Possible Changes coming to the Guest Assistance Cards (GAC)

[RSoxNo1]

Indeed, its a tricky situation, but whats wrong with the procedure that other parks have? If one "can't wait in long lines", they obtain a pass that is based on the wait time of the attraction. If the wait time is currently 45 minutes, they "schedule" to come 45 minutes later. That way, they're not waiting in a long line, but they're also not given the ability to use the Fastpass line unlimited.

This doesn't solve the problem, it only changes the benefit.

I doubt anyone will read my full inevitably long incoming post, but I will post it anyways. Other than being a live cast member, I'm the closest you'll find to "straight from the horse's mouth." I not only was in Guest Relations for several years, but I trained it. I was part of the actual team that instructed Guest Relations cast what GAC's are/how they work/how to distribute them. So I at least have some experience with this.

With that said...

I read it all, I just didn't want to quote it all. Changing the benefits isn't going to curb the abuse, so I full agree with what you said. They need to find a way to eliminate the abuse, while still providing the benefit for legitimate usage. People point to the legal ramifications and I would love to see someone chime in on that. Requiring a doctor's note would eliminate much of the concern, but I can certainly see the firestorm that even that change may cause.

 

[PirateFrank]

I hadn't even realized that such a card existed until I read this thread.....and I am sickened to know that it exists without strict controls over its granting and use....

 

[captainkidd]

I hadn't even realized that such a card existed until I read this thread.....and I am sickened to know that it exists without strict controls over its granting and use....

As has been said, not much can really be done. It really is a tough situation.

 

[luv]

This doesn't sound like it should impact us too much. We've had to use the GAC for the past 4 years. I have a chronic back condition that doesn't allow me to stand in the same place for more than very short lengths of time. I had an MRI done and the specialists I've seen don't recommend I go through with surgery, so it's something I just have to live with.

I would have no problem (and think Disney should) with Disney requiring that people asking for GAC's have a note on physicians letterhead or copies of current prescriptions detailing what the medicine is for.

If it wasn't for the GAC, I can honestly say, we could no longer go to WDW. Well, we could, but I couldn't make it through the parks.

There are plenty of people who totally abuse GACs. It is disgusting behavior, but done a lot.

Requiring a letter wouldn't stop them unless Disney first verified the phone number and then called it. Even then, you could get around it.

Requiring prescriptions is kind of mean. Many people don't wish to give details of their conditions. Furthermore, the Disney clerks don't know enough about drugs to know all of them...hell, doctors and nurses don't know all of them. Pharmacists, even, look some up on occasion...and knowing drugs is their whole job! Even if the Disney staff knew diseases, they can't know if the drugs handed to them are actually used to treat those diseases.

I wish there were a way to stop rotten people from being rotten, especially in cases like this...but there really isn't. You build a better mousetrap, they build a better mouse.

 

[muteki]

If the current benefit/allowance is unlimited access to the fastpass line, and the problem is too many people in the fastpass line (or at least, enough uncontrolled access to throw off expectations used in distribution), then why don't they just stop allowing unlimited access? For attractions without fastpass, let the previously used policy apply, and for attractions with fastpass, just distribute fastpasses for GACs using the posted return time that everyone else uses?

 

[captainkidd]

There are plenty of people who totally abuse GACs. It is disgusting behavior, but done a lot.

Requiring a letter wouldn't stop them unless Disney first verified the phone number and then called it. Even then, you could get around it.

Requiring prescriptions is kind of mean. Many people don't wish to give details of their conditions. Furthermore, the Disney clerks don't know enough about drugs to know all of them...hell, doctors and nurses don't know all of them. Pharmacists, even, look some up on occasion...and knowing drugs is their whole job! Even if they knew diseases, they can't know if the drugs handed to them are actually used to treat those diseases.

I wish there were a way to stop rotten people from being rotten, especially in cases like this...but there really isn't. You build a better mousetrap, they build a better mouse.

Yeah, all very true.

What I do with my prescriptions is highlight not just the name of the prescription, but what it's specifically for. But I can see why people wouldn't feel comfortable with this.

 

[TP2000]

The solution, if there is one, is to follow the ADA laws and make sure that all Disney attractions are wheelchair accesible. And if they aren't accesible because they were built in 1971 and retro-fitting them would be prohibitive, then create a system where a person in a wheelchair can go up the exit and board elsewhere.

Of course, Disney has already done all of that already. Their parks in America meet or exceed all ADA laws for disabled accesibility.

The GAC is a customer service perk, no different than a free button on your birthday or a candle in your dessert on your anniversary. There is no law saying Disney must offer and manage a GAC program, they simply do it to be nice to their customers. But the customers wised up years ago and have turned on them and now the whole system is rife with abuse and fraud. It would be like if everyone took their free birthday buttons and used the pin to start carving their names in the paint on the side of the Castle. Disney would have to stop giving out free birthday buttons in that case.

It sounds like they are about at that point with the GAC system too. A shame for the 5% or less of the people using GACs who actually deserved them (a few in this thread, for example), but it seems like the GACs have hit the end of their useful life. And who says American culture and society is headed into the crapper?!? Get me to the front of the line, pronto!

