3 kids with Autism/ADHD needing separate DAS?

[sungiggs]

Hi I just wondered if anyone could help. At our last visit in 2010 we took our 2 children who have Aspergers Syndrome/ADHD and ASD/ADHD and were given 2 separate GAC including using a stroller as a wheelchair. On our next visit we will have 3 children including our 4 year old that has just been diagnosed with ASD. Our children will be 4,10 and 16 years on our visit and have varied needs and enjoyments. On top of that we have to accommodate a teenager and a pre school child. I have read that a photo will be taken. Will all three children get their own card? On our last visit quite often the kids split up depending on how they were managing. We will probably do this again. If they all get their own card will we just be able to use one if we are altogether? Or use 2 separate ones if me and my husband have to split up to suit the kids? We will be travelling as a family of 5, 2 adults and 3 kids with needs. Thanks in advance.

 

[sungiggs]

Forgot to ask can a baby swop be used if our youngest wont go on a ride? At present he dosen't like motion very much, we are hoping we can work on this a little before our trip. He is very sensory so will enjoy the water squirting fountains dotted about.

 

[OurBigTrip]

You can probably get request a DAS for each child, but the party will probably be split up between them. So, if your whole party wants to ride the same ride, all three DAS cards will need to have be used.

Not sure how the split would go with 3 DAS cards and only two adults.

 

[SirDuff]

You can probably get request a DAS for each child, but the party will probably be split up between them. So, if your whole party wants to ride the same ride, all three DAS cards will need to have be used.

Not sure how the split would go with 3 DAS cards and only two adults.

I was trying to think this through - maybe two people on each card (which does mean that they have an extra person). Two, two, and one doesn't really work because the person with only themselves on the card couldn't never really ride without his brothers (since I assume that they wouldn't want to ride all by themselves).

 

[sungiggs]

Our party if we were going to split up would be a two and a three, but would vary depending on which kids we had with us at the time. Each card would need to be for 3 (including our child with Autism), but that would mean that if we were all together we would need to use all 3 cards? Is that right?

 

[OurBigTrip]

Our party if we were going to split up would be a two and a three, but would vary depending on which kids we had with us at the time. Each card would need to be for 3 (including our child with Autism), but that would mean that if we were all together we would need to use all 3 cards? Is that right?

I would be surprised if they did each card for three...I think it's more likely it would be two on each card, but not sure.

***edited to add: And yes, with the cards being split, you would need to use all the cards in order for your entire party to ride a ride together.

 

[sungiggs]

if it was two on each card could for example myself and 2 of our children go on rides with one card or would we need to use 2 cards as both kids have autism

 

[sungiggs]

we will be staying on site will the das be added to our magic band or is it a separate card

 

[SirDuff]

if it was two on each card could for example myself and 2 of our children go on rides with one card or would we need to use 2 cards as both kids have autism

You would need two cards - you need cards covering at least as many people as want to ride.

I am NOT suggesting that you would try this, but the point is to avoid people double dipping. In other words, putting Space Mountain on one card and Pirates on another. And then having all three people ride both with concurrent waits.

 

[OurBigTrip]

if it was two on each card could for example myself and 2 of our children go on rides with one card or would we need to use 2 cards as both kids have autism

If it were two on each card, you would need to use two cards for three of you to ride together.

we will be staying on site will the das be added to our magic band or is it a separate card

As of now, the DAS is a separate card and is not on the Magic Bands.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Also, keep in mind that the DAS is about needs, not about diagnosis. When requesting the DAS, you need to explain why each child needs to wait outside the line.

 

[SueM in MN]

Are you going to WDW or Disneyland?
DL is adding the DAS to tickets and WDW (at least at the time I am writing this) is still issuing paper cards.
There is a DAS thread for each park at the top of this board that explains things more.

Strollers as wheelchairs are totally separate from DAS. Some people whose primary/only need is to use the stroller in line as a wheelchair will be given a tag that allows them to do that, but not DAS because they don't need it. It's possible that they may give you only a stroller as wheelchair tag for that child since you have other children you are requesting DAS for.
You will need to explain what needs each child has that affect their ability to wait in the regular line (diagnosis doesn't tell what the needs are).

As the other posters mentioned, they will split the total number of people in your group between the total number of DAS cards issued to your group. They did not do that at first, but started soon after the DAS program began because people were getting 2 or more DAS cards so they could cheat and 'double-dip' by having an active DAS Return Time for more than one card at a time.
Besides DAS, you are able to use Fastpass or Fastpass Plus for attractions - DAS is meant to work best if used along with Fastpass or Fastpass Plus. You will be able to use Rider Switch for things your younger child doesn't want to ride. Keep in mind that Rider Switch is not available for every attraction - mostly for those with height requirements.

