Here Now and a Major Suggestion to Improve DAS

[AndreaA]

This. Unfortunately I've heard from many people that we don't want to have to do so much planning, this is vacation, it's supposed to be a break, etc What isn't being realized is that back when the GAC was being used as an unlimited fastpass, people didn't have to plan because they were able to do so much more than regular guests in a short amount of time, but now with the GAC gone, people are realizing how much planning is involved in a Disney trip.

Or maybe people with issues which require a DAS are already doing a ton of extra planning, and oftentimes that planning is for naught when their child experiences a set-back in the park. Not to mention the fact that single parents with children with some disabilities have a very difficult time explaining to their child that they are going to walk to the ride and then walk away.

It's almost unfathomable to me that people are still dickering over this. Are people seriously complaining that some child with a disability might get a five minute advantage by being able to get a return time from a kiosk instead of the ride?

And the ADA requires that Disney make things AT LEAST equal. There's nothing saying they can't do more, although the idea that being able to use a kiosks is some big advantage over non-disabled guests is almost laughable.

 

[OurBigTrip]

And the ADA requires that Disney make things AT LEAST equal. There's nothing saying they can't do more, although the idea that being able to use a kiosks is some big advantage over non-disabled guests is almost laughable.

Experience shows that they can't (or shouldn't) do more. When they did (the GAC), it was so overused and abused that it was no longer sustainable.

My personal opinion is that I would like to see CMs at any ride issue return times for any ride. It would be incredibly easy (and cheap) to implement, and it would cut down tremendously on the back and forth.

 

[Coonhound]

Or maybe people with issues which require a DAS are already doing a ton of extra planning, and oftentimes that planning is for naught when their child experiences a set-back in the park. Not to mention the fact that single parents with children with some disabilities have a very difficult time explaining to their child that they are going to walk to the ride and then walk away.

It's almost unfathomable to me that people are still dickering over this. Are people seriously complaining that some child with a disability might get a five minute advantage by being able to get a return time from a kiosk instead of the ride?

And the ADA requires that Disney make things AT LEAST equal. There's nothing saying they can't do more, although the idea that being able to use a kiosks is some big advantage over non-disabled guests is almost laughable.

DAS is a tool to help navigate the parks in a manner that is as closely as possible to non-disabled guests.

The DAS is not meant to give preferential treatment.
As for whether or not disabled guests deserve preferential treatment, that is not the issue- Disney cannot give preferenial treatment because they cannot ask for proof and without requiring proof the system becomes overly used, with people using it solely to get privileges but not actually needing it, and then we end up with what happened with the GAC.

 

[Coonhound]

Experience shows that they can't (or shouldn't) do more. When they did (the GAC), it was so overused and abused that it was no longer sustainable.

My personal opinion is that I would like to see CMs at any ride issue return times for any ride. It would be incredibly easy (and cheap) to implement, and it would cut down tremendously on the back and forth.

I doubt they will do this as it gives preferential treatment...non-disabled people can start their wait for the ride only when they walk up to the actual line and get in. Disabled guests would be able to start waiting for their ride while they are halfway across the park. While I agree that it would absolutely make the DAS more user-friendly, it wild not be equal access and may lead to the same sort of abuse that caused the GAC to go away

 

[OurBigTrip]

I doubt they will do this as it gives preferential treatment...non-disabled people can start their wait for the ride only when they walk up to the actual line and get in. Disabled guests would be able to start waiting for their ride while they are halfway across the park. While I agree that it would absolutely make the DAS more user-friendly, it wild not be equal access and may lead to the same sort of abuse that caused the GAC to go away

If Disney was that concerned about it being unfair to the non-disabled, they would hire enough people in DL/DCA to get rid of the kiosks. To me, this is a specious argument.

Using your argument about unfairness, people with a DAS shouldn't be permitted to ride any other rides while they're waiting, because non-DAS users can't do that.

Additionally, any little bit of advantage that might be given by not making guests go to the ride to get a wait time will not add to abuse of the DAS. The biggest incentive to abuse the GAC was the unlimited FP (or better) nature of the accommodation, and that's gone under the DAS.

 

[Coonhound]

If Disney was that concerned about it being unfair to the non-disabled, they would hire enough people in DL/DCA to get rid of the kiosks. To me, this is a specious argument.

Using your argument about unfairness, people with a DAS shouldn't be permitted to ride any other rides while they're waiting, because non-DAS users can't do that.

Additionally, any little bit of advantage that might be given by not making guests go to the ride to get a wait time will not add to abuse of the DAS. The biggest incentive to abuse the GAC was the unlimited FP (or better) nature of the accommodation, and that's gone under the DAS.

All I am stating is information that Disney told us when we asked about kiosks and why there was a difference between Disneyland and wdw, and they said they prefer not to use kiosks but have no choice at Disneyland due to staffing issues, but at wdw they don't have to use kiosks and this is the preferred way for them, due to keeping things equal between guests.

 

[Gracie09]

Or maybe people with issues which require a DAS are already doing a ton of extra planning, and oftentimes that planning is for naught when their child experiences a set-back in the park. Not to mention the fact that single parents with children with some disabilities have a very difficult time explaining to their child that they are going to walk to the ride and then walk away.

It's almost unfathomable to me that people are still dickering over this. Are people seriously complaining that some child with a disability might get a five minute advantage by being able to get a return time from a kiosk instead of the ride?

And the ADA requires that Disney make things AT LEAST equal. There's nothing saying they can't do more, although the idea that being able to use a kiosks is some big advantage over non-disabled guests is almost laughable.

And now we are playing "pain Olympics" or my life harder than yours. You don't know how much anyone else planned for their Disney trip. The person in front of you could have decided that morning to go or they could have stated planning two or three years ago. Anyone can have their plans go wrong. The Ada requires a reasonable accommodation for equal access not at least equal. No one is complaining about one child going ahead but how many is too many - 1,5,20,100? The problem with the gac was not abuse but use.
Disneyland and Disney world are different parks built in very different times. Magic kingdom at Disneyland has many fewer accessible rides and they are closer together. There could be any number of valid reasons why a kiosk system is appropriate there but not at the larger more accessible magic kingdom in Disney world. But you hear just as many if not more complaints about the kiosks as you do about the walking up to each ride method.

The program is what it is and is not going away any time soon. Either you learn to work the new program and get the most out of your time or you don't. The choice really is yours.

 

[SueM in MN]

I think the time has come to close this thread because it is beginning on the downward path all threads about this subject have ended up on before.

There are people who like the idea of kiosks and wish WDW had kiosks.
There are people who hate the idea of kiosks and wish DL did not have kiosks.

There are people who like the idea of going to the attraction to get a DAS Return Time and wish DL did that instead of kiosks.
There are people who hate the idea of going to the attraction and wish WDW did not do that.

There is no way to please everyone. It is what it is and we need to find ways to deal with it as it is now.