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

[Sprinkles&Sprints]

It's not nearly what will help my family have a safe/comfortable experience, but if any of you have seen a disabled person post about relying on Genie+ rather than DAS, I'd really love links. We won't know for at least a month the details of this change, so studying up on that will help my stress more than reading speculation will. I'll be reading about G+ for able bodied people in the meantime, but I'd love specific anecdotes about using it with disabilities!

Same. We are slated to go in June and have a feeling we'll be learning as we go for this trip.

 

[xipetotec]

It's not nearly what will help my family have a safe/comfortable experience, but if any of you have seen a disabled person post about relying on Genie+ rather than DAS, I'd really love links. We won't know for at least a month the details of this change, so studying up on that will help my stress more than reading speculation will. I'll be reading about G+ for able bodied people in the meantime, but I'd love specific anecdotes about using it with disabilities!

It's a terrible option. First off, Genie+ spots sell out quickly, ESPECIALLY for attractions with long wait times. Ending in needing to wait in line anyway for many of those rides. So for someone with a disability that doesn't work well with waiting in long lines, this option sucks. If you're on top of things, and get a really long wait attraction first thing in the morning, you might be able to at least get that done... but then it's a crap shoot depending on the day and how busy the park is.

 

[DisMommyTX]

My son has used DAS and it's precursors for 10+ years. I have heard the rhetoric blaming DAS for increased wait times, but I have seen no evidence of this. 90% of the time, the families immediately in front and behind us are NOT DAS, but VIP, rider swap, or LL/G+. (Easy to tell bc they scan differently.) I am sure some abuse is happening, but DAS is not the reason for 20+ minute LL waits, and whether we wait in the standby line, bathroom, or bench outside the LL entrance does not lengthen the standby wait time. They are making DAS the scapegoat for financially motivated decisions. A few of these changes are totally reasonable--like eliminating pre-booking, and 10 minute wait before rebooking. Others such as restricting which disabilities qualify and further limiting party size are cruel in ways they don't understand. Most of us who actually need DAS would be happy to provide all the medical documentation in the world if it would result in accommodations that actually work for our family, not cookie cutter boxes with arbitrary restrictions.

I would love to go back to the days when parks were open longer hours, and FP+ in the cooler, less crowded evenings meant we rarely needed to use the DAS or GAC. Unfortunately, Disney has done a great job of streamlining operations such that there are no longer slow times or walk-on rides. We have no choice but to use DAS far more than in the past. It really angers me that DAS users are being blamed for impacting the experience of other guests when Disney created these issues intentionally to increase profit.

Eta- As a stockholder I support the drive for profit. I just want this to be recognized as the financially motivated initiative it is intended rather than their false rhetoric of reducing abuse and improving the guest experience.

 

[Becky Mouse]

Here's a summary of the changes:

• The biggest change is DAS will now only be for guest with developmental disabilities (autism or similar) according to this language.
• Party sizes have now also been changed to a maximum of four guests or immediate family only.
• There will be a new "return to line" pass for folks that need to use the restroom in line. No details on this seem to be shared.
• WDW will no longer let folks apply in person and folks at Disneyland applying won't do it at Guest Services inside the park, in a new location in the esplanade.
• Health workers are now part of the decision making process when folks apply.

I am very happy about these changes. I have IBS-D. Like many people with medical conditions like this, sometimes I am just fine and have no issues for hours or days. Other times, I have an episode, and it lasts like 2 hours where I need constant access to a bathroom. It can hit me with very little warning.

I haven't ever tried to get DAS for this condition because I think it's overkill. I don't need to skip the lines all day every day. I think it's DAS abuse to get it for conditions like this and use it every day. HOWEVER, I have had episodes in line before where I just needed to leave. It happened to me once at the loading area of a ride! I couldn't ride and had to leave. Thankfully, they had a door right there. I left and used the restroom. The cast members let me right back into the loading area. It was wonderful.

