GAC to Become DAS

[unkadug]

The success of this absolutely depends on Disney / GR not caving in to complainers. If the same situation eventually happens again and masses of people start having some alternate form of FOTL, we'll be in the same situation the GAC has developed into now, and in that case I think everyone else needs to raise their voice and complain.

But for now, I'll keep my fingers crossed that the self-entitled complainers won't get what they want.

And if it keeps some potential guests from going to the parks...so be it...there are plenty of people to take their place that will abide by the rules.

 

[JimboJones123]

We've all kinda beaten around the bush, but nobody has flat out said it. To the mods, I don't mean this to be disrespectful in any way, just offering a different perspective.

I have stated several times here that we have used the GAC, and for far far greater reason that the standard GAC guest that does. So this is in no way meant to be insulting to the general crowd.

But here it goes (get those torches ready):

If your family just cannot handle visiting a Disney park without the GAC, maybe you are not the kind of family that needs to go to a Disney park. There seems to still be quite a bit of give on Disney's behalf to help out, but a major lack of willingness to give by some guests.

Any additional grace offered by a theme park towards disabled members of my family have always been welcomed with humility. The expectations I have seen here, other sites, and across the landscape really bothers me. Really really bothers me.

 

[JimboJones123]

I have no problem with this as long as there is a limit. FOTL for a few hours only and then your pass is cut off for the day or a certain number of rides in a row and that is it for the day.

A three hour tour.. Good idea.

 

[JimboJones123]

For what it's worth, I just asked a GR CM next to me in the breakroom if he has heard this, and he said no, that the only additional accommodations being made are for the GKTW and MAW kids, and they'll get their special pass, not the DAS card.

We'll find out here soon enough though.

I heard word spread like wildfire on this today. Additional training may be necessary over what CMs got last week.

 

[RSoxNo1]

also interesting.. is Disney flat out admitting the abuse problem

" Disney Parks also hopes it will help control abuse that was, unfortunately, widespread and growing at an alarming rate"

So much for all those who tried to deny the problem existed.
"Why doesn’t Disney Parks ask for proof of disability, such as a doctor’s note?Disney Parks takes Guests at their word and there are legal restrictions around asking for proof"

I also like they finally mentioned this as well. I don't know how often we can say it, but maybe the dense now will start to accept it.

Yeah, kudos to Meg Crofton for acknowledging that in her letter as well.

 

[RSoxNo1]

This!!!

I think autism has become the scapegoat for poor parenting.

Autism vs. the "Autism spectrum" are two very different things. It has certainly been over diagnosed, but please be aware of the distinction.

 

[unkadug]

Autism vs. the "Autism spectrum" are two very different things. It has certainly been over diagnosed, but please be aware of the distinction.

You must have missed my next post.

I agree and I have seen the posts that you refer to also.

I didn't mean to imply that Autism isn't very real, but some parents seem to use it as an excuse for poor parenting.

 

[RSoxNo1]

You must have missed my next post.

Yeah, that was more of a response to the discussion in general and not your specific post (even though I quoted you). I gave you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Gabe1]

Even if they limit the number of times that someone can get up front (I'm talking about those with real disability problems) justifying the need to ride it over and over and over will be fairly difficult to do. That should cut down on a lot of problems right there. I doubt that people with "real" disabilities are abusing that very much anyway. They really want to get to see everything and not spend their limited time doing the same thing repeatedly. For those with children that will only do the one ride, you lose my sympathy. I had a daughter that only wanted to ride Pirates over and over. Guess what, she couldn't, she survived. That means that it more clearly targets the abusers then the legitimates. That alone should be a good sized improvement. To all those CM's out there...hope you have a good day and that Disney will backed you up.

I agree that get off get right back on is just rude and this should help. Here is the dude that just ticked me off.


"Did we abuse it? I do recall one time we went on Toy Story Mania three times in a row seeing the same people in line all three times. Do I feel bad about that? Not really, considering the one who enjoyed it most suffers the majority of his life. Another vacation we went on a ride four or five times in a row."

and then added in:
(we were not there as make a wish guests, just regular guests with GAP's. )

No the family wasn't doing anything officially wrong, morally yeah, just Disney didn't anticipate this type of behavior when they started this mess. That entitlement attitude of passing the same people 3 times in a row, nope didn't bother him at all and had zero guilt about bragging about it. Now he is ticked that Disney is putting an end to it. Well duh you twit.

 

[RSoxNo1]

There are 3 problem attractions in Florida: Soarin', Test Track, and Toy Story Mania. Fixing the issues/abuse at these attractions can also be solved by adding more high demand attractions to those two parks.

