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

[Tatebeck]

Enforcement of fraudulent uses with very public bannishment will be an essential deterrent -- will Disney bring the hammer?

Bring on the comically large cartoon hammer

And DAS is hard for them control. They can’t refuse to issue a return time… so everyone who wants to schedule a ride time has to be offered one even if 50 other DAS families requested one for the same time. But they can’t say “come back later” because they can’t do that to standby guests .. so they can’t do with DAS guests either.

Shouldn't their system be able to incorporate upcoming DAS return times and G+ into the standby wait time?

They can see how many genie plus they have sold for a time slot, and once someone checks in for a DAS return time they know when they are able to come back. If an unexpectedly large number of DAS users request a return time at once, couldn't they add time to the standby wait to account for the upcoming rush on the LL?

If 500 extra people are due in the LL in as soon as 1 hour, shouldn't their system increase the standby wait time? Anyone getting in the line after the next few minutes are likely to be getting on the ride much later since they will increase the LL ratio when that rush hits. That increase in the wait would push the next DAS return times back a little while and space them out more

 

[Kgrace1989]

Bring on the comically large cartoon hammer



Shouldn't their system be able to incorporate upcoming DAS return times and G+ into the standby wait time?

They can see how many genie plus they have sold for a time slot, and once someone checks in for a DAS return time they know when they are able to come back. If an unexpectedly large number of DAS users request a return time at once, couldn't they add time to the standby wait to account for the upcoming rush on the LL?

If 500 extra people are due in the LL in as soon as 1 hour, shouldn't their system increase the standby wait time? Anyone getting in the line after the next few minutes are likely to be getting on the ride much later since they will increase the LL ratio when that rush hits. That increase in the wait would push the next DAS return times back a little while and space them out more

In theory… but my understanding is (and I might not have understood it correctly as it was explained to me lol) but what I was told is that if they have a high demand on DAS return times… it doesn’t always push the expected standby time as it should . Which leads to both lines becoming backed up

 

[CampbellzSoup]

No, I’m not kidding and I’m not triggered. I don’t qualify for a DAS pass personally. But your question clearly said that you thought the pass was only good for 3 rides which you stated you found reasonable, and I’m just wondering why that is. I feel like that is a fair and honest question in response to your comment.

Lanejudy explained nicely the reason that limiting a person with disabilities to 3 rides would be inappropriate This entire forum section is related to folks with disabilities, and the das is for those with disabilities, so if you have no familiarity with the program, no experience with disabilities, and no skin in the game it’s ok to sit back and listen and learn!

Questions aren’t trolling. I don’t want a DAS pass ever. It’s like ANY push back or questions leads to nastiness.

 

[Kgrace1989]

Questions aren’t trolling. I don’t want a DAS pass ever. It’s like ANY push back or questions leads to nastiness.

Because it works as a standby entrance for those who can’t wait in a traditional standby lane.
That is why they are unable to limit it… unless the limited the standby guests to 3 rides, they couldn’t do it for DAS either .

 

[Tatebeck]

In theory… but my understanding is (and I might not have understood it correctly as it was explained to me lol) but what I was told is that if they have a high demand on DAS return times… it doesn’t always push the expected standby time as it should . Which leads to both lines becoming backed up

Maybe they will update it to be a more accurate system now that they are redoing a lot of DAS, who knows

 

[Jdavidm]

I’m curious what/if any differences there will be between DL and WDW with the new system of accommodations. I know in the past they’ve kept things fairly similar between the two but already there’s a large known change in that DL will still have the in-person day-of option for registering on property where as WDW will require a video chat regardless (with the option to do your video call at the park if needed).

I know only time will tell. Is the plan to start a fresh thread for the facts and experiences to be shared once things actually get going? Just want to know if I should keep an eye out for a new one to appear.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I’m sorry but my mind is still blown that this is an all encompassing all rides all day pass I legitimately thought it was three rides and then the rest standby as I find that “reasonable” yeah I guess changes are on the way fast.

It would be reasonable that my disabled child was limited to 3 rides all day?

 

[miadeals]

1) DAS isn't even "on par" with standing in the standby lane and isn't even an accommodation anymore. You now have to wait for an amount of time that is equivalent to the standby time, and then go wait in the LL too. The LL can be just as long as the standby line and defeats the very purpose of DAS for those who need it - you are back to waiting in line, just a different line (after waiting somewhere else in the park.) DAS is now "free LL if you wait an equivalent amount of time of the standby line first." It has gotten horrific (and our child will still qualify under the revised DAS rules.) It would be faster (and make more sense) for one member of our party to wait in the standby line and then bring the rest of the family in the exit when the person waiting reaches the ride.

