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.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
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.
Fakers gonna fake. This is just another band aid to try to stem the tide of abuse but people who are going to misuse the system will eventually figure out the right verbiage in order to get approved and in several years we will have the same problems all over again. I’ve seen this played out several times since the days of the GAC. And as someone who has used and very much needed DAS since it was GAC, these types of changes don’t seem to do anything but bring extra stress and uncertainty to legit users.
I spent a lot of time very confused on the DAS page before I finally realized it’s completely separate from the wheelchair return times for non-accessible lines—or at least, I sure hope it is! I was trying to figure out if there’s any kind of registration I need to do other than just showing up in my wheelchair but it seems not?
Correct. There is no registration for mobility related issues. Most rides at WDW have queues that handle wheelchairs and ECVs. A few exceptions have alternatives.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/mobility-disabilities/
Tom,
Since you said above you will be releasing an FAQ tomorrow and may even be calling guest relations to tie up loose ends is definitely going above and beyond. Thank you for your time. My brain is in all kind of knots right now trying to navigate this. I emailed disability services and it gave me a number to call, which Disney has disconnected currently (I’m sure because some of the things I’ve read on social media, they wanted to protect CM’s). So I reached out to executive services and spoke with them and felt better until I read through everything else and now I’m back to confused. However, I am very glad that Disney is trying to work out this system. It has gotten very bad since the pandemic, to the point that there are Vloggers basically giving step by step how to get approved.
Let me say this is on top of the crazy things happening with certain adrs right now. We are AP’s and our trip coming up is from May 31 to June 11. I have two children with developmental issues and have utilized DAS since they were diagnosed in 2019. well one in 2019 the other one started in 2021. But being AP’s we were going to register this weekend since they used to be good for 60 days. I never cared for the 2 preselections as we typically missed them because we cannot plan that far other than adrs and thats even hard. So we were just going to reup thier passes for the trip. Thats fine if we have to push that back now. I called Disney to get guidance one when we should set up the chat though. I was told today I can do it at 30 days, but that doesn’t seem to be the case with reading thier page and your blog. It seems like since we are past May 19 that we have to wait until May 20, and being stuck most likely in a huge virtual line to figure this out. Which I would really prefer not to do. I don’t know if thats intended or if our trip just falls in a strange timeframe within no mans land. Do you have what the guidance should be? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Appreciate all of the comments and the mostly respectful dialogue here in the comments. For an issue that is so controversial and fraught, you’ve all done a great job at being respectful. Kudos on that, as the conversation is playing out very differently on social media and elsewhere.
Anyway, I just want to let you all know that I’ve seen your questions and am working on an FAQ that should go live sometime tomorrow. In the meantime, if you have any additional questions, please feel free to post them here and I’ll try to answer (or get answers if I don’t have them). I’m going to reach out to Disney in the morning with a few loose ends I have before publishing. Just be aware that a lot of questions aren’t going to be answered or have answers at this point, which is largely by (Disney’s) design.
Thankyou Tom, I seriously would not know everything about Disney vacations without your blog! Your efforts are immensely appreciated
We will be going in December and will most likely still qualify for DAS. I was wondering if they will still do preselects?
Tom, I noticed on Disney’s website that cane chairs will be allowed. Previously Disney prohibited folding chairs (and all other chairs). Could you verify that folding chairs will be allowed and if so starting when? Folding chairs can fit in a back pack and will enable mobile people with certain disabilities to view fireworks, parades and stage shows without the need for a wheelchair. Thanks for all that you do. You’ve saved our family lots of time and money with your reports.
I just renewed my DAS yesterday. I was told it was good for one month.
Kari, I heard that pre-selects will no longer be part of DAS, but it will be a separate accommodation offered to people based on their needs. From what I gather, Disney is working to provide more specific accommodations to different medical needs. So, certain conditions (developmental disabilities & autism) will be accommodated with DAS so they can queue virtually. Some conditions will be accommodated with the ability to pre-book some LLs (perhaps for certain queues that are more difficult for people with different conditions?). Some conditions will be accommodated with a return to line pass. I think it’s going to be based off of each person’s health condition and need.
