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

[DisFanDad]

Interesting perspective from a former CM on Reddit:

The Issue with DAS from a former CM

The main issue that comes with the current DAS system and why Disney needs to revamp it is that everybody deals with something. Most people at some point in their lives will have a physical, or mental need for a DAS pass.

We are all the main characters of our stories so we all see the needs that we, as individuals, have.

For example, over 19% of adults, about 40 million people in the United States suffer from a diagnosed anxiety disorder (National Alliance on Mental Health). Another (and theres definitely some people with both or all three) 9 million adults suffer from ADHD, 1 in 36 children are being disgnosed with autism (statista.org). These are some reasons I see everyday of people needing the DAS pass.

Further, 4.7-5.3% of adults have IBS/IBD, those people also need the DAS pass. Not to mention heart conditions, pots, sun allergies, overheating, PTSD, claustrophobic people, and those who have panic attacks. We're approaching near 3/5 of the population.

All in all, almost every person deals with something and everybodys case is unique, and most people feel that they need/are entitled to a DAS pass. And I here the stories and most of everyone has valid reasons to themselves on why they need the pass.

So where should Disney draw the line? This isn't even mentioning everyone who has mobility issues with only standing, but does not feel the need for a wheelchair.

The system is broken- because a large majority of the population need/feel entitled to the system.

Signed- a former cast member who used das for her crohns, pots, and heart condition. (And anxiety but I'm not counting that one).

I genuinely want peoples thoughts for a solution.

https://www.reddit.com/r/WaltDisneyWorld/comments/1c06vcl/the_issue_with_das_from_a_former_cm

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This is some fantastic perspective - and it's really important. The real and legitimate concerns people have about their own lives and well as the abuse of the system as designed unfortunately requires more scrutiny of those who need to access the system. And that system should be as easily access and should maximize accommodations as much as possible. This is an inherent tension here.

But as Disney has said, use of the system has tripled in the last 5 years, attendance is down over the last 5 years. While some here have suggested this crackdown wont impact wait times / experiences for others, I'd argue differently.

Anyone who has spent time on forums, social media, etc has seen others, or seen reports of, people abusing and actively encouraging the abuse of the system. I've seen people telling others to "just get DAS" to avoid paying for G+, people discussing just getting a doctor to write a note so they can get DAS, we've seen reports of people hiring folks to be a part of their groups to use DAS. Hell we overheard someone in the parks telling a friend their very young child "gets bipolar when he's tired" so they got their doctor to write a note and got DAS, we watched and overheard a gentleman and his family get on Astro Orb with his arm in a sling and said he broke his arm so he got DAS. I can't tell you the number of times I've overheard people talking about / booking a ride with DAS while waiting in line for another ride. Unfortunately for many - it appears at least - DAS has become fastpass - and in the end this is going to harm those with legitimate needs.

On the flip side - as we've heard here, there are many people with genuine and legitimate disabilities that are already don't use DAS, because they are afraid of the system, or the stigma, or think other people need it more than them, or downplay their own needs. How people with visible and invisible diabilities fear this will take away their safe place, or they will not have their needs met - and I really hope no one wants that. I don't want my trip to get better because someone else is no longer able to enjoy a trip.

I do worry, and hate the thought, that much of this has been brought on by the ending of FP+, and the introduction of G+, and that indeed the result of this is that many people with legitimate needs will see the only solution is to buy G+. Disney will save money by outsourcing this, and bring in more revenue by pushing people to G+. Having to pay extra because you have a disability is just so wrong.

 

[NY Pirate Princess]

All of these people on here saying that LL really helps them have a better trip with their disability can still pay to get Genie+ to use LL. That option is still available to them.

A person with a disability should not have to pay extra to have the same access as a typically abled person. The DAS allows a person who can't wait in line to wait the same amount of time not in the line.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I can't tell you the number of times I've overheard people talking about / booking a ride with DAS while waiting in line for another ride.

Please stop referring to this when listing other abuses. As has been pointed out, this is explicitly allowed and encouraged by Disney in their DAS FAQ. To continue to list it in the midst of a long list of actual abuse gives context that this is also abuse - it is not.

 

[Gentry2004]

I didn't say it was the same. There are people on here saying that they need to wait in shorter lines for various medical reasons. Genie+ would allow them to wait in shorter lines. It's not exactly the same as DAS, but it provides the shorter lines they say they need.

