WDW -Disability Access Service (DAS) - ARCHIVED THREAD; no longer vslid

[mmbl]

Well starting this Friday, those staying at POP will be precluded from getting regular FPs as they will only be giving out MBs at the hotel. Or if you insist on a KTTW card, you will get one, BUT it will NOT work in the FP machines. So they will be limited to the 3 FP+ w/in one park...and it is supposed to start extending to other hotels in the near future.

I'm hoping they see park hopper sales plummet. That might show them that only 3 FP is ridiculous.

 

[mmbl]

The doctor's note is not worth the paper it is written on. A diagnosis does not get you accommodations, nor does anything a doctor states in writing. A doctor has zero control over what goes on in a theme park, and CMs are not trained in medical jargon. The CM doesn't even have to read the letter. What you really, really, really need to be able to do is clearly state to the CM what difficulties you have with certain scenarios. If speaking to the CM is difficult (flustered, forgetful, etc) then write down the difficulties (not the diagnosis) and give that to the CM to read.

Our doctor wrote a very simply worded note, for the medically uneducated, which is clear, concise and to the point. I think Disney could be in for a world of hurt if they demand too much personal and intimate info from the wrong person in this litigious society. Just sayin~

 

[stitchlovestink]

I'm hoping they see park hopper sales plummet. That might show them that only 3 FP is ridiculous.

We typically buy AP's. But while I agree with you, I doubt we will let us stop us from adding the hopper feature if we didn't do the AP. We tend to eat in Epcot a lot and we take breaks and don't necessarily want to return to the same park so to us hopping is a HUGE deal!
My issue is not knowing how I am going to feel at any given time. So scheduling times for me SUCKS!!! I may not feel well enough to feel like being in a park when I have something scheduled...and having to comstantly deal with changing these times well the thought of that is even more stressful which makes me feel even worse!! My health issues don't really "allow" me to plan that detailed of an itinerary. This is going to be a tough program for me, but we will give it a whirl eventually and see how it goes!

 

[clanmcculloch]

I'm hoping they see park hopper sales plummet. That might show them that only 3 FP is ridiculous.

Actually this is likely to encourage people to hop. People can tour one park for a few hours in the morning starting at RD, maybe even the park with morning EMH, then take a nice break and go to another park for the evening where they already have FPs waiting for them. It won't work this way for me since we never buy hoppers as we can't be in the parks long enough in a single day to make it to a second park, but for many people it can be great. Say MSEP is only showing 2 days in a week. Chances are that MK will be swamped that day but the family can go to another park that's likely to be much emptier (example maybe DHS if there's no F! that day; at RD you can ride the headliners with minimal wait so no need for FPs) and then later on go to MK with a FP for MSEP viewing plus a couple attractions that would otherwise have lines too long to consider stand-by. The rest of the evening can be fillers, shows, dining, shopping, etc.

Our doctor wrote a very simply worded note, for the medically uneducated, which is clear, concise and to the point. I think Disney could be in for a world of hurt if they demand too much personal and intimate info from the wrong person in this litigious society. Just sayin~

They're not asking for personal and intimate info. They're not asking for what's "wrong" with anybody. They're asking what will prevent them from being able to go on an attraction. The majority of doctors don't have a clue what it's like to tour WDW and especially don't understand what limitations their patients' issues will cause when touring. A doctor saying "can't wait in lines because of xyz disability", even if it's layman description of the disability, doesn't answer the question of how that prevents the person from being able to go on an attraction.

 

[mmbl]

I just called WDW and asked to speak with someone in the Guests with disabilities department. We go 12/3 to 12/10. I had questions about my DS and also some pertaining to my DD which only now come into light if they stop FP- at Boardwalk while we are there. Anyway, the lady starts telling me I need documented papers from a doctor! (I never even mentioned what their disabilities were). I told her she is completely wrong and that they CAN NOT ask me for papers from a doctor. Honestly, I always have them with me anyway esp since we fly to WDW. This trip is going to be a nightmare I am afraid!!! Do they not realize that sometimes children have medical needs that can throw off their entire schedule?? I can not plan my vacation down to the minute using a magic band!!!

