DAS Approval/Denial with New DAS Guidelines START 5/20 WDW & 6/18 DL

[trishy]

Did they ask your son questions about his disabilities as well, or just need him to take his picture?

He was asked if he minded waiting in the lines and then was asked to take his photo after my son answered.

 

[trishy]

My friend has DAS and we are going to MNNSHP. Does it work the same during this event as it does the rest of the time?

The CM said it was same process. He also mentioned that if the meet and greet lines were too long, I could talk to one of the line staff and request help to accommodate him. I had no idea! Also said the das will not show rides with less than a 20 minute wait (I had no idea) so don't assume they're closed down. He was very informative!

 

[SueM in MN]

Has anyone had any luck since they swapped to the new system getting approved for medical disabilities? I don’t need your specifics, and am definitely not looking to game the system. I have a imminently pending solo trip, and basically need to know how they have been treating medical disabilities so I can plan accordingly.

You can search this thread by using the Search (magnifying glass) on the top right hand side of the board. Type in the words you want to look for, then choose "in this thread".

There have been some people reporting they were approved for DAS with only physical or medical disabilities, but not very many. Guests whose needs could be met with a mobility device have mostly reported being turned down. The ones who reported being approved were guests whose needs could not be met using the other accommodations (like Return to Queue).
Guests need to be ready to discuss their concerns with waiting in line and prepare for some follow up questions regarding things like how they deal with lines outside of Disney.
Some guests who were initially denied for DAS were able to get it after trying the other suggestions and contacting Accessibility Services again with a lot of details regarding what they tried and how it worked.

 

[brad813]

You can search this thread by using the Search (magnifying glass) on the top right hand side of the board. Type in the words you want to look for, then choose "in this thread".

There have been some people reporting they were approved for DAS with only physical or medical disabilities, but not very many. Guests whose needs could be met with a mobility device have mostly reported being turned down. The ones who reported being approved were guests whose needs could not be met using the other accommodations (like Return to Queue).
Guests need to be ready to discuss their concerns with waiting in line and prepare for some follow up questions regarding things like how they deal with lines outside of Disney.
Some guests who were initially denied for DAS were able to get it after trying the other suggestions and contacting Accessibility Services again with a lot of details regarding what they tried and how it worked.

My particular needs are the result of neurological, endocrine, and gastrointestinal issues, without giving too much detail. Had Universal’s AAP before their changeover, but never has DAS. My main problems come to outdoor queues, so it’s possible another solution may be better for me. My travel could be as soon as next week, so needless to say, I have to get this figured out fast.

 

[lanejudy]

My particular needs are the result of neurological, endocrine, and gastrointestinal issues, without giving too much detail. Had Universal’s AAP before their changeover, but never has DAS. My main problems come to outdoor queues, so it’s possible another solution may be better for me. My travel could be as soon as next week, so needless to say, I have to get this figured out fast.

You won't know until/unless you do the video chat. The waits for WDW have been very short; folks are reporting getting connected within 10 minutes. Have you been to the Disney parks previously without DAS? In which case you may know exactly which queues are troublesome for you. If this is your first time, we can try to offer some suggestions if you let us know your concerns.

 

[brad813]

You won't know until/unless you do the video chat. The waits for WDW have been very short; folks are reporting getting connected within 10 minutes. Have you been to the Disney parks previously without DAS? In which case you may know exactly which queues are troublesome for you. If this is your first time, we can try to offer some suggestions if you let us know your concerns.

Some, but not to all of the main parks. Still haven’t done MK or AK. My primary issue is that, in an outdoor queue, I can have difficulty waiting in lines due to the heat exacerbating my conditions. I can mitigate a little bit, but not completely. I’m somewhat wondering if a combination of the LL and R2Q(RTQ) system would be sufficient for my needs, in place of DAS? My particular sense is that I would have a low chance, as a solo traveler, of being approved after reading this thread. Unless I upgrade, I am going to be on a 3 day/3 park ticket, to give a sense of the queues I will be dealing with. My last visit was probably 2021 sometime, during the covid restrictions.

