GAC Useless in Somecases!!!!

[BroganMc]

OP, in truth your story just makes me very frustrated. I brought my mom to Disney several times when she was battling terminal cancer. We never thought to use a ECV, even after years of knowing I needed a wheelchair to get around. (I can't manage more than 20 feet distance due to RA.)

Her last trip to Disney was probably the most disheartening. Her cancer was very bad and she had a simple desire: breakfast with the grandkids at Grand Floridian and then a few rides at Magic Kingdom. We'd take the monorail to the park, then the train to Frontierland and she'd walk from there to FantasyLand for IASW. Then we'd amble over to Tomorrowland and catch Buzz before the 3pm parade on Main Street and she'd go home to rest.By the time she got to IASW she's was exhausted. We got her back to the resort but she never set foot in the parks again that trip. She passed away 4 months later.

To this day I regret that I hadn't known enough and let her pride issues keep me from getting her that ECV. I practically arm-twisted my dad into renting one the following year, ostensibly to keep up with my powerchair that can go 4x the normal old fellow's walking speed. He was unsure at first, but he as soon as he realized he didn't have to hunt for a seat everywhere or drag himself to bed every night with aching legs he was convinced. Since then he has had triple bypass surgery, prostate cancer and still can do Magic Kingdom until 4am, crisscrossing the park and doing things on a whim.

Again I am going to state that we were not using the GAC as a way to get ahead of a line, or specialized treatment.

I confess I'm confused what you thought the GAC would do then. It is merely meant to identify needs and instruct ride CMs where to usher people. It used to be merely having a wheelchair became your identifying card. Now it's a mishmashed system with many assuming a flash of a "red card" acts as a VIP backstage pass. There are actually only a few places where you go backstage (really the exit area) and even then you'll end up standing around and waiting.

My wife has done the best she could since being diagnosed and adjusting to her new way of life, and I thought the GAC would be the easiest, instead of using a wheelchair/ecv away from home. I felt that would be something she would be more comfortable with being at home the first time. However for the most part, some of you have used this board as a way to question her nonuse of those things. I am sure for most of you it was a hard decision to come to the first time you used one of those devices. My wife wasn't comfortable with her first time with one of those devices being at a crowded park.

Society pities those in wheelchairs. It is very difficult for people to distance themselves from that bigotry and understand a wheelchair is merely another tool in the human repertoire. People can mow grass with a handmower, (the powerless push kind), yet we have a whole host of gas-powered lawn mowers, even ones you ride.

Growing up with JRA (that's juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) I was constantly under pressure from my doctors and parents not to "give up" and "keep moving". I was even told my use of a manual wheelchair to keep up with the kids at camp was "abusing a crutch" and "made me a failure". You try wrapping your mind around that when you're an impressionable 10 yo.

As a result I endured decades of pain and suffering, pushing myself to my stamina limits. I only went to college 3 days a week because I was bedridden the next day due to the pain. I never learned to drive because I doubted I could walk from the parking lot to the store. (Someone always went on a car run to pick me up at the curb.) And the whole time I was pushing myself I thought I was proving how successful I was at "beating my disease".

To put it simply, I was a stubborn idiot grossly mislead by society's misconceptions. The day I got my powerchair (5 years ago), I felt reborn. Miraculously I could go through a mall and actually pay attention to the sights around me rather than trip hazards and seats to rest. I had feared people would look down on me for having my powerchair (as I did to others), but instead I found I didn't care. I talked to people. I smiled at them, engaged them, said hello first. I became a much different person, one with far less pain and the freedom I had been searching for since childhood.

This sentiment is why you have probably been getting a lot of negativity toward your wife refusing the wheelchair or scooter. I realize it is all knew to you and for that I am truly heartbroken for you. I was lucky in that my disability appeared when I was 2, so it has just become part of my normal reality. For adults like you, it is an abrupt end to one life and beginning to another. There will be a painful adjustment period. The folks here are just trying to let you know that a life with medical needs is still a good life.