You will have to have either DAS Return Times or Fastpass to cover each person in your party who wants to go on an attraction. That may mean getting a DAS Return Time for each DAS card.

 

[sungiggs]

Thanks for the replies everyone, my eldest son needs full details of planning so will need each aspect broken down into great detail to help minimize meltdowns and anxiety. For the most part we will be together throughout the day so won't be split up too much. My youngest son will use his pram for crowds, both noise and light sensitivity, a safe place, and when he refuses to walk which is frequent due to being overwhelmed. I will make sure I explain all their difficulties and although Disney don't require proof I always carry their diagnosis letters with me if we are on holiday. As my children all need routine and visual timetables the new fast pass plus will make planning easier as does DDP when all meal times and places are booked in advance

 

[lanejudy]

If you haven't already, I suggest you check out the WDW - Disability Access Service (DAS) thread (or the DL & DCA DAS thread) pinned near the top of this forum. The first post has the details about how the DAS works and for whom it is intended.

Whether each child is issued a card may likely depend on his/her specific needs. One or more may/may not need the DAS. But if all 3 do, I would expect your party will be split with 2 guests per card -- meaning you will have to use 2 cards if you split or all 3 cards if the whole family is riding together. Wheelchair-as-stroller does not require a DAS card and may be issued independent of the DAS. Regardless of how many cards your family needs/receives, the person named/pictured on the card must ride or the DAS return time will be invalid.

I suggest you look at scheduling FP+ for the must-do attractions. You can have different FP+ for various members of your party (i.e., if the oldest wants to ride Space Mountain but the youngest is too short or won't ride a coaster).

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[rjthkids]

We have 8 children, and two children who qualify for DAS cards. When we went, we got two DAS cards and each one included all the members of our party in case all of us were using one ride together, so each one was listed as a party size of 10. When we split up then obviously not all 10 would be going under that specific child's DAS; when we were all together we would simply use one DAS card. My youngest child cannot do height restricted rides (she is under 40 inches) and my oldest who qualifies can do height restricted rides so all the rides we did together were non-height restricted and we used my youngest child's DAS card; height restricted rides were for my oldest and used her DAS card and whatever combination of people who wanted to accompany her did so.

There is no other way to do it other than to include all people in a party on a DAS. There is no other way to predict who will want/not want to ride on a particular ride. And each person who is qualifying for a DAS is doing so in their own right=== my youngest daughter was part of a family of 10 people. So was my older daughter. Since DAS cards are not issued on a "family" or "group" basis but an individual one, they cannot discriminate because your group has more than one person who qualifies for a DAS--- they must issue them on a individual basis not taking disabilities of others in the group into account.

 

[lanejudy]

We have 8 children, and two children who qualify for DAS cards. When we went, we got two DAS cards and each one included all the members of our party in case all of us were using one ride together, so each one was listed as a party size of 10. When we split up then obviously not all 10 would be going under that specific child's DAS; when we were all together we would simply use one DAS card. My youngest child cannot do height restricted rides (she is under 40 inches) and my oldest who qualifies can do height restricted rides so all the rides we did together were non-height restricted and we used my youngest child's DAS card; height restricted rides were for my oldest and used her DAS card and whatever combination of people who wanted to accompany her did so.

There is no other way to do it other than to include all people in a party on a DAS. There is no other way to predict who will want/not want to ride on a particular ride. And each person who is qualifying for a DAS is doing so in their own right=== my youngest daughter was part of a family of 10 people. So was my older daughter. Since DAS cards are not issued on a "family" or "group" basis but an individual one, they cannot discriminate because your group has more than one person who qualifies for a DAS--- they must issue them on a individual basis not taking disabilities of others in the group into account.

You don't indicate when you trip was, and they did initially do it that way. However, to cut down on abuse they will now split the party. You are correct that accommodations are individual, not group, and therefore they do not have to allow for the entire party. Many ADA accommodations do not allow for more than one "companion" so Disney is doing well to try and keep family units together when possible. I'm sure they could do a 7+3 or 6+4 or other split if that is more appropriate for your family.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[SueM in MN]

We have 8 children, and two children who qualify for DAS cards. When we went, we got two DAS cards and each one included all the members of our party in case all of us were using one ride together, so each one was listed as a party size of 10. When we split up then obviously not all 10 would be going under that specific child's DAS; when we were all together we would simply use one DAS card. My youngest child cannot do height restricted rides (she is under 40 inches) and my oldest who qualifies can do height restricted rides so all the rides we did together were non-height restricted and we used my youngest child's DAS card; height restricted rides were for my oldest and used her DAS card and whatever combination of people who wanted to accompany her did so.