My apologies I meant to type DAS is NOT a lightening lane
Planning my final trip this December due to terminal illness old age. Had thought I would make use of DAS as am now wheelchair bound. If reading this correctly I will not qualify for any assistance by the time of my trip. If correct we will not be visiting WDW a heartbreaking fact not to mention a total waste of time and money. We would have been coming from UK.
On another note knowing the
unkindness of some folk they will now have it confirmed that the only people using DAS are people with MENTAL illness I would not want to visit Disney and use this service which will intensify the stigma attached to those illnesses.
I hope all you able bodied Disney favourites have fun and count your blessings whilst you have them Disney will soon slam the door in your face once your body is less than perfect. Mind you they will lose a lot of revenue from wheelchair rentals and scooter renters who they are now slamming the gates shut on too!
Maybe I’m misunderstanding your issue, but most rides are wheelchair friendly. As my father’s Alzheimer’s gets worse he’s in a wheelchair more and more, and we’ve had no problem. It’s more fun to wait in the queue and see all the details the Imagineers have dreamed up than sit outside, so DAS does nothing for us. Disney has made sure that people with physical issues are able to enjoy the rides for no additional charge.
As I understand it, the DAS system is for people with trouble waiting in line, which is tough but not something you described. I have a daughter who is neurodivergent, and unfortunately there’s nothing Disney can do to enable her to enjoy the parks. Her mental illness would prevent her from having a good time no matter how many perks we got for free.
There is a lot unknown. I would encourage you to email Disney regarding your concerns. They may have accommodations for your situation that would still allow a trip for you to be possible. I think there is a lot of confusion and stress going on right now and I wouldn’t be surprised if other conditions like yours are allowed.
There is a lot of things unknown at this time, and Disney is well known to make changes after pushback. It sounds like there will still be solutions for those who can’t stay in line but that its less of a “1 sentence process” than it was before. It also sounds like there will be a new process for those who may not fully qualify for the DAS pass but still need assistance.
I wouldn’t lose hope yet!
Truly I am very sorry the timing of this upheaval with your special trip. Whatever happens I hope you’re able to experience something remarkable with your loved ones.
DAS is just one of many accommodations. My guess is Disney is trying offer and increase usage of alternative accommodations where line skipping/shortening is unnecessary. None of us know exactly how this new plan will work. Currently only Disney knows the full plan. Once actually rolled out and adjusted after constructive feedback, then we’ll all have a better idea how it might affect us.
Thank you to all for your comments. Being partially sighted and hard of hearing I had not been to Disney since everything became more complicated by having to use an app/phone but had made the decision for this last trip thinking DAS which I have never used previously would come to my assistance. I fear it will be just too traumatic now in the light of this latest change. I will rely on my memories of past visits when younger and healthier. We have certain disability benefits in UK and just providing our registration number for this is usually sufficient as these benefits are not easy to qualify for and so weeds out many who would abuse the small but necessary benefits we sometimes are afforded with no need to disclose specifics.
So Disney has cut down the DAS from all disabilities to just developmental disabilities such as autism. What’s to say they won’t cut that out too and get rid of DAS altogether? Just buy Genie+!
I’m good with Disney taking steps to reduce DAS abuse. I’m a bit concerned about the “immediate family members”/”party of 4” limit, however. My family of 5 is planning a trip next year, however the person in our party requiring DAS is not immediate family with all other 4 people. Gotta figure out what we’re going to do.
I continue to read comments around how Universal is somehow “better” than Disney for their accommodations. As someone with physically disabled family, Universal was horrible in comparison. We didn’t seek out any services such as the IBCCES Accessibility Card since we know how to navigate around these barriers in the real world, and the parks aren’t much different aside from the crowd levels. And, we always purchase Genie+ and get through about 20 rides per trip, even with the large group and multiple ECVs and rollators.
