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

[SirDuff]

You typically don't need to ask individual employees of a business how to access a ramp just in case you might need one, and it's not up to anyone's discretion whether or how you use it. It's just there. Ready to be used whenever needed, no special instructions or employee permission required.

And? True but irrelevant to my question. The person I quoted was angry that people were being offered an accommodation that anyone can use. I was asking why that is a problem.

 

[nalababybear]

I think where a lot of the frustration comes in is people saying there are other accommodations, when at this point, it does not feel like there are. You’ve got the CMs in the interviews telling people to use AQR in the parks, but it’s not an official accommodation. It’s supposed to now be available to anyone, so they aren’t being given a different accommodation at all, just told to use a service that at this point barely exists.

No one can say exactly how it works or if you even can use it on certain rides. Its just a lot of we don’t know, and it’s up to the individual CM to decide (which I don’t see how this takes the disability pressure off them, now you’ve increased it by leaving it up to their discretion what to do). This also causes inconsistency where maybe you do A the first time you ride, but the next CM handles it differently.

On top of all the confusion and anxiety about how it works and how to use it, you add the need to now go talk to every CM at every ride you may need to use it for before you get in line to discuss the possibility of having to leave. For people who just want to feel normal, not have their differences and issues brought up all the time, and just want to blend in, having to go do that at each ride can feel overwhelming / and or be very upsetting, even if they aren’t giving details.

I also know technically you don’t have to explain why you might need to leave, but then you get the CMs who push back or just say can you do A, and then you have to explain why A won’t work. Then why B or C also don’t work, and it takes further examples and explanations before you get them to understand. No one wants to do that over and over all day long. And all that doesn’t even touch on the people in ECV that are like I can’t physically leave this line without running over everyone in my path to get out.

I have no problem with removing people from DAS and giving them alternative accommodations, but give them actual thought out accommodations, a way to leave and return safely, fighting through a crowd to find a CM in an emergency is not it. AQR just does not feel thought out or realistic at all the way it is being implemented. I hope Disney will listen to feedback and work to improve it over time, but I do think it is a disservice to everyone being excluded now that the alternative wasn’t thought through ahead of time.

Personally, if they just assigned AQR as a separate disability and had a procedure in place for it, I think that would go a long way to fixing a lot of the frustration people are feeling. Actually give people a real alternative accommodation that they can use without having to fumble through on their own.

AQR - is an ubiquitous accommodation. It does not need to be asked to be granted. It is available.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/w...disneyland-june-18-2024-updated-6-25.3945239/

--Aside the ECV issue, exiting the standby queue is no harder than exiting the LL queue. Reentry has a formal process to minimize disruption to all parties.

Having the entrance CM the flexibility actually improves the chances of finding a real time reasonable accommodation for the ride than having a rigid process. Yes, it may result in variability; but I trust the CM on the ground to have a better handle than some executive making process rules 10 degrees removed.

Disney also appears to be reassessing accommodation requests if these new ones have been tried out. They too are learning as are the CMs and the guests to this new normal.

Adjustments have and will continue to occur, so a bit of patience and grace on all sides will get us there.

 

[nighttowll]

I grant you the lack of clarity, but why does it have to a separate/special/different accommodation? To feel special? Ramps, for example, are an accommodation that meets the needs of those with wheelchairs and other mobility devices, but anyone can use them. Does stop the ramp from being a "real accommodation".

It’s not about feeling special. It’s about meeting the need.

My reasoning for wanting a dedicated disability assignment of AQR was for consistency of allowed accommodations and ease of accessibility, nothing more.

This keeps the decision with the trained disability CMs online, not a random CM in the park who wasn’t trained for this. It sets specific guidelines for them to follow, again taking the decision out of their hands. That’s just practical for efficiency and avoiding confrontations. It also makes it where the person only has to explain their needs once to the CM on the call, not over and over again to multiple CM throughout the day.

I really do hope with time Disney gets its act together in regards to AQR because I think it could be a viable alternative. I just don’t see the evidence that it is yet based on the feedback I’ve seen so far from people trying to use it.

