaluation report that listed my diagnosis (autism and a couple others). This page did not have a date, but it did have the signatures of the psychologist and their assistant. It also listed some recommendations for accommodations, but nothing specific to theme parks.

I received my email from Universal on July 24th and told them I had a trip planned for July 29th. They called me on July 27th (one of the preferred contact days I gave them) and they basically just confirmed the accommodations I selected on the IBCCES card (I selected all the sensory ones) and then gave me my case number to use at the parks to get the AAP.

So it does seem like they are successfully prioritizing based on trip dates.

 

[DLgal]

Answer to question #2 based on my experience:


So it does seem like they are successfully prioritizing based on trip dates.

I think we slid in early, before the mad rush of applicants. But we got a call from Universal the day after applying for the card with NO trip planned. We are Universal Hollywood APs, but there was nowhere in the application to indicate that was our status. It juts asked which parks you would need accommodations for. I don't know when our next park visit will be but we have a case number assigned.

Is there a place where you indicate when you are planning to visit?

 

[ToxicRoyalty]

There WILL be accommodations for HHN. Both my friend in GS and the accessibility team member Dad talked to confirmed it. They haven't yet set the specific process (if you're in the park during the day and also going to HHN, will you get one accommodation that works for the day and night? Or as in past years, will you need to visit GS twice, once for your daytime accommodation and once for your HHN accommodation? Will they issue some sort of multi-night accommodation for FFP holders to cut down on the nightly line at GS?) Those are the types of issues they're still working through. But accommodations WILL exist. In fact, the accessibility team member told Dad that they're no longer splitting accommodations between daytime and HHN. In other words, it used to be two separate systems, and some people had trouble getting HHN accommodations despite having accommodations during the day. Now it's all one system, all tied to the case number on your IBCCES card.

Great write-up on your experience! Super helpful. I just wanted to comment on this part, because I'm wondering if this is something the TM was told but didn't have personal experience with. At least since 2016? 2017?- I've been to HHN with AAP users and used an AAP for HHN myself, and it was always the same one as used during the day. Even if it was tagged to a daytime ticket or AP, it could be used for HHN. And the ticket you scanned for the AAP could be the HHN ticket or your day ticket and it would work for both. This is from multiple years of using AAP for both at the same time, renewing it during the day and at HHN, etc. Never had to reapply for one or the other, use a specific ticket, etc.

They were notoriously awful about *issuing* AAPs during HHN, so I'm wondering if that's where some of the separate system idea comes from. You could get it renewed, but if you were going to get it for the first time, you were subject to more scrutiny and possible denial.

Definitely curious to hear if anyone has any experience needing two separate passes for HHN and daytime? Or having to reapply while already holding one or the other?

In any case, I definitely think August 11th is way too late in the game for HHN stuff to be "issues they're still working on," good lord.

 

[HavendishSquare]

I think we slid in early, before the mad rush of applicants. But we got a call from Universal the day after applying for the card with NO trip planned. We are Universal Hollywood APs, but there was nowhere in the application to indicate that was our status. It juts asked which parks you would need accommodations for. I don't know when our next park visit will be but we have a case number assigned.

Is there a place where you indicate when you are planning to visit?

I was thinking maybe I just got lucky by being early.

When I got my email from UO after my IBCCES acceptance they asked when my trip date is. I replied to that email with my trip dates and preferred contact days.

 

[DLgal]

I was thinking maybe I just got lucky by being early.

When I got my email from UO after my IBCCES acceptance they asked when my trip date is. I replied to that email with my trip dates and preferred contact days.

I didn't even get an email. They just called me out of the blue less than 24 hours after I submitted my IBCCES application. It hadn't even been approved yet. I almost didn't answer the phone because I thought it was a spam call.

 

[AnneK]

I used the AAP for the last two years at HHN and never needed a different pass between daytime and HHN, just used the same pass.

