Disney Overhauls DAS to Reduce Abuse & Misuse
Walt Disney World and Disneyland have revealed that they’ll be overhauling Disability Access Service (DAS), and launching tools for guests to plan their visit–including a new method of accommodation for guests who are unable to wait in a regular standby line for extended periods of time. This details DAS changes and how they should cut down on Lightning Lane abuse and misuse.
For starters, Walt Disney World and Disneyland have both updated their Accessibility Services websites, which outline the many options for guests with disabilities visiting the Florida and California parks, respectively. There’s considerable overlap between the coasts, with similar info on planning, parking and transportation, mobility devices, accessing attractions, hotel services, and more.
Disney’s site updates better showcase the variety of accessibility options available at the parks. The goal is to provide greater clarity so each service is used only by the guests who require them–since no single accommodation can serve every unique need. Along with this, Walt Disney World and Disneyland are once again updating DAS policies to support guests who, due to a developmental disability such as autism, are unable to wait in a standby line for an extended period of time.
Disney is working with health professionals to help better assist guests with accessing attraction queues, among other things. To accomplish this, Walt Disney World and Disneyland will be taking several steps over the course of the coming months. In theory at least, these should minimize issues and allay anxieties about the uncertainties that accompany any sweeping systemic changes at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
The parks will be adding more Cast Members and investing in specialized training to assist guests, in order to better identify and understand the best tools and options, based on their unique needs. The parks will be adding more options for guests needing assistance with lines, including a defined “return to queue” process for guests who need to exit the standby line and re-enter.
Walt Disney World and Disneyland are partnering with Inspire Health Alliance’s trained medical professionals to assist Cast Members as needed in determining eligibility for appropriate accommodations and ensuring that these accommodations are provided only for the guests for whom they are intended and not misused.
To meet these goals, Walt Disney World and Disneyland are also extending Disability Access Service enrollment for eligible guests from 60 days to 120 days and adjusting DAS party size to include immediate family members only, but otherwise no more than 4 people. Meaning that if you’re a DAS guest visiting with 5 immediate family members, all will be able to accompany you in line. But if you’re heading to the park with 5 friends, only you and 3 others would be able to join the line together via DAS.
The changes identified in this post take effect on May 20, 2024 at Walt Disney World, and on June 18, 2024 at Disneyland Resort. If you’ll be visiting on or after those dates and believe you might need Disability Access Service, it’s a good idea to review the official DAS page for Walt Disney World and official DAS page for Disneyland to familiarize yourself with the various guest services and needs for each.
After that, you can initiate a connection with the team of Cast Members via the official websites if you believe Disability Access Service might be necessary and appropriate for your circumstances. From there, it’ll be a case-by-case conversation that’ll vary a little between the coasts.
At Disneyland Resort, guests can use the virtual video chat system to have a conversation with the Accessibility Services team about their unique needs and the services they might require.
While it’s recommended that guests include this as part of their pre-arrival planning process, the option to have this conversation in person will still be available, and those conversations will move from Guest Relations inside Disneyland and Disney California Adventure to a new designated location in the Esplanade between the two parks.
Over in Florida, guests of Walt Disney World will have a virtual video chat with the Accessibility Services team before their visit, which will include conversations about the guest’s unique needs and the services they might require. Just like in California.
The key difference for Walt Disney World is that the process upon arrival is not in-person. You will not speak with a live Cast Member at Guest Relations. Instead, guests seeking accommodations on the day of their visit will be directed to a location to use an iPad and have a virtual chat. Basically, same process as pre-arrival, except you’re wasting time while in the park (instead of when at home).
Given that alone–and the possibility of this taking extra time based on demand–we highly recommend going the pre-arrival route at Walt Disney World. Nothing is going to change, outcome-wise, with getting or not getting DAS. It’s just where you take the time to go through the process.
Cast Members at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland will work with a team of specially trained health professionals from Inspire Health Alliance in conversations needed to determine a guest’s eligibility for DAS. The expertise of Inspire Health Alliance will help make sure that DAS is provided only to the small percentage of guests for whom it is intended and who require it.
The outcome of these personalized conversations may mean registering a guest for DAS. Alternatively, guests may need to be reminded of the other types of services available, such as a line-return option for guests who may need to visit the restroom with greater frequency, ASL interpreting services at select experiences, service animal relief areas, or wheelchair access and location return times for those using a mobility device.
Again, there is no one-size-fits-all accommodation, and Disability Access Service is not simply a free FastPass for disabled guests. It is, and always has been, a service provided to support guests who, because of a disability, are unable to wait in a regular standby line for extended periods of time.
“Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks,” said a spokesperson for Walt Disney World Resort.
While who qualifies for accommodations does not appear to be changing, the process for evaluating DAS requests sounds as if it will become more rigorous and less of a rubber stamping process with the new-look DAS aimed at accommodating guests with a “developmental disability like autism or similar.” The anticipated outcome is reducing the frequency with which DAS is issued.
