Possible Changes coming to the Guest Assistance Cards (GAC)

[Lucky]

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.

I have a lot of experience too, and the first thing you learn if you're paying attention is that kids labelled as autistic are all different. I know many autistic kids who are not bothered by noise or crowds. But I think the parents of kids who are bothered by noise and crowds tend to be smart enough to go at times of year when crowds are less of a problem.

I've also seen quite a few "normal" adults and kids who act out at WDW. Maybe they don't belong there either.

 

[ddbowdoin]

I have a lot of experience too, and the first thing you learn if you're paying attention is that kids labelled as autistic are all different. I know many autistic kids who are not bothered by noise or crowds. But I think the parents of kids who are bothered by noise and crowds tend to be smart enough to go at times of year when crowds are less of a problem.

I've also seen quite a few "normal" adults and kids who act out at WDW. Maybe they don't belong there either.

there are obviously varying cases... depending on where your child is on the spectrum, as I had noted before.

I can only comment on what I have seen, and I have seen autistic children (more identified by my wife, I shall take no credit in that) and can tell that the crowds and stimulation is TOO much. In some ways, it's the parents who want to go to WDW as well and don't realize that the condition along with characteristics that do not bode well with those conditions is a bad combination

 

[Tom Morrow]

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

It doesn't solve the problem of people obtaining a pass who don't legitimately need it - but it removes the benefit of unlimited, immediate Fastpass line access, while still accommodating the guest by not forcing them to stand in the standby line or get a Fastpass, which of course are restricted and could be for much later than the posted wait time. Making the pass give the user an equal experience rather than a benefiting one would cut down on scammers bothering to get one. Sure, there would still be some people doing it, but by not allowing unlimited access, they would not be able to unfairly ride as much as they want, thereby making the fastpass line longer, which makes the standby line longer - the result is a much more fair experience for everyone.

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?

Yes, and it happens frequently. Often with situations where this happens:

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.

 

[ddbowdoin]

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.

oh I agree 100% percent... it wouldn't make an impact, but how can it not irk you when you see a handicapped child with a GAC enter a FP line WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY / PARTY OF 12 PEOPLE?

 

[Fractal514]

This really is a tricky situation. I'm not a legal expert, so I am only going to state what I think is fair, with full disclosure that it may not be legal.

The idea of having to submit something in advance for the duration of your trip, and that something having to have a doctors note attached would be the BEST solution to the problem. I just don't know that it is legal. Would this inconvenience people, yes, but I don't think it is unfair to expect families of children, and adults, with special needs to take that extra step to make sure the trip is a success.

I think another good plan would be to limit the number of folks who can take advantage of the GAC to four total. The individual and three others. This would definitely make it less attractive and still accommodate those who need it.

Failing that, I think only allowing GACs at rides that do no have Fastpass available is another reasonable measure. I have found that parents of children with special needs are usually willing to work within a system to figure out something that works for their children. Given the upcoming Next Gen opportunities to book certain attractions in advance, and the ability to procure FPs throughout the day, I think you've got a system that should allow you to see most of the attractions in a given day with a minimum of lines, depending on your time of year to visit.

If that wouldn't work, I could see them scrapping the system. There are just too many logistical hurdles to fixing it, and I don't see the problem decreasing in the future, to the point that it might start to impact the experience of non-GAC visitors. I am sympathetic to parents of children with autism or other medical conditions, but I also think that there are ways of mitigating the situation short of a front of line pass for every attraction. Should Disney take this step, i hope that families who will suffer from this will be able to find alternative ways to tour the parks, and remember that the blame for this decision would fall to the feet of the abusers, not Disney.

Just my $0.02.

 

[captainkidd]

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?

My guess is it absolutely can be done. Even though we get a GAC, I have never, and will never do that.

 

[jakeman]

oh I agree 100% percent... it wouldn't make an impact, but how can it not irk you when you see a handicapped child with a GAC enter a FP line WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY / PARTY OF 12 PEOPLE?

I throw rocks...

...wait...no I don't, because I'm on vacation and I don't really care.

 

[ddbowdoin]

This really is a tricky situation. I'm not a legal expert, so I am only going to state what I think is fair, with full disclosure that it may not be legal.

The idea of having to submit something in advance for the duration of your trip, and that something having to have a doctors note attached would be the BEST solution to the problem. I just don't know that it is legal. Would this inconvenience people, yes, but I don't think it is unfair to expect families of children, and adults, with special needs to take that extra step to make sure the trip is a success.

Failing that, I think only allowing GACs at rides that do no have Fastpass available is another reasonable measure. I have found that parents of children with special needs are usually willing to work within a system to figure out something that works for their children. Given the upcoming Next Gen opportunities to book certain attractions in advance, and the ability to procure FPs throughoug the day, I think you've got a system that should allow you to see most of the attractions in a given day with a minimum of lines, depending on your time of year to visit.