2) Disney should require documentation from families likes ours for DAS. It will still be simple to find on the internet exactly what to say for those who want to abuse the system. I do not see what has changed when it comes to ASD.

3) Disney should come up with reasonable accommodations for others who need them with a system that is similar to DAS, and it sounds like they haven't. In the end, the problem is capacity - there are wait times due to more demand than capacity, and many people cannot wait in line as easily as the typical person. They need to do something to fix their mess and provide accommodations for all who need them.

 

[SarahC97]

I guess what I fail to understand in all of this is why Fastpass seemed to be such a better system. Why does Genie seem to be so much worse with line backup?

 

[jo-jo]

I guess what I fail to understand in all of this is why Fastpass seemed to be such a better system. Why does Genie seem to be so much worse with line backup?

For us, with Genie plus, you get a list of say 10 rides, you can do each one once. But at this point in life we only do 4 or 5 on that list. With FP, we could go on Buzz all day long if we waited the 2 hours in between (or whatever the rule was).

And this has nothing to do with DAS. The body just doesn't bend the way needed for some rides.

It's because health issues popped up about 5 years ago, that help is needed for those rides we still can go on.

 

[hulagirl87]

I just did my video chat for my arrival on May 18th. I was on right at 7 and chatted with someone at 7:20 and am waiting now to do my pre selections. The video chat was very rushed with being told "still doing things the old way", so I was ok'd right away and it took less than a minute.

 

[lanejudy]

In theory… but my understanding is (and I might not have understood it correctly as it was explained to me lol) but what I was told is that if they have a high demand on DAS return times… it doesn’t always push the expected standby time as it should . Which leads to both lines becoming backed up

Maybe they will update it to be a more accurate system now that they are redoing a lot of DAS, who knows

I think the large variable is the open-ended return time of DAS. You might obtain a DAS Return Time that allows you to return to the LL in 1 hour -- but in reality it could be 1.5 hours that you return or 3 hours later that you return.

I guess what I fail to understand in all of this is why Fastpass seemed to be such a better system. Why does Genie seem to be so much worse with line backup?

Just my opinion, but I think the same issue would have resulted with FP+ as we have now with G+. The challenge is the large number of DAS which have been given out; that does appear to be Disney's primary goal is reining that in by offering alternative accommodations. Without as many DAS handed out, there will be less unmanageable impact to the LL queues.

 

[lanejudy]

Questions aren’t trolling. I don’t want a DAS pass ever. It’s like ANY push back or questions leads to nastiness.

If you don't understand something, you really can't judge "reasonable" so simply asking questions would have been appropriate without triggering reactions. If you don't want to participate in the conversation politely, please move along.

 

[sprem96]

I think the large variable is the open-ended return time of DAS. You might obtain a DAS Return Time that allows you to return to the LL in 1 hour -- but in reality it could be 1.5 hours that you return or 3 hours later that you return.

This is such a good point, I think a large portion of people think people of DAS are literally hopping from DAS time to DAS time at it's earliest return times. Listen, sometimes it works out that, yes, you ride a ride and your get to your next DAS return time either just before or just after (also that shows more skill on ability to plan than anything, not abusing; but as lanejudy has said, there is times when I have a DAS time that has sat around for over an hour because I was in my Genie+ attraction at the moment, or went shopping for a bit, or I was unable to ride at the moment and party had to wait for me or they went into a short standby while I was unavailable.

 

[jlundeen]

This is such a good point, I think a large portion of people think people of DAS are literally hopping from DAS time to DAS time at it's earliest return times. Listen, sometimes it works out that, yes, you ride a ride and your get to your next DAS return time either just before or just after (also that shows more skill on ability to plan than anything, not abusing; but as lanejudy has said, there is times when I have a DAS time that has sat around for over an hour because I was in my Genie+ attraction at the moment, or went shopping for a bit, or I was unable to ride at the moment in a UC moment and party had to wait for me or they went into a short standby while I was unavailable.

And sometimes, those DAS times go unused - often, after booking one, I can just never get back to use it. Glad they now have the CANCEL option so if I know I'm not going to use it, I can open it up for someone else. I suspect many others are in the same situation where we plan for something, and then the plan goes sideways....

 

[PrincessV]

I guess what I fail to understand in all of this is why Fastpass seemed to be such a better system. Why does Genie seem to be so much worse with line backup?

This is just my own opinion, but it’s based on 30+ years of observation and usage as a WDW regular… FP wasn't significantly better. FP+ was about on par with G+. All 3 created issues with crowding and congestion, as people who previously would have been steadily moving (as in, not standing in place for 20 mins at a time) through Standby lines were instead milling about in other areas. During busy times, the FP/FP+ lines backed up, just like LLs do now. As attendance increases, both Standby and LLs increase proportionately.