There are a number of reasons for this, with the biggest being an explosion in DAS at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Use of the service has more than tripled in the last 5 years; these changes will recalibrate the program and reduce misuse. That will improve the DAS experience for guests who truly need the accommodation.
It will also have second-order effects for both Lightning Lane and standby guests. As we’ve said many times before, queueing is a zero-sum game. Attraction capacity is finite, so if someone is winning, that means someone else is losing. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves–more on all of this in the commentary.
Here’s the process of how the new-look Disability Access Service will work at Walt Disney World, pulled from the official website…
Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive environment and accessible experiences for our Guests. DAS is one of the programs offered at the Walt Disney World Resort theme parks intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
For Guests visiting from April 9 through May 19, 2024, please note:
- Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS are available 2-30 days prior to your park visit.
- In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will continue to be at Guest Relations locations.
- You can book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences using our DAS Advance planning option.
- DAS is valid for up to 30 days from the start of the registration. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
What to Know About DAS
- DAS is intended to accommodate a small percentage of Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
- DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.
- The Guest who is requesting to use DAS must be present during registration and experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks.
Speak with a Cast Member
Guests can meet virtually with a Cast Member using live video chat to determine what services may be appropriate to support their visit to the theme parks, including DAS. You may have a pre-arrival conversation as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.
Please note: Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relations location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at Walt Disney World theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
Same-Day DAS Return Time Self-Selection
Guests registered in the DAS program can make return time selections in the My Disney Experience mobile app on the day of their park visit.
Any member of a DAS party can obtain a return time for the whole party, but the Guest registered for DAS must be present and experience the attraction when the DAS return time is redeemed.
DAS return times are valid until the park closes or an attraction closes for the day. A party can only hold one DAS return time at once. Guests without a mobile device can also visit Guest Relations or a Guest Experience Team location to receive return times.
How to Access the DAS Return Time Self-Selection Tool
After entering a park, open the My Disney Experience mobile app and log in to your account. Tap on the menu ( ≡ ) at the bottom of the screen. Then, tap the DAS button to select the attraction to make your return time. The tool can also be accessed from attraction detail screens.
Turning to commentary, regular readers probably knew this was coming as it was a big focus of Walt Disney World Cracks Down on DAS Abuse. The catalyst for that article was Walt Disney World trespassing third-party tour guides from the parks due to the sale of unauthorized services, including in-park offerings like Genie+ line-skipping services and access to the Disability Access Service. In an emailed statement at the time, Walt Disney World indicated that that they are taking additional steps to enforce their rules that prohibit commercial activities because of a “significant increase in these rule violations.”
“When this activity happens, it impacts the experience of other guests following the rules — including our guests with disabilities — and impedes our theme park operations,” a Walt Disney World spokesperson wrote. “Just like Starbucks would not permit a third party to come into their stores to sell coffee to their customers, Disney does not permit unauthorized commercial activities in its theme parks.”
While the news was about a crackdown on third party tour guides, our commentary revolved around a crackdown on DAS abuse–as we had heard even then that one was on the horizon. In other posts about pre-arrival Lightning Lane selections, we’ve predicted that DAS reform was a necessary prerequisite to other changes with paid ride reservations. So that another change is happening is wholly unsurprising to us–it’s been in motion for a long time. It’s the specifics that are interesting.
With regard to those specifics, the biggest surprise to me is that Walt Disney World is not using the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) Attractions Assistance Pass that has become somewhat of an industry standard. Most notably for Florida theme park fans, Universal Orlando made the switch to that last year.
With IBCCES, guests must sign up before their visit and upload documentation for review. Upon qualifying via IBCCES for the Attractions Assistance Pass, the theme park operators then contact them about accommodations they may need. However, there’s already been litigation in California involving IBCCES, with one lawsuit focusing on the pre-planning requirement.
That likely explains why the changes to Disability Access Service have been delayed, as Disney opted to partner with Inspire Health Alliance as opposed to IBCCES. It’s also probably why DAS will still offer options upon arrival on both coasts (a more robust day-of system in Disneyland could be due to that litigation, California laws, or Disneyland’s disproportionately local demographics–or a combination of all three).
It sounds to us like the DAS system with Inspire Health Alliance will stop short of introducing the rigor of IBCCES, but that’s just an initial reaction based upon the new DAS literature that’s been shared thus far. It’ll really come down to implementation and execution–both of which are unknowns until the system fully launches in May and June 2024.
Continuing along, I’ll share the same simple statement in previous commentary: two things can be true at the same time. First, that reasonable disability accommodations are very necessary for many Walt Disney World guests to have an enjoyable experience, including those with invisible disabilities. Second, DAS abuse or misuse is widespread and needs addressing.
