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

[StarGirl11]

this. exactly this. i have a developmental disability and sound very similar to you in how i am in lines. i do not have an intelluctual disability. i can reason to myself all i want now about how to manage lines etc, but when its happening that makes no difference. where do we fit?

When I apply for my DAS in July my current plan is to explain that I have a developmental disorder. And that while I can handle lines in small bursts like the LL. A queue that is in a loud, crowded area, possibly in the sun. (Especially in August!) Will trigger my sensory issues and lead to a meltdown. And that I’ve been enough times now to have an idea of where I can safely hang out within the vicinity of the ride while I await my time. And if I see the line is too backed up for me to safely enter without waiting so long I have to potentially worry about getting overstimulated.

Which I can’t do with Lightning Lanes because they have that time window where you have to be back by a certain time or hope the CM is nice to you (which is great if they are but I would rather not rely consistently on a CMs generosity to be able to potential rides). I can’t pivot plans as easily.

Like I used to use FastPass back before the Genie days and before I knew I qualified for DAS. So when I say I know that the system won’t really help my situation. I do actually know.

DAS even as developmental should meet my needs still. My only concern is how they’re going to react to being presented with a disorder most of the world has never heard of.

Including Inspire.

 

[MediumSizedMermaid]

It was an example, there are other AIs that are better yes, but if I named them most wouldn't know what I am talking about.

Either way I'd have huge problems with any AI aggregator being involved in decision-making unless there was definitive proof it doesn't 'hallucinate' data that doesn't exist.

 

[Rowab]

When I apply for my DAS in July my current plan is to explain that I have a developmental disorder. And that while I can handle lines in small bursts like the LL. A queue that is in a loud, crowded area, possibly in the sun. (Especially in August!) Will trigger my sensory issues and lead to a meltdown. And that I’ve been enough times now to have an idea of where I can safely hang out within the vicinity of the ride while I await my time. And if I see the line is too backed up for me to safely enter without waiting so long I have to potentially worry about getting overstimulated.

Which I can’t do with Lightning Lanes because they have that time window where you have to be back by a certain time or hope the CM is nice to you (which is great if they are but I would rather not rely consistently on a CMs generosity to be able to potential rides). I can’t pivot plans as easily.

Like I used to use FastPass back before the Genie days and before I knew I qualified for DAS. So when I say I know that the system won’t really help my situation. I do actually know.

DAS even as developmental should meet my needs still. My only concern is how they’re going to react to being presented with a disorder most of the world has never heard of.

Including Inspire.

Hopefully they will be understanding of people like us. I have cerebral palsy and co-morbid autistic traits and sensory processing disorder, so at least i have the benefit orf having something "known".

We did well on the old fastpass plus system. honestly, we probaby had to cancel our plans for them a good 50% of the time, but it was a free system and you could modify. and knowing WHEN i would be riding a certain attraction helped massively with my associated anxiety. i benefit from structure, knowing what will happen when etc. I'd be all planned 60 days in advif they hadn't took that away i might never have needed DAS

 

[A Mickeyfan]

It sure looks like Disney is favoring a certain set of diagnoses to the exclusion of others. That seems on it face to run in conflict with the Equal Protections clause and contrary to the ADA which explicitly does NOT call attention to specific diagnoses but instead on activities of daily living.

It also looks like Disney is attempting to discontinue customer support for disability questions in the parks. That seems to create a huge issue unto itself.

Sadly it's only daily living activity for the developmentally disabled no one else. I can see a discrimination law suit coming. All others are not "fixed" with a wheelchair

 

[Tatebeck]

I'm a little behind, but I've seen several posts about how families split up all the time. Yes, no disagreement there. However, unless I missed something, every example discussed was a choice. A conscious decision made. Not something directed by someone outside the family. I think I'll just read from now on. Our trip is before any changes happen, as I posted before. I find it somewhat amusing that people that don't have a certain condition seem to find it very easy to determine what a reasonable accommodation is for someone that does.

People use things all the time voluntarily at the parks that can be used for a truly disabled person's accommodation. ECVs, walkers, etc. Some people choose to use them because they want to, others need them to get around. Even if Disney stopped letting people voluntarily use them, they would still have to let those who need them use them or offer an alternative accommodation. Heck even the LL itself is being used voluntarily by G+ guests and as an accommodation for current DAS guests.

