WDW DAS going digital? - YES - started April 30, 2015. See page 6

[CoriM48]

I'm so encouraged by all the positive reports!

 

[OurBigTrip]

Based on what I've read so far, it looks like a much better way to handle families with multiple DAS users as well. It appears that everyone in the party is attached to each DAS, but each person is allowed only one return time at a time. This seems to offer much more flexibility to families who like to "mix and match" who will ride with whom, while eliminating the cheating that occurred when the DAS first came out.

 

[Sparkly]

It sounds fantastic. No paper to accidentally damage and get lost and it's linked to MDE so you can check the return time. A perfect solution.

 

[SueM in MN]

Based on what I've read so far, it looks like a much better way to handle families with multiple DAS users as well. It appears that everyone in the party is attached to each DAS, but each person is allowed only one return time at a time. This seems to offer much more flexibility to families who like to "mix and match" who will ride with whom, while eliminating the cheating that occurred when the DAS first came out.

that as how I thought it would probably work, based on how MDE works with guests grouped together as 'Friends and Family'.
I'm glad it works that way; it seems to be able to give flexibility to those who have more than one in the group with DAS and still avoid the issue that existed with some people with multiple DAS cards getting double the DAS times.

 

[Cuppie]

Both my mother and my son will require a DAS for different reasons, my mom doesn't ride many of the rides, but can not do stairs at all. And can not stand/walk for long periods.. she will have an ECV.

Question- my daughter who DOES NOT need a DAS card often stays with her grams instead of riding with me and her brother.. with this new digital system, she WILL NOT be able to be listed to ride with her brother (on a maybe that she won't chicken out) while being on a definite ride with her grams?

I hope.my question came out right

 

[OurBigTrip]

Both my mother and my son will require a DAS for different reasons, my mom doesn't ride many of the rides, but can not do stairs at all. And can not stand/walk for long periods.. she will have an ECV.

Question- my daughter who DOES NOT need a DAS card often stays with her grams instead of riding with me and her brother.. with this new digital system, she WILL NOT be able to be listed to ride with her brother (on a maybe that she won't chicken out) while being on a definite ride with her grams?

I hope.my question came out right

Your daughter can be attached to two different DAS, but she can only be attached to one return time at a time. So, for example, if grams gets a return time for 1:00 PM for Small World, and your son gets a return time for 1:30 PM for Space Mountain, your daughter will only be allowed to be on one of those return times.

 

[cmwade77]

that as how I thought it would probably work, based on how MDE works with guests grouped together as 'Friends and Family'.
I'm glad it works that way; it seems to be able to give flexibility to those who have more than one in the group with DAS and still avoid the issue that existed with some people with multiple DAS cards getting double the DAS times.

I agree, as someone who was in a party with multiple DAS cards the last time we went, we found out that avoiding doubling up (as we had no intention of scamming the system) could prove challenging. For example, DW and I would go our way for a while, but we were by Rockin' Roller Coaster, which DW doesn't ride and it was getting near time to meet back up, so I would get a return time for it and then it would turn out the other DAS card holder (who would ride Rockin' Roller Coaster) had got one for Great Movie Ride, which we all would want to ride.

This was not intentional and really as it turned out, we ended up waiting the length of both queues anyway due to the fact that there was no line when we returned to the Great Movie Ride, even though there was a 45 minute wait when they asked for the return time, we simply failed to communicate properly and it sounds like this system would help to avoid such situations.

My point is this helps with that, but just reminding everyone not to judge to harshly, not everyone that has two DAS cards was trying to scam the system, even if they ended up with multiple return times at the same time, sometimes it just boils down to poor communication.

 

[Sunnywho]

My biggest issue here is there is nothing cueing them in that you have a disability (the DAS was a nonverbal clue) so you are going to have to tell CMs over and over all day long to get times. **sigh**

This is a valid issue for someone with anxiety. Having other people (who don't have anxiety or who have a visible disability) say that it's not an issue for them personally doesn't mean the issue isn't valid.

 

[OurBigTrip]

This is a valid issue for someone with anxiety. Having other people (who don't have anxiety or who have a visible disability) say that it's not an issue for them personally doesn't mean the issue isn't valid.

I agree, it may well be an issue for some, but no system is going to be perfect.

If a non-verbal cue is preferred, then write "DAS" on an index card, and hold it up for the CM to see.

 

[OurBigTrip]

My point is this helps with that, but just reminding everyone not to judge to harshly, not everyone that has two DAS cards was trying to scam the system, even if they ended up with multiple return times at the same time, sometimes it just boils down to poor communication.

Agree 100%, and I apologize if I came off as believing that everyone with multiple return times was trying to scam the system - I don't. However, enough people were doing it that Disney was forced to stop it by making groups break up when multiple DAS cards were issued, which in turn really took away flexibility from those families/groups.

The new system stops the real scammers, while returning that flexibility.

 

[cmwade77]

Agree 100%, and I apologize if I came off as believing that everyone with multiple return times was trying to scam the system - I don't. However, enough people were doing it that Disney was forced to stop it by making groups break up when multiple DAS cards were issued, which in turn really took away flexibility from those families/groups.

The new system stops the real scammers, while returning that flexibility.

I agree, the only real issue is that you have to go back to guest relations every time your party changes. Why not at least allow the FP kiosks to change the parties? Better still allow that from the MDE app? A few more tweaks (such as being able to get a return time from the MDE app or at least from any attraction for any other attraction) and I think they will have it nailed down.