Do those complaining that “now I won’t qualify for DAS” always find themselves eligible for IBCCES AC at Universal? And, what does Universal do that makes the services there work for you vs Disney and their changes? I’m genuinely trying to understand how someone believes Disney would eliminate ALL options for someone who truly needs some sort of accommodation. Many posts I’ve seen are more centered around “I had this before, and now you want me to do more to get a similar service” (such as return time) and it makes it seem like that is what Disney is trying to eliminate/decrease (not what DAS was intended for).
Hi Tom,
My son is severely developmentally handicapped and is on Social Security Disability and Medicare. For the first 10 years of us going to Disney World, I’ve never tried to get the DAS even though a friend of mine who has a mildly autistic child who doesn’t even go to Special Ed always got it. The fastpass system worked great in the early years, but got worse as time went by. We made it work anyway.
But then Disney got rid of fastpass, so I was forced to get the DAS, which I did not like because it makes me confront the fact that my son is “not normal.” So you can count us as one of those who tripled the number of people on DAS. Nevertheless we only get DAS pass on rides that are under 20 minutes wait time or 30 at the most, because any more than that, even the fast pass isn’t fast. We skip rides that has longer wait, and we never go into a “Lightning Lane” with a long line (slow lightning!). We mostly go to the parks for the ambience and the food, being that we’ve been on the rides many times.
So I really wish Disney would allow a “Genie basic”, so to speak, where the fastpass is free if the wait time is under 20 or 30 minutes. You might think, why do you need fastpass when the wait is short anyway? But we do, and even for people who aren’t handicapped, cutting down a 20 minute wait to 5 minutes is still nice. For us, it is all we need.
I agree, sometimes the “lightning lane” isn’t fast enough. We’ve had to be rescued by cast members more than once from the lightning lane because of my husbands low vision problem and me not able to help him because of my mobility issues. I think our next trip will be our last and we won’t be riding many rides.
I agree that Disney needs to rein in the abuse of DAS. That said, I am disappointed that Disney has seen fit to exclude guests with physical disabilities. We’re going again in May. I’m a stage 4 cancer patient; I’ve been in chemo since late April 2023. I’m doing pretty well, all in all. I’m walking almost daily, and I am not using a walker or wheelchair right now. I will try to do without a wheelchair at WDW because walking is good for me. In short, I don’t look like I have a disability. But I have to say I don’t relish the thought of standing in a ride line for an hour or more after doing that walking. Last October when we visited, we simply skipped a lot of rides we would ordinarily have done. As a result, we spent only 4-5 hours in the parks, then went back to the condo. Not sure what we’ll do this time. Genie+/Lightning Lane for a family of 6 will get pricey. I guess I’ll confer with the family and see what they want to do.
As with Tom’s last piece on DAS, is amazing how many comments the topic draws (versus the other great posts that appear on here).
Clearly a lightning rod for many people and obviously the feelings around DAS is a symptom of the feelings around the guest experience at the parks more widely.
I do get Disney’s perceived need to constantly monetise from a corporate viewpoint but why can’t the parks be both- expensive *and* a good user experience? (Including for minority groups, those with access issues.)
I believe Tom said somewhere that DAS use had tripled…obviously if this keeps up there will be consequences for all users of DAS/ similar accommodations.
Tom, do you think that the greater public awareness (and therefore uptake) of what is available in this regard has somehow taken Disney by surprise?
Be curious if there is an equivalent to this blog for Universal that discusses the changes there- arguably less ambiguous but more strict/ defined guidelines.
Well Disney needs to QUICKLY address the root of this problem: too few rides to accommodate the large crowds. When wait times for rides like People Mover exceed 45 minutes, (and I’ve seen that), there’s a serious problem that needs to be addressed. Hey Disney, earmark that 17 billion bucks you’re planning to invest in WDW into building more rides, not walk-through experiences like Moana’s World of Water or more gift shops. When you’re spending upwards of $8,000 for a family vacation, and have saved for years to make it happen, you don’t wanna spend literally hours on end in the parks waiting in lines surrounded by whining kids and frustrated adults. Then return to the old free fast pass system. Guest experience would improve and a lot fewer people would be tempted to cheat with DAS.
