DAS changes coming WDW May 20/ DL June 18, 2024

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Not sure what your point is sorry.

The post I was referring to made it sound like the Disney-suggested accommodation (an ECV) was sooo expensive for 14 days and therefore the poster must be given DAS instead. Others have already pointed out that there are cheaper ways to rent for 14 days, and that a trip of that length may also be accomplished at a slower pace. My point is that while $65/day may sound like a lot, for a trip that might cost $25-50k it’s pretty immaterial vs a lot of other expenses that people don’t really blink at.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I believe it. The difference in LL wait times was already massively noticeable even as freshly post-implementation as last weekend.

I actually got to go on the ride for Frozen (which has been one of my special interests since it came out - Elsa feels familiar in a way other Disney princesses don't) for the first time since it came out, and it was the best part of any trip we've been on in several years.

The LL has never been short enough to ride it before.

Nobody cares, I know - just throwing in the anecdote that the LL / DAS return lines really are already much, much shorter.

Actually, I think a lot of people care (including Disney!) that people who truly could not get through 30m lines were having to skip and abandon rides because of crowding in the LLs. I’m happy to hear you were able to finally ride Frozen…I recognize that I’m probably now excluded from DAS (even when I had it we had to leave TT multiple times) but I’ll be able to navigate the parks with a combination of AQR and paid LL (well just do a bit less and I’ll have to spend more time on my phone, which I hate)— I am OK with being excluded from DAS if it means the LLs I pay for (or access via AQR) actually don’t require me to stand for more than 15 minutes the majority of the time I use them.

 

[tom1944]

FOLKS -- another reminder that different individuals may be impacted by the same diagnosis in different ways. Just because Johnny with ADHD can wait in line for 60 minutes to meet his all-time favorite Star Wars character does not mean that Janie with ADHD can wait in a 30 minute queue to ride Small World. This is true of ANY diagnosis whether developmental, physical, mental, cognitive, or any other.

That is true but it does put a significant burden on Disney if they try to determine that.

 

[dbriggsq]

The post I was referring to made it sound like the Disney-suggested accommodation (an ECV) was sooo expensive for 14 days and therefore the poster must be given DAS instead. Others have already pointed out that there are cheaper ways to rent for 14 days, and that a trip of that length may also be accomplished at a slower pace. My point is that while $65/day may sound like a lot, for a trip that might cost $25-50k it’s pretty immaterial vs a lot of other expenses that people don’t really blink at.

Appreciate that. The thing is that an ECV wouldn’t be appropriate for us (and it’s still expensive and would be requirement with extra cost not a choice). With a large family any extra costs are not just blinked at but baulked at!

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

spectrum,

I think this is how we should be looking at pretty much every type of disability.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

That is true but it does put a significant burden on Disney if they try to determine that.

I recognize you from all the research you did for DVC resale purchasers—since you’re 360 pages into this thread, just want to caution you that a lot of the things you mentioned have been discussed a lot and emotions are running high around here— so it’s possible that your comments (especially about including many of the conditions that are now newly generally excluded) could set off a firestorm or people may assume it’s a troll.

 

[lanejudy]

It’s not a mobility issue although some CMs can’t see past this - it’s an issue of actually being in the queue

OK, well if DAS has been denied and the recommendation was to use a mobility device, it may be something to consider. If walking is the challenging and an ECV is too expensive, maybe a wheelchair? Or if it's more a need to sit occasionally, maybe a rollator (walker with a seat) or a cane seat.

Attraction Queue Re-entry might work -- where part of the party stays in the queue and the individual who needs to attend to their disability steps out and rejoins via the LL.

PP suggested stacking G+ and ILL$. Yes, those are "optional" services but if it helps you have a more enjoyable vacation it might be money well spent, especially if the sole intent is to less time in the physical queue those are the options for anybody who truly desires less time in the queue. "Extra cost" is not necessarily something that comes into the equation of determining who qualifies for an accommodation, though obviously it is an impact on the individual and something you would need to decide your budget can manage. Maybe a couple of QS meals instead of TS during the trip can offset the cost.

