Disney World Cracks Down on Third Party Tour Guides Abusing DAS
Walt Disney World has seen an increase in abuse of its Disability Access Service, and is starting to crack down on improper DAS use as a result. This post covers how they’re accomplishing that, along with rumors about Lightning Lane utilization and our commentary about what’s happening. (Updated December 14, 2023.)
This revelation actually comes thanks to two high-profile articles about Walt Disney World suddenly trespassing third-party tour guides from the parks. Walt Disney World has reportedly been banning these unaffiliated tour guides who secure dining and resort reservations, design itineraries, and help their clients navigate the parks–often by acting as an in-person escort.
These guides have reportedly been pulled out of line by Walt Disney World managers, issued trespass notices by Orange County police, and indefinitely banned from all of Walt Disney World property. These trespass notices are not unprecedented–they’re issued whenever guests engage in fisticuffs, have a really bad adult meltdown, or sneak around backstage. A few years ago, there was a dude who went on a tirade about masks and compared himself to the hero in A Bug’s Life, misquoted the movie, and got trespassed. (Note: he was trespassed for the tirade, not misquoting A Bug’s Life. Although that should be a bannable offense.)
The more recent of these stories was published in the Washington Post in mid-December 2023. According to their reporting, dozens of third-party tour guides have been trespassed from Walt Disney World. This has left operators looking for new jobs, moving out of Florida and adjusting their business models to focus on non-Disney tour operations.
In an emailed statement, Walt Disney World indicated that that they are taking additional steps to enforce their rules that prohibit commercial activities, such as tours provided by third-party operators, because of a “significant increase in these rule violations.” Disney indicated that some operators have sold unauthorized services, including in-park offerings like Genie+ line-skipping services and access to the Disability Access Service.
“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.”
This was all consistent with earlier reporting by Insider, which first reported on the third-party tour guide ban. The reason for this is pretty simple and straightforward. Walt Disney World’s official park rules website has a lengthy list of prohibited activities. Among them is that “unauthorized solicitations of any kind, whether commercial, religious, educational, or otherwise, or conducting any unauthorized commercial activities, including solicitations of money or other contributions or donations.”
Conducting a tour on Walt Disney World property is very clearly an unauthorized commercial activity. This isn’t the first time that Disney has trespassed tour guides. Way back in the nascent days of the internet, they did the same with high-profile park history and inside secrets tours that indirectly competed with things like Keys to the Kingdom.
About a decade ago, Disney also cracked down on disabled tour guides who advertised the ability for their guests/customers to bypass lines in the California and Florida parks. The company started by revoking Guest Assistance Cards of the guides, but that story exploded into nationwide headlines and resulted in the overhaul of GAC and creation of DAS.
We’ve been hearing for months that this type of crackdown was on the horizon. However, we heard that it would occur with web services that circumvent Walt Disney World’s policies and systems for various reservations. Disney managed to briefly cause some of those to go offline over the summer, but to my knowledge, they all returned. I’ve been under the impression that more would be done.
What caught our attention–and the part of this story that is relevant to Walt Disney World vacation planners–is the company’s statement that “there has been an uptick in abuses of the Disability Access Service and other services, which impede park operations.”
According to Insider, several third-party tour guides and business owners agreed that not everyone in their industry behaves ethically. One experienced third-party tour guide said there are several companies that are “widely known” to abuse Disney’s rules. “For instance, these companies might tell guides to tell guest services they have Irritable Bowel Syndrome to get a disability pass for themselves,” the business owner told Insider.
Other tour guides indicated that they had witnessed unethical behavior in the industry, with some even leaving certain companies because “their owner was involved in some of those unethical practices, and I didn’t want to be associated with that any longer.”
In our view, this is the most interesting aspect of the Insider story and the one that has the most material impact on the guest experience for everyone at Walt Disney World. We’ve heard rumblings about this issue prior to now, have observed it ourselves, and think the current crackdown might portend more sweeping changes to DAS at Walt Disney World. In our view, this is likely the start of a policy tightening on DAS, line-skipping policies, and other third party activity that’s far from over.
You might notice a lack of DAS coverage on this website, aside from our Guide to Disability Access Service at Walt Disney World, which covers our experience using it with my dad and was last updated when the Lightning Lane-era changes rolled out. The lack of DAS resources here are not an oversight; it’s deliberate.
This blog offers commentary about any and everything, while also soliciting reader feedback via an active comments section. That’s a powder keg for something like DAS, which is one of the most controversial and charged issues at Walt Disney World. Unlike topics like oversized strollers, price increases, parking fees, refillable mug ethics, etc., this has real stakes. DAS users are real people with real feelings, and often, are all to used to judgmental stares in real life. Compounding that with metaphorical ones online is rough, and I don’t want this platform to be a party to that.
With that in mind, I’ll start out with a simple statement. 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 is widespread and needs addressing. The first point does not invalidate the second, and the second point does not grant random guests the authority to be arbiters of who “needs” DAS.
