GAC to Become DAS

[JimboJones123]

Man, this thread makes people awful y. It was like my day at MK all over again.



If you want to point out what you're describing specifically in these posts, please feel free, because I'm not wading through this thread to find all of these "icky, infuriated, entitled" posts. I know there's a whole lot of confusion about the change and explanations from card users about their individual problems, which last I noticed, isn't a bad thing and they don't need the little jabs people like to throw if you want to have an adult conversation here. So yeah, people need to settle down on both sides. Actually, I see many people looking for a way to make the system easier while trying to get rid of the fraud. Throwing broad accusations out there doesn't help. Yes, I've been guilty of that too in this thread. How about we all take a breath, not be so overdramatic and hyper sensitive, what do you say?

And the CM's not knowing about the system was just my comment that no one knew what the changes were going to be, which was a simple observation and nothing more. I was not blaming them. The terrible CM's (which there were many) had nothing to do with that.

Um... Those descriptions are acurate.

Look up the feedback from any online news story and you will see some vile vile things.

If you don't want to look it up as a counter point to my agressive observations, what was the point to your post?

Go search it out. Start with the local rag, the Orlando Sentinal has done DAS articles every other day this week. Again, don't want to search, mellow your critique.

 

[pddmom]

brand spanking new here, and not sure how to use it. but did want to reply. read this whole post, took me days. but since I am a mom of 2 kids with disabilities, i was interested in what people had to say. I don't know how to insert a comment yet, but want to say I do like what MisterID said. I honestly can see both sides, one side doesn't like the abuse, even by the disabled, because they seem to be getting more bang for the buck, so to say. and the other side, my side, people who are disabled or have kids who are disabled, who like this and don't want it to go away. first, I will tell you that we need this absolutely for my son. I am a single mom and travel with my 2 teenage boys, both on the spectrum, one with autism, one with aspergers. my son with autism is really pretty good, most of the time, but you never know what will make him breakdown (tonight it was his aid going around the circle in the cul de sac). he is never violent, but will just lay down, like he has done in lines and had to have people step over him for hours sometimes. once on main street just after the fireworks and was almost trampled. that being said, we have went from ride to ride...sometimes. and my older son, who can wait has used it without his younger brother. I guess that is abuse according to this thread. I didn't even think about it at the time because I thought this is what the card is, no one ever questioned us or explained different. only once has anyone ever said anything to us when using it, and it was someone in line and i just told my boys that it was ok he wasn't talking to us. most of the time people have been telling us to get it, starting with bag check before we even enter the park. because even though my son has a "hidden disability" it is really quite evident. I don't ever want to take away from others experience of disney and never want anyone to look at my kids with disdain, so I am OK with the change, as long as everyone is just as courteous when stepping over my son. also, i would always give up my seat to anyone! i don't care why they are using any ecv, even if they are overweight.

 

[misterID]

Um... Those descriptions are acurate.

Look up the feedback from any online news story and you will see some vile vile things.

If you don't want to look it up as a counter point to my agressive observations, what was the point to your post?

Go search it out. Start with the local rag, the Orlando Sentinal has done DAS articles every other day this week. Again, don't want to search, mellow your critique.

No, I'm not searching out nonsense. Look up any comments from any news story on any news site for any subject and you will see vile, vile, vile things. Ever read any Yahoo! comments section? Makes you lose faith in humanity a bit.

Take your own advice, mellow out. "Aggressive observation" is just another word for obnoxious opinions... And really, the reason I posted what I did, like take breath, step back, no one has to be aggressive, is because there's simply nothing worth countering in your argument because it's set up to continue a silly heated sparring session. We can have a good discussion. I'm open to having one without the snide remarks. I know that was hard for me to do as it's a touchy subject, but let's try to take the conversation up a notch if that's what anyone really wants to have. And there's no reason to argue a point from another website here.

If you want to quote someone let's do it in this thread. Don't bring quotes from other sites to paint people here, in this thread, voicing a legit opinion, as some irrational, selfish, entitled brat. That does a disservice to a lot of members here who have participated in this thread, trying to explain their situation that in no way fits the broad strokes some people are trying to pain them with.

 

[BeastlyKingdomme]

I'm a little shocked at how much "catching people using a GAC who obviously don't need one" has been brought up in this thread. People don't know what anyone has been or is going through. A good example is when a small group of your average teenagers uses a GAC. I swear everyone who notices it groans, it even crosses my mind, honestly. Maybe one of those teenagers has terrible social anxiety. I think a lot of people would groan even more if they found out that was the reason they had the card. Social anxiety can be so bad that the person would have a complete freakout and not be able to stay in line, so without the GAC card they wouldn't be able to ride many rides, if any. I've actually brought this up to someone before and was told that if their social anxiety is that bad they shouldn't come to Disney . Sorry for the rant but people assuming they can tell if a person truly needs a GAC just angers me a little.

FWIW, I am not against switching over to DAS (at least from the info we know about it now).

 

[englanddg]

Let me summarize the next 50 pages.

