Rich Manhattan moms hire handicapped tour guides so kids can cut lines at Disney World

[GoofGoof]

Yes, its a small amount of people but it looks really bad if a private tour company is abusing the GAC to get their VIP tours to the head of the lines. Doesnt matter if its a needle in a haystack; its horrible publicity.

Bad publicity for the tour company or WDW? In this case what did Disney do wrong? Disney does not sanction or authorize these black market tour guides do they? I think most people reading this would be equally disgusted by the tour guide operator and the rich moms using the service. Disney really doesn't look bad, except maybe when they talk about 2.5 hour waits for rides. If someone with no knowledge of WDW read this they may say to themselves "I'm never going there if the rides have 2.5 hour waits unless you are in a wheelchair"

 

[openendedsky]

The problem is, how does Disney counteract incidents like this without breaking the guidelines of the ADA and asking the disabled persons' details?

 

[Brickcity Pauly]

Somtimes it's easier to simply "worry" about yourself and your own party and not be concerned with what everyone else is doing. I will not spend my vacation wondering if a person in a wheelchair is "legit" or not.

 

[Violet]

I agree, I think it's best just not to think about this issue. I said this yesterday, but really there are only two choices here...1) Stop thinking about this issue and just ignore it. 2) Go and get yourself a GAC.

Actually, there is a third choice...And it's stop giving Disney your vacation dollars if the lines are too long, if you're sick of getting up for rope drop to get on rides, if you're sick of traveling at odd times of the year to avoid crowds, if you're sick of deciphering crowd calendars and ADRs and touring plans, if you're sick of the cruddy parts that go along with a WDW vacation.

Really, the problem here is the crowds, and GAC fraud does contribute to that. That's why people are driven to cheat and lie at Disney.

 

[alphac2005]

The problem is, how does Disney counteract incidents like this without breaking the guidelines of the ADA and asking the disabled persons' details?

The answer is that they won't do much beyond what they've done up to this point. Now, they can put the screws to any type of tour agency that is using and abusing the GAC, but in reality, what can be done outside of that issue? It is essentially an honor system setup and must be under the ADA guidelines. Unfortunately, more and more people feel like they can lie and break the rules because they want to and many feel that they're owed such.

We'll be down in Orlando in a few weeks and my dad will be with us, so I'll be interested to see this time how much abuse is going on within the system. It disgusts me. People with disabilities like my father, children with muscular dystrophy, and then you see some uppity types, jackass kids, and lazy people abusing the system.

 

[openendedsky]

The answer is that they won't do much beyond what they've done up to this point. Now, they can put the screws to any type of tour agency that is using and abusing the GAC, but in reality, what can be done outside of that issue? It is essentially an honor system setup and must be under the ADA guidelines. Unfortunately, more and more people feel like they can lie and break the rules because they want to and many feel that they're owed such.

We'll be down in Orlando in a few weeks and my dad will be with us, so I'll be interested to see this time how much abuse is going on within the system. It disgusts me. People with disabilities like my father, children with muscular dystrophy, and then you see some uppity types, jackass kids, and lazy people abusing the system.

Won't do much, or can't do much? Something needs to be reworked in the legal aspect to keep entitled people from abusing that system, but it seems to me in this situation they're stuck between a hard place and a rock for the time being. The fact that people would set up a process and pay to get around the current system is not inherently Disney's fault, as they, at least as far as I can tell, are going by the rule book.

 

[WWWD]

I wonder if there are tour companies that will rent babies so I can get the child swap card and ride all the rides twice.

 

[Patrick_Ears]

I believe they have this thing called FastPass. It works for us to get on some attractions faster and it comes with your paid admission.

 

[Violet]

Won't do much, or can't do much?

Good question. My answer is WDW won't do much because it's not their $ being stolen.

Disney needs to decrease the appeal of their GAC to cheaters while remaining within the law. The way to do that is to provide fair accommodations for people who really need them, not just giving out all-day FPs. This could include more waiting areas, more seats, more covered areas, return times, more CMs, on and on and on.

This would all cost WDW money, that's why WDW won't do it.

 

[luv]

I still dont get why people feel this is fake? Why do you feel its fake?

1. There are lies in there.

2. There is an obvious agenda related to class warfare...and based on this thread alone - a successful one.

Those two things are enough to make me not believe whatever the author wrote. There might be some truth in it. There might not. I don't know. But the last person I'd trust for truth is the person who wrote the article, so I can't believe any of it.

 

[Ava83]

Have you all seen Disney's first response to this? I think they leaked it so they could change the way GAC's are used. Second guessed myself earlier but this gives them grounds.

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/disney_probes_sleazy_riders_BsFgeKjl2ugf7PvqQAAiaO

 

[Timekeeper]

I believe they have this thing called FastPass. It works for us to get on some attractions faster and it comes with your paid admission.

Yup.

