Special Assistance Pass Tips- Information on Guest Assistance Cards About This Page:

[Laughaholic]

Thanks for the clarification..that is just the policy that we go by at our park, not to say that is uniform everywhere.

Originally Posted by SueM loves WDW

Tim is correct.
Under the ADA, they are not allowed to ask for or require proof of a disability. But they can question you about what your needs are and what sorts of accomodations would meet those needs.
If the guest refuses to answer or is not able to explain their needs, there is no requirement under the ADA to meet the needs (you can't meet needs if you don't know what they are).
They are required to provide reasonable accomodations, not necessarily every accomodation that someone wants.
So, yes, they can refuse to give you a Guest Assistance Card under those kinds of circumstances.

Since the GACs at WDW say different things, based on the needs of the person, it is important for WDW to know what the person's needs are. Also, even if you have a GAC, that does not mean that all the accomodations are available at each attraction or that it will be handled exactly the same on each attraction.

[SueM loves WDW]

Originally Posted by Laughaholic

Thanks for the clarification..that is just the policy that we go by at our park, not to say that is uniform everywhere.

What I wrote is consistent with the ADA and also with the way they do it at WDW from conversations/writing I have had with WDW CMs.
As you noted, other places might choose to do things differently. That is OK as long as what they are doing is consistent with the ADA.

[GuyanaBoy]

When we got to Disney this morning, it was the first time we had asked for a GAC. I actually had never heard of this. What a pleasure and delight! It helped us truly enjoy our day in more ways than I can describe.

There are five of us here together, and I have my own ECV. Our Five Year Old Grandson is with us too. . . and he has ADHD and Asperger's. If we had known about the GAC last year, it would have helped us avoid almost every "melt down" we had with him. (One was at Mickey's Playhouse. . . after waiting in line about 35 minutes, just before we were to walk up to Mickey, he had a MAJOR MELTDOWN. We ended up having to leave the line entirely. It was hard on EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US.)

Today, with his GAC card (Which is different from mine, due to mine really being for Mobility issues.) we did not have a SINGLE "Melt down", and used the Alternate Entrance several times. It helped speed things up and keep him focused on what we were doing. That truly made things better for him, us, and all the people around us too.

Many thanks to all of you on the board for letting me know about the GAC! It is a LIFE SAVER in every single way!

[TNTWheels]

I use one and it was great.

[stonewall]

An MD's Note for a GAC- to take one or not? You all know that technically you are not required to produce a medical document in order to obtain a Guest Assistance Card, but I always suggest taking one, and I would like to explain why.
You've spent a lot of money and invested hours of planning for your trip and have heard about the benefits of a GAC. So, you head off to get the pass, leaving the rest of your party waiting outside, champing at the bit, anxious to head into the park.
There is a line of people waiting and the CM handling the various requests is trying to move things along. You get up to the desk and are trying to remember all of the accomodations that you need while those behind you in the line are sighing with impatience, and the CM who is helping you is very polite but might not be a native speaker of English. You become flustered, mumble something, anything, in your haste to get the card in your hands and meet up with your family. Only then do you remember that you are staying 8 days not 6, or that you that you have forgotten some other very important fact that you were going to include. One way or the other, you are going to have to brave that line again... I speak from experience, as I have done exactly that!
Before the next trip, I sat down with my trusty PassPorter and Open Mouse and made a list of things I really wanted to see (and those to which I would have to accompany my children), and what I thought would make things easier for me. Then, I made an appointment with my MD for sometime shortly before our departure, and went over things with her. She even had a few suggestions to make that hadn't occured to me! Now I'm not really sensitive about my health conditions so I don't care if things are revealed, but at the same time, I know that listing info about at least one of them would be pointless as it is rare and no one would have heard of it to begin with. So, you can say as much or as little, or even nothing at all, about specific conditions, but it is a help to have requests or accomodations written down in one place and an MD's prescription pad is a much better size than a piece of
8 1/2X11 paper. I could even make a few copies of it to keep in my wallet, a suitcase, my PassPorter, so that I'd be sure to have at least one copy when I needed it! And , more than once I have encountered a CM from Japan, Singapore or Eastern Europe, and although I speak several languages, my accomplishments deserted me in the face of long lines of hot, tired tourists who just want to get in and out quickly! So, it's your choice, obviously, but if you can make it easier for yourself, why not give it a try? Enjoy your vacation!

[TNTWheels]

stonewall,

That makes perfect since, a list would help you remember what you need and put some of the languages that are at WDW into your list to so you can communicate withe the CM or other tourist.

About the GAT last time they help me get one at the Magic Kingdom's Main St, City Hall. They saw that I used a power chair and ask me how many in my party I said two more but they are still at the hotel and they wrote that down with out asking me for any prof. I did that at DL but they say I would be able to go on the rides and they didn't give me one. Anyone else experince that at DL here?

