Change in DAS at Disneyland

[onlyholly]

It very well could for me. But what about all the other people with bathroom issues? I'm not the only one who can't wait in long lines due to a bathroom related medical disability. The fact is both disabilities make waiting in a typical line impossible for 1 person, not the whole family. So why are those with bathroom disabilities being singled out and told they can't wait outside of the line with their whole family, but those with autism can wait with their whole family.
I do understand the impact of autism on families and traveling, I have a son on the spectrum.

I applaud your perseverance in replying to the many posts above from people who have no medical knowledge of your condition (UC) - who think they know best with regards to you needing/applying for a DAS Pass. UC and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, is a complex condition that only someone who has it, someone close to them who has it or medically qualified person in that field, can determine what is best for you. No two people with the same condition experience the exact same symptoms hence why it’s a disease that is under a specially trained team and not your local Doctor/General Practitioner - even if you need to go to A&E in an emergency situation they have no clue how to deal with the condition and a specialists has to be contacted or called in.

Those, questioning, speculating, making assumptions, giving opinions etc is not a qualification to say if a medically disabled person is entitled to an accessibility pass or not. Too many people on here putting their two pence worth in where it doesn’t concern them. Leave it to the organisation (whoever they may be) to decides who qualifies for an accessibility pass.

 

[jo-jo]

I would gladly take going on rides multiple times myself actually that's one of the reasons Genie+/ILL is a bummer, at least with MP, Legacy FP and FP+ you could ride multiple times by just selecting the attraction again should the attraction/time be available. But what about that means your husband needs to use DAS more than before? Because DAS is need based, you are in essence saying you need to be able to ride multiple times when no one gets that opportunity unless they pay for it. Without any hint of being disrespectful that could make a case on an abuse of the DAS system ethically speaking and would be an example of an increase in DAS usage without the true need for it. Is riding a ride more than once a legitimate need? Like I said I'd like to ride multiple times myself like the olden days and not have to pay for it

I wasn't asking why there would be more users as I think most of us can hypothesize why, I was just rebutting the "internet makes it seem like there's a lot of abuse" because while I can only give one CM's perspective I do trust his experience working in the parks day in and day out.

Yeah, I wish genie had something 10 ride limit per day and you choose. If you want to ride something like the old FP rules. So space mountain 10 times or buzz 10 times if you want. For my shorter grandkids , buying genie made no sense since they couldn't go on the "big " rides.

 

[Genie+]

I don't even know if there are like cast member bathrooms they could potential use to accommodate that type of emergency but maybe that would be a better accommodation

FoP put a bathroom in for the queue a year or so after opening. RotR put in a bathroom from the start. I think this could become more common.

 

[jo-jo]

The cost of Genie+ also fueled the fakers I'm sure - I also wish they would get rid of the advance selections as people are already using the online system... That incentive isn't needed anymore.

I do like the knowing you would get or not get DAS before the trip. If my DH didn't get it, we'd probably not go. He wouldn't want to take the chance of being stuck in line and I'm not leaving him to sit, while I go into an hour long wait.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I applaud your perseverance in replying to the many posts above from people who have no medical knowledge of your condition (UC) - who think they know best with regards to you needing/applying for a DAS Pass. UC and other Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, is a complex condition that only someone who has it, someone close to them who has it or medically qualified person in that field, can determine what is best for you. No two people with the same condition experience the exact same symptoms hence why it’s a disease that is under a specially trained team and not your local Doctor/General Practitioner - even if you need to go to A&E in an emergency situation they have no clue how to deal with the condition and a specialists has to be contacted or called in.

Those, questioning, speculating, making assumptions, giving opinions etc is not a qualification to say if a medically disabled person is entitled to an accessibility pass or not. Too many people on here putting their two pence worth in where it doesn’t concern them. Leave it to the organisation (whoever they may be) to decides who qualifies for an accessibility pass.

Thank you for discounting my experience and my knowledge..and the person you are quoting hasn't used the DAS system in the past by their own words for their actual condition. They are only speaking about it in a hypothetical how they would feel. Please keep that in mind when you are chastising the rest of us.

