Preparing for our trip to Disneyland, I ran across several forums and website talking about a Guest Assistance Pass. I also ran across several forums and websites talking about the over-issue, over-use and inappropriate use of them. Sort of like abusing your power of a parent to bring you a beer (no I have never personal done this). But I was encouraged by our children’s ABA’s to ask and acquire one. I was told there were there for a reason. So I complied my paperwork I thought I needed, but I guess by law they can’t ask you for proof of a condition. Which leaves us to the first issue- over issue.
Since they are not able to ask for proof of diagnosis, anyone could theoretically walk into City Hall and tell them they need a pass and not need to show proof of why they need it. They simply need to answer a question. I had no idea how to explain my kids needs and pushed the letter their ABA wrote at the kind lady and she refused. I simply sorta-kinda told her and she was like “here”. And gave me one with Bugs name on it.
The second issue is over-use. When do you use the GAC? All the time regardless of normal wait time or when you deem it is too long for your child? What is your criteria for choosing? For us, it was wait time. With two ASD kids (anyone notice how those letters fall next to each other on the keyboard?) if one could wait, they other couldn’t. It seemed 10 min or less we waited the normal time. Hubs is a laid back wall flower type and doesn’t like attention being drawn to him, so after he saw some of the looks we got after the first use, he was reluctant it use it again. But after he saw how they lost it waiting for the Princess Walk (you can use the GAC here. A person can hold a spot for the rest, but at that time every ride was 45 min wait.) he rescinded his pervious feelings and used it.
Yes, we got stares and probably some rude and snide comments behind our backs. But this leads me to one additonal thought. Just because a disability isn’t visiable, doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. No one in a wheel chair got the same cold stares as us, so why judge us or our child for help