GAC trouble (using it)

[taximomfor4]

Just got back from WDW 8/11-8/19. Just had to ask...does anyone else have trouble using GAC, or is this reserved just for my family?

MomtoMJM met up with us at AK on Sunday. She finally moved my family down to where our seats should have been in the Tarzan show, for visual impairment. WHY?!
And that was AFTER we had to beg to be allowed to wait in the WC area, to keep dd out of the hot, loud, crowded line.

At Pirates of the Caribbean (dd3's favorite ride), we tried the line but it is so loud and echoing in there, dd7 with SID couldn't take it so we came back out and asked the CM where to go. He told us that since the wait was less than five minutes, we had to go into the regular line to wait. So we did. I don't know that line, really, and it turns around walls a lot. But the line was almost to the outside, if that gives you any indication how long it was. It moved constantly, slowly, but took 35 minutes to get on the ride.

On IASM, we showed the visual impairment need, but were told to sit in the last 2 rows since the stuff is all on the sides anyway. They don't know WHAT dd;s impairment is...they are just supposed to provide unimpaired view.

On the boat tour in Living with the Land, the CM assigning seats told us to go to the last 2 rows, after I had shown him the GAC. He said "Yeah, I saw it. Once you get down here, it is pretty moot." TOld us agian to go to the last 2 rows. I asked if that is for visual impairment, and he said "Oh, I didn't read the stamp." No, REALLY?

On teacups, we were told to wait in the main waiting area. Where they pack everyone in more and more tightly. Then they open the gate, and everyone stampedes for a teacup. My dh and kids stood there through THREE ride cycles, since dd7 cannot move fast enough (due to fear of bumping into others, or being knocked down) to beat other people onto a ride. FRUSTRATING!

These examples were all CM issues with GAC. Here is one, about another guest! We were in the Hall of Presidents, waiting for the seating to open up. Dd started picking her finger fixedly, her sign that she is agitated and trying to tune out. So I backtracked to the door, and asked a CM where to go, with our GAC. She told me to follow her, so I waved to dh and the kids. We went back into the waiting area, to a side door. There was a family there, witha child in a wc. The CM told me she was going to have us go in first, to see where dd could see. She opened the door, waved me in, then announced for wheelchair families to follow her. The lady pushing the wheelchair loudly said to my back, as she followed us through the door, "She SAID WHEELCHAIRS." I ignored her and followed the cm. The lady then said " Hmmmmpph. Mumble Mumble Mumble." I turned and said, "Visual impairments need accomodating too. And we aren't going to sit in a WHEELCHAIR companion seat."

Man, I tell you! This is something I wrote to WDW about after our Easter trip. Just begging them to explain GACs to CMs again, maybe include a blurb about sensitivity. Man!!

Beth

p.s. I DID leave out the good CM stories, where we were shocked at how efficiently and nicely the GAC was handled. But to be honest, that happened less often. Rarely. We mostly stuck to fastpass, and don't ride much anyway. So these few bad examples I gave are 3/4 of our experience using GAC.

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to hear you had problems. From what I have read, the GAC for visual impairment is not one that they use often - not an excuse for bad CM treatment of you, but maybe a bit of an explanation.
They changed the GAC a few years ago from having a paragraph of information to a stamped icon. That is easier for the CMs to glance at and know what it indicates, but it sounds like some didn't look any farther than seeing that you had a GAC.

And that was AFTER we had to beg to be allowed to wait in the WC area, to keep dd out of the hot, loud, crowded line.

I don't know what was stamped on your GAC, but if it was just regarding visual impairment, that might be why they didn't let you wait there.

At Pirates of the Caribbean (dd3's favorite ride), we tried the line but it is so loud and echoing in there, dd7 with SID couldn't take it so we came back out and asked the CM where to go. He told us that since the wait was less than five minutes, we had to go into the regular line to wait. So we did. I don't know that line, really, and it turns around walls a lot. But the line was almost to the outside, if that gives you any indication how long it was. It moved constantly, slowly, but took 35 minutes to get on the ride.

