Hello Everyone....Sick children & WDW

[Charleyann]

I have a sick child going to Disney from DEC 27 - Jan 6/ 05. What assistant is available? Jacob has Cystic fibrosis and juvenile arthritis. He can't stand in lines and in direct sunlight for long periods of time. I have been told the lines can be up to an hour long?

I know that at one time you could get a guest card at guest relation and enter at the exits? A friend who just came back from Disney with special needs child , said that the cards were no longer available and she stood in line with a screaming special needs child and her experience was not good.

My child is coming with the Wish Foundation. Is there any medical documentation that would help avoid long lines? Any help from Disney? I'm am bringing my child alone. My Friend said that a party member would have to stand in line instead of sick children.....anyway, it is still waiting, regardless. If I :overhere: have to stand in line, so does my child. There is only 2 of us in our family.

Thanks for your help

[OKWTink]

No more guest assistance pass? :eek: That is news to me!

Welcome to the boards, by the way! If your child is coming with the Wish Foundation, I would hope that they would have those sorts of things covered?

The timeframe in which you will be visiting will be very busy. There is so much to do, and see other than the attractions though.

You'll want to have a plan for each park you visit. There are fast passes to be used. They'll help quite a bit.

I'm hoping someone else with more knowledge of the assistance available will come along soon!

[Charleyann]

Thanks for helping......The wish Foundation has no say as per lines. They do give you a letter stating the child is on a wish. This is our second trip to disney. My little one is getting sicker and just loves Disney. Last time we went, was 2001. Disney was great and gave us guest card, when we explained my child's illness. This time is a Wish.....Wish to meet Princess Jasmine. Prehaps my friends were given wrong information? I'm hoping !

Thank you for the warm welcome!

Charleyann:D

[Whitequeen]

I've not read anything to at all that would make me believe they stopped GAC!

As 'Tink says Wish Foundation should have all the relevent information but just in case, here's the plan. :D

At the first park you visit go to Guest Services and ask for the GAC. They will ask you questions which are relevant to Jacob's situation. This will help give you the most appropriate help.
When you arrive at your chosen rides show the card to the CM at the ENTRANCE to that ride and they will direct you accordingly.
If Jacob's condition is not visible then take a short covering note from your Doctor. :thumbs:

[OKWTink]

I'm hoping too! There are far too many little ones (and adults too) who cannot tolerate the long waits.

A tip on Jasmine? Check out Morocco in the World Showcase! They have their own room there, Jasmine and Aladdin. You could check with Guest Relations to find out when they will appear. It's a really nice place to have some time with them, and sometimes it is not as jammed as you might expect, given it's off the beaten path location.

Also, there is a Kids at WDW board here. There is a sticky at the top of that forum chock full of advice for taking kids to WDW. You might find some useful tips there, even though you've already been. Or, you could add some tips of your own!

I'm not real familiar with the inner workings of Make a Wish Foundation. It seems as though the letter from them should go a long way toward obtaining some sort of consideration for waiting on such long lines!

[Charleyann]

Thank you for both your advice! I couldn't imagine Disney taking that away. However 2 friends went, one is October past and the other this past Christmas....both with children with special needs, both visible. I think they must have been given the wrong information. Thanks again for your help and thanks for your tip on Morroco. We will be sure to visit there!


Sincerely

Charleyann

Oh....what about Disneyquest? I heard there is Aladdin magic there as well. 3-D, where the children think they are flying on a magic carpet? Is this worth your time?

[uscwest]

I'm going to move this over to the Disabilities Forum.

[triciacarole]

I have just come back from Disney and my daughter also has juvenile arthritis and we had to hire a chair for her. The first park we visited was AK, I asked at customer services for a "Guest Assistance Card", I was told that most lines in the parks could take a wheelchair and that we would not be needing one, I was armed with a letter from her Consultant, but they refused to read it. At most parks there was not any trouble and we were let in the fast pass queue without the card. Magic Kingdon was another story, it was very busy and a lot of staff were uncaring telling us to get in the main line that was over an hour long. However one member of staff took pity on my daughter and sent us for a "Guest Assistance Card" -(I have it here in front of me) which got us to the front of lines. Even though many staff were suspicious of it and scrutinised it, but it did make our day a lot more bearable. If I were you I would go to Magic Kingdom first and go to City Hall, ask nicely, show your letter if needed and you should get one. It is unfortunate that this has happened because of people abusing the system and my daughter certainly had some looks from people as her problem is not outwardly visible, however I bit my tongue as teenagers are self conscious enough and put their thoughts down to their naivety.
Good Luck, I am sure you will get one.

[trueblue]

When my friends went to Disney with the Wish foundation they were given special buttons to wear. Whether or not they were allowed to cut the line was up to the discretion of the cast member working at each attraction. Allot of times they were taken to the front.

[Keith]

I have a friend who recently took her daughter who has eb. Visible, and certainly prevents her from standing in queues and walking round. She said she asked for a GAC and was asked a load of questions by a nice CM who then said that they weren't giving out GAC for "every disability" any more and all she'd need to do was talk to the CM at each ride and they'd sort things out.

