GAC Changes???

[KPeveler]

I just wanted to say that I am so thankful for this forum. DS (8) has ADHD, SPD and Anxiety. This and the other boards have been very helpful as we try to plan our trip at the end of March. I am glad you have all shared your insight. I can go and request the GAC (whether we use it or not is a whole other question) and have a great trip. Thanks!

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[SueM in MN]

Hope you have a great trip.

Agree.
Glad you found what you needed and hope you have a great trip.

 

[refinnej]

Agree.
Glad you found what you needed and hope you have a great trip.

Thanks everyone! I talked with DS about this last night and set his expectations that we might be able to wait in a quieter area or somewhere in the shade hopefully. BUT that we would not be using it all the time. He also understands that it is not a pass to the front of the line!

 

[Jonell]

I just spoke to a CM with Guest Experiences about a GAC issue tht we had during our last visit. She hinted around to the fact the with the new enhancements that there may be some system put into play that tracks who receives GAC and their accomodations. I think that this would be great and maybe cut down on abuse and any hassle when getting a renewed GAC.

 

[cmwade77]

I just spoke to a CM with Guest Experiences about a GAC issue tht we had during our last visit. She hinted around to the fact the with the new enhancements that there may be some system put into play that tracks who receives GAC and their accomodations. I think that this would be great and maybe cut down on abuse and any hassle when getting a renewed GAC.

It may also assist with allocating resources based on when each attraction has more GACs being used. There are patterns and this may help Disney track the patterns.

 

[dansamy]

This was our first trip requiring accommodations. My husband had a stroke about 8 weeks ago. His balance, stamina, strength & endurance are all diminished right now. The GAC & the accommodations Disney provided allowed him to see the parks at a slower pace, but still see most of what he wanted to see. I have a new appreciation for disabilities & accommodations for them now. I also have new respect for wish families.

 

[Annielkd22222]

Lock, shock etc.).. I know nothing is guaranteed. but I would think someone with a visual impairment (where the GAC is stamped "front of shows") should be able to use the handicapped area for illuminations.
since it was christmas time (early dec) it DID say it didnt' apply to the Candlelight Processional. understood. it didn't say it didn't apply to illuminations.
wouldn't you think someone in wheelchairs, ecvs, should line up in the front, not the back? ok, until we came, there was no one in front of them, but they left tons of space in front of them, and NO space behind them. we stood behind everyne lined up, in rows, behind the rail along the lagoon.

as anywhere, if you choose to sit further back, you can't guarantee no one will be in front of you.

even if we had gotten there FIRST, before anyone, NO WAY would we have stood along the rail and let wheel chairs line up behind us. if we had been there first, we would have sat at the rail. if there were wheelchairs AT the rail when we got there... well then we would have let wheelchairs in front of us as long as we were behind them. but no way should we have to sit on the ground BEHIND wheel chairs, ecvs, so the wheel chairs behind us can see, when they can easily go in FRONT of us.

it was obvious to me that the rest of the family wanted to sit against the back rail, and demanded that NO ONE stand in front of them. very selfish.

How about when parent let their perfectly fine kids sit on the benches when it is needed by someone who is handicapped. I had to lean on the ledge of the bench while kids sat there with their grandparents in motor scooters. I couldn't walk afterwards....it was horrible.

 

[smidgy]

How about when parent let their perfectly fine kids sit on the benches when it is needed by someone who is handicapped. I had to lean on the ledge of the bench while kids sat there with their grandparents in motor scooters. I couldn't walk afterwards....it was horrible.

you would think that since we're all in the handicapped viewing area because of various disabilities, we would all be considerate of each other

 

[cmwade77]

you would think that since we're all in the handicapped viewing area because of various disabilities, we would all be considerate of each other

We have had this issue at WOC at DCA as well, especially at the AP event with the Glow with the Show ears. People who didn't even have a GAC, wheelchair or scooter were sitting in the benches in the wheelchair section and the CMs would not ask them to move. We ended up leaving as a result, luckily, since we have passes, we can go back, but not everyone is as lucky. Then add in the people in front of the wheelchair sections that are allowed to put kids on their shoulders and you can see that this doesn't work well.

Bottom line is these things should be thought about better.

 

[Annielkd22222]

I actually said something to their parents who said "we were here first and we are all staying in this section". Here first??? I would love it if we could all get along.....I just wish people could shout some courtesy.

 

[Talking Hands]

This happened to me at Magic Kingdom. When I arrived the area for the sign language was completely filled with people. While a few people did move most remained there. It was the fault of the CMs as they did not put up the proper signage when the ropes were set up.