If that wouldn't work, I could see them scrapping the system. There are just too many logistical hurdles to fixing it, and I don't see the problem decreasing in the future, to the point that it might start to impact the experience of non-GAC visitors. I am sympathetic to parents of children with autism or other medical conditions, but I also think that there are ways of mitigating the situation short of a front of line pass for every attraction. Should Disney take this step, i hope that families who will suffer from this will be able to find alternative ways to tour the parks, and remember that the blame for this decision would fall to the feet of the abusers, not Disney.

Just my $0.02.

I believe it is against the law to require someone to show documentation of a disability.

My biggest issue is the over prescription of ADD medicine. When I was a kid, and I'm only 27, it was called having a personality. Now, any kid who acts out a small bit when he's 4 suddenly has ADD / ADHD and start the meds!

 

[ddbowdoin]

I throw rocks...

...wait...no I don't, because I'm on vacation and I don't really care.

it's the principle... and it's an abuse

 

[DisneyJoe]

The idea of having to submit something in advance for the duration of your trip, and that something having to have a doctors note attached would be the BEST solution to the problem.

I agree, however, just as doctors sign forms to allow people to get handicapped placards and license plates for handicapped parking, there will be those that do the same thing for these forms. It may reduce the abuse, but won't eliminate it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

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?

I don't know what the official policy is, but I know my friend would regularly ride Space Mountain twice in a row.

 

[jakeman]

it's the principle... and it's an abuse

Meh...if someone get's their jollies by lying about a disability to get on a ride 20 minutes earlier, then so be it. It's not right, but also isn't my job as a consumer to police them.

If I've got to list the things that are abused that would get me fired up, the GAC card at WDW is probably pretty far down there.

Bottom line, I would let 10 people lie about it if it guaranteed that one Make a Wish kid got to do every thing they wanted to on their vacation.

 

[Tom Morrow]

I throw rocks...

...wait...no I don't, because I'm on vacation and I don't really care.

You'll care when you see that same party ride 6 times while you wait 75 minutes to ride once.

 

[jakeman]

You'll care when you see that same party ride 6 times while you wait 75 minutes to ride once.

That's why I have rocks.

I don't wait 75 minutes to go on rides.

 

[ddbowdoin]

You'll care when you see that same party ride 6 times while you wait 75 minutes to ride once.

honestly, I've heard people say "mom, you're feet hurt... let's get you a chair and we can get one of those cards that gets us to the front of the line"

I'm not saying all abuse, but we have to make judgements based on what we know and experience. I can't sit here and say from a fundamental perspective that all who use it deserve it, when I've actually experienced and witnessed the abuse first hand.

It's too easy to be generic and say "oh that card made ones kids life complete"... just too easy

 

[muteki]

I don't know what the official policy is, but I know my friend would regularly ride Space Mountain twice in a row.

If all you need to enter the fastpass line is a GAC card, I don't see how they would be able to stop you from doing this.

If they needed a valid fastpass in addition to the GAC, then you wouldn't be able to ride over and over.

 

[Lucky]

oh I agree 100% percent... it wouldn't make an impact, but how can it not irk you when you see a handicapped child with a GAC enter a FP line WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY / PARTY OF 12 PEOPLE?

I've heard there's a limit of 6 or 8, so this may be another case where a CM took the easy way out. As I said, I'm in favor of reasonable means of minimizing abuse.

I also agree with you on the separate issue of over-prescribing meds for kids with (or without) special needs. It makes things easier for parents, teachers, etc. but in the long run isn't always a good thing for the kids. Again, kids are different and some kids with special needs need medication.

 

[RSoxNo1]

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.

I could certainly see this, especially in teenagers. I remember a horrific trip where we brought my brother into the Magic Kingdom and he simply couldnt' handle it. He was going through puberty and my parents took turns staying at the hotel with him while the other one went around the parks with my sister and I.

Now, my brother is 20 years removed from puberty, is on a good combination of medication and while he has his anxious moments at the park we definitely feel more comfortable taking him to Disney World than any other vacation around. He's truly happy there, and we certainly don't want to deny him that.

It's actually comparable to a child throwing a temper tantrum in many respects. The child gets overwhelmed by all of the stimulation and they can't handle it. It's the parent's responsibility to remove that child from that situation. The problem is, it's a lot easier to remove a 40 pound child than a 200 pound adult.

 

[RSoxNo1]

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 would actually put it on the cast member to go out and meet with the autistic kid. Give them a sticker or other small gift. Make the person feel special, but a cast member can be trained to have that interaction.

 

[Lucky]

I could certainly see this, especially in teenagers. I remember a horrific trip where we brought my brother into the Magic Kingdom and he simply couldnt' handle it. He was going through puberty and my parents took turns staying at the hotel with him while the other one went around the parks with my sister and I.

Now, my brother is 20 years removed from puberty, is on a good combination of medication and while he has his anxious moments at the park we definitely feel more comfortable taking him to Disney World than any other vacation around. He's truly happy there, and we certainly don't want to deny him that.

It's not always entirely predictable either. A kid can do great one trip and not so well the next. It's hard to say, let's keep my special needs kid away from WDW forever even though he loves it just in case he might have a bad experience once.

Disney has a terrific reputation among parents of special-needs kids where I live, for treating their kids so well.