User 1) GAC is being abused by people who are claiming disabilities for themselves or their children that are false. Abuse needs to be cracked down upon because it is detrimental to those who truly need it as well as the overall Guest Experience. I am going to base my observation of abuse on national news stories and anecdotal observations I've made while on the parks.

User 2) I am a parent (or individual) who has (insert condition). You would never understand what it's like. You have no empathy at all if you don't support a program like GAC. You are a bad and evil person trying to take the Magic of Disney away from the people who need it the most.

User 1) GAS isn't all that much different than GAC. It seems like a fair workaround to a now nationally understood issue with the system. Heck, abuse even filtered outside of the Disney fansite world...and it's been here for years...

User 2) As a parent (or individual) who deals with this, something you would never understand, you have no empathy for my situation and you never will because without a front of the line pass we wouldn't have gone to Disney because Disney is expensive and without this program we would never have been able to enjoy the Parks.

User 1) Er...that's not what I said. Where did you get that from...oh, and wait...what do you mean "front of the line pass"?

User 2) I am not going to answer that, but I will say with Disney doing this, I likely won't be going back in the future. This is going to cost them a TON of money!

User 1) Um...wha? So...wait, let me get this straight. You won't be back? Ever?

User 2) Yes...without this benefit, I won't ever come back. I have (insert condition) and you can't understand discomfort or what I go through. Without these front of the line passes, we wouldn't be able to do nearly as many rides and then go relax back at the hotel.

User 1) Um...wait, er...I'd like to do that. What exactly are these conditions?

User 2) You wouldn't understand because you are uneducated.

User 1) Er...ok, well...there is clearly abuse. Anyone can agree upon that, right?

User 2) Yes, people abuse it. But, that's not my problem. They are taking this away from me so my family will no longer be able to enjoy Disney ever again. It's so sad and wrong.

User 1) So wait, the system was never meant to be a "front of the line pass"? Why do you use that term now.

User 2) Because that's how it works, and to you it doesn't matter. You are uneducated about the situation I am in, and you will never understand unless you agree with me!

User 1) I didn't say I disagreed with you necessarily, but I'm trying to have a rational discussion!

User 2) Without this benefit, my life is ruined. You are evil for even questioning it.

And the evil cycle that keeps these threads alive continues.

Did I get it pretty much right?

 

[misterID]

No, not really

 

[englanddg]

No, not really

What did I miss?

 

[JimboJones123]

No, I'm not searching out nonsense. Look up any comments from any news story on any news site for any subject and you will see vile, vile, vile things. Ever read any Yahoo! comments section? Makes you lose faith in humanity a bit.

Take your own advice, mellow out. "Aggressive observation" is just another word for obnoxious opinions... And really, the reason I posted what I did, like take breath, step back, no one has to be aggressive, is because there's simply nothing worth countering in your argument because it's set up to continue a silly heated sparring session. We can have a good discussion. I'm open to having one without the snide remarks. I know that was hard for me to do as it's a touchy subject, but let's try to take the conversation up a notch if that's what anyone really wants to have. And there's no reason to argue a point from another website here.

If you want to quote someone let's do it in this thread. Don't bring quotes from other sites to paint people here, in this thread, voicing a legit opinion, as some irrational, selfish, entitled brat. That does a disservice to a lot of members here who have participated in this thread, trying to explain their situation that in no way fits the broad strokes some people are trying to pain them with.

When one refers to the masses, one references the masses. Geez.

 

[lostpro9het]

Let me summarize the next 50 pages.
Did I get it pretty much right?

 

[sedati]

brand spanking new here, and not sure how to use it. but did want to reply. read this whole post, took me days. but since I am a mom of 2 kids with disabilities, i was interested in what people had to say. I don't know how to insert a comment yet, but want to say I do like what MisterID said. I honestly can see both sides, one side doesn't like the abuse, even by the disabled, because they seem to be getting more bang for the buck, so to say. and the other side, my side, people who are disabled or have kids who are disabled, who like this and don't want it to go away. first, I will tell you that we need this absolutely for my son. I am a single mom and travel with my 2 teenage boys, both on the spectrum, one with autism, one with aspergers. my son with autism is really pretty good, most of the time, but you never know what will make him breakdown (tonight it was his aid going around the circle in the cul de sac). he is never violent, but will just lay down, like he has done in lines and had to have people step over him for hours sometimes. once on main street just after the fireworks and was almost trampled. that being said, we have went from ride to ride...sometimes. and my older son, who can wait has used it without his younger brother. I guess that is abuse according to this thread. I didn't even think about it at the time because I thought this is what the card is, no one ever questioned us or explained different. only once has anyone ever said anything to us when using it, and it was someone in line and i just told my boys that it was ok he wasn't talking to us. most of the time people have been telling us to get it, starting with bag check before we even enter the park. because even though my son has a "hidden disability" it is really quite evident. I don't ever want to take away from others experience of disney and never want anyone to look at my kids with disdain, so I am OK with the change, as long as everyone is just as courteous when stepping over my son. also, i would always give up my seat to anyone! i don't care why they are using any ecv, even if they are overweight.

