DAS changes coming WDW May 20/ DL June 18, 2024

[nighttowll]

What I want to know is what about any of this stops abuse? Nothing that I can tell.

What Universal did, cuts down on abuse because you now need medical documentation. Still doesn't stop people from renting out their services, but it helps.

What Disney is doing changes nothing that will cut down on abuse. If people are serious enough about cheating, they can google symptoms and what to say.

Disney needs to cut down on the number of people using the service. That's all this is about.

 

[starlite_]

You just constantly keep belittling other people's disease.

Why?????

How is she belittling anyone? Genuinely asking cause all I see is she speaking about her experience and those around her and saying multiple times that what works for her might not work for others. It's ok if you disagree with what she is saying and her opinions but from what I can see she isn't belittling anyone.

 

[Baytothemax]

One of my concerns is the timing change that says "DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter."

We often buy just a one day-one park ticket to start with, and see how things go, as to whether or not our DAS user is able to do another park day on a trip- sometimes more than one is just too much, but if he is having a "good day" and wants to try again, we will sometimes then buy another ticket for a specific park/day at that point. Since the new timing says "whichever is shorter," does that mean we would have to reapply for DAS after the one day ticket was used?

(I did email WDW disability services about this the other day and have not heard back other than the initial auto-reply, but assuming based on others' experiences that I can expect the same blanket response they received within the next few days.)

This expiration date change really seems to be adding an unnecessary layer of confusion. I would really hope they will give the CM the ability to extend end dates (obviously not past 120 days but maybe to 14 or 30 in your situation).

Like if I did a one day then had a break then did halloween party would I have to call twice? Seems like a waste of resources to me to make the CM possibly do a second call for exact reason 2 days later. I don’t know how it looks in system for something like that

 

[Vampiress88]

I have IBS, and people have specifically told me I should get DAS (No, I haven't actually gotten it). People absolutely get DAS for IBS, as well as other medical conditions that can have similar symptoms like ulcerative colitis and Crohn's. The thing is, people with these conditions CAN have a normal period--hours or days or even longer--with no symptoms. My dad has Crohn's, and it can kind of go into remission at times and then flare back up. Of course, some people with Crohn's have had parts of their intestines removed, so their situation can be different.

Anyway, the point is, many people with these conditions can have a few good days (some can have good weeks) with no symptoms at all. Then you can have a flare of symptoms and be running to the bathroom over and over. For me, it comes in waves every few days and can last a couple of hours. It's basically chronic diarrhea.

I've never gotten DAS for it because I know I don't need to skip lines all day every day. And, even on a "bad" day, when I'm dealing with these issues, I can't ride on rides at ALL until my symptoms resolve, whether I have a Lightning Lane or not. That's why, to me, DAS isn't a good accommodation for my condition. Do I need to skip lines and wait virtually for every ride all day every day? No. If I'm having a flare up of symptoms, will it help me to have a Lightning Lane? Again, no. While there can be some exceptions, I'm sure, people with symptoms like mine need to be able to leave a line, possibly be gone for hours, and return later. I'm very happy with the Return to Line accommodation they'll be offering and am looking forward to hearing more details on it. It seems like a much better accommodation for people with needs like mine.

But yes, until now, people with conditions similar to mine have absolutely have gotten DAS. I think it's the most lied about condition, too, because I've heard people tell others to just say they have IBS to be able to get DAS. It makes me mad, personally, because I am a sufferer of IBS-D and haven't gotten DAS for it because I think that would be DAS abuse, yet people who don' really have IBS are lying and saying they do in order to get DAS. It's very frustrating. Anyway, I think the fact that people lie so much about IBS is why Universal was the first to stop offering their line skipping (or "virtual waiting" for those who prefer) accommodation to people with bathroom issues. Disney is now following suit, and bathroom/toilet issues will no longer meet the criteria for DAS. They did before, but won't going forward. I know some people are really unhappy about this and are used to getting DAS for their condition, and they're upset and feeling like something is being taken from them. However, this seems to be the new standard now. As an IBS sufferer who has had to run from lines before, I can still say I think the change is a good thing. I personally think a Return to Line feature is a much better accommodation for bathroom issues.

I am so happy that your condition is manageable. Not all of us get that unfortunately.

Unfortunately I have a chronic pain condition that worsens with stress and anxiety. This also affects me with fatigue, vomiting, and bladder and bowel issues. I have lots of medication for this but still need the help of my husband a lot. I am in pain most days, it can vary though the day and when I get a flare up it’s bad.

