GAC abuse

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Whatever you do, DON'T make Wallaby angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.

Oh my!!!

of course, I was thinking that it ould be more along the lines of a Ripper, from Tank Girl

hehehehe

powerful, but controlled!!

[Cheshire Figment]

Thanks for all this great information folks. There's a possibility that we may end up going on a trip with my folks within the next year or so. Dad has gotten to the point that he can't walk for long distances (bad ankles and heart) and has taken to using the ECV's at the stores. So we'll be adjusting our usual commando style touring to accommodate him. Looks like we won't need a GAC and we can just use the DIS boards to find out about the queue lines for the attractions we'll be going on. He's not interested in any of the fast type rides so that will help a bit.

If you are going to DisBoards, be sure to go to the disABILITIES! Forum. One of the first threads is the "disABILITIES FAQs"; in that posts #2, #3 and #6 would probably be most useful.

[mechurchlady]

If you are going to DisBoards, be sure to go to the disABILITIES! Forum. One of the first threads is the "disABILITIES FAQs"; in that posts #2, #3 and #6 would probably be most useful.

It is very helpful for general disabilities issues like what to do with a kid who is not potty trained at age six. It also has tips that can be used at either park.

Sue and a very sweet guy run that board and rarely do bad people get in there. I used to be very active there until someone brought up my past and said I was not good enough for that board. I still sneak in and post once in a while as they have helped me so much with tips on parks in general and dealing with our neurovariations.

do check that board out as they have so much for you to use for your trip.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

If you are going to DisBoards, be sure to go to the disABILITIES! Forum. One of the first threads is the "disABILITIES FAQs"; in that posts #2, #3 and #6 would probably be most useful.

Very true, I have sent quite a few to that site for info (some were not members of the board) wanting info on WDW and DLR travel with needs.

A lot of the practical and up to the minute good advice there comes from people that have made the trip in the past few months or so.

There are a few detractors when some posters get off an a tanget, (big suprise? not really, ha!) but for the most part it is usually spot on.

I did receive some info from a co-worker that used that site (without joining) and got a whole bunch of useful contacts that helped him plan a great vacation for his family. (they had adopted two special needs children, so were trying to "catch up" on providing to the needs of the kids, and making the trip one to remember!)

[Tinker Bell]

I am going to open myself up here and ask for opinions. I suffer from Miniere's Disease (it involves vertigo and deafness) while most people only get it in one ear, I have it in both. I can go months without any problem and ride anything I want. For the past 6 weeks, I have been having constant vertigo and balance issues. (Not that it really matters but I am totally deaf in one ear.) The kids took me to Animal Kingdom yesterday, while walking between Asia and Africa I had a bad spell made worse by people trying to push me out of their way. What would be my best option.....

Option A: rent a wheel chair when I know I am having an issue?
Option B: wait until it gets bad and ask a CM for assistance getting a chair?
Option C: Muddle through and leave the park early as we did yesterday, spoiling the day for my grandson?

Opinions?

(This is why I haven't been around the boards lately)
Rosie

I'm going with Option A. Like others I wouldn't recommend leaving early. I think that you should even rent it, before you are feeling a little off. Perhaps, it might prevent what happen that day? I don't know how your condition develops, but walking in the parks is information overload for the senses.

[Rosie]

I'm going with Option A. Like others I wouldn't recommend leaving early. I think that you should even rent it, before you are feeling a little off. Perhaps, it might prevent what happen that day? I don't know how your condition develops, but walking in the parks is information overload for the senses.

Thanks everyone. After a bad week we are going to give it a try again tomorrow. The kids insist I take a cane to help with balance since I had a bad spill while cleaning floors today. LOL, I have never seen a purple and green bruise on the palm of a hand but I have a real doozy. I am not going to give up!

Rosie

[rebelrebel]

I would like to say that I do have a child with a disability. She has Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis and uses her wheelchair while we are on vacation. We actually home school because the walking around the school was too much for her. Her immune system is compromised because of the methotrexate and Humira that she takes so we have found after some pretty bad experiences it is better for her if we use her chair. Not only does the heat make it exhausting for her but standing for too long and or sitting too long tend to make her very stiff. So she has to alternate between walking and the chair. (sometimes I think people think she is faking which bothers me because I know the truth!) We use the GAC which I have to say has been a blessing for her.We didn't find out about until we had some pretty bad experiences with major flares while on vacation. With GAC, it clearly states on the card it does not get you front of the line access. Our experience has been at times we have to wait longer for certain rides. Which is fine with us. I would question anyone who demanded more than what the card is designed for and I probably would make it policy to confiscate such GAC if a person demanded things for free, or no waiting. The pass is not a fast pass!! Seems to me if they are demanding more than allowed they are probably cheating the system.
We are a large family with 6 kids, and while I know it may seem as an abuse to the system when you see 8 people use the GAC it assure you not all instances are. We take vacation as a family and we all want to share the experience of the rides together. If I had to choose to allow my daughter and only one guest ride with out her brothers and sisters I probably would choose to vacation somewhere else.

It really worries me that people who do abuse the system will make people who really need the system go away. Disney has always accommodated our families needs but the last time we went we had a hard time getting a GAC for our family. They said they only allowed up to 5 guests. While I know this seems very reasonable with a normal sized family, it is not reasonable for ours. Our family consists of DH, myself and 6 children under the age of 12. My daughter with JRA is about to be 10. So I really wouldn't want to pay for a vacation where DH and I would have to split the kids up.

