Would I need a GAC?

[Rowanonfire]

I'm coming to Disney World for the first time soon. I'm super excited but also a little worried.

I have Cerebral Palsy which affects my mobility. I don't normally use a wheelchair at home and havn't really decided what's best for me at Disney. My main worry though is the queues. I understand that the generally for mobility issues you don't need a GAC. As all the queues are wheelchair accessible. However my problem is I can't remain standing or sitting still for longer then 15 minutes or so. I need to be able to move and walk around otherwise it is very painful and I become very stiff to the point of not being able to walk at all. So you can see why even sat in a wheelchair a very long queue is gong to be impossible for me. =( There are some attractions I'm going to have to miss out completely simply because they require you to sit too long.

At my local theme-park there is a virtual queuing system for disabled people and this works great as it means I can walk and stretch as needed and sit when I need to. I really have to have a good balance of both walking and sitting to stay comfortable! Is there anything Disney can do for me or will I simply be told to use a wheelchair in the queues which won't help. I understand talking about it on the boards isn't always possible so feel free to PM me.

Also is it the same system at universal?

 

[jmartinez1895]

You can always go to Guest Services and tell them about your situation and they m,ay offer some help, but they are going to tell you to get a wheelchair. There is little that a GAC will be able to help you with. I think that for your needs fast pass and a touring plan will help you more than you will know. There are some great plans out there and many people around here use them ( tour guide Mike is the one that comes to mind, but I am sure others will be able to give you great advice). Also, if you get wheelchair you will have a place to sit should the need come upon you. There is not place to sit while you are in line. You do not have to stay in the chair. you can use it like a walker if you need to or you can park it outside and walk for a but if you are up to it. I would rather have one and not need it, then need it and not have it.

 

[lanejudy]

A GAC will not allow you to skip lines. FastPasses and a good touring plan are the best options for avoiding long lines. You don't mention if you are traveling with others...if so, could they leave a little space in the line so you could move about between them? Maybe along with a wheelchair (that you can push when you don't wish to ride) would allow for some sitting and some walking. Most lines are not actually standing still for that long anyway, it's more of a slow walk.

Enjoy your vacation!

oops! PP said the same thing!

 

[HoosierDisneyDad]

You say that you need to be able to move and not be standing still for longer than 15 minutes, but I can't think of many rides where you won't be mostly walking (albeit slowly) through the line with only brief times when you're standing still until the line starts moving again.

 

[Mama Who]

I'm coming to Disney World for the first time soon. I'm super excited but also a little worried.

I have Cerebral Palsy which affects my mobility. I don't normally use a wheelchair at home and havn't really decided what's best for me at Disney. My main worry though is the queues. I understand that the generally for mobility issues you don't need a GAC. As all the queues are wheelchair accessible. However my problem is I can't remain standing or sitting still for longer then 15 minutes or so. I need to be able to move and walk around otherwise it is very painful and I become very stiff to the point of not being able to walk at all. So you can see why even sat in a wheelchair a very long queue is gong to be impossible for me. =( There are some attractions I'm going to have to miss out completely simply because they require you to sit too long.

Small World is fifteen minutes long. Something to be aware of if that's the limit of your ability to sit. Any sort of delay (like loading a wheelchair) could put it over pretty easily.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Perhaps a wheelchair will be a better option for you than an ECV since you could get up and stretch. Also, you could stand behind it and use it to steady yourself if needed.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Assuming you're not traveling alone and that you have somebody to push you, I would recommend a manual wheelchair. When you need to walk you can use it like a walker to help with stability and to carry your stuff and when you need to sit you'll have your seat right there with you. The other option would be an ECV and have somebody drive it for you when you need to walk, but with that option you don't have anything to hang onto when you're walking.