G+ doesn't allow open ended return times (for people having a prolonged issue) nor does it allow for re-riding an attraction (something non disabled people can do.) It's not an equivalent to DAS at all.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I'm sorry if I was coming across as insensitive. I think buying Genie+ would be the perfect solution to your problem because then he can use LL and hopefully avoid being in the heat for too long.

I have a son who tends to overheat. We travel in the summer frequently, so we plan our day so that we do the air conditioned queues (like Soarin') during the hot parts of the day. Maybe doing something like that will help, too! So then, not only do you get to keep using the shorter lines with LL, but then you can also make sure you're spending more time in AC during the hot parts of the day. Good luck!

No it’s not. Because it’s saying that unlike you, he can only do a ride once. Also, Genie+ isn’t guaranteed. It sells out. Lastly, It has a window, which means if he’s feeling sick and misses the window, he’s SOL.

So no — it’s a terrible alternative.

His issues are also not the same as overheating. It’s a very small increase in body temp that can cause severe problems. It’s happened on days that are 75 degrees. It’s happened in our house, which we keep at 68 degrees.

So once again, PLEASE stop acting like you know what’s good for us. You don’t live with someone with MS. I do.

 

[Gentry2004]

Please stop referring to this when listing other abuses. As has been pointed out, this is explicitly allowed and encouraged by Disney in their DAS FAQ. To continue to list it in the midst of a long list of actual abuse gives context that this is also abuse - it is not.

While I completely agree this is not abuse and is merely the way the current program works, it absolutely is a huge motivating factor for those people who are lying or exaggerating in order to get DAS.

 

[PrincessV]

Having had some time to sit on this new stuff a bit I’m going go go out on a limb…

I strongly suspect that, apart from the changes to pre-bookings, next bookings, party size, virtual chat instead of in-person, very little about who is or is not approved will change. The verbiage is terrible - no question there, and I’m at a loss to explain why they worded it as they did. But I genuinely think that majority of folks who’ve been approved for non-physical disabilities in the past will continue to be accommodated by DAS in the future. Maybe there will be questions, and/or maybe instead of “DON’T TELL US YOUR DIAGNOSIS!!!” where a diagnosis is a helpful explanation it will be welcomed. I just cannot believe that WDW is going to only accept developmental disorders for DAS. It simply doesn’t pass the logic test.

The proposed accommodations for physical disabilities feel like a much larger unknown, but I also strongly suspect they have a plan for a spectrum of accommodations to address a spectrum of needs. This one feels like it could be more complicated and maybe have more extensive questioning involved?

But I think in the end they don’t want to ostracize visitors and will figure it out - I really do suspect the decision makers are going to receive better training than they’ve had previously, which could be good for all involved. I’ve never felt that your average CM on duty should have to handle a Guest having a breakdown while attempting to explain why they’d like to utilize DAS: that’s a lot to ask. Nor should a Guest feel extreme distress due to the tone of questioning by a CM, which I’ve seen reported, too. Hopefully with better training and CMs/health pros dedicated to this specific work, they can provide the best accommodations for each need in a way that is more comfortable for all parties.

I also truly think they threw this out there without a lot of detail yet to test the waters. They have people who read the DIS and other online platforms to get a feel for public sentiment and to get ahead of potential pitfalls they haven’t yet planned for. We’ve seen this happen for all sorts of new rollouts that went on to be tweaked a bunch once official.

 

[DisFanDad]

Please stop referring to this when listing other abuses. As has been pointed out, this is explicitly allowed and encouraged by Disney in their DAS FAQ. To continue to list it in the midst of a long list of actual abuse gives context that this is also abuse - it is not.

This might not be abuse as the system as the rules are written, but it also highlights how the system is broken, and that people were/do treat DAS like FP+. And I am sure there are people for whom this type of access might be important, and I am sure there are many for whom it is not.

 

[Angel Ariel]

While I completely agree this is not abuse and is merely the way the current program works, it absolutely is a huge motivating factor for those people who are lying or exaggerating in order to get DAS.

I understand that, but that still does not make it appropriate to refer to in a list of actual abuses.

 

[dnw25]

Jumping into this mess. DH now wants to completely, 100%, cancel NOW our June 5th trip. We are a family of all ADHD. My DH is honestly the worse in lines, DS second and I can roll in about half the queues.

Per my ADHD, I am assuming the worse which is that we will no longer qualify since we will not be "bad enough." I always felt guilty even getting DAS when the world sees nothing wrong with any of us. We always got the DAS registration for DS since DH can barely tolerate the parks for more than 2 hours at a time and would leave us for the resort.

