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

[spacegirl2007]

2. It was a SLOW day - TouringPlans had the crowd level at 4 at MK. It was tough to find rides (that I was willing to try) with waits long enough to bother.

Yesterday, the CL at MK was actually 1 according to TP. 4 was the predicted, 1 was the observed. So very low.

 

[PrincessV]

I agree with you but disagree with you, don't take that a wrong way please

The pushback isn't coming from people who are like "we used to wait in line and now we have a way to get back in without having to go to the back?!" because everyone no matter what has always been able to leave the line, you are never held captive to the queue. The comments, concerns, questioning, and potential misinformation about CM's role at the attraction with AQR and such posted on social media is coming from people who had DAS, did not get DAS on their most recent attempt, but who are used to DAS and the way it worked OR people who have DAS but have been held to the lower party limit.

Contextually these are where the comments are from. The guests who are only used to either Standby or FP or FP+ or MP or Genie+/ILL but no other way to do the lines are only going to get the confusion that they now have a way to get back in line if they chose to leave it (for example a child needing to go to the bathroom one of the most common examples of "this isn't line cutting" I've seen on the Boards) as opposed to only having the option of rejoining at the end of the line or trying to make your way back to your party from the end of the line.

If you used DAS especially year after year I would disagree that Disney trained you to wait in lines (the very point was you had difficulties with the queues). The guests who visit the parks and either didn't realize FP was included in the park ticket or don't buy/don't want to buy MP when it was around or Genie+/ILL are the ones in the lines. To maybe make that easier it's like over at Universal the guests who never use EP and just tour with Standby (which was my husband and I prior to our last trip in 2022).

Oh, ITA with your agreement and disagreement lol! I believe we have concurrence. I was definitely speaking more to the non-DAS crowd, and maybe also the CM crowd. I’ve seen those conversations elsewhere and some are really struggling with the whole AQR concept I keep seeing “it’ll be a free for all!” I’ll admit that it’s weird for me, too - partly because I didn’t grow up with my disability and probably also thinking back to when my DS was little and as a single parent I just assumed if we had to leave a line, that was it. DAS was so novel to us both (which sounds dumb, considering we’d had FP and FP+, but it seemed really different to us), and AQR still feels really novel to me right now. A little like I was getting away with something, even though I knew it was a published option WDW makes available.

 

[PrincessV]

Yesterday, the CL at MK was actually 1 according to TP. 4 was the predicted, 1 was the observed. So very low.

I figured it would be downgraded retroactively. It definitely wasn’t anything like the 1 days of of the late 90s, but was easily the least crowded I’ve seen MK since last summer. My whole purpose for being there was the Tiana’s AP preview, and I never got to ride it, but have NO regrets: it was a great day to be in the MK!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Oh, ITA with your agreement and disagreement lol! I believe we have concurrence. I was definitely speaking more to the non-DAS crowd, and maybe also the CM crowd. I’ve seen those conversations elsewhere and some are really struggling with the whole AQR concept I keep seeing “it’ll be a free for all!” I’ll admit that it’s weird for me, too - partly because I didn’t grow up with my disability and probably also thinking back to when my DS was little and as a single parent I just assumed if we had to leave a line, that was it. DAS was so novel to us both (which sounds dumb, considering we’d had FP and FP+, but it seemed really different to us), and AQR still feels really novel to me right now. A little like I was getting away with something, even though I knew it was a published option WDW makes available.

I think there will always be checks and balances with it but I can see why people could be concerned with the free for all. I think Disney will be able to anticipate some issues and at least keep note of others issues as they come up if/when further adjustment is needed. The AQR in particular has the ability to benefit many guests while at the same time not disrupting many guests

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm optimistic that the soon-to-open Epic Universe will be built with inclusivity in mind, especially relative to parks that opened 30+ years ago.

Based on the less than accessible experience we had with super Mario world at universal Hollywood, I'm sadly not holding my breath on this.