And I can tell you, having lived with disability for 30 years life is a lot better today than it was just a few decades ago. Advancements in technology, architecture, policy and science have ended the virtual slavery many of us lived under. Today I drive, have my own business, and travel extensively.

So by one of the Disney's own employee own admission the GAC is for those guests that don't want to use one of the devices. So guess we shouldn't have listened to that castmember?

My guess is that what the CM meant is that the GAC acts as a visual marker to ride CMs akin to a wheelchair. When I approach a ride just my chair visible, I'm asked the usual "can you transfer" question which is meant to decide which line to put me in. If my dad parks his scooter and walks up, he's never asked that question. If one of us shows my GAC, the CM looks at it and directs us accordingly.

I wish your wife well on her new journey with MS. And I do hope her disappointment doesn't sour her from Disney. I know for me the feeling of magic and inspiration to dream I get when I'm here is like a shot of the best medicine ever. And I get that more from the parades and fireworks than any ride. It's why I keep coming back. I need my Disney dose of optimism to help propel me through the sometimes dreary everyday life at home.

 

[Mrsjvb]

Growing up with JRA (that's juvenile rheumatoid arthritis) I was constantly under pressure from my doctors and parents not to "give up" and "keep moving". I was even told my use of a manual wheelchair to keep up with the kids at camp was "abusing a crutch" and "made me a failure". You try wrapping your mind around that when you're an impressionable 10 yo.

I think we had the same doctors..were you diagnosed in Upstate NY in the 70's?! heheheh


I was diagnosed at 5. 35 years later..I have learned that I just can't do it all anymore and while it bugs the bejeezus outta me that I can no longer walk the Mall or visit my beloved pandas at the National Zoo I still won't admit that I need a wheelchair even sporadically. right now it's just way too much of a hassle in the intervening areas..loading a car or having to negotiate the Metro. Sure if I had one in the middle of DC I could certainly last longer and see more stuff, but right now the inconvenience to get there is not worth it to me.

I have a new doctor who is younger than I am (the whippersnapper) who is slowly beating into my brain that asking for the Blue Placard isn't a sign of weakness but rather a sign of admitting one's limits and being able to lead a more fulfilling life.

Right now I am dealing with a HUGE flare up in my hip..walking around the house(let alone the stairs) is a major endeavor. I had to forgo a trip to the basin to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom last week because the week before I was stubborn and over did it while visiting the memorials on the Mall. I REALLY want to get to the Zoo sometime soon, but until I admit that I need a chair to do it, it won't happen.

It is more about not being a burden to my husband then anything else. he was the one who forced me to get one at WDW last year. and at the end of the trip he admitted it was purely selfish..he was not wanting to have to deal with a cranky miserable wife who couldn't walk and wasn't enjoying herself.

 

[mamaloya]

BroganMC, you made me cry. You put into words exactly my feelings. I have had RA since I was a teenager. At 19, I was told I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I was then told at 24 that he thought I had RA but I was so young and it wasn't affecting my life to bad, so to leave it alone. I really did not struggle but very rare flare ups until after I was bit by a tick in VA on a camping trip. I then wound up in the ER with a 105 fever. I had that fever for 4 days, was lethargic and dehydrated. I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease and, after 2 rounds of Doxycylcine, test clear for it. I have not recovered though and that was a year ago. It kicked my RA into high gear.

I now suffer extreme pain daily. If I go to the grocery, I cannot function the next day. I am torn between pushing myself to do what I need to do and taking it easy. I don't want to "give up" and get assistance. I sometimes wonder though if I am causing damage pushing myself. I have yet to talk to my rheumy about these feelings because I don't want him to pity me. Right now we are adjusting my meds and trying to get the right mix and dose. I feel that if I admit just how bad the pain is to him that it makes it real.

I did have a w/c in Feb and it was great. I did feel awkward at times. It was a rental paid for by my insurance. I would very much like to ask for one to keep, even better a powerchair as sometimes pushing hurts. I do use my feet to push a lot though. I just can't bring myself to ask for a power chair or scooter.

