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

[nighttowll]

In one breath people are telling me no need for a conversation, just leave and come back. In the next, they are saying we can’t have anything standardized because each line and group is unique and the CM will handle it differently which brings us back to having a conversation.

From what I’ve seen posted, you need to speak with a CM 3 times per line. Once before entering the line to get the specific instructions on how it works at this queue. Then, you have to find a CM to tell them you are leaving. Then, try to find the same CM when you get back, with people reporting the CM they talked to when they left was gone upon returning, so now you have to give a name and recap to the new CM. If you are lucky, you find the original one. That’s a lot if you need to do it over and over all day long.

 

[voxparse]

I say this not to call anyone out or to criticize but to make a point. EVEN ramps aren't easy. They aren't always permanent, they aren't always obvious where they are, they aren't always sufficiently built. Anyone who has been disabled for any lengthy amount of time can tell you that speaking up for yourself and working WITH people to find accommodations is the only way you're going to find general success, regardless of what official accommodations a place or business may have in place. I get wanting to blend in and be "normal" (whatever that might be ) but the reality is that if you have a disability, that isn't always going to be possible. Some of us (myself included) can't blend in at all, even if we tried (unless maybe I got a trash bin costume or something).

Own who you are, disabilities and all, and be proud that you are out doing stuff that many people wouldn't bother to try if they were disabled. You're stronger than you think you are. Don't be embarrassed to say you're disabled and you need help or accommodations. You're going to get rude and insensitive comments here and there because that is life but the people making those comments or snickering behind your back are the poorer for it and the rest of the world knows their value.

 

[jennab]

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

I find the “grandfathered in” and “phasing out slowly” comments interesting. We know Disney is ever changing so this would be very hard to accomplish. People book trips a year in advance (or even further for international). They’d always be having to accommodate people for changes, not even just talking DAS. People complain about the change to the new paid system coming up in July. Upset that some people will get to do the paid LL prebook 7 days in advance which “isn’t fair”. So how would that work if Disney had to constantly grandfather people in? They’d never be able to make business changes because there would always be people who had trips booked and didn’t like the upcoming changes.

 

[jennab]

In one breath people are telling me no need for a conversation, just leave and come back. In the next, they are saying we can’t have anything standardized because each line and group is unique and the CM will handle it differently which brings us back to having a conversation.

From what I’ve seen posted, you need to speak with a CM 3 times per line. Once before entering the line to get the specific instructions on how it works at this queue. Then, you have to find a CM to tell them you are leaving. Then, try to find the same CM when you get back, with people reporting the CM they talked to when they left was gone upon returning, so now you have to give a name and recap to the new CM. If you are lucky, you find the original one. That’s a lot if you need to do it over and over all day long.

I think part of the thought is that people using this accommodation probably won’t need to leave every single line, just some. Of course this isn’t true for everyone, but probably most people.

Example, people with IBS might not have a flair in 3 out of the 4 lines they are in, so then would only need to use the accommodation once. Of course they will probably still ask before entering the queue what to do in case they need to leave the line, but it sounds like it’s simple as just asking “what should I do if I need to leave the line and come back”.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I find the “grandfathered in” and “phasing out slowly” comments interesting. We know Disney is ever changing so this would be very hard to accomplish. People book trips a year in advance (or even further for international). They’d always be having to accommodate people for changes, not even just talking DAS. People complain about the change to the new paid system coming up in July. Upset that some people will get to do the paid LL prebook 7 days in advance which “isn’t fair”. So how would that work if Disney had to constantly grandfather people in? They’d never be able to make business changes because there would always be people who had trips booked and didn’t like the upcoming changes.

Agree 100%.

Plus, I don't subscribe to the idea that Disney did this suddenly or on a whim...while I agree that the rollout comms could have/should have been better, they've obviously been looking at this for awhile. There had been reports for a few months beforehand that they seemed to clamping down somewhat on DAS approvals at DL.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

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),

It was never something that always existed nor something that was available to any and everyone. It was not something Disney allowed for in their rules as part of their policy. A guest could discuss with a CM but it was not something Disney said "yes this is something available to everyone". Does anyone not remember all the threads about line cutting and the most often used example was taking children out to go to the bathroom? I'm not saying that someone has never in the history of their Disney visits been able to talk with a CM to go out of the line and get back in it but it has never been part of Disney's policy certainly not like now.

 

[Jaay]

Does anyone know how virtual queues work with the new DAS 4 person limit?
As this is a different system/process than normal DAS booking on the app; do we know if they are strict on only allowing 4 people in if you turn up with 5 people on the boarding group?

Thank you in advance!

