What Park Did You Get Your GAC In?

[Disneylvr]

And did you experience any problems? We are arriving on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend and want to visit a park that evening. Is MK the best park to obtain a GAC or would it be okay to get it at Epcot or the Studios?

 

[ducklite]

It makes no difference which park you get it at, and it will be good at all of them for the duration of your trip.

Anne

 

[Disneylvr]

I guess I was just thinking MK would be the park where the Cast Members are most experienced with issuing GAC's and where we would less likely have problems. However, we aren't planning on visiting MK on our first day and was hoping we would have no problems at the other parks. Maybe I should re-phrase my question and ask everyone where they got their GAC and did they have any problems.

 

[ducklite]

I wouldn't make that assumption about MK CM's. I've gotten them at MK, Epcot, and MGM and haven't had a problem at any of those parks.

Anne

 

[tacomaranch]

I have not been yet but in 4 days we leave. I went to allears.net and under the section of special guest there was a form letter for our doctor to follow so we can present it to the GAC people. I thought it was good letter and to the point.

We are going to get one today from our dr. so we don't have any problems.

I will let you know how we do with getting our GAC and our trip after we get back.

Wishing you the best, April

 

[sadeeyore]

We have got GACs from MK and MGM. We never had a problem at either park and always found the CMs really helpful.

We never had a letter from our doctor with us - always thought they weren't needed.

 

[Disneylvr]

We have got GACs from MK and MGM. We never had a problem at either park and always found the CMs really helpful.

We never had a letter from our doctor with us - always thought they weren't needed.

From what I have read on these boards it doesn't appear that a doctor's note is necessary however we are taking her diagnosis just in case we encounter a doubting cast member. Thanks for the advice. I looks like it is fine to get a GAC in any park.

 

[Figment1964]

We've gotten GAC's for various trips at each of the parks. In our experience there wasn't any difference. We have never been asked for a doctor's note, we just explained what his specific needs were and they helped right away.

HTH!

 

[sadeeyore]

Disneylvr, I think taking your DD diagnosis is a good idea if it makes you feel happier when asking about the GAC.

We went to Universal in 2004 for the first time and I had a letter (had the letter for the airline we flew with) with me as I didn't feel confident asking about their GAC, but they said they didn't need to see it. I know you didn't ask about Universal, but they were helpful as well .

 

[ducklite]

They don't want to see a letter, (it probably violates HIPAA for them to do so) nor do they care what your Dx is. All they want to know is your needs.

I tell them "I have a medical condition that makes it unsafe for me to stand in the hot sun, and I would like a GAC that will allow me to wait in a shaded area as often as possible." Boom, done.

That's all they care about. They don't care about my asthma, my medications, or my health history. That would be the paramedics who have to respond when I'm in the sun too long.

Anne

 

[Disneylvr]

So I should just tell them Madelyn has autism and asthma and is unable to wait in long lines, especially without her stroller, and in the hot sun? We plan to use Fast Pass as much as possible and only go to the GAC when Fast Passes are no longer available. I know they won't care what her diagnosises are but it makes me feel better about asking for the GAC.

 

[ducklite]

All you need to say is "My daughter has a medical condition that makes it difficult to wait in line near strangers and also neccesitates her being out of the sun as much as possible so I need her to be able to stay in her stroller as a medical assistance device in line, and wait in shade as much as possible. May I have a Guest Assistance Card for these two accomodations please?" That's it.

Anne

 

[tacomaranch]

The Dr's office just called and our note is ready to be picked up. It is just like the form letter.

Because it is our first time, I want the letter just to make me feel better should we encounter problems at the airport or at the parks.

I will remind them about his not understanding wait, strangers, the sun and the unexpected melt down.

Did I forget anything?

Thanks for the help, 4 days to go

 

[Disneylvr]

I understand the CM's not wanting to see a diagnosis or even a doctor's note because of HIPAA but to not even want a verbal explanation of the medical condition? The Passporter for Special Needs book says that there are several medical conditions that qualify a guest for a GAC and that ASD is one of them. They also recommend bringing your child with you to guest services which I plan to do.

 

[SueM in MN]

I understand the CM's not wanting to see a diagnosis or even a doctor's note because of HIPAA but to not even want a verbal explanation of the medical condition?

First of all, even though people think applies, HIPAA has nothing to do with the CMs not wanting any medical information. HIPAA just applies to Medical Providers - it has to do with Medical Providers sharing information with each other. Basically, it says that people who provide health care can only share information that is necessary for the care of that person (So, I work in a hospital - I can't just look at patient records because I feel like it. I need to have a valid reason to look at the information. If I have a valid reason to look at the chart, I can only share information from that record with someone else who has a vaild reason to know it).

The patient can share their information with whoever they want. If I am in Taget Pharmacy and want to yell my name and the medications I am picking up at the top of my lungs, I can. If the Pharmacist does the same thing, he/she would be violating HIPAA.

The reason the CMs don't want that information is that they don't need it. Two people can have the very same diagnosis and have very different needs. According to the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), accomidations are made based on needs, not on the diagnosis. And, you can't be forced to prove that you have a disability that causes certain needs.
The GAC is actually just a tool to let the CMs know what sorts of accomidations people with disabilities require for their needs.
So, what is important is to be able to state what the needs of the person are. Some conditions have very common needs/problems that most people with that diagnosis have. For example, most people with autism have problems with being in a close situation with other people. Since many people with ASD come to WDW, the CMs at Guest Services are familiar with the common needs of that many people with autism have.

