Replacement for GAC

[sunshinehighway]

Will anyone feel sorry for someone who doesn't ride teacups three times? No. Will someone feel sorry if medical experts says that Disney has a policy that is hostile to those with autism? You bet your bippy.

Why are you so upset about people with medical needs receiving accommodations so they can enjoy Disney alongside you? I can see getting mad at the moochers, but those with legitimate need? Really? If you don't think they would trade a slightly more convenient line for a life without disability, you're crazy.

As for the petitions... They're stupid. They don't even know what they're protesting yet. Once the full policy is released then that action can be reevaluated.

I don't think people are getting upset about people with legitimate needs. It's more the attitudes this change has brought out. The system just no longer works. Anyone who agrees with the changes are called names and made out to be heartless haters of the disabled. People have gone so far as to say Disney just wants to hurt disabled children and I've even seen comments that its just a way to keep disabled people out of the parks (implying able bodied people ultimately hate disabled people). The petition highlight the things I'm talking about.

 

[Disneydowner]

I don't think disney will ever be able to please everyone, I think you need to stop moaning, because everyone was complaining that the GAC user would not be able to walk upto the ride entrance and then walk away so they are building kiosks so you don't have to worry about this, and still people are moaning! I think the kiosks are the autism special considerations that they where talking about in the articles.
I too did not believe a word of the abuse until my last trip, when I was at dhs, and toy story mania had been shut all day and opened at 4.30! I was lucky enough to have a fast pass, or so I thought, the fast pass queue snaked right down the end of the street and took us 50 minutes to get on! And the amount of signatures on that stupid petition is insane!
At the end of the day you will not have to wait in the main queue, will get to alternate regular fastpasses with the das, so even if you get a das return time for 75 minutes later you could use a regular fastpass to go on another ride during that time. I know people keep saying you should spend a day with us at disney to see how it is for us, I think you have seriously inflated ideas of how much people who dont use a gac can get done at a day in the parks.

 

[mefordis]

How do they accommodate children who cannot wait in line when it comes to the busses? I can imagine if they cannot wait in line for a ride, waiting for a bus would be a problem, too. Do they get to cut the line to ensure they get on the bus and not have to wait for the second bus (if full)? Do they get an alternate waiting area?

Also, what about restaurants? Sometimes the wait for your ADR time can be 20 mins or more.

I'm genuinely curious. Thanks!

 

[Nixie]

My understanding is that with the new system, people with mobility or stamina issues will be told that they need to use mobility devices (cane, crutches, wheelchair, walker, scooter). I know this is the current guideline but this will be a firm rule.

What about people with mobility issues that don' need the aids? For example, my daughter has cerebral palsy. Her sense of balance is off. Her coordination is not the best, but she is mobile and does fairly well in the parks if we do not push her too much. The accomdations she needs is for the rides like HM to be slowed or stopped. She will and has fallen. What do we now do for her?

 

[fajina]

So what can they complain about to the news? We use to get to use the GAC as an unlimited fastpass but now we can't. We have to wait like everyone else. That is not much of a news story either.

Well, the truly physically disabled who can't transfer will complain (and studies will back them up) that they are having to wait much longer to enjoy the same ride due to so few wheelchair accessible vehicles. We all know that the original SAP (Special Assistance Pass) was initially slated for those with physical disabilities but dwarfed into the GAC mess we have today.

Disney will either have to implement more wheelchair accessible ride vehicles or go back to only issuing special GAC type passes to those it was originally intended. Disney never should have allowed those with blind disabilities to classify themselves as eligible for the "front of the line pass" which we who have physically disabled relatives refer to as the "hurry up and wait pass".

 

[AndreaA]

I don't think people are getting upset about people with legitimate needs. It's more the attitudes this change has brought out. The system just no longer works. Anyone who agrees with the changes are called names and made out to be heartless haters of the disabled. People have gone so far as to say Disney just wants to hurt disabled children and I've even seen comments that its just a way to keep disabled people out of the parks (implying able bodied people ultimately hate disabled people). The petition highlight the things I'm talking about.

