DAS Cards

[SueM in MN]

I definitely feel for you. You will find quickly here that if you post anything non-complimentary about the DAS, there are people here who tell you that you are wrong and the DAS is great and perfect for everyone......I do wonder if any of these people receive any financial contributions from Disney in any manner...hmmmm...

I do not want to start another argument on this thread, but had to speak to your points.

Many people have posted how they were able to make DAS work for their family. Some people have posted that they were able to make it work as well or better than the GAC did for their family and they are willing to share things they did that they felt were helpful to them.
So, sharing how they made it work to help other people have a better experience, if possible.
You don't have to go very far on this board to find posts from people who say it was more planning and/or more walking to use than the GAC was for their family. And, some who really don't like DAS.
And, if you go back and look, some of the people who posted positive experiences on this thread had very strong doubts about DAS working for them before they went.

So, it's a huge stretch (and completely incorrect) to say everyone here says DAS is great and perfect for everyone.

As someone who has volunteered many thousands of hours since 1999:
- giving advice on this board
- writing up FAQs
- finding resources and posting them
- taking pictures so people can get a better idea for planning,
I find it very insulting that you seem to believe that people are being financially rewarded in some way by Disney for saying how they made DAS work for them.

(Yes, I said volunteered - no pay, no perks, no freebees of any kind ever)

I wonder about ulterior motives in people who doubt that anyone could make DAS work. Why do some people imply that anyone who was able to make it work is either lying or paid by Disney? What's in it for them?

Speaking for myself, I don't get and have not gotten anything from Disney, any Disney companies or this website.
My opinions and my advice are my own. My perspective is summed up by all the quotes in my signature.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I definitely feel for you. You will find quickly here that if you post anything non-complimentary about the DAS, there are people here who tell you that you are wrong and the DAS is great and perfect for everyone......I do wonder if any of these people receive any financial contributions from Disney in any manner...hmmmm...

People have posted here, trying to help the OP (and others). I have no doubt that the OP spent hours planning, but based on what she posted about her first day, it appears that she planned based on how the GAC worked, rather than on how the DAS works.

It looks as though one FP+ wasn't even used, but she didn't replace it with another, she's criss-crossing from one side of the park to the other, rather than touring in the same area, and she didn't appear to utilize the MDE app to see what wait times are.

And frankly, the reference to her son being a MAW kid is completely irrelevant, unless he is on his trip now.

 

[DVCJones]

More planning??? I planned for over six months for hours a day, while working 12 hour days and taking care of a family! There has to be a better system then the one they one there is now!!! This one does not work! Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

I think the PP meant to say different strategy to your planning. Like ...1)never schedule FP before 1pm. Use your DAS and take advantage of the short wait times early in the day. 2) when picking times for your 3 FP, pick them in close proximity to one another. Maybe even 1 and 1/2 hours in between, using you DAS card in between your FPs. 3) taking advantage of the short wait times after 8pm to close. We followed the above plan during the very busy Easter week and things worked out well for my DD who also has heat tolerance issues. The only negative we experience that week was the first CM who quickly judged my DD's need for a DAS and denied her without letting me explain her ENTIRE issue and need. I never felt so horrible. The CM was actually speaking to me in a raised voice and I just wanted to get my DD out of there. My DD is already self-conscious about her situation and didn't need to be made a spectacle of. We left and went to another park where we were treated nicely and was issued one without any issues. Thankfully she is now in there system and I hope that there will be no problems in the future. I would consider trying to adjust your touring plans. So sorry you didn't have a magical trip.

 

[Unas]

I do to want to start another argument on this thread, but had to speak to your points.
.

Thank you . . .you speaking to those points likely saved me points.

 

[HopperFan]

I believe the DAS is working in the way that Disney wants it to work - which is to provide those guests who can not safely (for themselves and guests around them) wait in the confines of the queue line. We went 20 years without assistance and managing DS issues ourselves until we no longer could. We used the GAC the last 10 years. We have since utilized the DAS on three trips. We like the DAS system and have found our trips to be more relaxed and less rushed. Our DS has actually lasted longer each day with it because it forced us to "relax" our day. It's a very workable system when using the FP+.