 

[Flynn's Gal]

I think where a lot of the frustration comes in is people saying there are other accommodations, when at this point, it does not feel like there are. You’ve got the CMs in the interviews telling people to use AQR in the parks, but it’s not an official accommodation. It’s supposed to now be available to anyone, so they aren’t being given a different accommodation at all, just told to use a service that at this point barely exists.

No one can say exactly how it works or if you even can use it on certain rides. Its just a lot of we don’t know, and it’s up to the individual CM to decide (which I don’t see how this takes the disability pressure off them, now you’ve increased it by leaving it up to their discretion what to do). This also causes inconsistency where maybe you do A the first time you ride, but the next CM handles it differently.

On top of all the confusion and anxiety about how it works and how to use it, you add the need to now go talk to every CM at every ride you may need to use it for before you get in line to discuss the possibility of having to leave. For people who just want to feel normal, not have their differences and issues brought up all the time, and just want to blend in, having to go do that at each ride can feel overwhelming / and or be very upsetting, even if they aren’t giving details.

I also know technically you don’t have to explain why you might need to leave, but then you get the CMs who push back or just say can you do A, and then you have to explain why A won’t work. Then why B or C also don’t work, and it takes further examples and explanations before you get them to understand. No one wants to do that over and over all day long. And all that doesn’t even touch on the people in ECV that are like I can’t physically leave this line without running over everyone in my path to get out.

I have no problem with removing people from DAS and giving them alternative accommodations, but give them actual thought out accommodations, a way to leave and return safely, fighting through a crowd to find a CM in an emergency is not it. AQR just does not feel thought out or realistic at all the way it is being implemented. I hope Disney will listen to feedback and work to improve it over time, but I do think it is a disservice to everyone being excluded now that the alternative wasn’t thought through ahead of time.

Personally, if they just assigned AQR as a separate disability and had a procedure in place for it, I think that would go a long way to fixing a lot of the frustration people are feeling. Actually give people a real alternative accommodation that they can use without having to fumble through on their own.

This is a response that I think Disney should hear. I suggest writing an email sharing your feelings about how the new, but really old, accommodations are being rolled out. Many, many pages ago, the disability email was shared, but I can't remember it, nor want to scroll that far back. Maybe someone knows it off hand and can share it.

 

[lanejudy]

it's not up to anyone's discretion whether or how you use it

the person only has to explain their needs once to the CM on the call, not over and over again

Nobody decides yes or no, AQR is just there to be used by any and all who need to leave the queue. No explanations are needed. The only asking is “how do I rejoin my party?” and the reason that isn’t a 1-size-fits-all response is due to variable factors — size of party, ages of party, length of queue, etc.

I just don’t see the evidence that it is yet based on the feedback I’ve seen so far from people trying to use it.

The only negative reports I’ve seen are from people asking hypotheticals and not getting solid answers from CMs. First-hand reports from those who have actually used AQR have been positive.

“Mainstreamed” accommodations (available to all) are becoming very common in every day life vs “special” programs only available to the disabled.

 

[SirDuff]

It’s not about feeling special. It’s about meeting the need.

My reasoning for wanting a dedicated disability assignment of AQR was for consistency of allowed accommodations and ease of accessibility, nothing more.

This keeps the decision with the trained disability CMs online, not a random CM in the park who wasn’t trained for this. It sets specific guidelines for them to follow, again taking the decision out of their hands. That’s just practical for efficiency and avoiding confrontations. It also makes it where the person only has to explain their needs once to the CM on the call, not over and over again to multiple CM throughout the day.

I really do hope with time Disney gets its act together in regards to AQR because I think it could be a viable alternative. I just don’t see the evidence that it is yet based on the feedback I’ve seen so far from people trying to use it.

But, if anyone can use it, there is no decision to make, no need to repeatedly explain your needs, high efficiency and no confrontations. Exactly what you say you want.

 

[nighttowll]

And? True but irrelevant to my question. The person I quoted was angry that people were being offered an accommodation that anyone can use. I was asking why that is a problem.

