Disney changes the guest assistance pass.

I think this change was needed. There has been way too much abuse of the pass.

http://disneytreasures.com/blogs/news/9183549-no-more-guest-assistance-cards-at-disneyland-wdw

 

This is just for Disneyland and CA Adventure.

 

The article said it is for both coasts and mentioned WDW as well.

 

Regardless, it's a change, which was the point on this post. I can see this expanding to all Disney parks. If not, like I said, it's a change to the current policy.

 

Seems fair to me and really should benefit everyone.

 

This is a huge step in the right direction. I'm glad.

 

A Disney-authorized travel agent friend said that they've been given the official word from Disney that this new system (called DAS) will go into effect on October 9th at Disney World.

 

Here's some more information
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3151785

This is a condensed version of what I told one of my CWD friends over on facebook:

The plan they're putting in place is very similar to what's being done at other amusement parks. The guest will still get a card which will identify them as someone in need of some accommodation, they will then proceed to special kiosk located at many areas in the parks and will obtain a return time ticket for any ride that the person wants to ride, essentially ensuring a fast pass for ANY ride int he park, even rides that don't have fast passes. They will be able to get one pass at a time, but there will be no limit. The pass will simply give them a return time equal to the current wait time of the ride.

The benefit to the person in need is this:
*If they need a quiet place to wait, they no longer have to wait in a queue with other people.
*If they need to wait out of the sun, they can wait wherever they want.
* If they need to be able to avoid situations where they will need to leave a line, now they don't have to be in a line.
*If they have a situation where they simply can't wait in a line, they also don't.

It fixes just about every conceivable issue. It also takes away the the front of the line draw to someone who doesn't need a GAC. But in turn, it also allows those with legitimate needs to get those needs met in a way that they consider best, without having to worry about the line operating CM deciding they cannot be met, or having to deal with people thinking THEY were scamming the system. It's really a win for people with disabilities. A big win.

No one with a legitimate need should feel this is an unfair system that is being put in place because it really does address every situation.

all that said, kids on Make A Wish trips will still get official front of the line passes directly from their wish organization.

 

Yes, I think this was a long time coming. It does cover ever possible scenario and then some. I think that this is the fairest system possible, it's a very even playing field now.

IMO, Make a Wish kids can have whatever they want and or need. Heck, stop the ride and take me off so they can get on. They deserve it:cwds:

I hope this finally puts to rest those petulant little child like, spoiled over privileged people who purchased a special needs "guide" to get them to the front of the line. Shame on them! Shame on the "guides" too!

 

Its funny, but while we here are talking about how this is a great thing, there are other groups of people that have actually started PETITIONS to make Disney go back to the other way. People with kids who say they can't be dragging them back and forth across the park to get a pass to go back later, etc. I do get that others have some pretty big challenges with kids in highly stimulating environments, such as Disney, but I do think there are ways to make this work to help those (how about a photo of the caregiver AND the disabled, so the caregiver can go get the passes too), and remove the abuses of the system, which are extensive.

 

The rule should be any authorized person can pick up the pass, but the person in need of the pass must be present in order to ride the ride. This way, the person in need can stay put at the last locale, and an able bodied person can pop over.

 

Isn't that a whole other controversial issue because people get make a wish for kids with diabetes

 

True.
That is a hot topic. Some feel their kids are entitled to it, but I'm not going to open that can of worms here!

 

If I understand correctly there will be some sort of kiosk in each area so you'd get your pass for Star Tours somewhere in Tomorrow land. It really shouldn't be that far that you'd be running all over the park and back before each ride. And hopefully this cuts down on a lot of the people who were taking advantage so the lines at the kiosks won't be crazy. There really is no way to go to the parks with no lines at all. The lines at the entrance to get in or bag checks can often be quite long and that's just getting in.