Pirates is one of the rides with the worst set up. It has a tremendous amount of space in there and can hold a lot of people without having a line coming out the door. Or, the line can be out the door, but they have blocked it off as a direct route and the wait really will be only a few minutes.
Once we got in there, were following the open path and ended as a dead end. We had to backtrack to get back out. The CM said that when it's not busy, people sometimes close the ropes behind them as a "joke" so the next people in are led on a wild goose route.
There is no alternate entrance to that attraction, so you pretty much have to go thru the regular line to ride it. (There is a back way to the entrance, but it involves travel thru a backstage area, so they would have to have a CM free to lead you there). They probably didn't have one, but a "sorry" would have been nice since you were having a problem with waiting.

On IASM, we showed the visual impairment need, but were told to sit in the last 2 rows since the stuff is all on the sides anyway. They don't know WHAT dd;s impairment is...they are just supposed to provide unimpaired view.

On the boat tour in Living with the Land, the CM assigning seats told us to go to the last 2 rows, after I had shown him the GAC. He said "Yeah, I saw it. Once you get down here, it is pretty moot." TOld us agian to go to the last 2 rows. I asked if that is for visual impairment, and he said "Oh, I didn't read the stamp." No, REALLY?

For rides like Small World and Living with the Land, it may not matter that much where you are sitting in the boat as long as your DD was on the outside of the row. I've ridden all over those boats when we didn't have DD with her wheelchair wih us and the view is really not all that different no matter what row you are in. For Small World, the music continues, so it's not really connected to what you are seeing that much. For the Land, it may help for someone with visual difficulties to be near the front because the will be closer to what the CM /narration is actually talking about at the time.
Sounds like the CMs could have been more tactful though.

On teacups, we were told to wait in the main waiting area. Where they pack everyone in more and more tightly. Then they open the gate, and everyone stampedes for a teacup. My dh and kids stood there through THREE ride cycles, since dd7 cannot move fast enough (due to fear of bumping into others, or being knocked down) to beat other people onto a ride. FRUSTRATING!

I don't know why they don't do that differently. (Well, I think I do know, but I'll mention that later).
I don't like spinning rides, so I don't go on, but DH has to carry youngest DD (not a tiny thing - she's 5 feet tall and 85 pounds). Often by the time he got to a car, another family had run past them and gotten into the one they were heading for. (Some people are pretty rude). So, he'd end up with no car close by and the ride ready to start. What we've done the last few times was have able bodied DD go ahead quickly to get a teacup (and keep people from getting into it). I'd suggest if someone has enough people to do that and still have one to help the person with a disability, that's probably the way to do it.

These examples were all CM issues with GAC. Here is one, about another guest! We were in the Hall of Presidents, waiting for the seating to open up. Dd started picking her finger fixedly, her sign that she is agitated and trying to tune out. So I backtracked to the door, and asked a CM where to go, with our GAC. She told me to follow her, so I waved to dh and the kids. We went back into the waiting area, to a side door. There was a family there, witha child in a wc. The CM told me she was going to have us go in first, to see where dd could see. She opened the door, waved me in, then announced for wheelchair families to follow her. The lady pushing the wheelchair loudly said to my back, as she followed us through the door, "She SAID WHEELCHAIRS." I ignored her and followed the cm. The lady then said " Hmmmmpph. Mumble Mumble Mumble." I turned and said, "Visual impairments need accomodating too. And we aren't going to sit in a WHEELCHAIR companion seat."

Agree. Some guests can be pretty rude. I don't know whether or not the CM had heard, but if she had, it would have been nice for her to turn and just indicate she had asked you to follow.

In the way past, like up to the mid 1990s, things were better. I think the CMs might have actually gotten some sensitivity training where they had to simulate disabilities (like plug ears with cotton, stay in a wheelchair, eyes blindfolded or with glasses smeared with vaseline to make vision unclear). I know that some people from the hospital where I work went to some Customer Service Training at WDW where they did that. If they were doing it for their Training Customers, I think it's likely they also did it for their own CMs. I don't know if they are doing that any more, but I doubt it.
Also, I know that in the mid 1990s the staffing was much better. Some attractions used to have 1 or 2 more people assigned. That may not sound like much, but it allowed one person to be sort of a "trouble shooter" and do a better job of andling people with special needs. Now, the attractions seem to be staffed to the bare minimum.
Last March, when we were going into the Muppet Show, we heard the lone CM at the entrance on the phone to her supervisor asking for someone to come and relieve her so she could go to the bathroom .We heard her tell the supervisor that she had been on that attraction for 6 hours without a break. The supervisor wanted her to wait since she only had an hour of work left.
If that's happening often, it's no wonder if the CMs are a bit distracted and/or sometimes rude. Still a problem, but a different problem than just needing more education/compassion.