Above all else, I would implore you to err on the side of courtesy–both in life and in the sure to be contentious issue of DAS reform. There are myriad invisible disabilities from which other guests could suffer, and the rude words or judgmental gaze of guests ‘scanning’ a person using DAS to ‘make sure’ they really have a disability are awful.
We’ve heard from countless readers over the years who are lifelong fans of Disney because the parks made a disabled family member feel like a VIP or at least normal for a little while, and accommodated them like nowhere else on earth. These stories tug at the heartstrings. We’ve also heard from countless individuals who have a serious disability and couldn’t experience the parks like everyone else but for DAS, and other guests made them feel ostracized. Those stories are heartbreaking.
Hearing all of these stories, I will happily wait in line an extra 5 minutes or whatever if it means those guests are able to have positive experiences at the parks. A nice bit of extra time to reflect, count my blessings and all that. Because the bottom line is that anyone using DAS out of necessity would trade places with you in a second and stand in long lines if it meant not being disabled.
To the second point that DAS abuse is widespread and needs addressing, we’ve been hearing ‘rumors’ of this for a while. Not really so much rumors–more unsubstantiated reports from those within the company. This has been an open secret, and a long time coming. Lightning Lane breakdowns of DAS vs. paid Genie+ guests are downright shocking to me. Now Walt Disney World is tacitly admitting that there’s an issue and that it needs to be fixed.
Intuitively, it makes complete sense. Those of you who visited during the phased reopening after FastPass+ had been suspended but before Genie+ rolled out likely saw usage of the FastPass queues. We certainly did! It started out occurring fairly infrequently, and increased (not so coincidentally) as crowds and wait times went up. By and large, this was driven by DAS.
Use of the FastPass lines started slow and got progressively busier during the phased reopening. This makes sense, as there’s a greater incentive to use a line-skipping service when there’s a longer line. If a posted wait time is 15 minutes, even those with the ability or privilege to skip might simply opt for standby. If that same attraction has a 60 minute posted wait time, it’s a very different story.
It doesn’t require a vivid imagination to game out how much worse that might become if a paid line-skipping service is introduced. Replacing what was once free with a paid system causes standby lines to come to a crawl as guests are pulled disproportionately from the Lightning Lane.
Not only is there be more of an incentive to (properly) use the Lightning Lane, but there’d be more of an incentive to abuse it. This occurred even when there was a free FastPass+ option; DAS was a way to skip the lines more often and not be so constrained by “only” having 3 selections.
However, misuse and abuse–or even appropriate use of DAS–were almost certainly less common then. Plenty of people viewed (free) FastPass+ as a satisfactory alternative to DAS, and that includes those who otherwise would’ve (and still would!) qualify for the accommodation.
Now, regular line-skipping costs money but there’s an alternative that’s still free. It doesn’t require much imagination to envision a scenario where some guests justifying abusing the system to themselves. “I’m just taking what Walt Disney World used to offer for free and still should.” “Everyone does it, I’m just leveling the playing field.” “I spend a lot of money and have always been loyal to Disney, it’s the least they can do.” And so on, and so on.
During a DAS lawsuit a few years ago, Disney revealed in testimony and discovery that users of its disability passes experience several more attractions over the course of a day on average as compared to non-users. No surprise there–this is how virtual queues work (that’s what DAS is, in essence), allowing guests to effectively be in two places at once.
The company argued that any expansion of the current system would cause wait times to explode, with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (for example) increasing by 39 minutes from an average wait time of 69 minutes to 108 minutes. Disney has prevailed in several such lawsuits.
The latest changes to DAS will almost certainly give rise to more litigation–it always does, that’s the cost of doing business. And Disney will once again almost certainly prevail because you can be sure Disney Legal had an extensive roll in crafting the new DAS policy to be ADA-complaint.
To be abundantly clear, I’m not suggesting that the increase in DAS usage is entirely those misusing or abusing the system. That definitely is not the case.
What we do now know, though, is that usage of DAS has at least tripled since the FastPass+ era. As discussed before, there are likely multiple explanations for this. A unique form of pent-up demand would make sense, especially among more vulnerable populations. An increase in disability diagnoses for the population as a whole would be another.
These are undoubtedly contributing factors. But you can likely draw a straight line between Genie+ (and then higher prices for Genie+) and a rise in DAS as the free alternative to paying for Lightning Lanes. Anyone who has spent any amount of time on social media is probably aware of the groups and planning resources that essentially coach people on what to say in order to get this “free” form of FastPass.
All of that brings us to Walt Disney World’s solutions of cracking down on third party tour guides last year and now overhauling the DAS process again in Summer 2024 to reduce abuse and misuse. Of course, even with these changes, Walt Disney World still has a system that’s going to be difficult to police without running afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act. There’s really only so much they can do, but introducing a bit of friction to the process and clarifying who actually needs the accommodation of DAS should accomplish a lot.