Honestly the fact that DAS is abused is beyond my comprehension . How would that be enjoyable for anyone knowing they’re lying and taking advantage of this group of people . It doesn’t gain you anything. Your still waiting the same time as standby lines . It’s a sin
Sherri,
I totally agree with you. People should absolutely NOT abuse the DAS system. It was created for those who TRULY need it. (After all, probably half the younger population has some degree of ADHD or anxiety. I’m a teacher, I know this to be true) That still doesn’t negate the fact that people indeed ARE abusing DAS. And the root problem needs to be addressed and remedied by Disney. A return to the old fast pass+, allowing all guests to preselect three attractions (included in the price of your ticket) would go a long way toward reducing the abuse. And adding more rides to spread out crowds would absolutely reduce long standby wait times. Case in point: Galaxy’s Edge surely cost billions to build, while only including two rides. Too much of the budget went toward shops and experiences (building droids and light sabers….etc…etc…) that don’t improve guest experience for the majority of visitors. Or the mega-millions spent on a Star Wars hotel, geared towards the 1% that could afford it, and that went belly-up a few short years later.
You make very good points. I had a career of nurse management. I’m just not with the philosophy of changing entire systems because it’s not properly being followed. Changes I agree should be made but not at the expense of people who are truly in need . It’s a big enough issue that those abusing it should be the ones who no longer benefit and not at the expense of those who do. These people have to live with themselves and karma is a fact.
I think the root of the crowd problem is the shortened park hours. I remember when we did a family vacation in 2016, MK was open I think until midnight or 1am some nights. Remember extra magic hours? You used to be able to be in the parks after dark and not have to have bought a party or after hours ticket. Park hours never went back to what they were after Covid. So now, it is the same or more crowds being spread out over less hours. We celebrate when park hours are extended during peak weeks, yet those hours still, are often less than what the standard hours used to be for onsite guests.
The very important takeaway from this article, which can’t be emphasized enough, is don’t make judgements about what disability is “deserving” of DAS. You don’t know what you don’t know!
If you are that miserable person who judges, keep your comments to yourself. The unsolicited advice is extremely heartbreaking to the recipient. If you can’t cope with “all kinds of kinds” you should not go to WDW.
Patience, kindness and respect for others will always make you feel good
100%
The amount of dirty looks I get when I use Disability services at any amusement park or when I sat while my parents chose not to at the Grand Canyon was crazy. People need to stop assuming
A well articulated article (as always!), it’d be a kinder world if we all err’d on the side of courtesy towards each other, but alas it’s the bad apples that do spoil it for others.
On my first trip to WDW I wasn’t aware of DAS, but found fastpass to be helpful enough for me, and I’d avoid rides with long wait times, even though it meant missing out on some, park days were manageable. My last trip was just after Genie+ started, which was a hit/miss on the few days I used it, though was too expensive to justify using every day.
I would be falling into the group of guests who didn’t previously utilise DAS because fastpass was enough, but would register for my next trip because the replacement service is expensive and not a guarantee to always be effective.
And I agree with your sentiment about trading places, I wish I didn’t struggle with my disabilities every day of my life and would gladly trade with someone who doesn’t need services like DAS and not have to worry every time I ask for accomodations from others. The amount of ableist comments I’ve seen has been disheartening and I really hope that people with genuine needs will still be eligible for DAS in some shape or form
well here we go again! Disney adding more ways to complicate visits for disabled guests to visit the park. what’s next? come on seriously… when we were there in February we needed das this time for my hubby. the first cast member we spoke to on the phone was so rude, it really surprised us!! we called back the next day and got assistance from another cast member as we should have in the first place. when someone has a physical disability & sitting in a wheelchair waiting in line for an hour or more does not ease the pain, that’s an issue. Disney has made it so hard to navigate the parks, enjoy the magic, without being constantly on your phone too. guests talk about issues like this and more everyday at the parks.