 

[dclfun]

Wow...sorry to hear of the troubles you had. I have a different color stamp on my GAC and even though it's pretty clear what it's for, rarely do the CM's look at it. I feel they just assume that everyone with a GAC has the same issues, which is certainly untrue. If you are unfamiliar with WDW and the attraction entrances/queues then it can be a real trial to have a misunderstanding. I do wish they'd take the time and courtesy to READ the GAC, not just glance at it and pass you along. Sometimes I also feel as though there is judgement passed on the GAC-using person which interferes with a simple kindness of accomodating someone's special needs so they can enjoy themselves just like everyone else. Kathy

 

[JudithM]

I'm sorry to read you had so many negative experiences with your GAC. I'm sure it must have been very frustrating for all of you.

I have been getting a GAC for several years now, & I have mostly very positive CM/attraction experiences. One negative experience was with a CM at the entrance to the Land boat ride last April. I sent my group onto the ride without me while I found an attraction manager & discussed the attitude of the CM. The manager was very attentive & listened & chatted with me for awhile. The CMs at the end of the ride were also very, very nice while I waited for my group.

 

[eeyore45]

Quote=
"In the way past, like up to the mid 1990s, things were better. I think the CMs might have actually gotten some sensitivity training where they had to simulate disabilities (like plug ears with cotton, stay in a wheelchair, eyes blindfolded or with glasses smeared with vaseline to make vision unclear). I know that some people from the hospital where I work went to some Customer Service Training at WDW where they did that. If they were doing it for their Training Customers, I think it's likely they also did it for their own CMs. I don't know if they are doing that any more, but I doubt it."

ah, I remember doing this at school too!! (teaching it to all students!!) IF ONLY Disney and othes would understand the need to continue educating their workers!! (what a wonderful world this could be!)

I too experienced uneducated CM's (most felt bad, and wished they knew better at the time) and I did chuckle at the lady who got so angry at us for claiming the reflective captioned best seats - we entered at the 'exit' row - she had been hoping for end seats apparently even tho at 3D middle is better - boy she mouthed off to dh (who couldnt hear it! lol) and I tried to explain, we're using reflective captioning, the cm is coming... but I knew she turned me off... then when we got the mirror, she truly turned beet RED!! She did apologize to dh, and I smiled and said I understood, then she wanted more info...

we were lucky, mostly because dh being an adult, we had different needs and expectations...



Maybe a letter writing campaign, not just email?? (what if they got 3,000 snail mails asking for better sensitivity training??)

 

[joannelee217]

"
got 3,000 snail mails asking for better sensitivity training??)[/QUOTE]


If they even read them.
I sent letters about my many negative adventures this summer
and I got a standard form letter reply telling me they understood my concerns........

If they really understood my concerns
I believe more than a form letter would have been sent

 

[taximomfor4]

I don't know what was stamped on your GAC, but if it was just regarding visual impairment, that might be why they didn't let you wait there.

Pirates is one of the rides with the worst set up. It has a tremendous amount of space in there and can hold a lot of people without having a line coming out the door. Or, the line can be out the door, but they have blocked it off as a direct route and the wait really will be only a few minutes.
Once we got in there, were following the open path and ended as a dead end. We had to backtrack to get back out. The CM said that when it's not busy, people sometimes close the ropes behind them as a "joke" so the next people in are led on a wild goose route.
There is no alternate entrance to that attraction, so you pretty much have to go thru the regular line to ride it. (There is a back way to the entrance, but it involves travel thru a backstage area, so they would have to have a CM free to lead you there). They probably didn't have one, but a "sorry" would have been nice since you were having a problem with waiting.

For rides like Small World and Living with the Land, it may not matter that much where you are sitting in the boat as long as your DD was on the outside of the row. I've ridden all over those boats when we didn't have DD with her wheelchair wih us and the view is really not all that different no matter what row you are in. For Small World, the music continues, so it's not really connected to what you are seeing that much. For the Land, it may help for someone with visual difficulties to be near the front because the will be closer to what the CM /narration is actually talking about at the time.
Sounds like the CMs could have been more tactful though.

