Overheard - expired FP

[larryz]

The extreme entitilism (I realize that isn't a word-yet!) of some is becoming a special need. Maybe in the future they can have their own amusement park.

However, even though I am highly suspicious, I will give this GAC holder the benefit of the doubt, sometimes special needs are not that visible.

We call it "entitlementality."

 

[orangefan15]

Along the same lines... I saw a family of 8 during a PM EMH trying to get on a ride. The cast member stopped them and asked for them to show their KTTW. The father asked what it was, then said we are staying at the poly and thought that would take care of it. The cast member insisted, so the father claimed nobody in the family had their KTTW with them. The cast member asked how they intended to get back in their hotel room then. The father then gave up and they all went on their way (presumably to another ride to try again).

 

[heyitsmejosh]

yeah i dont know if i believe the GAC story, for one the GAC only only a party of 6 not 10

 

[Birthwarrior]

Well, the GAC should be for 6, but as I discovered last week, the CMs would sometimes bend rules depending (I guess) on wait times & other factors. We would get FP but on a few rides it turned out faster to use the GAC, and sometimes what they did was split our large group (as many as 12-13 depending on ride) into 2 small groups, even though I was only with one of them, and let everyone through on the GAC. We were always polite about it no matter how it was used...if they stuck to the 6, at MK, for instance, I usually ended up taking all the kids with me and the adults sat out the ride or waited in regular lines themselves. I didn't presume to use the card on every ride & if I was up to the wait I skipped showing it. It was nice though to be with family who didn't expect it to be used for their benefit if I wasn't using it for mine!

 

[jimmysmom74]

Regardless if the story is true or false, it is appalling that there is still ppl out there abusing a system set up to help children and adults struggling with disabilities. Disney has always been a place that can be enjoyed by all walks of life. These ppl should be ashamed of themselves. Whether they are rich,ignorant, or just plain stupid karma will catch up with them. And everyone knows what KARMA IS.

 

[DisneySweetPeas]

On another note, on line right now for Soarin - the man in front of me just recommended that I go to town hall (he must have been in MK at some point) and get a special card that they gave him to get on the rides. Says you can use it for up to 10 people. Pulled a GAC out of his pocket to show me! I said "oh - yeah, that's supposed to be for people with special needs, thanks though" enough for everyone around me to hear.

Maybe he has a disability and that's why he had the GAC? Doesn't sound like he understood very well. He even showed it to you and called it a "special card" so just saying he could be "special" too?

 

[aubriee]

Regardless if the story is true or false, it is appalling that there is still ppl out there abusing a system set up to help children and adults struggling with disabilities. Disney has always been a place that can be enjoyed by all walks of life. These ppl should be ashamed of themselves. Whether they are rich,ignorant, or just plain stupid karma will catch up with them. And everyone knows what KARMA IS.

I've posted before about my coworker. She went to WDW for the very first time several years ago with her sister, niece, the niece's husband, and their six kids. Nothing is wrong with any of the kids, but every July when they go, the niece goes to the doctor and gets a letter stating they need a GAC as one of the kids can't handle long lines. According to her, the doctor himself is the one that originally suggested they get a GAC, laughing, and saying that having to deal with six kids in lines was enough to be considered a disability. He also told her he always gets a GAC when he and his family go, even though nothing is wrong with any of them either. I was appalled and told my coworker that WDW wasn't even allowed to look at a doctor's note and they should be ashamed to even consider getting a GAC when they don't have a disability, plus a GAC is for only six people and they were going to be a party of ten. She talked to the niece about it and the niece got very snarky with her and told her everyone does it. Sure enough she came back and told me they had no trouble getting a GAC and using it for all ten of them. I am a definite believer in Karma. No way would I lie and say my kids needed a GAC, when they didn't. I also can't believe a doctor not only encourages this practice, but uses it himself.

 

[ryandkris]

I know I'm new here and just jumping in... BUT it is possible to look completely normal and still need a GAC. You wouldn't believe the number of dirty looks I get for using it, or for using my handicap permit. I LOOK like a normal person, but definitely do not feel like one. Disney would be just about impossible without the GAC. We affectionately call it the Magic Pass. Every now and then Mama being broken isn't such a bad thing.

 

[hjgaus]

Along the same lines... I saw a family of 8 during a PM EMH trying to get on a ride. The cast member stopped them and asked for them to show their KTTW. The father asked what it was, then said we are staying at the poly and thought that would take care of it. The cast member insisted, so the father claimed nobody in the family had their KTTW with them. The cast member asked how they intended to get back in their hotel room then. The father then gave up and they all went on their way (presumably to another ride to try again).