Accusing to Disney, and these boards, the reason for making all these changes is so that things will be more 'fair' for all patrons ( and to avoid the tour guide scams per the news.) Frankly, life isn't fair, never was and never will be. The great social 'fairness' experiment in the communist countries failed. People are not equal. If life were fair, I'd be a lot taller, a lot thinner and much healthier. I sure hope WDW gets this new mess straightened out~ and soon. Our Oct. visit worked our; hoping our April and next Sept. trips are the same. Bringing the now expired DAS with us, the Doctors certified statement and I'll make a complete list of illnesses, injuries, and resultant complications if I must stand in a tight, slow moving line for any length of time-

 

[Disfanx4]

We just returned from 8 days at DW, I find it almost impossible to beleive someone could fill up the cards we received, I had 2 with FP+ and DAS my dd that rides attractions used it 4 times and my other dd used hers twice for meet and greets. I do beleive when we return in August we will probably use it more as we will be there for 15 days but still couldn't see filling up 36 spaces with the limited time we can spend in the parks. We also had the ability to pull legacy fast passes and never needed too

 

[disney david]

I'm hoping they see park hopper sales plummet. That might show them that only 3 FP is ridiculous.

Your right I think for the test they did three their was some that got a bonus one but not alot. Their also rumor that guest staying on Disney property will get more then day guest and that maybe if you stay deluxe your get more then mod and value but I doubt they do that because they never did that in the past. We have to see after they decide testing is done what right come up with.

 

[disney david]

We typically buy AP's. But while I agree with you, I doubt we will let us stop us from adding the hopper feature if we didn't do the AP. We tend to eat in Epcot a lot and we take breaks and don't necessarily want to return to the same park so to us hopping is a HUGE deal!
My issue is not knowing how I am going to feel at any given time. So scheduling times for me SUCKS!!! I may not feel well enough to feel like being in a park when I have something scheduled...and having to comstantly deal with changing these times well the thought of that is even more stressful which makes me feel even worse!! My health issues don't really "allow" me to plan that detailed of an itinerary. This is going to be a tough program for me, but we will give it a whirl eventually and see how it goes!

You could make same day changes I know that might not help but it is a option. Of course dose not mean the ride you had will be available that day.

 

[2tinkerbell]

Accusing to Disney, and these boards, the reason for making all these changes is so that things will be more 'fair' for all patrons ( and to avoid the tour guide scams per the news.) Frankly, life isn't fair, never was and never will be. The great social 'fairness' experiment in the communist countries failed. People are not equal. If life were fair, I'd be a lot taller, a lot thinner and much healthier. I sure hope WDW gets this new mess straightened out~ and soon. Our Oct. visit worked our; hoping our April and next Sept. trips are the same. Bringing the now expired DAS with us, the Doctors certified statement and I'll make a complete list of illnesses, injuries, and resultant complications if I must stand in a tight, slow moving line for any length of time-

Personally, I don't think the "Doctors certified statement" and your "complete list of illnesses, injures, and resultant complications" are going to be helpful to anyone in understanding what accommodations you need to be able to enjoy a ride attraction. Disney needs YOU to tell them what it is YOU need and not your "complete list of illnesses, injures, and resultant complications." Your doctor isn't really going to understand what accommodations you need at WDW. For example, you can be on a medication that requires you to stay out of the sun. You doctor knows that, but, he is going to leave it up to you to make sure that you comply. Disney can do only so much to make sure that you are in compliance. They can't make the sun not shine. But, they can give you an alternative place to wait your turn. It is up to you to decide where that alternative place is.

Sue has stated and given examples of how a person can have the same diagnosis but need very different accommodations. I am experiencing the same in my family where there are 2 individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's and they both need different accommodations to navigate their day to day.

In this regard, the DAS is exactly like the GAC in that you just need to tell them what accommodations you need. For example, my DD's diagnosis will not mean anything to a CM. It will not tell them that she needs to sit up front in a show because she has severe visual perceptual/spatial difficulties and too much "extra" visual stuff will overwhelm her. On Soarin' she needs to sit on the top because of the "dangling legs and feet" on the row above her. The is something that we plan on explaining to the ride CM when we ride Soarin'. I don't need to explain this to the CM at Guest Relations. I plan on taking my now defunked and expired GAC and explain to Guest Relations that my DD needs mores than just an alternative entrance. I will also explain the one time we were given a return time, how wonderful that was and how an alternative place to wait worked for my DD. I don't plan on telling them that my DD has brain damage and the "resultant complications." I am perfectly capable of explaining my DD's needs and so is she.