 

[DisneySaint]

Ya'll's logic of "just change it" is easier said than done. Changing something that's been the norm for over a decade would case the inevitable shellshock to the masses who are experienced with the system as it is. Granted, they did it with Fastpass's return time enforcement recently, but I honestly think GAC is a bigger can of worms. Someone who hasn't waited in a line for years will be quite perturbed when they are told they need to come back in 2-3 hours. I fear for my former Guest Relations cohorts.

 

[DisneyJoe]

If the current benefit/allowance is unlimited access to the fastpass line, and the problem is too many people in the fastpass line (or at least, enough uncontrolled access to throw off expectations used in distribution), then why don't they just stop allowing unlimited access? For attractions without fastpass, let the previously used policy apply, and for attractions with fastpass, just distribute fastpasses for GACs using the posted return time that everyone else uses?

I am sure a CM or former CM can comment here, but is the benefit "unlimited" per ride? i.e. someone with an GAC could ride 1 ride as many times as they wanted (even if exiting and entering again?) I can understand 1 entrance per attraction, but do people enter multiple times per attraction per day using a GAC?

 

[nytimez]

This doesn't solve the problem, it only changes the benefit.

I read it all, I just didn't want to quote it all. Changing the benefits isn't going to curb the abuse, so I full agree with what you said. They need to find a way to eliminate the abuse, while still providing the benefit for legitimate usage. People point to the legal ramifications and I would love to see someone chime in on that. Requiring a doctor's note would eliminate much of the concern, but I can certainly see the firestorm that even that change may cause.

I don't see how the "come back at x time" solution is any worse than the "go to the front of the line" approach currently in use.

The problem isn't, as I see it, "how to we accomodate people immediately who have to go on the right ride now but can't wait in line." It's "how do we help people who can't stand/wait in line for any reason get on the ride without standing/waiting in line."

Telling them to come back at a time equivalent to the wait (or giving them a FP when they are available) accomplishes that perfectly.

I'm sorry if the disability is one where someone will throw a fit if they don't get on whatever ride they want immediately -- but honestly, I don't think that's a disability that's reasonable to accommodate, especially when it opens to the door for abuse of that accommodation.

 

[flynnibus]

It's actually not up to Disney - I believe HIPAA laws prevent them from asking.

It's the ADA definitions - not HIPAA. ADA is so reaching when it comes to protections. Plus, it says you can't make 'Unnecessary Inquiries'. Basically, you can't create eligibility requirements that would tend to discriminate against the disabled, and you can't require proof of disability unless you can show the inquiry is necessary for it to be safe, etc.

It's a stupid 'extension' of the original law IMO - but that's how they've defined it through the revisions to the law over time.

 

[ddbowdoin]

my favorite... a child has "ADD" so his parents, siblings, cousins, and second cousins all get to head to the front of the line

 

[flynnibus]

True. And all Disney has to do under the ADA laws is provide wheelchair accesibility.

Not so - metal/psychological issues (and many other categories) are also covered by ADA. Providing a wheelchair, or wheelchair accessible path doesn't help accommodate someone who has a brain injury, autistic, etc.

There's no ADA law about letting autistic kids who don't like to wait in line get an immediate Fastpass at a theme park. The perks Disney gives those folks, via the GAC system, are purely customer-service driven and have nothing to do with ADA laws. ADA laws deal with physical accesibility issues, and nothing more.

Untrue, untrue, and untrue. Disney needs to provide accomodation for any individual with a "physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities". The law doesn't define exactly what that accomodation has to be, but sets guidelines to try to mainstream the person as much as possible.

If my disability is that I can not withstand high heat.. and it were to the degree to substantially limit major life activities... Disney would have to provide reasonable accommodations to allow me to visit and participate in the parks.

 

[flynnibus]

They need to find a way to eliminate the abuse, while still providing the benefit for legitimate usage.

Their hands are basically tied when it comes to cutting the abuse off at the start where people request it. The best you can do is make it UNATTRACTIVE to abuse, while not hurting legitimate users.

 

[DisneySaint]

I am sure a CM or former CM can comment here, but is the benefit "unlimited" per ride? i.e. someone with an GAC could ride 1 ride as many times as they wanted (even if exiting and entering again?) I can understand 1 entrance per attraction, but do people enter multiple times per attraction per day using a GAC?

Not only is this possible, but is quite common. You can use the GAC over and over; when I was at Soarin' I saw the same party go over and over. A legimitately-given GAC for a Dad can easily be handed to the 3 kiddos to use.