Overall, I think this is a step in the right direction. I think there will need to be a few more tweaks and I do wonder what will happen with shows now. Obviously something like the little mermaid show where they run almost continuously won't really be an issue, but something like Festival of the Lion King, I am not sure. Even if I have a FP, I really would need to use the accessible seating as I can't handle all of the stairs, but don't need a wheelchair or ECV. So, do I now have to explain this there or how does that work?

 

[Missyrose]

Did you feel like the Mickey turning blue and verification was awkward or took longer than expected?

We used the digital DAS the past couple of days and most CMs seemed to know exactly what the blue Mickey head meant. There was only one who loudly told her fellow CM who was watching the screen "theirs didn't turn green."

And @lovethattink the Frozen singalong is definitely still covered by the new system.

 

[aaarcher86]

This is a valid issue for someone with anxiety. Having other people (who don't have anxiety or who have a visible disability) say that it's not an issue for them personally doesn't mean the issue isn't valid.

I suppose. I don't think there's a system that's going to be perfect for everyone.

Maybe since the DAS is meant to help with anxiety in the line it's maybe less taken into account when obtaining a return, if that makes sense.

Did you just show the card before without saying anything?

 

[OurBigTrip]

Overall, I think this is a step in the right direction. I think there will need to be a few more tweaks and I do wonder what will happen with shows now. Obviously something like the little mermaid show where they run almost continuously won't really be an issue, but something like Festival of the Lion King, I am not sure. Even if I have a FP, I really would need to use the accessible seating as I can't handle all of the stairs, but don't need a wheelchair or ECV. So, do I now have to explain this there or how does that work?

Why would the shows be handled any differently with the digital DAS? Nothing has really changed, except digitizing the process.

 

[Cuppie]

Your daughter can be attached to two different DAS, but she can only be attached to one return time at a time. So, for example, if grams gets a return time for 1:00 PM for Small World, and your son gets a return time for 1:30 PM for Space Mountain, your daughter will only be allowed to be on one of those return times.

so this way my mom would have to do many things alone... or do nothing at all..

 

[SueM in MN]

Both my mother and my son will require a DAS for different reasons, my mom doesn't ride many of the rides, but can not do stairs at all. And can not stand/walk for long periods.. she will have an ECV.

Question- my daughter who DOES NOT need a DAS card often stays with her grams instead of riding with me and her brother.. with this new digital system, she WILL NOT be able to be listed to ride with her brother (on a maybe that she won't chicken out) while being on a definite ride with her grams?

I hope.my question came out right

If your mom's issues are mobility based and are solved by using the ECV, she might not be issued a DAS.
Just so you are prepared for the possibility. She will need to discuss the needs in line that are not met by using an ECV.

This is a valid issue for someone with anxiety. Having other people (who don't have anxiety or who have a visible disability) say that it's not an issue for them personally doesn't mean the issue isn't valid.

I don't think people were dismissing it as an issue for other people, they were just saying it would not be an issue for them.
For our daughter, I was usually the one taking the DAS to get Return Times without her, so not a visible disability. Even holding the DAS, I needed to find a CM (who might have been at the Standby line, at the Fastpass Entrance or just around), and ask for a DAS Return Time. It was not offered just because the CM saw the DAS; they didn't know if I was coming to request a Return Time, use a Return Time or ask a question.

You also made an assumption that the people, including me, who commented do not have any anxiety issues. I personally do - not in every situation, but things like making phone calls, making appointments, asking for help in stores and ordering food in a restaurant are difficult for me. I also have had panic attacks (not as much in recent years, because I have internal scripts to tell myself how to deal with them).
Figuring out who to ask and asking for something like the DAS Return Time was difficult and anxiety provoking for me. I personally (my own opinion) feel it will be easier the new way because there is a more clear process. Yes, it is necessary to ask for a DAS Return Time with the Magicband. But, in our experience, we had to ask anyway, so that was what I meant by saying it would not be much different for us.

Agree 100%, and I apologize if I came off as believing that everyone with multiple return times was trying to scam the system - I don't. However, enough people were doing it that Disney was forced to stop it by making groups break up when multiple DAS cards were issued, which in turn really took away flexibility from those families/groups.

The new system stops the real scammers, while returning that flexibility.

Agree.

There were people who posting here about accidentally getting 2 DAS Return Times even though they were not trying to (and in many cases, were trying not to). Those are not the people that tying the DAS to the ticket/Magicband is aimed at.
There were actual people trying to 'work' the system; some of them posted that getting 2 DAS or pretending they lost one so they could get a second was one of their 'strategies'. There were enough doing it purposely that Disney felt a need to act and their actions penalized the people who were trying to work within the system.
I'm glad that the new system sounds like it will be able to bring some flexibility back.

 

[aaarcher86]

so this way my mom would have to do many things alone... or do nothing at all..

Why? Your mom can have something doing things with her on her DAS. And you also have 3 FP for each person.

 

[OurBigTrip]

so this way my mom would have to do many things alone... or do nothing at all..

Why? If she has a DAS, your daughter can ride with her.

 

[SirDuff]

so this way my mom would have to do many things alone... or do nothing at all..

As others have asked, why? All it does mean is that whoever wants to ride with her cannot also be on a DAS for something else. Think of it this way - if you weren't using a DAS and your mom was riding one ride while you were riding another, your daughter would have to choose to join only one of you (she couldn't stand in both lines at the same time). Since the DAS is virtually standing in line, the same rule applies.

Though, as Sue pointed out, this might all be a moot point as a DAS isn't used for mobility issues or avoiding stairs.

 

[lovethattink]

Why would the shows be handled any differently with the digital DAS? Nothing has really changed, except digitizing the process.

Can you still choose the show time, or does it default to next available show?