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 The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk.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.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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
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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.
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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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Hi all, I know this has probably been asked a million times...sorry!!
We are less then 45 days away and I am getting a little nervous about the "new" changes in Disney.
My friend scared me yesterday and told me Disney is not giving out the GAC's as easily any more (which I am ok with) but she is telling me I need TONS OF PROOF.
My son has ADHD so what proof if any do I need and my husband suffered a heart attack and now has difficulty breathing in the humid weather, what would we need for him?
I am not looking for a super advance ticket to get on the rides, we only really use it if the lines are more then 60 mins or more.
Cinderabby it's called a DAS now or was it always lol
And as from what my friend was telling me is she said her child was in an actual wheelchair and they gave her a hard time they also told the parent that if the child can't ride the ride that no one can only if the person with the actual pass can ride the ride
I'm getting this info from my friend who's friend recently went so not sure how accurate this all is
I'm just nervous in general now
Your friend seems to have misunderstood the nature of the new DAS. There is no GAC anymore, and the DAS does not require any sort of proof.
All you need do is to explain what your son's needs are--an inability to wait in line for long, I'm guessing. Your husband's explanation would likely be similar. Each will get a card with photo. Disney usually gives a return time for attractions so that you can go right on without waiting.
The major difference between the GAC and the new DAS is that the latter is precisely FOR "invisible" disabilities such as both have. Unlike the GAC, the DAS is not given those with mobility problems.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I can't imagine why my friends friend had such a hard time I don't want to question what she told me but I want to clarify it for her so she can explain it correctly to her friend, it's past the point now but it bothers me when people give u Mis information about Disney
Glad I posted my question thank you
Perhaps the misunderstanding was that a child in a wheelchair would get entry to attractions or onto rides sooner than other people.
Disney now seems to regard mobility issues as taken care of by a wheelchair, scooter or other device, so if this person was told that nothing special would be done to enable someone in a wheelchair, that's basically according to the new DAS policy. If the person cannot transfer to a ride car where there is no car for chairs/scooters, the mobility challenged cannot do whatever it is.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
I just found this link to Disney's PDF about how the DAS is intended to work for those with cognitive difficulties. It really goes into detail about what the DAS can do and how to use it most effectively.
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And as from what my friend was telling me is she said her child was in an actual wheelchair and they gave her a hard
As Dot explained - and as explained on Disney's site somewhere - the DAS will not be given out strictly for mobility issues. If you're in a wheelchair or scooter, that is your accommodation and as far as Disney is concerned, needing "wheels" is not a reason to avoid the line (which is what the GAC helped people do). Now if you have a child using a wheelchair that has hidden disabilities (Autism or ADHD for instance) and the lines are difficult for them, those hidden disabilities and why you need to use a different line need to be explained. Just saying "my child /spouse is in a wheelchair" won't do it because Disney has made pretty much every attraction accessible through the regular queue and those that aren't are still accessible through a different way (and don't require a DAS to use, just a wheelchair or scooter). Does that make sense/clear it up a little bit more for you?
Yep, pretty easy accessibility is why we never got a GAC for my DH. He can't walk for any distance and thus uses a scooter in large stores, malls and at WDW.
When I asked him a few years ago if he wanted to try a GAC, he said "What for? I don't have any major problems getting where we want to go." So, we didn't bother with it.
I can understand Disney's changing to the DAS and excluding those with mobility issues. Most such people can be enabled to get around WDW by a mobility aid along with Disney's alternate entrances. That's not so easily done for those with invisible disabilities.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
As Dot explained - and as explained on Disney's site somewhere - the DAS will not be given out strictly for mobility issues. If you're in a wheelchair or scooter, that is your accommodation and as far as Disney is concerned, needing "wheels" is not a reason to avoid the line (which is what the GAC helped people do). Now if you have a child using a wheelchair that has hidden disabilities (Autism or ADHD for instance) and the lines are difficult for them, those hidden disabilities and why you need to use a different line need to be explained. Just saying "my child /spouse is in a wheelchair" won't do it because Disney has made pretty much every attraction accessible through the regular queue and those that aren't are still accessible through a different way (and don't require a DAS to use, just a wheelchair or scooter). Does that make sense/clear it up a little bit more for you?
I just found this link to Disney's PDF about how the DAS is intended to work for those with cognitive difficulties. It really goes into detail about what the DAS can do and how to use it most effectively.
Yep, pretty easy accessibility is why we never got a GAC for my DH. He can't walk for any distance and thus uses a scooter in large stores, malls and at WDW.
When I asked him a few years ago if he wanted to try a GAC, he said "What for? I don't have any major problems getting where we want to go." So, we didn't bother with it.
I can understand Disney's changing to the DAS and excluding those with mobility issues. Most such people can be enabled to get around WDW by a mobility aid along with Disney's alternate entrances. That's not so easily done for those with invisible disabilities.
thank you very much for your help, i will look at the link a little later today when i have time to myself
thanks again everyone!!
Also note that the OP's friends friend was correct in one aspect: the person who the DAS is assigned to has to ride the ride. If they can't or won't, the rest of their part is not allowed to use the DAS to ride the ride.
See: Disney Parks Disability Access Service Card Fact Sheet « Disney Parks Blog Does the DAS Cardholder have to be present to obtain a return time at an attraction?
No. Another member of the DAS Cardholder’s travel party may obtain a return time but the DAS Cardholder must board the attraction with his or her party.
Also note that the OP's friends friend was correct in one aspect: the person who the DAS is assigned to has to ride the ride. If they can't or won't, the rest of their part is not allowed to use the DAS to ride the ride.
See: Disney Parks Disability Access Service Card Fact Sheet « Disney Parks Blog Does the DAS Cardholder have to be present to obtain a return time at an attraction?
No. Another member of the DAS Cardholder’s travel party may obtain a return time but the DAS Cardholder must board the attraction with his or her party.
The answer is still the same - the person the DAS was issued to must ride -
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