I promise you...My daughter really hates that she has JRA and needs the chair...I would trade anything kind of GAC or advantages any day to have a healthy and happy little girl.

I do think working at Disney and seeing the abuses gives some CM's a warped way of looking at everyone with the GAC.( I do think it is okay to question certain people with a GAC but try not to think everyone is doing something wrong) Please remember that there are people out there, while their disability is not visible, who truly need the assistance. Not everyone is out to buck the system and get something they are not entitled too. I never understood why I would get a hard time about getting a GAC for 8 people, until after I started reading online about the abuses. For me it is a no brainer because we are not trying to cheat anyone. We just want to have as normal of a family vacation as we can together.

So please remember while there are some really stupid guests out there not all of us are. Thank you!

My daughter has this too, she's 17 and on our last visit when she was 15 she got really upset with the stares from people when she'd get up from her chair and walk a bit because she was stiffening up. I must say that all of the CMs at WDW were fantastic with her, they would chat with her and make her feel important and special. We did have a long wait at AK when we went of the safari but we knew that the GAC was a pass to get to the head of the line. I thank all you CM for your help and appreciate you have a challenging job.

Tinkybell I hope your daughter's condition improves, my daughter has been on the methotrexate injections too, it wasn't a nice time, but she does seem to be improving now and life is getting easier, fingers crossed for the same for your little one :) .

[tinkybell]

My daughter has this too, she's 17 and on our last visit when she was 15 she got really upset with the stares from people when she'd get up from her chair and walk a bit because she was stiffening up. I must say that all of the CMs at WDW were fantastic with her, they would chat with her and make her feel important and special. We did have a long wait at AK when we went of the safari but we knew that the GAC was a pass to get to the head of the line. I thank all you CM for your help and appreciate you have a challenging job.

Tinkybell I hope your daughter's condition improves, my daughter has been on the methotrexate injections too, it wasn't a nice time, but she does seem to be improving now and life is getting easier, fingers crossed for the same for your little one :) .

Thank you...My daughter never had to have the mtx injections she was able to tolerate it by mouth. However, she has moved on to a different medication called Humira. It is a TNF blocker which blocks the TNF made but the arthritis. It is keeping her stiffness at bay for the most part but she still is having bony erosions on her joints. They increased her dose to every week instead of every other week in hopes it would heal them. We go back next month for a follow up MRI to see if there have been any changes. She is almost at the end of the line when it comes to medications. The next step would be Remicade which is given via an i.v. once a month. *sigh* I hate this disease!

I hope that your daughter continues to do well and I hope her disease goes into remission soon. They say around puberty it tends to go into remission sometimes forever sometimes not.

The Cast Members on this last trip made our trip extra special. When they addressed our party they always spoke to her first. It is the little things like that, that can make a huge difference in someone's life. She loves being addressed as a "Princess." ;)

[anynamewilldo]

Okay, I don't know if this would be GAC abuse but it was definitely scooter abuse (and since we like to take things off topic here, I figure this sort-of-kind-of fit)... besides, I am anxious to tell this one!

(Channeling Sophia from Golden Girls...) Picture it - Hollywood Studios on a crowded afternoon on an always busy Pixar Avenue. I am standing at the front of the line waiting for the doors to open for a meet-and-greet with Buzz & Woody. Pixar Avenue is full of people including a 10+minute wait outside on the FP Return line (not to mention the overflowing amount of people in standby). Along comes fat kid 1 (about 12), fat momma (on scooter), fat daddy (more on him later), and fat kid 2 (about 5). The whole way (and I mean whole way) down Pixar Avenue, fat momma on her scooter is SCREAMING at people (honestly - people that are not in her way) including one girl around 12 or so who is walking beside her scooter but not in her way in the least. Fat momma ensues screaming tirade assualt on innocent girl and then starts yelling at her mom saying "That's how people get run over. You should teach your daughter to stay out of the way. That's how she's going to get herself run over!" Just making a huge butt of herself. Okay, that is bad enough, but here's where irony kicks in...

Fat daddy is walking BACKWARDS (did I mention the crowds) videotaping... what, you may ask, is he taping? Fat daughter #2 who has taken it upon herself to ROLL (arms flailing and all) ROLL herself DOWN THE ENTIRE STREET. And what is fat daddy saying the whole time to fat momma... LOOK - AIN'T SHE CUTE. All the while fat momma (while still screaming over her right shoulder) is looking back over the left shoulder and smiling and laughing at little precious who is rolling her fat butt down the street. There are people EVERYWHERE dodging her. And who do I feel the worst for?? Little old granny who is about 114 or so who is being pushed in a wheelchair by a loved one. The whole time, granny is about to fall out of the wheelchair because of the sudden stops that the pusher is having to make to avoid fat little precious rolling down the road.

There were absolutely NO CM's around for me to flag down. I just kept thinking "oh, how your picture should be posted on SGT" because of this whole crazy scenario.

(And yes, I am fat so I have the right to call others fat regardless of whether or not they are using the scooter.)

[DisneyMom]

That sounds waaaaaay more entertaining than my scooter story
But just mine quickly-
Main Street at Disneyland last Sunday, We are sitting at Carnation Cafe for lunch. It is very crowded. I spy Grandma on her ECV, slowly making her way up the street with a kid on her lap I'm thinking, oooooooooh, an SG!
and just then it gets better- she stops suddenly for no apparent reason, and Grandpa who is on an ECV behind her, rams her
Fortunately, no one is hurt :D: