DAS changes coming WDW May 20/ DL June 18, 2024

[Tatebeck]

Under ADA, they are not different. Theme parks are considered public places and are required to accommodate.

They ARE different, which is why they are under different titles of the ADA. Title I vs Title III. They are treated separately

 

[dreamer17555]

I understand the idea the Disney has tons of lawyers who vetted this but I honestly am surprised that they went with the PR release that they choose.

After years and years of Disney being strictly it is about the needs not the diagnosis, for them to list a diagnosis as a qualifying example is mind blowing to me as well as state out loud it was intended for developmental delays. They likely sat on this release and workshopped it and that was the best they could come up with?

I think the first part- Only online, health care professional assistant, 120 days etc and then a line about "Moving forward we hope to offer accommodations that better suit the needs of our guests instead of a blanket approach. We are looking for new ways to address concerns that allows our guests to still experience the standard queue while having their needs taken into consideration. We understand some guests needs will not be fulfilled by this so we will offer other solutions and tailor our approach on a case by case basis with health care works there to guide our cast members to ensure the best solution" would have been wiser.

Listing a qualifying diagnosis and then mentioning a return to line pass with no details was just unwise.

Also the "immediate family" line is interesting and seems to have been removed now from the website. I am not even sure they want to get into the mess that is. I personally don't love the new limits. So many WDW onsite rooms sleep 5 that seems like a more natural cut point. Family suites I know can sleep more and I am not even going to wade into DVC.

 

[mercuryvenus]

They ARE different, which is why they are under different titles of the ADA. Title I vs Title III. They are treated separately

Show me where theme parks aren’t required to accommodate.

 

[Princesca]

We didn’t know about DAS until last year (we thought it was for kids in wheelchairs) and we’ve been going for over a decade. Our DD4 has been 4 times. Her speech therapist told us she would qualify last year given her sudden elopement and sensory issues (identified when she was 2, but she was in a baby carrier).

We had this issue with our son, which is why we initially started looking into DAS. In the end, my wife decided to apply for DAS, since she had a diagnosis and he didn't, yet, and we solved his issues (for now) with a tag on his stroller so we could buckle him in and keep him in line. That stroller tag was a life changer, even though we got challenged on it a lot by CMs. It got to where as soon as we got in line I'd check to make sure the tag was visible and hadn't dropped down to where it couldn't be seen, and that seemed to help.

 

[Tatebeck]

Show me where theme parks aren’t required to accommodate.

That's not what I said...

 

[mercuryvenus]

That's not what I said...

So then what are you trying to say? At the end of the day, theme parks fall under ADA, regardless of what part of ADA they’re in.

 

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

So if you’re holding DAS for a popular ride and there’s a ride with no wait, you can’t go into the standby line? How will enforcement of that work? They’d have to scan everyone in at the standby line entrance to check if you have a pending DAS.

I'm confused by this too. No issue at all with eliminating the pre-selected attractions. But I don't understand why I shouldn't be able to go into a 5-15 min standby line for an attraction while waiting for the DAS attraction. I don't see how that's impacting anyone or abusing DAS. Can someone please explain this?

 

[PrincessNelly]

Disney is required to provide reasonable accommodations for access to attractions. It's not required to accommodate unreasonable expectations. I don't see why a theme park located in a humid, subtropical climate should provide an environment where guests aren't exposed to heat. Guests voluntarily make the choice to visit a theme park located in Florida. If someone has a condition where they can't be exposed to cold, should they expect a ski resort to accommodate that?

Something I have noticed while reading this thread is that many travel parties have multiple individuals with a condition/disability (e.g. I won't qualify anymore but 2 other people in my travel party will qualify). I think this highlights the issue of how prevalent disabilities/conditions are. What is the answer then? There is no physical/financial way for Disney to provide reduced waits for every single party that identifies as having an issue.

I think the often parroted claim that DAS users are waiting the same amount of time (or more) than non-DAS users needs to be toned down. Non-DAS users are not waiting in line as soon as they enter the park and while walking to the attraction. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line while eating or meeting a character. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line for Slinky Dog Dash while they ride Rise of the Resistance. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line while they return to the resort for a nap or a swim break. I'm not saying this shouldn't be in place, but I don't think it's honest to say the "waits" are equivalent.

I can't speak for everyone else. But I spend half my time in the parks... in the bathroom.
So yes, I'm not waiting in the same line as you... But I'm spending my time stuck in a bathroom, not ride hoping all day.

Please don't confuse those of us needing DAS with people who used it to ride hop.

 

[Smugpugmug]

No, no, if you're a solo traveler then why would you ever need a DAS. I mean you're well enough to travel alone- that must mean you don't need accomodations /s

Not even just solo, but also couples. I was hoping my partner to come along with me on this trip next year and now I'm having to imagine them just consistently circling me like some sort of sheepdog to 'get people away from you.' A rather amusing image but also - no.

I think ultimately we're going to have to wait on stories of people applying and hearing what Disney has to say. Or until they actually update on what standing in line means.

I realize for my mother in particular none of what Disney recommends will help at all regarding her condition. Nor will return the line. Imagine getting pass a hundred people when you're already dealing with heat and exhaustion problems - and having to do so in a wheelchair/ECV/walker [whichever she wants to use this time].

Was honestly waiting for someone to reply to my post with the bolded /s

I know this was mentioned by many people but some of the queues are so tight that there is no way an ECV can even get through. My mind goes to the Fantasyland queues that were built back in the 70s as an example.

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

I can navigate the parks and resorts at WDW with my worn and torn middle aged body pretty well. I can stand by to ride any attraction, get food, and toilet myself. This simply isn't true for everyone.

Equal access doesn't mean equal accomodations. If the parks are really busy and I get on 5 rides all day, anyone with a disability should have accomodations that allow them to get on 5 rides that day, too.

If that means I wait 5-10 more minutes in a 60 minute queue for a person living with any disabilities that don't allow them to safely wait in line to get what I get because my mind and body work typically, so be it. I don't care if that person is sitting quietly in a cool dark place or riding iasw 10 times while I stand in line. It's just not my concern, savvy?

I sincerely hope this is all much ado about nothing and gets sorted soon.

 

[Gentry2004]

According to the Disney website: DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.

There is no mention of immediate family, so I'm not sure where that is coming from.

Also, another change I noticed on the website that's new to me (I haven't read this entire thread) is: The Guest may obtain another return time for the same or different attraction 10 minutes after they redeem a return time.

When we last used DAS, we were able to select a new attraction as soon as we scanned into the current one. Now it sounds like we have to wait 10 min. Not a big deal for us, but a change AFAIK.

This is interesting and I don't think has been discussed yet. It solves the issue of effectively waiting in two DAS queues at the same time, after you have tapped in, but before you have ridden. Although in reality they should make the waiting period 15-20 minutes if that is their intent, given the typical length of LL and the attraction itself. Splash alone is 8 minutes long. Rise is long too, etc.

 

[Gentry2004]

I'm confused by this too. No issue at all with eliminating the pre-selected attractions. But I don't understand why I shouldn't be able to go into a 5-15 min standby line for an attraction while waiting for the DAS attraction. I don't see how that's impacting anyone or abusing DAS. Can someone please explain this?

We have been DAS users (doubt we will still qualify) but I think its pretty easy to understand the objection. Non-DAS users in line for, say Rise of the Resistance, cannot also go ride Star Tours while they are waiting. DAS users can. Its a preferential feature of the accommodation, rather than "equal" access.

 

[Tatebeck]

So then what are you trying to say? At the end of the day, theme parks fall under ADA, regardless of what part of ADA they’re in.

Like I said they are required to accommodate by changing their policies and procedures to allow disabled people to do what they need to do, not to do it for them.

From the ADA website under title III:

"A business does not need to modify a policy if it would fundamentally alter the nature of the business’s goods or services.
What does fundamentally alter mean?
A fundamental alteration would be something that causes a change in the essential nature of your business. For example, a clothing store is not required to provide dressing assistance for a customer with a disability if this is not a service provided to other customers."

