Gac and child on the autism Spectrum

[GINNY69]

I was just curious as to how to handle this. I have a 9 year old son who is on the autism spectrum and I was thinking about getting the GAC pass .. I believe I have to get a Doctor to write a letter regarding my son and his disability and show that to guest services. My son may or may not be the easiest person who will be able to stand in line for a long period of time and I am not especially sure even if i got a fastpass there are times when you still have to wait a little time in these lines as well. Can anyone share any light on this. My son has been to disney several times but things have changed over the year and Like i mentioned his patience level is about zero. I was hoping maybe someone had any advice on this topic as far as the gac pass..

[Mickey'sGirl]

You will not need a doctor's note to request the GAC. Go into Guest Services and explain your son's needs to the Cast Member there, and they will arrange the appropriate pass for him to use.

I also have two Autistic sons, and the waiting is hard ... but we have found it is getting easier as they get older, and their knowledge that there is a ride at the end of the wait gets them through. Unfortunately, I do not have any advice on using the GAC, so I am not sure where or how your son's waiting times will be impacted.

I wish you a very happy holiday! :mickey:

[BrerGnat]

The GAC will certainly help in your situation, but it will not eliminate waiting. There is no GAC that allows for immediate entry/boarding on rides. The GACs, for the most part, offer an alternative place to wait for those individuals whose disabilities would be aggravated by waiting in the queue/waiting area used by the majority of guests. For example, people who cannot handle enclosed spaces, proximity to other individuals, or who cannot handle some of Disney's queues which involve darkness or other sensory experiences. Also, if an individual has specific sensory needs that make standing in one place without being a disturbance to others a problem (like those who have a compulsion to touch things/people, spin or jump in place, hang or sit on railings, etc), a GAC is useful.

What will happen is that a CM will ask you what your son's specific issues are that will make waiting in the traditional line a problem. The CM will then issue you a GAC with a stamp on it that let's other CMs know how to handle loading your party. As an example, our pass said Alternate Entry. That meant, for us, the Fastpass Line where available, the separate wheelchair line where available, or entry through the ride exit (when neither of the two previous options was available). We have two kids on the spectrum with different needs and this pass was the best fit for us. It never meant we got to ride immediately, but it was pretty darn close to that. Better still, it allowed us to wait in a quiet area away from the crush of lots of people and often, sitting down. It was far easier to manage our kids sensory issues in the alternate waiting areas.

[peemagg]

I have heard from others with Autistic children that utilizing the fastpasses and a good tour plan was more help than the GAC. You might want to look into one of the touring plans that are out there.

[Mickey'sGirl]

I have heard from others with Autistic children that utilizing the fastpasses and a good tour plan was more help than the GAC. You might want to look into one of the touring plans that are out there.
That is very much the way we roll. Early to the parks avoiding mid day crowds, using Fastpasses, and a break back at the hotel during the afternoon to swim and relax. That always works well for us.

[dntccc]

As far as needing a doctor's note, we had two different experiences with this the last two times we went to WDW. For our trip in 2009, I called ahead of time and asked about any accomodations for our son who is on the autism spectrum. I was told to bring a note from his doctor to guest services. When I did this, however, the person at guest services told me that he did not need the note and could not, for reasons of the HIPPA, take the note. We were issued a GAC that allowed us to use an alternate entry (Fast Pass where available and the wheelchair entry otherwise).

For our trip in 2010, we took a doctor's note with us just in case, and that time the person at guest services did want to see the note. He said he just needed to see that the note was for that same year (2010). Again, we were issued the same GAC.

For anyone that knows, what is WDW's exact policy regarding a doctor's note for situations such as this?

[BrerGnat]

For anyone that knows, what is WDW's exact policy regarding a doctor's note for situations such as this?

There is an ADA law that prevents an individual from being required to furnish proof of a disability. This is to maintain dignity. Disney is not allowed to ask for a doctor's note. If they do, remind them that is not a requirement, nor is it permitted.

Most folks don't just carry around their official diagnosis. Nor should they be expected to. As far as I know, the only entity legally allowed to ask for this sort of thing are the DMVs when issuing Handicapped placards.

[TexansInNY]

I'm with BrerGnat on this one. Our son is autistic and has a chromosome disorder. A good plan and fastpasses - fine if you like that. The option of using GAC on top of that - I don't understand why you would not take advantage of that. It was a lifesaver. As it turns out, we had a doctor's note - again - why not take it if your doc is easily accessible.

I had the note, they did not want to see it but I am willing to bet it didn't hurt to pull it out. Our son cannot stand waiting for long - you guys understand that. He also doesn't sweat like most kids - less - chromosome..

The point overall is do what you feel comfortable with. I will say during our visits we have NEVER had anyone say anything about us using the card or a dirty look and our son looks "typical."

[dizneydeb22]

We also plan very well and use fastpass when available with our son who has severe ADHD and mild autism. But, sometimes the GAC can be useful. We do not take advantage and only use it if he is having a particularly bad day. One of the most important tips I can give you is to not let anyone make you feel bad for doing what is in the best interest of your child. We get dirty looks and snide comments often. It is harder sometimes for a child that has an 'invisible' diability. But I guarantee that the looks and comments would be a lot worse if my child had a melt down near them on line! We let it roll off our backs and I thank God that he gave our son to us and not to one of the impatient and unfeeling people we encounter! Have a magical trip!!

[watchaminnie]

Yes, definitely get the GAC. Just because you have it doesn't mean you need to use it. But if you don't have it, you can't use it as needed. On our last trip, we used it pretty much on every attraction, every character line, everything. Without it, I don't think we could do disney world, certainly not when there are any kinds of crowds. The best use of it was actually for shows/movies when they would put us in a separate queue area (you know what I'm talking about when everyone congregates in a giant room, then they let everyone into the theater at once? My son would absolutely flip out in a situation like that.) Then they would let us into the theater first to pick appropriate seat, which usually was the back in our case.
My "big" kids who do not have special needs thought they were really special to get (near) front of line privileges...lol. With all of the sacrifices and crappola they go through having a brother with intense needs, I love that WDW is the one place we can go to where they actually get an advantage because of having a brother w/ autism. It really is the ONE place we can go where they help us out in a way that works. I am a big lover of the GAC.