People also choose to split up sometimes during a trip. To go on different rides, see different shows, take a nap, whatever. Some people may now need to do this as part of an accommodation. Disney is (probably) offering an accommodation that lets the disabled person and (probably) at least 1 more guest wait somewhere else then use the shorter line if that is what is absolutely necessary for that person. They will never be left alone and they got what seems like a perfectly reasonable accommodation. If they weren't able to limit the number of guests that stay with a disabled guest here, the system could quickly spiral out of control.

The other members of the party that are able may have to wait in the standby line. Will they be split up for that ride into 2 groups and be unable to meet up on the ride? Probably unless they have some crazy system coming. But that may be just what is required to use the accommodation and still go to Disney. The group in the standby line would have had to wait there anyway if they weren't with a person with the accommodation, so their day didn't really change much other than having a small group split off for a little while.

If Disney offers a reasonable accommodation to an individual, they can't just keep turning down accommodations until they give one that is "the best" in their eyes. They only have to offer at least one reasonable one. It is then the person's choice to take it and enter, try to enter without it, or not to enter at all

 

[JLTraveling]

I've tried at least 10 wheelchairs trying to find one that works - so far none have. I wish I could find one because it would make my life much easier.

My dad is right there with you. He not only has severe osteoarthritis in his spine, but one vertebra down in the lower spine that is pushed forward and held in place by a now-totally stretched ligament. Because of the positioning of that particular vertebra, he cannot sit in any type of wheelchair. He's incredibly picky about the seats in cars--like to the point that we drove from Orlando to Dallas to pick up a particular used car that we knew had just the right seats for him. He also has other conditions that further complicate things. It's an awful way to live, and unfortunately the whole "just push a wheelchair and sit when you need it" or "leave the line till you feel better then get back in" doesn't work for him. At Uni, he has a higher level of accommodations based on a stack of medical documentation. I really wish he could do the same at Disney.

 

[StarGirl11]

Either way I'd have huge problems with any AI aggregator being involved in decision-making unless there was definitive proof it doesn't 'hallucinate' data that doesn't exist.

Yeah the AI generator is a real concern. Considering I’ve already heard on the health insurance end of one person being denied their physical because of an AI on TikTok. AI should not be the end all be all for these kind of decisions.

Hopefully they will be understanding of people like us. I have cerebral palsy and co-morbid autistic traits and sensory processing disorder, so at least i have the benefit orf having something "known".

We did well on the old fastpass plus system. honestly, we probaby had to cancel our plans for them a good 50% of the time, but it was a free system and you could modify. and knowing WHEN i would be riding a certain attraction helped massively with my associated anxiety. i benefit from structure, knowing what will happen when etc. I'd be all planned 60 days in advif they hadn't took that away i might never have needed DAS

i think at least some of my concern at least now that will hopefully be abated by the time July rolls around. Is not fully knowing/understanding how this whole thing with Inspire works.

I know fundamentally they won’t ask for a diagnosis most likely. But like will they have some kind of weird checklist to keep in mind or what.

At last structures never been a big thing for me. Mainly because we moved a lot growing up. Now can I have a structure related meltdown? Absolutely. But it’s almost always over a breakup in my routine that I’ve established for months at least. Not in a vacation setting. Or if it is it’s most likely a straw breaks the camels back situation. Where I’ve managed to avoid a meltdown all day but suddenly an interruption in something I’ve been looking forward too for months leads to a meltdown because I’m already uncomfortable and overstimulated despite my best efforts.

Which means it’s time for a break

 

[smartlabelprint]

Re: RS for accommodations where the party can swap... Husband brought up a point-- couldn't one argue that "forcing" people with disabilities to split from their families is not reasonable for equal enjoyment because they don't "force" non-disabled patrons to do so? When normal RS is used is kind of optional.

My answer was, well, it could be considered optional in this case, too. You don't HAVE to go on the attraction.

They also will be splitting DAS families since those not in the immediate family can’t be included. Starlite was saying that other parks only allow 1-2 with the person with the disability. That would have been litigated by now if it was a problem, I think.

 

[ClaraOswald]

I also wonder if you were born today if you would be more like yourself or your son with your needs though, as I wonder if maybe we over accommodate at times too, we were pretty much just left to deal with things and not given the tools they have today. I am not saying one is right or wrong, just wondering if there is a difference.

No, I would not have ended up more like my son, overall. He has a developmental disability and I do not. At age 10, he's minimally verbal, still not 100% potty trained, academically more like a kindergartener, etc. None of those things apply to how I was as a child as I was typically developing. I did have sensory aversions from a young age and my family accommodated them as best they could (only buying me specific kinds of clothes, allowing me to eat in a different room than the loud food noises, etc.)

