Need Help - Was I a SG?

[skc]

I'm so thankful I found this website! I am hoping that some of you will help me with planning our next trip...

I have spinal stenosis in my lower back, it makes it difficult me to stand for periods of time, I am typically ok if I keep moving as long as I'm not bending or standing.

On our first trip I made it exactly 1.5 days before being in so much pain that my husband and kids had to go on all the rides without me, I just moved from bench to bench and took pictures when I could. Needless to say it was sad...

The 2nd was in Feb and after doing research I found out that there were GAC's available. I didn't know what to expect but I went on my very first day at MK and the CM was so wonderful after I explained my condition. I was told to show the card to the first CM I saw at each attraction. I thought there would be a place for me to sit while my family waited, we were very surprised when we were allowed to go in the FP line but happy of course. On every ride we approached the CM at the regular line and did what they said, I was always nervous b/c I know I do not look sick and had already heard comments from other guests like "why do they get to skip?" etc. Every CM was so nice and wonderful though, it really made my vacation.

On our 2nd to last day, it was our first visit to HS, we went to toy story mania first thing in the morning and showed the CM our card. He replied basically with "you don't need that, the park just opened!" implying that we should get in the standby line. This wasn't a problem of course, we had waited in the standby line for other rides but after the CM explained to us that the wait wasn't very long. This CM caught me off guard and was condescending and I wondered if we should just look at the time before talking to the CM? I don't want to seem like I'm trying to abuse anything. We are going back in a few months and I'm hoping not to get the feeling that he gave me, are there certain rides that I just shouldn't use the card on?

Thank you so much for your help and thank you to all the CM's who didn't judge and were willing to explain things to me being that I had no clue what to do! :)

[Buggy]

In this stupid guest's opinion, you were not a SG. You had a legitimate medical need and handled it appropriately. It sounds like the CM was trying to tell you that the standby line was short enough, but it just didn't come out as well as it could have.

The real stupid guests were the ones who made comments about "why do they get to skip?"

[Lasolimu]

Greetings skc, I am the resident dragon and would like to offer you a very warm* welcome to that slice of the internet we call SGT. This website contains threads with quick twists and turns and I would like to advise you to not try too hard to keep up with them. Please keep your hands, arms, and legs safely inside the website at all times and enjoy your stay.

*this instance of warm is actually hot**... very hot

**this instance of hot means that you are now literally on fire, I would like to take this opportunity to apologize for any inconvenience

[kerbear135]

Doesn't sound like a SGT to me either...it never hurts to present it at every attraction- especially since you are willing to go through standby when possible. Now, if you demanded to go to the front of the line, that's be an SGT but I'd think the CM wasn't trying to make you feel bad- he probably just didn't realize how he came across to you.

PS- welcome to the board

[Freak]

Mmm, some CMs come off condescending no matter what. They weren't my favorite CMs to work with. It was worse if the info they were giving was wrong.

I've now made it a point to be polite, friendly, and as accurate as possible with any information I'm giving a customer, no matter what job I'm in.

[Darksin]

I wouldn't call that a SG, you have a true health issue which truely entitles you to a GAC. Sometimes, like in everything else, most CM's are nice people and a few CM's are just jerks. It also could have been as KerBear said.
I always went with the general ideas of just because one looks health, doesn't mean they are. If anything the people whom made the comments to you and your family are the SG's.

I had a similar problem, I'd cracked a bone in my foot and had to be in a wheel-chair half of our last vacation. It wasn't bad enough to cast, so I only had two thick bandage around my foot and ankle to limit movement. I tried my best not to ask for a GAC but after being in tears from standing on it my husband drew the line. Although it was fairly obvious I could barely hobble, I still got the nasty comments from SG's. Although I'm a loud mouth and didn't hold myself back from firing off a quick "Well you go bust your foot until you can barely walk during vacation, then you can have one too!".

Also, Welcome! ;)

[BRWombat]

Agreed with all of the above, and let me just add: the simple fact that you are concerned about being an SG means that there is at least a 99% chance you are not one!!

skc,

:sgthello:

:D: :D: :D:

[hobie16]

skc!

[skc]

Wow, thanks for the warm welcome everyone!

I'm glad that I didn't seem to do anything wrong. I guess the way he reacted made me think there was some secret code to be followed. I can't believe I let it get to me after 99% of the CM's I encountered were so sweet!

Thanks again!

[DisneyMom]

You really can't tell just by looking at someone if they are actually disabled...
Sometimes there might be a clue,even so, very bad manners to confront a stranger!
Now the teenage girls who rammed me with their wc, then proceeded to use it as a crazy car up the Standby Ramp to Space Mountain.....