 

[HavendishSquare]

I didn't even get an email. They just called me out of the blue less than 24 hours after I submitted my IBCCES application. It hadn't even been approved yet. I almost didn't answer the phone because I thought it was a spam call.

I wonder if there was some kind of glitch in their system that added everyone who applied (whether or not they had been accepted) to their call list.

 

[starlite_]

And that’s where we’ll agree to disagree - if people don’t truly need the line accommodations, they shouldn’t be asking for it. That people do ask when it’s not really needed is why there is now additional scrutiny.

And the ppl who do need it get a less effective system because there are more ppl using it.

 

[bambialways4ever]

One size does not fit all. type 2 can also find themselves in distress over dramatic changes in temperature, level of activity & dehydration & find themselves crashing

if we could only get the low down from a boat captain…

Agreed. I was just giving an example on a type of a diabetic that wouldn't need accommodations since that's what was asked.

 

[bambialways4ever]

And the ppl who do need it get a less effective system because there are more ppl using it.

I would LOVE to see your evidential proof of this

 

[starlite_]

I would LOVE to see your evidential proof of this

This thread is filled with ppl saying that it can take 20-30 mins to get an escort to the the loading area for their passes. It isn't rocket science, the more ppl using a service the more time it will take to go thru it. See LLs at Disney.

 

[JLTraveling]

Great write-up on your experience! Super helpful. I just wanted to comment on this part, because I'm wondering if this is something the TM was told but didn't have personal experience with. At least since 2016? 2017?- I've been to HHN with AAP users and used an AAP for HHN myself, and it was always the same one as used during the day. Even if it was tagged to a daytime ticket or AP, it could be used for HHN. And the ticket you scanned for the AAP could be the HHN ticket or your day ticket and it would work for both. This is from multiple years of using AAP for both at the same time, renewing it during the day and at HHN, etc. Never had to reapply for one or the other, use a specific ticket, etc.

They were notoriously awful about *issuing* AAPs during HHN, so I'm wondering if that's where some of the separate system idea comes from. You could get it renewed, but if you were going to get it for the first time, you were subject to more scrutiny and possible denial.

Definitely curious to hear if anyone has any experience needing two separate passes for HHN and daytime? Or having to reapply while already holding one or the other?

In any case, I definitely think August 11th is way too late in the game for HHN stuff to be "issues they're still working on," good lord.

Hmmm, maybe that was a difference between AAP and GAP. My dad has had GAP passes for a long time now, and every time he had to get BOTH daytime GAP passes with no special markings other than the date AND GAP passes that specifically said HHN on them along with the date. When he first got approved for the GAP, they wouldn't give him GAP for HHN at all, just a nighttime AAP. Then he could get 6 GAP passes during the day but only 2 for HHN. Then they finally straightened it all out so he could get 6 during the day and 6 for HHN, but they were still completely different GAP passes. So again, I'm guessing the difference is AAP vs. GAP.

Sometimes they would issue both when he first went into GS during the day, so a total of 12 GAP passes, 6 for the day and 6 for the evening. Other times, they'd make him come back after HHN opened for the evening to get those passes.

 

[keishashadow]

This thread is filled with ppl saying that it can take 20-30 mins to get an escort to the the loading area for their passes. It isn't rocket science, the more ppl using a service the more time it will take to go thru it. See LLs at Disney.

Perhaps they will “stack” people at the main entrance in a bit of a holding area and take back groups every 5 or 10 minutes. I’d assume most could manage/be happy to wait that long for the accommodation.

Then he could get 6 GAP passes during the day but only 2 for HHN. Then they finally straightened it all out so he could get 6 during the day and 6 for HHN, but they were still completely different GAP passes. So again, I'm guessing the difference is AAP vs. GAP.

Interesting. Never heard of getting a set number of passes. Only have seen a folding card system with multiple lines wherein the arrival/return time/TM’s initials were written.