With that said, changing Disability Access Service is also its own powder keg, and a lightning rod for controversy. There are a lot of people with a vested interest in DAS, including both the legit users and the abusers. You might be inclined to think that legitimate users would want to see DAS crackdowns occur.
Most of them probably do. But it’s not quite so simple. For one thing, any change brings with it uncertainty until it has been implemented, and many of the families who need DAS most also crave consistency and stability. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t, as they say. Many rightful DAS users might prefer keeping the stable but imperfect product rather than rolling the dice on a replacement. I can certainly empathize with that perspective.
Then there are also the unwitting DAS misusers, for lack of a better term. These are guests who have been granted DAS in the past because Walt Disney World was quite liberal with issuing the service, even if it wasn’t the accommodation that was strictly necessary for that person’s circumstances. These are the people who had no intention of doing anything improper–and were told by Walt Disney World that DAS was meant for them–even if other accommodations might’ve existed that served their needs.
Obviously, this change has just been announced and has not yet taken effect, but this is the guest for whom I feel sympathy. They benefited from DAS and I don’t think any reasonable person would’ve taken issue with them receiving DAS. Yet, some of these people will likely be ‘left behind,’ for lack of a better term, under the updated policies of the service the narrows the scope of DAS to guests with developmental disabilities. (Perhaps I’m biased here, as my dad is probably one of these people.)
The problem is that one bad apple spoils the whole bunch. Which is to say that in order to close the loopholes that have been exploited by the malicious DAS abusers, there is undoubtedly going to be some number of unwitting DAS misusers who are negatively impacted. At least, that’s my interpretation of the new policies–it’ll ultimately come down to execution and Cast Member discretion.
Which brings us to the malicious DAS abusers who will complain in bad faith. This group is the biggest loser, in more ways than one. The closing of loopholes will take away their advantage and level the playing field with other guests. In a nutshell, the abusers are the biggest losers and those who don’t use DAS at all are the biggest winners with these changes.
Knowing that their loophole will soon be closed, these individuals have a strong incentive to voice outrage and complain about these DAS changes, even if it’s baseless. They’ll make these changes seem more controversial than they actually are–as we’ve heard regularly and repeatedly, the majority of legitimate DAS users actively welcome more stringent policies.
Bad faith outrage around DAS might sound shocking…if you haven’t lived through the last several years of social media, in which case, it would be more surprising if this didn’t happen. Either way, it complicates matters and makes an explosive issue even more fraught for Walt Disney World.
It probably goes without saying, but I have zero sympathy for the nefarious DAS abusers. I hold them in lower esteem as eBay pirates, which is not high. Not only are they cheating the system to create an advantage for themselves, but they’re also disadvantaging everyone else (since, again, capacity is finite).
That includes legitimate DAS users, paid Lightning Lane users and even those in the standby line–literally everyone except themselves. These abusers also necessitated closure of the loophole in the first place, which will theoretically have negative ramifications for the sympathetic unwitting DAS misusers demo.
The problem is that, unlike eBay pirates who are buying a dozen-plus identical ugly popcorn buckets or bedazzled Spirit Jerseys, it’s impossible to distinguish the unwitting misusers from the malicious abusers. Which is precisely why we started by imploring you to err on the side of courtesy in this contentious issue.
Ultimately, all of this is why I’m glad to Disability Access Service reform finally happen, but am reticent to cheer too loudly about this change. The problem is that there’s no perfect DAS system, and reform cannot be narrowly tailored in such a way that it only hurts the abusers. While I think it was a long time coming and the current approach was becoming increasingly unsustainable, I also know there are going to be legitimate mixed feelings about this.
My sincere hope is that Walt Disney World and Disneyland implement these DAS changes with a deft touch that minimizes collateral damage of actual disabled people, significantly reduces abuse, and makes lines shorter for all rule-abiding guests. I’m pretty optimistic those will be the outcomes on balance (not to mention no longer forcing frontline Cast Members at Guest Relations to deal with this–alone a huge win), and these will be largely positive changes to Disability Access Service.
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on Walt Disney World overhauling Disability Access Service to reduce abuse and misuse? Do you think the new partnership with Inspire Health Alliance and other changes will better ensure DAS is only going to those who truly need it? If you’ve used Disability Access Service at Walt Disney World, what do you think of the experience? Have you noticed high Lightning Lane usage at times when Genie+ was not being offered? Please feel free to share your personal anecdotes about DAS and other thoughts in the comments below! Just be sure to err on the side of kindness and empathy and don’t engage in personal attacks, antagonism, or trolling. Comments that cross any lines will be deleted.
While those misusing the system are ultimately responsible, I think Disney is being let off the hook for its role in this increase by introducing Paid Fastpass. That’s the only variable that’s changed, aside from the somewhat nebulous “society has become more selfish” and other non-Disney trends.
If line skips are paid, and no free option exists, some people will stop viewing abuse as a moral matter and instead as a purely financial game they’re playing against Disney. Again, I don’t want to let off abusers, as the harm is obvious to me; but I feel this outcome is a predictable consequence of Disney’s greed.