The big difference would be that I was always able to function fairly regularly in society. Even now, with severe anxiety, I'm able to function like a typical adult. I can live on my own, have held jobs, finished college, etc. There's a very large spectrum of these types of disabilities. And not all parts of the spectrum would require DAS. Basically, someone who falls onto the spectrum where I do, shouldn't be asking for DAS.

 

[Disneychick75]

My dad is right there with you. He not only has severe osteoarthritis in his spine, but one vertebra down in the lower spine that is pushed forward and held in place by a now-totally stretched ligament. Because of the positioning of that particular vertebra, he cannot sit in any type of wheelchair. He's incredibly picky about the seats in cars--like to the point that we drove from Orlando to Dallas to pick up a particular used car that we knew had just the right seats for him. He also has other conditions that further complicate things. It's an awful way to live, and unfortunately the whole "just push a wheelchair and sit when you need it" or "leave the line till you feel better then get back in" doesn't work for him. At Uni, he has a higher level of accommodations based on a stack of medical documentation. I really wish he could do the same at Disney.

Your Dad's issues sound a lot like mine. Besides having "severe osteoarthritis" (neurologist) I have dessicated disks - only the sheath sits between mine vertebrae and I have bulging disks. The first I knew was years ago when my GYN sent me for an MRI because of issues I was having. When I went for the results, he said, "_____, your lower back is all ducked (not ducked) up." and that was partly the cause of those medical issues. That started me on the 20 year road to multiple MRIs, X-rays, Cat scans, bloodwork, doctor visits, etc. I'm surprised that I don't glow in the dark, lol
I feel your Dad and being choosy about seats. When car shopping, I went through bunches of cars until I found one that worked for me. Unfortunately, it pretty much sits in the garage unless my husband uses it.
Yeah "just push a wheelchair and sit when you need it" - jack in the box won't help our backs and "leave the line till you feel better then get back in" - wish someone could tell us what to do during the leave the line part - stand around - nope, sit- nope. I would never tell anyone with a medical issue to basically "Suck it up, buttercup" or how their pain, issue, etc. might be helped because I'm not the one with the condition.
Syndromes, conditions, illnesses, etc. share commonalities but each person experiences their issues in different ways and at different times. 8 years ago, we were DVC owners and I'd bring my daughter and some of her friends to WDW. We'd go from rope drop to park closing. I could do it then even with the arthritis and disk problems because neither had progressed to the point of causing problems. Now, I can last maybe 3 hours and have to go back to our room.
Hoping your Dad gets some relief. Hugs and prayers

 

[Betty Rohrer]

I have heard of that. Maybe a Mom with a 1 yr old, but Mom is recovering from a broken pelvis. She can’t use a rollator or other device because the child is too young to walk. The stroller-as-wheelchair becomes her mobility device.

It has been years but yes I got that tag for a young grandson’s stroller because I couldn’t carry him and needed to use the stroller as a walker

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Re: RS for accommodations where the party can swap... Husband brought up a point-- couldn't one argue that "forcing" people with disabilities to split from their families is not reasonable for equal enjoyment because they don't "force" non-disabled patrons to do so? When normal RS is used is kind of optional.

My answer was, well, it could be considered optional in this case, too. You don't HAVE to go on the attraction.

Going to the park is optional. That's not a good argument. If Disney is going to separate the disabled from their families because it's a choice to go on that attraction, then the choice should be made to keep your money and not give them your business. It's wrong and I believe illegal to separate just because a person is disabled

 

[OurBigTrip]

They also will be splitting DAS families since those not in the immediate family can’t be included. Starlite was saying that other parks only allow 1-2 with the person with the disability. That would have been litigated by now if it was a problem, I think.

I think that limiting it theaters and things like that is pretty standard.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

Going to the park is optional. That's not a good argument. If Disney is going to separate the disabled from their families because it's a choice to go on that attraction, then the choice should be made to keep your money and not give them your business. It's wrong and I believe illegal to separate just because a person is disabled

The problem, again, is that people abused the privilege and didn't act in good faith. And now Disney has to limit it.

 

[Disneychick75]

The problem, again, is that people abused the privilege and didn't act in good faith. And now Disney has to limit it.

By punishing those who need it. Does anyone really believe that these new DAS regulations will stop the fraudsters?

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

By punishing those who need it. Does anyone really believe that these new DAS regulations will stop the fraudsters?

I mean they can certainly limit how many people come with you from now on.