Back in 2019 I was told by a cast member to see the guest services due to having to leave a line and come back only to find my family had already ridden. As there were fast passes back then we hardly needed to use the DAS I was given.

We came again in 2023. This time we used the DAS a lot more due to no fastpasses.

Unfortunately by looking at these pages i am been told to look into purchasing genie+ and lightening lanes or to use the return to queue pass, but this again wouldn’t have helped me enough.

I can’t see how the return to pass will work for me. I’ve tried it before fighting to get out and then what was a quick toilet break for me then getting back to my family it just didn’t work. They had already ridden. And this was a good scenario toilet break for me. A bad one would have had me there for up to an hour. Sometimes I would need to leave queues for pain, again this wouldn’t be a quick process.

I’ll give you examples from last year.
I missed a virtual queue for Guardians in the morning as I was poorly just before coming to the park so had that of been a lightening lane then I would have paid extra for a ride I could not experience. Luckily I had DAS and they understood and amended it for me.
Same as one morning we had to leave animal kingdom after two hours as I could no longer manage the pain. Had I have bought genie + again that is paying extra for rides I cannot experience due to illness beyond my control.

Also due to it being time limited for two hours with lightening passes that also wouldn’t work for some of these issues. It’s not always something we can just come back to as sometimes it’s necessary to leave the park. Hence the reason we buy a 14day U.K. ticket so that we have the flexibility to attend on days I can manage.

So I end up with a few choices.
1. Disney and universal give me accommodations that are suitable ( the return to line pass won’t be)
2. I go to Disney. Pay thousands and I talking £17k for lightening lanes that I still may have to leave the parks or not come into the parks at all even though I have paid extra. If we didn’t do Disney then we probably won’t travel to Florida.
3. Don’t go back. Which is sad when my kids are little and it’s my fault that my illness means my kids can’t have a normal family holiday.

I don’t want to have to pay for flights,villa,car etc all things that are non refundable to be told no accommodations that are sufficient for me. It would put more stress on me and just make the issues wrong.

Trust me all of us that have these issues we want to be normal. We don’t want these conditions to affect our lives the way they do.
We would give anything to be normal.

Unfortunately I think that’s my Disney holiday off the table now. I just don’t think I will be able to manage.

 

[DisneywithMissy]

No paperwork required but the biggest change is to the eligibility. From the sounds of it once this change takes affect DAS will only be for those with developmental disabilities. Which is devastating for many of us that seek DAS for another reason.

There will also be a "return to line" process they will roll out when it goes into affect to address the restroom concern some folks have had which lines up with folks being denied for IBS lately.

Question I have is how does someone with a wheelchair return to line? It seems that would be very very difficult. The person in question traveling with us has severe anxiety that can bring on seizures, along with various bathroom issues, and other medical conditions.

 

[nighttowll]

The wheelchair tour guides were part of the problem, BUT
a bigger problem actually was that in the beginning, GAC (Guest Assistance Card) had stamps that corresponded with various accommodations. As time went on, word spread on the internet that the 'best' accommodation allowed immediate entry into the Fastpass line (or mostly exit at Disneyland). People were genuinely throwing tantrums in Guest Services to get that stamp.
So, it went from a few people with that stamp to so many people that it was not sustainable. People were also loaning their GAC to others and selling their GACs on eBay as 'never-ending Fastpasses'.

When the Radiator Springs Racers opened at Disneyland, management noticed the attraction was not able to handle the number of Fastpasses they anticipated. When they investigated, they found a small number of guests using DAS were using a large amount of the capacity, by riding and then going right back into the Fastpass line. That was kind of the straw that broke the camel's back. There were no RULES about people using it that way, and many didn't. But, the ones who did were overwhelming the system.

This is interesting. I have never heard this before, but it makes sense. I remember a lot of reports back then that CM's were simply marking everything for the FP lines instead of taking the time to find out the issue and mark the cards correctly. Probably in an effort to avoid the conflict you are speaking about and to speed the process along. I always felt that the GAC was the best option if the CMs simply had sufficient training to fill them out correctly. Also, I do wish you had to provide medical proof. That's the only way to stop those who are faking.

 

[smartlabelprint]

ADA states very clearly that reasonable accommodations have to be made that allow people with qualifying disabilities to experience public places in the same way as non-disabled people.

