What is a Guest Assistance Card?

[Del]

We are planning on renting a wc/ecv on-site (if dad agrees;he's almost convinced) from WDW. He can't stand for long periods of time or walk for long distances, but he is fine for short distances and transferring. What exactly does this card do? Do i need one prior to renting something for him? Any info would be helpful. Thank you.

Del

 

[cathydisneynut]

The Guest Assistance Pass give you access either through the exits or disabled entrances to the Disney rides that do not have fastpass. Even if you have the GAP, you still need to get fastpasses for Buzz Lightyear, etc. I don't know if you need this card to hire the ECV, but it proved very useful for my autistic DS on our first visit to the Magic! I am not sure if the GAP allows you to go through the fastpass line after the passes ran out though.

Edit: forgot to add, available from all good Guest Services and will cover everyone in your party for your entire visit.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

A Guest Assistance Card (GAC) is used at WDW and now Disneyland. There is a major difference between a GAC and the former Disneyland Guest Assistance CArd.

The purpose of a GAC is to provide information in a semi-standardized form to CMs where the person has an invisble disability. This might be for a child where there is need to use a stroller as a wheelchair, or a need to stay out of the sun, or a vision or hearing problem.

Also, a GAC should be requested at Guest Sevices of the first park attended; it is good for the length of stay and for the person with the disability and no more than five additional people.

Note that at WDW almost all attractions are "mainstreamed" and either a wheelchair or ECV can go through the regular lines. It is NOT designed to bypass waiting.

There is no requirement for renmting an ECV other than having the money to pay for it and having them available. As a user, I would strongly advise two things

1. Rent an ECV rather than a wheelchair. It will allow for more mobility and dad will be able to drive it himself and not feel that he is a burdon on the rest of the group.

2. You are better off renting from off-site rather than from Disney. I am not responding to this from at home; sometime later today or tomorrow I will post my standard blurb on ECV rental which lists five good off-site rental sources.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Here is the additional information I promised earlier:


Here are the urls and phone numbers:

Walker Mobility:
888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
407-856-2273, Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Randy'S Mobility is in Kissimmee
http://randysmobility.com
407-892-4777

Colonial Medical
http://www.colonialmed.com/about_cms.html
800-747-0246

ScootAround
http://www.scootaround.com
Toll-free, US and Canada 888-441-7575

I have used Walker a few times. They will ask for a credit card and charge it the day before arrival. They will deliver the ECV to your hotel bell services before your arrival and pick it up there after your departure. Their rates, especially for longer than a week, are much better than Disney's. Also, their scooters are much better.

You don't say if you are renting a car or what. If you are using a car for getting around, the ECVs break down into five pieces, the heaviest about 39 pounds. They take about a minute or so to take apart and about two minutes (once you are used to it) to put it together.

Another suggestion is find out your state's requirements for a temporary disabled hang tag and get the paper work and have your father's doctor sign off on it. The tag will allow you to use any of the handicap parking areas (which will be a necessity). Also, with the policy of charging for valet parking, with a handicap hang tag the fees will be waived. Also the valets will usually volunteer to assist in loading/unloading an ECV. In Virginia I printed the required form from the DMV website. When I took the completed form to the DMV Office it took less than 15 minutes from the time I walked in until I had my tag.

 

[SueM in MN]

The Guest Assistance Pass give you access either through the exits or disabled entrances to the Disney rides that do not have fastpass.

Edit: forgot to add, available from all good Guest Services and will cover everyone in your party for your entire visit.

I've been gone (at WDW, YEAH!!), but just wanted to clarify a little about Guest Assistance Cards (GAC).

1. You don't need a GAC to rent a wheelchair or ecv (scooter)
2. If you have a wheelchair, scooter or cane/walker, you don't need a GAC. The wheelchair or scooter allows you to use the wheelchair accessible entrances.
3. Most lines are wheelchair accessible (and all Fastpass lines are wheelchair accessible), so you would most of the time be waiting in the regular lines.
4. GACs are a tool to let the CMs know in a quick way what sort of assistance you need. What is stamped on the GAC depends on your needs - someone may have a need to use a stroller as a wheelchair, someone else may need to wait in a quieter place. Some people with wheelchairs have other needs that are not met just by having an accessible entrance; those people might need a GAC. (For example, my DD also has ADD and some obsessive/compulsive behaviors that make a place to wait outside the regular line necessary for us).
5. A GAC can be issued for the person with a disability plus up to 5 members of their party. So, if your party is larger, you will need to split up. you may sometimes have to split even though your party is smaller - for example in ITTBAB and Muppets 3D, we were asked to have only one person with DD so that they had enough space for all the wheelchair guests.
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