 

[lanejudy]

wish someone could tell us what to do during the leave the line part - stand around - nope, sit- nope.

What do you do now while waiting for your DAS Return Time? Honest question; I’m really trying to understand this kind of issue because we get a lot of posts about it. You say you can’t sit, but you also can’t stand. How do you ride the attractions at WDW? It is a serious question — as I said I’ve seen more and more posts about this type of issue.

My only frame of reference (which I know is not the same) is my occasional back pain, and I have to lie down but even that is uncomfortable. Or my grandfather’s ankylosing spondilitis - and he had a reclining chair. Theme park attractions would have never been an option.

 

[UnderneathAMagicMoon]

What do you do now while waiting for your DAS Return Time? Honest question; I’m really trying to understand this kind of issue because we get a lot of posts about it. You say you can’t sit, but you also can’t stand. How do you ride the attractions at WDW? It is a serious question — as I said I’ve seen more and more posts about this type of issue.

My only frame of reference (which I know is not the same) is my occasional back pain, and I have to lie down but even that is uncomfortable. Or my grandfather’s ankylosing spondilitis - and he had a reclining chair. Theme park attractions would have never been an option.

My mom slipped a couple of discs in her back at one point due to arthritis. She made similar comments about both sitting and standing hurting. She meant “sit” as in a traditional seated position in a chair - she did much better if she could have her legs extended in front of her while sitting on the floor or with an ottoman. Or occasionally pulled to her chest - she would try to get into certain positions that would take pressure off and help. Lying down also helped. Walking helped initially although it got to the point where that was almost impossible, so she ended up getting surgery.

 

[Disneychick75]

What do you do now while waiting for your DAS Return Time? Honest question; I’m really trying to understand this kind of issue because we get a lot of posts about it. You say you can’t sit, but you also can’t stand. How do you ride the attractions at WDW? It is a serious question — as I said I’ve seen more and more posts about this type of issue.

My only frame of reference (which I know is not the same) is my occasional back pain, and I have to lie down but even that is uncomfortable. Or my grandfather’s ankylosing spondilitis - and he had a reclining chair. Theme park attractions would have never been an option.

In November which is the only trip I've been on since my condition has declined, I used my rollator and walked with my husband and grandchildren, stopping to sit for a few minutes or maybe ride the Carousel or People Mover - something close to the DAS return which had no line.

The rides at WDW are not long enough to bother my back - hope I'm not jinxing myself, lol. I mean say Jungle Cruise which is 10 minutes long is a lot different than standing in a line for 20 minutes+ and even on Jungle Cruise, I have to fidget around in my seat - I can't sit all the way to the back of the seat.

It's hard to explain but I do get a certain frisson of pain that lets me know STOP. For example at MK, my husband and grandchildren walked me back to the monorail where I went to the CR, and grabbed a cab back to our resort. I couldn't go to T&T, take a chance that I would have to stand around and wait for a cab or Uber.

 

[MinnieMSue]

What do you do now while waiting for your DAS Return Time? Honest question; I’m really trying to understand this kind of issue because we get a lot of posts about it. You say you can’t sit, but you also can’t stand. How do you ride the attractions at WDW? It is a serious question — as I said I’ve seen more and more posts about this type of issue.

My only frame of reference (which I know is not the same) is my occasional back pain, and I have to lie down but even that is uncomfortable. Or my grandfather’s ankylosing spondilitis - and he had a reclining chair. Theme park attractions would have never been an option.

I have never used das for my terrible back issues. Mine is significantly better by walking. I can’t sit unsupported for long without agony. I watch Lion king and fantasmic but nearly die from pain. I can sit in most ride vehicles that I ride ok. Waiting in line for my back is zero problem. Standing still is rough but I learned a rocking motion that helps. We sit and take breaks in the new area at Epcot. My daughter wanted to sit on those big curved benches that have a crazy deep seat. I was in agony from how uncomfortable they were. I seriously wanted to lay on them and almost did. I ended up just pacing in the solitude there. We just keep walking between return times (for a different issue ). I personally would never have considered a das for my back and spine issues. No matter what I can manage to have some movement in lines. If a ride breaks down it is a peace out and I’m outta here situation for me for many reasons. A wheelchair with a cushion on the bottom would be ok for my sacrum but the soft back on them is awful for my lumbar and thoracic. I would have to get a scooter but walking works. My pain is off the chart all of the time and nothing helps but activity is much better than inactivity. I get a lot of steps in on vacation from constant movement. I do usually have to lay down in the hotel during afternoons tho