We finally went on our long weekend trip and I wanted to report back on our experience!
We were at EP our first day, but the line for GR was out the door and we had no plans to use
DAS that day, so we waited. The next day was MK, and again - the line for GR was insane, and we didn't really need to use DAS that day, so we were going to try again the following day. BUT, at the end of Main St. I saw a stand marked Guest Assistance, manned by a couple CMs. I approached one of them and mentioned that we were interested in the DAS and asked if GR was the only place to handle it. The CM at the stand said she could handle it right there! She was wonderful: kind, welcoming, and very reassuring, which we needed. I had prepared a brief explanation for why we thought DAS would be helpful for my son, and I was prepared to provide further details if they were needed. They weren't. As I briefly explained my son's needs, the CM smiled and nodded and said his situation is exactly why the DAS system exists and that she thought it could be helpful for him. She explained how it works, and the entire time she made sure to include my son by looking and smiling at him, and asking if he had any questions or concerns. He really appreciated that. I know he was nervous and hesitant about even asking for DAS, and I think she saw that and really helped make him feel comfortable.
We used DAS the following two days to ride SDD and FOP. I never could snag a FP for either of them, even 60 days out, and without DAS, my son would have just accepted that he'd have to skip them because the wait was too long. He'd never complain; he'd just accept it stoically and internalize his disappointment. The joy I saw on his face as we rode confirmed that using DAS was the right call for us; it really changed the mood of our day for the better!
In retrospect, I think there are better ways to incorporate DAS into a day than how we winged it. We wound up requesting return times when the standby wait was at its daily peak and had a 3-hour wait for FOP - which was fine because we just did it after dinner, at the end of our night, but could maybe be used to better effect if requested when standby is typically a bit shorter? I'm thinking the best method would be to have a DAS return time sandwiched between FPs and maybe be able to utilize DAS more than once. I think DAS will be most helpful for my son for most of the year when we don't have onsite resort reservations (we live close enough that we often do day trips) and can only make FPs 30 days out or less.
I know there were some folks reading along, wondering if DAS might work for their needs, too, and I just want to say that it's 100% worth asking! In my experience, the CMs know what to look for, understand how limitations can impact a visit, and are very helpful and reassuring.