Since the controversy several years ago about the Guest Assistance Card, there’s a lot more scrutiny concerning guests using and abusing DAS, along with a belief among some other guests that they are being ‘disadvantaged’ by the system. This manifests itself in visible and audible disdain towards other guests using DAS. I’ve witnessed it repeatedly in-person and in reading online discussions.
I would implore you to err on the side of courtesy. 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. I can only imagine how it’d make me feel if I were on the receiving end of 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.
I also can’t imagine being on the giving end of that. Okay, you’ve made yourself judge, jury, and executioner…now what? There is absolutely zero upside. Not only is the weight of your eyes or words unfairly falling on someone with an invisible disability at least half the time when you do this, but you’re upsetting yourself with something that’s entirely outside of your control and that you cannot change. Life is too short for that, and it’s far better to be happy at Walt Disney World and focus on your own family.
Look, my apologies for the preachy soapbox with very obvious ‘advice’ that 99.5% of you absolutely did not need to hear. But you know that saying about one bad apple? I’ll err on the side of a long lecture if it might cause even half of that .5% to rethink their behavior. Sorry not sorry, I guess.
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. The Lightning Lane percentages from those were downright shocking to me. This is the first time I’ve actually seen Walt Disney World publicly admit that there’s an issue and that it needs addressing.
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.
There were plausible explanations aside from DAS use. Club 33 members, Golden Oak residents, and other VIPs all had some degree of access to the FastPass lines. However, there were maybe 200 guests fitting the above profile in any park at any given time. They represented a small fraction of all FastPass users–probably a low single-digit number on most days.
As noted above, 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 and causing standby lines to come to a crawl at times as guests are pulled (very) disproportionately from the Lightning Lane.
Not only would 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.
None of this is speculative. 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.
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 now prevailed in several such lawsuits.
Now, regular line-skipping costs money but there’s an alternative that’s still free. Again, 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.
In fact, you can still see this play out in the parks. If you attend Extended Evening Hours, Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party, or other events outside standard operating hours when Genie+ is not offered, you’ll still see people using the Lightning Lanes. In some cases, you will see a lot of people.
Totally anecdotal, but I’ve noticed it more this year–in particular at the busier Extended Evening Hours that I’ve attended. There were a couple of ExEH nights at Magic Kingdom where I saw the overflow Lightning Lane queues in use at Peter Pan’s Flight, Space Mountain, and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. Again, it’s probably not a coincidence that usage increases as posted wait times increase.
To be abundantly clear, I’m not suggesting that all of even a majority of these people are abusing DAS. I truly have no clue.
What I have heard, though, is that usage of DAS has increased dramatically in the last few years. It’s possible that this is coincidental, and it’s happening because the percentage of disabled guests visiting Walt Disney World has increased. If the comparison were to 2020-2021, I’d believe that. A unique form of pent-up demand would make sense, especially among more vulnerable populations.
But my understanding is that DAS usage is up significantly as compared to 2019. Other explanations are conceivable, but I think they strain credulity. You can likely draw a straight line between Genie+ (and then higher prices for Genie+) and a rise in use for DAS as the free “alternative” to it.
Now that we’ve established that DAS abuse is almost certainly occurring (again, along with plenty of completely proper use!) what’s Walt Disney World to do about it? Well, this crackdown on third-party tour groups is one step. It’s only a first step, and a small one at that. These tour groups are incredibly small scale, and it’s hard to conceive of them accounting for more than a low single-digit percentage of all abuse.
Most of it is likely happening among individuals–and that’s more difficult to police without running afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Ironically enough, changing DAS is also its own powder keg, and a potential 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. Many 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 (very understandably!) crave consistency and stability.
Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. Which is to say that change can be intimidating and unsettling; 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.
Compounding matters is the small but vocal minority of abusers who would complain in bad faith and muddy the waters of any discourse around DAS changes. Knowing that their loophole would be closed, some of these individuals would have a strong incentive to voice outrage, even if it’s baseless and insincere.
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.
Walt Disney World knows this, which is likely why there has been minimal movement on DAS abuse, aside from indirect acts like banning third-party tour guides. This won’t be enough, though. Something’s gotta give–just like it was too big to ignore back when the change was made from GAC to DAS, the same will soon be true. Perhaps they’re starting with low-hanging fruit like tour guides and waiting for an individual system until the new system that allows for the advance booking of Lightning Lanes in Spring 2024.
I’m somewhat surprised that Walt Disney World hasn’t used the protective veil of a theme park association to make industry wide changes. Sort of like how the California Attractions and Parks Association was the face of pushing for reopening a few years ago, which allowed Disneyland to mostly avoid controversy. (Well, to the extent they wanted. Disney still issued some sharp statements, but some of those were very justified.)
Frankly, I don’t know why Disney doesn’t use TEA or some organization like that for creating uniform standards and protocol for any potentially sticky issue. It’d be suitable for everything from security checkpoints to smoking rules, and would give Disney plausible deniability as to their involvement in the crafting of such rules. When it comes to ADA accommodations, standardization could also streamline things for those guests with actual disabilities by outsourcing the process. It wouldn’t just be about sidestepping controversy–it could truly make visiting easier for those with disabilities. Win-win!