(See also Rule 71 of Disney blogs: “all comments lead back to paid fastpass”)
100%
If there was FP+ in place, there would be no need for DAS.
If there was something with equivalent functionality to FP+, even if paid, people would use that rather than DAS hoops/ abuse that system.
Genie and ILL are dog poop.
Agreed, this all comes down to G+ and ILL prices. Just look at spring break, G+ was up to $39 a person. A family of 4 (not even saying the up to 6 DAS allows), could easily be saving $200 a day with ILLs involved. Over the course of a 5 day trip a family could be looking at saving $1000 for a trip. That starts to become awfully tempting for people to exaggerate ailments, or even straight up lie, in order to get DAS unfortunately.
That doesn’t even take into account that DAS was superior in G+ with the 2 prebooked rides per park, you could book rides with ILLs when in the park for free, and ride the same ride multiple times in a day etc.
Once word got out online in facebook groups and forums it eventually led to here.
Micheal… you are making quite the assumption about DAS. These two preselected rides saved us as our 36 yr old special needs daughter could only tolerate being in one area of the park per day maybe two. This allowed me to plan our rides and be able to go on 2-3 of them a day. She only tolerates the park for 2-3 hrs tops and getting from point A to point B is difficult. So no we’re not stacking up on DAS rides. We are not getting free LL. We are sitting with her observing scenery waiting for the next ride the same amount of time as the standby line and merely use LL when it’s our time. Be grateful you wake up every day and move forward without obstacles. No we are not saving thousands ofndollars. Actually we have to stay at Disney for at least 10 nights to be able to make it a worthwhile trip. Btw we’re not on social media either. Think before you speak
@Chris D, totally agree. All this cheating DAS came from Disney greed. In fact, so is this overhauling DAS: reducing the number of people using DAS means one thing: increase those who will pay for Genie+ and increase Disney’s income. Right now they are cutting DAS down to only developmentally disabled, which is very easy to fake being that they often don’t look disabled. So people will abuse that until Disney cuts out DAS altogether and everybody pays Genie+ into Disney’s pocket.
@Alex, tell me how one would fake being developmentally delayed? My 36 yr old daughter is developmentally delayed and is on average age 3-4 in all aspects . Tell me how one would fake this.
Thank you for this information. I appreciate your way of writing and handling delicate topics and differing opinions. Our son is autistic and we will follow Disney’s requirements and procedures as they are a tremendous help. The “friction” involved in obtaining the DAS will always pale in comparison to the “friction” of our son’s everyday life. And shame on abusers of the DAS pass.
We have been going to Disney for years. We didn’t have to use DAS with the paper fast pass system. We didn’t have to use DAS with FP+. With the switch to Lightening Lane/Genie +, that was the first year we had to use DAS. I have a medically diagnosed daughter who qualifies for DAS and will continue to qualify under the new rules, however, I’m sad to see how the Lightening Lane/Genie + made navigating Disney so difficult. I truly wish Disney would come up with a solution.
If only “lightening” lanes were real and I could quickly shed 15 lbs by strolling through…
I’m curious about the “line return” option you mentioned in the beginning of your post. I’ve never gotten DAS because I don’t feel that I’ve needed it, but I do have IBS-D and have had to leave lines at WDW before. Once, it happened at the loading area of Test Track, and they let me come right back to the loading area after I had to leave for an emergency restroom break. If I have to leave a line like in the middle of the queue, is there now going to be a line return option in all rides? Or is that something I would need to apply for ahead of time? I’m so glad there might be an option to actually fit my need–to be able to leave lines but return later! I don’t need DAS to skip every line, but it would be nice to be able to return to a line if I have to leave it!
Becky S, I have a similar problem. I have bladder issues after receiving radiation treatment for cancer. I would have been unable to experience many attractions without DAS. I am not looking forward to having to request to leave line for bathroom break. Makes me feel like a child. And how will the return to line pass supposed to be used. Many lines are twisted and narrow and it will be a nightmare for this introvert to have to say excuse ma/pardon me a zillion times and then endure the dirty looks.
James: you keep commenting the same thing over and over again under people’s posts — that DAS was never meant for this or that — as if you are the only one who truly understands what it is meant for and therefore none of the rest of us know what we are talking about. But you are not accounting for the fact that there has always been some flexibility built into it and that up until now, it has been up to the discretion of guest services or the access office who qualifies and who doesn’t. Your narrow reading of it does not make you the automatic expert.
The info Tom has provided suggests the CM / access office will ultimately still have that discretion/ flexibility, albeit supported by this outside organisation. Hopefully this ensures that the people who need it will still secure the DAS pass.