She did that on the first day and MK and it was a disaster. That evening her husband complains, rather loudly from what I understand, and they were given a GAC but told not to flash it around (whatever the heck thats supposed to mean) because they werent really supposed to be giving them out.

She said that even with the card, and as if they didn't feel self concious enough, some cms seemed to resent letting them in the wheelchair way but at least it did get them through.

She said after a few days in, they toughened up and perfected the "you WILL honour this card or there'll be trouble" look but it did affect their first few days and they've complained to Disney about it.

So from what I can tell, it's important to insist on the card. Don't accept that you don't need one and to just talk to the cms.

[triciacarole]

It seems to me that it is pot luck whether you get a pass or not.

We have visited WDW about 10 times in the past 16 years, the last time being 2001 before my daughter developed JIA. We chose to visit WDW knowing about their good customer service to people with disabilities, however this has not been the case. I fail to see how people can see using a wheelchair to by pass lines as an advantage, the chair slows you down, you are unable to weave through the crowds and it is hard work to push on a hot day! I understand that people with disabilities should not be treated less or more favourably than those without disabilities, however being in a wheelchair automatically gives you a less favourable situation, people stare, especially if your disability is not visible, you are not able to reach things in stores and it is difficult to navigate through crowds. Along with all these difficulties my daughter still had to experience the pain of her condition. Eventually having the card let us complete the rides we wanted to do quicker and get her back to the hotel quicker for a rest.

Has anyone experienced problems getting the cards in DLP or DL? I was hoping to book again for August next year but if we can not have use of the card I will have to reconsider, a holiday like this costs a lot of money and I want it to be enjoyable for all :sigh:

[trueblue]

I may be way out of line here but......I've always wondered why people would subject themselves and their disabled family member to the rigors of a Disney trip if they can't handle it. My sister has disabilities but we don't ask for any special favors other than 2 rooms near each other. We wait in line along with everyone else and if my sister can't handle it we pack it in and go back for a rest or my sister sits in the shade and skips the ride while we wait in line. We know that it's crowed, that it's hot and that we will have to wait in line for virtually everything. There will come a time when my sister won't be able to do Disney so we'll go to a nice quiet island resort instead.

[Keith]

Each to his or her own Trueblue. Disney prides itself on its facilities for the disabled and it's those facilities which allow many disabled people to enjoy the same things that others can.

Having spoken to children who've been to Disney from the UK with the wishes organisation, they certainly didn't feel subjected (and I think we need to be REALLY careful about our language there!) to anything.. they felt that they'd been given the trip of a lifetime (sometimes a heartbreakingly short lifetime).

Honestly, if all it takes to make the difference between someone being able to experience a ride or not, is that they're allowed to bypass a queue then I think that's a ridiculously small thing to ask.

Finally, let's remember that this thread is asking for help on getting a pass, I really don't want to see it derailed into a heated debate over whether or not people should even go to Disney... To do so will be to offend and hurt a lot of people, so lets keep it on track ok? thanks all!

[triciacarole]

:) Thanks Keith, the previous comment did upset me.

[OKWTink]

:hug: Please don't let it triciacarole. :hug:

[triciacarole]

Thanks OKWTink :). I do wish that I was able to get confirmation from Disney about these cards, I had planned to visit again August next year but if it is going to be struggle for us and not enjoyable for my daughter I will have to think again :unsure: any ideas?

[Whitequeen]

To put your mind at rest send WDW an email.
I can only assume that it was the CM at AK that was the problem. I've not read of anyone else having problems lately.
The problem with WDW is that some of the CM's don't 'sing from the same song sheet'. :rolleyes: What one CM tells you could be poles apart from what another tells you. I think you just got unlucky.

I don't know the email/address for complaints, but I'm sure someone does. Treat it as a complaint and then it won't go to 'General Questions' and get passed over.

[triciacarole]

Thanks Whitequeen, I am doing exams at the moment, but when the are over in a few weeks I shall get straight onto it and let you know what they said
Trish:)

[PaulaK]

People do abuse the system sadly and spoil it for those who genuinely need it. I read an article that said people were asking for the GA card and renting a wheelchair just to jump the queues. The article said Disneyland CA stopped the 'pass' because people interpreted it to mean they could bypass the lines with it, when in fact it is meant to be used for people who cannot queue with everyone else to either wait in a quieter area or out of the sun for medical reasons. They renamed it the guest assistance card. WDW supposedly kept the pass the same, but guests are asked to drop by City Hall and explain why they need the pass and a CM will decide if they need it. As no doctors note is required, I don't see how this will stop the fraudsters, they'll have no qualms about lying will they? it'll just make it harder for those that do need it! :ohdear:

[scollins]

:) We have just returned from Orlando with a child who has Autistic Spectrum disorder. Staff at both Disney and universal were fantastic and gave us Guest assistance cards without question. Jacob enjoyed his holiday and his social ability improved dramatically as a result. At first he didnt want to ride, but by the end of the holiday he was on The hulk. We would like to thank all on the forum for giving us this information, it made such a difference.

[triciacarole]

:) I am so glad he had a good time