GAC/ADHD/Can you apply for GAC day before your first touring day??

[riu girl]

We will be at WDW DEC 20-23 for the first time in 21 years. I can hardly wait to show WDW to my children for the first time. We have a DS4 and DD7. We are planning on visiting AK Dec. 21 and MK Dec 22. A couple of questions:
1) Can I apply for a GAC on Dec 20 to use on the 21st and 22nd? We will arrive from Toronto that day and will have several free hours in Lake Buena Vista. We will not be actually going to a WDW park until the 21st but was wondering if I could apply for a GAC (at MK entrance/or TTC maybe??) on the 20th. Also wondering if you can purchase single day passes on the 20th to use on the 21st and 22nd?

2) I would really appreciate some opinions on the use of the GAC in our situation. Our DD 7 was diagnosed with severe/profound ADHD as well as mild sensory integration tendencies (but was told that she didn't meet enough of the criteria to have SID) at age 3. In JK the school board told me that she has mild ASD tendencies (but told me that she didn't meet enough of the criteria to have ASD). The school/her doctor refer to her as having severe ADHD and nothing else. She has never been medicated (although her doctor mentions ritalin at each visit) but has a full time educational assistant with her at school to help her pay attention/stay on track/stay calm in a highly stimulating situation etc. At home, she is quite calm and her behaviours are quite appropriate. But put this child into a high stimulation area, and she acts totally different . In these type of situations she can't sit still, can't stop talking, puts forth numerous attention seeking behaviours (MUST be the centre of attention), is extremely "hyper", approaches strangers and hugs/talk to them (they have a safety plan for her at school) is prone to getting overly emotional etc etc. I am planning on bringing bubbles for her to blow in the lines as well as books (she reads well for her age and can read independently for several minutes at time)and hand held electronic games. As well I am going to rent a stroller for her (if I can use this in line she will read in a high stimulation setting for maybe 10 - 30 minutes).

I am not the type of person who would use her difficulties to obtain a GAC card and if she is having a "good" day we won't have to use it.
But my question is: should I bother to apply for one on the 20th or wait and see how it goes in the AK on the 21st. If I was able to use the stoller as a wheelchair (be able to take it into lines) that might be enough for us. I don't know.

Any advice/suggestions would be really appreciated.

Suzy V.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Originally posted by riu girl


Can I apply for a GAC on Dec 20 to use on the 21st and 22nd? We will arrive from Toronto that day and will have several free hours in Lake Buena Vista. We will not be actually going to a WDW park until the 21st but was wondering if I could apply for a GAC (at MK entrance/or TTC maybe??) on the 20th.

Also wondering if you can purchase single day passes on the 20th to use on the 21st and 22nd?

I am not the type of person who would use her difficulties to obtain a GAC card and if she is having a "good" day we won't have to use it.But my question is: should I bother to apply for one on the 20th or wait and see how it goes in the AK on the 21st.

If I was able to use the stoller as a wheelchair (be able to take it into lines) that might be enough for us. I don't know.

Here are answers to four of your questions.

1 -- You can only get a GAC in a Park Guest Services location, and the disabled person must be with you, so you can't get one until you actually go into a park.

2 -- In addition to the one-day, one-park bases, there are three different "bounce-back" passes. These are valid for two, three, or four days. However, they are NOT Hoppers. You are restricted to one park per day; if you want to go to a second park, it is as if you have used a second day. The one-day, one-park never expires. Bounce-back passes expire -- two-day exires four days after first use, three-day expire six days after first use, and four day expire eight days after first use.

3 -- You are right in feeling that it is "good to have" the GAC if it is needed. I have known people who have made it through an entire trip without needing to use it, or others who need (and use) it several times a day.

4 -- To use a stroller as a wheelchair you MUST have a GAC with that indication on it.

Hope this answers your quesitons.

 

[riu girl]

Thank you for the information. Could I possibly purchase a 2 day-bounce back pass (Dec 21 AK, Dec 22 MK) on the 20th? If so, where? We will not be WDW resort guests but wondering if we could buy it from TTC or entrance of MK. Also, if at MK on the 20th (to buy 2 day bounce back pass) can our family go on the monorail or ferry that day (the 20th) for free? Or for a small fee? The kids might be upset if we simply buy park passes and don't do anything else at WDW that day.

