I wanted to ask all you good people about a policy in DisneyLand. My mother was thinking about comming to DL with us, but she is somewhat disabled and would need to rent a wheelchair; she can't walk very far without having trouble. Would she be able to go first on the lines as a handycaped person, or would she have to wait in line like the others?

I see people have at least looked at this Thread; but does anyone have an answer??

I think she would be able to go through the exits at every ride and then when she got up to the loading area she might have to wait for a little bit.

My hubby was on crutches this past weekend so he went through the exits of some rides then waited for us to catch up to him. But while he was waiting the CM's sometimes asked him if he wanted to go. We all went with him through the exit at BTMRR because the CM told us to, but we also waited the longest there of all the rides.

I think there is a limit to how may people can go with the disabled person ...it 's either 5 or 7.

Hope that helps. I'm sure someone who's gone with someone who's permanently disabled probably knows more than I do.

If your mom has trouble walking, she's not 'like a handicapped person" she's a person with a special need, just like many people with physical challenges. (Just to let you know, 'handicapped' is considered a negative term.)

If your mom uses a wheelchair at Disneyland, she'll wait in the lines where people using wheelchairs wait. If the line is wheelchair accessible, like Buzz Lightyear, she'll wait in the regular line. If it's not, she'll enter at the wheelchair-accessible entrance. On some rides, such as POTC or Space Mountain, this line may be longer than the regular line.

Adrienne

Go to city hall and get a disable booklet that tells where the disabled doors are at. You may also want the little card thingy if you want to. If you do it may be easiest if you simply tell them that stairs are a big problem. Most of the time there will be little signs that tell you where to go and even friendly castmembers by entrances.
the ones that I found are the hardest regular lines to get through are splash mountain, big thunder, space mountain, and jungle cruise because of the stairs. Pirates is the easiest line and recomend doind the regular. Autopia is all around worst. Regular has stairs and I always get the worst attitude with the lift, sometimes the bloody thing doesn't work. I avoid it like the plag. MOst fantasyland rides are ok to ride though Peter pan is hard because the ships are seated low. If you ride carousel and she wants to ride a horse try and get the lowest oneit's easiest to get on and off of because it stops at the same point.
Now I must say this. Disable is not front of the line and should never be thought of as a cheat. I can't believe I heard people grumble because they have to go through the regular line in Buzz.
Oh and if you are behind a wheelchair family please don't walk so damn close to the person pushing because some hills are very steep and the pusher may be a little slow with that or accidently roll back. And don't follow the wheelchair into the little disable door on buzz.
The only time I got a pissy castmember was on screamin'. Actually it was twice but it was the same guy both times. MAke totally sure that you are going to the right side on tower of terror. the left is mega stair.

Now I must say this. Disable is not front of the line and should never be thought of as a cheat.

Thank you, I forgot to mention this! Wheelchairs and Guest Assistance Cards are not "front of the line" passes.

Adrienne

Thank you, I forgot to mention this! Wheelchairs and Guest Assistance Cards are not "front of the line" passes.

Adrienne
huge pet peeve of mine!

Thank you all! That helps alot :)

Thank you all! That helps alot :)
Whilst you're talking about special needs you may want to read this courtesy of snopes.com:

"For years, Disneyland and Disney World have offered a special assistance pass for people with disabilities, both physical and mental, when their disabilities created a problem severe enough they would be unable to stand in the normal Disney lines. Autism has always been one of those disabilities. They've now changed their policy. Now, only people w/ "physical mobility issues in wheelchairs or with canes" will be able to use the handicapped lines, everyone else will wait through the standard line.

I took my 5 year old autistic son Tyler to Disneyland in October 2003. We used the special assistance pass and had a wonderful time. Tyler could NOT have handled the regular lines, he had a meltdown if the handicapped lines were greater than 10 minutes. He'd either lie on the floor crying, or start taking his shoes/clothes off and flinging them at people. But he loved the magic, loved the rides. We were so thankful to Disney for providing that opportunity for him. Now they've discontinued that pass. I would have found a way to stay longer if we'd have known it was the only time we'd be able to take him. It seems to me this goes against everything the BAF stands for, in that it's now made it impossible to include thousands of children w/ autism, downs syndrome, and other developmental disabilities from enjoying the magic of the Disney kingdoms.