I don't know why they don't do that differently. (Well, I think I do know, but I'll mention that later).
I don't like spinning rides, so I don't go on, but DH has to carry youngest DD (not a tiny thing - she's 5 feet tall and 85 pounds). Often by the time he got to a car, another family had run past them and gotten into the one they were heading for. (Some people are pretty rude). So, he'd end up with no car close by and the ride ready to start. What we've done the last few times was have able bodied DD go ahead quickly to get a teacup (and keep people from getting into it). I'd suggest if someone has enough people to do that and still have one to help the person with a disability, that's probably the way to do it.

Lets just say that with our GAC, we were not supposed to wait in the standard place...we only pursued that one if the line was really loud, busy, or crowded.

For Pirates, I agree that the line length is tough to gage...as we figured out, lol. We would not have minded if they would have asked us to return later due to lack of other entrance or whatever...or told us a more accurate wait time so we would not attempt the line right then.

Our reason for insisting on visual-impaired seating even on the rides with everything on the sides is because dd's got a spot of vision...part of her eye is unformed. So if someone's head is right where she needs to see, it will block her from seeing anything at that time. So we were insistent on waiting for the next boat or whatever to get her the seating with the least heads in the way possible. In front row, she can see all over ahead of her, the side of the boat she is on, and can lean a little forward to see the other side with no heads in the way. Really wish CMs on those rides would be more polite in explaining why they think that GAC stamp is unnecessary on their rides.

I wish I could do the spinny rides, but I was sitting out with youngest dd while dh took the other 3 kids onto the teacups. HATED watching the stampede to try and get a teacup, only to see my kids get outrun time and time again. In fact, the time they DID finally get a teacup, ds was knocked down pretty roughly by a MAN...skinned his knee pretty good...but jumped right up and got another teacup before crying, lol.

I guess I should point out that I am not trying to insult CMs, since most that we encountered (not using GAC) were constantly polite and friendly...just was more or less wondering if anyone else had suffered similiar attitudes using their GACs. I think it is pretty sad that these situations happened at all. CMs may suspect GAC abuse, but they never know which people are abusers and which people are not. So should probably err on the side of civility!

 

[JenJen]

Although I have not been to WDW in three years I go to Disneyland about once or twice a month and I have to agree the GAC has been a bit of a problem mostly this summer. I believe it is because there are so many new cast members and they are working so many hours so they have a short fuse. The GACS are a little different at Disneyland they are all the same color but have different stamps for different needs. There are certain attractions that my daughter refuses to go through fast pass because of the noise level and I just explain to the cast member that we will be happy to wait for the length of the line in a open area but she will freak out if she is in that line and normally it is not an issue. We had several issues on our last trip with our GAC the cast members were short and not flexible so we ended up leaving a few attractions because I did not want to argue with them. Most of the time we do not have problems but this last trip was one problem after another. We are going again 7 days from now so I will let you all know if it was just a "bad day" or if it is something that is going to continue.
I don't think leaving is really a good ideal I think you need to state your case and stand up for what you believe is right but I was exhasted and not feeling well. I never ask to go right to the front of the line but if my child can not handle the line I do ask to have a alternate waiting area which I believe is acceptable.
JenJen

 

[SueM in MN]

Our reason for insisting on visual-impaired seating even on the rides with everything on the sides is because dd's got a spot of vision...part of her eye is unformed. So if someone's head is right where she needs to see, it will block her from seeing anything at that time. So we were insistent on waiting for the next boat or whatever to get her the seating with the least heads in the way possible. In front row, she can see all over ahead of her, the side of the boat she is on, and can lean a little forward to see the other side with no heads in the way. Really wish CMs on those rides would be more polite in explaining why they think that GAC stamp is unnecessary on their rides.

Your explanation makes a big difference.
To quote a movie, I think "What we have here is a failure to communicate." When you said you needed "Vision Impaired Seating" you had something in mind and the CM who heard it had something else in mind.

When I hear "vision impaired", I think that the person needs to be seated as close as possible to the action.
For shows, that's pretty easy and most everyone would agree - front row. For rides, the action is on the sides, so it's logical to think that any seat along the side should be as acceptable as any other seat.
That was the assumption I made when I read your post the first time (Sorry) and that was probably the assumption the CMs were making.
So, when you asked for "Vision Impaired Seating", they gave you what they thought you wanted and were confused that it was not acceptable.