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YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on Walt Disney World cracking down on DAS abuse? 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.
This is a great conversation. Selfishly, I’d love a solution that allows everyone to “skip” the line on a few attractions a day, without cost. Unfortunately, that ship has sailed. In the interest of “fairness” (and I 100% acknowledge that until I’ve had to walk in another shoes, I can’t evaluate), but would it be possible to keep DAS but not allow folks to do other attractions during their virtual queue time? They could still enjoy the park and general atmosphere, but wouldn’t be able to stack attractions. I suspect that’s how those with a real need for DAS use it today as they likely aren’t joining queues for other rides while they wait for the return time. For those that are taking advantage of the system and “doubling up”, they’d lose one of the biggest (although not only) motivators for doing so.
That’s just common sense, making best use of their time. You want people should enjoy themselves less so it’s fair for those poor folks without disability? That’s kinda the whole point of the DAS system, to make the experience better for those guests that need it.
I think this suggestion has merit. DAS is designed for those who can’t reasonably wait in lines. It seems odd that those who need this help would want to stand in a different line while waiting on a return time. But I’m new to understanding the DAS system and the needs of those that use it. I’m totally open to being wrong and learning more!
You can only have one DAS return time at a time. There is no stacking them. If you get a return time for Peter Pan an hour and a half later, you can’t get another one until you ride that ride.
Your suggestions are great. I’d like to insert a clarification here, being a DAS user. As tiring as a full day at WDW can be, it is much more so for those who properly use the system. Imagine for a moment ALL the extra time and energy used. As for me, it’s difficult to put in a half day … though I pay for a full day pass, and so do all DAS users. Granted, I’m an older visitor and sometimes visit soko. I’ve no one to push a wheelchair, so I rent a scooter to ambulatory. I’m very careful not to cut in front of others and have never hit anyone. But the looks I get (my challenges are not visible and I do not look my age … 75) and often rude.
There is a required pre-screening before being authorized for DAS. This has eliminated, hopefully, a lot off ‘cheaters’ of the system. I’d love to be able to stand for more than a few moments as I enjoy talking with other visitors. But I absolutely cannot and may. never be able to again. For me to be able to pre-plan 3 for sure rides, maybe work in 2 others, then leave a park is essential. I’d never physically be able to wait 2 or more hours between each.
As a family with a DAS child, we do double up but don’t wait in lines. People forget there are lots of rides and shows that don’t have long waits except in the middle of the day (if at all). So we’ll DAS RotR for example, but go walk on Star Tours, Swirling Saucers, go see Muppets, and grab a snack while waiting. If we weren’t allowed to do any rides or attractions while in the DAS line, my kid would get bored and tired and overwhelmed and we’d have to leave anyway. So we double up with the short lines while we wait, then do the DAS ride, rinse and repeat for another DAS ride and are able to leave the park before it gets too crowded and the kiddo gets stressed and overwhelmed.
Just a look into how it actually functions for people who do need it.
DAS users can’t “stack” passes. they can select am attraction and are given a single return time based on the current wait time, menaing they are waiting just not physically in line. They are unable to select any others unless they drop the one the have or use it. they are free to wait in other lines during this time but not through the use of DAS.
Thank you for the enlightening replies! As with all things, it’s complicated and nuanced. I certainly don’t have the answers, and learned more about just how much I do not know. I give credit to Disney for what they are trying to do, and hope they can find a reasonable way to stop the abusers and fairly help those that need and deserve the service!
RANT: I was in Disney World with 2 DAS users who were in wheelchairs most of the time for 2 weeks this summer. DAS is mostly a degraded version of Genie + these days. Your DAS selection is not until after the time it would have taken to wait through the standby queue, and then you still have to wait through the lightning lane queue after that. You can do standby attractions during your wait, just like Genie+. DAS users wait LONGER than either standby or lightning lane users between rides. They have less time physically in line than standby users, but it takes more time per ride. There is a longer window for the return time, thank goodness. Because getting somewhere in a timely fashion with 2 autistic wheelchair users is never predictable. You are given 2 1-hr time slots for pre-booked attractions per day, which technically stack with your DAS times. But we hardly ever got to use those, because our group’s disabilities didn’t do well with getting anywhere at a set time. And there were technical difficulties several times when we did try. I guess a person without disabilities might have been able to leverage those time slots + DAS times to do ALMOST as much as a Genie+ patron in a day. Or one whose disabilities happen to be on a good day.