Changes to our touring that have helped us with the changes brought by DAS:
- We now must plan but since we are already planning around EMH hours, ADRs and now FastPass+ it really wasn't that much more planning.
- FastPass+ was introduced at the same time and it didn't seem a coincidence since the FP+ component is very important to a successful use of DAS.
- We "plan" our day (always open to change) by booking important FP+ in time frames we used before with plans to use the DAS before and after in the area, cuts down on walking.
- This last trip we were able to obtain FP+ beyond the 3 which is great.
- We "plan" DAS use around meals, sign up for one, go eat, then use. Always taking in consideration our location.
- We used some "wait time" for bathroom breaks, poking in shops, resting in cool spots and trying new snacks (especially when on dining plan).
- We always have a DAS return time on the card, even if leaving the park to come back or getting ready to sit and watch a parade. Then we have something lined up to do. If we change our mind, we just mark through the time and obtain a new one.
- Since the DAS holder does not need to be present to get a return time we send someone ahead to get if we are not close, getting ready to eat, resting or sitting for parade. It works really well this way for the holder of the DAS so they don't have to travel as much.
- If we approach a ride that happens to have a very short wait time yet we have a FP+ for it, we get in line and while in line changed to another FP+ on the APP, in essence giving us an additional FP+.
- Before we would arrive at parks late, now we arrive early and take advantage of shorter lines.
- Before we would not take breaks, now we have taken breaks (getting a DAS time before we leave) and go back to spend the evenings when cooler and less crowded.
- We take bottled water in with us. We ask for ice water at counter service which is free. We use our snack credits for higher priced snacks, ice cream and sometimes fresh fruit. Friday I even took a container of fruit in the park with me for my DS to snack on. These snacks are great when we are sitting in the shade relaxing/resting/waiting on DAS.

We think of the parks in terms of their "lands" now and try to focus on completing a land before we move on, that includes meals, FP+ etc.

 

[Jaya]

I definitely feel for you. You will find quickly here that if you post anything non-complimentary about the DAS, there are people here who tell you that you are wrong and the DAS is great and perfect for everyone......I do wonder if any of these people receive any financial contributions from Disney in any manner...hmmmm...

Of course, by all means, let's bring up the "IF YOU THINK THE DAS IS WORKING THEN YOU'RE PROBABLY GETTING PAID BY DISNEY TO SAY SO!" malarkey. Well, I for one think it's working like it was designed to ..... I'm still waiting for my check from Disney, though. Apparently, according to you, I should be receiving one any day now.

 

[thankudrivethru]

I read both your posts. I am just wondering if a wheelchair would have helped you out? I have to agree with most of the other people that it would have been better to get ride wait times for your DAS for the area that you happen to be in. This would have cut down on the running back and forth,but a strategy like that does take extra planning and the map of the park. Also from what i have read you don't have to be at the ride right when it says to be on your DAS card, you can arrive a bit late. Google play store also has apps that help to get wait times on rides, yes they are accurate, WDW and DL both have one.

 

[Coonhound]

1.
The DAS is not meant to allow you to skip ahead of others who are waiting in line. The DAS is only meant to allow you to wait outside the actual line, but for the same period of time as everyone waits.
2.
It sounds to me as of the DAS worked correctly, you just didn't like the waiting.
3.
I do understand that in the past you did not have to wait as much, and it is a challenging adjustment to have to learn to wait now.
4.
Everyone has to do a LOT of planning for the parks. Disney equals planning planning planning. Every person who goes has to do this planning. You can plan to do things that are near each other to minimize walking.
5.
You should probably go at cooler times of the year. Summer time is not the best time to go.

 

[SueM in MN]

I read both your posts. I am just wondering if a wheelchair would have helped you out? I have to agree with most of the other people that it would have been better to get ride wait times for your DAS for the area that you happen to be in. This would have cut down on the running back and forth,but a strategy like that does take extra planning and the map of the park. Also from what i have read you don't have to be at the ride right when it says to be on your DAS card, you can arrive a bit late. Google play store also has apps that help to get wait times on rides, yes they are accurate, WDW and DL both have one.

DAS Return Times have a start time and the guest can't enter the attraction before that time.
You can return any time that day after the DAS Return Time has started

 

[Yoshiandi]

Sounds like you didn't plan very well..
You ran all over Disney instead of just doing one section at a time. I have 2 kids with Down Syndrome who tire easily. We work best fitting in all the rides in one area that we can before moving on to the next section with our FP times.

As for the MAW, if he is currently on his MAW trip, they would have given you all buttons; you would have gotten Make-A-Wish buttons and those from Give Kids the World ALONG with the special pass. IF you had all this and were on your MAW trip, you wouldn't have had to wait at all other than a few minutes..

If you weren't on your MAW trip, what does the MAW part of it have to do with the rest??

 

[SueM in MN]

I'm going to close this thread at this point.