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

[emergo]

information deleted.

 

[elvispursley]

'm hoping to learn if Walt Disney World has such a system in place for Magic Kingdom and Epcot (my guess is that AK and DHS are compliant). Perhaps someone here can advise.

Most of the attractions at both MK and Epcot are ADA compliant. In fact, I think all the queues are able to accolade wheelchairs and only a few do not accommodate ECVs (at which point you can transfer to a manual wheel chair).

 

[Angel Ariel]

Most of the attractions at both MK and Epcot are ADA compliant. In fact, I think all the queues are able to accolade wheelchairs and only a few do not accommodate ECVs (at which point you can transfer to a manual wheel chair).

This. WDW does not have LTR times like DLR does.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I really wish people would stop saying that they were granted 3 free LL/day. That potential reward will only encourage more people to try for DAS, particularly as the cost of LLMP continues to rise (easily worth $100/day for a family of 4), tiering makes it difficult to use, and availability isn’t that great to begin with.

 

[only hope]

We were not approved for DAS, although we had been in the past. The Guest Services rep did give us 3 Lightning Lane entries per day of our Disneyland / California Adventure trip (Dec 3-5). In addition, they told us that since Disneyland was built before ADA, few of the lines are compliant and that for guests with disabilities, they have enacted a policy called "Line Return Times." This works much like the first time we were on DAS a few years back where you go to a Guest Services kiosk in the park or to the attraction itself to receive a time to return through the Lightning Lane entrance, by scanning your park ticket. This worked incredibly well for us despite the inability to manage it on our phones. The Disneyland attractions that currently qualify for Line Return Times (LRTs) are:

Alice in Wonderland
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Casey Jr. Circus Train
Chip 'n' Dale's GADGETcoaster
Indiana Jones™ Adventure
Jungle Cruise
King Arthur Carrousel
Mad Tea Party
Mr. Toad's Wild Ride
Peter Pan's Flight
Pinocchio's Daring Journey
Pirates of the Caribbean
Snow White's Enchanted Wish
Space Mountain
Storybook Land Canal Boats

We found that everything we wanted to ride, EXCEPT Haunted Mansion Holiday, Star Tours, Millennium Falcon Smuggler's Run and Star Wars Rise of the Resistance were available to us using LRTs (there may be others not covered, as I have not done an exhaustive comparison against the complete list of attractions). The Lightning Lanes that Guest Services gave us got us on to Rise of the Resistance, but did NOT cover Haunted Mansion Holiday, probably because it is a special limited time attraction. Star Tours was essentially a walk-on during our visit, however we were directed to an elevator that bypassed the majority of the line anyway. Millennium Falcon had low wait times during our visit (around 10 min) so we used the regular Standby Lane for that (although pushing a wheelchair up those ramps kinda sucks! )

NOTES: There was no a limit to how many times we could ride an individual attraction (SOOOO many rides on Indy!). Also, there didn't appear to be a limit on party size. We saw a few large parties making use of this system, many more than the six we got when we had DAS in the past, and a LOT more than the current four on DAS. Disney's California Adventure does NOT participate in the Line Return Times policy, as that park is ADA compliant.

I'm hoping to learn if Walt Disney World has such a system in place for Magic Kingdom and Epcot (my guess is that AK and DHS are compliant). Perhaps someone here can advise.

Most of the attractions at both MK and Epcot are ADA compliant. In fact, I think all the queues are able to accolade wheelchairs and only a few do not accommodate ECVs (at which point you can transfer to a manual wheel chair).

There are just a few that aren’t wheelchair accessible. Return times are issued. You may hold only one return time.

MK: BTMRR, Jungle Cruise, sometimes Small World depending on wait time for standby/accessible line. Pirates doesn’t allow scooters and strongly discourages electric wheelchairs. Everything must be removed from the back of personal wheelchairs.