Having to wait in even the lightning lane queue was really stretching my kiddos capacity for being in line a few times – especially the rides where we parked the wheelchairs and walked because it was too hard to navigate them through the queue. So if they decided to go on Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, for instance, it might take 3 hours for them to wait for the ride instead of 2.5 hours for a standby rider. You can kill about an hour of that by eating lunch, and maybe 30 minutes in stores – if they are wheelchair accessible. So what do you do with the other 1 1/2 hours? Find one of the very rare bits of shade and hope they don’t get heat stroke (which their conditions make them prone to)??? What we actually did to kill time and avoid heat stroke was things like the Hall of Presidents and Carousel of Progress. One time we did the standby for the teacups while waiting for our DAS time. Keep in mind, a Genie + user can also do those exact same things. And doesn’t necessarily have to wait for standby + lightning lane time. We did have ONE time we actually stacked DAS. The standby line for Its a Small World was nearly an hour and we already had a DAS 2+ hours out. It was clear the girls couldn’t handle the standby line or the other options for waiting, and the ride attendant gave us a written return time for after the standby time. A non-DAS user could have just waited in standby while their lightning lane was pending. But we had to wait EXTRA. While trying to keep them from going into heat stroke or autistic lockdowns.
One reality of many types of disability is that what a person can handle varies tremendously from day to day and hour to hour. So you need to maximize what you do during the functional times. We planned a 2 week Orlando trip with break days every third day knowing that our 2 DAS teens would still have to miss some things. Both of them managed to walk for 2 days at the start of our trip (sticking to rides with < 30 min wait + a lot of sitting) and badly overextended themselves. Because they didn't want to be trading on their disabilities. So they were wheelchair-bound for most of the rest of the trip even though they are usually ambulatory. One had knees the size of grapefruit and severe pain walking by day 3. Sitting wasn't great either. The other was having frequent limp spells where she lost the use of her limbs and could not stand up, move her arms, or see for up to a half hour at a time. That girl had to skip the last 5 days of our 2 week trip. Which really sucked when the other girl couldn't use the pre-booked DAS passes on those days because the sick girl had to stay in the hotel and the passes were set up under the sick girl's name. Even though the other girl couldn't book passes separately and also had DAS. We were lucky, I suppose, that she lost five straight days instead of having to bail after an hour (which has happened before). And got glared at by passerby who assumed she was faking any time she took a walking break from her wheelchair. So fussing about how DAS users "get to do more" is really ticking me off.
NO, DAS is not excessively generous. Unless you can afford to stack it with Genie +. Which may be where the real abuse issues are, come to think of it. We didn't try, since that felt like gaming the system.
That’s how it should be, but as the replies to your post show, some DAS users aren’t interested in giving up the advantage of being able to ride other rides or see shows while they await their DAS return time.
Anyone without a DAS can’t ride something else while they wait in an actual line, so why should DAS users?
It’s supposed to be equal experience, not better experience.
Thank you for your article. The DAS abuse is awful. I’ve used the DAS and the older pass for the times my husband and I go to WDW. I, like many people with disabilities, cannot and do not ride all the rides. We do not “get to ride more” because of a DAS. When you have a disability, though WDW tries its best, you do not have as complete of an experience of WDW as others who are able and disability free. It is a total false assumption, as some have thought, that because of disabilities – or the DAS, you are given a special privilege. You are not. The DAS does help in a limited way to enjoy some of the things others get to fully experience. But as with other areas in life, disabilities cause limitations. I’ve always thought that Disney should require a doctor’s letter (yes, I’ve offered a letter from my doctor to Guest Services which they very politely declined) to qualify for a DAS card. That is one option that could stop DAS abuse.
I agree with you totally. it may offend some saying they should not have to prove a disability. but I also think ( I just found out about DAS) that some claim a disability that to me is not a disability at all ( IBS , dietetic ) .
Now I’m totally confused. Thirty years ago I had a broken ankle was in a cast and on crutches and they ushered me in through the exit. But then some years later I hear they stopped helping people with disabilities. I didn’t know there was a DAS. Now that I’m 70 years old I have sever arthritis and have trouble standing and walking for a long time. Last year I rented a scooter and rode that up to the line and then stood in line for an hour. Looking at the DAS rules they only provide you with two fast passes a day. Hardly worth your time unless I’m reading this wrong.
Again, DAS is not for mobility issues.
If a wheelchair or other mobility device makes it possible for you to be able to wait in lines, you are requested to do so or pay for Genie+. DAS works similarly to Genie+. You have 2 pre-booked attractions per day PLUS being able to book DAS passes during the day. Each pass must be at least as far in the future as the standby time (enforced through the app), and then you also need to wait through the lightning lane in most cases. If you are truly unable to handle the lightning lane you may speak to the attendant and be let in through the exit, but that is only in rare cases. You apply for the pass either online or onsite by describing how your disability prevents you from standing in lines. During the wait for your pass, you are also permitted to stand in a standby line if you wish. For instance, if Seven Dwarfs Mine Train gives you a 2 hour return time and you want to ride the teacups (which has a line short enough for you to endure) while waiting, you are allowed to do that.
My better half has had hip and knee surgery. And now has back problems.
WDW has changed their DAS policy.
They now insist that not being able to stand or walk doesn’t qualify.
Makes it difficult for us to visit WDW.