 

[sprem96]

In one breath people are telling me no need for a conversation, just leave and come back. In the next, they are saying we can’t have anything standardized because each line and group is unique and the CM will handle it differently which brings us back to having a conversation.

From what I’ve seen posted, you need to speak with a CM 3 times per line. Once before entering the line to get the specific instructions on how it works at this queue. Then, you have to find a CM to tell them you are leaving. Then, try to find the same CM when you get back, with people reporting the CM they talked to when they left was gone upon returning, so now you have to give a name and recap to the new CM. If you are lucky, you find the original one. That’s a lot if you need to do it over and over all day long.

I agree with your sentiment, everyone on here is flip flopping their thoughts on why AQR is this golden solution for the denied. There is conflicting arguments on here to why it is so great. It is too vague, online CMs don't seem to have an idea of how it works, right there, is the biggest problem, if they don't know how it works in detail, then it is a failed accommodation, or at least in theory not a well thought out accommodation because it will be too generalized and still at it's core was meant for the average guest's needs, not necessarily certain disabilities.

 

[jennab]

I agree with your sentiment, everyone on here is flip flopping their thoughts on why AQR is this golden solution for the denied. There is conflicting arguments on here to why it is so great. It is too vague, online CMs don't seem to have an idea of how it works, right there, is the biggest problem, if they don't know how it works in detail, then it is a failed accommodation, or at least in theory not a well thought out accommodation because it will be too generalized and still at it's core was meant for the average guest's needs, not necessarily certain disabilities.

I don’t know…. I feel it’s not generalized at all, which is a good thing as not all rides and parties are the same. If they had the exact same process for every line regardless of party size or combination, I think that would be worse. It sounds like it’s more based on a number of factors instead of a “one size fits all”, which could lead to a better result for the individual/party.

ETA - the anxiety inside of me understand the need though to want to know every single detailed so I could be prepared. However, I feel that would be worse as things rarely go as they are supposed to with changing factors. It is hard though with the “unknown” which is also a struggle for me.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Does anyone know how virtual queues work with the new DAS 4 person limit?
As this is a different system/process than normal DAS booking on the app; do we know if they are strict on only allowing 4 people in if you turn up with 5 people on the boarding group?

Thank you in advance!

I would assume that if the DAS only allows 4, then they're only going to allow 4 in the LL for virtual queues, or at least that's how it should work.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I agree with your sentiment, everyone on here is flip flopping their thoughts on why AQR is this golden solution for the denied. There is conflicting arguments on here to why it is so great. It is too vague, online CMs don't seem to have an idea of how it works, right there, is the biggest problem, if they don't know how it works in detail, then it is a failed accommodation, or at least in theory not a well thought out accommodation because it will be too generalized and still at it's core was meant for the average guest's needs, not necessarily certain disabilities.

As has been repeated ad nauseum, there is no possible way for the CMs on the phone to know how it will work in detail at each attraction because the situation "on the ground" at the time of the request will feed into the determination of how it will work.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

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

I'm just selecting this part of the comment but I've read others before it and after it. I'm struggling to put into words how regressive your comments seem to come off to me. I feel like we're going back in time but it's a bit shocking to me at least that its coming from someone in the disability community. Your words don't seem to me like you want inclusiveness and to be seen as normal either (wanting only an accommodation for some, not all, and not available to others unless you fit into a box you've designated does not mean you want to normal).

Lanejudy is correct that we, as a society, are trying to make things inclusive for many, who knew that would be considered bad to some. Playgrounds are one area we've really done well in in recent years allowing for play for children of all abilities those with disabilities alongside those without and the ones in my area are well received. My airport, new as of early last year when the old one was retired, as annoying as it was to have to pay for it for the next 30+ years in ticket prices is considered the most inclusive U.S. airport at the moment.

There is a point about discussing uncertainty with how accommodations will work once in the park and feeling like when on the call there's not confidence in the that knowledge, both of these can be the take away someone may have on a DAS call, that I very much understand, but so much of your comments really don't give me a feeling like we're in 2024. I guess an example I can think of that matches at least the vibe of your comments is like the all-gendered bathrooms that are available at my airport were only available to those who identified as non-binary. Instead they are available to all. And no one (okay I can't speak for everyone but you get the point) thinks that's bad.

 

[nalababybear]

As has been repeated ad nauseum, there is no possible way for the CMs on the phone to know how it will work in detail at each attraction because the situation "on the ground" at the time of the request will feed into the determination of how it will work.

AQR concept is pretty clear and available to ALL. How it is APPLIED is situational and best handled on-site by the ride CM.

