Question for the Disney folk

[RaptorBoyASU]

So my good friend Annie is having her "bachelorette party" as a 2 day romp around Disneyland in a couple weeks. There are 8 of them going. One of her good friends going broke her foot yesterday (luckily she wasn't one in the wedding party).

 

So my question is what is Disney's policy for "special access". I know at CP, they only allowed 5 people to be on a pass, the others had to go through the normal line (even though everyone still had to wait). This wouldn't be an issue, except that being split up kind of ruins the whole "group being together" for the weekend idea she had.

 

Anyways, if anyone knows Disney's policy (castmembers, etc....) I would greatly appreciate the sharing of your knowledge.

 

EDIT: I have looked on a few of the websites, and only found a partial answer, so let me clarify. I know that with the "access" pass only allows 5 others to come with. But I was wondering if there's any other difference if you have a wheelchair. She's not going to be able to deal with being on crutches for a whole day in the park.

[Soarin_G]

Though I don't work currently work there, I was pretty familiar with attraction's policies. Over the past 2-3 years, they have been pretty strict about their 'disability' pass distribution. There was a day where all you'd have to do is walk into guest relations and ask for a "Special Assistance Pass" (SAP) SAPs are gone, replaced by the GAC (Guest Assistance Card) and is tailored to the guests needs. However, if you are using crutches, in a wheel chair or use a cane, no card and no stop by guest relations is necessary.

 

Most attractions at Disney's California Adventure and Many attractions at Disneyland have wheel chair accessible queues. This means that you cruise through the regular line just like everyone else. A few attractions (Indy and Screamin') have load platforms in the middle of the station. Just cruise through the regular queue and a cast member will take you out of line just before the stairs to head up an elevator.

 

Attractions like Pirates require that you enter though the exit. Your best bet is to ask the Greeter at each attraction what their policy is. Every attraction is slightly different.

 

If someone in your party suffers from an "endurance issue" such as not being able to stand for prolonged periods of time, Disney has a solution for you too. Unlike most parks, line jumping is NOT cause for removal from the park. If ONE person in your party is in line, there's absolutely no rule that stops the other 12 people in your group from joining you. If you leave to go to the bathroom, you can moosh your way right back to where you were... As long as there is one person waiting, you're good to go. So basically, the person with the endurance issue can sit and wait, then join up when the rest of the group has made it to the front of the line.

 

ALSO, there's fastpass... Free for all park guests. There's info in the guide map, read it... It'll tell you everything you want to know.

 

Hope that helps!

 

-Garrett

[Soarin_G]

Oh one more thing... On rides like Pirates and Big Thunder that allow a person in a wheel chair to bypass the regular line, you are limited to a total of 6 people (including the person in the wheel chair).

 

Good Luck!

[RaptorBoyASU]

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

I didn't realize that the wheel chair fit through most of the lines. I'll let them know!

[sfmman2000]

If someone in your party suffers from an "endurance issue" such as not being able to stand for prolonged periods of time, Disney has a solution for you too. Unlike most parks, line jumping is NOT cause for removal from the park. If ONE person in your party is in line, there's absolutely no rule that stops the other 12 people in your group from joining you. If you leave to go to the bathroom, you can moosh your way right back to where you were... As long as there is one person waiting, you're good to go. So basically, the person with the endurance issue can sit and wait, then join up when the rest of the group has made it to the front of the line.

-Garrett

 

 

I didn't know line jumping was allowed at Disney parks. So your saying that, for example, if your in line for the Sun Wheel at DCA you can have as many extra people come in and join your 'group' just as your about to board? Now, I am using one of DCA's lowest capacity rides as an example, but still, is that really allowed?

[RCTfan]

Its not exactly line jumping, but just reserving your position in line. I always believe line jumping more when kids pretend their family is ahead of you, but not really. Disney doesn't mind when you have to leave to pee, then come back in line after, as long as someone has your spot.

 

As for the disability pass, ask greeters at the front of the attractions what to do. I don't know if its the same for DL as WDW, but we have the Guest Assistance Card. You go and talk to Guest Relations. While there, you cna discuss the person's need for the pass. Based upon your conversation, they will issue you a card with a certain stamp upon it. Sometimes it'll just say use Wheelchair entrance. Others will let you use the Fastpass line. Or just bypass the line completely. Depends on each individual person. This allows 6 people total to use the pass.

[Gnome]

or if you get cut off by a parade and you lose your group and they go on without you, ect.

[cfc]

I was at Disneyland and DCA with my parents back in August, and they had to get around on ECVs. We didn't have too much of a problem. Disney is very accomodating to disabled guests. Here are two things to keep in mind:

 

1. On Pirates, they can only have six wheelchairs on the platform at one time, so you may have to wait until some folks return from their voyage and are wheeled off.

 

2. CMs at the Haunted Mansion will query you about how long the disabled person in your party can stand up in order to decide how to serve that person best. (If you can stand for seven to ten minutes, you park your chair at a spot near the Mansion's front door, and a CM will usher you in with the "regular" line. Not sure what they do if you can't stand for seven minutes, though.)

 

Have fun.

[YoshiFan]

If you tell them you can't stand for that long, they have you go through the exit of the ride at the unload point and you board the ride there skipping the elevator.