Asking people to exit a line and then return clearly does not accomplish that.

If someone without IBS/related disability was having a diarrhea episode that is *exactly* what they’d be expected to do.

 

[ryang25]

If someone without IBS/related disability was having a diarrhea episode that is *exactly* what they’d be expected to do.

As other users have pointed out, with conditions like IBD, it isn’t just the diarrhea that’s the issue. People need to stop grouping together various conditions and referring to them as bathroom issues. It isn’t one single bathroom issue.

 

[smartlabelprint]

As other users have pointed out, with conditions like IBD, it isn’t just the diarrhea that’s the issue. People need to stop grouping together various conditions and referring to them as bathroom issues. It isn’t one single bathroom issue.

I’m referring to the fact that leaving a line and coming back is a reasonable accommodation for someone with bathroom issues. Possibly not the desired accommodation, or the same accommodation that they’re getting now. But it is reasonable.

 

[CWTC]

What I want to know is what about any of this stops abuse? Nothing that I can tell.

What Disney is doing changes nothing that will cut down on abuse. If people are serious enough about cheating, they can google symptoms and what to say.

Right. Cheaters gonna cheat. All it’s going to take is people posting on social media how they got the DAS for post May 20 use and then people will start using that verbiage to get approved. If people are cheating now by claiming they have X, all they need to do is figure what Z is and start saying they have Z.

 

[OurBigTrip]

What I want to know is what about any of this stops abuse? Nothing that I can tell.

What Universal did, cuts down on abuse because you now need medical documentation. Still doesn't stop people from renting out their services, but it helps.

What Disney is doing changes nothing that will cut down on abuse. If people are serious enough about cheating, they can google symptoms and what to say.

Disney needs to cut down on the number of people using the service. That's all this is about.

Yes they do, because it’s being overused, and everyone suffers for it. DAS users have LL waits that are too much for some, people who pay for Genie+ and ILL aren’t getting their money’s worth, and guests in standby wait even longer.

As I said much earlier in this thread, no one should really be surprised by this crackdown.

 

[redberyl]

So if they are only going to accommodate those with developmental disabilities with Das, then why are they bringing in the health alliance company to help make the determination of who qualifies? Seems like since developmental delays like autism arent a medical problem, bringing in the health alliance would be pointless? Gives me some hope that maybe they might accommodate some medical disabilities after all. Guess time will tell

 

[Angel Ariel]

So if they are only going to accommodate those with developmental disabilities with Das, then why are they bringing in the health alliance company to help make the determination of who qualifies? Seems like since developmental delays like autism arent a medical problem, bringing in the health alliance would be pointless? Gives me some hope that maybe they might accommodate some medical disabilities after all. Guess time will tell

because not all developmental conditions are well known like Autism or Down Syndrome.

 

[Minniemoo15]

I’m referring to the fact that leaving a line and coming back is a reasonable accommodation for someone with bathroom issues. Possibly not the desired accommodation, or the same accommodation that they’re getting now. But it is reasonable.

I agree with this. I have pretty severe IBS that can ruin a good part of my day with multiple painful symptoms. I have never gotten DAS - if an episode comes on and I am in line, I just leave and meet up with my party afterwards. Sure, it means I have to time my favourite rides around my traditionally “better” times of the day, and sometimes it means I miss a ride completely, but such is life.

A big problem with DAS as it stands is that a huge majority of the population has a condition that they believe warrants line skipping - they aren’t intentionally abusing it - the policy is vague. I don’t fault Disney for getting more specific with what qualifies.

 

[lowlight]

So if they are only going to accommodate those with developmental disabilities with Das, then why are they bringing in the health alliance company to help make the determination of who qualifies? Seems like since developmental delays like autism arent a medical problem, bringing in the health alliance would be pointless? Gives me some hope that maybe they might accommodate some medical disabilities after all. Guess time will tell

Take Disney at their own word. It will be developmental disabilities (like autism) only for the DAS pass. They’ve stated it so clearly there is no room for misunderstanding. The health alliance people will be there to assist in getting those that don’t qualify for the DAS pass ADA compliant accommodations based on needs (aka no DAS pass, maybe bathroom pass). I guess autism can’t be faked, according to Disney. They aren’t getting rid of fakers, they are funneling them right into the DAS pass, while everyone else like the people here in this thread with legitimate disabilities gets the shaft. I have no stake in this, I’m just disappointed to see people getting tossed aside because Disney wants to sell more Genie+.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Another genuine question....
Won't that be a solution with someone with Autism also? Waiting in a nice cooled down quiet room? I don't think I have Autism so I wouldn't know but I feel it could work?

