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Old 5 Apr 06, 12:31 PM  
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TinkTatoo
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Disney's Guest Assistance Card

Visiting Disney with a child (or adult) with special needs can be both rewarding and challenging at the same time. In certain circumstances Disney offer a guest assistance card to make the visit a more enjoyable experience for the person with the disability and his immediate family. This card is NOT a way to jump queues or get on rides faster than the general public and if that is all the assistance you need then you would be better off making use of Disney’s fastpass system. Also if one of your party needs to use a wheelchair just for mobility issues you will not need a GAC unless you have a medical reason not to be in the mainstream queue.

With the GAC you won’t be able to get to the front of the queue just because you have a child with special needs but Disney will do what they can to make your child's experience as happy as possible. What the GAC does is provide specific assistance tailored to the users needs and there are a number of different options depending on what assistance your child requires. You can visit any guest service window either inside or outside the parks with your child and explain his or her exact needs. You should take a letter with you from your GP outlining your child’s difficulties – you probably won’t be asked to see it but in the case of non-apparent disabilities such as autism and ADD it is worth having. If the CM feels the card is justified you will be issued with one for the length of your stay and some of the things it might allow you to do are:-

* Use your stroller as a wheelchair – normally strollers must be left outside an
attraction but they can be handy as a safe place for a child with autism
when waiting for rides.

* Allows an alternate waiting area for people who can't wait in line.This one is
mostly used for children/adults with conditions like autism, ADD or other
healtlth problems that make waiting in line difficult or dangerous for them or
the people with them.

* Allows you to return to the attraction at a specified time and utilise the
fastpass queue

* Allows access to the wheelchair viewing area for parades and shows

* Allows a waiting spot shaded from the sun if the queue is in the sun for an
excessive amount of time. For most of the queue’s, the largest part is
inside a building or under a roof or shade. This is helpful to people that are
sun or heat sensitive.


Our experience of using the GAC varies from park to park and even day to day. Usually, we are either allowed to wait in an area away from the regular queue, or the cast member looks at the current wait time and gives us a special ticket to come back any time after that. So if the queuing time on the ride is 40 minutes we can come back in 40 minutes and walk through the fast pass line. That way the kids do not have to stand in line for a long time (something they would never be able to do) but can look around and do other things. We can also grab a regular fast pass during this time for a different ride. Another thing we do is get to the parks at opening time - it is surprising how much you can get done in the first few hours.

Universal also have a similar system for guests with disabilities but unlike Disney the card is only valid on the day it is issued.
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Old 5 Apr 06, 12:54 PM  
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BarryandCaron
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Thanks for that Jakki

We have had similar experiences of using the GAC. We always get to the parks for when they open then head back to the hotel early afternoon for a swim and nap. We sometimes then go to a park for the evening entertainment.

What I would like to add is that the wheelchair viewing areas for parades get full pretty quickly so it's best to get there early.

Caron
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Old 5 Apr 06, 01:04 PM  
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Hi Tink Thanks so much for these guidelines ,i just wanted to be clear on things before we go as i seemed to be finding conflicting advice and not jump queue or abuse the pass as some people here may seem to think . im so glad to have found this site tho with so many lovely and friendly people.x
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Old 5 Apr 06, 02:04 PM  
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Originally Posted by Laura Tarbuck
Hi Tink Thanks so much for these guidelines ,i just wanted to be clear on things before we go as i seemed to be finding conflicting advice and not jump queue or abuse the pass as some people here may seem to think . im so glad to have found this site tho with so many lovely and friendly people.x
its a tough one laura maybe its best to see how your child is after a few days of the holiday and as long as you have a letter from your doctor then you can decide then if he/she needs a special needs pass!
our eldest dd has a lung condition she gets breathless iam wondering if walking a lot in the heat will be a problem for her and will she need a wheelchair? but i will see how it goes when we get there.
i dont think anyone should make anyone else feel bad about doing what they think is right for their child so do what suits you.
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Old 5 Apr 06, 02:11 PM  
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were taking a ( major ) buggy with us .they are like oversized collapsible pushchairs and are available to borrow through most gps or social workers
This will help especially if he were to have a fit at the airport or somewhere awkward - also it will kmake him feel safe if he can sit in there with his ragdoll jim if the crowds get too much for him
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Old 5 Apr 06, 04:35 PM  
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TinkTatoo
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Originally Posted by Laura Tarbuck
were taking a ( major ) buggy with us .they are like oversized collapsible pushchairs and are available to borrow through most gps or social workers
This will help especially if he were to have a fit at the airport or somewhere awkward - also it will kmake him feel safe if he can sit in there with his ragdoll jim if the crowds get too much for him
We have the Mcclaren Major buggy and it is really useful for DS or DD to chill out in when the stress gets too much. If you are using it in the parks you could ask that you be allowed to use it as a wheelchair so that your son can sit in it if he needs to while you are in the queue
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Old 5 Apr 06, 08:37 PM  
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Great information there and the GAC is a great help for those who need it.

Laura, definately ask for a GAC so you can keep your Major buggy with you while you queue. CMs will show you where is the best spot to leave it when you board the rides or they will bring it to the exit so it is right there when you get off.

Almost all of the queue areas at Disney are now accessible to everyone including wheelchair and ECV users, which is great. The queue is very much part of the whole experience with lots of interesting things to see which are part of the theme or story of the ride or attraction, so you really wouldn't want to miss them. It is worth mentioning that even for rides which a disabled person may not be able to ride, the queue can be accesible and enjoyable for them. There is usually a way to queue with other family members then skip the actual ride and meet up again afterwards, so do ask the CM at the entrance for advice if you would like to do this.
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Old 7 Apr 06, 03:23 PM  
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We are taking our 4 year old daughters Maclaren Major Buggy instead of her wheelchair and was hoping they would class it like a wheelchair. She has difficulty walking and standing especially in long queues, hoping we would be able to use a GAC. It would be a great help not having to carry her in the lines for rides.

Thanks for all this info.

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Old 7 Apr 06, 04:55 PM  
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Originally Posted by ali65
We are taking our 4 year old daughters Maclaren Major Buggy instead of her wheelchair and was hoping they would class it like a wheelchair. She has difficulty walking and standing especially in long queues, hoping we would be able to use a GAC. It would be a great help not having to carry her in the lines for rides...
If you go to guest services and explain they should issue with a GAC allowing you to use the stroller as a wheelchair which will then let you take it into the queues and the shows
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Old 7 Apr 06, 06:12 PM  
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Thanks TinkTatoo

Being able to use her Blue Badge and this GAC will be a big help and make Emilys holiday more enjoyable.


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