 

[only hope]

Some, but not to all of the main parks. Still haven’t done MK or AK. My primary issue is that, in an outdoor queue, I can have difficulty waiting in lines due to the heat exacerbating my conditions. I can mitigate a little bit, but not completely. I’m somewhat wondering if a combination of the LL and R2Q(RTQ) system would be sufficient for my needs, in place of DAS? My particular sense is that I would have a low chance, as a solo traveler, of being approved after reading this thread. Unless I upgrade, I am going to be on a 3 day/3 park ticket, to give a sense of the queues I will be dealing with. My last visit was probably 2021 sometime, during the covid restrictions.

I would not expect to be approved. Have not seen any reports anywhere of anyone approved for anything to do with heat, including myself. The CM I spoke with was quite dismissive of my needs too which was really upsetting. Assuming you are denied, the CM won’t really tell you anything other than each queue is different and for the queues you can’t access, ask for assistance. I would still apply just in case you get someone who will approve, and so that if you aren’t, you can tell CM when asking for assistance that you were denied. R2Q won’t work for you (especially as a solo party) unless you are able to attempt the standby line, which it sounds like you possibly can’t. You shouldn’t need to explain your condition to frontline CM- just say that due to a medical condition I am unable to wait in the outdoor portion of the queue and need assistance accessing the ride. Their solution for access will vary ride to ride.

And please let’s not get into a discussion of people with heat intolerance should only visit WDW during the very brief “winter;” it is possible for some of us with heat concerns to visit most of the year with appropriate and legally required accommodations to access attractions by Disney and doing things on our part to make going between A/C spots safe.

 

[brad813]

I would not expect to be approved. Have not seen any reports anywhere of anyone approved for anything to do with heat, including myself. The CM I spoke with was quite dismissive of my needs too which was really upsetting. Assuming you are denied, the CM won’t really tell you anything other than each queue is different and for the queues you can’t access, ask for assistance. I would still apply just in case you get someone who will approve, and so that if you aren’t, you can tell CM when asking for assistance that you were denied. R2Q won’t work for you (especially as a solo party) unless you are able to attempt the standby line, which it sounds like you possibly can’t. You shouldn’t need to explain your condition to frontline CM- just say that due to a medical condition I am unable to wait in the outdoor portion of the queue and need assistance accessing the ride. Their solution for access will vary ride to ride.

Thanks. It is a shame those of us who have genuine need for help, however much or however little, are forced to deal with the consequences of selfish individuals who abuse the system. It is what it is though.

 

[jennab]

Some, but not to all of the main parks. Still haven’t done MK or AK. My primary issue is that, in an outdoor queue, I can have difficulty waiting in lines due to the heat exacerbating my conditions. I can mitigate a little bit, but not completely. I’m somewhat wondering if a combination of the LL and R2Q(RTQ) system would be sufficient for my needs, in place of DAS? My particular sense is that I would have a low chance, as a solo traveler, of being approved after reading this thread. Unless I upgrade, I am going to be on a 3 day/3 park ticket, to give a sense of the queues I will be dealing with. My last visit was probably 2021 sometime, during the covid restrictions.

I would expect to be denied. Since your main issue is outdoor queues, I’d explain that to the CM at the queue entry for those type, that you have issues with Sun/heat, were denied DAS, and are traveling alone so don’t have anyone to stand in line for you. Maybe for those types of likes they can offer you RTQ. Another option is to buy the LLMP if you want to try to skip most lines. You can pre-book them now.

 

[brad813]

I would expect to be denied. Since your main issue is outdoor queues, I’d explain that to the CM at the queue entry for those type, that you have issues with Sun/heat, were denied DAS, and are traveling alone so don’t have anyone to stand in line for you. Maybe for those types of likes they can offer you RTQ. Another option is to buy the LLMP if you want to try to skip most lines. You can pre-book them now.

Thanks. You kinda confirmed what I was thinking but I wasn’t entirely sure because there is a lack of clarity to this new process.

 

[brad813]

You can search this thread by using the Search (magnifying glass) on the top right hand side of the board. Type in the words you want to look for, then choose "in this thread".

There have been some people reporting they were approved for DAS with only physical or medical disabilities, but not very many. Guests whose needs could be met with a mobility device have mostly reported being turned down. The ones who reported being approved were guests whose needs could not be met using the other accommodations (like Return to Queue).
Guests need to be ready to discuss their concerns with waiting in line and prepare for some follow up questions regarding things like how they deal with lines outside of Disney.
Some guests who were initially denied for DAS were able to get it after trying the other suggestions and contacting Accessibility Services again with a lot of details regarding what they tried and how it worked.