But in this thread I am not seeing people angry about how the changes will affect their high-functioning child or spouse or other family member. I'm seeing people upset about how these changes could affect those who are more severely affected by various physical and mental conditions.

And I've seen those who don't have to deal with those situations in their lives saying, essentially, "suck it up, buttercup, you're already getting it better than ME", as if being allowed two FPs at a time (whooooooo! ) somehow makes up for their extremely difficult lives. I don't think those people are heartless haters of the disabled, but I do think they are lacking in understanding and empathy.

As for petitions, etc., I think it's too early for such actions, but at the same time I can understand how some parents could be in a panic thinking that their extremely expensive and already-paid-for vacation plans are now going to be completely ruined. Change is difficult, even for parents/family of those less severely affected people who might do fine with the proposed changes, and I can't fault anyone for being anxious about it.

 

[crashbb]

How do they accommodate children who cannot wait in line when it comes to the busses? I can imagine if they cannot wait in line for a ride, waiting for a bus would be a problem, too. Do they get to cut the line to ensure they get on the bus and not have to wait for the second bus (if full)? Do they get an alternate waiting area?

Also, what about restaurants? Sometimes the wait for your ADR time can be 20 mins or more.

I'm genuinely curious. Thanks!

GACs are only good for attractions - not characters (unless they are at an attractions), restaurants, or buses. Some families avoid the bus issue by driving, others avoid the buses at peak times and travel when lining up isn't necessary (though, of course, waiting still is). As for restaurants, some family avoid TS restaurants and hit QS restaurants at off time (i.e. times with no lines).

For us, we try to hit the buses outside of peak times and we also have the whole family minus him and one adult in the line. He stays nearby, but not actually in the line and that is enough for him. Same with waits at TS restaurants. From the sounds of some other posts (where waiting any in the park after getting a time stamp doesn't work), I assume that these families drive themselves and avoid all TS restaurants - you do what you have to do.

 

[Objectivity]

Ppl with disabilities are going to receive accommodations. Those accommodations have been explained in several posts and articles. Those with disabilities are going to be able to get a DAS fastpass AND a regular fastpass. Which is twice the accommodations that able bodied ppl get.

And able-bodied people get to suffer without physical or mental limitations that let them go where they want, when they want without having to rely on assistance from others or worrying about not getting help when they need it.

Yep, those people with disabilities are so lucky to get twice the accommodations the able-bodied get.

 

[MinnieLovesMickey12]

MinnielovesMickey12...please go somewhere else and stop trolling here. When you have a 5 year old daughter with Down Syndrome (like I do) or Autism, then please come back and you can have an intelligible conversation. Otherwise, don't let the door hit you....

Actually I was waiting on someone to say something like you did. I am not trolling. Out of my 4 kids 2 of them are special needs kids. You are preaching to the choir on how difficult someone's life can be. I choose to use fastpasses and touring plans and have never asked for any special treatment for my kids.

And until you become a moderator on this board you might want to stop telling ppl when and where they should post.

My kids might be more disabled than yours so who trumps who here?

 

[crashbb]

My understanding is that with the new system, people with mobility or stamina issues will be told that they need to use mobility devices (cane, crutches, wheelchair, walker, scooter). I know this is the current guideline but this will be a firm rule.

What about people with mobility issues that don' need the aids? For example, my daughter has cerebral palsy. Her sense of balance is off. Her coordination is not the best, but she is mobile and does fairly well in the parks if we do not push her too much. The accomdations she needs is for the rides like HM to be slowed or stopped. She will and has fallen. What do we now do for her?

They should still slow/stop those rides - no change there. They are still going to have to do that for those in wheelchairs or on ECVS etc.