The Passporter for Special Needs book says that there are several medical conditions that qualify a guest for a GAC and that ASD is one of them. They also recommend bringing your child with you to guest services which I plan to do.

The GAC is actually issued to the person with special needs (even if it is a child), so you do need to bring the person with you. I have heard of one situation where the CMs issued a GAC when the person was just outside of Guest Relations (the CM could see the child, but the parent did not want to bring the child in), but someone coming in to request a GAC without the person would almost always be refused.

Even though it seems like the Passporter book lists several needs (ASD and ADHD are listed) that qualify a guest for a GAC, that's not really how it works (I can see how someone reading that section in the Passporter book would assume there are "qualifying conditions".)
There is no "list" of medical conditions that "qualify" a guest for a GAC. It's all based on needs. Even talking about ASD, there are some guest whose needs would really make a GAC appropriate and some with ASD who would not need a GAC.

I'm not a fan of the form letters because, they are just that, form letters. They are not usually personal. I'm sure that if the CMs at Guest Services did look at them, they would see 100 a week that are exactly the same except for the name of the guest and the name of the doctor.
ASD is common enough that most of the Guest Services CMs would be able to guess the common needs, but most of the form letters don't really give much information. I have seen people show the form letter and be asked what the child's needs were (the parent was getting frustrated because they just pointed to the letter; the CM was getting frustrated because the form letter gave very general information and didn't really tell what that particular person needed). And, I have heard of people getting turned down for a GAC, even with a letter from their doctor because the letter just stated a diagnosis and asked for "all possible consideration", but the parents could not give information about what their child's needs were.

I do know that some people feel more confident asking for a GAC if they had a letter. Be prepared though that most of the time, the CM will not want to see it and even if they do, may ask some questions about the needs.

As for what park to ask at, we have gotten GACs for our DD at all the parks on various trips. No particular park was better or worse - although MK is very busy and there once we actually were given someone else's GAC - with their name on it. We didn't notice until presented it to the first CM and found out it was for using a stroller as a wheelchair (which we didn't need, since DD was about 15 at the time and using a wheelchair).
So, one of my hints is to look the GAC over and ask any questions about it before you leave Guest Relations.

If you haven't already read it, there is a section about GACs in the disABILITIES FAQs thread near the top of the board.

 

[Disneylvr]

Thank you Sue! Now I know all the hows and whys of the GAC. I just kept getting different answers (DIS boards vs. Passporter) about bringing a letter or not bringing a letter.... I will simply go to guest services with my daughter and tell them her needs. My worry was that Madelyn can appear to be a typical 3 year old unless you spend more than 10 minutes with her which was why I thought the letter or at least stating she had autism was important.

 

[SueM in MN]

If you want to bring a letter, it won't hurt (especially for things that are invisible), but it's very likely that the CMs won't look at it at all.
If you can give a good description of her needs, you should be OK.
I was a peer reviewer for the Passporteer book. One of the places I had a lot of comments on (some of which were used) was the GAC information.
I know you will find different stuff on the web. Even on the allearsnet.com site, there are different answers about the need for letters - the parts that Deb Wills wrote say the letter is optional ; the Anita Answers part say that a letter is required. The letter was never required. The Passporter site has a special needs forum where they call the GAC a Guest Assistance Pass (which it isn't).
I can say that when I first wrote the information that is in the DIS Board's disABILITIES FAQs thread about GACs, I got several PMs from DL and WDW CMs who thought they knew me, asking which park I worked in and whether I was a Guest Relations CM or a supervisor, so I think it's pretty accurate! (I am neither and don't speak for WDW or DL- I am a mom of a child with multiple disabilities who has visited the WDW parks many times. I am also an RN, which helps to understand medical conditions and needs. My child is also older - so I have bumped up against the ADA a number of times).
So, anyway, good luck.
My final pieces of advice are to think of the GAC as insurance - good to have if you need it, but not necessarily needed for every attraction. Also, if you find the GAC you are given doesn't provide the assistance/accomidation your child needs - go back to Guest Services and tell them what you need that is not being provided. There may be a different message that can be put on your GAC that will be more helpful (or it could be that the accomidation you are looking for is not available at all attractions).

 

[BethanyF]

We got Sam's GAC at MK and then got an updated one a few days later at Epcot (2 more people joined us for a couple days).
He looks like an average kid 95% of the time, but we had no problem getting the card issued at either place. We did, however, encounter the 'you're a faker' eye rolls from a couple CM's at rides.
And we had one CM refuse to give Sam the alternate waiting area even when it was obvious he was having a meltdown because of the crush of people. He told us 'if he can't handle the crowd, there is the door, he will have to leave' This was at Honey, I Shrunk The Audience where there was an alternate waiting area that was not crowded.

 

[tacomaranch]

Hi Sue and Friends,

I can see how they really don't need the letter now but it does state he can't wait in line, the people issue, the sensory, etc. I will have it with us but will be able to explain Hunter's needs to them. I hope he will be good when I am speaking with the CM. It will be early for us and he should be ok.

Do they need to know about the tantrums? What should I tell them other than what I know?

Thanks for such a good and complete post with wonderful information. This is our first time and we are so grateful for information that helps us be prepared!

3 Days to go, April

 

[ducklite]

Just to make sure you understand, many rides no longer have an alternative waiting/entry area, and the GAC idoes not allow you to jump the line (use FastPass for that).

For attractions without an alternate entry, try to ride when lines are low--early in the morning and during parades are good times.

My GAC is for waiting in shaded areas as much as possible, and I'll be honest, particularly at the MK, very few attractions can make this accomodation.

In fact the MK is the least accessible/disabled friendly of all the parks.

Anne