 

[PrincessV]

A couple more thoughts on AQR I had driving home, after trying it out…

It occurs to me that one could probably “double dip” by pairing AQR with DAS or G+. Book a DAS or G+ time, then use AQR for a SB line while waiting - disabled Guest and maybe another party member sit out the SB while the rest of their party waits in line, use AQR to meet them to ride, then they all go to the DAS/G+ attraction after? Assuming they’re all in the DAS/G+ party. I realize there are some strong opinions on riding something else while holding a DAS time, but according to Disney’s rules, it’s perfectly fine, and may be helpful for those who want to do ride after ride.

It also hit me that I actually wound up waiting less time using AQR than I would have with DAS. Again, that was as a solo Guest on a VERY slow day, but still - no question that in terms of actual time waiting to ride, I came out ahead using AQR.

 

[Keladry84]

Based on the less than accessible experience we had with super Mario world at universal Hollywood, I'm sadly not holding my breath on this.

This, and throw in the entire lower lot to boot! I spent appx. 10 minutes in SMW before being completely overwhelmed by the sensory input. Then exited into the lower lot and couldn't stay there either :/ Ended up having to leave the park, and didn't use the tickets for the next day because there was nothing in the lower half of the park I could do :/

I'm really hoping Epic will be more spread out and better designed........USH just really doesn't have the space and is so compact it makes it very difficult.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

This, and throw in the entire lower lot to boot! I spent appx. 10 minutes in SMW before being completely overwhelmed by the sensory input. Then exited into the lower lot and couldn't stay there either :/ Ended up having to leave the park, and didn't use the tickets for the next day because there was nothing in the lower half of the park I could do :/

I'm really hoping Epic will be more spread out and better designed........USH just really doesn't have the space and is so compact it makes it very difficult.

FWIW Hollywood compared to Orlando is quite different, the size difference is several hundred acres between Hollywood and both existing Orlando parks.

It's already been said that Nintendo in Epic Universe will be the largest of the 3 (though for sensory output that likely won't change). Hollywood conversely is the smallest of the 3 parks that have/will have it.

Not saying you wouldn't run into issues (and I understand the concern about mobility issues) just that there are differences between the parks.

 

[KrzyKtty101]

This, and throw in the entire lower lot to boot! I spent appx. 10 minutes in SMW before being completely overwhelmed by the sensory input. Then exited into the lower lot and couldn't stay there either :/ Ended up having to leave the park, and didn't use the tickets for the next day because there was nothing in the lower half of the park I could do :/

I'm really hoping Epic will be more spread out and better designed........USH just really doesn't have the space and is so compact it makes it very difficult.

Honestly HSJ Super Nintendo World was the same. Very packed.

 

[Keladry84]

FWIW Hollywood compared to Orlando is quite different, the size difference is several hundred acres between Hollywood and both existing Orlando parks.

It's already been said that Nintendo in Epic Universe will be the largest of the 3 (though for sensory output that likely won't change). Hollywood conversely is the smallest of the 3 parks that have/will have it.

Not saying you wouldn't run into issues (and I understand the concern about mobility issues) just that there are differences between the parks.

I know re the size constraints and differences in the parks...that's why I'm really hoping I "might" actually be able to do SMW in Orlando once it's built because it might actually be possible to find some quieter areas to help reduce the overload (hoping). I was super looking forward to it in Hollywood too :/ The first 5 minutes were like OMG this is sooooo awesome! Followed by 5 minutes of uh oh, I need to sit down the world is spinning, concluding in a mad dash out of the park :/

Also, I think the Orlando one is supposed to include pretty much everything that is already in the Hollywood/Japan parks + Donkey Kong - I'll be in Japan next summer for the World's Fair, but am planning to visit both Universal and Disney Parks there. I'm thinking I should probably just not even attempt the SMW in Japan, or might find my one day there cut very short like in Hollywood. Then when I finally go to the Orlando one in a couple of years, take a longer trip to help with the need to reset and explore it slowly in small doses.