Yes, this absolutely flares anxiety and can empathize with that. Some handle it by engaging with the CM upon entry to 'make clear' current time procedure.

The policy itself is clear and remains.

The best treatment for tackling the unknown --- tackle it. You've got this and remember CMs are there to help.

 

[mistysue]

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.

In one breath people are telling me no need for a conversation, just leave and come back. In the next, they are saying we can’t have anything standardized because each line and group is unique and the CM will handle it differently which brings us back to having a conversation.

From what I’ve seen posted, you need to speak with a CM 3 times per line. Once before entering the line to get the specific instructions on how it works at this queue. Then, you have to find a CM to tell them you are leaving. Then, try to find the same CM when you get back, with people reporting the CM they talked to when they left was gone upon returning, so now you have to give a name and recap to the new CM. If you are lucky, you find the original one. That’s a lot if you need to do it over and over all day long.

You could speak to them three times, that would certainly be your choice. That's not required. Also it's not expected that people using this system are commonly going to need to leave for EVERY LINE. That IS what DAS is for. For completely understandable reasons, I believe you are overthinking the complexity of this. We have always had situations where we had to leave lines. We get in line. Do nothing unusual. If it comes up that we have to leave, we walk out. If it looks like we will easily be able to hop back in (an outdoor queue, the shape of the line, etc, we just go and come back when it makes sense. Believe it or not, most people will actually let you through without even really saying anything. Even when you're pushing through the crowd in Soarin, or winding through the line for Space Mtn. If there's winding pathways, a queue that we find intimidating, an unknown length of leave, we tell a CM we are having a problem and somebody needs to go but will come back. You ask how to do that, they answer. Sometimes the answer involves something immensely more useful than expected. Everything is good.

Everyone has noticed random people popping in from backstage doors or someone finding a group in the line as general background noise for years. Now you know why it's happening. Nobody needs to gatekeep this accommodation, that would only make call times worse and cause random accidents and emergencies for those not anticipating them.

As has come up before- grandfathering people in would be a completely new can of worms. Someone who had a medical need last year is not "more worthy" of accommodations than a person with a new medical need. Someone who knew to ask for DAS on a past trip is not more entitled to a less stressful trip just because their last trip was also less stressful. That's just crapping on people who have the same needs and had a rougher go last time.

 

[sprem96]

I think part of the thought is that people using this accommodation probably won’t need to leave every single line, just some. Of course this isn’t true for everyone, but probably most people.

Example, people with IBS might not have a flair in 3 out of the 4 lines they are in, so then would only need to use the accommodation once. Of course they will probably still ask before entering the queue what to do in case they need to leave the line, but it sounds like it’s simple as just asking “what should I do if I need to leave the line and come back”.

can't speak for all IBS/IBD, I can only speak on my own behalf, but its a little insulting to think that someone with those conditions will only have 1 flair in a day that interrupts them in only 1 queue, and just magically think that its that simple of a process, when people are commenting that each ride might have a different process and online CMs don't have answers, and what happens if you miss the merge spot, or what happens after merge spots, not much has been stated on this matter by Disney so don't make it seem like you solved that disabled communities' issues with this "EASY" accommodation,

"Hey CM, I'm probably going to be on the verge of soiling myself on this queue, so I should just magically find a CM through a easily maneuverable crowded queue (not even sure which direction to go, forward or backward), not experience any difficulties from other guests, and ask to leave with no information given and get an AQR with zero hiccups from those CMs, and I'll just be 5 minutes and rejoin at merge spot (with no consideration of type of party size or ages) all hunk dory? Perfect, great help"

That's how a lot of the comments are coming across, I don't even imagine what other disabilities have to go through and why AQR will probably be insufficient for them as well, if you don't know a disability first hand, don't comment how it simple it will be for them

 

[lanejudy]

In one breath people are telling me no need for a conversation, just leave and come back. In the next, they are saying we can’t have anything standardized because each line and group is unique and the CM will handle it differently which brings us back to having a conversation.

I see no need to speak to a CM three times. IF YOU WANT you can ask a CM about the procedure when entering the queue. Most likely what they will say is something like "come back here when you need to leave the queue." Absolutely no need for personal discussion. If the need arises that you have to leave the queue, that is when you need to see a CM -- basically the CM at the entrance. Again, no need for personal discussion, just "I have to leave the queue. What do I do when I return?" They may issue some type of return (time, card, lanyard, etc.) or they may say "see me when you return."

The LEAVING is standard. The RETURN is what will be different based on situational factors -- situational as in number in party, length of queue, etc. NOT personal needs. In the vast majority of cases, the return will be through the LL.