DAS has not been for mobility issues for some years. There are separate services for this. DAS is for those who have difficulty waiting in conventional queues, it is not a line skip.
This is interesting. We originally became DVC members because our sons (young at the time) clearly suffered from sensory overload in the resort food courts; having a quiet condo worked so much better for them. However, neither has an official diagnosis, and neither has ever used any special services at WDW. Now I’m the one with special needs; I’m a cancer patient currently in chemo. We went to Disney in October, and before going, we discussed getting DAS access and a wheelchair for me as just-in-case aids. Ultimately, we did neither. I was able to walk a lot without assistance. Regarding rides, we just skipped the ones with long lines that we didn’t want to tackle. Unfortunately, we missed a lot of rides, but we’ve done them before, and there’ll be other chances in the future.
Genuine, thoughtful and kind, empathetic with reason and compassion. Best blogger ever!
Consistency. Predictability. Stability. Buzzwords for my ASD/ADHD kiddo who lives and breathes Disney. I was scared to read the comments, as my son presents “normal”….until he doesn’t and that is when self-harm, yelling, etc. happens. I was pleased to see the comments. Should have known your readers would be rad.
My son is an example of someone who has an invisible disability. He is a sensory seeker and loves GOTG Cosmic Rewind- all of that commotion at once calms him down. Going through the two preshows and then the claustrophobic feed into one line almost makes it unbearable for him.
I know of two people in my life who abuse the system. I can say that with 100% certainty. One feels they are entitled. One is just lying to himself and justifies. It is a bummer to see this with people I know (one is a family member). I agree with an increase of diagnoses as well as an increase of individuals who are not hiding their disabilities anymore, however we all know that there is a fair share of the gaming. Like you said: two things can be true at the same time.
Admittedly I am nervous for an overhaul, considering the previous system was much different- and I admit was an advantage for us. The current system seems fair- you wait as long as others, albeit not in the same standby. Mind you, it is not “walk on”, as there are still some significant waits which are difficult for our son (GOTG, Test Track, for example).
Universal now utilizes a centralized system (IBCCES). I know some people were very disappointed because of PHI disclosure to gain access. I understand that perspective, but personally do not share it. When applying and receiving the benefit, we felt it was handled with discretion and compassion. I do wonder why Disney does not use the protective veil of a theme park association as well to implement a standardized service.
I noticed that DAS is not on here a lot like you said and thank you for explaining why. On the other hand, look at the traction here with the topic! Of course without any exception my husband and I would trade my son’s experiences.
DTB is my go-to for DLR and WDW. I let others know that this site is all you need. You were the first to note when “slow” seasons were not slow anymore -back like 5 years ago you said Feb is not slow anymore and my family demanded otherwise…until we went then! You use your voice for fun (love your references from The Office and Arrested Development), levity and sensitivity. Thank you.
I guess this move would have been harder to pull off if Guano Joe were still around…
Many autistic children are like our son was: He could tolerate long lines some days, and on other days he could not.
Although we eventually stopped using DAS completely, it is not at all surprising to me that the DAS is much more heavily used on crowded days.
Think this is pretty logical. If the park is quiet, autistic children and parents will be under less stress so things will be easier. Also, children are more likely to attend on busy days, weekend, holidays, so by volume there will be more DAS users on a Saturday than a Wednesday, say.
Great article! Sadly, lose-lose situation. It’s the same problem with handicap placards – do some _clearly_ need the accommodation? Yes. Is there a lot of abuse? Yes. Are there levels of abuse that make it difficult to enforce? Yes!
How do we fix that? Government intervention is probably required but _how_ do we construct a more caring, equitable system? Not every disability needs the same kind of accommodation.
It is opaque to me how we could build verifiability into the system where the disability is non-obvious and individuals and/or medical professionals are willing to commit fraud. That is the toughest part for me, until those with disabilities get fed up with more widespread abuse, I doubt we’ll see change.
There is some low-hanging fruit but like handicap placards, my impression is that those people who discover how easy it is to cheat the system are absolutely willing to continue to put in the effort to ‘get what they deserve.’
Invisible disabilities apply to handicapped placards as well. On some days, my daughter needs her wheelchair. On other days, she does not. But sometimes she insists on walking and has an “episode” where her legs give out, and there is little warning when that will happen. I will try never to park in a disability spot when that is not the need of the day. But I can’t carry a 120 lb teenager to the car by myself, either.
Hello, I have a 14 year old autistic boy with severe intellectual disability. The only vacation we are comfortable going to is Disney World.I sent my request for das with written proof from his psychiatrist and my boy is authorized for his entire life in the program.I can’t imagine taking away the magic of Disney from other tourists, leaving my boy to wait in a normal line would be hell for everyone.Disney is very sensitive to the cause of autistic people and the das is perfectly designed to welcome us.Without das , I couldn’t travel to Disney.I use Google translate, because I am French speaking
Disney make a point of NOT asking for medical information regarding a DAS. The cast member only wants to know how you benefit from the DAS and why normal lines/ queues are challenging. They proactively discouraged us from disclosing medical details. They also last 60 days.