How is the pain any worse sitting in line as opposed to being in the wheelchair the whole day at the park. At least they get to have the wheelchair to sit in. That should be enough accommodation.
Hi Tom , Thankyou so much for always keeping us a step ahead and updated. While reviewing the new rules I don’t see any mention of the two ride selections we were able to make when signing up our 36 yr old daughter for DAS every year. Do you know anything about this? Is it a non feature? I’m feeling very discouraged that this might be it for us. Just like our daughter can’t tolerate being in long lines she can’t tolerate going all over the park in one visit. Visits are a couple of hours only and we always stood in one area of a park at a time.
Please people don’t misinterpret this. I have a young adult with anxiety and severe ADD. We never even considered getting a DAS pass for her. Why do kids with anxiety and ADD need this service? Seems like this is a large proportion of DAS users. I have an invisible physical disability and have used DAS but doubt I will qualify now. Not sure I will be returning to Disney with these changes.
Disorders such as ADHD don’t present the same for everyone, some children/adults can manage it, while others simply need more accomodations as they struggle with it more.
My daughter is ADHD with sensory issues. Crowded lines cause her to become overstimulated and overwhelmed. When we went to Busch Gardens and sea world without a disability pass, we only made it a couple hours before she had a meltdown and we needed to leave because she wasn’t having fun.
I’m hopeful that as a young adult she will have developed coping mechanisms to make such accommodations unnecessary, but as a 7-9 yr old we would be unable to enjoy the parks for more than a couple hours a day without it.
Well, having a physical disability, this is an extreme kick in the gut. I have exhaustion from a bone disability. I cannot go to the parks more than three or four hours at most. If they change the das to developmentally disabled only, my trips to Disney will be over. I won’t be able to go any more. I know a lot of other people with physical impairments will be just as crushed…
I know Disney wants to try to frame this as “it’s cracking down on DAS abuse” , which is absolutely a problem, but in actually it is a “we can sell more lightning lanes if less DAS people are in line” problem…. I’m not buying it. Sad.
That is totally it. It’s to increase the incredibly expensive Genie+ sales. The crack down on DAS is actually the crackdown on people who aren’t willing to pay for Genie+. Make fastpass free again and see if DAS doesn’t go down in a hurry.
Disney has no problem selling Genie+ as it is and in fact it sells out when parks are busiest. The problem is that there are some who don’t want to buy Genie+ and take advantage of Disney’s honor system and obtain DAS when they don’t need it.
I don’t know how many times or how many people need to say DAS is. It a lightening lane. Your wait time is as long as a standby time. What is it that people don’t understand about this
You are correct. Every DAS user is up to 6 fewer Genie plus passes they can sell.
Hi James,
So you presumed that it has historically only been meant for autism, ADHD, etc, when in fact you now admit that you didn’t actually know this for sure. It was just your understanding. And still you felt it necessary to repeatedly comment to multiple users of the system that they were flat out wrong, that it was only ever meant for x,y,x and nothing else. Without really knowing for certain. Just presuming. The truth is that up until today, DAS was absolutely available to (and appropriate for) guests with certain sensory and physical disabilities as well as the ones you listed below and were so certain were the only ones covered. All of these experienced users of the service here on this thread were not wrong in what they were saying and were not wrong to use the service in the first place. And by the way it’s not a line skipping service. It’s really so that its users can wait the same amount of time, just elsewhere.
I completely understand it’s not a line skipping service. Like you say, the queue waiting period is simply carried out elsewhere on park. I hope Disney have plans in place to deal with the displaced groups who may no longer have suitable accommodation if they are excluded by these changes/ updates. But I suspect it is a case of ‘unintended consequences’. Much like the DAS system and other avenues became a haven for abuse as discussed in the blogs here after the removal of FP+.
Taking the two preselected ride reservations is a game changer for our 36 yr old special needs daughter. She will definetly still get DAS but having to wait to get to the park to make a selection will reduce our rides from 3 to 1or 2 as she cannot tolerate the parks longer then a few hours. So deserving DAS recipients will be affected for sure.