I'm glad Disney is going to offer a line return option for people who have conditions like mine. That is the type of accommodation we need! We don't need to go in a LL for every ride. That's ridiculous. We just need to be able to leave sometimes and then return later, when our symptoms have improved again (sometimes a couple of hours later).

I look forward to hearing more details on this. I'm so happy for this change because I felt like DAS was not a good accommodation for my needs, but the ability to leave and return to the line absolutely is! Will it apply to anyone who needs to leave to use the restroom? Or, is this an accommodation I need to pre-plan for?

I'm so, so glad Disney is cracking down on the abuse and people using DAS when it's not the accommodation they really need for their disability.

 

[Disturbia]

It's not nearly what will help my family have a safe/comfortable experience, but if any of you have seen a disabled person post about relying on Genie+ rather than DAS, I'd really love links. We won't know for at least a month the details of this change, so studying up on that will help my stress more than reading speculation will. I'll be reading about G+ for able bodied people in the meantime, but I'd love specific anecdotes about using it with disabilities!

We didn’t know about DAS and did use Genie+ Dec 2022. It was ok but involved a lot of refreshing on my part. Our DD was in a carrier and when we took her out she would bump into people and had to be held. There was one person who gave us a death stare at MMRR (older person) and she thought we just weren’t disciplining. I did say she has a disability but that didn’t matter.

She did better on fast loading rides where there was less people and even SDD. However if there were stairs and curves like TSMM and AlienSS there was a lot of sprinting and trying to get under the rails and catch her. She is so active and jumps and twirls so a leash wouldn’t work.

 

[KCO5988]

It's not nearly what will help my family have a safe/comfortable experience, but if any of you have seen a disabled person post about relying on Genie+ rather than DAS, I'd really love links. We won't know for at least a month the details of this change, so studying up on that will help my stress more than reading speculation will. I'll be reading about G+ for able bodied people in the meantime, but I'd love specific anecdotes about using it with disabilities!

I used genie+ in Nov 2022 because it was my first visit since 2013 and I didn't know DAS existed. I wasn't the best at using it at the time and between the return times being so far out and a close ended return time, it didn't go very well. We left way earlier than we would have otherwise at MK (that was our only park day). Fastforward to Nov 2023, I had found out about DAS prior to the trip and it was the only reason I decided to try again. World of difference.

 

[TwoMisfits]

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.

You know, I was thinking the Disney lawyers probably have a ton of data that says the regular park goers are riding fewer rides than DAS folks. They may even have data that Genie+/ LL folks are also riding fewer rides than DAS folks.

It would explain their current confidence to make a wholesale change b/c if it's true, they will win on any court challenge.

 

[snoopboop]

I am very happy about these changes. I have IBS-D. Like many people with medical conditions like this, sometimes I am just fine and have no issues for hours or days. Other times, I have an episode, and it lasts like 2 hours where I need constant access to a bathroom. It can hit me with very little warning.

I haven't ever tried to get DAS for this condition because I think it's overkill. I don't need to skip the lines all day every day. I think it's DAS abuse to get it for conditions like this and use it every day. HOWEVER, I have had episodes in line before where I just needed to leave. It happened to me once at the loading area of a ride! I couldn't ride and had to leave. Thankfully, they had a door right there. I left and used the restroom. The cast members let me right back into the loading area. It was wonderful.

I'm glad Disney is going to offer a line return option for people who have conditions like mine. That is the type of accommodation we need! We don't need to go in a LL for every ride. That's ridiculous. We just need to be able to leave sometimes and then return later, when our symptoms have improved again (sometimes a couple of hours later).

I look forward to hearing more details on this. I'm so happy for this change because I felt like DAS was not a good accommodation for my needs, but the ability to leave and return to the line absolutely is! Will it apply to anyone who needs to leave to use the restroom? Or, is this an accommodation I need to pre-plan for?

I'm so, so glad Disney is cracking down on the abuse and people using DAS when it's not the accommodation they really need for their disability.

That’s fantastic if a “use it every once in a long while leave the queue and come back” option is a great fit for you.