Yes you are right. Disney does not ask for any documents. But, when I wrote to Disney DAS and we received this lifetime authorization, I was very relieved. Very very few places are so inviting to the cause of autism.
It is excellent for your family they were so helpful. We had it for our trip last year and it was really helpful. My main concern is requiring documents would not be possible for every family. In some places the journey is very long to formal diagnosis/ you do not get a document that could be used, particularly in the specific way Universal request now.
How many people can get in a ride line with a person with a disability?
Disney allows up to 6 other people in your party.
the person with the disability must be present. which for us presented a problem because I would be 99% of the time with my 4yo twins while daddy would be with my oldest riding rides etc. so we ended up getting the das for two of our boys both who are autistic just different needs. one who standing in line for long periods is very stressful, painful and difficult and the other who would run off easily if we didn’t have a stroller as a wheelchair tag.
6 and that’s wayyy to many. If you need das why do you need to carry 5 ppl in your pass? What 2 or 1 isn’t sufficient? If you are the one getting das you be more inclined to get it as it gets you 5+ ppl. That needs to change. You and only you have the issue and you don’t need your entire family on it. I said what I said.
The pass holder could be a young child or a frail senior who will need accompanied in any case. So what use would them having the pass be if they can’t use any attractions by themselves anyway?
I’m actually quite inclined to agree with you that 6 is generally a large group size for one pass holder but I have enough humility to know there could be a family of 5 or 6 out there in desperate need of it to prove me wrong.
Because Disney understands that families want to ride together. My son can’t ride with his brothers because he needs DAS? It’s not a free pass to ride on any ride whenever you want to. It’s a fast pass. You have to come back at an assigned time and then wait in the lightning lane line. We don’t get escorted to the front of the line. If our son doesn’t want to ride a ride, we wait in the regular line like everybody else. Yes there are abusers of the system and it stinks but you can’t punish the people that really need it by separating them from their family to ride rides.
This comment is more for the James who replied below, but does not have a reply under their comment. I was diagnosed with brain cancer in September of 2022. Had an awake craniotomy, radiation, and am still going through chemotherapy. We decided to take the kids to WDW September of 23, as I was still feeling as decent as possible during chemo. It was me, my husband, and my 5 kids. My youngest is 2, so she didn’t need it. I was usually able to handle about 1 ride a day I would use my pass on. Usually, my husband would stay with the 2 year old and I’d have the other 4 with me when it was time to ride. So yes- by all means- say what you say. But I was able to give my kids a memory of being with their mom while she still remembered their name and was still able to handle a ride a day. I’d gladly change positions with anyone who could tell me I can wait in line 90 minutes in 10 years with my littles.
@Krista Penning
“6 and that’s wayyy to many. If you need das why do you need to carry 5 ppl in your pass? What 2 or 1 isn’t sufficient? If you are the one getting das you be more inclined to get it as it gets you 5+ ppl. That needs to change. You and only you have the issue and you don’t need your entire family on it. I said what I said.”
So you think the holder of the DAS and maybe one other person ride together while the rest of the party rides separately? Is that what you’re saying here? I am really trying to understand how you justify splitting up families like that, and how does that benefit anyone?
I’m touched by everyone’s willingness to share their family stories. I wish all park guests could read these comments as a reminder to be less judgmental of other people. I’m curious about the system. If I understand this correctly, DAS is like a virtual queue – people get a return time and can avoid physically waiting in line, which sounds like a great solution for those that need extra help. If that’s the system, it seems like the abuse would be if someone got in a virtual queue and also a physical queue – they can wait in two lines at the same time. Is that the core of the problem? I might be a bit slow on the uptake, but that seems solvable with some technology.
The problem is that it can be ‘gamed’ to act like a fast pass ‘light’, ie. free Genie + for those willing to obtain the pass and do the planning. ie. ride reservations without cost, allowing you to fill the gaps with quiet attractions knowing you’ve saved a place in the queue. Tom’s piece is suggesting some are layering this yet further by taking customers of their charged ‘tour’ service as their phoney DAS companions- free to them yet profitable and advantageous. Sorry if I’ve been too blunt…
A family member is (currently) eligible for DAS and we certainly do not take this for granted. I remind them to be patient and appreciative when we head to Guest Services to speak to a CM to add the pass and that GS HAVE to be careful in who they give it to – it’s their job on the line potentially. (We carry a medical note on the issue as its not an obvious physical disability).
Abuses of the DAS are putting those at risk who genuinely need it, and the CM’s who are responsible for issuing it.
