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

[KrzyKtty101]

Well de Efteling in the Nederlands does it. You can download a faciliteitenkaart and fill it in. With this you can use a das like system. They can ask you to provide documentation when you use the faciliteitenkaart. De Efteling is a resort that has 5M visitors per year.

That sounds like requesting an already made accommodation with an approval process. Not someone picking their own accommodation. And while I don't think you were ever directly saying this, your statements at least accidentally implied the concept that parents always know better what accommodation their children needs. This might be true, but I was pointing out that very rarely does anybody get to pick/demand what accommodation they receive. I can only think of specific situations where a law dictates it for everybody.

But once again, providing documentation wouldn't do anything considering it's not diagnosis base. Disney is trying to reduce the number of people using DAS, documentation doesn't accomplish that.

 

[dizneedoll]

Tomorrow’s my AQR testing day!!! I mean, it’s also mission try to get into the Tiana’s AP preview day, but I like to be realistic: I’ve got a WAY higher chance of checking out AQR in some real lines than getting onto Tiana’s.

It looks to be a relatively slow day at MK, and my park reservation is at EP, so my thought is try to grab a VQ for GOTG and hit that and lunch at EP, and test AQR at TT. Hop to MK and see how many rides with typically longer (longer than 15 mins is my threshold, so that should be easy) waits I can test out there before heading home.

Honestly, there’s little chance I’ll be able to report back until later Monday, but I promise I will come back with a report!

Yay!! Im looking forward to your report whenever you’re able to update us. Have a wonderful time tomorrow and fingers crossed you get on TBA!

 

[sunburnin]

REPOSTING THIS! I went to a graduation and come back to find we're still discussing documentation and schools! Yes, this thread is slow at the moment. There really isn't anything much to discuss until we get more first-hand reports of new accommodations at WDW, or maybe some DLR reports will start coming in Monday.

When the cat is away, the mice will play! HA

Thanks for moderating this group. It's a much better venue to discuss this topic than the other social media sites. You and Sue do a great job.

 

[mhautz]

However, I believe Rider Switch on both coasts limits "Party 2" to just 2 guests. That may be 1 who waited plus 1 who rode (gets to ride twice) or it may be 2 people who waited.

Rider Switch full page provides a little more information:
To Use Rider Switch:

1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.

2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be issued a Ride Switch entitlement by the Cast Member and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”

3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. Then, Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch entitlement must be validated by a Cast Member at this time.

Please note that if the person in party 2 waited alone with the child or non-riding Guest, one Guest may join the person that waited alone.

The way I read that, there is no limit on the size of Party 2, just that there is no entitlement to an extra guest if Party 2 has more than one person.

 

[mistysue]

Rider Switch - to my knowledge Rider Switch, Rider Swap, Child Swap all referred to the same thing, there aren't (and weren't to my knowledge) different programs.

WDW website this afternoon states this:

Rider switch is a program available to all Guests. With Rider Switch, Guests can wait with member(s) of their party who aren’t riding due to any of the reasons listed below. Once the first Guest returns the waiting Guest can board the attraction without having to wait in the regular line again!​

​

Rider Switch is available for Guests who meet one of the following:​

• Does not meet the boarding requirements
• Has a service animal that cannot board the attraction or does not want to use a provided kennel
• Meets boarding requirement and does not want to ride but cannot wait outside queue on their own

Rider Switch is available at most attractions throughout Walt Disney World Resort.​

As @SueM in MN mentions, the word "most" is new; before the DAS changes Rider Switch was only offered at WDW attractions with a height restriction. WDW does apparently still require a non-rider, though that non-rider may be the disabled individual.