How do you get past these feelings? When does accepting a chair no longer feel like a failure? Will using a chair keep my RA from progressing? I know this is slightly OT, but the OPs wife sounds like she is going through, or will be anyway, the same thing I am.

 

[BillSears]

I've been lurking on this thread. It sure is interesting and while I'm opinionated on most of the talk here I just want to address one part. The part about giving in to a wheelchair or being afraid of using a chair, etc...

Using a wheelchair/ECV is the cure for being disabled. Using a wheelchair is not giving in anymore then taking cough syrup is giving in to your cold. Using a wheelchair is what lets you ignore the disability and get on with your life. It's a way of overcoming your problems and not giving in to them.

To me my wheelchair is freedom and a blessing. It may not be the cure we are all looking for but it's the best cure/solution to many problems.

 

[RNMOM]

I am not going to read all these responses because from the first page I can see you have gotten a lot of comments and advice.

I have autoimmune issues too and have used a scooter the past 3 trips. It has made my life so much more fun to not be exhausted and actually feel well.

You mention that she has trouble standing, as do I. Have you considered one of those cane type folding stools you can easily carry along, using it as a cane and opening it when she has to stand for any period of time? My sisters both have one and I just saw a lady at a bus stop sitting on one today! I know there are many different places to buy them and they aren't terribly expensive. If she doesn't want to use it as a cane when walking, perhaps you could carry it for her?

Another possiblilty is a small foldup camp stool that might fit in a backpack. I know it seems there should be a better solution but I think Disney does do it's best to accommodate but when we stop and think of all the different things each of us might need I believe it would be impossible to make all of us happy 100% of the time.

I do hope you will consider these and other ways to help her that might not involve a wheelchair if she is so against one.

 

[poohnpigletCA]

I've been lurking on this thread. It sure is interesting and while I'm opinionated on most of the talk here I just want to address one part. The part about giving in to a wheelchair or being afraid of using a chair, etc...

Using a wheelchair/ECV is the cure for being disabled. Using a wheelchair is not giving in anymore then taking cough syrup is giving in to your cold. Using a wheelchair is what lets you ignore the disability and get on with your life. It's a way of overcoming your problems and not giving in to them.

To me my wheelchair is freedom and a blessing. It may not be the cure we are all looking for but it's the best cure/solution to many problems.

Well said.

 

[mamaloya]

I've been lurking on this thread. It sure is interesting and while I'm opinionated on most of the talk here I just want to address one part. The part about giving in to a wheelchair or being afraid of using a chair, etc...

Using a wheelchair/ECV is the cure for being disabled. Using a wheelchair is not giving in anymore then taking cough syrup is giving in to your cold. Using a wheelchair is what lets you ignore the disability and get on with your life. It's a way of overcoming your problems and not giving in to them.

To me my wheelchair is freedom and a blessing. It may not be the cure we are all looking for but it's the best cure/solution to many problems.

Thank you for your input Bill. This group is really helping me accept this change in my life. I have spent so many days cooped up in my house because it is too painful to go anywhere or do anything. It is my pride that stands in my way I guess.

I have to say that I did feel wonderful in my chair at WDW, the ENTIRE 10 days!!!! I normally can't handle a couple of hours at the mall. I felt so much energy while there. More than I have felt in a long time. I need to remember that.

Thank you for the perspective. You definitely said this very well.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Everyone who wears glasses or contact lenses please raise their hand and be counted.

What is the difference between a person wearing glasses/contacts and a person using a wheelchair/ECV?

They are both disabled and using something mechanical to alleviate the disability.

I guess the question is why do people not consider glasses/contacts a stigma while they do consider a wheelchair/ECV to be stigmatizing?

 

[mechurchlady]

I've been lurking on this thread. It sure is interesting and while I'm opinionated on most of the talk here I just want to address one part. The part about giving in to a wheelchair or being afraid of using a chair, etc...

Using a wheelchair/ECV is the cure for being disabled. Using a wheelchair is not giving in anymore then taking cough syrup is giving in to your cold. Using a wheelchair is what lets you ignore the disability and get on with your life. It's a way of overcoming your problems and not giving in to them.