 

[pddmom]

We've all kinda beaten around the bush, but nobody has flat out said it. To the mods, I don't mean this to be disrespectful in any way, just offering a different perspective.

I have stated several times here that we have used the GAC, and for far far greater reason that the standard GAC guest that does. So this is in no way meant to be insulting to the general crowd.

But here it goes (get those torches ready):

If your family just cannot handle visiting a Disney park without the GAC, maybe you are not the kind of family that needs to go to a Disney park. There seems to still be quite a bit of give on Disney's behalf to help out, but a major lack of willingness to give by some guests.

Any additional grace offered by a theme park towards disabled members of my family have always been welcomed with humility. The expectations I have seen here, other sites, and across the landscape really bothers me. Really really bothers me.

Thank you for this post, I think it is very respectful in everything but "If a family can't handle Disney without a GAC, maybe your family does not need to go". I am paraphrasing, but I do not agree. Because Disney has offered this many families have been going for years. My kids love it, I am not forcing them to do anything, as suggested by previous posts. And since we have trip already paid for in December we have to be ready. I am not sure how it will go, I am doing some extra planning and talking to the kids. I love Disney so much, and now my kids do too. It really is the only thing we do, and we plan for it all year so I would never take it away because others feel they can't handle it. We do need the extra assistance and gladly accept it, also with humility and graciousness to all Disney employees. I do worry about families with younger kids who are new to Disney, (with disabilities) who are more extreme in their behaviors and how they will navigate the new system. Disney can be therapeutic for many disabilities, including autism. Again, altough I don't agree with everything, I agree with most, and really appreciate you being respectful. No torches.

 

[WDW1974]

We've all kinda beaten around the bush, but nobody has flat out said it. To the mods, I don't mean this to be disrespectful in any way, just offering a different perspective.

I have stated several times here that we have used the GAC, and for far far greater reason that the standard GAC guest that does. So this is in no way meant to be insulting to the general crowd.

But here it goes (get those torches ready):

If your family just cannot handle visiting a Disney park without the GAC, maybe you are not the kind of family that needs to go to a Disney park. There seems to still be quite a bit of give on Disney's behalf to help out, but a major lack of willingness to give by some guests.

Any additional grace offered by a theme park towards disabled members of my family have always been welcomed with humility. The expectations I have seen here, other sites, and across the landscape really bothers me. Really really bothers me.

love the post ... And agree that maybe WDW just isn't for everyone. When I hear about people who can't wait in lines or their kids can't, I do wonder how they even function at all in daily life, let alone make it to WDW. Every person with an issue(my 43-year-old special needs son can't wait in lines and must go on splAsh mountain 17 times in a row) thinks Disney needs go cater to them because the company has bent over backward doing so. That is why we have the mess we do. Plenty of wonderful healthy people can't ho to WDW just because it costs too damn much. Should we start a program of Igercare for them?

 

[JenniferS]

We've all kinda beaten around the bush, but nobody has flat out said it. To the mods, I don't mean this to be disrespectful in any way, just offering a different perspective.

I have stated several times here that we have used the GAC, and for far far greater reason that the standard GAC guest that does. So this is in no way meant to be insulting to the general crowd.

But here it goes (get those torches ready):

If your family just cannot handle visiting a Disney park without the GAC, maybe you are not the kind of family that needs to go to a Disney park. There seems to still be quite a bit of give on Disney's behalf to help out, but a major lack of willingness to give by some guests.

Any additional grace offered by a theme park towards disabled members of my family have always been welcomed with humility. The expectations I have seen here, other sites, and across the landscape really bothers me. Really really bothers me.

No flames from me. I pretty much said the same thing on Pg. 2 regarding my nephew Joey.

 

[pddmom]

It is a well-known fact that the parents of mildly autistic children were the #1 abusers of the GAC and eventually fabricated it into a FOTL unlimited FastPass.

Please show me some data on this. I read the article posted on here, that said the abusers were not to blame, it was the overwhelming use by disabled that Disney was unable to handle. Not fabricated FOTL by people with autism. Even if there is data, which I think you will not find, autism is a disability. Disney allowed this as a disability. Families were given passes. Some may have rode stuff over and over, I believe that. But you are trying to villain-ize families and children with autism for something that Disney said was OK. I don't feel entitled and was happy to get the help. I don't feel every family feels entitled. There certainly are a bunch that do, I hope it isn't the majority, but more so that are more active in posting.