Let’s clear something up. I’m not angry at all that anyone can use it. I just think there are practical reasons it would work better as an alternative to DAS if it was an assigned accommodation that functioned within set parameters. It could still be available to anyone else as well who wants to go talk to a CM about their one time issue. Just be easier for people who will be using it multiple times a day every day for medical reasons to have some consistency, foreknowledge, and not need to have a discussion at every ride.

I also was just trying to highlight why other people are getting so frustrated that they were denied. It’s not just about loosing DAS. It’s about there not being a clear alternative. I mean when they can’t tell you how AQR works on the call, that doesn’t instill confidence everything is going to be ok.

I’ve seen a lot of comments with people saying something along the lines of “You’re not being denied; you’re just being given different accommodations. You’re just selfish and want DAS.” This feels so dismissive to me. Maybe it’s true, or maybe they just want an accommodation someone can actually explain to them how to use. We don’t know. I think if the CMs on the call said, you can use AQR, here’s the procedure, here’s how it works, here’s what Disney has done to facilitate leaving and returning, people would be having different reactions to being told to use it, but that’s not happening.

I’m sure Disney will get this all smoothed out eventually. It’s a transition time right now, so things are rough. I agree the system was being abused and a lot of people who didn’t need DAS were getting it. I just feel for the people who do need something else and are in a sort of limbo right now until AQR gets more figured out. That’s it. I’m not mad. I don’t hate the changes made to DAS. I don’t think everyone should have DAS or even a special AQR designation, but I do get why certain people with physical issues for which mobility devices won’t help are upset.

 

[nighttowll]

Nobody decides yes or no, AQR is just there to be used by any and all who need to leave the queue. No explanations are needed. The only asking is “how do I rejoin my party?” and the reason that isn’t a 1-size-fits-all response is due to variable factors — size of party, ages of party, length of queue, etc.



The only negative reports I’ve seen are from people asking hypotheticals and not getting solid answers from CMs. First-hand reports from those who have actually used AQR have been positive.

“Mainstreamed” accommodations (available to all) are becoming very common in every day life vs “special” programs only available to the disabled.

That’s really good to hear.

I’ve really only seen negative reports of people having trouble trying to exit, having to have discussions with each CM, CMs telling people the line is short enough that they shouldn’t have to leave, CMs just saying they don’t know about the procedure at all, etc.

If it’s working, that’s great. I’d love to hear about that. That’s my hope that they get feedback and iron out the kinks.

My only real point was that I think there are a lot of people out there like me who aren’t seeing evidence of it working and aren’t getting information from Disney on how to use it. They are just being told to try it in the park and see what happens, when that’s too late to get a refund if it doesn’t work. It seems to me like that’s causing a lot of anxiety and making people upset, and I just wish everyone could have a little compassion and understanding on how these people who are told this feel.

Hopefully, your reassurance you are seeing reports of it actually working will help calm a lot of people’s fears.

 

[nighttowll]

But, if anyone can use it, there is no decision to make, no need to repeatedly explain your needs, high efficiency and no confrontations. Exactly what you say you want.

If that’s the way it is actually working vs the way it is supposed to be working, that’s great, and I agree. I’m not against this as an alternative to DAS.

I was basing my comments on the posts I have read where people were being arbitrarily denied or having to have conversations to use the accommodation. That’s most of what I’ve seen reported, along with issues leaving the line, having to fight back through people. I’m sure a lot of this is because it’s new and in transition. The moderator says she’s seen some positive reports, so that’s great. Hopefully, they’ll continue to improve and people can feel less anxious about it.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I think where a lot of the frustration comes in is people saying there are other accommodations, when at this point, it does not feel like there are. You’ve got the CMs in the interviews telling people to use AQR in the parks, but it’s not an official accommodation. It’s supposed to now be available to anyone, so they aren’t being given a different accommodation at all, just told to use a service that at this point barely exists.