Well, the truly physically disabled who can't transfer will complain (and studies will back them up) that they are having to wait much longer to enjoy the same ride due to so few wheelchair accessible vehicles. We all know that the original SAP (Special Assistance Pass) was initially slated for those with physical disabilities but dwarfed into the GAC mess we have today.

Disney will either have to implement more wheelchair accessible ride vehicles or go back to only issuing special GAC type passes to those it was originally intended. Disney never should have allowed those with blind disabilities to classify themselves as eligible for the "front of the line pass" which we who have physically disabled relatives refer to as the "hurry up and wait pass".

We do? Do you have anything to back up this claim? It was my understanding that it actually started exactly for the people who you seem to want to ban from using it - those with invisible disabilities for whom the need for accommodation is not obvious. When someone shows up in a wheelchair, it is evident what accommodation they need (assuming that they do not also have an invisible disability).

 

[Objectivity]

I'm sure autism speaks wouldn't approve of this program if it didnt accommodate autistic children. Disney is a huge company and do their research before making these changes to touchy subjects.

I'm pretty confident this program will accommodate autistic children. That's the only part that's been released. It's the accommodations for everyone else that still need to be made public.

If the rest of the policy tells people to use wheelchairs who don't ordinarily need them, then the complaints will just come from a different source.

 

[IntoTheLight]

How do they accommodate children who cannot wait in line when it comes to the busses? I can imagine if they cannot wait in line for a ride, waiting for a bus would be a problem, too. Do they get to cut the line to ensure they get on the bus and not have to wait for the second bus (if full)? Do they get an alternate waiting area?

Also, what about restaurants? Sometimes the wait for your ADR time can be 20 mins or more.

I'm genuinely curious. Thanks!

We rent cars, rotate drop off's, miss dinners or rotate. For the record, we don't ever go out on date nights, or to the grocery store during the day. We rarely sleep at night, we get up 2 hours early every morning to get them to a school an hour away. We're late for work, don't get promotions because we miss work, or we don't work at all. We wait 8 months to see a specialist that can't help us, or 2 years for the FDA to approve a drug that doesn't work. We're on therapy wait lists and it takes 2 months to get a dentist appointment because it has to be in the OR with sedation.

 

[livndisney]

Well, the truly physically disabled who can't transfer will complain (and studies will back them up) that they are having to wait much longer to enjoy the same ride due to so few wheelchair accessible vehicles. We all know that the original SAP (Special Assistance Pass) was initially slated for those with physical disabilities but dwarfed into the GAC mess we have today.

Disney will either have to implement more wheelchair accessible ride vehicles or go back to only issuing special GAC type passes to those it was originally intended. Disney never should have allowed those with blind disabilities to classify themselves as eligible for the "front of the line pass" which we who have physically disabled relatives refer to as the "hurry up and wait pass".

WOW, there is a lot wrong with this.
Those that are in wheelchairs don't currently need a GAC, so I fail to see your logic on how they are going to have to wait longer now.

The rest is just a mess I am not going to try and untangle.

 

[Jrob369]

I don't think disney will ever be able to please everyone, I think you need to stop moaning, because everyone was complaining that the GAC user would not be able to walk upto the ride entrance and then walk away so they are building kiosks so you don't have to worry about this, and still people are moaning! I think the kiosks are the autism special considerations that they where talking about in the articles. I too did not believe a word of the abuse until my last trip, when I was at dhs, and toy story mania had been shut all day and opened at 4.30! I was lucky enough to have a fast pass, or so I thought, the fast pass queue snaked right down the end of the street and took us 50 minutes to get on! And the amount of signatures on that stupid petition is insane! At the end of the day you will not have to wait in the main queue, will get to alternate regular fastpasses with the das, so even if you get a das return time for 75 minutes later you could use a regular fastpass to go on another ride during that time. I know people keep saying you should spend a day with us at disney to see how it is for us, I think you have seriously inflated ideas of how much people who dont use a gac can get done at a day in the parks.