Irrespective of that, it would be presumptuous to ignore other posters as well. Like it or not Disney is still presently making an accommodation for those, it just isn't the one they were used to having. We can all have sympathy towards that because the actual issue doesn't matter just that what was once a way to tour the parks may not be the same way. These threads are for people to share information as it comes about, that would include discussing how things are accommodated and could be accommodated. No one here is able to make the decision but you are telling people to not discuss it at all which isn't helpful to those needing to know how it's being handled.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

FoP put a bathroom in for the queue a year or so after opening. RotR put in a bathroom from the start. I think this could become more common.

I think for those with a situation that is frequent and unexpected bathroom trips they might benefit more from more than one bathroom along the way. Perhaps Disney could build more of those in the queues if that is feasible although not all queues is that possible, random off the top of my head example is it's a small world.

But it was actually something I almost mentioned on another comment. However, in terms of complaints from those that used to have DAS in the prior way that may not solve their feelings towards just being told to use the several bathrooms along the way even if that makes a good accommodation to their condition. Frankly I'd like more bathrooms myself instead of food or drink carts (like Navi has) but that's just because it's my luck that the water I'm drinking for hydration kicks in while I'm waiting in line but I am not attempting to compare conditions here just that we all probably could benefit from more bathrooms

 

[Dis Dragon]

FoP put a bathroom in for the queue a year or so after opening. RotR put in a bathroom from the start. I think this could become more common.

I've used the FoP bathroom a couple of times, it is a nice gesture - but the odds that a person that has urgency issues is in the right place at the right time isn't likely, ie you either have to climb over people to advance the line or work your way back through people. It's also a pain to re-enter the line after using these bathrooms, I got a lot of daggers as my party waited there for me. One time a cast member happened to be there to reintroduce people to the line, but I only saw them the once. I would rather have them then not, but all things being equal having to wait outside the queue line is most desirable for dealing with these situations.

 

[Genie+]

we all probably could benefit from more bathrooms

Absolutely! It would improve guest experience overall. Probably comes down to finding the real estate with access from the queue.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've used the FoP bathroom a couple of times, it is a nice gesture - but the odds that a person that has urgency issues is in the right place at the right time isn't likely, ie you either have to climb over people to advance the line or work your way back through people. It's also a pain to re-enter the line after using these bathrooms, I got a lot of daggers as my party waited there for me. One time a cast member happened to be there to reintroduce people to the line, but I only saw them the once. I would rather have them then not, but all things being equal having to wait outside the queue line is most desirable for dealing with these situations.

I remember reading the WDW thread where people were being told to just have someone save their place in line and that went over like you'd think with the people being told that. I'm not sure if WDW is adopting what is being mentioned here for DL though as WDW was mentioned months ago that they were going a different route for bathroom situations and I haven't kept up with the current rumblings on that.

 

[starlite_]

FoP put a bathroom in for the queue a year or so after opening. RotR put in a bathroom from the start. I think this could become more common.

Agree that we could all benefit from more bathrooms!

Maybe there are cast members bathrooms they can adapt for the older rides. At least those that tend to have 1 hr waits. I can imagine it would be possible for places like SM, Guardians, Indy, MMRR and RSR. Not so much for Fantasyland but then again, those rides are pretty easy to get out from and back in thru the exit.

 

[starlite_]

I'll do some math to show you where I'm coming from. I will be making a couple of assumptions.
1. DAS and the Bathroom Pass both work as intended and both times we board the ride at exactly 60 min.
2. My family tours the park as normal, which means we are together unless we are in the bathroom or in line for the bathroom.
3. I only have to make 1 run to the bathroom in either scenario.
4. DAS is obtained for my bathroom issues.
5 Assuming the bathroom pass is where you leave the line and rejoin your family on the loading platform.

I have a DAS and obtain a return time for RoRT, and we go off together, to wait for our return time. We find the nearest bathroom and we hang in that area. At the 15min mark I need to run to the bathroom. As in your example, above there is no line for the bathroom. I take 10min in the bathroom and rejoin my family. We finish our wait and return to RoRT, join the line, and board right at the 60min wait time that was posted when I obtained the return time.

Total time waited for the ride 60min.
Total time away from my family 10 min.

I obtain and bathroom pass and join the same 60min line for RoRT. Again at the 15 min mark I have to run to the bathroom. I take 10min in the bathroom and return to the ride to wait for my family to meet me on the loading platform. At the 60 min mark, I am reunited with my family on the loading platform and we board the ride.