DLR website this afternoon looks to be exactly the same as WDW. It's been a week or so since I checked, but it used to list more options at DLR. Interestingly, the Accessibility Planning Guide for DLR/DCA still lists the previous rules:

With Rider Switch, supervising Guests (14 years or older) can wait with member(s) of their partywho aren’t riding due to any of the reasons listed below. These supervising Guests still get theirchance to experience the attraction—without waiting in line again. Rider Switch is available at all attractions in Disneyland® Park and Disney California Adventure Park.​

​

Rider Switch is available for a Guest who:​

• Does not meet the boarding requirements​

• Has a service animal that cannot board the attraction or does not want to use a provided kennel​

• Cannot wait the duration of the queue and needs another member of their party to do the waiting for them​

• Cannot wait outside queue on their own and chooses not to ride​

• Need access to restrooms for frequent or unexpected use​

• Elements of the standby queue may trigger anxiety or sense of claustrophobia or similar​

• Prefers to sit and wait outside the queue due to mobility concerns and prefers to not use a mobility device​

​

Rider Switch is available at all attractions in Disneyland® Park and Disney California Adventure Park.​

So it remains to be seen if changes are coming to WDW, or if DLR is going to be more limited (what the website) indicates or if the edit to the website was in error and it will revert back to match the Accessibility Guide.

However, I believe Rider Switch on both coasts limits "Party 2" to just 2 guests. That may be 1 who waited plus 1 who rode (gets to ride twice) or it may be 2 people who waited.

Because I know my comment had a part of this - the comment about swap vs switch is because once upon a time, they were referring to them separately. In what is now outdated info, one of them referred to the current system described on the site. The other term was used for situations like when I had an older child on TOT. My son COULD ride, so they made us all go through the line together, then at the end one of us was pulled to the side, waited with him, then rode after the group came back. For at least a brief time in WDW history, that was your only option if everyone was allowed on the ride. I'm glad they stopped doing that because it was terrible.

 

[lanejudy]

Rider Switch full page provides a little more information:
To Use Rider Switch:

1. First check with a Cast member to see if Rider Switch is offered at the attraction in question.

2. Once at the attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire party. At least one adult member of your party and the Guests who are not riding will be issued a Ride Switch entitlement by the Cast Member and asked to wait in a designated area (usually outside of the attraction). This group is “Party 2.”

3. The other party members (“Party 1”) ride the attraction.

4. After riding the attraction, Party 1 locates Party 2. Then, Party 1 takes over supervision of the non-riding children or Guests.

5. Party 2 enters and boards the attraction without having to wait in the regular queue a second time. The Rider Switch entitlement must be validated by a Cast Member at this time.

Please note that if the person in party 2 waited alone with the child or non-riding Guest, one Guest may join the person that waited alone.

The way I read that, there is no limit on the size of Party 2, just that there is no entitlement to an extra guest if Party 2 has more than one person.

Interesting -- your link is to Guest Services - Rider Switch while mine is from the Guests with Disabilities - Accessing Attractions - Rider Switch. What I see under "How to Use Rider Switch" is different than yours -- both websites (bolding is mine):

How to Use Rider Switch

1. Upon arriving at the selected attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire group and inform them you are interested in the Rider Switch option. Members will be divided into 2 parties: “Party 1” will board the attraction first, while “Party 2”(a maximum of 2 people from the rest of your party) waits.
2. A Cast Member will scan the admission media or tickets of Guests in Party 2.
3. After Party 1 completes the experience, any Guests from Party 2 who have waited to ride should return to the appropriate attraction entrance as directed by the issuing Cast Member to have their admission media/tickets re-scanned by a Cast Member for the Rider Switch entitlement. At this point, the riding Guests of Party 2 may enter the appropriate attraction return line and board without waiting in the regular queue. Meanwhile, Party 1 waits with the non-riding Guests.