Sometimes they would issue both when he first went into GS during the day, so a total of 12 GAP passes,

from what i gather, many people who stay at the deluxe properties were told they ”didn’t need” a daytime pass since they already had format of express. Only if they needed to skip steps etc, were they advised to request the card which was marked accordingly.

 

[ToxicRoyalty]

Hmmm, maybe that was a difference between AAP and GAP. My dad has had GAP passes for a long time now, and every time he had to get BOTH daytime GAP passes with no special markings other than the date AND GAP passes that specifically said HHN on them along with the date. When he first got approved for the GAP, they wouldn't give him GAP for HHN at all, just a nighttime AAP. Then he could get 6 GAP passes during the day but only 2 for HHN. Then they finally straightened it all out so he could get 6 during the day and 6 for HHN, but they were still completely different GAP passes. So again, I'm guessing the difference is AAP vs. GAP.

Sometimes they would issue both when he first went into GS during the day, so a total of 12 GAP passes, 6 for the day and 6 for the evening. Other times, they'd make him come back after HHN opened for the evening to get those passes.

Yeah it definitely sounds like that's the difference! My experiences are only using orange & gold AAPs, so I have a feeling those might be a bit easier to "streamline" for day and night usage, so to speak? Definitely seems like it took way more effort on their part to make GAP work for both then it should've, though. I definitely think consistency for the users is where all parks' accessibility programs have suffered.

In that case, I'm glad to hear they're working out something better for GAP to be used during other events, hopefully it's worked out in time though!

 

[JLTraveling]

Interesting. Never heard of getting a set number of passes. Only have seen a folding card system with multiple lines wherein the arrival/return time/TM’s initials were written.

from what i gather, many people who stay at the deluxe properties were told they ”didn’t need” a daytime pass since they already had format of express. Only if they needed to skip steps etc, were they advised to request the card which was marked accordingly.

Right. That folding card system is the AAP (attractions assistance pass), which is the base level of accommodation. GAP (guest assistance pass) is a higher level that previously required documentation submitted to Universal and approved by their disability manager. That system prints out separate cards for each person in the party.

Yeah it definitely sounds like that's the difference! My experiences are only using orange & gold AAPs, so I have a feeling those might be a bit easier to "streamline" for day and night usage, so to speak? Definitely seems like it took way more effort on their part to make GAP work for both then it should've, though. I definitely think consistency for the users is where all parks' accessibility programs have suffered.

In that case, I'm glad to hear they're working out something better for GAP to be used during other events, hopefully it's worked out in time though!

Yep, it makes sense that they would have streamlined AAP first. Since GAP is a higher level accommodation, I can see them wanting to control it more (and also be sure that people who used it during the day weren't handing it off to people coming in the gate for HHN). I have no idea if we're still going to end up with separate GAP passes for day and night, but at least they should all come out at once lol.

 

[starlite_]

Perhaps they will “stack” people at the main entrance in a bit of a holding area and take back groups every 5 or 10 minutes. I’d assume most could manage/be happy to wait that long for the accommodation.

I assume they still "stack" by themselves, unless escorts are only taking in one family at the time.

 

[EveDallas]

I finally got my son's accomodations all set. The lady I spoke to set him up with something I've never heard of - she said an escort will take us directly to the ride instead of using the Express entrance. Is that the gold pass people are talking about? Either way, I'm glad it's settled - we leave in one week

 

[AnneK]

I finally got my son's accomodations all set. The lady I spoke to set him up with something I've never heard of - she said an escort will take us directly to the ride instead of using the Express entrance. Is that the gold pass people are talking about? Either way, I'm glad it's settled - we leave in one week

Yes, that is the Gold Pass.

 

[kps7795]

I finally got my son's accomodations all set. The lady I spoke to set him up with something I've never heard of - she said an escort will take us directly to the ride instead of using the Express entrance. Is that the gold pass people are talking about? Either way, I'm glad it's settled - we leave in one week

I hope that you have a great time!