It’s not cool to then conclude that that’s the solution that is best for every other person who has digestive system and/or bladder issues.

It’s not up to you to decide what I need based on YOUR experience.

 

[Disturbia]

You know, I was thinking the Disney lawyers probably have a ton of data that says the regular park goers are riding fewer rides than DAS folks. They may even have data that Genie+/ LL folks are also riding fewer rides than DAS folks.

It would explain their current confidence to make a wholesale change b/c if it's true, they will win on any court challenge.

You should qualify that with DAS abusers not users

 

[keishashadow]

This blurb on WDW's 'Accessing Attraction Queues' page corroborates your hypothesis. It seems as though Autism/ADHD/etc. won't be guaranteed in any capacity to be eligible for DAS:

Here are a few tips and techniques to manage waiting in queues:

• Encourage other members of your party to help create space around you in line to make it more comfortable.
• In a theme park environment that requires additional walking or standing, bring a mobility device such as a wheelchair, ECV, walker with a seat or a cane chair.
• Bring a sensory toy or a calming item—such as a stress ball, favorite device or activity like a tablet, video game, comic book or another item that may be calming or distracting while waiting in a queue.
• Grab a snack or drink to enjoy while waiting in a queue. Just be sure to finish it before boarding the attraction.
• Break up your day with other offerings at the Resort that don’t require waiting in a queue, such as entertainment.
• Don’t forget other items to keep yourself comfortable.Some items to consider bringing include sweater or jacket, sun protection or hat.

Wow imagine the untold millions of guests who never thot of any of those hints.

Condescending & dismissive imo

I got a kick out of that one, as well. I'm sure my family has nothing better to do than to circle me like vultures in pre-show rooms and to space themselves out enough to get yelled at by the people behind them in switchbacks/corridors to ensure I don't get bumped too much.

Turkey vultures

Exit question: Was I sarcastic enough or should I have laid on a little more thick?

More is more

The CDC indicates 1 in 36 children are autistic. How many children are in WDW on any given day?

Let us not forget the adults Don’t worry,

I am being sarcastic, no worries. The whole thing just smacks of not having worked with many of the people suffering the conditions this list is supposed to address.

I have concerns re the consulting company

They should have just switched to Universal’s system. Requiring documentation and a medical process would have really cut down on abuse.

It also would give them initial space

Let ibccess be the bad guy upfront

More than a few who did pass that screening still were NOT granted the passes at U

Interestingly enough tho, many who received it in the past were upgraded to their gold version based upon needs and were thrilled

As a marketing & communications professional and mother of an autistic person, the language of “developmental disorders” and “autism and similar” is painful. It’s confusing - what do they mean by “and similar”?? It’s vague… but also entirely too specific if they want to leave it up to the CM/health professional making determination.

it may be erroneous to think there will be automatic DAS extended to those with autism, adhd etc

Believe people will still need to define their specific needs as to what is required

I know people are already arguing among themselves whether ADHD qualifies here. Lots of dismissive comments from those on the autism side of things in RL

I wonder about those with dementia & alzheimers. Will they be summarily denied?

The statement Disney put out strikes me as arbitrary and capricious. Reading the released helpful hints is utterly condescending.

Just hope people realize nothing is to be gained by thinking their issues are automatically more deserving than others

It’s a discussion board. I get it. People have varying opinions on everything. Yet it’s perplexing to read comments from those who have zero experience with dealing with these conditions sounding off with a degree of authority, without the expertise to back it up.

Breathe deep and be positive

 

[HerzerHerrick]

You can for Avatar and Rise. You can not for rides that have virtual que-you have to get the virtual que and then when you get to the ride you can use your DAS pass to get in

 

[Becky Mouse]

You know, I was thinking the Disney lawyers probably have a ton of data that says the regular park goers are riding fewer rides than DAS folks. They may even have data that Genie+/ LL folks are also riding fewer rides than DAS folks.

It would explain their current confidence to make a wholesale change b/c if it's true, they will win on any court challenge.