 

[mistysue]

Interesting -- your link is to Guest Services - Rider Switch while mine is from the Guests with Disabilities - Accessing Attractions - Rider Switch. What I see under "How to Use Rider Switch" is different than yours -- both websites (bolding is mine):

How to Use Rider Switch

1. Upon arriving at the selected attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire group and inform them you are interested in the Rider Switch option. Members will be divided into 2 parties: “Party 1” will board the attraction first, while “Party 2”(a maximum of 2 people from the rest of your party) waits.
2. A Cast Member will scan the admission media or tickets of Guests in Party 2.
3. After Party 1 completes the experience, any Guests from Party 2 who have waited to ride should return to the appropriate attraction entrance as directed by the issuing Cast Member to have their admission media/tickets re-scanned by a Cast Member for the Rider Switch entitlement. At this point, the riding Guests of Party 2 may enter the appropriate attraction return line and board without waiting in the regular queue. Meanwhile, Party 1 waits with the non-riding Guests.

That is a good catch - it prevents exactly the "WAY too easy to manipulate" issue I immediately saw when I read the main page.

 

[mhautz]

Interesting -- your link is to Guest Services - Rider Switch while mine is from the Guests with Disabilities - Accessing Attractions - Rider Switch. What I see under "How to Use Rider Switch" is different than yours -- both websites (bolding is mine):

How to Use Rider Switch

1. Upon arriving at the selected attraction, approach the greeting Cast Member with your entire group and inform them you are interested in the Rider Switch option. Members will be divided into 2 parties: “Party 1” will board the attraction first, while “Party 2”(a maximum of 2 people from the rest of your party) waits.
2. A Cast Member will scan the admission media or tickets of Guests in Party 2.
3. After Party 1 completes the experience, any Guests from Party 2 who have waited to ride should return to the appropriate attraction entrance as directed by the issuing Cast Member to have their admission media/tickets re-scanned by a Cast Member for the Rider Switch entitlement. At this point, the riding Guests of Party 2 may enter the appropriate attraction return line and board without waiting in the regular queue. Meanwhile, Party 1 waits with the non-riding Guests.

It’s almost like the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. It’s odd because they both clearly have been updated recently, so I don’t think it’s just a matter of outdated information.

I understand why the Party 2 should be limited because Rider Switch is primarily for the benefit of the non-riding party and not necessarily to make it easier for the riding parties. I do kind of hope it is a little more flexible since our younger daughter now wants to ride more rides that older daughter (who has DAS) does not want to. We will be traveling with grandparents who will be willing to be Party 1, so it would be nice if our party of 3 (me, spouse, and riding daughter) could wait with older daughter and then ride in expedited manner.

 

[SueM in MN]

Well de Efteling in the Nederlands does it. You can download a faciliteitenkaart and fill it in. With this you can use a das like system. They can ask you to provide documentation when you use the faciliteitenkaart. De Efteling is a resort that has 5M visitors per year.

No, you can use it without an interview. It is statement on honour. They reserve the right to check it an have a list of documentation that is accepted.

It doesn't matter what Efteling or any other park in Europe or anywhere else in the world has chosen to do.
That's not how it works in the Disney parks in the US.

 

[lanejudy]

That is a good catch - it prevents exactly the "WAY too easy to manipulate" issue I immediately saw when I read the main page.

To my knowledge, Rider Switch has been working exactly this way at WDW for at least a couple of years. Max of 2 guests as "Party 2" -- whether both waited or 1 waited and re-rides.

But I can't explain why 2 areas of the WDW website list it differently.

 

[SueM in MN]

To my knowledge, Rider Switch has been working exactly this way at WDW for at least a couple of years. Max of 2 guests as "Party 2" -- whether both waited or 1 waited and re-rides.

But I can't explain why 2 areas of the WDW website list it differently.

I agree.
That's what I've seen too

 

[nalababybear]

It’s almost like the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing. It’s odd because they both clearly have been updated recently, so I don’t think it’s just a matter of outdated information.