Also, my apologies to the mods for being slightly off-topic here. I think all of us can relate though to having been really looking forward to something and then finding that we just can't do it - which does relate to the topic of the DAS/AQR discussions going on and is driving so many people's anxiety re the changes. When someone knows DAS works for them, but no longer qualifies for the program while the alternate accommodations are so unknown, it's natural to be anxious. I think most of us posting here all have our own stories similar to mine where we've found we just can't manage something we really wanted to do, and having the ease of knowing your accommodation in advance of your trip and that it will work for you gives us higher probability of not repeating the past difficulties.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I know re the size constraints and differences in the parks...that's why I'm really hoping I "might" actually be able to do SMW in Orlando once it's built because it might actually be possible to find some quieter areas to help reduce the overload (hoping). I was super looking forward to it in Hollywood too :/ The first 5 minutes were like OMG this is sooooo awesome! Followed by 5 minutes of uh oh, I need to sit down the world is spinning, concluding in a mad dash out of the park :/

Also, I think the Orlando one is supposed to include pretty much everything that is already in the Hollywood/Japan parks + Donkey Kong - I'll be in Japan next summer for the World's Fair, but am planning to visit both Universal and Disney Parks there. I'm thinking I should probably just not even attempt the SMW in Japan, or might find my one day there cut very short like in Hollywood. Then when I finally go to the Orlando one in a couple of years, take a longer trip to help with the need to reset and explore it slowly in small doses.

Also, my apologies to the mods for being slightly off-topic here. I think all of us can relate though to having been really looking forward to something and then finding that we just can't do it - which does relate to the topic of the DAS/AQR discussions going on and is driving so many people's anxiety re the changes. When someone knows DAS works for them, but no longer qualifies for the program while the alternate accommodations are so unknown, it's natural to be anxious. I think most of us posting here all have our own stories similar to mine where we've found we just can't manage something we really wanted to do, and having the ease of knowing your accommodation in advance of your trip and that it will work for you gives us higher probability of not repeating the past difficulties.

I'm actually avoiding Universal Japan and Universal Hollywood in favor of Orlando just because there's more to offer in Orlando but yeah I was more just trying to say that there is the differences between the parks. I do think sensory-wise you'd have the same issues in Orlando but it's because of just the nature of Nintendo and how they are trying to incorporate features that people are looking for like tunnels and levels similar to the games and there's a lot of bright colors in there and moving parts however with maybe a bit more space in Orlando to work with some parts hopefully allow to feel a bit more open. Hollywood is missing the Donkey Kong, Japan opened without it and the expansion that includes that is supposed to open sometime this year. Orlando is supposed to open with it all.

I know Universal opened that preview center so you might see if someone on the Universal side has gone and given their impression of how the space of Epic Universe will feel.

 

[Ollivier]

It also hit me that I actually wound up waiting less time using AQR than I would have with DAS. Again, that was as a solo Guest on a VERY slow day, but still - no question that in terms of actual time waiting to ride, I came out ahead using AQR.

Then you assume that you step in the virtual que when you are fysical at the attraction.

With das this is not the case. The extra 10 minutes they added is for me a good evolution. Even better would be a location based rule that checks that you are at the entrance of the attraction.

 

[Ollivier]

I did some DAS and AQR real-life testing yesterday at WDW - I did a condensed report on the AQR Reporting thread, but I’ll throw all of the details in this post.

Some caveats:
1. I was a solo adult with a non-medical, non-physical disability that makes the line environment problematic for me. I can manage about 10–15 minutes of it.
2. It was a SLOW day - TouringPlans had the crowd level at 4 at MK. It was tough to find rides (that I was willing to try) with waits long enough to bother.

It’s probably safe to assume those two factors played into how things went for me.

First, DAS and ILL usage:

I bought a ILL for TRON, so used the LL there, as one would with DAS.Timed my wait from entering the LL and it was17 minutes. Pretty average for TRON and right at my edge of tolerance.

I used DAS for HM (ETA: posted SB wait was 40mins) - waited 2 minutes until entering the front doors. Literally 2 minutes of walking through the LL queue to the doors, and maybe 30 seconds before they opened. Right into the stretching room, and a quick, continuous walk from there to boarding.

I used DAS for the LL at GOTG - I timed 5 minutes before merging with the SB folks in the first holding room.