HS: Star Tours

Epcot: Spaceship Earth- go to the exit. Usually you just wait up to 10mn and they take you up. Living with the Land- only LL is accessible; if not busy they will just direct you to go through the LL lane.

AK- ? I have not been since becoming disabled.

 

[Wojodis]

Disney adult approved for upcoming trip in January (WDW)--was already approved under the new system in September. Took about 20 minutes to connect to video chat--CM was great. Similar to what others have posted--instead of just being asked to "explain your difficulties with queues and lines"--I was asked to expand the discussion a bit with some follow up questions but nothing I found to be intrusive or inappropriate. As others have stated, the questions are extremely relevant and very easy to answer/discuss. After maybe 2-3 minutes, we were done. No escalation to a medical professional needed. One interesting tidbit I learned is that since I still have a current DAS (which is due to expire in the middle of my trip), the new approval will not begin until the day after my other one ends (both are within 30 days at this point). I guess one can't overlap or replace the other. Also, despite my AP expiring early spring, I was still approved for 240 days--I was also provided with the specific date that the DAS will expire.

 

[emergo]

I really wish people would stop saying that they were granted 3 free LL/day. That potential reward will only encourage more people to try for DAS, particularly as the cost of LLMP continues to rise (easily worth $100/day for a family of 4), tiering makes it difficult to use, and availability isn’t that great to begin with.

information deleted.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Disney granting us a few individual Lightning Lanes does not take LL availability away from anyone else. The entire point of this thread is to share our experiences of visiting the Disney Parks with disabilities, which I have done as completely and clearly as I can. We didn't know about the practice of Disney granting LLs before we called the DAS number. I don't think people should expect it, but knowing the possibility helps those of us who may be declined for the DAS better plan their trips by knowing that there may still be options for them. For instance, knowing that there are no Line Return Times at WDW may cause me to rethink my plan to visit WDW next year. It's important for everyone to be informed.

Advertising that Disney granted you LLs AFTER deciding that you no longer qualified for DAS
1. Raise unrealistic expectations that others may be granted the same “pixie dust.”
2. Does not actually help anyone plan for how to navigate Disney if they are denied, as there are no guarantees that they will be given that accommodation.
3. Does not actually help those who are given LLs plan future trips, as there is no guarantee that the same “accommodation” will be granted again
4. Worsens the perception of unfairness that already exists post the change (“It’s bad enough that Disney doesn’t think I’m disabled enough to qualify, but now there are other people in the same boat that I’m in but they were given something I was not”).
5. Creates a shadow system outside of the current rules that can be exploited, and could ultimately become so large as to cause yet another revamp of the DAS process.

Let me give you a non-DAS example…my daughter lost a tooth at Disney World back when she still believed in that the Tooth Fairy would bring her gold coins. Obviously I didn’t have anything like that with me, so I went to the front desk and asked the CM if they had any ideas of somewhere I might be able to source something to keep the magic going. She thought about it for a moment and said that she’d take care of it. While we were out “Tinkerbell” came and left my daughter a lovely note and a small treat under her pillow, saying that the Tooth Fairy was busy and she volunteered to help out. My daughter loved it and it underscored for us yet another reason why Disney is so magical. But if I had gone on social media and talked all about it, then other families might have expected the same treatment. It’s a slippery slope from good deed to expectations and ultimately disappointment.

If someone pixie dusts you something, great. And you’re right, it doesn’t impact me in any way that you got LLs in a park I won’t even be in. But talking about it DOES negatively impact others, and that’s why I’m saying that I wish that those are fortunate enough to be in that position just don’t talk about it.

 

[lanejudy]

The entire point of this thread is to share our experiences of visiting the Disney Parks with disabilities

Actually, the point of this thread is simply to report whether or not someone was approved for DAS under the new rules.

We didn't know about the practice of Disney granting LLs before we called the DAS number.

That's because it's NOT a common practice nor any official part of DAS or disability accommodations. It is NOT something anyone should include in their advanced planning because it is not guaranteed. It was an extra-nice gesture on the part of the CM.

