Possible Changes to the Guest Assistance Card

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Hola my fellow Disney addicts it is I, Anonymouse! It’s been awhile since you heard from me, I know you missed me. I am back with some rumors that I  have heard around the “World” lately.

I am sure most of you heard about the scandal concerning some people of the richer persuasion paying for  disabled tour guides with a Guest Assistance Card so they can use their pass for quicker access to the rides. Well Disney is rumored to be doing something about it. They have not released anything officially yet but my sources tell me that they definitely want to make it harder for people to abuse this privilege but they also still want to remain fair to people who are honest and truly do need the card. Now that is a fine line and not an easy task. We know Disney always does their best to make everyone’s vacation magical.

I am sure you want me to get to the gossip already. I was told by my super private inside source that they’re considering a few options:


  • They may require some kind of documentation or proof that your disability exists. They can’t ask for medical proof due to HIPAA Privacy laws so I am not sure how they would go about doing this. A CM told me that they are talking about asking for proof of a Handicapped Parking permit in order to get the Guest Assistance Card.
  • Another thing that is floating around is the Guest Assistance card may only be used by the person who needs it and not accompanying friends and family.
  • They may ask for ID when getting and using the Guest Assistance Card.
  • Lastly there are strong rumors that at some point the GAC will be somehow be combined with the Magicbands and RFID technology.

Let’s remember that this is just rumors at this point. As soon as I have confirmation you will be the first to know.

How do you feel about the possible changes? Have you heard anything different?

Any who, that is all the Disney Gossip I have right now. For my past Gossip articles be sure to check them out here.

Got any good gossip/rumors? Please email me at AnonyMouse@chipandco.com or on my Facebook Page.


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Anonymouse searches the internet, annoys cast members, and wouldn’t think twice about using a Ouija board to find you the freshest Disney Gossip. Some of what she’ll report is confirmed, some is based on information from the rumor mill, and some, frankly, she just read on the bathroom wall in Fantasyland. So take it with a grain of salt and have fun!
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30 thoughts on “Possible Changes to the Guest Assistance Card

  1. Totally agree. Our daughter had a liver transplant which is not visible unless you see her scare, and She can not be in the sun long either. I did bring a dr note on the hospital letter head but was told it was not necessary. And, yes, I was willing to show anyone that gave us the stink eye the scare and say ” I would be happy to have a healthy child and not worry every day about rejection and stand in the long line let’s trade” But I didn’t, in fact on our last day, last ride, one worker actually wanted the card to see it out of the plactic holder, all others just said come with me very politely, not rude as if they see them abused. If they would split up a family that would be very unfair and yes we saved up to go to Disney as well. I am still amazed at the cost never did I think it would be that much. Now for other disabled people that maybe can’t walk well due to age or other reasons, I do like the ID part. Print ID on the card and the others accompaning them. And a time frame is good, if you exceed the time frame, apply for another.

  2. and we did just get a handicap placard recently. Our son can walk okay now, but we put him in a stroller (for lack of a wheelchair) to protect his back post-surgery while out in public. I think I got the stink eye from a woman the other day, spotting me in the space. I shouidn’t have to show them the 5-inch scar on his back to justify my parking there.

  3. I can’t imagine they’d ever limit the pass to just one person, as that person would almost always need another family member to be with them. But I would still hope a family could stay together. We’ve never been yet, but our son would need a GAC for non-visible issues. He has a condition involving many parts of his body, and due to one of his medications also, he can’t be in the heat long. There’s no standing in line for 20 minutes. I have no problem providing a doctor’s note with a brief explanation of his needs. When we finally find a way to afford a trip there, we don’t want to have to be split up. Our daughter has a hard enough time getting split between us on hospital trips and doctor visits for him. IF we go, this is our dream vacation and we want to spend it _together_.

  4. There is already a limit of people who can use the gac (5 I believe). For large groups, more than one person would have to have one. Also, people are always going to cheat the system. The gac is for non visible disabilities. If they make it too difficult, the bratty rich who are too good to wait will rent a wheelchair. Disney is the one place our family can go together and have a good time. If wdw restricts it to one person, my son with severe autism will be separated from his brother and sister ( his only child friends). There are people who will a use it regardless, sad but true.

  5. I dont know how to feel about this whole scandal. While I am grateful that they exposed people abusing the system I dont think it’s fair that the people who truly are handicapped are now going to have a harder time trying to prove that they in fact need the special needs passes.

  6. We took my grand-daughter (who has multiple disabilities) to DW a few years ago and plan to take her next year. Most of her disabilities are obvious (deaf, has cochlear implant, cerebral palsy has braces and uses crutches) but some aren’t. She also has epilepsy, hydrocephilus, is blind in one eye and has tunnel vision in the other. She is 8 and wouldn’t be able to go by herself, at least one of us would have to go with her. She also has to be placed up front or she can’t see or hear what’s going on. We didn’t have any problems when she was 5, hope we don’t end up with any next year.