[Eeyore Tattoo]

Excellent Advice Suzanne!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[w-steele]

Since we go to DL monthly and now that we've been to WDW and know the status of access for those of us who use either an ECV or EC, I can say that DL is much more ADA friendly than WDW is. I can not think of an attraction here at DL where you have to switch to a Disney wheelchair or leave your 'ride' too far away from the 'exit point'. The one point about WDW that upset me most was that nowhere along the Magic Kingdom's Railrood route can someone with an ECV board the train and disembark at another station like at DL. At DL the only station not ADA friendly is the Main Street Station whereas at WDW you must leave your ECV behind and take the entire ride. I have asked this question but have never gotten a clear answer. IF DL AND DO IT, WHY CAN'T WDW?

[TNTWheels]

I never had to leave my powerchair at the Main st in WDW. Matter of fact at DL you are way in the back at WDW you are in the front behind the coal car.

[stonewall]

Originally Posted by w-steele

Since we go to DL monthly and now that we've been to WDW and know the status of access for those of us who use either an ECV or EC, I can say that DL is much more ADA friendly than WDW is. I can not think of an attraction here at DL where you have to switch to a Disney wheelchair or leave your 'ride' too far away from the 'exit point'. The one point about WDW that upset me most was that nowhere along the Magic Kingdom's Railrood route can someone with an ECV board the train and disembark at another station like at DL. At DL the only station not ADA friendly is the Main Street Station whereas at WDW you must leave your ECV behind and take the entire ride. I have asked this question but have never gotten a clear answer. IF DL AND DO IT, WHY CAN'T WDW?

Great point- one that has bothered me for a while now. I would really like to ride the train to get to the other side of the park but, no way...and the kids are past the age where riding all around the whole route would be fun for them. Maybe we should start a letter writing campaign to the "powers that be" at WDW?

[deniseiam]

Hi Natalie;

I noticed that your son is autistic and you got a GAC. Our daughter who is 9 is autistic and it is the first time we have travelled with her. We are all very excited, but want to ensure the trip is as smooth as possible for her. Disney wrote back to me to explaiin that we could get this pass, but they didn't specify what accommodations would be made. Do we use a special entrance, front of the line? I would like to know more, so I am prepared. We have already called the airline to request bulkhead seating together. I appreciate your tip on the restaurants. If you can tell me what to expect with the GAC I would really appreciate it.

Did your children enjoy their experience?

Denise in Ajax, ON

[w-steele]

Originally Posted by stonewall

Great point- one that has bothered me for a while now. I would really like to ride the train to get to the other side of the park but, no way...and the kids are past the age where riding all around the whole route would be fun for them. Maybe we should start a letter writing campaign to the "powers that be" at WDW?

I have already taken that step. I have talked to Mark Jones, Operations Manager, Services for Guests with Disabilities, back there in WDW. He has assured me that Disney is aware of the problem and concerns in this area and that they are looking into what changes may be required to correct this. He has however informed me that this is not going to be a 'quick fix' as it is not as easy as it may appear. Revamping even a part of the last car of each train is very expensive and time consumming.
Now for those who would like to "flood" Marks e-mail box with messages spurring them on to make this happen sooner, here is his e-mail address:

Mark Jones at guestcorrespondence@disneyworld.com and let him know of your concerns as well.

Here's hoping something can change from all of this and make it for the better.

[TNTWheels]

Originally Posted by w-steele

Since we go to DL monthly and now that we've been to WDW and know the status of access for those of us who use either an ECV or EC, I can say that DL is much more ADA friendly than WDW is. I can not think of an attraction here at DL where you have to switch to a Disney wheelchair or leave your 'ride' too far away from the 'exit point'. The one point about WDW that upset me most was that nowhere along the Magic Kingdom's Railrood route can someone with an ECV board the train and disembark at another station like at DL. At DL the only station not ADA friendly is the Main Street Station whereas at WDW you must leave your ECV behind and take the entire ride. I have asked this question but have never gotten a clear answer. IF DL AND DO IT, WHY CAN'T WDW?

umm at the Star Tour ride at DL the last time I tryed to ride it the made my transfer twice once in their chair and then on to the ride. As you said DL railroad you can't get on in mainstreet but at WDW you can. But I was able to ride it with my PC no problem. I felt that at WDW I was able to ride more ride with my own powerchair. Maybe because I don't have a EVC.

[w-steele]

TNT, you own a PC and they have a much smaller 'foot print' than either a 3 or 4 wheel EVC and as such a PC can go where EVC's can't. WDW has areas where EVC's are not allowed but from what I have been told, they are working on correcting that. Atleast that is what an Operations Manager told me. Time will only tell.

[TNTWheels]

W-steel, So I'm like Hubbie that can fit in smaller places, matter of fact I can do wheelies like Hubbie lol. Any ways let hope they will make it better for all of us cars lol. I witch I could join you guys up at DL. But gota save for WDW in November. Oh do you know how I could go over to Wilderness Lodge?