I was sent through LLs on Peter Pan and POTC (more on that below):
Pan was 5 minutes total of LL and post-merge before boarding
POTC I literally walked right through the LL and onto a boat

Next, AQR as a solo Guest:

Peter Pan: 45min posted SB wait. I got into the queue and lasted about 15 minutes, then backtracked through the queue to exit. There were no places to make that any easier by going through a chain or anything - it was all indoor, single file, so I literally just had to go through in the opposite direction until I exited through the entrance. NOT easy: fellow Guests were perfectly pleasant and scooched over to help me get out, but it’s a narrow queue and almost everyone was looking at their phones, so it took a lot of saying “excuse me”, “so sorry!”, and “pardon me, I need to exit please” to get out.

Once back at the SB entrance, I told the CM there that I had to leave the queue - offered no details and no request was made by the CM for any - and asked how I might be able to return. They told me it was no problem and just find them when I came back and they’d let me back in. I returned 10-15 minutes later, but that CM was gone. I explained to the new CM at the SB entrance and they said they would bring me around “outside to where the lines merge” and I could find my party there*. I apologized for not leading with the info, but that I was visiting on my own - no party in line to find. They said okay, had the CM at the LL tap point do something in MDE, had me tap there, and sent me through the LL, where I needed to tap again at the 2nd tap point. (Green taps, if that info is of value)

Notes: *I saw that those with mobility devices entered via an outdoor line that merged with the queue indoors, so I assume that’s where I'd have been sent if I had other party members in the line.
I was not given a return time or anything, just sent right into the LL.
All 3 CMs were pleasant and friendly and clearly knew how AQR worked for their attraction and based on Guest party make-up and needs. The CM I spoke with when I returned to the line only seemed surprised that I’d waited in the line first before leaving and confirmed that there was no easy way of exiting that queue.

POTC: 25min posted SB wait. Instead of just getting into line, I first asked a CM posted at the LL entrance: “There’s a solid chance I’ll need to exit the line at some point - can you please advise how I should do that?” They asked if I had “a reservation” (DAS? G+ LL?) and I said no. They asked, “is it that you can’t wait in line?” And I answered, “Yes and no - I’m okay for about 10-15 minutes, so if it’s really a 25 minute wait, it might be too much and I’m visiting on my own.” They sent me straight into the LL without doing anything in MDE.

Notes: Again, the CM clearly knew what the AQR procedures were for the attraction. And again, they were very pleasant and did not require any additional details about why I couldn’t do the full SB wait. I felt no discomfort and had a nice, albeit short, little chat with them.

Apologies that I only got to test out two rides, but it was such a slow day, most things only ever had a 5-15 min wait posted! And I’m not a pack-in-lots-of-rides person: 5 rides in 5 hours, plus lunch and a couple sit and rest breaks was a pretty good run for me!

My big takeaways were:

1. ASK a CM about AQR before getting into the SB line. Whether you’re solo or with others it’s worth finding out ahead of time how the attraction handles things. I strongly suspect at Peter Pan they’d have had me skip getting into and needing to backtrack through the SB queue and would have either given me a return time or sent me right into the LL.

2. CMs definitely seemed to have been trained and knew what options they had available. I think the “at CM discretion” part of the equation is deciding how best to manage the AQR process to suit the party size, needs, queue layout, and probably crowd level. They are not deciding who gets AQR and who doesn’t: it’s available to all.

3. Could I replace DAS with AQR? Maybe… I still have some questions unanswered. Like, I absolutely cannot tolerate the regular queue at GOTG if it’s longer than 10ish minutes - would I be able to utilize AQR with a VQ instead of using DAS? IDK and didn't think to ask. I enjoyed not booking rides through MDE - I don’t like being scheduled at WDW, so AQR beat DAS in that respect. I guess if I was given return times, it would be the same thing, though.

If anyone has questions I didn’t answer, let me know!

Thank you for this usefull information.
I feel you should not put your self in the situation that you have to find a way out of the que at peter pan. That que is one of the worst to backtrack.

 

[PrincessV]

Thank you for this usefull information.
I feel you should not put your self in the situation that you have to find a way out of the que at peter pan. That que is one of the worst to backtrack.