You assume that everyone traveling with a disabled person has never been without them. I have a fairly good idea of how much I can get done in a day without a gac. I've made about 15 trips without disabled people. Due to various limitations, I know we do/did less with a gac.

 

[AndreaA]

I know people keep saying you should spend a day with us at disney to see how it is for us, I think you have seriously inflated ideas of how much people who dont use a gac can get done at a day in the parks.

We went to Disney in October last year, without a GAC. Our son was younger and easier to manage. I kept a record of what we were able to do each day.

We just returned from a trip last week where we used a GAC because although I think he is actually better than he was, he is also stronger and more difficult to manage when he does get anxious/upset/worked-up. I again kept a record of what we were able to do each day.

Aside from being able to stay a bit longer in the parks this year, we rode almost exactly the same amount of rides. Possibly 2-5 more throughout the trip, but this was also at a lower crowd time of year.

People may be able to do more with a GAC during July (although quite possibly not, due to heavier crowds and longer FP lines... again, GAC has never equalled instant access, at best it has offered FP access) but during slower times, my experience is that we were able to accomplish the same amount.

 

[Disneydowner]

And able-bodied people get to suffer without physical or mental limitations that let them go where they want, when they want without having to rely on assistance from others or worrying about not getting help when they need it.

Yep, those people with disabilities are so lucky to get twice the accommodations the able-bodied get.

I think you got the wrong end of the stick, I don't understand how people can claim that it is unfair and how this new card is not equal, and you will be waiting longer to ride, when you will have the option of using two different types of fast passes that you can use intermittently.
It's partially the fault of everyone who complained, that going to the ride enterance to get a return time is a no no that the kiosk idea was created.
I really don't see how anyone could have a problem with the new system.

 

[halld6479]

I think they should leave thing along BUT limit how many guest traveling with that person gets special treatment. I feel the handicap person and their attendant or 1 traveling companion should be allowed. The same on buses, we have been in the line to board the bus and a group of 10person/family traveling with a scooter person walked right up to the bus and loaded before everyone else leaving those that had been standing waiting for the bus to load after they filled the seats which left many boarding normally standing with small children.

 

[BigAlsGal]

Actually I was waiting on someone to say something like you did. I am not trolling. Out of my 4 kids 2 of them are special needs kids. You are preaching to the choir on how difficult someone's life can be. I choose to use fastpasses and touring plans and have never asked for any special treatment for my kids.

And until you become a moderator on this board you might want to stop telling ppl when and where they should post.

My kids might be more disabled than yours so who trumps who here?

I bet crow is delicious!!!

 

[crashbb]

I think they should leave thing along BUT limit how many guest traveling with that person gets special treatment. I feel the handicap person and their attendant or 1 traveling companion should be allowed. The same on buses, we have been in the line to board the bus and a group of 10person/family traveling with a scooter person walked right up to the bus and loaded before everyone else leaving those that had been standing waiting for the bus to load after they filled the seats which left many boarding normally standing with small children.

It's already limited to 6 (the person needing the GAC and 5 others). The GAC is not used on buses, but there it should still only be six. The problem is that there is no limit, the problem is the apparent lack of enforcement (I've never seen more than a couple of people board with someone in a wheelchair, but it appears that many other people have, based on comments on the DIS).

 

[livndisney]

I think they should leave thing along BUT limit how many guest traveling with that person gets special treatment. I feel the handicap person and their attendant or 1 traveling companion should be allowed. The same on buses, we have been in the line to board the bus and a group of 10person/family traveling with a scooter person walked right up to the bus and loaded before everyone else leaving those that had been standing waiting for the bus to load after they filled the seats which left many boarding normally standing with small children.

The changes have nothing to do with buses since the GAC were not used on buses. The bus system is another system that is broke and will remain broke until WDW bus drivers enforce the rules in place.

Crash you and I seem to be saying the same things- you just type faster LOL.