And when I take new guests to the World, I act as a "tour guide" of sorts, which includes a somewhat "strategic" game plan in making the most use out of the FPs. Most of the people on this forum could probably use the FP system more efficiently than the typical, inexperienced guest. I don't charge my friends/family for this courtesy, but I suppose that I could. Would it be wrong for me to profit from my increased knowledge of how to visit the parks as efficiently as possible? Regardless, for me, the benefits are simply that of visiting the World with the people that I value spending time with.

 

[alphac2005]

Won't do much, or can't do much? Something needs to be reworked in the legal aspect to keep entitled people from abusing that system, but it seems to me in this situation they're stuck between a hard place and a rock for the time being. The fact that people would set up a process and pay to get around the current system is not inherently Disney's fault, as they, at least as far as I can tell, are going by the rule book.

No, I don't fault Disney whatsoever. Having dealt with them with handicap issues, they've been tremendous. Now that there has been press about tour operators using the GAC, though, Disney can at least go after those groups to shut down their individual abuse of it. The operators and individuals that are at issue here are simply exploiting the system and legally, Disney can't do anything, except if they can verify the commercial use of the GAC through a tour operator.

That's my point as to how the ADA is written, it's essentially an honor system when telling Disney that you're handicap and/or need a GAC. To be quite honest, why would Disney want a rewrite of the policy? If the system was set-up in a way that people were supposed to provide some sort of verified proof, that's only more work for Disney to do.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Bad publicity for the tour company or WDW? In this case what did Disney do wrong? Disney does not sanction or authorize these black market tour guides do they? I think most people reading this would be equally disgusted by the tour guide operator and the rich moms using the service. Disney really doesn't look bad, except maybe when they talk about 2.5 hour waits for rides. If someone with no knowledge of WDW read this they may say to themselves "I'm never going there if the rides have 2.5 hour waits unless you are in a wheelchair"

It's peoples general impression. They are going to simply believe that Disney allows it to continue. Or has somehow sanctioned it. Without doing any research or looking into the matter on their own.

It's not what Disney says, rather it's what people here.

 

[Timekeeper]

It's peoples general impression. They are going to simply believe that Disney allows it to continue. Or has somehow sanctioned it. Without doing any research or looking into the matter on their own.

It's not what Disney says, rather it's what people here.

That reminds me of the "peoples general impression" of Gay Days.

 

[DJMoore2011]

why... why can't people discuss an issue with becoming so emotional, illogical, and easily offended.

It's maddening every time someone brings up a valid point and it turns into "do you know my kid has ______ or ______ " and yet you choose to bring them to one of the busiest and most stimulating environments in the US.

If you were to look at my daughter you would see a "normal" 19 year old young lady with a big smile and very blue eyes. What you don't see is that ADHD, Bipolar and that mentally she is 6-8 years old.

Why should I deny her trips to WDW?

At the same time I do everything I can to make it a good experience for her, by going during the least busiest time we could find in Nov., by paying extra for a Deluxe villa that would give her a way to relax without all the extra stimulation of sounds and colors and excitement. By making sure that when we are in the parks we take time out and find a quiet place to sit for some "chill time & people watch time". We only spend a HALF a day in each park, then we go back to the room to swim and relax. If we felt a line was to long we would skip the ride. We do all we can to ensure her time is a good time. But it's not perfect, we still had a melt downs.

To say not to bring a child or someone who is child-like to WDW is like saying they should be seen and not heard.

EDIT: No we did not use the GAC, when we went I was not yet a member of this group and had no clue what it was.

 

[4Parks1Universe]

You know, I once witnessed a family who had a disabled son cut line in Kilimanjaro. But, they never went straight to the front.

This is a new low.

 

[raymusiccity]

The GAC card is a blessing for those who truly need them. Any abuse must be stopped but I wish somebody would lock this thread before it goes downhill!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The easiest solution is to give out more GAC cards to demagnetize the benefit. It's sort of like the 'handicap' parking spaces that surround the Mall of America. How are you handicapped outside the door, but, not inside the mall. Do all amusement parks have GAC cards, or is Disney the only one? This reminds me of why all handicap parking spaces are full on rainy days !!

 

[Todd L]

This is frustrating on so many levels But, what can be done about it??

Do we tighten up the reigns which will of course only make trouble for the people who actually need the Gac??

As long as there are systems in place To try to help those in need there will always be people who manipulate and abuse the system to their own benefit....shame on them.

Id rather see one or two creeps get away with it if in the long run it helps those who need it...again, Ill wait in line with my family even though I could very easily get a Gac for my Plantar faciitis I got from Running or my sons adhd..

These are luckily very managable conditions and we travel at the lower crowd times of year which alleviates the issues completly!!

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

Another example of how the ADA FAR exceeds the original intent. It needs (and has needed for years) to be reigned in.

I understand that employment is different; but I still think Disney could require more/better documentation. To be honest, i think Disney fears getting sued and/or the bad publicity. I would like to see specific statutes and

At this point, though, they have the bad publicity, just the other way.




FYI By ADA Rules your not allowed to ask for documentation of disability and in fact Disney will not even look at any if you have it!