I haven't heard exact numbers from Disney, but some cast members are reporting that about 75% of people standing in LLs are there with a DAS pass. If that's anywhere close to actual numbers, that is insanity. That's affecting the park experience of everyone. DAS should be for a small percentage of guests. Other guests should be offered other accommodations, like the ability to leave and return to lines. If people want to use the LL for more convenience, then they should pay for it.

I hope these changes fix the abuse. It will lead to the LL lines not being so overwhelmed and a better balance between standby and LL. That will be a better experience for all.

 

[TwoMisfits]

You should qualify that with DAS abusers not users

It would be an all-inclusive pool - they just would be looking at all DAS, no matter who they are, vs all of their other groups.

 

[razlime]

-

 

[juxtapose]

I am very happy about these changes. I have IBS-D. Like many people with medical conditions like this, sometimes I am just fine and have no issues for hours or days. Other times, I have an episode, and it lasts like 2 hours where I need constant access to a bathroom. It can hit me with very little warning.

I haven't ever tried to get DAS for this condition because I think it's overkill. I don't need to skip the lines all day every day. I think it's DAS abuse to get it for conditions like this and use it every day. HOWEVER, I have had episodes in line before where I just needed to leave. It happened to me once at the loading area of a ride! I couldn't ride and had to leave. Thankfully, they had a door right there. I left and used the restroom. The cast members let me right back into the loading area. It was wonderful.

I'm glad Disney is going to offer a line return option for people who have conditions like mine. That is the type of accommodation we need! We don't need to go in a LL for every ride. That's ridiculous. We just need to be able to leave sometimes and then return later, when our symptoms have improved again (sometimes a couple of hours later).

I look forward to hearing more details on this. I'm so happy for this change because I felt like DAS was not a good accommodation for my needs, but the ability to leave and return to the line absolutely is! Will it apply to anyone who needs to leave to use the restroom? Or, is this an accommodation I need to pre-plan for?

I'm so, so glad Disney is cracking down on the abuse and people using DAS when it's not the accommodation they really need for their disability.

I'm interested to know about this too. My son has celiac, and diarrhea/accidents are one symptom he gets if accidentally exposed to gluten. It'd be nice if he has a bad day/hours we could leave and return without applying in advance. Honestly if anyone is having a bad day due to something they ate, or a potty-training young child, it'd be nice to have that option,

 

[Becky Mouse]

That’s fantastic if a “use it every once in a long while leave the queue and come back” option is a great fit for you.

It’s not cool to then conclude that that’s the solution that is best for every other person who has digestive system and/or bladder issues.

It’s not up to you to decide what I need based on YOUR experience.

Yes, but it's up to Disney to decide, and apparently that's their decision, too. I'm glad, because DAS is being overused and abused.

My condition does make things difficult sometimes. For example, I recently had an episode flare up as I was literally waiting to have my boarding pass scanned to board the plane. I had to leave for the bathroom, come back, leave AGAIN and come back again. I was so nervous they would board without me and I'd miss my flight! I choose a seat at the very back of the plane and always in the aisle for quick access to the restroom. Most of the time, it isn't needed. However, if it ever is needed, I'm so glad I'm seated where I am. Further more, my dad has Crohn's as well as a type of prostate cancer that makes it urgent when he needs to pee, too. So, I completely understand medical needs that require quick access to the bathroom. On road trips, we pack a pop-up shower tent in case we can't make it to the next exit for bathroom use. So, again, I understand urgent needs to use the bathroom.

DAS is not the accommodation we need! If you're having a flare up, it does NOT help to wait 20 minutes in a LL. You can't go 20 minutes without access to the bathroom during a flare like that. DAS is not the proper accommodation for bathroom needs like IBS-D, Crohn's, and prostate cancer. Instead, the ability to leave and return to the line is a much more appropriate accommodation. If you're having a flare, standing in a shorter line doesn't help. If you're not having a flare, then you don't need to be skipping the line all day every day. You can wait in lines. Getting DAS for medical needs like this is absolutely part of the DAS abuse, in my opinion. I'm so glad Disney sees it that way too and is offering a different accommodation. Good for them. You can still buy LL if you want it.