Does the jetlag last the full 2-weeks of vacation? If it's better after a few days maybe plan your park visits to be heavier on the latter part of the 2-weeks and plan more resort time in the first few days. If the jet lag does last the full visit, I guess that is a personal decision; I don't know that I could enjoy a 2-week vacation if I was exhausted from jetlag the whole time.

 

[Tatebeck]

Heck even I am considering a cane seat now, and I definitely don't NEED one. Just the ability to sit for a couple minutes in a slow line after walking 30k steps sounds pretty nice... If I could find one that was very streamlined/slim and had a bit of storage...

 

[lanejudy]

That is true but it does put a significant burden on Disney if they try to determine that.

My post was more directed towards the "if this disability then someone surely can't do that" type of comments. However, it seems Disney has decided to take on the challenge of determining which needs most require DAS. Preference to avoid the queue isn't the same as needing to avoid the queue. DAS is need-based, not diagnosis based.

Since you mentioned just reading this thread now -- it has been fully discussed over the past nearly 2 months now, and often heated discussions. I suggest going back through some of the earlier posts to get an idea of the situation and where it is now. Or the WDW website (and DLR site) has been updated with a fairly robust Guests with Disabilities section, Accessing Attraction Queues section, and more specifics about DAS.

 

[dbriggsq]

OK, well if DAS has been denied and the recommendation was to use a mobility device, it may be something to consider. If walking is the challenging and an ECV is too expensive, maybe a wheelchair? Or if it's more a need to sit occasionally, maybe a rollator (walker with a seat) or a cane seat.

Attraction Queue Re-entry might work -- where part of the party stays in the queue and the individual who needs to attend to their disability steps out and rejoins via the LL.

PP suggested stacking G+ and ILL$. Yes, those are "optional" services but if it helps you have a more enjoyable vacation it might be money well spent, especially if the sole intent is to less time in the physical queue those are the options for anybody who truly desires less time in the queue. "Extra cost" is not necessarily something that comes into the equation of determining who qualifies for an accommodation, though obviously it is an impact on the individual and something you would need to decide your budget can manage. Maybe a couple of QS meals instead of TS during the trip can offset the cost.

Does the jetlag last the full 2-weeks of vacation? If it's better after a few days maybe plan your park visits to be heavier on the latter part of the 2-weeks and plan more resort time in the first few days. If the jet lag does last the full visit, I guess that is a personal decision; I don't know that I could enjoy a 2-week vacation if I was exhausted from jetlag the whole time.

A wheelchair or ECV aren’t appropriate for our needs. Jet lag usually lasts for a week so the second week is better for evening activities. The issue is that we don’t ‘desire’ less time in the queue we actually can’t do a long time in the queue in close proximity to other people. I absolutely realise that we are fortunate to be able to visit (with our children in the past and now with our grandchildren) but with our new situation that can’t happen without DAS

 

[Jdavidm]

I think this is how we should be looking at pretty much every type of disability.

I would agree, and I’ve actually stated the same in this thread in the past.

However, there remain certain types of needs that for the most part, outside of certain circumstances, can be accommodated with a mobility device being used in the regular queue instead of avoiding the queue altogether.

Disney seems to be sticking to the idea that if a wheelchair could resolve the concern, that’s what they’re going to suggest. Not wanting to use a wheelchair isn’t a valid reason to need DAS in their eyes if the wheelchair could resolve the concern. If the concern is with avoiding injury with walking through a queue (whether due to vision, balance issues, something else entirely), a wheelchair would be the reasonable accommodation for them to offer in most circumstances.

