Your experience with GAC

[Edna E. Mode]

I was wondering if you could share your personal experiences with GACs. Is it worth it for my 5 year old son who has Cystic Fibrosis? He can get dehydrated and tired out easily and needs to use the bathroom and eat more often than other kids. Also, he gets much sicker than the average kid when he gets a cold. Will this card help in any way? I am not really sure based on what I read on the FAQ board. Thank you for helping with my confusion.

 

[OneLittleSpark]

I'm afraid I've never used the GAC myself, so can't offer you personal experiences, but it might be able to help. The accommodations provided by the GAC vary, depending on your needs. It's not a way to skip a queue (I know you're not asking for that, I just don't want anyone reading this to get the wrong idea), but for some attraction you may be able, for instance, to wait in an alternative area out of the sun. As I say, I've never done this myself, so don't know first-hand.

OK, now I'm going to veer OT a little bit, to make sure you know about other help you can get at Disney.

Firstly, you said he gets tired easily. You may well already be planning to use one, but a stroller will help to conserve his energy for the fun stuff, and give him somewhere to nap if he needs. If you use one with a canopy, it will also give him some shade. If he would benefit from a lie down in the air-con, the First Aid stations at each park have beds that you can use as you need.

Make sure you pace yourselves. I'm sure you're used to doing this by now, but it can be harder at Disney. A lot of people find it helps to go back to the hotel around lunch time, for a bit of down time. A short swim, watching cartoons in the room, or a brief nap can do wonders. It will also mean you're not in the parks for the hottest part of the day.

There have been a couple of threads in the past about keeping cool in Florida. You could probably find them on a search, but I'll see if I can dig a link out for you. Most of the things are fairly common sense, but their may be some useful little gems in their.

Good luck and have a great time!

 

[Mickiethepooh]

A GAC will help you if you can specify your child's specific needs. Using a stroller as a wheelchair for instance, or waiting out of the sun or in a quiet area if one is available that sort of thing.

 

[DannysMom]

I was wondering if you could share your personal experiences with GACs. Is it worth it for my 5 year old son who has Cystic Fibrosis? He can get dehydrated and tired out easily and needs to use the bathroom and eat more often than other kids.

Hello,

I'm assuming that your son doesn't have the lung function or stamina/endurance of a typical 5 year old (due to his CF.) You will likely want to use a stroller for him, to conserve his energy for the fun stuff. If you think that he may need to use the stroller in lines, then perhaps a GAC may help.

Definitely check out the FAQ, lots of useful info on the GAC & other stuff there. Have a great trip!

 

[BrianD]

When you get to Guest Services, describe your child's needs just like you did here, and they will give you a GAC that will help your son. Our son is very developmentally delayed, doesn't talk, walk, or eat, and has autistic tendencies. Every time we go to WDW we get a GAC for him and the Cast Member at Guest Services is always very helpful and friendly. The GAC helps us out tremendously, and helps us to avoid situations that would make things otherwise much more difficult.

 

[Wicked Queen]

Hi there,

We've been to WDW, AK, and MGM with the GAC. Been to AK twice with it. Also, in the Lion King show in AK, when they saw we had a GAC, they were extra accomodating in getting us a seat near the exit....although we never needed it as my 7 year old son loved it!!!

Also, I'm never afraid of walking right up to them and explaining the situation....since Autism can be difficult to detect in just plain looking at the individual.

Going on the Disney Cruise in February for the first time...can't wait!

 

[MousekeMommy]

I don't know much about cystic fibrosis, but I can relate to the "tires out easily" part. My 4 year old has a heart condition, and we went to DW in July. We used a GAC to allow us to use a stroller as a wheelchair so that he could use it during the long walks through the lines. I remember thinking how the long hike through Pirates of the Caribbean and the steep ramp at Star Tours, for examples, would have been impossible for him--let alone walking from attraction to attraction in the summer heat. You also mentioned getting dehydrated? Having the stroller also helped us tote plenty of water with us through the lines (just to hang the backpack-cooler on the handles was a relief for my shoulders The GAC did not always allow us to have shorter waits--sometimes it was longer--but that isn't what he needed--his need was to be able to rest frequently, and to get out of the extreme heat as much as possible (and that wasn't very possible in July--thank God for the stroller canopy and battery operated fans . Mind you, my child hardly ever uses a wheelchair at home--just at the Cincy zoo, which is one of the top in the world, but built on a hilly landscape! But a stroller (or a wheelchair when he is older) is a necessity for his needs in DW in July.
But this is just my personal experience based on 1 5-day trip. The GAC was invaluable to help my little one not only "get through" Disney, but really enjoy it!!! The CMs at guest relations will probably be able to advise you best if they have a GAC will be able to meet your son's specific needs. But it does help to know ahead of time what difficulties he may be in for, and what strategies you might use to avoid them. I'm hoping maybe someone has a strategy suggestion for you about "bathroom more often"--I'm not sure how to handle that one, other than "trying" between attractions. Anyway, a stroller, a GAC allowing a stroller to be used in lines, a backpack-cooler, and battery operated fans are my best suggestions, based on my experiences with the need of "tires easily". Good luck! Prayers and pixie dust for a fabulous vacation for your little guy!