Obviously, a better response from the CM would have been something like "I'm sorry this seat doesn't meet your DD's needs. Could you explain why it doesn't so I can find seats that are acceptable to you." That would have left you feeling like the CM cared about what you needed and you would have gotten what you were looking for.
We run into a similar situation with rides with moving walkways. The CMs assume that slowing them down is what we want if we say we need extra time to board. Usually, what we really need is lots of extra time to board; as in, "Stop the ride for us to board." We have learned over the years that if we just say we need extra time, all they do is slow the walkway down, so we proactively tell the CM we need a full stop, so that they can't misunderstand.
The same thing for rides where wheelchair users can either stay in the wheelchair or get out and get into a ride car. Usually, unless something is said, the CM assumes that you will get out. They should (used to, and sometimes still do) ask whether or not DD wants to stay in her wheelchair. But we have learned to specify what we need.

A suggestion for future trips for those rides, to get a better chance of getting what your DD needs, you might want to say something like "We need to sit in the front seat. DD has some blind spots and can't see if anyone is seated in front of her. " That is less likely to be misunderstood.

A GAC shouldn't have a "learning curve", but unfortunenately they do. One thing they used to do that would help would be for the CM at Guest Service to explain how to use the GAC. Things like what "Visual Impaired Seating" means on various types of attractions and that "extra time to board" means slowing the walkway. That way, you would be prepared to explain to the CM if you need something else on those attractions.

 

[JudithM]

A suggestion for future trips for those rides, to get a better chance of getting what your DD needs, you might want to say something like "We need to sit in the front seat. DD has some blind spots and can't see if anyone is seated in front of her. " That is less likely to be misunderstood.

I think we as guests need to be politely proactive. I know sometimes I ask CM if I can wait for a specific view, seat, whatever due to my knees. Beth, perhaps next time you could just show the GAC & say something like, "My daughter can enjoy the attraction better if she is in the front row (or wherever)." I can only begin to imagine how frustrating it must have been four you & your family.

 

[riu girl]

The GACS are a little different at Disneyland they are all the same color but have different stamps for different needs. JenJen

I was not aware that Disney World, depending on need, offers different colours of GACs. Can someone please explain to me (or PM me if this info. should not be on an open board) what the colours mean. I thought they were all the same colour and that there were just different stamps.
Thank you
Suzy V.

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm not positive, but I think the cards are all the same colors at WDW. The stamps might be different colors, but I'm not sure. I know the GAC starts out as a card with some general information/disclaimers printed on it. There is a blank space in the middle for the CM to stamp a message.

 

[Schmeck]

I noticed fewer 'loose' CMs at WDW this last trip - everyone seemed tied to a cash register, or was the only one at the entrance to an attraction. This must add to the stress level for them!

We had to make a couple of requests (no GAC - just minor things) and it seemed the the CMs just wanted to get as many people on a ride as possible, so didn't really listen to what I said. I wonder if they are being pressured to hurry people through? We were asked so many times to bring the time tag through, etc. I wonder if too many cost cutting measures have been taken, so that CMs don't get training, don't have the manpower to give the guests that extra Disney touch anymore. I wonder if they are being monitored on how many people they can get on an attraction, and it's being reflected on the CMs?

I've never felt like such a 'herd animal' at WDW!

 

[graygables]

I had difficulties on our trip in Feb. First, GETTING the GAC was a headache and I had a doctor's letter that my DD uses a stroller as a wheelchair. I needed a 2nd one (we were a party of 6 and were likely to be splitting up for thrill vs. calm rides) for my other DD who needs an alternate entrance (Asperger's). I was told to go to the Fast Pass line *without* a FP for the alternate entrances. We utilized this method several times with and without confusion. We went to Test Track, however, and were rudely told that we had to have FPs. I explained what I had been told and the CM looked at me like I was lying (smirk, rolled eyes). I went to the Guest Services and filed a complaint and they handed me a fast pass for the family (I did enjoy breezing by him with that), but throughout the trip was dicey as to which line to use.