  7. i presume the people hired with a disability would probably have the right documentation the only way to stop this would be to allow the disabled person and 1 carer to use GAC not large groups

  8. I do not have a handicap parking permit but I do need assistance for getting some of the rides and use and ECV for getting around the parks. Even with the card and scooter (which they can plainly see), there are those ride operators that will not assist. They refuse to slow the moving walks and expect me to still “jump” off a ride. I was literally yelled at and pushed to “move it” on the “big ball” at Epcot. I said, “If I could do that; my entire life would be different.” Operator ignorance gets people hurt. Now add this potential new rule on top of that and it will take many of us out of the Disney loop. I heard plenty of rude people there with the attitude of “if you can’t walk, run and hop – stay home”. They purposely step in front of the scooters and they yell “fire” if touch them. They see you sitting on your scooter for a show, parade or fireworks and step right in front of you; blocking your view. It is unreal! It is the incredible ignorance, greed and rudeness of people today that are causing these issues. Not fair to those of us who just want to enjoy our family time too.

  9. The last two times my mother, who was either in a wheelchair or on a scooter, asked for a GAC she was told that because of the wheelchair or scooter that she did not need a GAC. That the cast members could see that she needed assistance. She had her placard with her and they refused to give her a GAC.

  10. I think just requiring a doctor’s note would work. We are planning a trip to WDW in Nov with my 5 year old who has Down syndrome. I know for a fact, he will not be able to wait in lines. I also know for a fact that he can’t ride anything by himself. I am more than happy to get a note from his doctor stating he has Down syndrome (pretty obvious, but…) and would benefit greatly from a GAC. My son is an escape artist/runner as well, so I’m not even sure the GAC will be enough for us. He literally won’t stand still. I don’t know how he will even be able to wait in line for 15 minutes. It’s going to be a challenging/interesting trip, but we’re going to try it. I’m praying for some “Disney Magic”!

  11. I used a gac for me and my daughter. it was nice to have if WE NEEDED TO USE IT I don’t abuse the system as my dad was a disabled person and it peeved me we could never get handicap parking because so lazy lamo couldn’t walk 10 extra feet, he was in a wheelchair legitamently, and people who abuse that makes me sick, I hope the ROTTEN ones don’t ruin it for the people that really need it,

  12. Disney could limit GAC line to only the GAC person and one other adult to help them and maybe include childern under 13, that way if a family of say four needs a GAC for one of the adults, the other adult can help them and they don’t have to figure out what to do with their young childern.

    My wife has Fibromyalgia, COPD, emphysema and arthritis, she has her Handicap placard but because her handicap isn’t visible she doesn’t use it much. She hates parking in the HC spots at the store because she can walk and people stare at her like she’s faking it. When we go to Disney she sits out of a lot of the rides because she can’t stand for long periods of time but feels she doesn’t qualify for the benefits that GAC offers because she’s not as bad off as others.

    It’s a shame that people abuse the system to keep from having to stand in line and ruin it for others like my wife.

  13. I would just echo many of the others concerns. My cousin who is going with us in october who is very obviously on the autism spectrum will not be able to handle lines or riding along. And i doubt she will ever drive…so none of that parking pass junk. these things would be very sad because she will end up missing out on alot of the magic of disney if this is enacted.

  14. The only time I used the GAC was when I was 8 months pregnant and my 2 year old daughter had sprained her ankle. She couldn’t walk very far and being pregnant I couldn’t carry her much. I asked for the pass so we could use her stroller as a wheelchair in the lines. Would we qualify for a GAC under the new “gossip” rules?
    I think limiting the GAC to a party of 4 would be a good way to go.

  15. Maybe I don’t understand all the issues at play here, but wouldn’t a limit on family members eliminate some of the abuse and have the person that needs the GAC provide some ID? Example – The person that needs the GAC shows an ID and 3 other family members can join them. If you have a bigger family, you can swap which 3 people go with the guest, but you can only have a total of 4 people. The rest of the family can stand in line or swap and ride with the GAC guest. Just a thought.

  16. Not sure if you realize this, but they do ask you at Guest Assistance what the nature of your issue is before granting the GAC. My son has to speak for himself and state his disability since he’s a teenager and it isn’t outwardly obvious. My family considers the GAC a blessing as it allows us to enjoy our vacation as a family, and as I said in my other comment, we always have the doctor’s note as a back-up.