Tom, I compliment you on your style and your ability to write about some of the more delicate and sometimes controversial issues. I wish I had your ability to be direct in your thoughts while being thoughtful and delicate in your approach. As a step father of an autistic child, we have used the DAS when he travels with us. Crowds, load noises, and a long wait can turn a normally peaceful young man into a cantankerous mess without much warning. He can’t easily express having a headache, fatigue, hurting feet, etc. DAS is a great help and relief. And lastly, you are right, we all would love our son to not need a DAS. It would be amazing if he could experience a date, a walk on the beach with a girlfriend, driving a car to a place he wants to go, and having a life where he makes his own decisions. Getting a return time to ride Peter Pan is such a little thing in the grand scheme of things and I can’t imagine anyone wanting to trade places with him or my wife and I over a lightning lane access.
Beautifully said <3
My adult son has several disabilities and uses the DAS service. We didn’t know about it for many years. Once we found out it was life changing for him. Like others I would be overjoyed if he didn’t have the issues he has and he was a “normal” kid that could use the regular lines without issue. It’s appalling the rampant abuse we see, we’ve overheard other people talk about it (how to obtain a DAS) and have even had to set people we know straight learning they’ve taken trips to Disney and bragged they got a DAS! Disgusting… I am all for a crack down for DAS service and hope they do something soon. It’s too easy and anyone can obtain one easily. Universal just started using a 3rd party for their disability accommodations and while it’s been a few hoops to jump through it should weed out a lot of illegitimate use for their disability services. I hope Disney is watching and going to take action soon.
The thing that has really changed is the “entitlement attitude” that is pervasive today. The folkways and mores that provided “decency guardrails” have been replaced with entitlement and self-justification of broodish behaviors.
Courtesy and patience from many have largely disappeared. That is not to say I myself don’t get annoyed with the gaming of various systems (DAS included). One comment that resonated with me was MrNico’s comments on the mobility scooters. Laziness and entitlement are a potent combination (e.g. see MrNico’s mouth frothers demanding a popcorn bucket refill saving 99 cents comment – it satisfies a perverse need of some who come fully prepared to destroy themselves and their surroundings for that refill). Documentation to prove a DAS or other mobility need is a needed requirement to keep the program relevant and restricted to those who have a true need.
Fortunately, I am able to tune out these distractions and enjoy WDW and life in general. Disney with all of its warts is still a fun (albeit expensive) vacation destination. Now, where is that popcorn bucket …
Haha, yes that is the crux of many of our societal problems these days. A large fraction of millennials and to some extent Gen Zers have this sense of entitlement because their lives have been too easy, and everything handed to them with little effort. Tried to hire anyone lately, for basically any role?
Another issue is abuse of the service animal accommodations. I’ve seen so, so many dogs in the parks which are obviously NOT service animals. We love our dogs and would perform vicious acts on any who mess with them, but would not subject any of them to the crowds and noise in the parks. Cinderella would love the attention and try to Lab-lick every single person. Groot and Chakka, not so much. Groot would growl at everyone who came near us. Smeagul the beagle would be largely indifferent unless you had food or if there was loud noise, as she hates loud stuff. no, the girls stay at home. There’s no documentation system for service animals to prove what they are, and anyone can make or buy a vest claiming their pet is a service animal. I’ve joked about getting a beagle vest that says “Surface Animal” on it…
I hope Disney finds a considerate way to crack down on these abuses that doesn’t demean folks who need or want to legitimately use the system (ADA and HIPPA issues are tricky, and many foreign guests will not understand our laws, remember the Brazilian tour groups in the 90s?) while still weeding out the scofflaws causing the problems.
Disney has had a well-earned reputation for customer service which has degraded in recent years, but the base is still there. My one problem was almost a decade ago when after they had tightened up the security theater act in front of Epcot a security guard had set my Sony camera outside its protective case on a table and then carelessly knocked it off to the concrete, resulting in the loudest F-bomb uttered at Epcot (to my knowledge). Amazingly it still worked in spite of damage to the housing and screen and I could see it would likely work for the rest of the week. But when I went to guest relations, the CM there actually tried to talk me out of filing a claim for ‘just’ a $650 camera. Then their claims processor, who took too long to contact me, tried to lowball me on the value, citing those BS ads in camera magazines where they run the bait and switch tactics. In the end, I paid the extra $200 or so to upgrade to the newer model. But if the camera had been non-functional, we would’ve had problems right then and there!
MrNico,
I have never seen a millenial or GenZ throw a fit at customer service workers the way I have seen many boomers do because their order was just a minute slower during a rush or something inconsequential got missed.
How much student loan debt did you walk away from college with?
Haha, I’ve seen a few ‘boomers’ have tantrums too. I’ll admit us GenXers had it a little easier than them, but nothing like these kids now. If a worker is slow because they are playing with their phone or joking around, then a customer is right to be irritable. With food orders, especially considering all of the allergies folks seem to have these days, nothing is inconsequential to the person who might get sick from eating something. It’s your job to get it right, rush or not.
I had zero student loan debt because I worked to get scholarships and was smart enough not to take out loans just because they were so easy to get. I worked all through college and paid for my books and such myself. If you have student debt, that was your choice,and you need to pay it off as you agreed to. But that’s irrelevant wrt WDW trips and the foibles of humanity in large crowds. Why would you even bring that up?