I have also made other comments on the thread, I’m honestly not trying to offend. If anything, I’m genuinely surprised how many DAS users there are for physical requirements. I presumed it was primarily intended for things like autism, ADHD, anxiety and other cognitive issues, so the update doesn’t seem like a big sea-change to me.
Lack of awareness on my part. You’d think Disney would streamline their access requirements rather than having this piecemeal system…as others have commented, an unfortunate side effect of the death of FP+.
I suffered a TBI in 2019 that left me with a lot of the same issues with flooding due to sensory overwhelm that autistic people do, in addition to vestibular issues. My husband and I have no-expiration tickets we bought a decade ago when we used to take our kids every other year or so. The two of us returned to visit EPCOT and AK in November 2022, and I was thankful for the DAS even though I had borrowed a rollator for the trip. Since I couldn’t do many of the new attractions in EPCOT, we headed for our old favorites at rope drop. I waited in the lobby while he did Soaring, and then we went to Finding Nemo. The Cast Members saw the rollator and waved us through to the regular line – no waiting. But just zigagging through the ropes (even with a rollator) caused me to feel off balance. I had forgotten that the ride included fish “darting” from screen to screen, and lights that simulated being underwater, with sunlight refracting off the waves on the surface. I ended up having to close my eyes and was still weeping and unable to get my balance when we got off the ride. I’m not saying that I would have been able to go on the ride without issue if I’d been able to take a more direct route in, but it certainly does make a difference. By 4pm I was so overstimulated from the crowds and the noise (even with musician’s earplugs, a nice lunch break, and being able to sit on the rollator) that I needed to use the Quiet Room by Guest Services. Once I’d recovered enough, we left, canceling our dinner reservations for 8pm since I didn’t think I’d be able to last that long. I’m disappointed that the new policy only makes accommodations for people with (congenital) developmental delays, and not with acquired disabilities. I was looking forward to going back, possibly with future grandchildren, but unless they change their policy to be more inclusive of those with acquired conditions, I’m afraid I won’t be able to. It’s not a matter of just being able to leave a line and come back to the same spot because you can’t wait for long periods of time – sometimes it’s the physical route (snaking back and forth, standing on wooden platforms or bridges that bounce when people walk on them, etc.) that makes it difficult for people like me to use the normal line.
I’m guessing that they will still be asking “what are your symptoms and needs” rather than “what is your condition” since that runs afoul of the ADA. I’m hoping people like you won’t have an issue since by listing symptoms and needs you will still qualify no matter what the origin of those symptoms is.
Best of luck
Thank you for your explanation of this. I’ve used DAS on 2 occasions, post bladder cancer treatment, for frequent restroom access. I will follow you to see how this updated system plays out for those of us who need that line-return option.
I only recently heard about the DAS system and was excited to use it. It was my first time going to Disney since I became disabled 8 years ago and I was too nervous about going before I realized the pass existed, and of course, now it’s gone for the majority of the truly disabled.
But that’s fine. They’re apparently cool with me taking off my clothing in line to change out my tubing, deliver medications, and feed myself. I didn’t know we were so open to nudity in America now!
Ik begrijp dat er verandering nodig is, maar om DAS specifiek voor te behouden aan mensen met een ontwikkelingsstoornis, vind ik wel erg ver gaan. Zelf heb ik diverse chronische ziekten, waardoor het voor mij niet te doen is om lang in de rij te moeten wachten. Zelfs niet met mijn scooter. Mijn autistische zoon, daarentegen, zou nooit een DAS pas aanvragen, omdat hij dat niet nodig heeft. Ik wacht even af hoe de eventuele voorzieningen voor mensen zoals ik zullen gaan uitpakken en hopelijk blijft het dan toch voor mij mogelijk nog een keer naar WDW te gaan.
My concern is for those who have a medical disability, like my son, but it’s not a developmental disability. We’ve used DAS twice. He already doesn’t get to spend a full day in the parks, and doesn’t get to ride as much as his brother because of that, but he felt included and enjoyed the things he could do. I’m in shock that he might not qualify when we go in September.
@sarah… I completely agree. The focus should not just be on cognitive impairments but true disabilities like your son. I hope things work out .
With the new wording that the DAS is only valid for the length of the ticket, does that mean we can’t take rest days anymore? We have a trip planned with a 6-day ticket but a rest day at the hotel in the middle, so does that mean our DAS would no longer be valid for the last day?
I’m glad they’re not going with the ADA-violating IBCCES. If you read the ADA in detail, it becomes clear that outside of specific academic testing situations, requiring a doctor’s note like IBCCES does is an ADA violation.
Agreed 100%!
As the mother of a theme park fanatic who happens to be developmentally disabled, the DAS Pass has been a game changer. What a difference it makes for his overall enjoyment of the parks! It helps us plan around his needs and flare ups without missing out on the rides and shows he loves. Total. Game. Changer. I’ve read many accounts of folks (legitimately) utilizing the DAS system who have been treated poorly by fellow park-goers and it just ticks me off. As does the misuse of DAS by those trying to cheat the system. Poop on them all. DAS used correctly is a vital resource for those who need it!