 

[ttintagel]

You say that you need to be able to move and not be standing still for longer than 15 minutes, but I can't think of many rides where you won't be mostly walking (albeit slowly) through the line with only brief times when you're standing still until the line starts moving again.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking. I've never stood still in a queue for more than a couple of minutes.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Perhaps a wheelchair will be a better option for you than an ECV since you could get up and stretch. Also, you could stand behind it and use it to steady yourself if needed.

Yes. Use the wheelchair for a while, then get up and walk pushing the wheellchair until you need to rest again.

 

[Rowanonfire]

I don't think the slow-moving queue speed will be enough walking for my legs. I will struggle on...I'm really reluctant to use a wheelchair but I think I will benefit from it. So probably will. My young niece will appreciate the seat when I'm up and walking anyway LOL.

I can't use an ECV due to issues with my arms and dyspraxia which is a shame as both other adults I'm with have back problems so I feel bad having to have them push but hopefully I will not need it too much. If you have a wheelchair you do not require a GAC right? How much is wheelchair rental and is it a deposit you get back?

 

[KPeveler]

No, you do not need a GAC if you have a wheelchair.

There is no rule saying if you have a wheelchair you must stay in it at all times. I have a $5,000 custom manual wheelchair and a $16,000 custom power chair, and I still get up and walk short distances. My disorder causes things to dislocate seemingly at random - getting bumped into in a crowd can cause a dislocation (and has, more than once). Sometimes the only way to fix it is to walk, stand, stretch, or even lay on the floor. People look at you funny when I do it sometimes, but I really do not care what they think. If they ask a question, I answer it in intimate medical detail. Generally if you use big words, give them TMI, or just ignore them, they go away.

There have been times I have simply not even looked at a person asking me questions about my condition (none of their business!)

You do what you need for your condition. If you can walk up hills, perhaps using the wheelchair like a walker, perhaps that is a way to spare the backs of the people pushing you.

First Aid is there if you need to lay down, stretch, or if you or anyone in your party (bad backs) need an ice pack.

Are you going to use the buses or do you have a car? I strongly suggest renting and off-site wheelchair if you can. They are immensely more comfortable, adjustable (Disney chairs do not have adjustable or flip up footplates, which could be difficult, nor do they guarantee to have the right size), and MUCH easier to push.

They can be used on any Disney bus (you can either sit in it on a bus to be guranteed a seat - otherwise you might be forced to stand on a bus) or you can sit in a regular bus seat and just fold the chair). They also can fit into most car trunks.

Also, Disney can, on very crowded days, run out of wheelchairs, especially if you park hop.

There is a list of off-site rental companies in the FAQs sticky at the top of the page.

 

[jmartinez1895]

If you rent a chair you should consider renting from an off site company. They will be more comfortable, save you some money and you can use it at your resort. If you rent from Disney ( and I am sorry I do nto recall how much they cost) there is not a deposit. You pay the full price upfront. They give you a receipt and if you go to a different park you are able to get a new chair without having to pay again, but there is no guarantee that they will have any left. The same thing goes if you rent at a park, leave to go to your resort and come back to the ark later that day. If you rent off site you will be able to have it with you all the time.

 

[Sunnywho]

OP go to guest services and tell them what you said in your first post. Let them decide. If they say get a wheelchair, you can go get a wheelchair or explain about the painful stiffness. You're not a typical guest; typical guests do not get that sort of painful stiffness or impaired mobility as a result of waiting through the lines, even when a wheelchair is used.

 

[stitchlovestink]

Small World is fifteen minutes long. Something to be aware of if that's the limit of your ability to sit. Any sort of delay (like loading a wheelchair) could put it over pretty easily.

Bolding is mine..
according to the CM website, Small World is exactly 10 min 30 sec. That's a good bit different than 15 min. Actually, the longest ride in WDW is Splash Mtn as it tops out at just over 11 min total.

OP go to guest services and tell them what you said in your first post. Let them decide. If they say get a wheelchair, you can go get a wheelchair or explain about the painful stiffness. You're not a typical guest; typical guests do not get that sort of painful stiffness or impaired mobility as a result of waiting through the lines, even when a wheelchair is used.

