Disney Guest Assistance Card or Getting Your Individualized Needs Met By Every Disney Cast Member Like Magic

Not all special needs find children in a wheelchair. That seems obvious but, if you notice, those are pretty much the special needs that are accommodated out in the world. At theme parks, there are special wheelchair accessible entrances and systems put into place to allow guests in a wheelchair access to rides themselves. All of this is great! It really is. But what about people with other things going on? That is why Disney offers the Guest Assistance Card (GAC) at their theme parks. They recognize that their guests have a wide variety of needs and they are committed to assisting each one as individually and personally as possible.

image courtesy of SpectrumOfBlessings.com

The way is works is as follows: Upon arrival to your first Disney park on your vacation, head over to Guest Relations (you can find them both right inside and outside the park gates). When you let them know that you would like a Guest Assistance Card, you will have to opportunity to truly discuss your concerns and potential needs. The Disney Cast Members know the parks and attractions best and they can offer the best solutions and advice possible. They will issue you a Guest Assistance Card and, on the back of it, they will place a stamp that will alert the other Cast Members throughout your visit of your needs, so that you can be given the specific assitance that you need without having to rehash your life's story to everyone you meet, all day, every day. As a guest, you may be given access to a more quiet or a shaded area to wait for a ride, you may be escorted to an elevator or alternate entrance to an attraction that does not require the use of stairs, you may be granted the ability to use a stroller as a "wheelchair," allowing you to bring it on line with you (strollers are typically required to be parked before getting on line for an attraction). Guest Assistance Cards can also be used to help with hearing or vision problem, alerting Cast Members to show guests the most optimal seating during a show or performance to best meet their needs.

The important thing is, when you are talking to the folks at Guest Relations, remember to be as specific as possible about your family's needs so that the Disney Cast Members can help you to come up with the best solution possible. A doctor's note is not required to receive a Guest Assistance Card but, if it's possible to get one, it certainly can't hurt.

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Mike Cohen is a Disney Travel Agent and owner of Travel With Magic, an Academy Travel affiliate, specializing in Disney Destinations. Discover the magic Mike can work for you by getting in touch at TravelWithMagic.com, by emailing at mike@travelwithmagic.com, or by calling him at (315) 450-2869.