VIP Fastpass question

[Peter Pirate 2]

They most likely took the TOTW at the Bay Lake Resort which I took a couple of weeks ago. We got 4 fast passes good for three times each for taking the tour and listening to the presentation. It takes about an hour and a half to do.

Were these laminated plastic cards or key cards? One per group?

 

[Rochester Disney Fan]

Rustyscupper
I'm not trying to argue but just give a different perspective.
We tour the park as a family like most people do. When a member of a party decides a ride or attraction is not for them they can most likely find something to do while the other members of the party are doing the ride or attraction. With an autistic child it is difficult to keep them occupied. Your alternative would be to have him go on the attraction he doesn't feel comfortable with and make everyone around him wish he wasn't there or have no one participate .( I say no one because it would be too hard for us to keep him busy for the duration of a regular wait time). If this was the case we and many other families with disabilities would not be able to go to the park at all. It is still a major endeavor to go for a few hours even with this "perk”. We also try not to go to Disney during the busy season.

Peter Pirate 2
I was not taking it that way either, I was just giving some info to the program I know about. That’s why I was trying to describe what the GAC's looked like.
Also I believe the program at Universal is called Head of the Line. I believe you get a wristband if you are staying at one of the three Universal hotels.

 

[doconeill]

Rustyscupper
I'm not trying to argue but just give a different perspective.
We tour the park as a family like most people do. When a member of a party decides a ride or attraction is not for them they can most likely find something to do while the other members of the party are doing the ride or attraction. With an autistic child it is difficult to keep them occupied. Your alternative would be to have him go on the attraction he doesn't feel comfortable with and make everyone around him wish he wasn't there or have no one participate .( I say no one because it would be too hard for us to keep him busy for the duration of a regular wait time). If this was the case we and many other families with disabilities would not be able to go to the park at all. It is still a major endeavor to go for a few hours even with this "perk”. We also try not to go to Disney during the busy season.

Peter Pirate 2
I was not taking it that way either, I was just giving some info to the program I know about. That’s why I was trying to describe what the GAC's looked like.
Also I believe the program at Universal is called Head of the Line. I believe you get a wristband if you are staying at one of the three Universal hotels.

I went back to re-read what you had posted, and I'm wondering if what you meant is how it read...if you used the GAC card to get yourself and your non-autistic son through an attraction in a way that provided an advantage to you and the person for whom the GAC card was issued was not involved, then I do believe you may be abusing the use of that card - but that is up to Disney, not me. But I can see how it might be interpreted as being allowed - for instance, the need to get back as quickly as possible to your autistic son. I'm just not sure if that is a valid use.

If the person to whom the card is issued met up with you later in the queue or at the loading area, that is within what the card may provide (the crd does not provide any specific benefit - it only notifies the CM of a special need). It is NOT a "front of the line" access card.

It is difficult to understand which of these you meant in your message.

We will be getting a GAC for my father-in-law for our trip (next week ). The only thing I'm expecting out of that is to notify the CMs that they may need to slow down/stop some of the in-motion loading areas so he has time to get on.

As for Universal, they offer Express access for free to resort guests, which gets unlimited FOTL access to attractions equipped for it. You get access via your room card, just like Disney does with EMH. They also sell a "single use per attraction" Express Plus Pass, the cost of which varies according to crowds. It costs the least when you generally don't need it

 

[mrsksomeday]

I can tell you right now they are in no way connected to the Guest assistance card. The GAC does not give you front of line access. Yes on some rides it does act like a FP but never gets you front of line. Most of the time it allows you to wait in a different area until your time to board comes. Some GAC's allow some one to wait in the shade until their party gets to the head of the line. I think that is why you see more people renting wheelchairs and ECV's, they think you get head of line, but you don't.

Thank you so much for stating this, you did it better than I could have. I get so saddened when people think the GAC is a front of the line pass because it is not. It helps people with disabilites to be able to tour the theme parks with their families.

 

[TisBit]

I can tell you right now they are in no way connected to the Guest assistance card. The GAC does not give you front of line access. Yes on some rides it does act like a FP but never gets you front of line. Most of the time it allows you to wait in a different area until your time to board comes. Some GAC's allow some one to wait in the shade until their party gets to the head of the line. I think that is why you see more people renting wheelchairs and ECV's, they think you get head of line, but you don't.

Actually, I still say in reference to what OP is posting, the GAC makes the most sense. If a party with the GAC has waited in the seperate area and than rejoin their group at the front of the line, this might have been what the OP was seeing, a guest or two with disabilities along with someone assisting them rejoining a group at the front.

Its possible that there was a larger group of guests with disabilities that had organized a trip and the OP ran into this a few times during their trip. Many guests that use the GAC do have them in lanyards, plastic holders etc.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Actually, I still say in reference to what OP is posting, the GAC makes the most sense. If a party with the GAC has waited in the seperate area and than rejoin their group at the front of the line, this might have been what the OP was seeing, a guest or two with disabilities along with someone assisting them rejoining a group at the front.

Its possible that there was a larger group of guests with disabilities that had organized a trip and the OP ran into this a few times during their trip. Many guests that use the GAC do have them in lanyards, plastic holders etc.

Not just a few times. That's the point. And generally it was different groups each time although I did see one family three times. But I'm telling you I saw at least 20 families with these, what I would describe as VIP passes. The CM's glanced at them, never looked hard and they moved swiftly into where directed so as not to cause a stir, so it seemed (only my perception).

