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

[SueM in MN]

This is what WDW currently has on their disability webpage about DAS. It is the information we know for sure at this time. Disney has indicated they will update their information for WDW on May 20 (and DL on June 18)
Posts I've seen from people whose trip starts before May 20, but doesn't end until after indicate most were told they would see no changes during their visit. A few have mentioned they were told they would not be able to book another DAS Return Time until 10 minutes after scanning in to their previous one, starting May 20

I ENLARGED and added italics to the phrases that I THINK are new since a few days ago when I looked last.
They removed the information about DAS video registration only being available in North America a while ago.

Accommodating Guests with Disabilities
Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive environment and accessible experiences for our Guests. DAS is one of the programs offered at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

For Guests visiting from April 9 through May 19, 2024, please note:

• Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS are available 2-30 days prior to your park visit.
• In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will continue to be at Guest Relations locations.
• You can book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences using our DAS Advance planning option.
• DAS is valid for up to 30 days from the start of the registration. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.

Step 1: Register​

Registration is available via live video chat.

Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.
Please note: at this time, live chat is offered in English only.
Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relation location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
If DAS is provided after a conversation with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, the Guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will participate in the registration process. This requires having a photo taken of the DAS-registered Guest.
DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.
DAS is valid for up to 120 days. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
Please note: Guests visiting now through May 19, 2024, DAS is valid for up to 30 days.

 

[starlite_]

Can you put in a link or point me in the direction of where Disney said this?

I don't have it on hand. It's a statement made by Disney in a press release of some kind. It's been posted on this thread multiple times, alternatively google is your friend.

 

[SueM in MN]

Can you put in a link or point me in the direction of where Disney said this?

I have not seen the specific release where it was stated that Disney has explicitly stated that DAS use has tripled in the last few years.
I may have seen it in an article on AllEars where they gave information on the changes.

This is the information that was Included in article on wdwinfo written by Jackie Gailey. It includes information from Disney's press release, but does not include that phrase

• We’re adding more Cast Members and investing in specialized training on each coast to help guests identify and better understand the recommended tools and options, based on their needs.
• The Accessibility Services teams at the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort are here to assist guests with questions they have about our services. We encourage guests visiting to engage with us pre-arrival through our website and virtual video chats.
• We are teaming with Inspire Health Alliance’s health professionals, to help our Cast Members, as needed, determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations and ensure that these accommodations are provided only for the guests for whom they are intended.
• We will be making efforts to preserve the Disability Access Service (DAS) for those it’s intended to accommodate — only those guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time. To help with this, we are also extending DAS enrollment for eligible guests from 60 days to 120 days and adjusting DAS party size to include no more than four, except for immediate family members.

 

[Genie+]

Can you put in a link or point me in the direction of where Disney said this?

Disney will also introduce a “return to queue” process that will allow a DAS guest to leave and then re-enter a line when necessary.

These changes come after Disney officials said DAS usage has tripled at the parks over the past five years. Disney hopes the changes will reduce misuse of the system by those who do not need the service.

“Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting out theme parks,” a Disney official said.

^^^That’s from:
https://www.wfla.com/news/florida/d...sability-service-amid-line-skipping-concerns/

Orlando Sentinel said the same about Disney officials citing the ‘tripled usage over 5 years’.

But it is paywalled https://www.orlandosentinel.com/202...-das-disability-access-queue-passes-changing/

The news outlets are not saying exactly how they’re getting that info from WDW. Maybe press release?

 

[Disneychick75]

Made my DAS reservation just now for our May trip. Was able to reserve pre selects and nothing was said about 10 minute wait after tapping in. I did ask going forward if the DAS was only for developmental disabilities and she told me that nothing would be released until May 20th.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I have noticed some people claiming there is no DAS abuse.

I know anecdote is not data, but my sister falsely claimed DAS for the past few years for her family of five for her two week break.

She has been trying to talk me into doing it by telling me how easy it is. She learned about it from someone from work.

I took great pleasure in smugly telling her they were locking it down. She is going to try anyway for this summer, will be interesting to see if she can still get it!

I was thinking there wasn’t much DAS abuse / overuse in Anaheim and I was wondering what all the fuss was about. Today is our first weekend park time and it is *crazy* busy in return lines. I was with my 4 yo today so we haven't even used any LL. It was all return times in fantasyland and on jungle cruise. Some of these people must have hidden disabilities. But with DD we can usually tell if the kids near us have disabilities and none appeared to today (our kids are hidden to the general public but probably not to someone that’s around other kids with DD). Maybe it was PTSD or a bathroom issue with the parent. Maybe it was misuse/overuse. There must be a reason Disney is making these changes.

Last night I was so sad for a family. They had at least 9 biological children. 5 of the smaller ones were smashed into a 2 seater basic jeep wagon from target. Security was talking to them.

Also a chubby 10ish year old was stimming in her stroller yesterday. That poor kid is definitely not going to fit in a regular stroller, she was stuffed in the stroller wagon they had.

 

[magicalfoursome]

Going for a couple days next week and was approved for DAS. I elected not to select 2 ride return windows as I usually am unable to use them. I forgot to ask how many people I’m allowed to have ride with me. Is it now 3 others? Thank you!