I have not been to WDW since 2010 & will be going back this coming December but as we did PM EMH during that time I questioned something similar like "Is the date of your on site stay relevant to the EMH perk AND if so are the CM's REALLY looking for the ACTUAL dates From EVERY person EVERY NIGHT?" At the time of our trip we went the previous year as well and it (KTTW) looked liked the SAME as last year but obviously a DIFFERENT date.

So how would the CM know the difference from someone who is staying OFF property this year BUT using last year's KTTW card?

Sorry if this may sounds a bit far fetched but if we are already on the topic of cheaters.......

 

[hjgaus]

Yet I wonder if this will all tie into the new wristband thing being tested now and will this be the ONLY WAY to do ANYTHING while @ WDW soon as well as the future?

 

[mandyyyrose]

Sometimes the snobbyness comes from the other side though...a few years back my sister had a GAC cause of a broken ankle I went with her to space mountain(mainly cause i was pushing the wheelchair) and a woman in standby verbally abused me and the cm calling me 'disgusting' and 'unfairly entitled' saying the system was unfair. Sorry but...if im pushing her all the way to sm youd better believe im going on it with her. Sometimes the verbal attacks arent necessary...

 

[>Ash<]

From my experience, the GAC has usually given FP access to most attractions. Soarin was one I'm pretty sure fell into that category.

So, while it may not bring you directly up to the ride itself, it can be used to diminish wait times.

As a GAC user who can walk at somtimes during a trip, as im assuming this man in front of the OP was walking, the CM on major attractions which does allow fast pass, assuming FP is avaliable even with a GAC card they will ask you to obtain a fast pass. the GAC is not a fastpass by any means!

its meant to allow the CM at each attraction to judge the severity of a disability by the colour of the gac card itself, while most cm will wave you on through the fast pass its certainly not meant to be used in this way.

the GAC certainly dosnt allow you to diminish wait times on most attractions either. if i want to experience the HM properly i have to walk through the line, other wise i skip almost the entire ride

 

[LaurenT]

Just OP chiming in. First, look at my previous posts and post count - I would not make something like this up. I don't know any of the specifics of a GAC card - my DD actually has aspergers and it's been recommended to me in the past to get one - except that she totally doesn't need one. She is fine standing in lines, she doesn't have melt downs and doesn't need any special treatment - so I've never asked for one.
This man seemed perfectly normal. And he didn't seem think he was doing anything wrong. He wasn't whispering it to me, just kind of sharing valuable info he got from someone. I do wish I had noticed the color of the card. I want to say yellow, but it could have been pink.
The ironic thing is that right after I replied to him, a CM came along the line looking for a party of two, he and his daughter were right in front of me and my DD, so off he went....

 

[LaurenT]

I know I'm new here and just jumping in... BUT it is possible to look completely normal and still need a GAC. You wouldn't believe the number of dirty looks I get for using it, or for using my handicap permit. I LOOK like a normal person, but definitely do not feel like one. Disney would be just about impossible without the GAC. We affectionately call it the Magic Pass. Every now and then Mama being broken isn't such a bad thing.

No one here would argue with you about that (I hope not anyway).
But this man would not have been recommending that I go ask for one (a stranger with no obvious special need) if he was not working the system himself... Or at least ignorant of what he was doing.

 

[spidet1964]

Fascinating!

I saw Pacific Rim over the weekend and the couple on line in front us brought candy in they had purchased outside the movie theater.

I also had a guy in front of me make a right on red at an intersection where is was labeled "no right on red". That was on Sunday.

Oh, and I saw someone eat a grape at in the produce section at Stop and Shop last week.

I don't think you can compare these things to impersonating a handicapped person. I always bring my own candy. I'm not paying 5.00 for a box of candy I can get for 1.00. It's bad enough to pay 7.00 for a soda. But I would never take advantage of the handicapped. When my mom was alive I always had her handicapped plackard in my purse and never used it unless she was with me.

 

[4kids4karen]

I don't think you can compare these things to impersonating a handicapped person. I always bring my own candy. I'm not paying 5.00 for a box of candy I can get for 1.00. It's bad enough to pay 7.00 for a soda. But I would never take advantage of the handicapped. When my mom was alive I always had her handicapped plackard in my purse and never used it unless she was with me.

Reference the price of snacks at the theaters, I hope most realize that the theater does not make majority of their money off the tickets but the snacks. This is why the price is so high. In retrospect, the theaters should just charge more for the tickets and less for the snacks. This would resolve the issue of people sneaking in snacks taking away from theater profits. Also, basic principles of business is prices are increased on products because others do not follow the rules and bring their own. So that soda priced so high is making up for those who sneak in their own. Wrong is wrong no matter how you look at it or try to justify it. If you want to enjoy a snack on their property during a movie, you should follow their rules and pay their prices. Otherwise, skip the snack.