 

[emergo]

fine, I'll just delete the whole Fing post and you guys can figure it out on your own.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

For what it’s worth, when I tried to reapply for DAS post-rule change (and also, unluckily with a surprise Genie+ transformation into LLMP, which does NOT work as well for us, the week before arrival), I was denied (for a long-term physical disability) and not offered any LL, just AQR. I would guess a majority of people calling do not get them and I suspect they will be even less generous about offering them over time as we move further away from the old eligibility standards (and more people attempt to get them after hearing about 3 “free” LLs on social media).

I agree it can skew perceptions because people don’t affirmatively share “and they did NOT offer me LLs” instead people only get periodic reports of “but they did offer me LLs!” — I would not advise people to expect any sort of help from Disney unless they are in the core group of DAS-eligible categories and then if you are pleasantly surprised it’s a bonus.

 

[ElCray]

Had a very different experience today when re-registering under the new system. For context we used the old system and also the new one last July. The current pass will expire mid-trip so we needed to re-register. Even under the new system, the pass was always granted with the first Cast Member. This time, we went to the second screening and then on AGAIN to a neuro-psychologist. So three levels of screening. Repeated the challenges, needs, and answered the same follow up questions all three times today. All three asked to speak to the family member requesting the pass directly, and they did so. In the end it was granted. Took 45 minutes when every other time, including last summer, it took 5.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

Had a very different experience today when re-registering under the new system. For context we used the old system and also the new one last July. The current pass will expire mid-trip so we needed to re-register. Even under the new system, the pass was always granted with the first Cast Member. This time, we went to the second screening and then on AGAIN to a neuro-psychologist. So three levels of screening. Repeated the challenges, needs, and answered the same follow up questions all three times today. All three asked to speak to the family member requesting the pass directly, and they did so. In the end it was granted. Took 45 minutes when every other time, including last summer, it took 5.

Was the requesting family member they talked to a child?

 

[jennab]

Had a very different experience today when re-registering under the new system. For context we used the old system and also the new one last July. The current pass will expire mid-trip so we needed to re-register. Even under the new system, the pass was always granted with the first Cast Member. This time, we went to the second screening and then on AGAIN to a neuro-psychologist. So three levels of screening. Repeated the challenges, needs, and answered the same follow up questions all three times today. All three asked to speak to the family member requesting the pass directly, and they did so. In the end it was granted. Took 45 minutes when every other time, including last summer, it took 5.

Was the person who was the DAS was for a minor or an adult?

 

[ElCray]

Was the requesting family member they talked to a child?

Yes.

 

[ElCray]

Was the person who was the DAS was for a minor or an adult?

A minor.

 

[jennab]

A minor.

Interesting. I’m surprised they would ask questions directly to the minor, or was he/she sitting with you from the beginning? If we apply, I’m hoping to keep my son out of the conversation all together as to not cause more issues for him.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Interesting. I’m surprised they would ask questions directly to the minor, or was he/she sitting with you from the beginning? If we apply, I’m hoping to keep my son out of the conversation all together as to not cause more issues for him.

DD was in the room when we made the call, but they never asked to speak with her. She was vocalizing and playing (and getting into things ). She was just asked over for the photo once approved.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We were approved for my child this evening. Signed into chat at 5:15 pm and was completely done the whole thing by 7. CM was super nice, spoke to him for like 10 minutes. Was never transferred to anyone else. He asked my young son 2 questions, asked him if he could take a pic and that was it. CM was super nice and easy to talk to. This was my first time since the changes, but it was better than I expected.

 

[shannnsavage]

We were approved Sunday for my 18 year old daughter. Cast member was very kind. We started off the convo without her, as talking about her struggles makes her upset. The cast member supported this decision to start without her. I explained what happens when we wait in line, and then she asked to speak to her and took her picture. Took no more than an hour from start to finish. This was very similar to previous interviews I had before the change.