I was at Disney last July with two teenagers who both used DAS due to disabilities. Both were mildly autistic and needed wheelchairs the majority of their stay, but neither condition was why they needed DAS. Wheelchair accommodations existed and their autism was mild. While both girls did experience multi-hour autistic lockdowns at Disney, it probably wouldn’t have prevented them from using the standby queue. The real issue is that both girls had physical disabilities that worsened if they were unable to move around. My daughter has episodes of temporary blindness and loss of ability to move one or more limbs when she can’t move around. She also has constant severe migraines, vertigo, and a fatigue syndrome. All of which worsen in long queues. Our friend has EDS + migraines. Again, serious physical issues that worsen in queues. She suffered from heat issues, severe vertigo, migraines, and joints that swelled to the size of grapefruit with overuse (among other problems). Without DAS I doubt either of them could have enjoyed the trip. Mobility accommodations and line exit / return permits (which I have never seen a process for anywhere) would not have sufficed. As it was, both of them had severe episodes throughout our stay and my daughter had to skip the last few days in the parks. Genie + would not have solved this for us, as we had multiple occasions where we had to wait until they were ready to proceed before traversing the park to reach a ride. We would rarely have made our Genie + window, while DAS windows do not expire the same way.
I have no difficulty with improving screening (including requiring a doctor’s note or other documentation) to insure that only those who cannot be accommodated in other ways are provided DAS. I would also be fine with changing the rules so that you cannot book a new ride until you complete the ride rather than on entry to the queue or making other changes, so that disabled individuals can do a comparable amount of rides to standby users rather than an a larger amount. That could include capping daily use per ride tier. Although many disabled users are unable to stay for an entire day, so fairness goes both ways. My kids technically still qualify due to their autism. But I worry that taking DAS entirely away from physically disabled individuals will leave no way for some of them to experience the parks. Nor do all developmentally disabled individuals need to avoid lines. Some other solution is needed to prevent abuse and misuse.
I also have EDS + claustrophobia and the first time I tried to get DAS, I was told to “just get a wheelchair” because I really struggled to explain how difficult it is to stay in a single position for an extended period of time. Unless you’ve experienced it, it’s really hard to explain to someone how multiple EDS symptoms can make navigating Disney more difficult. Even with the DAS in later visits (after consulting my doc), we usually end up only going on 2-3 rides per day, simply because I need to lie down after about 5-6 hours. For me, I don’t think it would be a big deal to cap the number of times per day DAS can be used (somewhere in the 6-10 range maybe?).
What I wouldn’t give for an in-park lounge with some pool-style lounge chairs, chaises, or other seating arrangement where I could take the pressure off my joints!
My 30 year old adult son has finally been officially diagnosed with autism and ADHD (it is really hard and really expensive to get a formal diagnosis here in Australia). As his mum I had no idea that his quirks and behavioural ways when growing up meant he was autistic. I just accepted him and his sister (also autistic) for who they were and adjusted my parenting accordingly. My sons condition got worse during and directly after Covid for many reasons but now finally with the correct diagnosis and the right medical team he is seeing improvement with the right medication. I am also gifting him and his sister a trip to Disneyland with me the first week of December this year. On previous trips he did not cope well with all the noise and stimulation but now with a support team we have tools to know how to make his trip so much more enjoyable for him. For the first time ever I will look into DAS for him and my daughter and I actually would prefer to have to provide medical paperwork to prove his diagnosis as this would be so much easier than having to answer a whole lot of questions which can be quite difficult to answer when the rawness of everything you have had to go through to get to this point is still so fresh. I totally understand the need to overhaul the system and I understand American laws about medical privacy are certainly stricter than they are in Australia but having to again go through a questioning process when we have a pieces of paper from several medical practitioners to support his diagnosis will be difficult. Everyones case and experience with diagnosis is different but I am sure many would say that more questions and raking up problems that our autistics face, over producing a piece of paper, makes it hard to go down this path. I always buy Genie+ and will continue to do so and if this interview process becomes uncomfortable and too difficult for my son then I will abandon it. Guess we will just have to wait and see.
The saddest part about all of this is that it’s pure capitalism and Chapek’s “attractions must make revenue” goals that basically ruined the mix for everyone across the board. Disney used to have a system they could point to for a general level of accommodation for everyone who bought a ticket – FP(+). That level of accommodation (if you saw it that way or not) was available in some capacity for over half the lifespan of all-day tickets.
Now they have to post sad things like “waiting in lines is part of the Walt Disney World experience” on their *accessibility* website, when having those other options was a crowning feature (“Get a time, why wait in line?”) of what separated them from the competition a few years ago.
I completely agree. FP leveled the playing field for everyone. Now they are just selling a better experience to those who can afford the extra for ILL and Genie+. I really enjoyed our post-covid trips where there was no fast pass, no genie plus. The lines. continually moved and it was such a better experience.