No one can say exactly how it works or if you even can use it on certain rides. Its just a lot of we don’t know, and it’s up to the individual CM to decide (which I don’t see how this takes the disability pressure off them, now you’ve increased it by leaving it up to their discretion what to do). This also causes inconsistency where maybe you do A the first time you ride, but the next CM handles it differently.

On top of all the confusion and anxiety about how it works and how to use it, you add the need to now go talk to every CM at every ride you may need to use it for before you get in line to discuss the possibility of having to leave. For people who just want to feel normal, not have their differences and issues brought up all the time, and just want to blend in, having to go do that at each ride can feel overwhelming / and or be very upsetting, even if they aren’t giving details.

I also know technically you don’t have to explain why you might need to leave, but then you get the CMs who push back or just say can you do A, and then you have to explain why A won’t work. Then why B or C also don’t work, and it takes further examples and explanations before you get them to understand. No one wants to do that over and over all day long. And all that doesn’t even touch on the people in ECV that are like I can’t physically leave this line without running over everyone in my path to get out.

I have no problem with removing people from DAS and giving them alternative accommodations, but give them actual thought out accommodations, a way to leave and return safely, fighting through a crowd to find a CM in an emergency is not it. AQR just does not feel thought out or realistic at all the way it is being implemented. I hope Disney will listen to feedback and work to improve it over time, but I do think it is a disservice to everyone being excluded now that the alternative wasn’t thought through ahead of time.

Personally, if they just assigned AQR as a separate disability and had a procedure in place for it, I think that would go a long way to fixing a lot of the frustration people are feeling. Actually give people a real alternative accommodation that they can use without having to fumble through on their own.

The problem is that every situation IS different, so it is impractical for Disney to be too specific. Party size and composition matters (1 guest vs. 10 guests, adults vs. kids, etc), standby line length matters, the nature of the standby line itself matters (inside vs outside, easy to exit vs hard to exit, light vs dark, etc), mobility level of the guest matters, amount of time actually spent in queue, etc.

Would you really feel better knowing that a party of 2 with a posted standby wait of 20 minutes and an outside temperature of 90 gets X, but a party of 3 with a posted standby wait of 25 minutes and an outside temperature of 85 gets Y, not knowing that party X was only in the line for 10 minutes while Y was in for 30? Or would that it in and of itself become more stressful because then you would need to try to factor in every single permutation to try to figure out the expected outcome, and if it differs because of something that you didn’t take into account you would get upset? What-about-itis would run rampant in that case.

Just because they aren’t telling guests what the procedure is doesn’t mean that CMs haven’t been trained, so there is likely a lot less variability in outcomes once all factors have been taken into account than one would expect. And frankly a bit of CM discretion is probably a good thing for guests to allow them to sprinkle a bit of pixie dust if/when necessary.

 

[OurBigTrip]

It’s not about feeling special. It’s about meeting the need.

My reasoning for wanting a dedicated disability assignment of AQR was for consistency of allowed accommodations and ease of accessibility, nothing more.

This keeps the decision with the trained disability CMs online, not a random CM in the park who wasn’t trained for this. It sets specific guidelines for them to follow, again taking the decision out of their hands. That’s just practical for efficiency and avoiding confrontations. It also makes it where the person only has to explain their needs once to the CM on the call, not over and over again to multiple CM throughout the day.

I really do hope with time Disney gets its act together in regards to AQR because I think it could be a viable alternative. I just don’t see the evidence that it is yet based on the feedback I’ve seen so far from people trying to use it.

It's not practical for the phone CM to tell you how AQR will work at every attraction because it won't necessarily work the same way at different attractions. Or, not even the same way at the same attraction; it might well depend on crowd level, how long the standby and LLs are, how many people in the party, etc.

 

[OurBigTrip]

If that’s the way it is actually working vs the way it is supposed to be working, that’s great, and I agree. I’m not against this as an alternative to DAS.

I was basing my comments on the posts I have read where people were being arbitrarily denied or having to have conversations to use the accommodation. That’s most of what I’ve seen reported, along with issues leaving the line, having to fight back through people. I’m sure a lot of this is because it’s new and in transition. The moderator says she’s seen some positive reports, so that’s great. Hopefully, they’ll continue to improve and people can feel less anxious about it.

