? Doctor's note

[Nanajo1]

I just read in All Ears, Feb 3rd edition an article regarding the confusion over GAC/SAC and autism. The very last line stated that invisible disabilities should bring a doctor's note "as usual". I didn't think it was necessary or even legal for a note or proof of disability to be required. Am I mistaken?

 

[nee]

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[dclfun]

I agree with the above post as I'm certain that although many people DO need the GAC, there are many who don't and who take advantage of the system/ADA law not requiring proof. When reading that up to 30% of people at DL in one day had requested and received a GAC, then I had to wonder how many were for legitimate needs. When that many people have one then it overloads the demands placed on CM's to honor them. With Matt Ouimet now as president of DL, I feel assured that he will take utmost care to revamp the system fairly. Again, DL and WDW are not required to give out these cards, so it's a privelege and not a right or entitlement. ---Kathy

 

[magicmaker]

Walt Disney World does not require a doctor's note in order to receive service. While many Guests feel more comfortable presenting the note, it is not necessary.

Additionally, often a doctor's note does not provide the information the Guest Relations Cast Member needs to issue assistance. It is important to be able to describe the type of assistance that you need (i.e. I need to have my child utilize their stroller as a wheelchair, or I need to stay out of the sun, or I need to sit in the front row of shows.)

If you are able to clearly explain the type of assistance you require, a Guest Relations Cast Member will be able to issue the Guest Assistance Card that meets your needs.

 

[SueM in MN]

Additionally, often a doctor's note does not provide the information the Guest Relations Cast Member needs to issue assistance.

That makes me think of a sort of funny story. Once in MK, we were in line behind someone who was asking for a GAC for their elderly mother. They had a letter from her doctor and insisted on reading it to the CM. The CM kept very nicely asking them what sorts of assistance she needed, but they just kept reading the letter. It was full of medical words that they couldn't pronounce, full of lists of all her medical conditions and gave a pretty full history of her last hospitalization. In short, it was just about everything I would need as a nurse if she were being admitted to the hospital. It had a lot of confidential information that no one needed. Basically, if you understood all the medical language, the gist of it was that the woman couldn't stand in line (and would need a wheelchair). But it didn't have any information at all that was useful to the CM.

One of the provisions of the ADA is that you can't be required to provide any proof of disability in order to get services, so that website is in error when they say you should bring a doctor's letter "as usual".

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by SueM in MN


One of the provisions of the ADA is that you can't be required to provide any proof of disability in order to get services.

Where does the medical form required by DCL fall in a discussion of proof of disability when requesting an accessible stateroom?

 

[Talking Hands]

DCL are not US registry. ADA really has nothing to do with it. Because they are foreign registry the do not have to comply with ADA as far as I know.

 

[dclfun]

DCL has very few staterooms in certain categories that would accomodate a guest with a mobility disability. They are reserved exclusively for their use, otherwise such a guest could call to make a reservation and not be able to book due to no room they could maneuver in or even enter. The form required for other types of disabilities are to alert a certain area of any special need so they can be prepared. The medical services coordinator, upon receiving the form, will notify the appropriate area such as Children's programming, the medical center, dining room,etc. or will use the form to justify any special equipment needed in a stateroom for medical purposes. Being on a ship is very different that being at a theme park. ---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Talking Hands is right that the DCL are not subject to the ADA because they are registered outside the US.
I've never been on a cruise, so haven't seen the forms, but I can make some educated guesses about the reason for the cruise line information questionnaire.
One of the reasons might have nothing to do with accessibility, but would be important for safety. In the event of an emergency (medical or otherwise), they need to be able to plan. Someone with a disability who needs the accessible cabins is more likely to need additional assistance (and maybe additional equipment) in an evacuation situation. In a non-cruise situation, this would be similar to filling out a medical questionnaire for kids going to camp - in a remote situation with full medical assistance not easily accessible, the medical people who are there need to know what potential situations are likely.
At a resort on land, if you need an accessible room, but there are none left, there is always the option to move to another resort where one is available. Obviously not an option on the ship.
I also know that most of the resorts have both handicapped accessible rooms (with grab bars by the tub and toilet) and fully wheelchair accessible rooms with roll in showers and rool under sinks. I don't know if the cruise line has both categories or just fully accessible cabins. If they do have both, they would want to have some way of matching the cruisers with the accomidations that meet their needs.
The last reason has to do with scarcity and desireability. At the resorts, the accessible rooms are not desireable to people who don't need the accessibility features (there is usually a thread going somewhere on the boards talking about how to make sure you don't get a HA room with a roll in shower). On the Cruise Board, you will find the opposite - people saying how lucky they were to get an accessible room (because it's larger, has a larger veranda, etc). So the cruise ship rooms are highly desireable for people without accessibility needs. If you could just request one, there are people who would rationalize that their desire for extra room was more important than someone else's need for accessibility and would say they needed an accessible room just to get it. Sort of the same way that some people claimed a medical need they didn't have just to get a refrigerator at no charge.

