As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
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And a very special thank you to our Guides (moderators), past and present, who kept our forums a happy place to be. You are the glue that held everything together, and we are forever grateful to you. Thank you aliceinwdw, Caldercup, MrsM, WillCAD, Fortissimo, GingerJ, HiddenMickey, CRCrazy, Eeyoresmom, disneyknut, disneydani, Cam22, chezp, WDWfan, Luvsun, KMB733, rescuesk, OhToodles!, Colexis Mom, lfredsbo, HiddenMickey, DrDolphin, DopeyGirl, duck addict, Disneybine, PixieMichele, Sandra Bostwick, Eeyore Tattoo, DyanKJ130, Suzy Q'Disney, LilMarcieMouse, AllisonG, Belle*, Chrissi, Brant, DawnDenise, Crystalloubear, Disneymom9092, FanOfMickey, Goofy4Goofy, GoofyMom, Home4us123, iamgrumpy, ilovedisney247, Jennifer2003, Jenny Pooh, KrisLuvsDisney, Ladyt, Laughaholic88, LauraBelle Hime, Lilianna, LizardCop, Loobyoxlip, lukeandbrooksmom, marisag, michnash, MickeyMAC, OffKilter_Lynn, PamelaK, Poor_Eeyore, ripkensnana, RobDVC, SHEANA1226, Shell of the South, snoozin, Statelady01, Tara O'Hara, tigger22, Tink and Co., Tinkerbelz, WDWJAMBA, wdwlovers, Wendyismyname, whoSEZ, WildforWD, and WvuGrrrl. You made the magic.
We want to personally thank Sara Varney, who coordinated our community for many years (among so many other things she did for us), and Cheryl Pendry, our Message Board Manager who helped train our Guides, and Ginger Jabour, who helped us with the PassPorter-specific forums and Live! Guides. Thank you for your time, energy, and enthusiasm. You made it all happen.
There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
We go on to discover new frontiers
Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
And we are no longer charging for the Live Guides. If you have a subscription, it's yours to keep for the lifetime of the Live Guides at no additional cost. The Live Guides will stay online, barring server issues and technical problems, for all of 2019.
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Thank you, thank you, thank you for your amazing support over the years. Without you, there's no way us little guys could have made something like this happen and given the "big guys" a run for their money. PassPorter was consistently the #3 guidebook after the Unofficial and Official guides, which was really unheard of for such a small company to do. We ROCKED it thanks to you and your support and love!
If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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Just back from the World yesterday and had a fantastic time. I made use of the GAC as I have back issues and a knee issue right now that make it difficult to stand in long lines. Just wanted to let everyone know about an issue I ran into using my GAC. I have my GAC stamped for me to use an alternate attraction entrance, which has never been an issue, until I tried to use it at Haunted Mansion. Not a single cast member out of the four of them working the line, bothered to even look at what the GAC said and ushered me through the regular line, not offering me the alternate entrance. When I got frustrated at the point in the line where it separates and one side goes into the cemetery, I again showed my GAC to the 2 cast members who were standing there and they simply ushered me through the non-cemetary side of the line. Never once, out of 4 cast members was I given the opportunity to use the alternate entrance through the exit. I know for a fact that certain guests were being taken through the exit to enter the attraction as we saw them being loaded. Every other attraction directed me to the alternate entrance, except Haunted Mansion. We even saw a number of wheelchairs in the regular line. If you are using a GAC at Haunted Mansion, make sure that you are able to handle the line, or be ready to argue with the cast members if necessary. I have sent an email off to WDW Guest Communications regarding this and a number of other issues. I just wanted to make everyone on here aware of the situation.
I'm sorry that happened to you but I would have asked to speak to a supervisor. Sometimes the CM's make mistakes. I know once we went to ride Buzz Lightyear and the CM we saw told Lenny he was not allowed to use his scooter in the line but right after another CM let somone else in the line with a scooter. We immediately questioned what Lenny was told and it turned out the first CM was wrong. Since it is the holiday time, it makes me wonder in your case if they brought on a lot of extra CM's that might not have been given full training.
