DAS question

[NicFN2121]

Does Disney consider multiple issues as qualification for a DAS pass? Both my child and my husband experience extreme hypoglycemic episodes due to Type 1 diabetes that often require a snack and time to sit and recover from the low blood sugar. This tends to be worse than what we consider a normal low blood sugar. My daughter also just injured her knee and we aren't sure how well it will have recovered by our trip in late January. She is on crutches and in PT right now, but should be mobile by then. We don't think a wheel chair in necessary, because we plan to rent a stroller just in case, but the amount of walking and standing may result in a lot of pain.

I know that nobody can guarantee a pass, but are they going to just tell us to rent a wheelchair for an otherwise mobile child? I can tell you that willreally upset my child and ruin her trip. She's 9, and likely to be embarrassed, would probably rather be in pain.

 

[OurBigTrip]

For mobility issues, such as your daughter’s injury, renting a wheelchair will most likely be the answer, at least it should be. That she will be upset by that isn’t really relevant to obtaining a DAS.

As for the other health issues you noted, DAS is need based, not diagnosis based. If you plan to ask for one, you need to be ready to explain why your daughter and husband have difficulties waiting in line.

You should also consider what steps you will take if they experience a low while on a ride.

 

[redberyl]

We've used the das twice, and there is a lot more walking involved when using the das. If my daughter (age 9)weren't in her adaptive stroller, there is no way she could keep up with all the crisscrossing that comes with using the das. Our last trip, there were several instances where we had das return times that we ended up not using simply because when it came time to use it we weren't in that area anymore and we didn't feel like going back. So if standing/walking is her biggest problem, then you really are better off with a stroller or wheelchair.

 

[lanejudy]

To specifically answer your question — no, multiple issues for multiple people does not necessarily qualify for a DAS. DAS is for an individual, and each person’s needs will be considered for that person.

For the family members prone to hypoglycemic events, I strongly suggest you/DH speak to the doctor(s) before your trip. All the walking, activity, heat and excitement of a Florida parks vacation tends to cause lows. You may need to adjust treatment to run slightly higher blood sugar than usual if they are prone to extreme lows regularly. Also be sure to pack plenty of testing supplies and test frequently. DH has never needed a DAS for his diabetes. You can ask, but be sure to explain needs and not just diagnosis. I don’t see DAS as particularly helpful because he can snack while in queues, and other than sitting on the ground there is really no place to sit and wait for return times. Testing often and snacking regularly are key prevention in the parks to avoid treating serious lows.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[gap2368]

as others have said for your DD with mobility problems I would look at a wheelchair as there really is a lot of walking with or without a DAS pass.

as for lows I really would not get a DAS for lows it sounds like your concern is standing and if so then they will not give a DAS pass out for this. With a DAS pass you are walking a lot more than without it, It will more then likely cause more lows then help with not and or help during a low.

a few things you can do test more ( you might even need to test every hour, before you get in any lines) often bring snacks with you do not skip meals talk to your Dr they may want to adjust meds ( if on any) and you might want to treat low higher up then normal like if you would treat 70 as low you might want to teat anything under 80.

if your DD is in a stroller you can as to have this tagged as a wheelchair to have in line with you.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

they would have to be able to explain why they can't wait in line. A DAS just means they get to go wait somewhere else, not that they have a shorter wait. If they have issues that can be solved by using a mobility device, they will be advised to use one. Part of the reason for this is that DAS often involves more movement, since once you have a return time you will need to go somewhere to wait for it.

I don't think embarrassment at having to use a wheelchair is the type of need they are looking for with DAS. as noted, if you will have a stroller anyway, you can have the stroller tagged as a wheelchair.

 

[redberyl]