There is no other way to do it other than to include all people in a party on a DAS. There is no other way to predict who will want/not want to ride on a particular ride. And each person who is qualifying for a DAS is doing so in their own right=== my youngest daughter was part of a family of 10 people. So was my older daughter. Since DAS cards are not issued on a "family" or "group" basis but an individual one, they cannot discriminate because your group has more than one person who qualifies for a DAS--- they must issue them on a individual basis not taking disabilities of others in the group into account.

When did you go and were you at WDW or Disneyland?
There are differences

In the beginning, they were issuing multiple DAS cards in a family with the number of the total party - as you mentioned, for 2 children with DAS and a party of 10, each child got a DAS for 10 people. But, within only a few weeks of DAS starting, people were posting 'hints' online for how to get extra DAS Return Times. One of the main ways to 'double dip' and get extra DAS times was to have 2 people in the party with DAS and include the entire party on each card, allowing them to get twice as many DAS Return Times.
To avoid this for groups with more than one member having a DAS, they divided the party between the cards at both WDW and DL. So, if the entire group wanted to ride the same attraction, each person with a DAS would need to get a Return Time. Even though this may seem to be discriminatory to you, it came about because of wide spread abuse.

DL now has a way to stop the abuse and still allow parties to stay together. DL recently started linking the DAS to the DAS holder's ticket and the tickets of the rest of the party are also linked. The tickets are scanned to link to the DAS holder, scanned to get a DAS Return Time and scanned again to use the Return Time.
Each ticket can only have one DAS Return Time at a time. Because of that, each ticket can be linked to more than one DAS without being able to 'double-dip'.
WDW will probably also switch to electronic DAS with linked tickets, but as far as I know from what people are posting online, WDW is still dividing the party between DAS cards if multiple people in a group have DAS.

 

[SueM in MN]

You don't indicate when you trip was, and they did initially do it that way. However, to cut down on abuse they will now split the party. You are correct that accommodations are individual, not group, and therefore they do not have to allow for the entire party. Many ADA accommodations do not allow for more than one "companion" so Disney is doing well to try and keep family units together when possible. I'm sure they could do a 7+3 or 6+4 or other split if that is more appropriate for your family.

Enjoy your vacation!

that is true - ADA in most cases allows for one companion.

 

[Amanda999]

You don't indicate when you trip was, and they did initially do it that way. However, to cut down on abuse they will now split the party. You are correct that accommodations are individual, not group, and therefore they do not have to allow for the entire party. Many ADA accommodations do not allow for more than one "companion" so Disney is doing well to try and keep family units together when possible. I'm sure they could do a 7+3 or 6+4 or other split if that is more appropriate for your family.

Enjoy your vacation!

Agree with above. Just wanted to add that they demanded our family be split between 2 cards if we wanted each DS to have a gac - I.e., it was even before DAS that I experienced wdw not permitting all 4 in our family on each card for each of our two DS. Made sense to me. (We mostly get by pre-booking fp+ and going at rope drop anyway - it's a drag to go get a return time - I'm usually alone with the kids, so no 2nd parent "runner.")

 

[rjthkids]

The last time we went was January/February of last year, so I can certainly stand corrected if it has changed since then. I am also glad for the heads up because randomly splitting our party between two DAS cards will not work. If, for example, my youngest DD is too sick to make it to the park one day and I have to stay behind with her, that leaves the other 8 going to the park and therefore my oldest DD the only one with a DAS card. Or maybe my oldest is the one who has to sit out for a while. How we split up is very fluid, it may be 8/2, or 6/4 or 5/5 depending on what is going at the time, based on a lot of factors I can't always predict.

We aren't heading to Disney again for a bit of time. I am thrilled that it sounds like they have found a workable system at DL that both prevents abuse while not requiring those who are attmepting to use the system honestly to have to perform logistical gymnastics and jump through a million more hoops just to use a system that is designed to increase equitabile access. We aren't looking to cheat the system, just use it to maximize our children's enjoyment of their vaction. The majority of our children actually have disability diagnoses, but the rest of my children can manage just fine with normal/careful Disney planning strategies. I hope that the Disneyland system will make its way to Disney world in the next year--- is there any discussion of that happening?