GAC changes at the MK

[scottmel]

So... ONE group out of the hundreds of throusands of people who attend WDW parks every day proves that the GAC is "too widely distributed?" Sorry, but that's nowhere near the realm of statistically significant.

No matter what system is in place for any given situation in any society, SOMEBODY is going to figure out a way to abuse it. For my money, any establishment worth existing is going to err on the side of helping a few people who don't actually need it rather than err on the side of not helping any number who do.

GAC is absolutely necessary - never said it wasn't. I was just offering a little insight to OP as to why a few CM's seemed grumpy with the GAC.

 

[Lisa0620]

Mom2Six,

Hugs to you.

Being constantly judged and questioned is part of being an autism mom and there are many here who understand and agree with you. Some people don't get it, don't want to get it, aren't capable of getting it, whatever. Part of me envies their naivete, to go thru life so sure of everything, not weighed down with the worry, fear and second guessing. Ignorance is bliss, as they say.

I hope you still go on your trip. For our family the positives at Disney outweigh the challenges, without a doubt.

 

[Mama Who]

I know I must seem highly emotional and a bit irrational about this topic. It's just been kind of a bad day.

And here I think is the problem Lock was getting at. We have a group of people who can be objective and we have a group of people who truly understand the situation. Those groups seldom overlap because when you live with the problem daily it is simply too real, too personal, too emotionally draining to be viewed objectively.

Nobody (well, mostly) here is trying to be cruel. Nobody here is trying to be selfish or take advantage. But even within this community there is a profound gap between true understanding and true objectivity. I'm not sure it's actually possible to solve that problem. I think the best we can do is try to give people taking accommodations the benefit of the doubt on one side and, if we are taking accommodations, make sure we aren't taking advantage, on the other.

 

[Mama Who]

Question - involving "Grandma"

If the rest of the party want to ride one of the thrill rides - but can't leave Grandma alone for too long - isn't it OK to use the GAC then? Grandma will benefit from her family being back to take care of her -- in less time than it would have taken on the "regular" line. Is the GAC geared to helping families get back to caring about the loved one?

Really...this is a good question. The 2 hour wait - the 20 minute wait - Grandma is alone for too long. Isn't she?

The solutions are easy. The group splits. Either they use fastpasses and go in shifts or, if they are a small group (say 2 plus grandma) they see about a rider swap. Or, y'know, recognize that taking an 80 year old wheelchair bound woman to Disney may require some sacrifices and changes in touring plan. We hope to take my grandmother (who will be 89!) to Disney next Spring. We'll have 4 generations and plenty of options but we'll all be prepared to make changes for Grandma as needed, just as we did for the baby.

 

[swilshire]

Sue can you clarify something with HM for me? DD has the GAC for stroller as wheelchair and alternate entrance. Usually at HM we would go to the side and wait for a CM to come out. Show them the GAC and they would put the chain down so that we could bring the stroller in and park it along the exit. Then they would bring us into the stretching room and we would follow with the rest of the guests from their. Only thing is the stroller is waiting at the exit for us when we exit the ride. Is this not the way they are doing it now?

This had always been our experience, except that we ask to skip the shrinking room and always went straight to the backstage loading area. In March, we were merged into the main line as mentioned above. We had started toward the exit where they always had a chain and a CM, but were somewhat rudely stopped by a CM standing at the front. We had been advised of no changes when we got our GAC for DS who uses a wheelchair. We ask to skip the shrinking room and did, going through a door to the backstage area where we had always gone directly before. It seemed like more work for the CM.

Every other ride seemed the same as always, though we were only there one day and just rode a few things.

Sheila

 

[LockShockBarrel]

MamaWho You got it.

 

[ttintagel]

GAC is absolutely necessary - never said it wasn't. I was just offering a little insight to OP as to why a few CM's seemed grumpy with the GAC.

They're grumpy with the GAC because it makes their day a little more difficult. They have no more way of knowing than anyone else whether the GAC is "too widely used." If they're concluding that, then they're being just as boneheaded as anyone else would be to conclude the same thing.