Thanks again for all of the information.
Any other advice would be a great help since we are definately WDW rookies!!!!!

Suzy V.

 

[clkelley]

I think one-day tickets have to be purchased the day of use.

Carol

Ya'll could drive over to the Contemporary or one of the other monorail hotels and have dinner and then ride the monorail in a circle from there.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just agreeing that you must request a GAC at Guest Services inside the park, accompanied by the person with a disability.
I usually look at a GAC as insurance - good to have if you need it, but you don't want to use it unless you need it. We've been going to WDW the past 8 years at Spring break, sometimes right over Easter, which is very busy. Even during a busy time, though, you can find rides/attractions with short waits.
Your child may also surprise you. On our last trip, we had a GA for my DD who has multiple disabilities, although we usually only need to use it a few times per day. We also had along her two cousins. My nephew has ADHD and is on medication for it. He had a few minor meltdowns, but generally did very well with waiting.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

You can buy the bounce back passes ahead of time. The restriction is it expires "x days AFTER first use", so it could be purchased and held for several years and it will still be valid.

I would suggest the purchasing be done at Guest Services at Downtown Disney (which is very close to "Once Upon A Toy" in the Marketplace). This way you will not have to pay the $8.00 to get into one of the Park parking lots to buy the tickets.

If you eat in a sit-down restaurant in one of the "monorail hotels" (Contemporary, Grand Floridian or Polynesian) or Wilderness Lodge and show them your parking pass, they will refund the $8.00 parking fee. To do the ferry boats or monorail (or get to one of the monorail hotels or TTC) you have to go through the MK toll plaza. Similarly, to get to the monorail at Epcot you have to go through the Epcot Toll Plaza. Once through the toll plaza there are no restrictions on using the monorails.

 

[riu girl]

I just want to thank everyone for the great information.
I am just a little nervous about the whole trip and am trying to pre-plan as much as possible. I haven't been to WDW in 21 years (the last time I was 13 and stayed at the Contemporary for a week). Now I will be going with two young kids and a husband (who is no help whatsoever, he wants to know nothing about the vacation beforehand and wants the whole experience to be a surprise!!! ) He won't even watch the WDW world video that was sent to us. Yikes!

Thaks again help with this help.

 

[pumpkinboy]

All good info you're getting here. Best of luck with the trip! And make Guest Services your first stop in your first Disney park to get that GAC, which can be a realy godsend when you need it.

As for park admission, you can get a 3 day PHP for about us$179 per adult (less for kids) with an Alamo rental reservation. I found out about these on Mousesavers.com (there's the link too), and this would give you an option of another park day, or actually "park-hopping" on your park days. And PHP days and pluses do not expire, leaving anything unused for your next trip (provided this one goes off well).

Since you're planning only 2 park days, perhaps the 2 day PHP might be a good option. This is not anywhere near a standard ticket, but I came accross a thread on the Budget Board that referred to these. Now that I read all the way thru that thread, it seems you have already posted there so...

Good luck with the trip.

 

[Safari Steve]

Just a clarification on the tickets:
We no longer use the term "Bounce-back passes"... not sure why, but we aren't supposed to call them that anymore.
The (2) 1Day1Park and (3) 1Day1Park tickets expire 4 and 6 days from the date issued, respectively. If you purchase a (2)1D1P ticket on Dec 20, it must be used both times by Dec 23.
The One-Day One-Park tickets (single day) as well as most Park-Hopper tickets do not expire. You can purchase a 1D1P ticket on Dec 20 and use it whenever you would like.
You can purchase WDW theme park tickets at the main entrance of each of the 4 theme parks, so if your first day is going to be at Animal Kingdom, you can purchase your tickets at the ticket booths there.
You may be able to purchase a 3Day Park Hopper + through your rental car company. Two-Day Park Hopper + tickets (as far as I know) are only available through conventions. Since both of these tickets are special rates not available at the park gate, they can be subject to expiration dates (especially the 2DPH+).

 

[Nanajo1]

I saw a mother and child get a GAC at "rear" entrance to EPCOT before entering the park. Guest Services at the International Gateway entrance was outside the park. This is a short walk/boat ride from the BW, BC resorts.