I am sorry. I don't mean to attack you and I truly understand your situation. I understand that you are fearful about the new system. We all are. It is different than we are used to and it will take more planning and more experience, good and bad, to be able to figure it out.

 

[stitchlovestink]

You could make same day changes I know that might not help but it is a option. Of course dose not mean the ride you had will be available that day.

I understand how the system works and am aware that you can make same day changes but that's the point...if what I selected isn't available well then it really isn't doing me any good to make the change now is it?? Lol. And then the other problem I run into is the 1hr return window enforcement. Sometimes, I just can't be there in the time frame...sometimes with medical, things happen and it is what it is.....I think if you have a DAS they should be a 'bit' more flexible with return times on your FP+ but that is JMHO.

 

[disney david]

I understand how the system works and am aware that you can make same day changes but that's the point...if what I selected isn't available well then it really isn't doing me any good to make the change now is it?? Lol. And then the other problem I run into is the 1hr return window enforcement. Sometimes, I just can't be there in the time frame...sometimes with medical, things happen and it is what it is.....I think if you have a DAS they should be a 'bit' more flexible with return times on your FP+ but that is JMHO.

I understand what your saying but it wouldn't be fair if they did that and you get everyone saying they have medical issue give me a das and now extend my fast pass plus. Their separate and need to stay separate fast pass plus you can use with your das but should effect the time frame of fast pass plus.

 

[Aladora]

Our doctor wrote a very simply worded note, for the medically uneducated, which is clear, concise and to the point. I think Disney could be in for a world of hurt if they demand too much personal and intimate info from the wrong person in this litigious society. Just sayin~

Disney does not demand any personal or intimate info from anyone.

All they want to know is what you need to make the rides accessible for you or for the person you are requesting the DAS for. They don't want to know what you diagnosis is, they will not read notes and they will not ask for medical information. Giving them a note is going against what Disney asks for and the CMs will just refuse to read it.

Just sayin~

 

[delmar411]

This is just a guess, but my guess is that the additional scrutiny had little to do with where you were and more to do with the number of times the DAS is being renewed/filled up in the 30+ days since the new DAS rolled out.

I would not be surprised to find out they are doing extra questioning of people filling up all 36 Return Time slots on the card or getting it renewed more than the average.
So, I would expect extra questioning if needing to renew or replace it often.

Well he didn't know whether this was our first renewal or not and we haven't ever had more than 5 slots filled in the back every 2 weeks so it was definitely not excessive use! LOL all the cards combined we wouldn't have even filled half the slots.

 

[aaarcher86]

Well he didn't know whether this was our first renewal or not and we haven't ever had more than 5 slots filled in the back every 2 weeks so it was definitely not excessive use! LOL all the cards combined we wouldn't have even filled half the slots.

Isn't it in the computer now for them to know your DAS history?

 

[delmar411]

Isn't it in the computer now for them to know your DAS history?

I'm not sure but he was asking us questions at the sign where you wait, he didn't even look at the card or the file or else he wouldn't have asked us how long this trip was for either. LOL (the card had expired the day or 2 before)

 

[Michigan]

Today we went to GS at Hollywood Studios to renew my 2 daughter's DAS cards and was told my the CM that they no longer allow families to have more then one DAS card. He changed his mind when he realized my one daughter is an adult. I explained to him that we weren't on vacation and that there are lots of times only one of them goes to the park.

 

[momtolots]

If there is only 1DAS per family, then what happens when you have two children who would qualify for DAS, who don't like to ride the same things. My 8 yr old likes the roller coasters and fast rides, and my 15 yr old likes shows and the mellower rides. Given that we have 6 kids, quite often we would split up. Since the DAS person has to be riding the ride, how would it work for a family like ours?

 

[SueM in MN]

If there is only 1DAS per family, then what happens when you have two children who would qualify for DAS, who don't like to ride the same things. My 8 yr old likes the roller coasters and fast rides, and my 15 yr old likes shows and the mellower rides. Given that we have 6 kids, quite often we would split up. Since the DAS person has to be riding the ride, how would it work for a family like ours?

Today we went to GS at Hollywood Studios to renew my 2 daughter's DAS cards and was told my the CM that they no longer allow families to have more then one DAS card. He changed his mind when he realized my one daughter is an adult. I explained to him that we weren't on vacation and that there are lots of times only one of them goes to the park.

