Front of Line passes for disability?

[KimR]

My sister was telling me that her boyfriend's daughter (8 yrs old) recently returned from a trip to WDW with her mother and they got a front-of-the-line pass for every ride as well as reserved front row seating for all the shows due to her disability. Now, I am totally confused because the only disabilities this child has is ADHD (which she is on medication for) and poor eyesight. I am not begrudging this little girl a thing...she's had a hard time with her eyes, but I'm very surprised she was able to get such preferential treatment. Seems to me that if she could get a front of the line pass for that, everyone and their brother would be lined up claiming one disability or the other. Just out of curiosity, does anyone know exactly what qualifies someone for a pass like that? I'm honestly just curious...I'm not interested in scamming for a pass!

 

[Tinkbell]

The folks on the disabilities board have lots of information about this. I have heard of people getting passes for their children who have difficulty waiting in line, but I don't know the exact details.

 

[Tinkbell]

Here's a thread I found on that board.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=566550

 

[F1Julie]

All kids have a hard time waiting in line. I hope people don't abuse the disability programs that Disney offers. There are a lot of people out there who rent wheelchairs and electrical carts so they can use the handicapped entrance for attractions and shows.

 

[Figaro]

This is a question that comes up frequently on the disAbilities board(smile). As far as I know, the only children who get immediate front of the line access are the kids with Make A Wish program (terminally ill).

The Guest Assistance Pass has different stamps and are for non-apparent disabilites. So, if a person is sun sensitive, it will allow them to wait in a shaded area (if the line isn't shaded) for the same length of time they would have waited in line out of the sun. Another stamp would be for kids who have the special needs strollers (look like regular strollers but are for kids who are too small for a wheelchair) and this lets the family take the stroller into the line as if it was a wheelchair.

These aren't front of the line passes, but they do allow people to wait in areas that are appropriate for their disability. If a person is in a wheelchair or ECV, there is an assumption that people make when they see the wheelchair in the fastpass lane that they have "gone to the head of the line" when in fact they just had a fastpass the same as everyone else(smile). Often a person in a wheelchair or ECV will wait longer to get on a ride because there are a limited number of people with mobility disabilities that are allowed on the ride at one time in case of an evacuation.

I have no idea what happened with the child the original poster mentioned. I do know that WDW tries hard to accomodate everyone with disabilities and since almost all of the lines are now completely accessible for wheelchairs and ECV's, there is no benefit (except a place to sit while in line)(smile) to renting a wheelchair.

For the rides in Fantasyland where someone enters at the exit (the queues aren't mainstreamed), it may look like they are going ahead of everyone, but what has probably happened is that the family was given a paper with a time that would match the fastpass time and told to come back at that time and ride. When it isn't busy (only time we go)(smile), then the ride is a walk-on and no one waits.

Hope this helps!

 

[Luv2Roam]

Seems like with quite a few rides the disability line is the same que line as stand by guests, Example: KRR
My understanding is WDW does not hand out the special assistance passes as readily as they use to.
Like anything, I suppose it depends on the CM.

 

[Nik's Mom]

My DS 5 has mild autism. I can tell you that he does not like being around large crowds. We get the guest assistant card, which may allow you to wait in a special area, or use your stroller in line (he feels safe in his stroller). We are never allowed to the front of the line though. There are some children that will completely freak out with people bumping into them and crowding their space in line. In this case, the GAC is a lifesaver. Visit the DISability board for more info.

 

[HopperFan]

We got a GAC card for the first time in 20 years for our multi-handicapped son. He has always followed the procedure for the general public. His medical and emotional situation has changed and being in a que could create pure panic if a small child screams out. (It happened last year) It is for his benefit and the safety of others that he be allowed to wait elsewhere.

I find it very hard to believe that she was given a GAC for adhd or poor eyesight. I don't believe adhd qualifies, and as you said, she takes her medicine. Poor eyesight - alot of folks have very poor eyesight.......

It sounds like maybe her situation was presented in a "different light", and that is sad for all those who truly need some extra assistance in order to have a magical experience.

I would gladly provide Disney with documentation of my son's conditions if required, but it is not, and therefore there are people getting passes that maybe do not truly qualify.

 

[aprilgail2]

We had front of the line access one trip we went and that was with the Make a Wish foundation..Matts wish was the big red boat and Disney and they gave us shirts and a tag to wear and they let us on all the rides without waiting, but that was many years ago...Matt had his wish at about 5 years old and he would have been almost 17 now....Other times we went he was in a wheelchair and sometimes we got up front and others we didn't but the times he was walking we waited in lines like everyone else. I would have much preferred him walking and us waiting in lines, I could never put him in a wheelhair if he didn't need it just to skip lines, that would have been bad karma as far as I am concerned!

 

[disneyholic family]

Make a Wish kids still get very special treatment at WDW (and well they should), however other disabilities guests who have a GAC card do not get front of the line treatment....they are just given an alternative waiting area (if they need it).....if WDW isn't crowded when they're there, then they actually might get in more quickly...
however, in high season, the CMs keep track and try to load the GAC holders at the same rate as the general guest population...

 

[seashoreCM]

Numerous guest assistance pass violations and also fast pass violations occur because the cast members in charge are not quite as consciencious as they need to be. Nowadays the guest assistance passes state the kind of assistance needed, such as the ability to wait in a shaded area, yet once in awhile a ride attendant may assume incorrectly that the GAC means cut to the front of the line.