 

[PrincessV]

@razlime and others wondering about using G+/LL with a disability, I can offer my experiences. Every disabled experience in unique, of course, but in general terms…

We were never superusers of FP/FP+ and definitely aren't with G+ or DAS. There are all sorts of ways to really get the most out of both and well, we’re not good at that lol!

One G+ day the planets aligned and we just plain got incredibly lucky: I was able to book G+ after G+ after G+ to do I want to say were 7 attractions one after another, with some time between as needed to eat, take comfort breaks, etc. It was a low ish crowd day and no rides went down, which helped a LOT. Another day, G+ was a waste of time and money: we planned to be at the park for the evening hours, but afraid that we’d miss out on G+ times, we went earlier. We did get a few G+ rides in, but then ran out of times available for things we hadn’t yet done, but also couldn’t re-do anything we’d already G+’d. So we departed early. Needing to adhere to the return times and being afraid to pass on a return time because we’d prefer to ride later, but couldn't be sure there would still be a time for it then, was stressful. Having spent $$ for it was extra stressful.

With DAS, there is always a return time (unless something goes down all day, of course): even if ride A is a 3- hour wait, you’re not playing a game of chicken with it - if that’s too long, we pick something else and circle back to ride A later, knowing we can still get a return time of some sort for it. If we need to leave the park early, we’re not out any money spent on return times. The return wait time in the LL is identical with G+ and DAS, so neither comes out ahead with that.

We like to tour at a leisurely pace, and aren’t concerned with riding as many things as we can, so DAS has suit our needs just fine. For folks who really want to do it all, or at least a lot more, I can see how combining DAS and G+ would help with that, as you could be doing a G+ return while waiting for a DAS return time and vice-versa.

 

[Disneychick13]

You know, I was thinking the Disney lawyers probably have a ton of data that says the regular park goers are riding fewer rides than DAS folks. They may even have data that Genie+/ LL folks are also riding fewer rides than DAS folks.

It would explain their current confidence to make a wholesale change b/c if it's true, they will win on any court challenge.

Without a doubt, Disney has the receipts to back up this change. They know the amount of people using DAS. They know the kinds of reasons people use to get it (even if it’s not a diagnosis). They know how many rides DAS users are getting. They know how many rides standby line users are getting. They know how many rides Genie+/LL users are getting. They have all the data. They are prepared to back up whatever change they make.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Yes, but it's up to Disney to decide, and apparently that's their decision, too. I'm glad, because DAS is being overused and abused.

My condition does make things difficult sometimes. For example, I recently had an episode flare up as I was literally waiting to have my boarding pass scanned to board the plane. I had to leave for the bathroom, come back, leave AGAIN and come back again. I was so nervous they would board without me and I'd miss my flight! I choose a seat at the very back of the plane and always in the aisle for quick access to the restroom. Most of the time, it isn't needed. However, if it ever is needed, I'm so glad I'm seated where I am. Further more, my dad has Crohn's as well as a type of prostate cancer that makes it urgent when he needs to pee, too. So, I completely understand medical needs that require quick access to the bathroom.

DAS is not the accommodation we need. If you're having a flare up, it does NOT help to wait 20 minutes in a LL. You can't go 20 minutes without access to the bathroom during a flare like that. DAS is not the proper accommodation for bathroom needs like IBS-D, Crohn's, and prostate cancer. Instead, the ability to leave and return to the line is a much more appropriate accommodation. If you're having a flare, standing in a shorter line doesn't help. If you're not having a flare, then you don't need to be skipping the line all day every day. Getting DAS for medical needs like this is absolutely part of the DAS abuse, in my opinion. I'm so glad Disney sees it that way too and is offering a different accommodation. Good for them. You can still buy LL if you want it.

That’s great that it works for you. It doesn’t work for my husband, who has MS. Under this system, he’s left with nothing.

 

[Disturbia]

Deleted