I'm sorry that happened to you but I would have asked to speak to a supervisor. Sometimes the CM's make mistakes. I know once we went to ride Buzz Lightyear and the CM we saw told Lenny he was not allowed to use his scooter in the line but right after another CM let somone else in the line with a scooter. We immediately questioned what Lenny was told and it turned out the first CM was wrong. Since it is the holiday time, it makes me wonder in your case if they brought on a lot of extra CM's that might not have been given full training.
I had every intention of speaking to a supervisor but they ushered us through so quickly that it was impossible. I had multiple cast members actually read the GAC whereas at HM they basically ignored it, not to mention the fact people were in wheelchairs.
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I had every intention of speaking to a supervisor but they ushered us through so quickly that it was impossible.
You can always go to Guest Services (afterwards, of course) and politely make your displeasure known there. They'll pass the comments/complaints on to where they need to go.
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I had multiple cast members actually read the GAC whereas at HM they basically ignored it, not to mention the fact people were in wheelchairs.
I think what you possibly should have done, is not let them usher you anywhere, and speak up - say "no, I need to use an alternate entrance, as my GAC says."
As others suggested, I suspect they may have hired on a bunch of temporary seasonal workers, and you simply ran into multiple of those Holiday-only CMs .... whose training clearly left much to be desired.
The line is now wheelchair accessible, and they separate those needing an alternate loading after the "shrinking room". If you need to use the exit as the entrance, you have to tell them that, as well as showing them the card.
I'm sorry you had that experience. I hope next time you go, you can have an easier time using the exit.
Since they made the queue accessible during the last renovation, there is no loner an alternate entrance.
There is an alternate boarding area after going thru the regular (or graveyard) queue and the stretching room. That would be what you saw happening at the exit with boarding.
After going thru the queue and stretching room, guests with ECVs and wheelchairs use a hallway that leads to the exit. Those who are able to walk to get to the doom buggies park their wheelchair or ECV at the exit courtyard and then come back to board.
Other posters on other boards have mentioned being told there is no longer an alternate entrance. If you have issues with standing, you might be better off showing your GAC at the line entrance and requesting to use an attraction wheelchair for your wait in line thru boarding. WDW does say on the park maps and on their website that they recommend guests who are concerned they may not have the stamina or strength to stand in lines should consider a wheelchair or ECV.
I noticed attraction wheelchairs sitting at attractions more during our last trip in November than previously.
Last edited by SueM loves WDW; 12-24-2012 at 01:56 PM..
The only way to enter through the exit is if there was mitigating situations such as post traumatic syndrome where a person cannot deal with crowds or a child with autism who cannot deal with lines or rarely Wish children. Your GAC was not for such types of psychological hinderances such as autism and PTS. You were showing them a GAC that was for avoiding stairs and other hinderances.
I have parked outside with my scooter then came back inside. Some guests are wheeled as close as possible to the ride vehicle to transfer then their chair/scooter is parked in the hallway. I have been told to park in the hallway.
Even if you waited until that evening you could have filed a complaint in City Hall. At any time you could have demanded to speak to a supervisor. Also Disney parks clearly state that guests who cannot stand in lines should provide a wheelchair or ask at a ride for a chair. I am sorry you feel you were mistreated. I on the other hand am happy to be in the regular line finally. Hate lines and waiting but still happy in line.
To readers: Never enter a line if you plan to use an alternative entrance. The greeters for the ride/show will either put you in the regular line or provide an alternate entrance. If you are put in the regular line then at that point you can insist on the alternate entrance. Also policies change over time.
__________________
Mom calls to check on me and reminded me to pay the gardener. I love her so much.
Disneyland was fun with flag retreat and pickles. I have a home here, thank you. GAC is NOT a "front of the line pass".
She is gone but keeping signature. Laundry is getting done. My purpose in life is to help poor people in FL. Farewell, will miss you.
Hi Mystic,
So sorry you were unpleasantly surprised. What did your GAC say as far as accommodation need? Are you able to manage the distances to travel from one attraction to another? That can be a killer for guests.