They wouldn't be in crowded line either.... but Again I have no idea what is their trigger?

Just thinking out loud...

So basically why did they (if they indeed did) that particular disability?

Being forced to be confined in a room with strangers with the knowledge that I cannot move about freely would likely cause a meltdown for me, personally, and would not work. It does not matter how big or small the room is, or whether the DAS Jail is indoors or outdoors. I do not wait in the Guest Services line, food lines, or lines for shows if they are too long, either, as the restriction of movement itself is a trigger for me. It's okay in small doses, such as knowing it's only 5 minutes until I get to ride my favourite ride, or being on ride itself, but anything longer than 15-20 minutes is likely to cause a reaction, as I will still feel boxed in by people and noise. Younger kids with the tendency to elope will also almost certainly try to do so if corraled into a room (full of people, no less) they aren't allowed to leave.

 

[audrey2580]

Sincere question as I'm always hoping to learn and understand. Disney states that DAS will be preserved for people with Autism. I unfortunately don't know much about Autism and would like to understand. What makes it so someone with autism or a similar condition (is that the right word) can't wait in the line. Thank you for teaching me.

 

[CT Disney]

I’ve read every reply up to page 61; I am able-bodied but just want to learn. I appreciate all of you for sharing your viewpoints and personal stories.

I have a question / thought. I wonder if Disney is implementing the return-to-line feature to get more able-bodied people back into the queue.

Right now, for every DAS pass holder, there could be 5 able-bodied guests who are having a “superior” experience to other able-bodied guests. (I put superior in quotes because i know it’s not the correct word in all cases.)

As an able-bodied guest, If I don’t have a DAS pass holder in my party, I am just in the line…waiting. If I do have a DAS pass holder in my party, I might be sitting in the shade, eating an ice cream, taking photos, or riding another ride while I wait.

if you eliminate waiting in long lines, it definitely adds up to a better in-park experience in most cases. That’s a lot of able-bodied people getting the benefits of DAS. The return-to-queue seems like it might eliminate that “perk” and thus cut down on people who try to lie their way into getting a pass.

Thanks again to everyone for sharing; I am learning a lot.

 

[pens4821]

One other thing I noticed, Allears says the "return to queue" process will stay the same.

The only "return to queue" option I am aware of at a Disney park is the bathroom pass and Rider switch.

Most of us probably know how Rider switch works, it is usually used for a child that is unable to ride due to height requirements. One adult will stay with the child outside of the line and be given a Lightning Lane pass for the ride. After the rest of the family rides, the adult can ride with a shorter wait in the Lightning Lane. Sometimes 1 additional person is also granted a Lightning Lane pass so the 1 adult does not have to ride alone.

The bathroom pass which I had posted earlier and sounds most like what the "return to queue" option is. There is a link describing how it works here: https://www.travelandleisure.com/attractions/disneyland-new-star-wars-ride-long-lines-bathroom-pass

There is also a post as far back as September 2023 that people were being issued bathroom passes instead of DAS (probably on a more limited basis than the changes recently announced) here: https://www.disboards.com/threads/change-in-das-at-disneyland.3929473/

While I know this wouldn’t work for every party, I feel like this could work for a lot of people. If you’re solo or need someone with you it may not work well. Or if you need a lot of time, and the rest of your party gets there too quickly (maybe they’d offer rider swap there).

Leaving the line then meeting up at the LL/standby line merge point, or offering rider swap seems like good ideas. That way you only have 1/2 people using the LL line instead of a family if that’s what they are trying to cut down on.

 

[audrey2580]

How is she belittling anyone? Genuinely asking cause all I see is she speaking about her experience and those around her and saying multiple times that what works for her might not work for others. It's ok if you disagree with what she is saying and her opinions but from what I can see she isn't belittling anyone.

Starlite are you Becky?
Seriously, go back and look at some of her posts. She has called people with Crohn's "line skippers" and has told someone with MS that her friend with MS has run marathons so they don't need DAS. She has IBS and compared it to ulcerative colitis (not even remotely close). She has never had DAS and brags how she doesn't need it and comes on her and dishes out advice to those who aren't asking for it. People are sad, nervous and upset about these changes. I have blocked her.