Total time waited for the ride 60 min.
Total time away from my family 45min.
Total time in the bathroom 10min.

In both cases my whole family waits the 60 min. to board, just like anyone else with a DAS. We are together for 50min of that 60min wait, we just wait outside of the actual queue. With the bathroom pass we are only together for 15mins of the 60min wait. The remaining 45 min, my family is in the actual queue and I am waiting somewhere else. Of those 45 min, only 10 are spent with me in the bathroom. So I am separated from my family for an additional 35 mins with the bathroom pass that doesn't happen with the DAS. While 35 mins may not seem like a lot of time, that is just for 1 ride. The additional time spent away from my family increases each time I have to use the bathroom pass. Over the course of a week long vacation that can add up to a significant amount of time away from my family that those with the DAS don't have to experience.

I can see where you are coming from if the line is indeed a 60 min line where rejoining the fam in the queue is difficult. Which there are few of at DLR. Not so much for shorter lines/outside queues.

At the end of the day, I hope that whatever Disney ends up doing for bathroom issues works out for your family even if it's not your preferred accommodation.

 

[onlyholly]

Thank you for discounting my experience and my knowledge..and the person you are quoting hasn't used the DAS system in the past by their own words for their actual condition. They are only speaking about it in a hypothetical how they would feel. Please keep that in mind when you are chastising the rest of us.

Irrespective of that, it would be presumptuous to ignore other posters as well. Like it or not Disney is still presently making an accommodation for those, it just isn't the one they were used to having. We can all have sympathy towards that because the actual issue doesn't matter just that what was once a way to tour the parks may not be the same way. These threads are for people to share information as it comes about, that would include discussing how things are accommodated and could be accommodated. No one here is able to make the decision but you are telling people to not discuss it at all which isn't helpful to those needing to know how it's being handled.

I was not discounting your experience or knowledge, I was referring to posters that were being judgemental and not having “Medical knowledge” on UC. Hypothetically or not, quizzing someone on their medical condition is not their place and was merely supporting the condition UC rather than RF536.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I was not discounting your experience or knowledge, I was referring to posters that were being judgemental and not having “Medical knowledge” on UC. Hypothetically or not, quizzing someone on their medical condition is not their place and was merely supporting the condition UC rather than RF536.

People aren't quizzing the poster on their condition, they are asking what about Disney's testing is incongruent for lack of a better term with their condition, because the poster you are quoting is more about waiting alone. That is not about their condition just a preference towards having someone with them (or not being away from their family). You're telling us the severity of UC while quoting a poster who has that but doesn't use DAS for it.

I haven't read a comment yet questioning the severity of one's bathroom issues, I have seen the wonderings of how would Disney opting to issue a bathroom pass not accommodate (not perfectly but there isn't one because as was said even with DAS it's a toss up) that particular situation where you could have frequent or unexpected need for a bathroom. If you are reading that to be judgmental we would have different impressions of how this thread has been, which is fair if that's how you're seeing it, but none the less different impressions.

 

[OurBigTrip]

People aren't quizzing the poster on their condition, they are asking what about Disney's testing is incongruent for lack of a better term with their condition, because the poster you are quoting is more about waiting alone. That is not about their condition just a preference towards having someone with them (or not being away from their family). You're telling us the severity of UC while quoting a poster who has that but doesn't use DAS for it.

I haven't read a comment yet questioning the severity of one's bathroom issues, I have seen the wonderings of how would Disney opting to issue a bathroom pass not accommodate (not perfectly but there isn't one because as was said even with DAS it's a toss up) that particular situation where you could have frequent or unexpected need for a bathroom. If you are reading that to be judgmental we would have different impressions of how this thread has been, which is fair if that's how you're seeing it, but none the less different impressions.

Exactly - a preferred accommodation v. an accommodation.

I think you hit on something I’ve been trying to express, but couldn’t figure out the right way.

Namely, the DAS is the best accommodation for guests whose disabilities manifest BECAUSE of the line, which is not the case for bathroom issues or some other disabilities.

 

[RF536]

People aren't quizzing the poster on their condition, they are asking what about Disney's testing is incongruent for lack of a better term with their condition, because the poster you are quoting is more about waiting alone. That is not about their condition just a preference towards having someone with them (or not being away from their family). You're telling us the severity of UC while quoting a poster who has that but doesn't use DAS for it.

