Possible Changes coming to the Guest Assistance Cards (GAC)

[Tom Morrow]

There is no way to know if GAC's are being abused. There are just too many invisible disabilities (such as trouble walking, standing, anxiety and fear of crowds, autism, hearing and vision problems and physical endurance problems, just to name a few) that are just as legitimate as being confined to a wheelchair.

But again, it isn't about, and never was about determining who needs a pass and who doesn't. This is about the procedure involved with the cards, why they are so desirable to scam, and ways they could be changed to still accommodate people who need them but deter people who only want the benefits of the card. Any of the steps @rct247 mentioned in his post are steps in the right direction.

 

[rct247]

Not sure how true this is. Schools and childcare store students medical information connected to a name.

I'm sure I worded it wrong. Essentially, Disney does not want a GAC card saying little Suzy needs the alternate entrance for reason xyz attached to her MagicBand that also has her name and other personal and preferential information alongside it all stored in a database. It's on the borderline and could open things up to a potential lawsuit. Current GAC cards are issued with similar information attached but that info is not stored in any way. There is no tracking system or number or even barcode that attaches that card to any computer database to even make sure it is valid. Disney wants some way to track and store information but without storing infomation that would be a liability and open things up to a lawsuit.

I should also reiterate that Disney knows GACs are being abused. That is a fact whether you can see the disability or not. Disney doesn't want to change who they issue the cards to, just how the are issued and used to prevent as much abuse. The medical conditons real or fake are not the issue. It's how to provide an equal or accomodated experience that doesn't negatively impact either side.

 

[fosse76]

-Stricter enforcement of the 6 person rule.
-Requiring guests to visit guest relations each visit.

This should be done regardless of abuse. There's no excuse for them to not be enforcing their current policies.

-Limit the amount of times it can be used at a given attraction. (No back to back to back use.)

I would restrict it based on the wait time of the standby queue.

-Working with attractions to give out "return times" rather than "immediate access" for those needing an alternate entrance.

This is, I think, the fairest solution. I would also add that the GAC can't be used at another attraction if the return time for the first hasn't happened yet.

-Stricter enforcement of card holder must be present AND riding the attraction to use the card

This. There is no excuse for the CMs to allow GAC access if the one it is issued to isn't riding.

*One thing about connecting GAC card information to MyMagic+ is that Disney now has medical information collected and stored with a guest name which is against the law unless they are a healthcare provider.

That's not even remotely true.

 

[fosse76]

What if you do not have a phone? Yes in this day and age not everyone has one.

They can always use a system similar to Six Flags' Flash Pass...except use it for GAC ride access instead. They give you the device, you select the attraction, and after the appropriate wait time, it vibrates...alerting you that your ride time has arrived. All you would need is the device and the GAC (to preven people from stealing that device).

 

[RandomPrincess]

I'm sure I worded it wrong. Essentially, Disney does not want a GAC card saying little Suzy needs the alternate entrance for reason xyz attached to her MagicBand that also has her name and other personal and preferential information alongside it all stored in a database. It's on the borderline and could open things up to a potential lawsuit. Current GAC cards are issued with similar information attached but that info is not stored in any way. There is no tracking system or number or even barcode that attaches that card to any computer database to even make sure it is valid. Disney wants some way to track and store information but without storing infomation that would be a liability and open things up to a lawsuit.

I should also reiterate that Disney knows GACs are being abused. That is a fact whether you can see the disability or not. Disney doesn't want to change who they issue the cards to, just how the are issued and used to prevent as much abuse. The medical conditons real or fake are not the issue. It's how to provide an equal or accomodated experience that doesn't negatively impact either side.

I wonder if they could just issue and RFID GAC card "Suzy's" name could be written on the card and her Needs list on the car similar to now but CM could scan the RFID which would then issue Suzy a return time. It would also know if Susy had already been on the ride with in a certain amount of time etc. But her name and medical information would not be in the system.

 

[flynnibus]

I'm sure I worded it wrong. Essentially, Disney does not want a GAC card saying little Suzy needs the alternate entrance for reason xyz attached to her MagicBand that also has her name and other personal and preferential information alongside it all stored in a database. It's on the borderline and could open things up to a potential lawsuit

More non-sense.

