drcolon I totally agree!!  From my last experiences with it, I would say it was a punishment!

Joshua, I noticed that you work at WD, I am not being rude to you about this but I am sure you have seen people take advantage of the GAC pass, but there are more people out there that didn’t than did.  I can understand people being upset but WD needs to figure something else out for this issue.

@susie  
Ms. Susie you are awesome. Thank you for this comment you posted. I have a son that is 32 and mentally 2, he is in a wheelchair with downs and autism, It is sad that these people have abused it and then caused Disney to do this. They are wrong in the way they have done this. They said they worked with the Autism groups but I honestly don’t think they listened if they did because none of this will work for most kids. Thank you for feeling this way and I hope more people start raising enough stink about it that maybe they will change it for the better. Thank you very much for your thought about ADHD mommy too. I believe she is saying that children that can’t behave don’t need to be there. Not all kids understand reasoning but they shouldn’t be kept in their homes for that. They need to have fun too.

@Joshua Aaron Cornelson 
This isn’t going to work for a lot of people. You sound like the lady I spoke to in customer service. She said the same thing someone else can walk up to the ride and get the ticket. I am a widow and am the one that pushes my son I told her that, then this lady proceeds to tell me that I could leave him across the path from the ride and get the ticket. SERIOUSLY? leave a mentally handicapped person in a wheelchair that is mentally about a 2 year old level and wait in line to get a ticket to wait in line again while he is alone. I want to know what these people are thinking.  I will not be going to WD till someone figures something better out. Do you have a handicapped child? If not and you have a friend that has a child with autism or special needs ask them what they think and I bet you might change your mind.

iamdollie
I am sorry about your daughter I know it is hard. I have a son that is the same. These people that say our children shouldn’t be there if they can’t act right need to walk in our shoes with our children for a day or two. I hope they never have to though. I would give anything to have my son healthy mentally and physically like you would. I think everyone thinks that they give that pass and we just go to the front that isn’t true. We still had to wait just not as long and in an area that was a little calmer for the children. WD has disappointed me in this and I will not be going back there until they figure something else out. I have been going for many years and it will break my son’s heart but he would have some severe meltdowns while waiting and that could be bad for him. Good luck if you go again. I wish all the parents would boycott WD and maybe some extra people that understand how this is going to effect innocent children. They have just ruined the happiest place on earth for my son.

@joeschmoe  What time of year are these statistics from? They must be from peak times because I’ve gone numerous times in November, December and January and saw just about everything (including 2 out of three shows) in Hollywood Studios (on TOT & RNRC at least twice) and left by dinnertime without a GAC.  When I started using the GAC with my daughter (she didn’t go on our earlier trips because I didn’t think she could handle it), all it really enabled us to do was go on TSM once in the morning, afternoon and evening.  I appreciated having it since she can’t ride TOT, RNRC or Star Tours.

iamdollie Thanks debi for following up on this topic for our readers!

Disney Parks holds a
cherished place in the hearts of the millions of Guests who visit us
each year. We know that is especially true for those of you who have a
loved one with a disability. For many families, what would be impossible
elsewhere is not only possible, but magical, at our parks and resorts.
We are proud to play such an important role in so many of your lives.

Unfortunately, our
current program for providing access to attractions for Guests with
disabilities has been abused and exploited to such an extent that we are
no longer able to effectively sustain it in its present form. After
careful consideration, and with the needs of our Guests with
disabilities as our foremost concern, we are modifying the current
program so that we will be able to continue to serve those Guests for
whom the program is intended.

Over the past few
days, you have likely heard about these upcoming changes and how they
might affect our Guests with disabilities. Our relationship with you is
important to us, and we want to take the opportunity to clear up any
confusion or misinterpretation.

Our commitment to
providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all our Guests has
not changed. We have long recognized that people may have different
needs, and we will continue to work individually with our Guests with
disabilities to provide assistance that is responsive to their unique
circumstances.

As with any change,
there will be a period of adjustment, particularly for those families
who have developed and refined their preferred ways of enjoying our
parks with their loved ones over the years. I thank you in advance for
your patience as we fine-tune our new program to mitigate the current
abuse, while still providing the special experience our Guests have come
to expect from Disney.

Most of all, thank you for entrusting your treasured time with those you love to Disney Parks.