Your correct, I haven't used the DAS for my UC because it has progressed since my last trip. I am now to the point I am spending more time in a flare than in remission. Your correct, I don't want to spend parts of my vacation separated from my family, but that is what will happen with this change. The fact is that with a bathroom pass the person will have to leave their family for the remainder of the time in line, be it 1 min or 35 min or more A person with autism does not leave their family and instead waits with their whole family in an alternative location.
This is not something I can pre-emptively use the bathroom for. It hits suddenly and fast, it doesn't matter if I went 1 min ago or 60 min ago. There is no telling when the need will hit again or how long between occurrences. When it hits it hits hard and there is no waiting. That is why I previously stated that some people use adult diapers because it is not uncommon to not be able to make it to the bathroom in time. Next time I go, that is a real possibility for me.
You act like it is strange that I don't want to have to wait by myself and lose family time due to a medical condition I have no more control over than a person with autism or any other number if issues covered by the current DAS system.
If Disney was to state tomorrow that DAS now only covers the person with the medical disability and 1 additional person, the rest of the group will have to wait in the standard line and they can all meet at the loading platform. How happy would you be?

 

[lanejudy]

A person with autism does not leave their family and instead waits with their whole family in an alternative location.

You are oversimplifying and viewing the situation only from your perspective. Using your example, a person with autism doesn't necessarily spend all that time with their family. A person with autism may need to go spend time in a quieter environment, might need to take a break from the park completely. The family (or all but someone to remain with a child) continues on with their park-going. Doing attractions without the person with autism. The DAS Return Time is essentially one attraction that the whole family may get to do together. It doesn't mean the whole family spends the majority of the day together.

Instead of "autism" substitute anxiety, PTSD, sensory, etc. Again, pretty much all of these "invisible" disabilities impact individuals in very different ways so how DAS works for that individual and their family will vary as well.

 

[RF536]

Exactly - a preferred accommodation v. an accommodation.

I think you hit on something I’ve been trying to express, but couldn’t figure out the right way.

Namely, the DAS is the best accommodation for guests whose disabilities manifest BECAUSE of the line, which is not the case for Can't There is no reason why the whole family needs to wait in the alternative location. Only the person with the medical condition and maybe 1 other person needs to wait in an alternative location. The rest of the family can wait in the standard line and they can all meet up on the loading platfrom.

Can't the same be said of the DAS when used for someone whose disabilities manifest BECAUSE of the line? What about disabilities that manifest BECAUSE of the line make it so the whole family needs to wait in the alternative location? Wouldn't the same result be achieved by allowing the person covered by the DAS and a caregiver to wait in an alternative location and rejoin the family on the loading platform. The person who has the medical issue BECAUSE of the line gets to avoid the line and has a caregiver with them. Those not medically needing the accommodation wait in the standard line.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Your correct, I haven't used the DAS for my UC because it has progressed since my last trip. I am now to the point I am spending more time in a flare than in remission. Your correct, I don't want to spend parts of my vacation separated from my family, but that is what will happen with this change. The fact is that with a bathroom pass the person will have to leave their family for the remainder of the time in line, be it 1 min or 35 min or more A person with autism does not leave their family and instead waits with their whole family in an alternative location.
This is not something I can pre-emptively use the bathroom for. It hits suddenly and fast, it doesn't matter if I went 1 min ago or 60 min ago. There is no telling when the need will hit again or how long between occurrences. When it hits it hits hard and there is no waiting. That is why I previously stated that some people use adult diapers because it is not uncommon to not be able to make it to the bathroom in time. Next time I go, that is a real possibility for me.
You act like it is strange that I don't want to have to wait by myself and lose family time due to a medical condition I have no more control over than a person with autism or any other number if issues covered by the current DAS system.
If Disney was to state tomorrow that DAS now only covers the person with the medical disability and 1 additional person, the rest of the group will have to wait in the standard line and they can all meet at the loading platform. How happy would you be?

No one here is acting like it's strange to want to be around family or your touring group. But you are arguing against being separated, saying they are treating you less deserving than autism, saying they are singling you out and that you would have family time taken away. As a Mod pointed out there are other situations where people are separating, and as I said you were thinking of just how this impacts you but not about others.