 

[TisBit]

Not just a few times. That's the point. And generally it was different groups each time although I did see one family three times. But I'm telling you I saw at least 20 families with these, what I would describe as VIP passes. The CM's glanced at them, never looked hard and they moved swiftly into where directed so as not to cause a stir, so it seemed (only my perception).

I don't really know and it doesn't seem anyone else does, but it could very well be that a very large group with GAC's had organized a trips and had been throughout the parks that time. As others, doesn't really give you front of the line access, unless maybe it was a very large make a wish program where they took a large number of families at one time.

Just trying to come up with theories that might explain what you saw....

 

[TheRustyScupper]

We will be getting a GAC for my father-in-law for our trip (next week). The only thing I'm expecting out of that is to notify the CMs that they may need to slow down/stop some of the in-motion loading areas so he has time to get on.

1) Let us know how this worked, and which ones slowed/stopped.
2) There are only a few rides where they do this.
3) Of course, vehicle rides (like Splash Mtn) are no problem.

 

[doconeill]

1) Let us know how this worked, and which ones slowed/stopped.
2) There are only a few rides where they do this.
3) Of course, vehicle rides (like Splash Mtn) are no problem.

Right, any attraction where loading/departure is fully CM controlled won't be a problem, but omnimover attractions may be an issue for him.

 

[livndisney]

I unfortunately can shed some light on the GAC as I have an Autistic Son. It is a pink and white card. You can get the card at guest services with the proper documentation. I wear mine on a lanyard so its easier to juggle everything else I'm handling. The card itself is good for 5 guest. ( I have 4 in my party).There are times when I’ll take just my non Autistic son on a ride while my wife and autistic child are waiting for us and not visible to the crowd. I am grateful for this program because my daily window of time at the park is limited and cannot typically take advantage of early or extended hours. I understand some people think this is "unfair" but I would be grateful to trade places.

The GAC is intended for those with disabilities. It is not pink and white.

If you are taking your non disabled son on the rides you need to use fastpass or stand in line.

And no need to "trade places" we live it.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

The GAC is intended for those with disabilities. It is not pink and white.

If you are taking your non disabled son on the rides you need to use fastpass or stand in line.

And no need to "trade places" we live it.

Off topic.

I'll never get to the truth if we're going to bicker on serious issues. Come on folks, someone has to be able to blow the lid off of this HUGE story being kept from us. Who's selling these passes on the sly? Is it a black market thing? Counterfitting? Should we call in the FBI?

It happened at Universal, it could happen at Disney!

 

[livndisney]

Off topic.

I'll never get to the truth if we're going to bicker on serious issues. Come on folks, someone has to be able to blow the lid off of this HUGE story being kept from us. Who's selling these passes on the sly? Is it a black market thing? Counterfitting? Should we call in the FBI?

It happened at Universal, it could happen at Disney!

Correcting wrong information is wrong on the Dis? Who knew?

I will leave you to enjoy your conspiracy theory-have fun!

Maybe it was Miss Peacock in the library

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Correcting wrong information is wrong on the Dis? Who knew?

I will leave you to enjoy your conspiracy theory-have fun!

Maybe it was Miss Peacock in the library

Thanks!

 

[New York Digger]

Rumor board right ? you guys are nuts !! I have a child with autism and use the GAC,, let me tell you, I will trade places with any normal child any day of the year.. No GAC card NO MORE DISNEY for me... you can't just walk up and get one either..if you do , something wrong happened.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

Rumor board right ? you guys are nuts !! I have a child with autism and use the GAC,, let me tell you, I will trade places with any normal child any day of the year.. No GAC card NO MORE DISNEY for me... you can't just walk up and get one either..if you do , something wrong happened.

Who's nuts??? What does your post have to do with the number of VIP F/P cards I saw? Which is what we're talking about (trying to figure out what the reason could possibly be).

 

[DizCaptain]

The passes you saw were, in fact, DVC "VIP" fastpasses. I just got 4 them with my family yesterday for taking part in the BLT member celebration event. I haven't used them yet, as I am doing so today, however each one appears to be good for three attractions at one time.

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

The passes you saw were, in fact, DVC "VIP" fastpasses. I just got 4 them with my family yesterday for taking part in the BLT member celebration event. I haven't used them yet, as I am doing so today, however each one appears to be good for three attractions at one time.

Ahhhh, they're laminated and possibly in a laynard and one is good for the whole family / group?

 

[Peter Pirate 2]

The passes you saw were, in fact, DVC "VIP" fastpasses. I just got 4 them with my family yesterday for taking part in the BLT member celebration event. I haven't used them yet, as I am doing so today, however each one appears to be good for three attractions at one time.

On second thought, the people we saw weren't getting they're passes scanned or even looked at closely, they mostly just flashed it and in they went. That would exclude a limited number I think.

 

[zulemara]

edit: wrong person quoted

 

[zulemara]

Rumor board right ? you guys are nuts !! I have a child with autism and use the GAC,, let me tell you, I will trade places with any normal child any day of the year.. No GAC card NO MORE DISNEY for me... you can't just walk up and get one either..if you do , something wrong happened.

yes you can, disney can not legally question your disability or the reason why you would need this card