To me my wheelchair is freedom and a blessing. It may not be the cure we are all looking for but it's the best cure/solution to many problems.

Well said and thanks for saying what i feel.

I now use the spare wheelchair while cooking dinner. I am no longer crying exhausted and in pain. I can now enjoy my dinner instead of trying to get to bed fast. I use the chair and the pain is gone. To me glasses and a wheelchair are tools to make my life easier.

Chshire makes a good point also.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

Thank you for your input Bill. This group is really helping me accept this change in my life. I have spent so many days cooped up in my house because it is too painful to go anywhere or do anything. It is my pride that stands in my way I guess.

I have to say that I did feel wonderful in my chair at WDW, the ENTIRE 10 days!!!! I normally can't handle a couple of hours at the mall. I felt so much energy while there. More than I have felt in a long time. I need to remember that.

Thank you for the perspective. You definitely said this very well.

Hun, what are you doing to yourself? Your pride is silly. Use that pride to ride with pride! Really, it's just a set of wheels, nothing more or less. It doesn't turn you into an alien and you can just stand up and walk away (well, limited ) if you decide you don't like it. Why NOT try it?

Really, pride is great but let it work for you. I decided to become a chair-diva. I'm proud, very proud. I'm proud of my unbelievably great looking manual chair (powerchair needs a pimping for that, and it'll get it!). I've got the 'look at me, nice chair, it deserves all of the "wow" you've got' additude. Take pride in yourself. Take pride in deciding to honor your body, health, spirit and kids. They all benefit so much if you do use the chair. Take pride in allowing yourself to make sure you take care of yourself!

Really, all these struggles of people, fears, and hurt makes me keep thinking it's about time there was something like a WDW-on-wheels-meet or something. To be able to see IRL how great WDW on wheels can be. How great life WITH a chair can be. To 'blend in' for those who are worried about being stared at. (lol, a bigger group on wheels and not using wheels? You'll stick out like noting else )

What do you reckon people? Would Disney give a theraputical discount for such an event?

 

[Schmeck]

I am not going to read all these responses because from the first page I can see you have gotten a lot of comments and advice.

I have autoimmune issues too and have used a scooter the past 3 trips. It has made my life so much more fun to not be exhausted and actually feel well.

You mention that she has trouble standing, as do I. Have you considered one of those cane type folding stools you can easily carry along, using it as a cane and opening it when she has to stand for any period of time? My sisters both have one and I just saw a lady at a bus stop sitting on one today! I know there are many different places to buy them and they aren't terribly expensive. If she doesn't want to use it as a cane when walking, perhaps you could carry it for her?

Another possiblilty is a small foldup camp stool that might fit in a backpack. I know it seems there should be a better solution but I think Disney does do it's best to accommodate but when we stop and think of all the different things each of us might need I believe it would be impossible to make all of us happy 100% of the time.

I do hope you will consider these and other ways to help her that might not involve a wheelchair if she is so against one.

Sorry, but folding chairs are not allowed into the parks, as per WDW official FAQ site:

Q. Are there any personal items I should not bring with me into the Theme Parks?

A. Items that you may not bring into the Theme Parks include, but are not limited to:

Items with wheels, such as wagons, skateboards, scooters, inline skates, shoes with built-in wheels, two-wheeled or three-wheeled conveyances, strollers larger than 36" x 52", suitcases, coolers, or backpacks with or without wheels larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (coolers required for medication may be stored in a locker or at Guest Relations), and any trailer-like object that is pushed or towed by an ECV wheelchair or stroller
Alcoholic beverages
Weapons of any kind
Folding chairs
Glass containers (excluding baby food jars and perfume bottles)
Pets (unless they are service animals)
In Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park (for the safety of the wildlife), balloons, straws and drink lids are not permitted.