To repost what the Mod pointed out
"there already are a number of situations where that occurs. The fact that some accommodations do allow for the whole party is more an exception, though WDW does try to include the family when possible. A few off the top of my head:

• Reserved wheelchair/accessible sections for parades is one very common place where parties need to split -- and yes, often for an hour or more before those spots fill.
• Accessible ride vehicles -- many (most? all?) do not hold as many guests as a regular ride vehicle so the party needs to split to enjoy the attraction. This can include splitting from the party at some point in the queue and not meeting up again until after the ride.
• Wheelchair/ECV/accessible seating in theaters is limited to 1 companion seated beside and others in the party need to sit in a different row. Sometimes they can sit right in front of the wheelchair spot, but other times it is a couple of rows down and/or a few seats to the side.
• When using DAS -- depending on the individual's needs, often that person (or a child plus a parent) splits from the family. That may be to deal with disability-related needs, or to allow the rest of the family to do more attractions and the DAS-holder will only join for the occasional ride."

In a world where there are so many various situations it is impossible to please everyone, to get everyone to be happy and perfectly content. Posters over a variety of threads have discussed how they utilize DAS and in particular with autism it seems to be at least common enough for them to split parties especially when considering what attractions the person with autism is able to ride and/or considering how they were that particular day.

You asked if I would be happy if it was just 1 person in addition to the qualifying person on DAS well if you want my fully honesty here I wouldn't expect more than just the 1 person anyhow, but unless I needed physical or mental aid (such is the case were certain individuals with certain conditions) I wouldn't expect anyone to be allowed to come with me. But I am also coming from my own perspective that I often wait alone for my husband to come out of rides for the ones I don't ride, he is also riding alone. In this situation I'm still able to ride with my husband but I'm not guaranteed to be waiting with him, that doesn't bother me personally. But I can understand how that would not be the same for someone else, I do however think if Disney needed to even test this route something was up enough for them to do it.

 

[SPLzero]

Exactly - a preferred accommodation v. an accommodation.

I think you hit on something I’ve been trying to express, but couldn’t figure out the right way.

Namely, the DAS is the best accommodation for guests whose disabilities manifest BECAUSE of the line, which is not the case for bathroom issues or some other disabilities.

I'm pretty sure people have commented saying that DAS helps them because 1. They can wait by the bathrooms until their return time. 2. Someone mentioned anxiety if you are in a queue with no easy way out in time which they said anxiety could cause a snow ball effect. 3. They get a return time for 1pm and they are having issues lasting long than 1pm they are able to return any time after 1pm. 4. They get to stay with their family besides the time they are actually in the bathroom.

I dont know about you but If I had GI problems and I have to push through a line of people, talk with a CM about getting a bathroom pass, and making it to the bathroom. I dont think thats vary accommodating.

"Disability Access Service (DAS) is designed to accommodate Guests who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability"

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I dont know about you but If I had GI problems and I have to push through a line of people, talk with a CM about getting a bathroom pass, and making it to the bathroom. I dont think thats vary accommodating.

I may have been reading this incorrectly (and forgive me I haven't checked the WDW threads in a while on this subject with the new change) but it sounded like from the OP they would be issued a bathroom pass but not a DAS pass, this didn't sound like it would be talking to a CM at each attraction but a blanket pass provided on the person's account ahead of time to be shown to the CM at the other entrance to be used if the person had to leave the line. I'm not sure (and this is probably why people are hoping others chime in to give their experiences with this) if someone is needing to visit Guest Services upon their first visit of their trip to get the bathroom pass or if if for some a choice would be to just have it show up on their MDE account. Others may have better information there. But I didn't read it to mean they were needing to ask each and every CM to get the pass at each attraction. From the OP "we no longer give passes for that condition. She said she would issue me a "bathroom" pass and I would wait outside the line and meet my family in a holding area right before they were ready to board."

Like I mentioned (or I think I mentioned it) people were being told initially for WDW just to have someone save their place in line. Without pretending to have knowledge of everyone's situations I could see how for some the ability to more easily go to and from the bathroom with a different entrance is actually more accommodating depending on the attraction itself. Like for instance your issue arose, you left the line, you thought it was over so you then went to the CM to show them the bathroom pass and then it hit again, for some attractions could that separate area make it easier to go back to the bathroom instead of leaving the line the second time? That was initially what prompted me to ask the other poster about what they did before because I would imagine that someone has had a situation where they had to leave the line more than once