 

[TP2000]

If your family just cannot handle visiting a Disney park without the GAC, maybe you are not the kind of family that needs to go to a Disney park. There seems to still be quite a bit of give on Disney's behalf to help out, but a major lack of willingness to give by some guests.

Any additional grace offered by a theme park towards disabled members of my family have always been welcomed with humility. The expectations I have seen here, other sites, and across the landscape really bothers me. Really really bothers me.

You just said what a great many of us here have been thinking, but were afraid to say for fear of being branded a hateful person. I'm actually a very loving person, but that's exactly what I've been thinking all along. Thank you very much for expressing it for us.

 

[Pinkerton]

You just said what a great many of us here have been thinking, but were afraid to say for fear of being branded a hateful person. I'm actually a very loving person, but that's exactly what I've been thinking all along. Thank you very much for expressing it for us.

So the siblings who are not disabled must suffer and be denied a Disney experience which many of us feel is a "right of passage"? Do you have any idea how much these children miss out on because they do have a disabled sibling? Anyway, your shallow way of thinking has been dismissed by Disney for many years now and appears it will continue to be so. I wouldn't doubt it if Disney relaxed DAS just because of attitudes like yours. And this is coming from a parent who supports the change to stop the abuse!

 

[unkadug]

So the siblings who are not disabled must suffer and be denied a Disney experience which many of us feel is a "right of passage"? Do you have any idea how much these children miss out on because they do have a disabled sibling? Anyway, your shallow way of thinking has been dismissed by Disney for many years now and appears it will continue to be so. I wouldn't doubt it if Disney relaxed DAS just because of attitudes like yours. And this is coming from a parent who supports the change to stop the abuse!

Going to Disney is not a "right" at all. As it has already been pointed out, there are many people that NEVER make it to WDW and they grow up just fine.

Your entitlement attitude is what got the rules changed to begin with....do not hold your breath on them relaxing the rules because of one way of thinking.

 

[Pinkerton]

Your entitlement attitude is what got the rules changed to begin with....do not hold your breath on them relaxing the rules because of one way of thinking.

What entitlement attitude? I am one who despised the abusers and applauded the initial change but it now appears that, thanks to haters like you, Disney did relax the DAS rules (from Autism Speaks website):

While each situation will be handled individually at Guest Relations, following are two examples of accommodations that could be offered based on a guest’s needs:

*For a guest whose disability enables them to be in the park for only a limited time, the guest might be offered an accommodation that enables them to use the DAS Card in conjunction with access to a number of attractions without having to obtain a return time.

*Another potential accommodation, based on a guest’s unique needs, might include providing access to a favorite attraction multiple times in a row without having to obtain a return time.

You haters need to hate the abusers and not those who really need these passes. Your hate of any type of leniency that Disney granted these people just back-fired and so the abuse will continue thanks to you. I bet Disney is impressed with some of your thoughts on the disabled.

 

[unkadug]

What entitlement attitude? I am one who despised the abusers and applauded the initial change but it now appears that, thanks to haters like you, Disney did relax the DAS rules (from Autism Speaks website):

While each situation will be handled individually at Guest Relations, following are two examples of accommodations that could be offered based on a guest’s needs:

*For a guest whose disability enables them to be in the park for only a limited time, the guest might be offered an accommodation that enables them to use the DAS Card in conjunction with access to a number of attractions without having to obtain a return time.

*Another potential accommodation, based on a guest’s unique needs, might include providing access to a favorite attraction multiple times in a row without having to obtain a return time.

You haters need to hate the abusers and not those who really need these passes. Your hate of any type of leniency that Disney granted these people just back-fired and so the abuse will continue thanks to you. I bet Disney is impressed with some of your thoughts on the disabled.

I would imagine that any perceived changes came from the entitled whiners, not from anyone like me. You seem to think that your Autistic child should take a backseat to the welfare of your other children.....that's my only issue.

 

[Pinkerton]

I would imagine that any perceived changes came from the entitled whiners, not from anyone like me. You seem to think that your Autistic child should take a backseat to the welfare of your other children.....that's my only issue.

My child has severe Cerebral Palsy and not Autism and I applauded the change due to the abuse, especially by those with "borderline invisible disabilities". However, due to the hate for any and all disabled people exemplified in this thread and others, I hope those with borderline disabilities that I originally chastised do retain their FOTL unlimited FastPasses and rub it in your faces. And here I thought those who abused the GAC made me sick to my stomach but you people and your hatred of the disabled are truly disgusting. Be on the lookout for Karma given your vile thoughts. Wait!!! Karma already showed it's head when Disney relaxed DAS!!!