 

[mgilmer]

folding chairs are not allowed into the parks

Yes and no. While it is true that traditional folding chairs are not allowed in the parks, assistive devices with seats such as these are allowed:

http://hocks.com/Merchant2/merchant...GX8f~fQA1bTD~eMGohOL4bO9wVIgdrvfslKicGs2RQA__

http://www.bethmansales.com/products/MDS86810.html

 

[luvyawdw]

First I want to say that the support you show your wife is wonderful, I also think it is something to be admired in a couple to be so close.
You did all the right things to prepare for your trip, reading related information and advice. I don't think your expectations were beyond what they should have been at all. I see your point in every aspect of your post.
I hesitated to post on this topic because I have in the past and have gotten similar responses to the ones you recieved. After reading your post a couple of times and then the responses you recieved, I felt I should comment, this time, Im going to be very frank.
You stated many times that you both did not want to abuse the GAC nor did you expect it to get you to the front of the line, yet, the majority of replies inferred that front of the line is what you were after. I felt the tone of your original post was very genuine, you were not after front of the line acess There are many families like you and your wife, we are one of them. It seems Disney has taken a very cynical approach to guests with disabilites that do not have very outward signs of a condition. And I do realize there will always be people that take advantage, but I do not feel that to be a ligitament reason to take this approach, therefore making guests visits difficult and unmemorable.
I believe the GAC should have been of more benifit to your wife, no doubt.
Why should your wife feel pressured into using a wheel chair in order to have her disability accomodated? You explained how her condition affects her to guest services, which is what you are instructed to do. If there are alternative ways for your wife to acess the attractions, and these alternatives would prevent her from becoming fatigued and overheated,why would they not be made available to her??? They are available to many guests with various conditions. I do not see how the treatment she recieved could be viewed as "equal acess"? We have family friends whos son has autism, he can not wait in long lines, and crowed areas also bother him which makes visiting Disney very difficult on him and his faimily. He and his family are accomodated by having him bypass lines, crowded areas and pre-shows if possible. How is this considered equal acess for him but not for your wife? Why is your wife given the advice to go in a wheelchair and how does that provide her with equal acess? I understand our friends sons condition well and their need for the accomdations, Im not complaining about that. Why are some guests treated differently than others? If the access is available and is relevant to the disablilty, why should a guest such as your wife be denied the availability?
As I mentioned above, I have posted about this very topic. Our 13 yr old daughter Bethany has physical impairments that affect her mobility also, and recently suffered a complication during spine surgery which has left her with 20/200 vision. We also have had some very unpleasant experiences at Disney and did go back each time with the hope that it was just a fluke and next time would be better. Sadly, I think after hearing this, things have gotten worse.
I wrote a letter in 07 to exc. offices at Disney and surprisingly they responded. Not just with a letter. They called me! I really do not think they realize how this affects some of their guests. They seem to me to be very intrested in our experience and commented on some of our ideas to turn this problem around. I believe our society in general is about the "ME". What I mean by that is if it does not affect you or someone you love than who cares about spending time or effort on it. Disney should be one place that does not portray that attitude. They have an oppurtunity to in some ways set an example, with so many guests who visit, they could reach alot of people.
I hope that you and your wife visit Disney again and again. I also hope it will be very different for you.
My daughter also does not want to be in a wheel chair, she has fought it. She has had to use one recently because of her spine surgery, and her underlying condition which is similar to polio. Our daughter is very stong willed, ambitious and loves life. We respect her wishes to not go in her chair when she can, even if it is not convienant or takes more time and effort. It is her disabilty and her life that is most affected. I realize everyone feels different about this, but really, I think it should be up to the person who is living with the condition.
I think you did all the right things.
By the way, our daughters rehab physician is in Dupont Deleware, at the childrens hospital. He is wonderful.
I wish you and your wife all the best.
Lisa

 

[Charleyann]

I think we had the same doctors..were you diagnosed in Upstate NY in the 70's?! heheheh


I was diagnosed at 5. 35 years later..I have learned that I just can't do it all anymore and while it bugs the bejeezus outta me that I can no longer walk the Mall or visit my beloved pandas at the National Zoo I still won't admit that I need a wheelchair even sporadically. right now it's just way too much of a hassle in the intervening areas..loading a car or having to negotiate the Metro. Sure if I had one in the middle of DC I could certainly last longer and see more stuff, but right now the inconvenience to get there is not worth it to me.