I've contacted both parks to make sure this isn't just a rumor. It's not. There is an online petition going on at http://www.petitiononline.com/BPparent/petition.html if you are willing to sign. If you are like me, and are willing to complain in a phone call (I think it's harder to ignore thousands of phone calls than an online petition) the telephone number for Disneyland is (714) 781-7290 and Disney World is (407) 939-6244. Stay on the line to talk to someone at the Disney World number.

Disney World also has an address you can write to and complain:
Disney World Guest Communications
P.O. Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista FL 32830-0040"

Not very caring and sharing is it?

Not very caring and sharing is it?

You might want to do a search of MousePad using the terms "Special Assistance Pass" and/or "Guest Assistance Card." You might be surprised by what you find. The Special Assistance Pass was miserably abused to the point that it actually was difficult to use for people who really needed it. One of many reasons for this abuse was people who self-diagnosed their children with autism (this is not to say that the woman at Snopes was in that category.)

The system still works for people who need it. I haven't heard a lot of people complaining about GAC's at Walt Disney World and they're even harder to get than they are at Disneyland. Either that or people just don't abuse it as badly in Orlando. Disneyland still gives out many more GACs than WDW, and WDW has more parks and higher daily attendance throughout the resort!

I know at least one person whose child has special needs who personally thanked DLR President Matt Ouimet in July for the recent changes and improvements to the Special Assistance offered at DLR.

Adrienne
here we go again, please keep your arms and feet inside the thread at all times. :D

Whilst you're talking about special needs you may want to read this courtesy of snopes.com:

Now, only people w/ "physical mobility issues in wheelchairs or with canes" will be able to use the handicapped lines, everyone else will wait through the standard line.

Not always true, in regard to canes. FYI.

Not always true, in regard to canes. FYI.

To Clarify what CrazyTrain said: Because people with canes are not being allowed to use the Wheelchair Access Lines like they used to with the former system so, yes, this piece of information is inaccurate. The only way people with canes can get special assistance is if they get a GAC, as determined by Guest Relations.

Also, the snopes article is incorrect because there are still Guest Assistance Cards, even for people who don't have wheelchairs or canes, they're just not given out the same as they used to be and offer different degrees of assistance based on the needs of the people who have them.

The Snopes article is additionally inaccurate because there are no 'handicapped lines.' There are wheelchair accessible lines. And sometimes the wheelchair accessible lines are the same lines that every single other person in the park uses. (And many people who use wheelchairs are happy about this, btw.) There are also 'alternative entrances' based on the needs of the people who have the Guest Assistance Cards.

Adrienne

"For years, Disneyland and Disney World have offered a special assistance pass for people with disabilities, both physical and mental, when their disabilities created a problem severe enough they would be unable to stand in the normal Disney lines. Autism has always been one of those disabilities. They've now changed their policy. Now, only people w/ "physical mobility issues in wheelchairs or with canes" will be able to use the handicapped lines, everyone else will wait through the standard line.

This is so far from the truth!!!! Both of my children have been given GAC's for there needs with no problem. In fact I feel that the new system works better becasue it indicates on the card exactly what assistance they need. I never knew there was a "handicap line." before. There were alternate entrances for those lines that were not wheelchair accessible but never was there a handicap line.

I think what people do not realize is that getting a GAC has nothing to do with a diagnoses but what type of assistance you need. Some children with ASD need to wait away from people and can not be in a line while others are just fine around people.

I hope the person who wrote about her 5 year old was not turned away from all services becasue it seems as if her 5 year old had reason to have a GAC. Maybe she went in asking for a pass and they told her there is no more passes? Which is true there is no such thing as a specail assistance pass anymore but I think sometimes in guest relations if you do not explain your childs needs clearly that they just don't give you anything and that does not mean that that person does not need a card. The system will never be perfect and I don't expect it to be. But I do feel for those that do not know the new system and ask for a "pass" for their child that really needs one and gets turned away.

I for one have had a possitive experiances with the new system.

Toursbabe