 

I'm not a Disney person really, but what I don't understand about some of the criticism I just read in some of the comments is that people are talking about how stressful the line is for kids with sensory issues... well isn't Disney sort of stressful by design for someone with sensory issues? How much fun can that be for the kid? Not just the lines but the entire experience?

 

I don't have any sensory issues, and I think Disney sounds like a sensory nightmare, LOL.

I do feel bad if this new system makes things harder for kids who genuinely need accommodations. But I'm glad that it sounds like it's a step toward making it much harder to take advantage of the system.

 

The way I'm reading it is that each morning (initially) you'll go to guest services to pick up the DAS card, much like you do now with the GAC. They're only issuing them for one day at this point, but i was told by a guest services person who has been trained that this might change, quickly.

Anyway, you'll get the DAS and just like now, the person who is being issued the DAS must be present. Each area will have kiosks, and at that kiosk you can get your return ride ticket for whatever ride you want. But you don't have to have the person with you, you just need the DAS card. So a parent can get the return time ticket for their child who is waiting out of the sun/crowd/bathroom whatever. When you enter the ride the person with the DAS must be present and riding on the ride.

Also, in the Animal Kingdom they are currently testing kiosks for food allergies; you can approach a food kiosk and all the allergy info on quick service foods in the park. (minus carbs, disney still fails with that) So, I wonder if the DAS kiosks and the allergy kiosks are going to be the same kiosks, and part of a larger plan to have a very visible, easily accessible presence to their guests with all sorts of needs. Sort of one stop disability shopping. It's a good plan if that's what they're going for.

 

That's what I was thinking. Our friend who's child has Autism cannot take him during peak times. So, they pulled him out of school once. As she said, it's too expensive of a trip to go with the intention of him having a good day only to find out that he's going to freak the minute they go through the gate. As she says, pick your battles, and Disney isn't one of them.

 

Actually, I think it's going to make it easier to get needs met, for more people. The GAC card, the old system, was never meant to be a front of the line pass, yet, it essentially became that, because most needs were accommodated by allowing people to enter a ride through the fast pass lane. If you said that your child can't wait in lines, they accommodated that by sending you through the fast pass line, or exit line. If you said you couldn't be around crowds, in the fast pass you went. If you were worried about low blood sugars while in line, in the fast pass lane you went. And you did that instantly, you just walked up to the ride and in you went.

So it was easy to see why people wanted GAC. The trouble is, because of this, the GAC was overloading the fast pass system and it prevented anyone from really getting their needs met.

On one day, on one ride, in disney land, they tracked 20,000 guests going through the line. 5000 of those guests were using Fast Passes. !!! 5000! That's 5000 people in the fast pass lane that Disney doesn't account for when issuing fast passes to normal guests that day.

So now you have a line which is far over capacity. A line that is supposed to be faster for the general guest, and is also supposed to help meet the needs of people who need one of the many accommodations which put them in the fast pass line in the first place. You can be sure that some of those 5000 people didn't really need a GAC, and certainly did not need one that allowed for no waiting. Their needs, if they existed, could have been met in another way. But what's even more certain is that of those 5000, many really did need that accommodation. Were their needs being met? No way.

So I think it's just going to remove some of the incentive to get a GAC for people who only wanted front of the line access, immediately. Instead, it's allowing people to return to the ride, allowing them to wait out the line in a manner that best suits them.

No one would ever say publicly that they thought their kid deserved instant access to every ride. Everyone always said out loud, "we just want our needs met, but it's really ok if we don't get to the front of the line, instantly, it's ok if we have to wait as long as everyone else, we just need to wait somewhere quiet ( or out of the sun, or away from crowds)" But, they knew that instant front of the line was what they were going to get, so it was easy for them to say. Now those same people are crying unfair, because they will actually have to wait for a ride, even though the VERY needs that they wanted accommodated are going to be accommodated better than before.

I know I have a lot to say on the subject. LOL.

 

Try working there for 3 years

LOL, I cannot handle crowds and or fireworks, or cheezy Broadway style songs!