I have a new doctor who is younger than I am (the whippersnapper) who is slowly beating into my brain that asking for the Blue Placard isn't a sign of weakness but rather a sign of admitting one's limits and being able to lead a more fulfilling life.

Right now I am dealing with a HUGE flare up in my hip..walking around the house(let alone the stairs) is a major endeavor. I had to forgo a trip to the basin to see the Cherry Blossoms in full bloom last week because the week before I was stubborn and over did it while visiting the memorials on the Mall. I REALLY want to get to the Zoo sometime soon, but until I admit that I need a chair to do it, it won't happen.

It is more about not being a burden to my husband then anything else. he was the one who forced me to get one at WDW last year. and at the end of the trip he admitted it was purely selfish..he was not wanting to have to deal with a cranky miserable wife who couldn't walk and wasn't enjoying herself.

Gosh they are still preaching to ditch the wheelchair and get moving. My son age 11 has JRA and he could never ever walk Disney. His arthritis deeply affected his ankles and knees. He suffers a great deal as it stands without going with the aid of his wheelchair!

Charleyann

 

[Talking Hands]

Sometimes it is all in the way you present the needs to the Castmember in Guest Services. I really can't tell you how to word the request because each person is individual but I do know that they have a standard answer for stamina and mobility issues. If it is really important to your wife, the 2 of you will find a way to word the request to get the desired accomodation. It may take several times. My new one the CM left off one of my needs stating another would cover it. But it really did not cover it because some of the areas to wait are in direct sunlight.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Minor summary

Fact 1. The normal Guest Relations response for a person with mobility and/or stamina problems is use of a wheelchair or ECV.

Fact 2. The GAC is not intended to allow a person to avoid the time spent in line.

Fact 3. There are some attractions where alternate entrances are available, but some, such as Soarin', Safari, and Space Mountain have very long queues with no alternate entrance even for the FastPass lines.

If you have a mobility or stamina problem only, and do not want to use a wheelchair or ECV, what accommodation do you want that does not include bypassing the line?

A person such as luvyawdw's daughter, who has a vision problem as well as a mobility problem would use a wheelchair for the stamina/mobility situation and have a GAC indicating, for example, that at shows she would need to sit in the front due to vision problems as normally the wheelchair seating is toward the back of a theater.

So my question to some of the people who feel that they do not want to use a wheelchair is what accommodation do you think you should be given that will not involve bypassing line wait times? Remember there are some, such as Soarin', Space Mountain, and Safari, where even though there are FastPass lines the distances are very long.

 

[wtlivesey]

luvyawdw: Thank you so much for you kind words. Finally someone understands where I'm coming from in my comments. It seems everyone here things I was trying to blast/badmouth Disney, and I guess in a way I was, but in general I do feel Disney does a great job in dealing with visitor's disablites, to a degree. I was just trying to let others know that Disney could do a lot better with those that don't show visable disablities, it seems that is where the problems lie. I have the utmost for respect for those with disablites that don't let their disablties limit them, however what is right for one person is not right for the next. My wife, like your daughter, doesn't feel she is ready for a wheelchair, because she can still walk pretty good for the most part. It seems every things that a wheelchair/evc is the solution and as I'm sure you daughter woud agree it's not, no matter how much it might help others in simuilar situation. Well I dont' want to get started again, just to THANK YOU again for you words. I'm so sorry to hear aboout your daughter's recent set back, but I'm sure with her family and friends around she will recuperate, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

P.S. As a child I too spent some time at the Dupont Hosp for Children, then I didn't see it, but looking back now, I realize that it was the best thing for me, I fortuantly was there for a orthopedic problem with my elbow, but I was lucky to have some of the best doctors in that field, whic I am sure you daughter also has there. Good Luck with everything.