I would like to wait until the last week in April to cancel. Am I incorrect in my understanding that we should know much more about potential qualifying April 21st? I have an AP but would need to buy tickets for them before DAS registration. I do NOT want to do that if canceling the trip.

Please do not jump on me. For us, Genie + is not even comparable to DAS and we have to leave the parks after a few hours for breaks.

 

[Gentry2004]

I understand that, but that still does not make it appropriate to refer to in a list of actual abuses.

I think the majority of people on this thread understand that it is allowed, and also an issue.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I understand that, but that still does not make it appropriate to refer to in a list of actual abuses.

It also could make sense for some people.

I’ve seen some folks talk about how they can only handle 2-3 hours in the parks before their condition makes it impossible to stay. In that case, they would need to be able to do more rides in a shorter period of time.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Jumping into this mess. DH now wants to completely, 100%, cancel NOW our June 5th trip. We are a family of all ADHD. My DH is honestly the worse in lines, DS second and I can roll in about half the queues.

Per my ADHD, I am assuming the worse which is that we will no longer qualify since we will not be "bad enough." I always felt guilty even getting DAS when the world sees nothing wrong with any of us. We always got the DAS registration for DS since DH can barely tolerate the parks for more than 2 hours at a time and would leave us for the resort.

I would like to wait until the last week in April to cancel. Am I incorrect in my understanding that we should know much more about potential qualifying April 21st? I have an AP but would need to buy tickets for them before DAS registration. I do NOT want to do that if canceling the trip.

Please do not jump on me. For us, Genie + is not even comparable to DAS and we have to leave the parks after a few hours for breaks.

You’ll know more once you apply. I would wait until then to make decisions. Hugs. My MS husband adores Disney and is feeling so abandoned. We also have a daughter with ADHD. I know how you feel.

 

[Liquidice]

Having had some time to sit on this new stuff a bit I’m going go go out on a limb…

I strongly suspect that, apart from the changes to pre-bookings, next bookings, party size, virtual chat instead of in-person, very little about who is or is not approved will change. The verbiage is terrible - no question there, and I’m at a loss to explain why they worded it as they did. But I genuinely think that majority of folks who’ve been approved for non-physical disabilities in the past will continue to be accommodated by DAS in the future. Maybe there will be questions, and/or maybe instead of “DON’T TELL US YOUR DIAGNOSIS!!!” where a diagnosis is a helpful explanation it will be welcomed. I just cannot believe that WDW is going to only accept developmental disorders for DAS. It simply doesn’t pass the logic test.

The proposed accommodations for physical disabilities feel like a much larger unknown, but I also strongly suspect they have a plan for a spectrum of accommodations to address a spectrum of needs. This one feels like it could be more complicated and maybe have more extensive questioning involved?

But I think in the end they don’t want to ostracize visitors and will figure it out - I really do suspect the decision makers are going to receive better training than they’ve had previously, which could be good for all involved. I’ve never felt that your average CM on duty should have to handle a Guest having a breakdown while attempting to explain why they’d like to utilize DAS: that’s a lot to ask. Nor should a Guest feel extreme distress due to the tone of questioning by a CM, which I’ve seen reported, too. Hopefully with better training and CMs/health pros dedicated to this specific work, they can provide the best accommodations for each need in a way that is more comfortable for all parties.

I also truly think they threw this out there without a lot of detail yet to test the waters. They have people who read the DIS and other online platforms to get a feel for public sentiment and to get ahead of potential pitfalls they haven’t yet planned for. We’ve seen this happen for all sorts of new rollouts that went on to be tweaked a bunch once official.

Another reason I encourage anyone who has concerns with the changes to email guest.services@disneyworld.com and disability.services@disneyparks.com - maybe it will cause them to reconsider who will qualify for DAS. A simple verbiage update to say that their CMs will evaluate each person's needs on a case by case basis and provide the appropriate accommodation would probably make everyone feel a lot better as this thread has proven there are scenarios that are not developmental disabilities that may have a need for DAS still, while others may have disability needs that can be met by another accommodation such as the Return to Queue option.

I think a lot of the announced changes for DAS (getting rid of the pre-bookings, 10 minute wait before booking your next DAS, limit of 3 additional people in your DAS party) all make sense and potentially discourage abusers of the system from trying to get it.