I've not personally seen anyone being denied AQR; I've seen a lot of people being denied the return to queue, where they basically go to the CM and ask for a return time (much like the original DAS) without even trying the line.

Not saying it hasn't happened, just that I haven't read about it.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I've not personally seen anyone being denied AQR; I've seen a lot of people being denied the return to queue, where they basically go to the CM and ask for a return time (much like the original DAS) without even trying the line.

Not saying it hasn't happened, just that I haven't read about it.

Which is as it should be

 

[Angel Ariel]

And? True but irrelevant to my question. The person I quoted was angry that people were being offered an accommodation that anyone can use. I was asking why that is a problem.

I don't think it is a problem, but I disagree with the analogy of a ramp because - at the moment - it's not as simple as a ramp to access. Perhaps it will be so as people get used to the system, but I've seen plenty of reports elsewhere of people struggling with it.

 

[SirDuff]

I don't think it is a problem, but I disagree with the analogy of a ramp because - at the moment - it's not as simple as a ramp to access. Perhaps it will be so as people get used to the system, but I've seen plenty of reports elsewhere of people struggling with it.

Again, you are either missing or ignoring my point. I’m only addressing the comment that it is a problem that other people can use the same accommodation. Not whether the accommodation is working well or is easy to access.

 

[starlite_]

I think where a lot of the frustration comes in is people saying there are other accommodations, when at this point, it does not feel like there are. You’ve got the CMs in the interviews telling people to use AQR in the parks, but it’s not an official accommodation. It’s supposed to now be available to anyone, so they aren’t being given a different accommodation at all, just told to use a service that at this point barely exists.

...

On top of all the confusion and anxiety about how it works and how to use it, you add the need to now go talk to every CM at every ride you may need to use it for before you get in line to discuss the possibility of having to leave. For people who just want to feel normal, not have their differences and issues brought up all the time, and just want to blend in, having to go do that at each ride can feel overwhelming / and or be very upsetting, even if they aren’t giving details.
...

I can't think of a more normal thing to do than use services available to every guest. No need to explain anything at all or tell anyone your issues. Just leave and come back. Like everyone else.

 

[MinnieMSue]

As expected I was denied DAS but in my anxiety I told the guy I was probably going to be denied lol. I probably said everything possible to help him deny me. I felt so bad for the people doing this job I didn’t want to make it hard on him so I kind of denied myself for him. That was not my plan. Just my anxiety talking. I told him I was purchasing the lightning lanes but there was going to be some lines with problems. And as expected he offered the service which I don’t remember what he said it was called. I asked if I go into the line and ask when I leave the line what to do and he said no and to ask before I get into the line what to do. He told me not to tell the person why I may have an issue with the line. He just said to tell them I may have problems with this line and how can I access the ride? I feel like the only time I will have issues is on virtual queues since I will otherwise only ride the lightning lane rides anyway.

 

[nighttowll]

Again, you are either missing or ignoring my point. I’m only addressing the comment that it is a problem that other people can use the same accommodation. Not whether the accommodation is working well or is easy to access.

Again, you are missing my point. It’s not a problem that other people can use it.

My problem is with how it’s being implemented. I think part of improving that would be to assign it in some way to people who will be using it everyday all day, so they don’t have to go talk to CMs every time they want to use it. Like it is right now because there’s no consistency, that’s not even possible. There’s so much more that needs to happen as well for assigning it to even be useful. Like dedicated paths allowing people to exit and return to the same spot. The whole thing just feels half thought out and poorly implemented. That’s my issue. Maybe it will get better. Maybe it’s not as bad as it initially seems. I’m open to giving it a chance.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Again, you are either missing or ignoring my point. I’m only addressing the comment that it is a problem that other people can use the same accommodation. Not whether the accommodation is working well or is easy to access.

