AVP
12-19-2003, 12:15 PM
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Disneyland has put their new Special Assistance program into effect, starting today.
This information is REALLY preliminary - please do not take ANYTHING here as gospel. The Guest Relations department was briefed on this new policy for the first time this morning, and attractions cast members still don't know that anything has changed.
1) The "Special Assistance Pass" is being replaced with a "Special Assistance Card."
2) IN GENERAL, visitors with ambulatory impairments are being issued a SAC. Those who use crutches, braces, canes or wheelchairs will be issued the card.
3) IN GENERAL, visitors with "endurance" issues are not being issued a SAC unless they are using a wheelchair. The definition of "endurance" impairment is not being disclosed.
I personally watched someone walk into City Hall and declare that she needed "one of those front of the line" passes because she had a pacemaker and could not stand in line. The cast member told her that they are no longer issuing SAPs to people with endurance issues, and that the visitor would need to rent a wheelchair. The woman's daughter came back and said that her mother was perfectly able to walk, but that she could not stand in line. The cast member repeated that she would need to rent a wheelchair in order to get a SAC.
4) IN GENERAL, parents with autistic children can still get the SAC.
5) IN GENERAL, people with sun allergies and related impairments will not be issued the SAC.
There is no written policy that guest relations could give me. Basically, they are handling these things on a case-by-case basis. I am working to get some official comments on this change, and I'll share them as I get them.
AVP
Disneyland has put their new Special Assistance program into effect, starting today.
This information is REALLY preliminary - please do not take ANYTHING here as gospel. The Guest Relations department was briefed on this new policy for the first time this morning, and attractions cast members still don't know that anything has changed.
1) The "Special Assistance Pass" is being replaced with a "Special Assistance Card."
2) IN GENERAL, visitors with ambulatory impairments are being issued a SAC. Those who use crutches, braces, canes or wheelchairs will be issued the card.
3) IN GENERAL, visitors with "endurance" issues are not being issued a SAC unless they are using a wheelchair. The definition of "endurance" impairment is not being disclosed.
I personally watched someone walk into City Hall and declare that she needed "one of those front of the line" passes because she had a pacemaker and could not stand in line. The cast member told her that they are no longer issuing SAPs to people with endurance issues, and that the visitor would need to rent a wheelchair. The woman's daughter came back and said that her mother was perfectly able to walk, but that she could not stand in line. The cast member repeated that she would need to rent a wheelchair in order to get a SAC.
4) IN GENERAL, parents with autistic children can still get the SAC.
5) IN GENERAL, people with sun allergies and related impairments will not be issued the SAC.
There is no written policy that guest relations could give me. Basically, they are handling these things on a case-by-case basis. I am working to get some official comments on this change, and I'll share them as I get them.
AVP