Moving to a virtual-only system may also discourage abusers of the system as it was often easier to get in person with a much shorter wait. I know I have had to wait hours online to talk to someone when pre-registering but I often felt it was more desirable to talk in the privacy of my own home than to have others in the guest services line overhear my entire conversation and make rude remarks about how someone doesn't look disabled.

I am hopeful that in practice Disney does not limit DAS to only those with developmental disabilities and instead focuses on the need of the individual despite what their website has said. I do think with enough of us emailing them, it can make a difference and get them to reconsider.

 

[DisFanDad]

It also could make sense for some people.

I’ve seen some folks talk about how they can only handle 2-3 hours in the parks before their condition makes it impossible to stay. In that case, they would need to be able to do more rides in a shorter period of time.

This was one of the circumstances that I was thinking of where I thought this could be a needed accommodation for some - though it's clearly not for others. Likewise maybe you can deal with a 20 min line, but you can't deal with a 60 min line. There is nearly infinite variation possible.

 

[audrey2580]

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.

Wow just wow. How dare you speak for the entire Crohns community. I'm glad it works for you and your dad but you have zero, absolutely zero right to say someone that has Crohns doesn't need DAS and is part of the DAS abuse. Come do a theme park day with my child who has Crohns disease and then see if you have the audacity to speak for our Crohns community.

 

[Becky Mouse]

G+ doesn't allow open ended return times (for people having a prolonged issue) nor does it allow for re-riding an attraction (something non disabled people can do.) It's not an equivalent to DAS at all.

I didn't say it was equivalent. There are people on here who said they cannot stand in LONG lines due to some medical issues. For example, some people said their medical conditions make them susceptible to overheating, so they can't stand in long lines outside. So, for them, they can still buy Genie+ to use LLs. There is nothing keeping them from doing so.

For people who need flexibility, there will now be a line return option. We don't have the details on that yet. My guess is that, if you need to leave the line due to a medical condition, you may be eligible to return to the same ride later and use the LL. So, for people who need flexible return times, they MAY be able to get that with the line return option. We don't know yet because Disney hasn't released those details.

However, it sounds like some people will find their needs accommodated with the line return option. If what they need is just shortened wait times, they can still buy Genie+. Some people might benefit from both, buying Genie+ but also using the line return option.

One thing is clear, though: DAS is meant for people with pretty severe developmental disabilities. I think we all have people in our lives whom we know who suffer from extreme disabilities and can even get violent around others as they wait in long lines. DAS is meant for them. For others, there will be many other accommodations available to meet their needs. For flexibility, there will likely be a line return option for them. For shorter waits, they can buy Genie+.

 

[Liquidice]

I saw it mentioned earlier and I'm also very curious if we'll start getting anecdotal reports from those applying for DAS on 4/21 for a 5/20 trip as well, or if these changes don't actually occur until 5/20 for trips on 6/19 and beyond. I assume we will start to hear anecdotal evidence from people applying for DAS on 4/21 and hopefully Disney will release information about the Return to Queue and any other accommodations they will be offering on or before this.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Wow just wow. How dare you speak for the entire Crohns community. I'm glad it works for you and your dad but you have zero, absolutely zero right to say someone that has Crohns doesn't need DAS and is part of the DAS abuse. Come do a theme park day with my child who has Crohns disease and then see if you have the audacity to speak for our Crohns community.

She also apparently speaks for the MS community, as she’s told me my husband doesn’t need DAS either.

 

[mercuryvenus]

I didn't say it was equivalent. There are people on here who said they cannot stand in LONG lines due to some medical issues. For example, some people said their medical conditions make them susceptible to overheating, so they can't stand in long lines outside. So, for them, they can still buy Genie+ to use LLs. There is nothing keeping them from doing so.

For people who need flexibility, there will now be a line return option. We don't have the details on that yet. My guess is that, if you need to leave the line due to a medical condition, you may be eligible to return to the same ride later and use the LL. So, for people who need flexible return times, they MAY be able to get that with the line return option. We don't know yet because Disney hasn't released those details.

However, it sounds like some people will find their needs accommodated with the line return option. If what they need is just shortened wait times, they can still buy Genie+. Some people might benefit from both, buying Genie+ but also using the line return option.

One thing is clear, though: DAS is meant for people with pretty severe developmental disabilities. I think we all have people in our lives whom we know who suffer from extreme disabilities and can even get violent around others as they wait in long lines. DAS is meant for them. For others, there will be many other accommodations available to meet their needs. For flexibility, there will likely be a line return option for them. For shorter waits, they can buy Genie+.

You still don’t get it. I can’t keep explaining it over and over again.