Sometimes one cast member makes a mistake such as send a wheelchair guest all the way around to the wrong spot and a cast member over there, rather than send the guest all the way back, instead admits the guest which under these circumstances is a reasonable thing to do.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[mic_key_mouse]

The only thing that is clear from this thread is that the people making judgemental comments don't have kids with ADHD or someone in the home with a disability. My son has outgrown it, got better, whatever- but unless you have been there making comments like some of those I see here help me to understand why I get 'a look' from some people when I cruise up to an attraction in an ECV. Maybe I will forgo the GAC in the future because no one in the family is 'handicapped enough'. After all, "all kids have a hard time waiting in line", so why should my mobility disability keep me from waiting in line as well. I wouldn't want to take a GAC away from "everyone and their brother" trying to scam Disney. Are there GAC violations? Sure there are. It is obvious that the disabled child in the OP is clearly not 'disabled enough' for the 'morality police'- so I guess she fits into the group that abuses the system.

Thank God WDW sets the policies, and not the 'Disney Police' on these boards- or there would be a lot fewer families going to WDW for vacation. For all we know the parent of the child was exagerrating, or maybe the child has a problem the family has chosen not to make public, or maybe (likely?) the OP doesn't know the true extent of the disability. In any case, it is interesting to see how some people (including one with a disabled person in the home) generally feel about the 'inconvenience' caused by the disabled or the 'less disabled than my kid'. I couldn't believe I was reading this stuff. Nuff said.

 

[Pooky & Peanut's Mom]

Greetings fellow Disney Fans:

This debate is timeless, and as a mom with a son with a physical disability I can honestly say most folks are truly understanding.
Sadly there are those who are not. Our family has done Disney many times and my son cannot walk distance without extreme joint pain. He cannot stand in line for the same reasons. We've never asked for special treatment, never taken any. We wait in line like everyone else only we wait with a wheelchair. When we reach our turn and my son is 'able' to step from the wheelchair on his own and enjoy a short walk to the ride, exhibit, show, etc. I cannot tell you the looks we receive (as if we cheated some how) regardless of the fact that we waited the duration in line.

There will always be those who are judgemental and unkind. Our family sees that as the disablitiy we are lucky NOT to have.

Yes, there are cheaters. But, please, when you you see a family getting a little extra-something for a disabled loved one, keep in mind that Disney can be an exhausting experience for ANY family with kids. A family like ours deals with so much extra just so we can give our son the Magic that is Disney.

Thanks for your compassion.
Pooky & Peanut's Mom

 

[Selket]

We used a GAC last summer for my son who was 20 months old for mobility issues. We didn't get any shortcuts for waiting in lines! I think it is possible to have "front of the line" GAC (as previous posters have mentioned - such as the MAW kids) but it is the exception rather than the rule. They do have reserved areas for wheelchair users (not always in the front row - believe me for some attractions the front row is terrible!) - and that section is generally not the best seat in the house.

 

[Barbday62]

My husband has muscular Dystrophy but if you looked at him you would think nothing is wrong with him. Muscular Dystrophy eats away at the muscles but you know his calfs ar growing because of Atrophy. His calfs look very muscular even though its not. He has a hard time walking his shoulders dislocate all the time (I mean daily) and he lives in constant pain. He takes a lot of medication but you know people never see any of that. They never see the down days he has when he can hardly get out of bed.

We have had our car scratched by someone thinking we was cheating the system with his disabled parking pass. HE has been yelled at and scowled. He learned a long time ago to ignore or when confronted our standard saying it to beg them to walk one day his shoes so he can have one day in theirs. He would love one pain free day. He also has the state issued ID card proving he is entitled to use the pass.

Anyway we rarely use extra priveledges at places like WDW. We prefer to take it very slow and its not unusuall to ride one thing in two to three hours for us but when hes doing well we ride more. I generally have him wait in a seat until I get near the front when things are going bad. I think having a pass to allow him back in line when I get forward is a great thing.

My point is: Please dont judge a disability until you really know. Anyone who sees my husband has no clue hes disabled.

 

[babby]

I just want to say that all of you in wheelchairs, EVC or with disabilities can get in front of me and my family anyday. You have gone through so much and are just trying to make memories with your family. Whenever we had to with for a wheelchair to load our bus before we could get on my husband would roll his eyes. I would tell him to be very thankful that is not our children or family etc.... Just wait your turn and offer it up as thanks for how lucky we are to be healthy. Why don't some of you think about doing that when you have to "wait" for a disabled person. Be thankful it's not you and offer it up!!!!!

Thanks for reading.

 

[KimR]

My goodness, I didn't mean to offend anyone with this thread! (although I was afraid it might turn nasty). I certainly don't begrudge anyone with a disability front of the line access and I hope it didn't come across that way. I was merely confused because when my sister told me this, it just didn't sound right to me. After reading these responses and those on the disability board, I honestly think she misunderstood what the girl's mom told her (or maybe the mom exaggerated for some strange reason, who knows.) Anyway, I was just curious, that's all - I wasn't passing judgement. Thanks to all who responded!

edited to add: babby, I agree with you 100%!