I'm headed down there in about a month and am wondering about the degree of difficulty in obtaining a Guest Assistance Pass (Note- I don't mean the Attraction Assistance Pass that works like the DAS pass). The GAP is the pass that allows unlimited entry into the rides through the Universal Express line. I'm prepared to bring a copy of the diagnoses to provide to the Guest Relations person, but I also don't want to spend 30 min convincing someone of the need for it. Does anyone have any tips or experiences as to this?
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Difficulty in obtaining a Guest Assistance Pass
- Thread starter GabeP
- Start date
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
I took my 80 year old Mother, who was in a wheelchair, and we had no issues. But it was pretty obvious that my Mother needed one.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
Didn't that lady with the autistic son who was suing Disney publicly when they removed GAC a few years back say that Universal basically let her son use express pass lines whenever he wanted? Looking at that it would appear that Universal are tightening up their policy of treating people with disabilities including autism? I'm not trying to start a debate about Disney vs Universal just wondering whether Universal have changed their policy too or whether she was just spouting nonsense originally and they've never been more relaxed over it?
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
So if you use a wheelchair does Universal let you use express pass lines always?
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
I believe so, but I'm not sure. Many of the regular queues have stairs. But you probably would still need to get a GAP first.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
Going next year with a lady in a wheelchair. She can walk, just not long distances so this could help her immensely. We're also doing HHN with her, do you think they'd allow her in express line for that or would the rules be different?
A couple things:
1) Simply being in a wheelchair won't get anyone a GAP these days. All of the queues at Universal, with the all-too-common exception of single riders, have some way of accommodating people in wheelchairs. Ever since they've become more stringent, you now need a reason specifically for not being able to wait in the regular lines, as a GAP is a special accommodation, the necessity of which you'll have to convince them of.
2) They do give out GAPs for HHN. But be aware that they now work like Fast Passes and not Express Passes. You will be given a return time for anything with a wait over 30 minutes. Since all of the haunted houses have long lines, this means its usefulness is greatly hindered during HHN.
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
That's good to know, thanks for the reply.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
Dunno - The OP asked for any tips - it was a tip
mergatroid
Well-Known Member
No worries Joe, thanks anyway
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
If the person is using it for its intended purpose, to avoid physically being in lines for a long time, then it still is extremely useful.
Having one is more useful than not, but I would contend that it still isn't extremely useful in all scenarios. The reason Fastpass works, albeit not as well as Express, is because you have attractions with shorter waits that you can experience while waiting for your return time. That isn't the case at HHN. Not with the houses anyway. If you legitimately can't wait in long lines, and you use your GAP on a house with a two hour wait, you aren't doing any houses for the next two hours. It's technically serving its intended purpose, but it's offering minimal benefit compared to its previous form or even its current use during normal operations.
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Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
Oh, that's true, I didn't consider that during HHN every house typically has a long wait time for most of the night.
Yes, but people without the passes, and who are physically waiting in line, also are unable to do another house during that wait time. GAP-holders aren't entitled to be able to experience more attractions than the average guest.
Refer to the last line of my post.
Frankie The Beer
Well-Known Member
I told Guest Relations I was on Methadone and was prone to vomiting and convulsions and they gave one up.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
If you lie to obtain a pass, you are scum.
Nsaudra
Member
We had no issues, they are not allowed to ask your disability. My son looks fine but can not handle long ride queue lines or heat due to post brain cancer issues. They only accommodate 4 people per pass, so they gave us 2 for our party of 6. You go check in and come back to the ride at the stated time. Only one ride at a time. So we could wait in the air or ride a ride without a wait time. This time I'm getting us express passes by staying at a lowes hotel. They beat us in the line everytime even with our disability pass.
Tom Morrow
Well-Known Member
That's how it should be, because the disability pass is not an express pass.