Love and appreciative of DAS...but ran into first issue with it

[gatormom2tots]

We were at the parks last week with our 14 yo who uses the DAS due to ASD and GAD. He wanted to ride Everest so I left the group who was at another attraction to go and grab the DAS pass. Everest was only a 25 minute wait- so not bad- but he was not with me. I approached the CM who told me "you can just go in the standby." I informed him that my son was not with me and asked could I not get a return time? He looked at me, showed his annoyance with his facial expression, and begrudgingly gave me the return time for about 15 minutes later for the 2 of us.

Is there a policy for wait times under 30 minutes no issuance of DAS? I have never run into this type of situation and was taken aback by his attitude. If there is a policy stated, I have no issue and we will determine on case by case basis his ability to wait (really depends on type of que). But we have never had an issue at all and CMs have always been so accommodating!

 

[sjberg79]

I've unfortunately had this happen just a handful of times and it always leaves me feeling sad because 95% of the cast members are so wonderful. I did speak to different guest services members about this and they did assure me that DAS should always be offered, regardless of the wait. Even during things like Disney After Hours and Mine Train having a 25 minute wait, you can still ask for a return time. So you did not do anything wrong, perhaps this cast member was just having a bad day. That's what I try to remind myself when I have a negative experience with someone there, they are probably having a bad day and I won't let their bad day make me have one too. You can always get their name and take it to guest services and say something if it will make you feel better though. But don't feel bad asking for return times, that is what DAS is for. Even if the stand by time is listed as "only" 25 minutes. 25 could end up being 45.

 

[OurBigTrip]

When the DAS first came out, there was a policy that for wait times less than a given time (can't remember if it was 20 minutes or 30 minutes, but I think 20), the guest would be directed to the standby line. I don't know if that's still in place or not.

 

[Hoodie]

I've been directed to the fast pass line with shorter waits, but never the standby line. That is odd.

 

[camper06]

I've been directed to the fast pass line with shorter waits, but never the standby line. That is odd.

This has been my experience as well.

OP, I have also sometimes been the runner for the return time. Occasionally, I would be told to go ahead into the fastpass line. When I explained that the rest of my group wasn't there, it was never an issue to get a return time. As others have said, maybe the CM was just having a bad day.

 

[gap2368]

We were at the parks last week with our 14 yo who uses the DAS due to ASD and GAD. He wanted to ride Everest so I left the group who was at another attraction to go and grab the DAS pass. Everest was only a 25 minute wait- so not bad- but he was not with me. I approached the CM who told me "you can just go in the standby." I informed him that my son was not with me and asked could I not get a return time? He looked at me, showed his annoyance with his facial expression, and begrudgingly gave me the return time for about 15 minutes later for the 2 of us.

Is there a policy for wait times under 30 minutes no issuance of DAS? I have never run into this type of situation and was taken aback by his attitude. If there is a policy stated, I have no issue and we will determine on case by case basis his ability to wait (really depends on type of que). But we have never had an issue at all and CMs have always been so accommodating!

I am sorry that the CM was not nice too you. There is no policy about 30 minutes or less. I have had a few CM ask me if I would like to ride now when the waits are shorter ( like what you said) a good number of times I tell them I am not ready and they issue me a DAS return time. I have said to a few CM that were rude to me something like I know your job must be hard but please do not take it out on me. Normily the CM say sorry had a bad morning or a thank you for understanding.

 

[DisneyOma]

But don't feel bad asking for return times, that is what DAS is for. Even if the stand by time is listed as "only" 25 minutes. 25 could end up being 45.

That could also happen in the FP queue, right?

I've been directed to the fast pass line with shorter waits, but never the standby line. That is odd.

Why would they give access to the FP queue when the standby is less than the limit for DAS use?

 

[heazer]

Sure, any wait time could balloon no matter which line you are in. I think part of the point the OP is making is that a lot of times those of us that are runners are usually doing the legwork for a child or individual that has difficulty waiting due to a neurological development disorder. So while the current wait may be 25 minutes, even if they had just offered to flag them directly into the FP line, that wasn't going to work for them. While my husband and son take a rest with a cold drink or snack, I usually trek across the park to get a return time for the ride he wants to ride. Then trek back, and we take a leisurely stroll back to where I have the DAS return time. If we pass a store we can wander through, we browse and shop. If we see an attraction that we can try to tolerate the Standby line for, we do that. Then we get to the ride with the DAS return time. It's a strategy to keep the individuals from excessive frustration and sensory overload.

As far as directing to the FP queue when the Standby queue time is low, that is what the DAS is structured to do. Say the Standby line is posted at 15 minutes because the technology hasn't updated the real wait time, and I take my little one into the line thinking this will be a great lesson in waiting and earning a reward/ride.....and then a large tour group with a FP floods the dang FP queue. Now the Standby line will slow down, in order to process some of the bulging FP queue. Our little learning/therapy of using the Standby queue has now blown up on us. Thus triggering a meltdown for the little one. We leave the line. No ride is taken. And there is now park time spent on calming and distracting the little one....or if it's bad enough the family need to go back to the resort.

I haven't been told by GS at the parks that the program has changed. But the policy used to be 15 (or maybe it was 20??) minutes waits didn't require a return time, they could just flag you through the FP queue. It was never meant that they would refer you to the Standby queue.