 

[SueM in MN]

Closing

 

[SueM in MN]

Question - involving "Grandma"

If the rest of the party want to ride one of the thrill rides - but can't leave Grandma alone for too long - isn't it OK to use the GAC then? Grandma will benefit from her family being back to take care of her -- in less time than it would have taken on the "regular" line. Is the GAC geared to helping families get back to caring about the loved one?

Really...this is a good question. The 2 hour wait - the 20 minute wait - Grandma is alone for too long. Isn't she?

No. As was already posted, that is not allowed.

Isn't one of the stipulations on the GAC say that the person who the GAC is named for has to be the one using it? Otherwise anybody can say that the person who is named on it is sitting right ouside.

GACs are made out with the name of the person using it and are not supposed to be used for attractions the person the GAC was issued to is not riding.

Don't the CM's at Guest Relations always suggest not getting a GAC if someone is in a wheelchair?

Most people using wheelchairs or ECVs don't need a GAC.
Wheelchairs and ECVs ate allowed in lines/attractions without a GAC. So a GAC is not needed unless there are other needs that are not met by using the accessible lines.

I think something I wrote was misinterpreted. I mentioned several attractions - specifically Small World and Spaceship Earth which have alternate waiting areas AND have long waits in those areas, even when the regular entrance was a very short wait (I believe I wrote 10 minutes for Small World and 5 minutes for Spaceship Earth). I wrote that people who do not have a visible reason for needing an accessible entrance often get into that line and end up waiting longer than they would otherwise wait.

From some people's comments, it appears they interpreted my comments as saying they did not belong there, that only guests with wheelchairs belonged there or that I was complaining that they increased our wait.

Those things are far from what I meant.
What I meant is that people often automatically go there without looking at the options they have. We have been in line with people who got trapped there AND THEN realized the regular line was basically walking right on. They commented that they did not know their wait would be longer in the accessible line and would not have gotten in that area if they had known. But, once in a narrow line of wheelchairs, they were stuck.

 

[MaggieMollyMom]

This was nicely explained!

I can't answer for other people, but for my sons it is all about the conditions during the wait rather than the length of time waiting. As in, is it loud and echoing? Wavering lights? Lines that zig zag back and forth? A "herding" situation like in some of the pre show areas? Are they completely surrounded by people or is there a wall or some other structure so that they don't have people on all sides? So ideally a GAC giving them an alternate entrance would allow them to stand away from the main crowd and/or in a quieter area and wait for whatever is the specified amount of time. The waiting itself they have no problem with, as long as the conditions during the wait aren't overwhelming from an anxiety/sensory POV.

 

[hsmamato2]

Wow. I've been on both sides of this coin.....a few years back we traveled with my mom,who has multiple health issues,used a cane for walking,and had a GAC. It was kind of cool to see some 'alternate' entrances,but usually the line wasn't shorter....in some places,it took quite a bit longer.
I recall, at HM we went in the right side entrance,at Pirates we went in a back door,at Toy story mania in HS,the line took much longer than the regular 'stairs' line....maybe that is what OP had issue with?
I think the biggest misconception with the GAC is that you 'don't have to wait'- that is incorrect.
But,I think policies should be implemented ,b/c as some pp's mentioned, if people who don't need the GAC are getting/overusing it b/c of perceived 'special' treatment,it can impact negatively on those who truly do need it to get around.

 

[nyrebecca]

This may sound stupid, but I have read (skimmed) all of these replies and I am still not sure what the changes to the GAC are. Was it just the changes to how it was handled at PoTC and HM, or was there something else?

Thanks -

 

[jujube]

This may sound stupid, but I have read (skimmed) all of these replies and I am still not sure what the changes to the GAC are. Was it just the changes to how it was handled at PoTC and HM, or was there something else?

Thanks -

Unless it's changed again, then you should expect to experience this at HM and POTC. They've also changed the procedure at SM. The alternate entrance was only allowed at Splash Mtn.