If the concerns with the regular queue can’t be resolved by having the individual utilize a wheelchair, that is when alternate options would then be discussed.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

A wheelchair or ECV aren’t appropriate for our needs. Jet lag usually lasts for a week so the second week is better for evening activities. The issue is that we don’t ‘desire’ less time in the queue we actually can’t do a long time in the queue in close proximity to other people. I absolutely realise that we are fortunate to be able to visit (with our children in the past and now with our grandchildren) but with our new situation that can’t happen without DAS

If all 8 of you truly cannot be in a queue and no one in your party can separate to wait in the standard queue (so that you would just rejoin through the LL) then hopefully Disney will be able to accommodate you. But hopefully you also take some of the suggestions here that people have made about pacing, occasional paid services, etc to heart as well in case Disney’s idea of your needs does not match your own.

With respect to jet lag, the UK is only 5 hours apart from FL. Have you ever tried cycling around while still at home, so you are already on FL time by the time that you arrive? Or experimented with flying at different times? There are lots of options from LHR to NYC, for example, and easy to pair one with a flight down to MCO. I say this as a life-long bad sleeper who has to travel more than she would like. If I try to sleep on the plane and/or stay up when I arrive to get as close to “local” time as possible it usually takes me a day or two to cycle around when going to Europe, and California only takes a day. Of course that doesn’t help my natural state of insomnia, but I can’t blame that on jet lag.

 

[SueM in MN]

I agree that the smaller party size will help, as will getting rid of the pre-selects.

What's frustrating to me as an IT professional is that if Disney would just get their act together in the IT sphere, they could truly tailor the DAS to individual need and perhaps offer it to some of the folks who are borderline now but not getting approved.

I'm sure the DAS Advance Selections amounted to a pretty big number. They originally were meant as a 'perk' for people who used the video registration. But, as time went on, people registering in the parks were requesting and getting them too.
And, a lot ended up not being used - that didn't add to LL congestion since those guests never got to the LL.
Even if their IT worked flawlessly, I think it would be difficult to tailor things for so many different things.

And when they probe a toddler?
I think people need to think about their suggestions in terms of being in a queue vs normal daily tasks.

Blind people use probe canes all over, including Disney parks. The cane is almost always in contact with the ground while it's in use. If someone is using one around others, it's up to the others to give the blind person the space they need to use their cane; parents of toddlers included.
Link to Video about white cane awareness

I just joined the thread so I have no idea if my question was asked earlier in the thread.

Have we identified what have people qualified for DAS.

I know the following have qualified
Chromes Disease
Irritable Bowel
Diabetes


I guess the question becomes are there other accommodations that could work?

This is what the Disney websites have to say about DAS:

Disability Access Service (DAS)
DAS is one of our programs offered at Walt Disney World theme parks intended to accommodate those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

Even within those groups, some will qualify for DAS and some won't. Accommodations are based on needs, not diagnosis

 

[dbriggsq]

If all 8 of you truly cannot be in a queue and no one in your party can separate to wait in the standard queue (so that you would just rejoin through the LL) then hopefully Disney will be able to accommodate you. But hopefully you also take some of the suggestions here that people have made about pacing, occasional paid services, etc to heart as well in case Disney’s idea of your needs does not match your own.

With respect to jet lag, the UK is only 5 hours apart from FL. Have you ever tried cycling around while still at home, so you are already on FL time by the time that you arrive? Or experimented with flying at different times? There are lots of options from LHR to NYC, for example, and easy to pair one with a flight down to MCO. I say this as a life-long bad sleeper who has to travel more than she would like. If I try to sleep on the plane and/or stay up when I arrive to get as close to “local” time as possible it usually takes me a day or two to cycle around when going to Europe, and California only takes a day. Of course that doesn’t help my natural state of insomnia, but I can’t blame that on jet lag.

We’re not a part of 8 now, usually 2 (or 6 when we bring our grandkids )
Flight times are very much determined by cost (and actually very little choice from our part of the UK). Also the issue of rejoining the queue seems very stressful- a few times when we’ve been there the WiFi hasn’t worked on my phone (despite efforts from CMs) and we can’t use data.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

We’re not a part of 8 now, usually 2 (or 6 when we bring our grandkids )
Flight times are very much determined by cost (and actually very little choice from our part of the UK). Also the issue of rejoining the queue seems very stressful- a few times when we’ve been there the WiFi hasn’t worked on my phone (despite efforts from CMs) and we can’t use data.