I have been to DisneyWorld 4 times and have used DAS 3/4 times and it definitely helped me and my family enjoy our trips which would not have been possible without it (I was not disabled the first time I went, and would gladly wait in the standby lines again if it meant I no longer had a disability). I am a little nervous for the change, especially for people like myself with a chronic illness that affects my mobility but also causes other issues. I am hopeful that next time I need to request accommodations that I can have an in-depth conversation with CMs who will help determine the best options for me. I definitely think that the DAS has been misused by a lot of people, and I’m just hoping that the people who do really need accommodations either still qualify or are offered something else that will work for them.
I’m all for becoming stricter with the granting of DAS to prevent abuse but to state specifically it’s for developmental disabilities is ridiculous, people’s disabilities don’t just fall into two camps – ie developmental and or toilet issues/service dog etc my father in law has severe lympodemia and has to wear compression garments constantly to avoid fluid and swelling gathering, this is made significantly worse when he has to stand/sit for long periods so the DAS pass has made such a difference to our trips the last 3 times we have visited.. his disability doesn’t appear to fall into either of the ‘return to queue’ system or the DAS pass system so no idea what we’re meant to do!
@Kristina… first i would like to say I’m sorry for your dad and his medical concerns. It makes things difficult . Somewhere along the line Disney has shown less concern for all disabilities and more emphasis on cognitive ones. I say this having a 36 yr old daughter with autism and additional disabilities. The DAS does not give anyone an advantage , it merely allows people with disabilities the chance to be at Disney . All it does is give us the chance to go sit on a bench and wait rather then be in a line. The time frame doesn’t change from a regular line in all. I don’t understand why people get so disturbed about it. There was a time when Diablo’s people skipped the line and went in a separate entrance. Now it’s the regular standby time only changing the fact one doesn’t have to stand when they are unable to. People need to get grip and be thankful they get up in the morning and can just go to Disney without these worries. The whole thing is just sad for people who need help . I hope you have success on your trips with your dad. You deserve to have special times with him
Sorry diablos is supposed to say disabled.
I have mixed feelings about this. If you have a Type 1 diabetic in your life, you know that some days go smoothly, and some days are an enormous rollercoaster that you cannot get off of – and for no valid reason at times.
On our last trip, I’m quite sure my daughter’s insulin got too cold in our hotel refrigerator because bottles of water had frozen. Because of this, we had difficulty bringing her blood sugar down, coupled with the unpublished nutrition information of Disney Parks foods – we had to best guess the carbs she was consuming. All of this adds up to frequent bathroom trips.
We also have issues of all of stubborn low blood sugars and exhausting all of the quick carbs we have carried with us into a line. Without DAS, it would be a very frustrating experience to leave the line and then have to return – even in the lightning lane. I really don’t want her to have to go for a walk when she has low blood sugar.
That being said, I feel guilty that we can select another ride as soon as we check in on another ride.
We completely support and understand with waiting the standby time to enter a ride. We just don’t want to be trapped in a line, unable to get out quickly if we need to.
If Disney can figure out a way to allow us to leave the line efficiently or request return times that mirror the standby wait, I’m completely in support.
They are adding a way to leave a line and return later, they just have not revealed the details yet. The press release states it will be discussed at a later date.
We were at Disneyland two weeks ago, and I would have completely panicked if my daughter had a low blood sugar emergency in the middle of the 210 minute wait for Radiator Springs Racers.
Leaving the line and returning isn’t the issue – leaving the line quickly with a long ways back to the entrance is frightening.
My daughter once had a dangerous low when our plane descended rapidly in bad weather. She was so low that she was combative and spit everything that we put in her mouth out and could not walk off of the plane. A type 1 suffering from a severe low acts as if intoxicated and can be at risk of a seizure. Again, I am happy to wait the equivalent of the standby line – just not trapped surrounded by 1,000 people in a maze of ride queue.
As a type 1 diabetic it is impossible to keep your blood sugar in good control with standing in a long line. I hope Disney will accommodate us. I would gladly never visit Disney again if I could NOT have this horrible disease and disability!
I appreciate the overhaul to be honest. I can appreciate and understand people need exceptions to enjoy the parks with whatever is ailing them in todays world but it was getting out of hand.
We were there in December and then in March and scooter convoys that would be skipping lines and I’m sure some people needed it but it was certainly frustrating. There would be families of 3/4/5 people using this system to skip a line. It was abuse.
kTS. Like I said in a previous post. Nobody is skipping lines in DAS they are just getting the opportunity to wait in a space that reflects their disability. I do agree not all scooter users are disabled that’s for sure. But DAS does not let people “ skip “ lines
People on scooters do not qualify for DAS. I’d be happy to exchange my arthritis ridden body and my scooter for a healthy pain-free body.