Sincerely,
Meg Crofton 

Your thoughts?

iamdollie summy23 I am looking forward to hearing about your experiences after your trip.  I just read the post by AL78 , it is good to know our son won’t have to walk up and then walk away!  I am also looking at Universal as a vacation option, we have always just done Disney.  What are your thoughts on their disabled pass?  I am trying to figure out if it would be worth it to spend the extra money to stay on site and get unlimited express or if the disabled pass would be sufficient for us.  We are so used to Disney’s system, Universal is a whole new world for us.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=756500310Eventually, your child
will understand the meaning of wait and what that entails.  He’ll grow up
enjoying all that life has to offer!!  For kids with Autism and other
intellectual/learning disabilities and disorders, this may never happen. 
If you really care, you’ll do the research and maybe educate yourself. 
You should be grateful that you have been blessed and at least teach him that,
no, not all people are born equal, but it sure would be nice to help him learn
how he can show compassion for those that aren’t just like
him.   That’s one reason why I write my column – to help those
who need the assistance planning for the unknown.  Peace

AL78 iamdollieSupposedly, I’ve been told that official notice will be on the Disney Parks Blog, possibly the Disney Parks Moms Panel but nothing yet (as of this post). They are just giving statements like “until the new program is fully implemented on October 9th, we may not
have all of the details as to how the new system will work.  Disney
will continue to offer their Guests with disabilities as much assistance
as possible while being fair to all Guests.”  I think it’s so wrong of them to allow guests who have been planning vacations run up against this when they’re used to or expecting the old GAC – not smart in my opinion.  But, they are just after the money and could care less about those who have been planning with their special needs kids for months so they don’t have problems once in the parks.  Very sad….

summy23 I forgot to mention that what is available on Temporary Tourist is what has been leaked and not confirmed.  I’m hoping the 10 minute thing will be more like 30 when it really does roll out – will just have to wait and see….

@Michelle Spraggon I’m planning on being there on the 9th to see if some other accommodations will be made for kids/adults like ours.  If you email me at specialneedsareuniversal@hotmail.com, I will be more than happy to let you know, hopefully before you go!  Just make sure you put SNAU in the subject line (to weed out spammers).

@Bib Really nothing, and they have been using this at California Adventure in Carsland all summer. Interestingly enough when they changed how they handled the GAC at Carsland this summer there was NO uproar. When they changed the length of time a GAC was issued for there was NO uproar. When people started hinting changes were coming there was NO uproar. It wasnt until 9/17 when the original article leaked that some people started screaming, and others started going give it a chance..

iamdollie Leak’s don’t mean guaranteed fact, or all the facts. The parks should be putting out an official how-to release soon. You may want to wait for that?

summy23 I urge you to please write to the address above as soon as you can.  I also hope you read the post by AL78.  It gave the information I was trying to get before I posted my article.  On paper, it covers the timing a little better, but it’s still waiting longer than with Universal’s procedure.  You can only get on if it’s 10 minutes or less right away – it’s 30 or less at Universal.  Also, the ADA director at Universal has always been accessible.  I couldn’t even get Disney to give me a name so I could address a letter a couple of months ago. 
Remember it says it’s from “Unofficial leaked training information”, so this could also be completely unreliable.  
It sounds as if you’re in pretty much the same boat as we are with our daughter.  But stay tuned – I’ll be writing about this after our trip over on Oct. 9.  I’m hoping I will have more positive news.

@susie Bless your heart!

AL78Thank you for this information.  I was hoping to have this before I submitted my article.  Still, it does not address the needs of mentally challenged or Autism Spectrum families…

@ADHD MommyFirst of all, I never said Disney was being unfair, but I did say “Life is not fair and equal”.  Disney is  not being understanding of kids and adults who have special needs, especially those who really cannot understand “wait or” change to their routines, those who have been going to Disneyland and Disney World for years.  You can’t explain to them at home before you go and expect them to understand – they just plain can’t.  The tantrums and meltdowns displayed are nothing like a 2-yr old’s fit on the floor.  They are much, much worse and sometimes take hours to sooth the child after they have had one.  They are embarrassing for the parent and exhausting to both.  Who is to say that they shouldn’t be able to go until they learn to “behave”? Maybe your explanations for a kid with ADHD work, but that disorder is nothing close to what our children present. I also raised a son with ADD, (before the H was added and a whole new
disorder was born) so I also know that those kids usually have a higher than normal IQ.  My son’s is 129; my daughter’s is 33.  I retired from a center school with ADHD and SED
children, so I know quite well how those kids behave but are capable of change.  Waiting in a comfortable space isn’t the issue, it’s Disney not realizing it most likely will not fit their “routine”.   I’m sorry, but for us, there IS a plan – it’s the only way we can work with our children.  And up until now, our plan has worked.  I honestly can’t believe your words. Perhaps you need to actually read the links above, and listen to the podcast.