I could not agree more about Peter Pan - I picked an AWFUL one to test. But in my defense, I’ve never used the SB queue since it was redone: I’ve either used FP+, DAS, or not ridden it at all. So I had no idea! It’s a shame, really, because it’s a neat queue. But I’ll never try it again unless it miraculously drops to a 15-minute wait lol!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

It also hit me that I actually wound up waiting less time using AQR than I would have with DAS. Again, that was as a solo Guest on a VERY slow day, but still - no question that in terms of actual time waiting to ride, I came out ahead using AQR.

I’m very glad that today worked out so well for you. Perhaps it will inspire others who are worried about life post-DAS that it won’t be nearly as bad as they fear.

However, given that guests self attest to the need for AQR, let’s hope that this doesn’t become the next way that people try to cheat the system.

 

[Angel Ariel]

FWIW Hollywood compared to Orlando is quite different, the size difference is several hundred acres between Hollywood and both existing Orlando parks.

It's already been said that Nintendo in Epic Universe will be the largest of the 3 (though for sensory output that likely won't change). Hollywood conversely is the smallest of the 3 parks that have/will have it.

Not saying you wouldn't run into issues (and I understand the concern about mobility issues) just that there are differences between the parks.

My accessibility concern was ride design and interactive design. Mario kart is just not a very accessible ride for multiple reasons. The power bands required more force than my child can do (it was hard for me to "break" the blocks as an NT adult). The games with the power band also weren't super accessible. These are design issues, not space one - hence my lack of hope for epic universe.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I could not agree more about Peter Pan - I picked an AWFUL one to test. But in my defense, I’ve never used the SB queue since it was redone: I’ve either used FP+, DAS, or not ridden it at all. So I had no idea! It’s a shame, really, because it’s a neat queue. But I’ll never try it again unless it miraculously drops to a 15-minute wait lol!

Peter Pan has always had a long wait, even at DLR too. The way it loads just doesn't allow for efficiency. The queue adjustments only help to pass the time while you're in line, which is important IMO.

 

[PrincessV]

However, given that guests self attest to the need for AQR, let’s hope that this doesn’t become the next way that people try to cheat the system.

Unless Disney decides AQR is no longer available to everyone, there is no cheating the system, though. You don’t need a disability to use it - you just need to ask!

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

Unless Disney decides AQR is no longer available to everyone, there is no cheating the system, though. You don’t need a disability to use it - you just need to ask!

Perhaps cheating is the wrong word. I was referring to people who are looking for waits that are shorter than SB but don’t want to pay for Genie+. Aka the former DAS cheaters/exaggerators. If the SB line is 30 min but it becomes known that CMs will let people who ask into the LL instead, more and more people will be asking for the accommodation.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My accessibility concern was ride design. Mario kart is just not a very accessible ride for multiple reasons. Hence my lack of hope for epic universe.

Ah well ride vehicle accessibility is a completely different topic than accommodations geared towards the topic at hand, that conversation was about comparing the threads of when Universal announced documentation to be required before getting to the secondary step of being granted their accessibility pass. Discussing making a park where you're in the 2020s having the advantage of understanding the adjustments in the population, etc was where I *thought* the poster you quoted was referring to.

Some, honestly most for Universal's caliber, rides simply can't be made to be inclusive to certain things (normally safety is the main reason). I remember when FOP came about I was highly concerned about the calf restraint and while I'm not as wide there as I was in 2017 it affected even me in terms of will I won't I. To my knowledge Tron is similar to that although they built the last row IIRC to be meant for situations of that. It works in reverse though, I remember being on Spiderman at Orlando and feeling very unsafe due to the single lap bar being used. The composition of people in your row determined where that lap bar would stop and it did not stop far enough down for me and I was jostled around way too much especially when the ride vehicle moves to make it seem like you're staring straight down.

ETA: Quoting your addition to your comment:

The games with the power band also weren't super accessible. These are design issues, not space one - hence my lack of hope for epic universe.

It's in line with the games so that goes with the territory of it. I wouldn't call it a design issue. It's the source material they are working with. Do you feel there is the same issue with the MagicBand+ features that Disney has incorporated? Wondered if there was similar issues, assuming by accessibility you're meaning height of where activator for lack of a better phrase is to get the effects (for MagicBand+ or for Universal games with the band there).