 

[SueM in MN]

When the DAS first came out, there was a policy that for wait times less than a given time (can't remember if it was 20 minutes or 30 minutes, but I think 20), the guest would be directed to the standby line. I don't know if that's still in place or not.

That was how it was at the beginning - 20 minutes or less.

There was not a guarantee of being sent directly to the Fastpass line if the wait was 20 minutes or less. It could be Fastpass or Standby line, depending on the attraction and/or CM discretion.
I know that from CMs at the time DAS rolled; some shared their written instructions with me.

We’ve been told they can’t give a DAS Return Time if the wait is 10 minutes - the CM has given one, but it took some talking. I think part of the grudging ness is because the purpose of DAS is to limit the wait in the Standby line, not prevent exposure to the Standby line.
It’s different now with the Return Time being assigned automatically. When DAS was paper and the CMs had to figure out the time, it was harder.

 

[anorman]

Did I hear someone say here recently in a different thread that you can get a DAS return time for any DAS ride at various kiosks set up around the park? I'm not sure exactly where they are located but it was described as a CM with an umbrella stand and ipad in hand. This would eliminate the need for the "runner".

 

[anorman]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-information-booth-and-das.3747953/
Here it is.....

 

[OurBigTrip]

As for the OP, I agree, there is no reason that once you told the CM that you were the "runner", and that your party wasn't there to ride, that should have been the end of it - you should have been given a return time immediately. Since Disney's policy is that the DAS user doesn't have to be present to obtain a return time, this is a pretty easy answer.

But overall, I don't see anything wrong with directing DAS users to the standby line if the wait is 15 minutes or less (or whatever Disney uses, 20 minutes, etc.)

 

[gap2368]

https://www.disboards.com/threads/guest-information-booth-and-das.3747953/
Here it is.....

I do wish they were at every park but only at MK and HS

 

[anorman]

I do wish they were at every park but only at MK and HS

Totally missed that.....my bad.

 

[Krista Sweigart]

I've always been told that for my daughter who is a quadriplegic tonuse her DAS she had to be present to get a return time.

 

[gap2368]

I've always been told that for my daughter who is a quadriplegic tonuse her DAS she had to be present to get a return time.

The DAS holder dose not need to be there for a return time. If this is for a wheelchair return time then yes but not for the DAS

 

[SueM in MN]

I've always been told that for my daughter who is a quadriplegic tonuse her DAS she had to be present to get a return time.

I’m sorry you were told that.
My family has used DAS from a few months after it came out and were never required to have our daughter present to get a DAS Return Time for her.

Pretty much from the beginning in 2013, Disney has said that the person the DAS was issued to needed to be present to have the DAS issued, but did not need to be present to request a Return Time.
At first, when it was a paper card, the person requesting the Return Time had to have the card for the CM to write on. As it changed to electronic, it could be anyone in the group whose Magicbands/ticket was linked to the DAS.

The disABILITIES Board has had that information from the beginning, but I have seen other places (and still do) where people write the DAS holder needs to be present to get a Return Time. I expect they confused getting a DAS Return Time with being present to have DAS issued and to use the Return Time (i.e. the rest of the group can’t use the Return Time without the person DAS was issued to.)

 

[SueM in MN]

The DAS holder dose not need to be there for a return time. If this is for a wheelchair return time then yes but not for the DAS

That is true for the few attractions that give out wheelchair return times.
That is separate from DAS. The reason is probably that many of the people using wheelchairs or ECVs in the parks don’t have DAS.

 

[cobright]

I approached the CM who told me "you can just go in the standby." I informed him that my son was not with me and asked could I not get a return time? He looked at me, showed his annoyance with his facial expression, and begrudgingly gave me the return time for about 15 minutes later for the 2 of us.

I'm always suspect of criticism that relies on knowing the internal mindset, or motivations of the other person. I don't mean this to impugn the OP, except that she is a human being like the rest of us and this is a highly subjective criticism.

I catch myself doing this all the time, especially when traveling with a handicapped partner. Somebody makes a face, or a conversation stalls when we enter a room, the CM we just finished talking to chuckles to a fellow CM right after we walk away; we tend to analyze these things and internalize them as derogatory towards us. We are often right, and sometimes wrong.

As a third party hearing only one person's account I can only judge based on what the CM did that was seen and heard by the OP, there's too much "maybe" going on with the 'why' of it. Maybe the DAS wait time plus the FP line would end up being longer than the standby time so he offered that as a simple solution. When you asked for a return time, maybe the annoyed facial expression and begrudging mannerism was just how he looks when he does math in his head.

Maybe he thought he was being helpful and then learned that his suggestion was just a horrible one and he has made you feel awkward, and he's letting his disappointment in himself slip through. You have a son on the spectrum, you know that not everyone is the master of their body language 100% of the time.

I say this as a misanthrope. I am more than willing to believe the worst in anyone. Uncaring and cruel people exist in abundance, and this CM may indeed be one of them. But in my experience, socially awkward people outnumber the cruel 5 to 1; which means it's far more likely the man had no evil intent.

 

[Fldisneyfamily4321]

Did I hear someone say here recently in a different thread that you can get a DAS return time for any DAS ride at various kiosks set up around the park? I'm not sure exactly where they are located but it was described as a CM with an umbrella stand and ipad in hand. This would eliminate the need for the "runner".

It’s not set up yet , was just there and you still have to go to the ride .