 

[lilmissdisney216]

I took a previous trip to WDW back in 2011 and was requiring a GAC. I have Epstein Barr Syndrome, heart murmur, knee problems, and a permanent back injury that gets aggrivated by long periods of standing at times. We didn't use the GAC all the time, just the times that I needed it the most. It was hurtful sometimes to hear people say some pretty rude things when I showed my GAC but I couldn't have been more thankful for it. I was asked some questions at MK when I got mine there and I'm really glad they asked. I too have a new outlook on those with disabilities.

Planning another trip to WDW this fall and it will be the first "tons of walking trip" since a minor foot operation last year that landed me with a titanium pin tacking down a tendon. Foot is not going to be 100% again and is sometimes rather painful and I have to be in a wheelchair occasionally but I wanna do this trip!

Happy travels and magical trips to those leaving soon for their vacations!

 

[ladyknight1]

Apparently, it is up to the individual Cast Member's discretion.

I had one negative experience at Epcot, with the CM telling me that I could only have a GAC specifying a wheelchair during the wait (not a good option for me due to back issues), and then telling me there were no managers available when I requested to speak to one. The CM would only give me the GAC for one day, even though I have a premium annual pass and would be at another park within the week.
A week later, at Hollywood Studios, the CM was so helpful and went above and beyond, writing the GAC for two months and the maximum amount of persons, even though I only had two people with me.

 

[Sparkly]

We tried to use the GAC for the Town Square Theatre princess M&G and was told we needed a Fasspass for it and the Mickey M&G. I guess it depends.

 

[Piper]

GACs aren't good for meet and greets.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Meet & greets never officially had accomodations for GACs but at one time CMs would allow for waiting elsewhere at the permanent M&G locations. It's been quite a while though. I don't think it was ever official policy to do it (quite the opposite actually) so no change to official policy but it is a change to what many of us experienced. Of course the former accomodations also predated FPs for characters so at least now we can get consistent results by grabbing FPs.

 

[Vidia2]

Meet & greets never officially had accomodations for GACs but at one time CMs would allow for waiting elsewhere at the permanent M&G locations. It's been quite a while though. I don't think it was ever official policy to do it (quite the opposite actually) so no change to official policy but it is a change to what many of us experienced. Of course the former accomodations also predated FPs for characters so at least now we can get consistent results by grabbing FPs.

We've only used our GACs for meet and greets in the old Toontown location and only when the line was really long. I don't know what the policy is but the CMs are lovely people who will accommodate you if they see a need (except for Fantasmic!). This isn't special treatment, it's accommodation and they know that. We've been standing in long lines before to see characters and have actually been pulled out by CMs and taken up to be next in line. We've also, on the cruise ships, been invited to special character meet and greets for kids with similar issues and there are no GACs on the ships. Also, in the parks, you can ask to wait separately at M&Gs, and many times they'll pull you aside and then send you to the character after a couple of families have gone and they ones in line can see that you aren't cutting, you have a legitimate need.

We do our part and wait in line as much as is possible for our son. If they've made the M&Gs more restrictive for autistic kids....well, I can't imagine that. Unlike a very few others who haven't been exposed to autistic kids, Disney knows that there may be incidents in long lines that they'd rather not have happen that are NOT bad behavior, but are actually because of the disability.

 

[clanmcculloch]

I respectfully disagree that this is an accomodation vs special treatment. I have an autistic child which is why my family goes to get a GAC so it's not a matter of not understanding what it's like to have an autistic child. We're limited in how many hours we can be away from our resort each day and we can only leave our resort 2 days in a row before we have to take a full break day at our resort. I know what it's like to not be able to do as much as others and I know what it's like to have to skip attractions because of my child's needs. That doesn't mean that I think that we should go ahead of others. It's just life with an autistic child. The accomodations that we do get do make a difference and there are attractions we couldn't go to without the accomodations but we actually accomplish a lot more using a good touring plan than we do with our GAC. You mention that you only use your GAC when there's a long line but we don't encouter long lines because of our touring plan.

Using the GAC in Toontown in the past was so inconsistent. There were times that yes we went in quickly but there were other times where our wait was longer than the posted wait time. Now with FPs for characters we know exactly what to expect which is wonderful. Last summer my kids wanted to see the princesses so while DH was checking us in for our lunch ADR I ran and got FPs. Once lunch was over it was the FP time and we went to see them. There were only maybe 4 families ahead of us so it was a short wait. Generally if we'll be wanting to see characters during a trip I'll book character meals and/or fit it in our touring plans where there won't be waits.