W/r/t data, I highly recommend a cheap eSim if that works for your family. The company that I have used in the past charges $8 for 2GB of data for 15 days, which should be more than enough for your needs. It was definitely a game changer for us.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

We’re not a part of 8 now, usually 2 (or 6 when we bring our grandkids )
Flight times are very much determined by cost (and actually very little choice from our part of the UK). Also the issue of rejoining the queue seems very stressful- a few times when we’ve been there the WiFi hasn’t worked on my phone (despite efforts from CMs) and we can’t use data.

Sorry, I thought that you had mentioned 8 in a prior post. My mistake.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

With respect to jet lag, the UK is only 5 hours apart from FL. Have you ever tried cycling around while still at home, so you are already on FL time by the time that you arrive? Or experimented with flying at different times? There are lots of options from LHR to NYC, for example, and easy to pair one with a flight down to MCO. I say this as a life-long bad sleeper who has to travel more than she would like. If I try to sleep on the plane and/or stay up when I arrive to get as close to “local” time as possible it usually takes me a day or two to cycle around when going to Europe, and California only takes a day. Of course that doesn’t help my natural state of insomnia, but I can’t blame that on jet lag.

That's what the jet lag calculators are doing at least if you're selecting 2 or 3 days in advance.

It's so you don't attempt to go cold turkey with a large enough time shift and adjust before your trip more to the time zone you'll be in with your normal sleep schedule. For instance to get prepared for the trip last month we're from the midwest but it's only 1 hour difference to the east coast. We flew from NYC on the 6th, arriving in London on the 7th (we flew on the 5th from our home to NYC and stayed the night there). I put our normal sleep time as 10pm and waking up at 7am and did the calculations from NYC.





I'm not sure I would suggest someone from Europe try to fly to NYC then down to MCO unless that was the only choice. We could have flown Orlando to London non-stop with Virgin Atlantic we just chose to go to NYC instead it was just a wee bit longer in flight time but for the purposes of jet lag they are in the same time zone. But again it's what options they had.

This may sound overly complicated just looking at the screenshots but for anyone dealing with that large time shift it may help out.

 

[voxparse]

.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

That's what the jet lag calculators are doing at least if you're selecting 2 or 3 days in advance.

It's so you don't attempt to go cold turkey with a large enough time shift and adjust before your trip more to the time zone you'll be in with your normal sleep schedule. For instance to get prepared for the trip last month we're from the midwest but it's only 1 hour difference to the east coast. We flew from NYC on the 6th, arriving in London on the 7th (we flew on the 5th from our home to NYC and stayed the night there). I put our normal sleep time as 10pm and waking up at 7am and did the calculations from NYC.

View attachment 866637

View attachment 866638

I'm not sure I would suggest someone from Europe try to fly to NYC then down to MCO unless that was the only choice. We could have flown Orlando to London non-stop with Virgin Atlantic we just chose to go to NYC instead it was just a wee bit longer in flight time but for the purposes of jet lag they are in the same time zone. But again it's what options they had.

This may sound overly complicated just looking at the screenshots but for anyone dealing with that large time shift it may help out.

The only reason I suggested LHR - NYC is that I know they have options at all different times of day for both legs and once you are stopping on the east coast, it probably doesn’t make THAT much of a difference where the layover happens. I haven’t looked into how many LHR-MCO direct options there were.

For my husband (different issues), flight times make a big difference to how stressful/successful the trip will be, so we plan accordingly.

 

[dbriggsq]

W/r/t data, I highly recommend a cheap eSim if that works for your family. The company that I have used in the past charges $8 for 2GB of data for 15 days, which should be more than enough for your needs. It was definitely a game changer for us.

That sounds great- which company is it and will it work on international phones?