  17. I have MS and use a chair when in the park (around the house it’s often my walker but my chair is becoming something I rely on more and more) and I end up needing help getting on and off rides. It’s only my husband and I who vacation to the park and it would also just suck some of the fun out of a trip not to be able to go on rides with him. I also don’t drive (or have a car) so I don’t have a parking permit.

  18. I used this on my last trip after spraining my foot the last night on th Disney Dream. The day before we went to DW. It was a pain to be in a w/c for the days we were there. We stood in the lines we were able to and used fast passes when we could. But because it was a temporary injury, I didn’t have a handicapped parking pass. I work with many children who don’t need these parking passes but who can’t stand in long lines. There needs to be another way. I appreciate the fact that the pass was available for my family so our trip was still fun.

  19. Not sure what the perfect solution would be, other than people being honest. I guess that’s too much to ask. I’m thinking that it would bring on lots of outrage if Disney started keeping track of who’s using these cards and who their “family” members are? That would at least help to weed out the frequent abusers of the system and leave it for those more honest. I can’t think of anything else that might work. Even asking for proof of why a person needs a card wouldn’t work in those cases where people with means were hiring the disabled to act as temporary family members. Disney is offering a service for certain of its guests as a courtesy and help; it’s just too bad that the lying, uncaring, self-centered cheaters are abusing this service at the expense of those who truly need it.

  20. Um hello – I think HIPPA is not at issue here – medical documentation should be required – you aught not be able to just walk up & ask for guest assistance card without disclosing what accommodation you require / why… Otherwise I could claim I have a nervous condition… I get nervous thinking about standing in long crowded lines when it’s hot outside…I mean jobs & school systems provide specific accommodations based on documented need every day… And a handicapped placard is a joke – pretty much anyone can get one. If you want (need) special accommodations you should have to give info on that. Also, disney has the technology to use a fast pass type system where people with disabilities don’t “stand” in kind but still ha d to “wait” based on when they arrive at the line & how long the ride wait time is at that point…I mean even something as simple as the rider swap system – disabled Dan’s party waits in line & when they arrive at the front Dan comes through the special access area to join them on the ride…

  21. I would expect Disney to makes changes so that nobody would abuse it again in the future. I just hope they don’t make it so that only the person with a disability can get on a ride, because my son can not go on rides alone! My son is 14, has Down Syndrome, Autism and is non verbal he can not do anything alone. Also, I always have brought with me a letter from his doctor stating his disabilities, but you could also “see” his limitations.

  22. I can’t imagine (well actually I can, and it’s NOT pretty) how our WDW vacation would be without the use of a GAC for our son!!! Due to his mobility issues, his breathing difficulties, being non-verbal and having autistic tendencies – we would never be able to visit and see and do as much as we do with the aide of the GAC! For our family it is a necessity, not a “front of the line pass” – and on the rare occassion that it does become a “front of the line pass”, I feel that we paid just as much as the next person for our child to expereince the magic of Disney, and so what if my child is granted a little more? I would love to give you the opportunity to spend a few hours in my shoes!! I also think it would be impossible to make the GAC useable by only the individual needing the assistance – how would that work when you are dealing with a child or someone who needs the actual assistance? I think linking it to the new system is a great idea!

  23. I feel sorry for those who actually need. it …. honestly due to peoples greed of money… and the rich and snobby. Sorry yet again, I know most of yall are honest but lets just say someone ruined it for everyone.

  24. I was going to ask this too! I have a grandchild on the spectrum.. What about people that have “invisible” diseases like Lupus or Fibromyalgia?

  25. We are in the same boat as you. Our son has autism and would not be allowed to ride alone, nor does he have a handicapped parking pass.

  26. What about people with Autism, they don’t have a handicapped parking pass so that wouldn’t work too well.

  27. Disney has always gone the extra mile to help those with challenges. My guess this is a work in progress. Please let Disney know your feelings and why. Let’s give them the chance to fix the program from abuse and protect those who need it!

  28. Oh I hope these rumors are simply rumors! My son has ADHD with sensory issues and waiting on lines is not only incredibly difficult for him, but very uncomfortable for those around us. We have used this card the past two trips and it has been a huge blessing for us. He does not require a handicapped parking permit and if he’s the only one allowed to use the card, we’ll never be able to ride rides together. Also, we never abuse it – if a line is 15 minutes wait or less, we always tell him that he needs to wait on the line. I cannot imagine just how awful these new rules will be for the families who have a child with Autism! There just has to be some other way.

  29. This is CRAZY…. you don’t need a Handicap Parking Permit to be Handicapped…..The better think this over….. granted…. HEPA says the person has the RIGHT not to inform them of the reason they need guest assistance pass…… thanks all you idiots that will now make it tough for those that NEED the pass.

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