I understand why the Party 2 should be limited because Rider Switch is primarily for the benefit of the non-riding party and not necessarily to make it easier for the riding parties. I do kind of hope it is a little more flexible since our younger daughter now wants to ride more rides that older daughter (who has DAS) does not want to. We will be traveling with grandparents who will be willing to be Party 1, so it would be nice if our party of 3 (me, spouse, and riding daughter) could wait with older daughter and then ride in expedited manner.

The benefit of the rider switch has always been with the party 1 that goes through the queue -- presumed child+ adult -- while party 2 adult+ younger child will not ride.

Then party 1 child + party 2 adult rides while Party 1 + nonriding child remain.

In the disability scenario at least I've seen this in DLR -- Party 2 is a person waiting outside the queue and then when party 1 is done; party 2 disability person rides with a plus+1 from party 1. (ie limit 2 -- one person from Party 1 gets a reride). This is a fair solution that works quite well when I saw it (Matterhorn).

 

[mhautz]

To my knowledge, Rider Switch has been working exactly this way at WDW for at least a couple of years. Max of 2 guests as "Party 2" -- whether both waited or 1 waited and re-rides.

But I can't explain why 2 areas of the WDW website list it differently.

I should say I was aware this was the way things had been for a while (I do recall it used to be such that two children could take advantage of the second ride with the second parent), but I just know what I saw on the official webpage. Oh well, because the disability page is so much more specific and more closely reflects previous policy, I'll chalk it to the guest services version is a paraphrase that missed a detail.

I guess we'll just have to use Rider Switch the way as "intended", giving the riding child two rides for the price of one wait

 

[mlggator22]

I have a question for everyone. What is the disabled person supposed to do while the rest of the party is going through the line in the rider switch scenario? Do we have to sit and wait? Because I can't sit for that long of a period of time in an upright position (back issues that result in very high levels of pain). I need to be walking. If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know. I am going next week (Disneyland) and I am so unbelievably stressed.
I'm sure that I will be told to use the rider switch system, so I am trying to better understand what I will be asked to do and what I will be allowed to do to try to prevent high levels of pain.

 

[GoingSince1990]

I have a question for everyone. What is the disabled person supposed to do while the rest of the party is going through the line in the rider switch scenario? Do we have to sit and wait? Because I can't sit for that long of a period of time in an upright position (back issues that result in very high levels of pain). I need to be walking. If anyone knows the answer to this, please let me know. I am going next week (Disneyland) and I am so unbelievably stressed.
I'm sure that I will be told to use the rider switch system, so I am trying to better understand what I will be asked to do and what I will be allowed to do to try to prevent high levels of pain.

If you had DAS, what would you be doing while waiting for your ride time? Can you do the same things while waiting for your rider switch?

 

[mlggator22]

If you had DAS, what would you be doing while waiting for your ride time? Can you do the same things while waiting for your rider switch?

I would have been walking around the park. I wasn't sure if they would require the waiting party to stay in a waiting area, or if I would be allowed to still walk around the park area near the ride. If I am out walking, how will they know to come get me to ride?

 

[OurBigTrip]

I would have been walking around the park. I wasn't sure if they would require the waiting party to stay in a waiting area, or if I would be allowed to still walk around the park area near the ride. If I am out walking, how will they know to come get me to ride?

They can text you

 

[mlggator22]

They can text you

Duh, that's true. I'm so stressed, I was even thinking about that. I just am trying to get a picture of what to expect. I am so anxious about having to explain my issues at every ride.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Duh, that's true. I'm so stressed, I was even thinking about that. I just am trying to get a picture of what to expect. I am so anxious about having to explain my issues at every ride.

Pretty sure you don’t have to explain issues at every ride.

 

[mlggator22]

Pretty sure you don’t have to explain issues at every ride.

I thought (and I honestly haven't been able to keep up with this thread so I may be incorrect), that there isn't anything to denote that you have a disability for this service on your app/ticket and you have to ask cast members at each ride if you can do this. Additionally, that they have limits to how often they can allow this. Am I mistaken?