What disabilities do you use specail assistance for at disney?

[HappyLawyer]

I only ask this because it jumped into my mind. My dtr has ADHD, i have never used the service where you go to the fron of the lines, i assumed it is for those with physical disabilities. I do NOT, and please let me repeat DO NOT want this thread turned into insults or flames toward others at all. Please be respectful of others. So have you used the service for ADHD? I don't think i would my dtr gets a bit ancy in line but i think it is the excitment of it all.

 

[JenJen]

Well you won't have to worry about this turning into a flame war because there is no front of the line passes anymore. They now have guest assistance Cards (GAC's). The cards are based on the child's needs not Diagnoses. I will give you two examples. If your Child has problems waiting in the sun there is a card that you can wait in the shade for the length of the Line. If your child uses a stroller as a wheelchair there is a card that states you can take the stroller into the line and use it as a wheelchair. When you go to guest relations you need to express your child's needs and they will give you the appropriate card for there needs. If you state that they have ADHD it would not do any good because kids with ADHD are very different and have different needs they need you to explain there individual needs. There is no such thing as a front of the line pass anymore. If your child can not be in a line for behavioral reasons they will suggest you get fast passes or they will give you a time to come back to the ride depending on staffing and the length of the line. I hope this information helps you out and clears up any questions you have about the Guest assistance card.
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Jennifer

 

[BionicEar]

My oldest son has severe ADHD, but we didn't get a GAC card for him. He was able to handle the line-waiting with no problem at all. We had one meltdown with him, and that was because he hadn't been eating much (believe me we had been trying to get him to eat), so we just got fastpasses, headed to the nearest counterservice and made him eat a jumbo hot dog.

After that, he mellowed out and didn't have any problems since. I'm still surprised that we only had ONE meltdown.

Perhaps your best bet is to sit down with your ADHD child and spell out what she can/cannot expect at Disney. To try to be flexible and spontaneous. I know that last-minute changes can wreak havoc on an ADHD child. At least mine, anyway. My son's teachers know better than to spring a last-minute change in routine on him.

My son is a very picky eater, and tends to get very upset if there isn't something he wants to eat where we go. Right now before our upcoming trip in 22 days, I've been getting him ready for it, by telling him where we will be eating. And not to get upset if there isn't anything on the menu he wants, but rather to ask the server politely and sweetly if he can get what he would rather have. I've heard Disney restaurants are very accomodating when it comes to what the kids would rather be eating. He is excited about our trip, and knows that he's got to be flexible. It's a difficult thing for him to do, but he does try and eventually he'll get it.

I do have to say that I did get a GAC card -- FOR ME. I am deaf, and when we went last, I was still able to use a hearing aid. The GAC card bascially lets the CM know that I would need the use of a handheld captioning device or the use of closed captioning or a seat where I deem suitable for me to enjoy a program/ride. (Front row is not always best for me.) I was even given the script to follow along in for the Great Movie Ride. Now I have a cochlear implant (after I lost the rest of my residual hearing) and I'll be getting the GAC card again.

ADHD kids can enjoy Disney without any problems or extra assistance. It just takes patience and lots of preparation! I wish you much luck and lots of pixie dust.

 

[HappyLawyer]

i agree on the ADHd issue, i would not seek any assistance for my dtr it is like me i have asthma and bronchritis, asthma is considered a disability but come on, i don't need any special treatment for that,

 

[krismom]

Hmm. I kind of disagree about the asthma. It all depends on the type and severity of the persons condition. Please don't diminish any disability, even if you do have it also.

 

[JenJen]

One thing about Any Disability is that each person is different and there needs are different. Some kids with ADHD do need some extra assistance while in the parks while others do fine.
Same with asthma and breathing problems. I have asthma but I would not require assistance in a park with it but there are others that have it so severe that just being around people with certain perfumes can cause a major attack that can send them to the hospital.
That is why the new Cards are so great. They are given out based on a persons needs not there diagnoses
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Jen

 

[riu girl]

happy lawyer:
I just sent you a pm.

 

[SueM in MN]

Whatever condition is mentioned, there is so much variation in the needs, even though the people may have the same basic diagnosis. I think the "needs based" cards are much better.
WDW switched to the current type of GAC in about 1999. Before that, from what I know, it was more diagnosis based and we could not get a card because DD uses a wheelchair and has a major diagnosis or Cerebral Palsy (CP), which was looked at as an "endurance problem."
Some people with CP would probably not need a GAC. The spectum of CP goes all the way from people with just some mild problems with balance or coordination to not having any real control of any part of their body. Some of the people with mild involvement might not need any accomidation; people with more involvement have more accomidation needs.

 

[BionicEar]

Whatever condition is mentioned, there is so much variation in the needs, even though the people may have the same basic diagnosis. I think the "needs based" cards are much better.

I totally agree with you there. The needs-based cards are definitely better. Different people handle their diagnoses in so many different ways. My 6th grade teacher learned this the hard way -- she was born with only half of her left arm, and she thought that I could overcome my handicap the same way she overcame hers. Which was far from the truth.

The sad part is because of her attitude (which was not good), she lost two very good friends she had known since high school -- my parents. She later became a bitter old woman who ended up losing a lot of friends because of her narrow-mindedness and unwillingness to adapt.

Disney went above & beyond for me while I was there, and I look so forward to my next trip! I just hope they've improved on the hand-held captioining devices.

 

[HappyLawyer]

Hmm. I kind of disagree about the asthma. It all depends on the type and severity of the persons condition. Please don't diminish any disability, even if you do have it also.

No one said anything about diminishing anything, it is my personal message so if you want to argue or start mess do it elsewhere and don't advise people on how to act

 

[JenJen]

Happy lawyer i don't think she was trying to start anything ar telling you how to act she was just disagreeing with you which is fine. I think you took it the wrong way. Everyone is here to try and help each other out no one is trying to insults or flame you. I think that a lot of times things that people say can be taken the wrong way becaue all you see is the words types on the boads not peoples expressions or body language.
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Jen

 

[HappyLawyer]

it's not really about being flamed because i could care less, luckily as a lawyer i can argue with the best of them, but it seems with each thread tehre is always one person who likes to start something, we all know how inportant disabilities are and i do not believe anyone on these boards puts down a disability, and i don't care if people disagree with me or not, no will will ever agree on everything i just don't think we need anyone on here to tell us not to put down a disability, we all know how inportant they are. If someone is not sure they should ask instead of telling someone not to put something down, perhaps in a pm but they can handle it anyway they chose, but understand there may be reactions

 

[SueM in MN]

Everyone is here to try and help each other out.........
I think that a lot of times things that people say can be taken the wrong way becaue all you see is the words types on the boards not peoples expressions or body language.
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Jen

This is a good reminder and bears repeating again.
Please, everyone keep it in mind.