As of July 2023, Universal Studios Orlando's process for getting a disability access pass has changed, and for many people, the change has not been an improvement.
What is the Universal Attraction Assistance Pass?
The Attraction Assistance Pass (AAP) is Universal Studios Orlando's solution for accessibility for guests who may not be able to wait in line due to non-mobility-related disabilities.
With this card, guests can go to an attraction to receive a return time. The return time is based on the current estimated wait for the ride. Guests using the AAP are not skipping the line--they are "virtually" waiting; they just aren't waiting in the queue. When their return time is up, guests return to the attraction and are allowed to enter through the Universal Express Pass lane. They may still encounter a slight wait, but it will be less than the standby time.
What changed?
The process used to be similar to Disney's--guests would visit a Guest Relations building, explain how their disability made waiting in a traditional line difficult, and be awarded (or denied) an Attraction Assistance Pass. The process was relatively simple, with many feeling their disabilities were properly accommodated.
Since July 24th, 2023, that has not always been the case.
Now, guests must register for an IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card prior to their vacation in order to be considered for an AAP at Universal.
How do I register for an IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card?
No more than 30 days prior to their visit, guests who need an attraction queue accommodation must contact IBCCES to obtain a free Individual Accessibility Card, which can be done at this website: https://accessibilitycard.org/ or using IBCCES mobile app. Guests should aim to have this done a minimum of 48 hours before the date of their visit to Universal Studios Orlando.
Guests must be at least 18 years old to register for themselves. A parent or guardian must complete the registration process for guests younger than 18.
What do I need to register?
Guests will need the following items to successfully obtain an Individual Accessibility Card:
A recent photograph of the person for whom the card is needed
Contact details for the potential card-holder/their parent or guardian
Contact information for, and
A statement from a medical provider, government entity, or educational support professional pertaining to the specific accommodations being requested
The IAC will be available digitally; there will not be a physical card. The card is good for one year. It can be used anywhere that accepts it, such as Universal Studios Orlando, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Six Flags.
Note: Getting the IAC does not guarantee any specific accommodations. You will still need to visit guest relations at the park.
I got the card. What now?
You should receive a call from Universal's Guest Relations team before the start of your visit. If you do not receive this call and you have gotten the IAC, call Universal's ADA Assistance Line at (407) 224-4233. During this call, the team member will go over the information you submitted to get the IAC and discuss your specific accommodations. They will either approve or deny your requested accommodations during this phone call.
Be warned that they will probably ask you a lot of the same questions you answered during the IAC approval process. This can be really frustrating, upsetting, and/or embarrassing for some people, and that's valid. Please also remember that the Universal team member is not trying to bully you; they're doing what they've been told they have to do. They have to look at your needs through the specific lens of what they can and cannot offer at Universal Orlando Resort.
After this call, if approved, the Universal team member will give you a unique code. You will give this code to Guest Relations upon arriving at the Universal Orlando theme parks in order to pick up your Attractions Assistance Pass.
The Attractions Assistance Pass
When you go to pick up your pass, please make sure to have your whole party with you, and that every member of your party has their park ticket available. The team member will explain how the pass works, how to use your accommodations, and answer any questions you might have. Typically, the pass is good for the length of your stay up to 14 days.
When you go to make a return time, only one person needs to take the physical AAP to the attraction, and this person does not have to be the pass holder. The team member will write your return time on the back of your pass. If the current wait time for the attraction is 30 minutes of less, you will typically be let in through the Express Pass Lane immediately.
When you are going to ride the attraction, your entire party (of whomever is riding) must enter together. The team member will check your return time and let you through the Express queue.
If you are given a return time, you can go ride other attractions, take in entertainment, or visit dining while you wait.
What about guests who have mobility-related disabilities?
Guests in wheelchairs, whether rented or personal, can use their wheelchair in the line for each attraction. On some attractions, guests must transfer out of their wheelchair and into the ride car. The cast members will wheel the chair away and move it to the unloading platform so that guests are able to use it as soon as they exit the ride.
Guests in ECVs must leave their ECV securely parked outside of the queue of an attraction. They are welcome to transfer to a wheelchair if needed for the attraction's queue.
Because of these accommodations, Guests with mobility disabilities are almost always denied a Universal Attraction Assistance Pass.
How do people feel about it?
Like with any change, some people like it and some don't. The process was put in place to ensure that only guests who truly need the AAP are getting it. Unfortunately, a lot of guests still don't know about the IBCCES process, and since Universal will not consider a guest for an AAP without the IBCCES card, many guests with disabilities who would benefit from the attraction assistance pass are unable to obtain it.
One guest, trying to obtain an Attractions Assistance Pass for her sister with terminal bone cancer, did not know about IBCCES process, and found the accommodations offered to her sister (a wheelchair) insufficient. They posted on Reddit,
"It appears that the park is implementing measures to prevent individuals from obtaining this pass, regardless of their genuine need" (Source).Another redditor wrote,
"I feel like universal has made this a bit easier then Disney does once you get past the initial setup stage. I suspect a lot of the commotion is from people who were trying to gain the system in the past" (Source).
This was main reason for the change to using the IBCCES process. There were plenty of people who were able to obtain an AAP who did not expressly need it, or whose disabilities could be accommodated in other ways. This made the Express Lines longer for everyone, meaning a longer wait for those who already showed they struggle to wait in lines.
What do you think about Universal's Attractions Assistance Pass process? Do you find that it's easier or more difficult than Disney's? Do you think, once it's been obtained, that it is more or less accommodating? Let me know by leaving a comment below!
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