My thoughts exactly!
GS are the only ones with the Power to decide who qualifies for a GAC. It certainly cannot hurt to ask and see what they can do to help.

 

[KPeveler]

Bolding is mine..
according to the CM website, Small World is exactly 10 min 30 sec. That's a good bit different than 15 min. Actually, the longest ride in WDW is Splash Mtn as it tops out at just over 11 min total.

Yes, technically Small World is that long, but that assumes that the boats do not get backed up. And they almost always so, as people load or unload slowly. So it is possible the ride could be 15 minutes.

The longest ride in MK may be Splash Mountain, but that is not the longest ride in all of WDW. Acutally, in MK, Carousel of Progress is 20 minutes or so, and technically it IS a ride (the seats move in a circle) and you cannot leave once it has started - that will cause the entire scene to stop and reset to the beginning of that scene.

Ellen's Energy Adventure is 35 minutes of sitting - in fact, in the pre-show a younger Ellen warns you that it is 30 minutes long, and that you better have gone to the bathroom.

Great Movie Ride is about 20 minutes long.

Kilimanjaro Safaris is a little over 18 minutes long.

Shows can be even longer - if you ask to sit on the end in the back, you may be able to move around once the show starts, but maybe not (depending on whether you would be in the path of an emergency exit)

Here is a website, run by wdwinfo (which is the DisBoards parent site) with a list of ride times.

http://www.wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/ridelength.htm

If you cannot remain in one place for 15 minutes and the moving around in lines and queues is not enough, you may want to speak to your doctor, too, about an additional medication or something just for the length of the trip. I always have to add additional muscle relaxants for trips to keep things loose enough for me to function. Obviously such decisions are between you and your doctor.

 

[SueM in MN]

People already pointed you toward the information about Guest Aaatance Cards in the fisABILITIES FAQs thread. That thread is near the top of this board or you can follow the link in my signature.

You also will want to be aware that there are attractions where all guests stand for a period of time unless they have a mobility device with them. Having a GAC does not give you a place to sit while waiting for those.
There is a list of those types of attractions in a post on page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread.

Also, many of the attractions have queues that are a long distance to walk. Using a GAC would not shorten the distance walked.

So, even if you use a GAC, you need to be aware that accommodation is not available at all attractions.

 

[dawnball]

I think that a GAC could help, and I'd go talk to guest relations. One of my concerns was being able to get out of queues quickly, and they had good advice. Also, if what they suggest ends up not working, you can go back later and talk to them again.

Clearly, a GAC isn't a miracle accommodation, but it would give you more options.

 

[travelitis]

Just explain your situation to Guest Services if you have any doubts that a scooter and utilizing Fastpass will fully address your needs. You know what you have done in the past that worked at other parks. Disney doesn't expect you to cut your day in half because you need accommodation and aren't getting it. You do everything you can on your end, and I've found Disney recognizes that and will do what they can to assist.

 

[Sunnywho]

However my problem is I can't remain standing or sitting still for longer then 15 minutes or so. I need to be able to move and walk around otherwise it is very painful and I become very stiff to the point of not being able to walk at all. So you can see why even sat in a wheelchair a very long queue is gong to be impossible for me. =( There are some attractions I'm going to have to miss out completely simply because they require you to sit too long.

OP was aware that the length of some rides might mean they'd have to be missed! African safari is a long one, and of course any of the shows.
(I miss out on most outside shows because of heat/sun intolerance.)

 

[Rowanonfire]

Thanks for your help guys.

For some reason it just really worries me. The system at "local" themeparks is so simple for me and it makes me anxious not knowing what Disney will say. It's really worrying me lately for whatever reason.

Regardless I'll have a good touring plan so that should help...But we'll travelling over spring break so I do worry.