Thank You - Conneaut,OH

Rent a stroller. Problem solved. Order a pocket chair. They are the greatest little things. She can sit on that while waiting. Not need to get her a special pass. Why make her feel different for something like what you describe. She will fit I. The stroller without a problem. Get a double if you want. Six days in Disney in July. You will probably do a park in the morning, go back to hotel, swim and nap, then go back later in the day.

I cut and pasted something I found on a simple google search (see below) but honestly, six days? You'll have plenty of time. We have taken the kids to Disney twice, once at ages 4, 7 and 9, and again at 10, 13 and 15. We spent two full days days in both Disneyland and California Adventure and it was PLENTY, like 8 am to midnight with a couple of two hour breaks in the hotel room on each day. I seriously doubt you'll be walking 12 miles a day, unless you plan to do everything three times over.
Here's the info:

Diane-DIO/MPT Agent
04/17/2013 05:14 pm
Disneyland resorts provide guest assistance cards to visitors with disabilities that aren't immediately apparent. Guests who, for whatever reason, cannot be in crowds or stand in line get access to the same handicapped waiting areas that people with wheelchairs or canes use automatically. A guest assistance card usually does not get you to the front of the line; rather, it provides you with a comfortable place to wait.

Visit your doctor and have her write a note before you go. The letter should state the condition, along with why special accommodations are required. This last part is very important, as Disneyland issues guest assistance cards based on the needs of the guest rather than the diagnosis.

Go directly to Guest Relations on the first day of your visit and talk to a Guest Services Cast Member. You can find these near the entrance of every Disney Resort park.

Ask for a guest assistance card and show your doctor's note. Be specific about the condition of you or your child, and outline what your needs are. For instance, if you are dealing with an illness that will not allow you to stand in the sun, say that.

Be diplomatic but persistent. If the Cast Member decides that your issue is endurance related, she may request that you rent a wheelchair. If you feel otherwise, ask to speak to her manager.

Show your guest assistance pass to any Cast Member at attractions where you need assistance. They will be able to read the instructions stamped on the card and give you the accommodations you need.

Just wanted to add that our older son was nearly 50 lbs and quite tall for his 5 years and fit in the Disney strollers just fine. They were very easy to maneuver and had a sun shade. I would still recommend a backpack for storage and snacks. I would call Disney directly and talk to a real person rather than wading through the FAQs. Get through to someone who works in their GAC program, they will have the answers. I would say it is better to get the doctor's note and card and not use it than wish you had it :)
Have a great time! Customer service at Disney is like no other- don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it!!

Just go and have fun. Your daughter won't know whether or not you saw EVERYthing, just focus on what she likes, princesses? cars? mickey/minnie? Six days is a LONG time.
If she's able to walk around a fair or festival or shopping mall she'll probably be fine. Take breaks if you need to but she'll probably be so excited she'll want to keep going.
At least until day three, at that point she may be ready to chill in the room or by the pool for a while.

I've never been to Disney World, but at Disneyland, you don't come close to walking 12 miles a day. The park isn't that big at all. I know DW is much bigger, but I still doubt it's THAT much walking. I don't mean to say you shouldn't get the card, I just want you to know that it's probably more like 2 - 3 miles a day, at least at Magic Kingdom.

Based on what you've said, I would definitely recommend getting the card. Even if you have a stroller, there is still a lot of time standing in line and she would be on her feet quite a bit. The more assistance she can get, the better off you'll be, especially in the second half of your vacation.

The best resource I've found for all things Disney is www.disboards.com If you don't find the exact info you need on the site, find the message board for Disney World and ask the question. I guarantee you'll get the answers you need.

Have a great vacation!

She will fit just fine in one of the rented strollers. If the single one is tight then rent the double. You will also have somewhere to put your stuff instead of carrying everything.

Also try to get fast passes of the ride(s) you really want to go on so that you won’t be standing too long. If you decide on using a wheelchair they will let you stay in it for most lines and then you just get on the ride from the chair.

I know you can bring a doctor’s note prior to your trip but people have been taking advantage of that system and Disney is getting stricter with what they allow.

The parks are very large and walking each day through any of them is tiring for any person. Since you know that her foot will become painful then use a stroller or wheelchair, they also have electric scooters but they are more expensive to rent daily and they are first come first serve.

FYI: There are many companies outside of the parks that you can rent strollers, scooters and/or wheelchairs from. They are less expensive and will deliver them to your hotel room or where ever you are staying.

My son has one, and while its a good idea to bring a note I've never been asked to show a note. We get his renewed every 3 months. I would also rent her a stroller or wheelchair if its that difficult to walk that far. Because even with a GAC you will NOT get to cut lines to make your walk any shorter, most of the time it's through the fast pass lines.
Btw it's about 15 miles around, and on average people walk between 6-13miles. Not 2-3

You don't need a doctor's note. You just go to guest services and get a GAC card. Tell them she can't stand and walk for long periods of time and will need to remain in the stroller while in line. Or you could just rent a wheelchair instead of a stroller and then you won't even need a GAC card, and at 8, they are getting rather big to fit in the rented strollers.

Honestly, in Magic Kingdom, it will work similar to a front of the line pass. We went once with my aunt who couldn't walk long distances, so she rented an ECV. In MK, we were ushered in the exit at nearly every ride and were on the ride within 5 minutes. At every other park, the lines are wheelchair accessible, so it doesn't act as a FOL pass and you will wait with everyone else.

I would get a note from her doctor explaining what her disability is and where she will probably need help in order to enjoy a Disney experience. It is up to Disney to decide whether to honor your request. I understand that they do try to honor requests for a Guest Assistance Card. You could call the toll free Disney number and ask about the procedure for getting a card (do you put request in in advance, when you arrive or when you need it???) There is a lot of walking involved, but if you plan your route in advance and utilize FAST Passes, . you will do less walking and be more efficient. As I understand, a guest assistance pass would let you go through a special shorter line at major attractions. HAVE A GREAT TRIP!