There are things they had not forseen.

One of the reasons they are making new restrictions is abuse that people are writing about (not here, but Facebook and blog pages).
There are people who have written that they are getting 2 or more DAS cards (some for non-disabled family members, some by lying and saying they lost or forgot their DAS) for up to 6 people each. That way, they can have a DAS Return Time active at all times and basically not have to wait.

So, you can think those type of abusers for new restrictions being placed on people who are trying to work within the system.
Reports are that DL is planning to tie the QR codes on the cards to passes and that WDW will do the same with Magicbands. Until that rolls out, they will do other things, like limit numbers of people.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I understand what your saying but it wouldn't be fair if they did that and you get everyone saying they have medical issue give me a das and now extend my fast pass plus. Their separate and need to stay separate fast pass plus you can use with your das but should effect the time frame of fast pass plus.

Well it's about making things fair and giving equal access...and it's not fair that people with medical issues have them now is it??
I stated my opinion and am entitled to it. You don't have to agree with it, but it doesn't make me wrong.

 

[cmwade77]

There are things they had not forseen.

One of the reasons they are making new restrictions is abuse that people are writing about (not here, but Facebook and blog pages).
There are people who have written that they are getting 2 or more DAS cards (some for non-disabled family members, some by lying and saying they lost or forgot their DAS) for up to 6 people each. That way, they can have a DAS Return Time active at all times and basically not have to wait.

So, you can think those type of abusers for new restrictions being placed on people who are trying to work within the system.
Reports are that DL is planning to tie the QR codes on the cards to passes and that WDW will do the same with Magicbands. Until that rolls out, they will do other things, like limit numbers of people.

I'm not sure how they could not foresee this happening, I overheard a 5 year (or so) old ask their mom what would prevent this from happening and I can't believe that a 5 year old is smarter than all of the Disney executives, lawyers, etc. combined.

Even for those of us trying to work within the rules, we have had occasion to both have gotten a return time when one came into the park later than the other, not knowing the other one had gotten one already. We simply didn't use my return time, but I could easily see how this could be abused if someone were to try abusing the system.

I am honestly not sure how tying the QR Codes to a pass will prevent this. For example, there are many times that DW (who needs a DAS for her own needs) goes without me and many times that I (who also need a DAS) go without her or that one of us will want to ride something that the other doesn't. So, you can't say that there can only be one DAS per party. But then how do you prevent both from getting a return time when both that have a DAS are riding while not stopping both from getting return times when both are not riding the same attraction? For example, I want to go on Space Mountain and DW wants to go on Star Tours. I don't want to do Star Tours and she doesn't want to do Space Mountain. So, we would each get a return time for each attraction.

But if we both wanted to do both attraction, there is nothing that would currently stop us from getting return times for both attractions. This obviously is not in line with the spirit of these new cards. But how do you prevent this without preventing the above scenario.

Some will say you would need to divide your group into two cards, but this doesn't work, because if you have a party of 6, there may be times where 4 will want to ride one ride and two another. Then others where it would be 3 and 3 or 5 and 1, etc. And this may not always involve both people with the DAS, so that doesn't work.

Then the fact that they are valid for two weeks at a time means that many people's party size will vary throughout the two weeks. This is more at DL than at WDW, due to the nature of who tends to visit the parks, but it is still an issue. And yes, sometimes that group will include multiple people who need a DAS. In our case, there is the potential that we would have 5 people who all truly NEED a DAS, for varying reasons. And in all of these cases, these people would all show up at different times and would also be going on other days that the others would not. If 5 people in one party needing a DAS seems like a large number, it's not at DL. Keep in mind that many people at DL meet in line while waiting for attractions and end up becoming friends. In this case, since we all had GACs or the equivalent of the time, it's natural that we would have multiple people that have need of a DAS and yet not all show up all of the time, as we would be waiting together, which means that we would naturally meet others that need assistance.

Another example is that one of the people who is frequently in our party cannot ride Tower of Terror due to her needs, but others will wish to do so, including others that need a DAS. So, how would they all go together if say their pass only was valid for 3 people and 4 of the party wished to ride. Then she wants to go on another ride with herself and another person, but couldn't if only one person could have a DAS.

So, I really don't see any way to properly control this that doesn't prevent legitimate uses of the DAS.