Thanks to everyone who replied. I got the information I needed.

 

[SueM in MN]

I added a couple more options to the survey at the top of this post.
I couldn't change the first 2 options because there were already responses on them.
I added a comment to the OTHER ACCOMMODATIONS choice, which had no responses.
I also added 4 new categories to be able to specify approved or not approved for cognitive related and physical/medical

 

[jo-jo]

Is "return to queue " something anyone can use? I thought that was mostly for bathroom breaks, but is useful for other needs too.

 

[lanejudy]

Is "return to queue " something anyone can use? I thought that was mostly for bathroom breaks, but is useful for other needs too.

Anybody can ask how to return to the queue if they need to leave for whatever reason. The official accommodation is called “Attraction Queue Return.” How the return is handled may vary based on the attraction, party size, location in the queue, etc.

 

[only hope]

Thanks. It is a shame those of us who have genuine need for help, however much or however little, are forced to deal with the consequences of selfish individuals who abuse the system. It is what it is though.

I agree. They’ve made it really hard for many people to visit.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

I can only fathom those with generalized anxiety how they have to navigate through this process.

Yeah, it's not fun, I can say that! We're a few months out from our next DL trip, so it's to the point of being close enough to plan but not close enough to call and know if we can even go. I'm pretty well panicking every time I think about Disney trips these past couple months because I fear I won't be approved because I a) am an adult and b) have both neuro/developmental and physiological conditions. And when you combine GAD and ASD and drop us into a situation where we don't know exactly what will happen or when or who will say what...oy. It feels at this point like they designed this task specifically to torture me in particular!

 

[jennab]

Yeah, it's not fun, I can say that! We're a few months out from our next DL trip, so it's to the point of being close enough to plan but not close enough to call and know if we can even go. I'm pretty well panicking every time I think about Disney trips these past couple months because I fear I won't be approved because I a) am an adult and b) have both neuro/developmental and physiological conditions. And when you combine GAD and ASD and drop us into a situation where we don't know exactly what will happen or when or who will say what...oy. It feels at this point like they designed this task specifically to torture me in particular!

Just some suggestions - write down some bullet points about what happens when you wait in line and also how you deal with situations in your everyday life (work, school, other). It will help you to have something written down to reference when you forget what to say or if you’ve already said something

 

[poffalina]

I just got approved for my trip and I am so thankful to this thread for helping me prepare. In advance I made a list of the accommodations that I get at work and a list of difficulties I’ve had with queuing and also with just riding attractions in the past. This made it so much easier to explain everything, especially having to do it all twice.

I asked a lot of my questions on the call but forgot a few of them:
(1) if I want to add/remove people from my group can that be done in person anywhere or only via the chat?
(2) I have Halloween Party tickets, do I need to also ask them to put DAS on those or is it done when I got approval for the regular tickets?
(3) what other things around Walt Disney World parks can ask for DAS? Eg are character greets available? (My experience at Disneyland is that passes for character greets are a separate accommodation and not part of DAS so approval for one does not automatically mean they give the other)

 

[CousinMcQuack]

I got through immediately yesterday afternoon for WDW. The cast member was very nice. I think it helped that I had a very specific example from a recent trip, but I did really try to focus on what happens in line, what helps outside the line that can’t happen in line, and what accommodations we have outside parks. I do feel lucky we got such a great cast member, so I hope everyone gets that experience. I made sure to submit a cast compliment too.

 

[lanejudy]

I asked a lot of my questions on the call but forgot a few of them:
(1) if I want to add/remove people from my group can that be done in person anywhere or only via the chat?
(2) I have Halloween Party tickets, do I need to also ask them to put DAS on those or is it done when I got approval for the regular tickets?
(3) what other things around Walt Disney World parks can ask for DAS? Eg are character greets available? (My experience at Disneyland is that passes for character greets are a separate accommodation and not part of DAS so approval for one does not automatically mean they give the other)

1) my understanding is the guests need to be added by the Accessibility Team chat. I think you can go back to have more added just using the chat feature without the whole interview processes again. Just be aware that only a max of 3 plus you can use DAS for any given attraction.

2) I don't think they put DAS on the party tickets, but you might want to ask in the chat.

3) character meet & greets with a posted standby time are eligible for DAS. Party characters are not, nor are the regular park characters without a posted wait time.