I fully admit to bias on this topic, but it’s informed bias - I’ve used every system they've had, and good ol’ Standby and Standby only was superior in every way, IMO! Problem is, people in lines don't spend as much money as people waiting outside of lines - hence FP/FP+. But what brings in even more money? Charging people to wait outside of the lines - enter G+.

 

[lanejudy]

And sometimes, those DAS times go unused - often, after booking one, I can just never get back to use it. Glad they now have the CANCEL option so if I know I'm not going to use it, I can open it up for someone else. I suspect many others are in the same situation where we plan for something, and then the plan goes sideways....

You can cancel DAS, but it doesn't "open it up for someone else." Nobody gets a shorter Return Time because you cancelled; someone doesn't get their time bumped up to yours and nobody was shut-out of getting one because you had one as well. There is no limit to who (with a DAS) can obtain a Return Time other than you can only hold 1 active return time.

Cancelling allows you to obtain a different DAS Return Time at a different attraction. That's really all it does.

 

[sprem96]

This is just my own opinion, but it’s based on 30+ years of observation and usage as a WDW regular… FP wasn't significantly better. FP+ was about on par with G+. All 3 created issues with crowding and congestion, as people who previously would have been steadily moving (as in, not standing in place for 20 mins at a time) through Standby lines were instead milling about in other areas. During busy times, the FP/FP+ lines backed up, just like LLs do now. As attendance increases, both Standby and LLs increase proportionately.

I fully admit to bias on this topic, but it’s informed bias - I’ve used every system they've had, and good ol’ Standby and Standby only was superior in every way, IMO! Problem is, people in lines don't spend as much money as people waiting outside of lines - hence FP/FP+. But what brings in even more money? Charging people to wait outside of the lines - enter G+.

very excellent points IMO. At Canada's Wonderland, half the rides have a "fast lane" you can buy for the day, but the rides that don't, when I use their disability program and enter at the back of the lineup, I don't see piles of people lined up there, the regular line moves along nicely with occasionally letting 2-4 people in with a disability. The "fast lane" is what causes the headaches, because standby's see others constantly zooming by them and if they see a disability person in that, they almost feel like they're getting a paid service for free, and fast lane users can get angry if disability person is in that line because they are waiting longer for something they paid for; I don't see the same anger as much as from a line that has standby only because then you only see the disabled getting the faster treatment and can truly see how much they are occupying capacity. If that makes sense

 

[lauritagoddess]

Fastpass + was better than Genie + because you weren’t limited to one of each ride per day. Particularly for those on the spectrum who may want to ride the same ride many times, Genie + doesn’t work for them, and the pre-selections helped. This is why I’ve said in my prior posts that we were able to make Fastpass + work for us and didn’t necessarily need DAS. The best trip we ever took was when they were piloting Fastpass + if you stayed at certain resorts, when they still had paper Fastpass. We were scheduling Fastpass Plus, at kiosks if we recall back then, and pulling paper Fastpasses. I know that was just a one off, but for a single mom with a disability with a kid who also has a disability, that was like a dream trip.

 

[Madteaparty001]

This is such a good point, I think a large portion of people think people of DAS are literally hopping from DAS time to DAS time at it's earliest return times. Listen, sometimes it works out that, yes, you ride a ride and your get to your next DAS return time either just before or just after (also that shows more skill on ability to plan than anything, not abusing; but as lanejudy has said, there is times when I have a DAS time that has sat around for over an hour because I was in my Genie+ attraction at the moment, or went shopping for a bit, or I was unable to ride at the moment in a UC moment and party had to wait for me or they went into a short standby while I was unavailable.

And sometimes, those DAS times go unused - often, after booking one, I can just never get back to use it. Glad they now have the CANCEL option so if I know I'm not going to use it, I can open it up for someone else. I suspect many others are in the same situation where we plan for something, and then the plan goes sideways....

Agreed, it's honestly the biggest boon about the whole thing for DD but I've seen how bad the lines get when a ride has to temporarily shut down. This happened on our last trip, SDMT went down at some point and when we went to check-in they warned us LL was an hour wait (standby was 2-3 hours posted wait) so we ended up doing something else but didn't give up the reservation. Came back later and it was still bad. Left the park for a break and dinner, came back and rode it when things had finally gotten back to normal.

Then there's the nightmare of how often Rise goes down. That went down while we had a reservation but had gone back up for something like 5 minutes than down again. Well that 5 minutes is enough for the app to say you could have redeemed it so it doesn't roll over into an anytime pass so you can't select a new ride unless you cancel. Had to go to a blue umbrella for that one and she said we fell into a 'crack in the system' that can sometimes happen before kindly giving us the anytime pass so we could move on with our day.