How our kids wait seems to be one of the most common behaviors
that I’ve heard from most of the parents of those who fall into this category.
It’s a challenge because change does not come easy (if at all) to them.
What
skills do you think disabled kids should prove before being able to spend a day
in the Happiest Place on Earth?  I wonder what Walt Disney himself would
say. Taking our
daughter to Universal and Disney World has been extremely educational for her,
not only for what the parks have to offer, but they have given her an
opportunity to enhance her own cognitive growth. 
Disney used to have compassion, to think it not so wrong to show those with so little current or future opportunities that they could at least feel a little special when at Disney World.  For 7 years our daughter been allowed, no,
encouraged, to have a wonderful day in the parks using the GAC and FastPass line.  Now, it’s about equality, even when those with special needs are anything BUT equal.  With extremely understanding cast members we have been
able to spend a relatively “normal” day at the parks, leaving the day to day negativity that we live with behind for a few hours.  Do you really think for one minute that I enjoy my daughter’s mental and physical disabilities, let alone my own?  Not long ago I was able to march 5 mile parades with an adult marching band as a majorette – heck, I marched at Disney World!!  Now there are days my muscles spasm so hard I’m screaming in pain.  Do you think that’s fun?  I would most gladly go back to waiting in 90 minute lines if I could have my old life back and that my daughter would have been born normal.  And I would be happy that those with disabilities were allowed to get in front of me in line because I never minded when I did wait in the stand-by lines.  Peace.

@joeschmoe Id be interested in where you go those statistics because we have waited more than 40 minutes several times now – and that’s at 5 or 6 in the evening….

@ADHD Mommy If Disney had never had a programme before that helped disabled people, then what they are doing now would be greeted with applause. BUT they are taking away a system that worked well for genuine disabled people. I am not disabled but am all for helping those that are. To take away something that truly helped disabled people is totally wrong and I am disgusted at Disney for doing it.  Do I mind waiting longer at rides just so some disabled people can get on them first? no I don’t, there are plenty of other things I can do and get pleasure from that they cannot, so anything that can help them I am all for. But I am not for Disney taking away a system that worked just because a few abused it. I am sure they could have thought up some way to tighten the existing system.

BarbChicago I agree with that whole-heartedly. Why is it that Disney parks are treated like they are the only vacation choice for so many people, whether part of a disabled family or not? My roommate is paralyzed from the waist down. He cannot transfer out of his wheelchair, so the vast majority of Disney attractions are not possible for him, regardless the initials for the disabled program. We researched everything and found that some parks were better than others, but there was no park which was 100% accessible. He could cry and whine to Disney until every attraction they built worked for 100% of people – which will never happen – or he could just find an alternative which would get closer to the 100%. So we went on a cruise to Bermuda!

@ADHD Mommy These kids (who might be 6’1″ and 175lbs) also have meltdown issues at supermarkets, malls, outdoor parks, doctor’s offices…..Should we just keep our children locked up at home??  I also assume that your child will develop normally…go to regular school, maybe even college, have friends, live on his own, maybe give you grandchildren and live a otherwise “normal life”.  My daughter is 21 non-verbal and for over 6 months had a 1″ diameter open wound on arm from biting herself. I’m still working getting her independent in the bathroom but according to you my time would be better spent in months of trying to get her use to standing in line. What did the GAC do for us? If the wait was 10-15 minutes, we just got in the regular line, if the line didn’t seem manageable we used the fastpass line.  The GAC gave us an opportunity to attend to her needs while touring the park and almost feel like a normal family. Are you REALLY resentful of that?  For the record I support change to curb abuse but think there could have been a more compassionate plan for those with cognitive/behavioral disabilities.

I see that your child has disabilities, what I meant to say is that many children the disabilities are much more severe, as in the case of mine.

@ADHD Mommy I am sorry but unless you have a disabled child, you cannot make assumptions. Yes I try to explain to my child but do you understand how it is to have a 10 year old that still reacts as a two year old, and maybe that way for the rest of his life? Should I then stay at home and never have a vacation with my family because of it? Do I try to keep him out of situations that would make other people uncomfortable yes I do. The GAP helped us lessen the chance of a meltdown and enabled us to have a vacation where the meltdowns were not as frequent.  We don’t live in a world where people see a barely verbal 10 year crying in frustration  who are understanding, or even kind.  The program at Walt Disney enabled us a family to enjoy a vacation with less stress. We never used it on more than one ride at a time, and never abused it. I worked as a cast member myself, and know how this system works, and was abused, but I also know many family like mine it helped to make happy memories.