Added note: I typed this up while DD was in the bathroom, then I had to finish getting her ready for school (and shovel some snow while I was outside - YUCK).
Anyway, when I got back inside I posted what I had typed earlier and then saw that Kathy said the same thing I did, but with many fewer words.
So, I agree with Kathy.

 

[leenie29]

My 10 year old son has Asperger Syndrome and we got him a GAC when we were at Disney MLK week. I showed a cast member at guest services the doctor's note which stated he has trouble waiting on lines. The CM issued me a red GAC and told me to show it to a CM at either the FastPass entrance or the exit if a ride didn't have FastPass. We waited at max 10 minutes (about all my son can handle) and most of the time we waited a couple of minutes. Having the GAC help prevent any meltdowns he usually has waiting. In fact he didn't have one problem he smiled and laughed the entire week.

I have to say that all of the CMs could not have been nicer about my son using this pass. He's been at a low point accepting his diagnosis and this GAC did wonders for his self confidence. It was almost like the CMs sensed he need a boost to his ego. They went out of their way to make him feel really special (in a really great way) about having the GAC saying to him things like Mickey only allows really special people to get the super secret fastpass.

This past vacation was the best vacation we've had with him in 6 years. And it was all because of the CMs and the GAC.

Leenie

 

[shelle45]

HI

WE ARE PLANNING OUR TRIP TO FLORIDA WITH OUR 3 BOYS MY MIDDLE SON WILL BE 15 HE HAS DOWNS SYNDROME AND IS AUTISTIC.
WHAT IS A GAC CARD? WILL WE NEED ONE FOR HIM? ALSO WE WILL WANT TO RENT A WHEELCHAIR FOR THE 2 WEEKS WE ARE THERE. HE IS UNABLE TO OPERATE ONE HIMSELF SO WE WILL NEED ONE WE CAN PUSH. WHERE CAN I RENT ONE OFF SITE?


MANY THANKS

SHELLE

 

[SueM in MN]

Welcome to disABILITIES, shelle45.

WHAT IS A GAC CARD?

GAC is a Guest Assistance Card (at Disneyland, they call it a Special Assistance Card). We use the abbreviation GAC so we don't need to type out all the words each time we want to talk about it.
What it is, is a way to let the CMs (Cast Members) know what sorts of help someone needs if they have an invisible disability. It's issued for the person with a disability and up to 5 memebers of their party. In some situations, there may not be room for 6 people, so you may be asked to have one or two people stay with the person the GAC is issued to and the rest wait/enjoy the show somewhere else. The GAC is stamped with a message that helps the CM decide what you need. Some examples might be, to allow someone who has a small child to use a stroller like a wheelchair (taking a stroller in lines, buildings where wheelchairs are usually not allowed), or to be allowed to wait in a quieter place.

WILL WE NEED ONE FOR HIM?

It depends on his needs. Having a wheelchair allows you to use the accessible entrances and special viewing areas for parades and Illuminations. If that will be enough to meet your needs, he won't need a GAC. Also, during non-busy times, the waits in line are normally shorter and you may not need a GAC at all. Even when we have gone during Spring break, by using FastPass and waiting until later in the day to go on rides with really long lines, we have not used our DD's GAC more than once or twice a day. Many rides will have a line at one time of the day, but not later, or vice versa. For example, Spaceship Earth in Epcot usually has a long line early in the morning. It's the first ride people see and they want to go on. Later in the day, as less people are arriving, it might be a "walk right on" ride.
You request a GAC at Guest Assistance in any of the parks. You will need to bring your son along with you and explain what sorts of difficulties you expect to have. The GAC will be valid at all parks and usually for your entire length of stay.

ALSO WE WILL WANT TO RENT A WHEELCHAIR FOR THE 2 WEEKS WE ARE THERE. HE IS UNABLE TO OPERATE ONE HIMSELF SO WE WILL NEED ONE WE CAN PUSH. WHERE CAN I RENT ONE OFF SITE?