 

[Yensid1974]

As someone who works at the MK, I do have some thoughts on the issue. I completely understand the issues involved with persons with truly legitimate medical problems (loss of limbs, autism, etc...) as it can be exceedingly difficult to negotiate a WDW vacation taking those medical issues into account. I would recommend an ECV to those with issues regarding standing/walking. It will let you go through an alternate entrance (if available at said attraction) and in general make your day much easier for you. As a side note here, I truly dislike having ECV's in the park for a two reasons.. first, too many people using them just don't have enough experience driving them. Secondly, they go too fast...period. They should not be able to go any faster than an average human walks, but they do. This has caused so many close calls to guests both in their own party and others that I'm surprised there haven't been more lawsuits over this issue yet but I can see that coming in the future as more and more people are renting them. I also hope that GAC cards, or something else they come up with, will continue to provide needed assistance to some of our guests. That said, I do think they need to seriously rethink/revamp the whole program as it is taken advantage of much too often. Almost everyday we have guests come up with GAC's and expect to get directly onto the attraction. We do the explanation of what they are for and the restrictions involved and they still go away disgruntled as if we're not doing enough for them. It actually angers me that they not only are trying to take advantage of the truly nice service available, but then they turn around and treat CM's such as myself as if we are not providing them the Disney magic they wanted.

In the end, the current situation isn't really fair to those who truly need assistance, and to those of us trying to provide assistance and a little Disney magic to everyone.

 

[ddbowdoin]

Not only is this possible, but is quite common. You can use the GAC over and over; when I was at Soarin' I saw the same party go over and over. A legimitately-given GAC for a Dad can easily be handed to the 3 kiddos to use.

unfortunately in my personal experience, I see what seems to be more abuse than legit use.

 

[ddbowdoin]

As someone who works at the MK, I do have some thoughts on the issue. I completely understand the issues involved with persons with truly legitimate medical problems (loss of limbs, autism, etc...) as it can be exceedingly difficult to negotiate a WDW vacation taking those medical issues into account. I would recommend an ECV to those with issues regarding standing/walking. It will let you go through an alternate entrance (if available at said attraction) and in general make your day much easier for you. As a side note here, I truly dislike having ECV's in the park for a two reasons.. first, too many people using them just don't have enough experience driving them. Secondly, they go too fast...period. They should not be able to go any faster than an average human walks, but they do. This has caused so many close calls to guests both in their own party and others that I'm surprised there haven't been more lawsuits over this issue yet but I can see that coming in the future as more and more people are renting them. I also hope that GAC cards, or something else they come up with, will continue to provide needed assistance to some of our guests. That said, I do think they need to seriously rethink/revamp the whole program as it is taken advantage of much too often. Almost everyday we have guests come up with GAC's and expect to get directly onto the attraction. We do the explanation of what they are for and the restrictions involved and they still go away disgruntled as if we're not doing enough for them. It actually angers me that they not only are trying to take advantage of the truly nice service available, but then they turn around and treat CM's such as myself as if we are not providing them the Disney magic they wanted.

In the end, the current situation isn't really fair to those who truly need assistance, and to those of us trying to provide assistance and a little Disney magic to everyone.

my wife works with students with special needs and has a lot of experience with autistic children... I'll share my two cents, and I'm sure I'll get flamed for this. Depending on what stage of the spectrum your child is on... there comes a point where bringing an autistic child to Disney is irresponsible.

There is way too much stimulation at WDW... colors, noise, just volume. It's too overbearing for children who suffer from those types of diseases.

 

[Lucky]

A shame for the 5% or less of the people using GACs who actually deserved them (a few in this thread, for example

I don't think it's anywhere near as low as 5%. The article made a good case for rampant abuse by DL AP-holders. I don't think it's anywhere near as bad at WDW.

Just compare the number of people coming through the gates at MK at any one time to the number who are at Guest Relations getting a GAC. It's one out of hundreds. And I don't think the majority of people who request one are faking or lying.

I fully agree abuse should be minimized. DisneySaint asks about a group of teenagers coming in and asking for a GAC. That's an easy one to me: "Go get your parents and come back." In most cases they won't be back. Or a parent requesting one who doesn't have his autistic kid with him. "Well, go get your kid and come back." (Why would a CM issue a card for someone who may not even exist? How does a privacy law supposedly force you to do that? That's just an excuse for taking the easy way out.) Most people who are lying about an autistic kid won't come back.

I've watched in the FastPass lines, and most people show CMs an actual FastPass, not a GAC. If GACs were abolished there'd be almost no difference in the time you'd wait in stand-by lines at WDW. If it ever gets as bad as it seems to be at DL, then it's time to make changes.

 

[muteki]

I am sure a CM or former CM can comment here, but is the benefit "unlimited" per ride? i.e. someone with an GAC could ride 1 ride as many times as they wanted (even if exiting and entering again?) I can understand 1 entrance per attraction, but do people enter multiple times per attraction per day using a GAC?

Based on what it is written here, it seemed like with a GAC you could enter the fastpass line, ride the ride, leave, and immediately enter the fastpass line again. Rinse and repeat. That is what I meant by "unlimited" use.

If you didn't have a GAC you couldn't do this, you could ride once and get another fastpass for instance, but the return time for that one could be hours from now. That is the "managed" or "controlled" aspect of the system. If someone with a GAC can ride and immediately hop back in the fastpass line, it breaks that system as now you have more people per hour entering the fastpass line than you had originally accounted for.