I'm not missing or ignoring your point. Simply pointing out the analogy you used to make your point doesn't work. As I said, which has also been ignored - I'm all for mainstreamed accommodations. Ease of access is an important part of something being a mainstreamed accommodation.

 

[sprem96]

I grant you the lack of clarity, but why does it have to a separate/special/different accommodation? To feel special? Ramps, for example, are an accommodation that meets the needs of those with wheelchairs and other mobility devices, but anyone can use them. Does stop the ramp from being a "real accommodation".

I think where they were trying to go with their point is, AQR has always existed, it's always been a form of accommodation for everyone not just specifically for the disabled (I've used it unsuccessfully in the past for my condition, and used it a few times for my young kids to go to bathroom -- works great for them because that is a normal situation), but the AQR solution is coming off as very cold and not well thought out is it's seeming like they are branding it as this new innovative form of accommodation they invented that will miraculously fix ALL the disabilities' needs that are getting denied. A proper new rollout should have included some form of grandfathering for prebooked clients to ease transition, also, some well thought out strategies for different forms of disabilities. Not saying they need to come up with 50 different strategies, but since they weren't shy to clearly designate 1 form of disability umbrella and give them a strategy (AKA new DAS), they could have come up with another few major categories and come up with a solid solution that would fit each of those major umbrella sections.

It all seemed rushed, and with the Tiana ride and new Multipass system, it really seems like it was a way to protect that ride capacity and increase it's profits somewhere. And for those that want to say "but they needed to fix the system urgently because DAS was overloading the LL queues and wasn't working anymore". My answer to that is, granted it may have not been working anymore, but Disney was watching the entire time (they admitted themselves to seeing growth over 3 years) and magically in April it was so dire it had to be fixed immediately with a drastic change on top of it. There is so many problems with that. Why did they wait so long then? Why did they let it get so bad, why didn't start planning for it earlier? It's like ticket sales back in the day, it was always in person sales, then internet arrived, companies started doing a combo of online and in person sales, now it's almost all online sales because customers have had a chance to adapt. Doing such a drastic DAS reduction in a short span has alienated a lot of the DAS users with no chance to adapt quick enough. We're humans, we adapt we find new ways but to a certain point, but a good business will find a way to ease transitions to reduce customer dissatisfaction (customer retention is a major way for businesses to survive/succeed -- BUSINESS 101). IMO I don't think they did a good enough job, if they were really concerned with the growing usage for so long, then they should have been more proactive beforehand. I agree with the need for change, I can say even with the policies they put into place, just not with the amount of time they gave or how much they rolled back in 1 shot.

I'm sure if gas companies announced tomorrow that in 2 months they were switching to electric stations only and only diesel fuel (1 category of fuel usage - mainly trucks) would be accommodated normally because they were claiming gas usage went up to fast and they needed to scale back drastically to preserve the precious stock they had left, and all other vehicle users could use other available accommodations with alternative ride methods (ARM) such as bicycles, walking, public transportation that most of us would be in an uproar and complaining that it drastically will impact their lives. People would be asking why did you wait so long, they need more time to adjust, etc. You get where I am going with this? So people need to stop trying to convincing or even in some degree gaslighting the disabled community to adjust and deal with what Disney has done is appropriate. They're a customer, they have a right to feel any way they want, and that is how companies survive or not, with customer satisfaction.

I'm not an idiot, I can see slowly parks across the world are tightening their rules regarding ride accommodations, and maybe there will be a time where I might not get granted at any park anymore, I'm preparing for that time because I can see the change happening in real time with stricter policies or medical proof needed, or more scrutinizing processes, I would be naive to think I will always be granted at the pace things are moving towards. Will it suck if Disney denies me Tuesday? Hell yeah, they would be the first park to actively shut me out for my disability. The reason it would suck is because I know they haven't done anything for me to help out, being left out doesn't feel great, nobody likes to be left with no options, it takes some time to process and move on, please be respectful for those being forced to fend for themselves and are venting out as a way to cope.

Apologies for the long post lol, not trying to step on anyone's toes or blame anyone in particular, just for people to be openminded in this process on both sides of the argument