I am not directed this at one person, just a general comment. I just hit reply on the last post on this topic.

 

[4kids4karen]

If you look at statistics, the number of families with children with a mild special need has increased dramatically. I do not think a mild special need warrants skipping the lines. Otherwise the majority of families at Disney would have a GAC making the GAC pointless.

In my opinion, Disney should require proof. People talk about the legalities, however, no one is forcing the family to ask for a GAC. I am sure there can be legalities that if you want to voluntarily ask for a special privilege, then you should voluntary disclose the proper information or provide a note from a medical provider. A note from a medical provider does not have to go into detail over the special needs, only annotate the general diagnosis or condition warranting the accommodation. It's easy. If the family doesn't want to disclose, then they don't have to and Disney in turn does not have to provide a GAC.

This just shows Disney does not want to upset guests by asking them to validate their claim.

 

[BenbowInn]

I don't think you can compare these things to impersonating a handicapped person. I always bring my own candy. I'm not paying 5.00 for a box of candy I can get for 1.00. It's bad enough to pay 7.00 for a soda. But I would never take advantage of the handicapped. When my mom was alive I always had her handicapped plackard in my purse and never used it unless she was with me.

Ditto. I don't think comparing the two things is very fair. For example most corn is genetically modified and we don't consume GMO foods so that pretty much eliminates any movie theater popcorn and high fructose filled candy. I pack organic homemade popcorn, fresh fruits and vegetables and water when we go out to the movies. Some people frown on it but I refuse to purchase junk food, I don't morally or financially support it. DS doesn't even know what candy or processed foods are so until the movie theater gets a salad bar then I don't see us ever purchasing food from them. It's not about trying to get or up on someone, it's about putting health first whereas faking an illness for a GAC is an attempt to get one up on Disney.

 

[Schmeck]

RFID cups are coming so that will be the end of that...

Going back on topic, I would more than glad to hand certified copies from my son's doctors about his condition (Autism) and of his IEP to the CM. We always bring them and present them but they are just not accepted.

Why in the world would you even think to use an IEP anywhere but in school? That's the only place in the entire world that it is valid. It counts for nothing off of school property? What would be in an IEP that would help at WDW?

 

[BenbowInn]

If you look at statistics, the number of families with children with a mild special need has increased dramatically. I do not think a mild special need warrants skipping the lines. Otherwise the majority of families at Disney would have a GAC making the GAC pointless.

In my opinion, Disney should require proof. People talk about the legalities, however, no one is forcing the family to ask for a GAC. I am sure there can be legalities that if you want to voluntarily ask for a special privilege, then you should voluntary disclose the proper information or provide a note from a medical provider. A note from a medical provider does not have to go into detail over the special needs, only annotate the general diagnosis or condition warranting the accommodation. It's easy. If the family doesn't want to disclose, then they don't have to and Disney in turn does not have to provide a GAC.

This just shows Disney does not want to upset guests by asking them to validate their claim.

I do agree with this. We are a sick society and a large percentage of people can be considered disabled these days. If half of people are disabled and all their family members can skip the line then it eventually makes healthy people wait hours longer if a majority of people are cutting through the line because of a disability.

I don't think a doctors note would be fair however for the simple reason some people are not into conventional medicine and may be disabled but just don't go through the whole prescription medication route. I went through the medical community for years over two issues and got nothing but prescriptions that made me miserable and finally got into alternative medicine, healthy organic eating and a chiropractic medicine and my two health problems have long been cured. People find solutions and ways to manage illnesses in different ways and sometimes that excludes conventional doctors, but their illnesses are just as real.

I think the only fair way would be to eliminate the use of GAC as a fastpass. GAC holders should be given a written time to come back based on the current standby line. I understand the needs of those with invisible disabilities, but the needs of the healthy paying guests matters as well and even if GAC abuse didn't exist I still think allowing someone to use a GAC as a fastpass is unfair to all, especially considering how common autism and other invisible disabilities are these days. That drastically increases the wait of everyone else. So in a way I can understand why people fake it to get one, I mean we all pay a ton of money for a Disney vacation so why should healthy people have to wait so much longer while disabled people get to bypass long lines? The best solution would be equal access, the GAC is currently above and beyond and not at all equal. And I'm taking about the GAC cards that allows using the fastpass line, I hear other stamps actually increases wait time.