1- Storing the info has nothing to do with this
2- Disney doesn't even write down today WHY you need the assistance, so why would MM+ be any different?
3- Disney doesn't need WHY you need the assistance, and actually would want to stay away from that because that's where the ADA discrimination borders start to appear.

Disney would do exactly as they do now.. simply write/store what assistance the person needs.

 

[Tom Morrow]

This. There is no excuse for the CMs to allow GAC access if the one it is issued to isn't riding.

Unfortunately, the only thing the CM can go off of is the name written on the card. The person holding the card can, and do easily just claim it is them even if it isn't. Even if its obviously a name of the opposite gender, they can claim its actually their name and there is nothing the CM can do.

And even when the guest admits that it isn't for them specifically, that party usually complains to a manager who ends up letting them through anyway. That's really the reason CM's are lax with rules like this, their management most likely will not back them up because its easier to let people get away with breaking the rules than have conflict.

 

[Clever Name]

They can always use a system similar to Six Flags' Flash Pass...except use it for GAC ride access instead. They give you the device, you select the attraction, and after the appropriate wait time, it vibrates...

I like this idea, but some people will consider this to be just one more part of the abuse cycle.

 

[RSoxNo1]

So this is pretty lousy...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

 

[GymLeaderPhil]

I hope they get trespassed from the property.

 

[BigBadWolf88]

“My daughter waited one minute to get on ‘It’s a Small World’ — the other kids had to wait 2 1/2 hours,” crowed one mom, who hired a disabled guide through Dream Tours Florida.

While I do not doubt that this scam happened...

I would call BS on that statement lol... Maybe she got her rides mixed up

 

[natatomic]

So this is pretty lousy...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

Ahhh, you beat me to it! It just proves that the GAC is basically an unlimited fastpass, otherwise these horrible mothers and families would not spend that much money for the disabled guide. Of course, it says that the guide it just in a scooter - he/she might not even be disabled at all. Plenty of people would be despicable enough to fake a disability if they were getting paid over $1,000 a day to do it.

Hopefully, this article will help speed up any future changes being made to the GAC system.

 

[Violet]

This is Disney's fault (referring to the NY Post article). They set this up, they let it happen, they don't invest the money to create a truly fair and accommodating system.

 

[NYwdwfan]

While I do not doubt that this scam happened...

I would call BS on that statement lol... Maybe she got her rides mixed up

I just said the same thing to my co-worker.

 

[SoupBone]

So this is pretty lousy...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

I came here to post this. This is why both people with legitimate disabilities and people without should be furious with the current system. If this doesn't open people's eyes to how broken it truly is, then nothing will at this point.

 

[flynnibus]

Its funny because it's such a solid scam too... If the tour guide is disabled.. and the guide stays with them.. they have to use the GAC for the group for it all to work. Such a defendable position for the tour guide. And why shouldln't a disabled person be able to be a tour guide? It's hysterical on how solid the defense of the tour company can be as long as the guide is disabled.. and you don't sell it as bypassing the lines.

But we know the wink-wink-nod-nod is with the whole thing.. but it goes to show how the system can be gamed by even legit users.

Autoimmune disorder and needing a scooter? That's a new one to me...

 

[Ava83]

You know, It would be VERY clever of Disney to leak a story like this in order to make some changes to GAC.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP

 

[Goofyernmost]

I came here to post this. This is why both people with legitimate disabilities and people without should be furious with the current system. If this doesn't open people's eyes to how broken it truly is, then nothing will at this point.

It's to the government that you have to convey how broken it is. Good luck with that...they have one mission and that is to make sure all disabled people are allowed access to the parks. If that means that there will be abuse, they really couldn't care less. And they won't either.

The only hope it has is when it starts to be an issue that the disabled are being emotionally harmed by the fact that they are now looked upon as possible fakes because there is no system to prevent the abuse. Someday, the government will be able to understand, but it's a little ways away, at this point.

 

[The Mom]

Autoimmune disorder and needing a scooter? That's a new one to me...

There are many debilitating autoimmune diseases where the patient has limited to no mobility.

 

[Tom]

There are many debilitating autoimmune diseases where the patient has limited to no mobility.

I agree. Many hybrids of Lupus, for example.