In May, I was sans DDs, but had injured my knee and had a brace and a cane, I still needed a GAC for a visible disability and it was the same routine...sometimes the FP line without a FP and sometimes they fussed with me. I even had several CMs tell me to "just get a wheelchair". I was there as a Mother's Day gift from my DDs & DH who had saved their pennies, I didn't have the MONEY for their gosh-dang expensive wheelchair rentals...besides, I was travelling SOLO and had injured my shoulder as well and couldn't pull myself along in it if I had to. Ridiculous.

I honestly think they just need to get all the CMs on the same page, so to speak, so everyone gives out consistent information. Guest Services each and every time has instructed me to use the FP line WITHOUT a FP (I'm not an idiot, I asked for clarification of that), but the line CMs are frequently clueless.

And don't even get me started about the old fart who bellied around and pushed my DDs aside (knocking one down) to get past me on the jetbridge b/c I was "obviously deaf and didn't hear the FA say 'DISABLED' passengers." I want to get STROLLER AS WHEELCHAIR tatooed on my forehead!!! I whacked him with my carry on bag as we went past his seat...I'm so naughty.

 

[SueM in MN]

I noticed fewer 'loose' CMs at WDW this last trip - everyone seemed tied to a cash register, or was the only one at the entrance to an attraction. This must add to the stress level for them!

We have noticed that too.
I think I posted it on this thread, but when we were at MGM in March, when we came up to the Muppet 3D, we had to wait for the CM to open the wheelchair gate for us. We could hear her talking on the phone to a supervisor, asking to be relieved to go use the bathroom.
I overheard her tell the supervisor that she had been working for 6 hours without a break. Apparently, the supervisor wanted her to just wait since she would be off in another hour.
That would be pretty stressful.

 

[Sue & Co.]

JenJen, we are going to DL for the first time next year (three times to WDW previously) so I would be interested to hear if there are still problems with the GAC as we will need one. PM me if you prefer not to post on the board.

We have had a couple of bad experiences at WDW over the years but mostly we have received good treatment.

Sue

 

[Schmeck]

graygables, the CMs that mentioned that you should get a wheelchair for an endurance issue (needing to use the FP line because you had a brace/cane) were correct - that's the standard WDW response to endurance issues.

 

[graygables]

graygables, the CMs that mentioned that you should get a wheelchair for an endurance issue (needing to use the FP line because you had a brace/cane) were correct - that's the standard WDW response to endurance issues.

That is an unacceptable response. The CM has no way of knowing that I was unable to use a wheelchair for whatever reason (financial, physical, etc) and should NOT require me to explain why (over and over). It was more the snottiness of their response, as if I were making their lives more difficult rather than getting one. A wheelchair is NOT always 'the answer' to the problem and CMs need to be sensitive to that.

 

[riu girl]

graygables (or anyone else recently back) : may I ask a ? about using an "alternative entrance" GAC at fast pass rides? Of all the fast pass rides when you went to use the GAC at the FP line (without an actual FP, just the GAC) how often were you told you had to have a FP (and that the GAC was not sufficient at these rides)? The reason I'm asking is because we had a "alternative entrance" GAC for DD 12/04 and DH was able to go ahead and get FPs for us and we used them. This time it will be just me and DD8 and DS5. When putting together a touring plan, I need o figure out if I need to get FPs or not, or if I can simply use an "alternate entrance" GAC to access the FP rides. DD also has immediate gratification needs (if she sees a ride, she wants to get on it NOW), so having to get a FP and then having to return hours later may be difficult.
ALthough I think that immediate gratification needs have decreased a lot and I think she could handle seeing rides and not being able to board right away.

Any information on this would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Suzy V.

 

[graygables]

The problem was inconsistency...I was able to use the Test Track FP line one day and not the next, so it's hard to say. That was a problem we had, too, was DD was all "psyched up" for the ride, then we'd be turned away. Then for the next however long, all she could think about was what time the FP was for (if we were even able to get one) and she couldn't enjoy what we were doing in the meantime.

If Guest Services tells me this next trip to use the FP line, I'm going to get it in writing or have them give me the FP vouchers (which that's not a bad idea, anyway...maybe they could implement a system where they give x number of vouchers based on your length of stay, so you don't have to hassle with the whole FP thing). If not, then I'll just plan on getting FP for everything.