Possible Changes coming to the Guest Assistance Cards (GAC)

[jakeman]

There are many debilitating autoimmune diseases where the patient has limited to no mobility.

Lupus
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Shulman's Syndrome
MCTD
Neuromyotonia

Just to name a few.

 

[Hot Lava]

RSoxNo1 said: ↑

So this is pretty lousy...

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/manhattan/disney_world_srich_kid_outrage_zTBA0xrvZRkIVc1zItXGDP​

Ahhh, you beat me to it! It just proves that the GAC is basically an unlimited fastpass, otherwise these horrible mothers and families would not spend that much money for the disabled guide. Of course, it says that the guide it just in a scooter - he/she might not even be disabled at all. Plenty of people would be despicable enough to fake a disability if they were getting paid over $1,000 a day to do it.

Hopefully, this article will help speed up any future changes being made to the GAC system.

I like to think that there is an extra special place in hell for people like this.

 

[flynnibus]

There are many debilitating autoimmune diseases where the patient has limited to no mobility.

Yet enough energy to lead a tour group for a full day?

 

[Tom]

Yet enough energy to lead a tour group for a full day?

I don't think The Mom was defending the supposed actions of the company, but rather clarifying that autoimmune disorders can most certainly confine one to a wheelchair. I've known two people with Lupus, one who has sever mobility issues - the other lives a fairly normal life.

 

[Tom Morrow]

You know, It would be VERY clever of Disney to leak a story like this in order to make some changes to GAC.

Heeeyyyy.....

you might be on to something.

edit: the tone of the article, and how it specifically singles out the "despicable rich 1%" doing it, makes me picture that it was written specifically to get the general public onboard with rallying against abuse of the policies.

2nd edit" 2.5 hours for "its a small world" ? When is it's line ever more than 20 minutes?

 

[Clever Name]

I prefer to look at this situation in a positive light. A disabled person has found a way to make their disability help them to earn income.

 

[muteki]

This is despicable for sure, but I'm not sure if the coverage it is getting is a good thing, or a bad thing.

I'd love to see an official response from Disney on this, but I know they won't.

 

[Tom]

This is despicable for sure, but I'm not sure if the coverage it is getting is a good thing, or a bad thing.

I'd love to see an official response from Disney on this, but I know they won't.

You're right. This will go unaddressed by Disney PR.

 

[RSoxNo1]

While I do not doubt that this scam happened...

I would call BS on that statement lol... Maybe she got her rides mixed up

Yeah, I had the same thought.

 

[flynnibus]

I'd love to see an official response from Disney on this, but I know they won't.

It IS the nypost after all.. not like the front page of NYT

 

[RSoxNo1]

Essentially what this is probably doing is under the same umbrella that Lou Mongello is using for his tours. The added component here is the ruse of front of the line access.

 

[The Mom]

Yet enough energy to lead a tour group for a full day?

Yes. It may be an issue of "the spirit is willing but the body is weak" and the scooter allows her to overcome a weak or painful body.

Is she using her disability to help people scam the system, or, as Clever Name mentioned, has she found a way to become financially independent despite her disability, rather than depending upon a social safety net?

I can see both POVs. I certainly wouldn't use her service. But I think WDW frowns upon unauthorized tour group leaders who charge for their services, so she will probably be put out of business once they see the article.

 

[Violet]

I prefer to look at this situation in a positive light. A disabled person has found a way to make their disability help them to earn income.

By lying and stealing?

 

[captainkidd]

It was on the radio this morning, the whole scheme thing. It's disgusting. If this person is caught, they can say bye-bye to Disney for life.

BTW, this is the company that is accused of operating the scam:

http://www.dreamtoursflorida.com/

 

[tissandtully]

It was on the radio this morning, the whole scheme thing. It's disgusting. If this person is caught, they can say bye-bye to Disney for life.

Who knows? They may give her an annual pass for life.

"Thanks for bringing all the rich people with exponentially more dispensable income!" - Bob Iger

 

[Clever Name]

By lying and stealing?

They provide travel services for both special needs adults and children including onsite and overnight supervision if needed. They provide guides that offer companionship. This is not your ordinary tour guide service. I'm not aware of any lying or stealing.

I think it is a great service!

 

[luv]

The kicker to that story (which I don't believe) is that you don't need to hire a disabled person to get a GAC. You just go in and ask for it and they give it to you.

 

[Violet]

They provide travel services for both special needs adults and children including onsite and overnight supervision if needed. They provide guides that offer companionship. This is not your ordinary tour guide service. I'm not aware of any lying or stealing.

I think it is a great service!

Oh, am I mixing up these two services? I was thinking of the one in the NY Post.

 

[flynnibus]

Is she using her disability to help people scam the system, or, as Clever Name mentioned, has she found a way to become financially independent despite her disability, rather than depending upon a social safety net?

Yeah, like I said in my earlier post.. it's genius in a way because it can be argued as a legit combination...

If the tour guide is disabled.. and the guide stays with them.. they have to use the GAC for the group for it all to work. Such a defendable position for the tour guide. And why shouldn't a disabled person be able to be a tour guide? It's hysterical on how solid the defense of the tour company can be as long as the guide is disabled.. and you don't sell it as bypassing the lines.

But the trailing sentence there is the key one... as long as they don't use that as their selling point. But like I continued on that thought.. even if you don't explicitly market that 'benefit' for using this tour guide... there is undeniable potential for wink-wink-nod-nod there... and as the article highlights, this accommodation for the tour guide is explicitly why the people use said guide.

Without knowing the couple - it's premature to claim this was
- something legit they stumbled upon.. or
- if this is a combination they fell into... or
- if this is a legit combination that they don't intend to exploit, but external customers do look at it this way

But its hard to see them being blind to this 'benefit' of this scenario or that they didn't see this going into it.

 

[Disvillain63]

http://www.dreamtoursflorida.com/ and "Dream Tours IN Florida" ARE NOT the same tour company. The first one obviously helps out families WITH disabilities - they don't rent disabled people out to rich families like the second one.

The article says Dream Tours FLORIDA...not in Florida. Also, look under their VIP Tours...nothing about having a disability but makes promises other tour groups do not make.