So, f they do not provide cooling vests to guests in their regular line of business, they do not have to provide one for accommodation. They would probably have to allow use of one for a disability if you brought your own.

 

[mercuryvenus]

We have been DAS users (doubt we will still qualify) but I think its pretty easy to understand the objection. Non-DAS users in line for, say Rise of the Resistance, cannot also go ride Star Tours while they are waiting. DAS users can. Its a preferential feature of the accommodation, rather than "equal" access.

Ok, but how would they enforce stopping that? They’d have to scan everyone in at the standby line entrance for every single ride, to check for pending DAS reservations.

 

[Princesca]

I'm confused by this too. No issue at all with eliminating the pre-selected attractions. But I don't understand why I shouldn't be able to go into a 5-15 min standby line for an attraction while waiting for the DAS attraction. I don't see how that's impacting anyone or abusing DAS. Can someone please explain this?

I'm pretty sure the Disney website says you CAN do exactly this:

"Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping."

 

[Gentry2004]

Ok, but how would they enforce stopping that? They’d have to scan everyone in at the standby line entrance for every single ride, to check for pending DAS reservations.

They can't enforce it and I didn't say otherwise. I was replying to the poster asking someone to explain the objection. I explained it.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Like I said they are required to accommodate by changing their policies and procedures to allow disabled people to do what they need to do, not to do it for them.

From the ADA website under title III:

"A business does not need to modify a policy if it would fundamentally alter the nature of the business’s goods or services.
What does fundamentally alter mean?
A fundamental alteration would be something that causes a change in the essential nature of your business. For example, a clothing store is not required to provide dressing assistance for a customer with a disability if this is not a service provided to other customers."

So, f they do not provide cooling vests to guests in their regular line of business, they do not have to provide one for accommodation. They would probably have to allow use of one for a disability if you brought your own.

That’s not how it works. The cooling vest is necessary if it helps someone experience the parks like everyone else.

The fundamental operation thing is about not having to provide accommodations that disrupt the operation. So they don’t have to provide cooling vests if doing so disrupts operations.

It’s not saying they don’t have to provide anything they wouldn’t normally provide. If that were the case, then they wouldn’t have to put in ramps or really do anything for people with disabilities.

 

[KCO5988]

I'm confused by this too. No issue at all with eliminating the pre-selected attractions. But I don't understand why I shouldn't be able to go into a 5-15 min standby line for an attraction while waiting for the DAS attraction. I don't see how that's impacting anyone or abusing DAS. Can someone please explain this?

I don't think it can be considered "abusing" DAS since Disney says you can do this in the explanation of DAS. But it sure as heck makes it more attractive to those want to abuse it. You're basically waiting in two lines at once and could theoretically get more rides done quicker.

 

[Tatebeck]

If it's true that they can track your phone/magicband as well as they say, then they will know if you go on another ride while waiting on a DAS time

 

[HerzerHerrick]

Not saying it doesn't apply, but what I said was it is not really enforceable as there is so much wiggle room in the wording. Law does apply, but it is hard to enforce.

That’s not true. ADA applies to theme parks.

The issue of fitting on a ride is different because accommodating someone like that compromises the safe operation of the ride.

Disney is legally required to do what is necessary to ensure disabled guests can access the rides with the same experience as everyone else, so long as that accommodation doesn’t compromise the operation of the ride or the theme park itself.

That’s why they have to put ramps into the ride building. They have to help people on scooters get onto the ride. And similarly, they have to make sure people don’t get sick during the wait time. It’s all the same legal requirement.

That’s not true. ADA applies to theme parks.

The issue of fitting on a ride is different because accommodating someone like that compromises the safe operation of the ride.

Disney is legally required to do what is necessary to ensure disabled guests can access the rides with the same experience as everyone else, so long as that accommodation doesn’t compromise the operation of the ride or the theme park itself.

That’s why they have to put ramps into the ride building. They have to help people on scooters get onto the ride. And similarly, they have to make sure people don’t get sick during the wait time. It’s all the same legal require