Wouldn't it then be better to have him in the standby line where the able-bodied could step over him than in the line frequented by those less capable guests in wheelchairs, with walkers and canes etc?

 

[Mark In KY]

This is 'Mur-i-ca, everybody has a "handicap", a "disability", a "condition", a "situation". Everybody has a "doctor's note", a "lawyer letter", a "support group", a "cause".

It's why I did a residency in Emergency Medicine rather than Family Practice, Pediatrics or Internal Medicine.

 

[mickeysaver]

This is 'Mur-i-ca, everybody has a "handicap", a "disability", a "condition", a "situation". Everybody has a "doctor's note", a "lawyer letter", a "support group", a "cause".

It's why I did a residency in Emergency Medicine rather than Family Practice, Pediatrics or Internal Medicine.

For everyone out there that might have ever been your patient at the primary care level, I thank you for not choosing a field of medicine that requires empathy, patience, and tolerance.

 

[Mark In KY]

For everyone out there that might have ever been your patient at the primary care level, I thank you for not choosing a field of medicine that requires empathy, patience, and tolerance.

Meet 'em, treat 'em and street 'em. Or admit them to their "primary care" doctor. I like blood, guts and high levels of pressure. Adrenalin is the best drug. You're about to lose a limb or die, I'm your guy. You want your hand held you're out of luck. You want a "doctor's note" so that you can be "special", hit the road. You want to go into a long, involved story about your "situation" I'll boot you over to the nurse practitioner's clinic. I save limbs and lives, I don't do "oh you poor baby".

 

[TP2000]

It's funny because DLR has been using the greeter model for the last month of so.

I was there 2 weeks ago and experienced this first hand.

DLR invented the greeter model for GAC's in 2012 when Radiator Springs Racers opened. They've been using it at Racers ever since.

That model from Cars Land seems to be what the DAS is based on, just codified with a new card and expanded to all popular rides at all parks.

Blame Cars Land if you don't like DAS. They've been doing it there since opening in June, 2012.

 

[jrlbc06]

They have expanded beyond RSR. The greeter method was used at Soarin', Screamin', Splash Mountain, Matterhorn in DLR all this month.

Space Mountain, Fantasy Land attractions, Haunted Mansion, Pirates and several others all sent all GAC holders to the Wheelchair line.

 

[TP2000]

Meet 'em, treat 'em and street 'em. Or admit them to their "primary care" doctor. I like blood, guts and high levels of pressure. Adrenalin is the best drug. You're about to lose a limb or die, I'm your guy. You want your hand held you're out of luck. You want a "doctor's note" so that you can be "special", hit the road. You want to go into a long, involved story about your "situation" I'll boot you over to the nurse practitioner's clinic. I save limbs and lives, I don't do "oh you poor baby".

If I lived in Kentucky, I would gladly be one of your patients.

This country sent men to the moon, six times. We conquered the wild, untamed west and turned it into peaceful farmland and prosperous cities. We built the Hoover Dam and the Interstate Highway System. And we didn't need a DAS card and a support group and a mommy blog to do it.

 

[ParentsOf4]

DLR invented the greeter model for GAC's in 2012 when Radiator Springs Racers opened. They've been using it at Racers ever since.

That model from Cars Land seems to be what the DAS is based on, just codified with a new card and expanded to all popular rides at all parks.

Blame Cars Land if you don't like DAS. They've been doing it there since opening in June, 2012.

Based on its current description, DAS is almost exactly like Universal's Attraction Assistance Pass (AAP), which has been around for years.


Don't know if it's just my imagine but Uni always fells like it had significantly fewer ECV's and special needs families. Maybe as more of a thrill park, Uni attracts a different crowd.

 

[jrlbc06]

The more I am reading the more I am liking this new DAS system. It is simply unfair to expect instant front of the line access or unlimited fast pass. DAS still has advantages over non-DAS guests, specifically that it can continue to be used after FP have run out for the day, does not require pre-planning like FP+, and is not limited in number of uses. If that is not enough, then I almost feel like some guests are never going to be satisfied. The unlimited, unsupervised nature of GAC was simply unsustainable and was literally exploding stand by wait times.

 

[TP2000]

The more I am reading the more I am liking this new DAS system. It is simply unfair to expect instant front of the line access or unlimited fast pass. DAS still has advantages over non-DAS guests, specifically that it can continue to be used after FP have run out for the day, does not require pre-planning like FP+, and is not limited in number of uses. If that is not enough, then I almost feel like some guests are never going to be satisfied. The unlimited, unsupervised nature of GAC was simply unsustainable and was literally exploding stand by wait times.

That sums it up.

And it's also why so many of us are baffled at the anger and indignation at replacing GAC with DAS.

 

[minninedaisy74]

I saw this link on another board and definitely thought it was worth sharing here. I know many families don't have the same attitude as this women but she truly feels entitled. She has an adorable son who is not terminally ill and she should be thankful for that not whining because Disney took her front of the line and multiple back to back ride pass away from her . She abused the system .
http://www.squidalicious.com/2013/09/please-disneyland-do-right-by-your.html