The queue for HM is fully accessible since the last renovation, so the alternate entrance is rarely used. Do you think using the guest wheelchair could help keep that knee from bugging you while waiting?
Hi Mystic,
So sorry you were unpleasantly surprised. What did your GAC say as far as accommodation need? Are you able to manage the distances to travel from one attraction to another? That can be a killer for guests.
The queue for HM is fully accessible since the last renovation, so the alternate entrance is rarely used. Do you think using the guest wheelchair could help keep that knee from bugging you while waiting?
Hi Sandra,
My GAC states I can use an alternate entrance but not why. The issue isn't with my knee, which I dislocated over the summer. The issue is actually my back. I have 3 disks in my lower spine that are not the size they should be, they are smaller, which means my back locks very easily and standing in long lines put undue pressure on my lower spine. It also doesn't help in HM when people are squished in with you and leaning on my backpack, putting added weight onto my back. I'm fine walking but it's the standing that kills me. I got stuck in a 75 minute line at Space Mountain a few trips ago that was posted as 30 minutes. By the time I got off the ride I could barely walk my back was in so much pain.
My issue is not that they've taken out the alternate entrance at HM. My issue is that not one of the 4 CMs that I approached at the attraction took the time to actually look at the GAC and read what it stated. Not a single one of them offered me the use of a wheelchair to get through the line. Next time we go, which is in February, if the line is too long for me to wait in then I will be either coming back when the line is shorter, skipping the attraction altogether or demanding a wheelchair to go through the queue.
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Each time I go to HM I'm loaded on differently. One time I was told go through the regular queue, and get diverted after the stretch room. Another time I was brought straight in the exit. Another time I was told I could go through the exit to the stretch room but had to be in the stretch room alone because of my service dog.
And this was all after the queue was made fully accessible. It's confusing.
Each time I go to HM I'm loaded on differently. One time I was told go through the regular queue, and get diverted after the stretch room. Another time I was brought straight in the exit. Another time I was told I could go through the exit to the stretch room but had to be in the stretch room alone because of my service dog.
And this was all after the queue was made fully accessible. It's confusing.
Hi there! Is Haunted Mansion unusual with the variety of ways the CMs request, or are there other attractions where you'll find surprises?
Each time I go to HM I'm loaded on differently. One time I was told go through the regular queue, and get diverted after the stretch room. Another time I was brought straight in the exit. Another time I was told I could go through the exit to the stretch room but had to be in the stretch room alone because of my service dog.
And this was all after the queue was made fully accessible. It's confusing.
We've had this same kind of experience. It seems to depend on the CM? the training? the day? the time of day? It's impossible to predict - and I have a child on the autism spectrum, so in regard to the alternate entrance being available for those people, I can personally testify that it isn't always offered.
They need to teach cast members procedures that are in place when guests with disabilities arrive at a que, this is a across the board need at most attractions. I have also been loaded many ways, made to feel stupid & pushed to tears by the constantly changing rules & choices made by cast members not having guidelines to follow. I don't blame the cast member but the supervisors doing the training. Disney parks have millions of disabled guests visiting & by now there should be a set guideline in place & it should be part of training. Yes, I know there are many kinds of needs & abilities. But with the proper training each need can be accessed & the guest can be assured they have a solution in place to send the guest the right direction without the current guessing game way things are done.
I have to agree that there is a lack of training at HM, it seems to change each time we go there and no one really explains what to do when you arrive they just point you to the queue. It is very confusing. We actually enjoyed going through the new queue with our son but as with the times before the CM's at the front did not really explain anything to us. We knew it was accessible so we went in the queue but it was not until we got up to the doors that anyone explained anything to us. We were given the option with our son as to go through the stretching room or not, before we had not this time we chose to go through it and they told us to just wait at the back when it was over and then took us through a hallway to the exit for us to load. I can see why the OP would be upset and confused. They need better training of the CM's at the front to explain things since it seems to constantly change how things are done there. The CM's can not just assume that someone knows what to do.
I do have to note though that my son is in a wheelchair so his issue was a bit more obvious but if someone presents a GAC they still should ask if they know how the queue works and not just point.
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