 

[Charleyann]

We get a GAC. My son also has CF related arthritis. His Bowels obstruct every 3 months and he dehydrates very quickly. There is a lot of walking. Stroller or wheelchair is a must!

There is a first aid station where you can have treatments done and keep your aresol machines, medical equipment etc....


Have a great trip!

Charleyann

 

[mechurchlady]

The GAC is needed for shows and some rides while other options may be faster. Bring a handicapped tag for your car so you get free valet parking. It also makes it easer to park in handicapped areas. All states have a reciprical handicapped parking agreements. You just need to know what is allowed in the state you are visiting and meet the requirements for your state.

First of all your son needs liquids and foods more often and the bathroom He also tires easily and gets overheated easily.

You need to study the maps and figure where bathrooms are. Also where there are indoor areas. Do to his age either you or your husband could take him into the restroom. Some places now have companion bathrooms where two or more people can go into the restroom even if they are different genders. I saw on in DCA and on in SeaWorld. Those are bigger and private thus making it easier to use.

You are allowed to bring in foods for special diets and they will let you bring snacks to hold him over until you can do a character dinner for example. I do not know if you need a special temperature of water. I find it easier to drink ice cold drinks. You can carry water bottles in the stroller. Hopefully your room will have a refrigerator so that you could freeze up some bottles of water. All restaurants will give you a cup of ice water or tap water with no ice for free.

There are cooling vests available. The nurses station is a good place to visit the first time on your vacation and see what they can and cannot do. Check into Extra Magical Hours to see if you can do parks real early when the parks are cooler.

There is a baby swapping policy where one person stays with the kids who cannot ride while the rest of the party rides. The party can use regular line, fast passes, disabled access or single ride lines. When they are done they take the baby swapping thing to the person with the kids. The person with the kids may then take one or two people with them. On Big Thunder it would be on adult and two kids for example whereas Splash Mountain it is one person. Your husband cannot use your kid's GAC to go though the line though but will have to use a fast pass for example.

Definitely a stroller for your son even if he pops out of the stroller and runs to hug Pooh. People will see a rambunctious 5 year old and not know he will be paying dearly for running to Pooh and being a typical 5 year old. I am 50 this month and can run/waddle fast but I end up winded and the knees in pain. I can sit cross legged but standing hurts big time. People do not see the WHY behind what they see.

Stroller will make it easier to carry stuff and you can look into umbrellas and canopies that are larger than normal. Check online and I have seen some strange stroller get ups. Check with Cast Members at City Hall or Guest Relations. What you may get from them depends on park policy, the CM, and how you act. A kid with autism might be treated royally by a CM who knows someone autistic while for another CM the trigget might be a blind person. CMs are usually very helpful and have made my trips extra special.

 

[melomouse]

Hi -
Definitely get the GAC to have handy in your purse! My son has Asperger's, and tho we have only had to use the GAC a couple of times each trip, the times I used it , it saved the day.
One use comes to mind at park closing, triple long lines for buses back to POR and I could tell he was "melting" (he was 14). I stood right behaind the wheelchair folks and showed the driver the card and told him that it would make for a more happy crowd waiting if we could remove DS from the line ASAP. We boarded right after the wheelchairs, and DS was able to collect himself.

 

[Chuck-PA]

My son also has CF. He is 19 yrs old now.
This disease affects each one differently. You know how your son reacts to different situations. Get a GAC just in case you may need it.

A stroller is a great idea. We did this for our son when he was younger.

Check to see which of your child's meds may cause him to be sensitive to the sun. Use plenty of sun screen and I would suggest sitting in shady areas whenever possible. Some of the handicapped or disabled viewing areas are not necessarily in the shade.
WDW sells Powerade so he can keep himself hydrated (water is just not enough for a CF'er) and remember to bring plenty of salty snacks.

Also, each park has a first aid station. You can just go in and rest for a bit, do his treatments or whatver is necessary for him.