Here's a list of the places that DIS posters report good experiences with:
Care Medical:
http://www.caremedicalequipment.com/
Phone (407) 856-2273 • Toll Free U.S and Canada (800) 741-2282

Walker Mobility:
1-888-726-6837
www.walkermobility.com

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

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

You will need his approxiate height and weight to arrange the appropriate wheelchair for him. All of these places will pcik up and deliver from the WDW resorts or the off-site hotels near WDW. If you are staying at a WDW resort, the buses, boats and monorails are wheelchair accessible. Some of the boats are not accessible to power wheelchairs or ecvs at certain times due to water levels, but a manual wheelchair should not be a problem.

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
On the Cruise Board, you will find the opposite - people saying how lucky they were to get an accessible room (because it's larger, has a larger veranda, etc). So the cruise ship rooms are highly desireable for people without accessibility needs. If you could just request one, there are people who would rationalize that their desire for extra room was more important than someone else's need for accessibility and would say they needed an accessible room just to get it. Sort of the same way that some people claimed a medical need they didn't have just to get a refrigerator at no charge.

Funny thing....
I have, because of a revision going on in DCL's strange "Service Dog as on-board cruiser" policy been paying close attention to the posts about the accessible cabins and yesterday found a post from a passenger on an upcoming cruise who asked the newsletter publisher for that cruise to change her published cabin number, as she had just been moved.... Although she wanted assignment to a Royal (one of the Disney) Suites, DCL has assigned her to a verandah-equipped handicapped accessible stateroom, although DCL is aware that Cash and I are awaiting reassignment to such a room on that cruise.
When I asked why this passenger would prefer a Disney Suite, which is not accessible after being assigned to an accessible stateroom, she replied that, although there was no one in her family who was disabled, DCL had assigned the HA stateroom to her as it was the category that she wanted. Hmmm. My TA and I have been told that all the HA staterooms are already assigned and, because of the Service Dog policy change, it looks like without an HA stateroom with access to a verandah I will not be able to take the cruise... Bummer!

 

[dclfun]

It could be that this person was assigned to a Cat. 3 accessible one bedroom suite when they couldn't get the Royal Suite , Cat. 1. If all other staterooms in the Cat. 3 ( or another) are sold out, then anyone is able to book those staterooms if they are willing to pay for them. They are held until there are no others left. There are accessible staterooms in different categories, and it sounds like you are being told you need a stateroom with a verandah? There are only two each of them that aren't suites- Cat. 6 and Cat. 5. If that is the rate you're paying, then you wouldn't be upgraded to a Cat. 3 ( suite) unless it wasn't occupied by a guest willing to pay for it. DCL would not turn down a guest paying for a suite to give someone a complimentary upgrade even if it was due to an accessibility issue. Hope that makes sense. ---Kathy

 

[SueM in MN]

Whatever the reason, it's a real bummer.

 

[dclfun]

Yes, it's a bummer, but it makes sense. No one is going to get a complimentary upgrade to a suite due to a disability when someone else is willing to pay for that same suite. Those staterooms are held until last, but if all other suites are gone, then they are offered to guests who've paid that rate and want the suite/ concierge services vs. being given to someone who has paid a lower price. The real problem is lack of accessible staterooms in certain categories-for example there are only two on each ship that would accomodate my special needs. If they're already reserved, then I have to wait. ---Kathy

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by SueM in MN
Talking Hands is right that the DCL are not subject to the ADA because they are registered outside the US.

Sorry, ladies, I did some more poking around and this is the law:


The 9th Circuit says all foreign flag cruise lines are exempt from the ADA. The 11th Circuit says that the ADA applies to foreign flag cruise lines when they take on and release passengers at ports in this country. The ports that DCL uses are in the 11th Circuit and so their decision is the one they must follow.


If the ship here doth lie, to the ADA the Mouse must comply......

 

[Talking Hands]

Thanks for the poking around. Happy to have that information.

 

[videogal1]

Originally posted by dclfun
Yes, it's a bummer, but it makes sense. No one is going to get a complimentary upgrade to a suite due to a disability when someone else is willing to pay for that same suite. ---Kathy

Someone is entitled to an upgrade if the reason an upgrade is needed is DCL's own non-compliance with the handling of Service Dogs and this is the only way that THEIR problem can be resolved. It wouldn't cost DCL a penny to conform to the standards adopted for the care of cruising service dogs but, Nooooooooooo, DCL has to make everything difficult so it costs them money. They are bound by the ADA and need to remember it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Glad to hear we had some courts with common sense.