 

[lanejudy]

Does anyone know how virtual queues work with the new DAS 4 person limit?
As this is a different system/process than normal DAS booking on the app; do we know if they are strict on only allowing 4 people in if you turn up with 5 people on the boarding group?

Thank you in advance!

No need to think VQ will work any differently. Obtain a VQ as usual -- 7am drop, 1pm drop, or buy ILL$ (soon to be LLSP). When your boarding group time rolls around, inform the CM at the attraction that you have DAS and likely you + 3 will be allowed through LL.

Why would they allow 5 in the LL if you only have 4 attached to your DAS? If it happens, consider it pixie dust. But I suggest having a plan to split up if you are a larger party.

 

[lanejudy]

That's how a lot of the comments are coming across, I don't even imagine what other disabilities have to go through and why AQR will probably be insufficient for them as well

Have you tried it? Reports from folks who have actually tried AQR are that it works. I think there is a lot of negativity from those expecting it to go wrong and trying to find the "what if" scenarios to prove that. I understand it's stressful, but if approached from a positive attitude it makes a big difference in that stress level.

As to "missing the merge point" -- your party waits for you there. Or you wait for your party if you happen to return first. I'm not seeing the big risk of missing each other.

Leaving after the merge -- there haven't been a lot of reports yet but there have been reports of families needing to do this very close to boarding. No reason to think it doesn't work.

If your concern is that you need more time (a longer restroom break) -- well, maybe your family goes ahead to ride and then you use a Rider Swap kind of thing to return. ASK. Instead of assuming it doesn't work, ask.

And if you try some things and it really doesn't work at all, make specific notes. Time/attraction/what went wrong.

 

[jennab]

can't speak for all IBS/IBD, I can only speak on my own behalf, but its a little insulting to think that someone with those conditions will only have 1 flair in a day that interrupts them in only 1 queue, and just magically think that its that simple of a process, when people are commenting that each ride might have a different process and online CMs don't have answers, and what happens if you miss the merge spot, or what happens after merge spots, not much has been stated on this matter by Disney so don't make it seem like you solved that disabled communities' issues with this "EASY" accommodation,

"Hey CM, I'm probably going to be on the verge of soiling myself on this queue, so I should just magically find a CM through a easily maneuverable crowded queue (not even sure which direction to go, forward or backward), not experience any difficulties from other guests, and ask to leave with no information given and get an AQR with zero hiccups from those CMs, and I'll just be 5 minutes and rejoin at merge spot (with no consideration of type of party size or ages) all hunk dory? Perfect, great help"

That's how a lot of the comments are coming across, I don't even imagine what other disabilities have to go through and why AQR will probably be insufficient for them as well, if you don't know a disability first hand, don't comment how it simple it will be for them

No mean to insult, I chose IBS as my husband has issues and used 1 flare as an example. He can go hours without issues one day but then have a day full of issues the next. I get it is not easy to prepare for. My thought was he could ask at the front “what happens if I need to leave this line urgently and may not have time to come talk to you”? Something along those lines. Or he may sit out of the line and meet at the merge with rest of party once we are there (if he is able and didn’t need to leave due to a flare). That honestly might be the better option if he’s having a hard day.

All I’m saying is there are options for those who *might* have issues. It’s not just “this is the only way” and that is great because different people may have different needs depending on the ride, wait time, party size, heat, other factors.

 

[sprem96]

AQR concept is pretty clear and available to ALL. How it is APPLIED is situational and best handled on-site by the ride CM.

Yes, this absolutely flares anxiety and can empathize with that. Some handle it by engaging with the CM upon entry to 'make clear' current time procedure.

The policy itself is clear and remains.

The best treatment for tackling the unknown --- tackle it. You've got this and remember CMs are there to help.

The policy is clear but the solution is vague and generalized, on their site it doesn't specify front of line CM or midline CM, they don't mention after merge spots, they mention only brief breaks (how long is sufficient), they throw vague comments like each ride has a designed process for different disabilities but then give the same steps below, ask, leave, return. No information listed about needing info from guest, then how do you know how to serve each disability. There is a lack of information on the website, let's be honest, and a lot of people are nervous about showing up to the park with no backup plan in place.

Please just understand, some of us who experience sudden symptoms in queues, that we are struggling with the lack of information being given right now, we live our lives having to be prepared AHEAD of time to make things work, so show some compassion that we have anxiety, concerns, doubts, anger. Right now, nobody seems to be sharing consistent information or detailed information on how the AQR worked for them or not, not all disabilities are being covered, so a bunch of us are in the dark, and that's why you're seeing the frustration stem from