I have a bit more time, so here's some examples of what I mean when I say that DAS causes more walking. First, I planned animal kingdom to start in Pandora: get a DAS return time for navi river ride, use fastpasses for the flight of passage, look around the shops and explore Pandora, then return to use DAS for navi river. Then head over to Africa, do festival of lion king then use fastpass for the safari. But when we got the return time for the river ride it was almost 3 hours, and I just hadn't planned on it being that long. so after we did everything in Pandora we still had over an hour until our return time. so we went to Africa and did festival of lion king a bit sooner than planned. but that made us early for our safari fast passes. we did the rest of what we wanted in Africa, and it was still too soon for the safari but it was time to do the navi river. so back over to Pandora, then when that was done back over to Africa for the safari. Another example, in Epcot her favorite ride is mission space, so that's what I got the fastpass for. I planned to get a DAS return time for test track, use fastpass for mission space, then she loves to play in the fountains over in that area so I figured that would use up a lot of time while we waited for test track, and if there was time left and the line wasn't too bad ride standby for mission space again. but the return time for test track was 110 minutes, again longer than I had planned. and the fountains were turned off, so there went that part of the plan. we did our fastpasses for mission space, then the standby was only 10 minutes (much shorter than I had anticipated), so that hardly used up any time at all. we went to the big mouse gears shop that's nearby and did some shopping, then got a snack, but we still had half an hour left until our return time. we could hang around doing nothing, do standby for test track, or move on to a different area of the park. we moved on, and by the time test track return time came up no one felt like walking back over. there were times when having the DAS was useful, but you really have to go in with a plan, and use it together with fastpass, to avoid the constant walking back and forth. and if anything goes wrong with the plan, whether a wait time is longer or shorter than you had anticipated, an attraction is down, or you have to skip something for medical reasons, it can completely throw off the plan and then you end up walking back and forth, crisscrossing the park. My daughter uses an adaptive stroller (she is 9, various medical problems but mentally is a perfectly normal 9 year old. there was a time she was embarrassed to be using a stroller, but she realizes she just can't have fun without it, and got over it), so I am the one who ends up doing the walking/pushing, but even so she sometimes tires out and isn't up for going back and forth between attractions. I can't imagine asking a child with mobility problems to do all that extra walking. If you feel that DAS will help your daughter then certainly ask for it, but I would plan on using either a stroller or a wheelchair too.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I don't know if this situation requires a DAS as I am not familiar with it. But the DAS does not make you walk more. The amount of walking you do is always your choice.

 

[redberyl]

I don't know if this situation requires a DAS as I am not familiar with it. But the DAS does not make you walk more. The amount of walking you do is always your choice.

you are right. with the das there will be situations where your choices are to sit around doing nothing, get in the stand by line and pray she makes it through the whole line, skip an attraction, or to walk more. usually I will choose to walk more so my daughter can enjoy her trip as much as possible. overall it is a good program, but for us it has created a whole lot more walking.

 

[lanejudy]

I don't know if this situation requires a DAS as I am not familiar with it. But the DAS does not make you walk more. The amount of walking you do is always your choice.

True, DAS does not directly require more walking.

However, it also does not specifically offer any place to sit/rest/wait for the DAS return time. So you are doing something. And there are relatively few benches or seating available throughout the parks. CS locations may limit the seating at those venues to guests making food purchases. So indirectly by not being in the physical queue, the DAS means you are doing something else and quite often that involves walking from and then back to the DAS attraction.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[LadyD]

I don't know if this situation requires a DAS as I am not familiar with it. But the DAS does not make you walk more. The amount of walking you do is always your choice.

There can definitely be a struggle to fill the time gap for long return times with a DAS, and it frequently can result in more walking to maximize what you get out of the trip. I would imagine it is a lot harder on families with children to try and appropriately fill that gap depending on the needs for the DAS. The DAS is not really designed to alleviate issues with standing/walking distances since you're doing some variation of that while waiting typically.

It definitely is important to remember that the DAS is not a go straight to the front of the line pass and that you will be waiting. How you wait is your choice, and thinking about how you will spend time waiting using a DAS if you get one is essential. Have a plan to reduce the amount of walking or standing you're doing separate from the DAS though if that is a major part of your needs since waiting for a ride outside of the line does not automatically mean your standing and walking will be significantly different than if you had waited in the line.

 

[ArwenMarie]

You may walk more if you are trying to get more stuff done before the return time as compared to standing in the Standby Line. I agree

 

[MakiraMarlena]

If you can find a place to sit and wait for your return time right by the attraction entrance, then it might not require a lot more movement, but a lot of guests with DAS are going elsewhere, doing something else, or just looking around for a spot to sit and wait. Which is one reason it doesn't work extremely well for mobility issues, as one can get right in the line with a mobility device.

 

[Twende]

I always end up walking more than anyone in our party when I go to get the DAS return times. We find it makes more sense to split up rather than make everyone walk to any other attraction to get the return time.

For example when I went to get a return time in AK for NaviRiver, the crowds and lines were all over the place. It made no sense to try to take an entire group through those crowds to get a return time. Everyone else headed toward our Safari time and I headed to get the return for Navi. I thought I could take the back path near FOTLK to return to them but it was closed and I had to go all the way back and around. This meant a lot of extra walking for me.

With the new norm of longer and longer standby wait times, the DAS return times are also increasing. It makes very little sense to stand there and wait; plus finding a place to sit down is often very difficult if not impossible. I ended up sitting on the ground several times this past trip, simply because there was no place to sit. Getting down is not too bad but for me getting up requires time and help! LOL!

Don't get me wrong, I could not do attractions if not for a DAS but to say that using a DAS does not require you to walk more? That is silly to me!