Monica I feel like you and I could have a cold adult beverage together! I agree with everything you’re saying, and also question how student loan debt even remotely has anything to do with this DAS conversation.
It is very sad to see how many people have visible and invisible disabilities. DAS is a good tool for the folks that need to utilize it. I think Tom did a great walking a razors edge to discuss it. I personally have no issue with the proper use. The user does not get a free pass to skip to the front of the line. Their given time to return, then utilize the lightning lane (which at times has a good wait to it). The vast majority of comments on here are all very similar in that they agree that the abusers need to be weeded out, while the users that have a qualifying condition continue to receive the passes. The tricky part is figuring out a legal way to go about it. The 3rd party tour guides were low hanging fruit that I believe mostly didn’t abuse the system, but the DAS issues gave Disney the cover to address the issue of privately monetizing Disneys product. Kind of a two birds one stone scenario. I don’t have a viable solution for them, if I did I would be working for them.
On another topic that was mentioned in here, I believe we can all agree that the roving renegade electric scooter gangs have gotten out of hand at the parks and needs to be addressed. Tom you should write an article on that! That would be a great read and I think the comment section would be wild! lol
Hey @Jay, always up for happy drinks! There’s been a lot more bad behavior all around in the parks in recent years. A nice hearty Guinness helps you just smile and go with the flow…
I will tell everyone though, the I Lava You float in Adventureland is frigging delicious! If they’d just float a little Bacardi Anejo over it, we’d be set.
Mrnico not Monica! Autocorrect…..
My son was diagnosed with T1D when we started our APs. We had no clue what DAS was until his endocrinologist suggested it. We took Dr ‘s notes and medical records to prove his need for DAS. Disney took us for our word rhat our son could possibly experience frequent lows while waiting in a long line. DAS doesn’t allow him to skip lines but to wait elsewhere for the same posted standby time as other guests. My son would gladly trade spots with a guest in a regular line for his pump, glucose monitor, and limited carb intake. I’m hoping DAS will still be available for him. If all else fails, they can check his supply bag or he can lift his shirt to
Show his pump and Dexcom as proof that he’s not abusing the system.
Tom, congrats on your little blessing!! Oh how your Disney trips will change – and be so much more fun in a few years, watching the joy in your child’s eyes!
Thank you for writing this piece. I would be fine if Disney made it harder to get DAS. There will always be people who will find a way to abuse any system, but a little more control might help to trim the increasing size of the ‘fast’ lane.
My husband has a disability and after our first trip with our three children in 2019, it was apparent we wouldn’t likely return, until a Disney rep told us about DAS. We went back in early December 2021, and it was so much better and appreciated! The dirty looks—we got a few, but those are the people who most likely can’t get through their day without complaining about everything and feeling like victims. I suggest ignoring them, or smiling really big at them.
We also purchased Genie plus and lightning lanes to maximize our time, and I realize this may be a bit over the top and unnecessary….but it made for a more magical time!!! And the kids and I used these when my husband needed to rest.
I love reading your tips, info and stories! Thank you!
” 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.”
This right here. Brought tears to my eyes. My husband has such extreme anxiety and issues with overstimulation due to large crowds and noise levels that we have left both Christmas & Halloween Parties. And removing ourselves from Flight of Passage line moments before boarding due to panic attack. I myself have very similar issues that can result in panic attacks. I promise you that both of us would gladly trade these issues to be able and endure the normality of the stand-by lane. We wouldn’t trade places in a second, it would take less time than that.
Thank you for pointing that out and recognizing it. I worry about people that abuse the system. I have been told if it causes you such distress why even bother. For all the crowds, the costs, the planning it is still a place where I can forget about the everyday tedium of life and embrace joy. And even more importantly, the joy that I see on my husband. One example is that regarding the teacups.
The look of pure joy/excitement mixed with mischievousness on my husband’s face as he twirls us around on the teacups as fast as he can is the greatest memory and experience of my life. The world is a crazy place with messed up things all around us and to see someone who is a sensitive soul relax and experience unhindered joy is…somewhat indescribable. For those few minutes I see no worries, no dark thoughts, nothing but happiness and it is the best thing ever.
Without the valid use of DAS, we would not be able to share this experience and the world would not get to share in that moment of light that shines from him at that moment.
I am sorry to ramble. Your statement just really hit me hard. Most people would do anything to make their loved one happy and the teacups do it for my husband.
I really enjoyed reading your story. It touched my heart. There is definitely truth in seeing a loved one experience happiness when the world has put so much on their shoulders to deal with. This is what I love about Disney. They show great compassion by allowing their DAS guests to feel whole. Many prayers that you and your husband can share many more magical teacup rides together.
All I got to say IBCCESS!!!! Universe did it!
I’ve been using the service for 3 years. Could not go to the parks without it. If I were to lose the privilege I could not go. It would be a sad day. Tom it sounds to me you might have some solutions. You should make them known to your inside “connections”. Congrats on the little one. God Bless