 

[smartlabelprint]

Going for a couple days next week and was approved for DAS. I elected not to select 2 ride return windows as I usually am unable to use them. I forgot to ask how many people I’m allowed to have ride with me. Is it now 3 others? Thank you!

You should still be able to have 5 others ride with you.

 

[SueM in MN]

Going for a couple days next week and was approved for DAS. I elected not to select 2 ride return windows as I usually am unable to use them. I forgot to ask how many people I’m allowed to have ride with me. Is it now 3 others? Thank you!

They should have asked who you were traveling with and linked them to your DAS.
In our experience, there was usually a message in the chat portion before getting to the video portion.
It is up to 5 until May 20

 

[only hope]

1 - we've been asked to stop saying how DAS should be fixed, as Disney has decided and it doesn't include diagnosis note at this time.

2 - mobility disabilities alone haven't qualified a person for DAS for quite some time.

3 - it's important to remember that a person can have more than one accommodation need. A person with a developmental disability and needs that do qualify them for DAS may *also* have a physical disability requiring use of an ECV/wheelchair/stroller as a wheelchair. They shouldn't be denied DAS simply because they have a co-occurring mobility impairment.

In some cases the same diagnosis results in both a need for a mobility device at Disney and an inability to wait in some/all queues. This is my case in the warmer half of the year. My diagnosis has over 12 symptoms (and 100+ possible symptoms), some of which interact with each other.

 

[nalababybear]

Did renewal today for dlr. Lots of new popups at the beginning about the new system coming.

Waited 1 hour. Got on. Answered regular questions and got DAS. No mention of new rules or changes.

Did two adv selections no issue.

 

[10CJ]

The news outlets are not saying exactly how they’re getting that info from WDW. Maybe press release?

This is part I want to see/know. What exactly was the wording Disney used or said. I don't see any quotes on rates tripling in the articles I have read. Other portions are direct quotes, so I was curious what exactly was said. Some articles just say rates are increasing.

 

[magicalfoursome]

They should have asked who you were traveling with and linked them to your DAS.
In our experience, there was usually a message in the chat portion before getting to the video portion.
It is up to 5 until May 20

They did ask in the chat and I gave the names although I am traveling with 7 others. I have never used DAS with more than 3 others besides myself. Not sure how it works. Can I pick any of them up to 5?

 

[SueM in MN]

In some cases the same diagnosis results in both a need for a mobility device at Disney and an inability to wait in some/all queues. This is my case in the warmer half of the year. My diagnosis has over 12 symptoms (and 100+ possible symptoms), some of which interact with each other.

The question the Cast Members want people to discuss is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the regular lines?

 

[only hope]

The question the Cast Members want people to discuss is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the regular lines?

I know, was just replying to the other poster to point out the same diagnosis can cause a person to need a device and not be able to wait in line for a non-mobility challenge.

 

[CT Disney]

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

One of my last posts was mathematically speaking; this post is grammatically speaking…

The added phrase “one of the programs” is placed terribly in this sentence and here’s the reason:

When you get to the part “intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time” you can’t tell if this is a modifying phrase for “DAS” or for “the programs offered at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks”.

In other words, the phrase could be read two different ways:

1. DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time, OR

2. The programs offered at Walt Disney Resort theme parks are intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time

Clearly there’s a big difference between the two.

Assuming they were going for option #1 above, they should have worded it as follows:

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

OR EVEN:

One of the programs offered at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

I’ll get off my grammar high horse now, but they really should have been more careful with the sentence structure here. As it is, it could read like ALL of the accommodation programs at WDW are only meant for people with developmental disabilities. And we all know that’s not what they meant.

 

[SueM in MN]

One of my last posts was mathematically speaking; this post is grammatically speaking…

The added words “one of the programs” is placed terribly in this sentence and here’s the reason:

When you get to the part “intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time” you can’t tell if this is a modifying phrase for “DAS” or for “the programs offered at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks”.

In other words, the phrase could be read two different ways:

1. DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time, OR

2. The programs offered at Walt Disney Resort theme parks are intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time

Clearly there’s a big difference between the two.

Assuming they were going for option #1 above, they should have worded it as follows:

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

OR EVEN:

One of the programs offered at Walt Disney World Resort theme parks, DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

I’ll get off my grammar high horse now, but they really should have been more careful with the sentence structure here. As it is, it could read like ALL of the accommodation programs at WDW are only meant for people with developmental disabilities. And we all know that’s not what they meant.

I know. It bothers me too.
I've written a lot of Health Care/Hospital Infection Control Polices and Procedures over the years. They have to be very exact and only interpreted one way.

This kind of made me feel like someone read it and thought, "oh, we better add something that shows DAS isn't the only accommodation we provide". That person told someone else who told someone else to add the words, "one of the programs" somewhere.

 

[CT Disney]

I know. It bothers me too.
I've written a lot of Health Care/Hospital Infection Control Polices and Procedures over the years. They have to be very exact and only interpreted one way.

This kind of made me feel like someone read it and thought, "oh, we better add something that shows DAS isn't the only accommodation we provide". That person told someone else who told someone else to add the words, "one of the programs" somewhere.

I completely agree with you as to why they most likely added it. Too bad they bungled it with the execution. I used to write contracts and stuff like this definitely matters.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

The tap in is blue rather than green.

I always tap in a few minutes early if we're already at the attraction I have a LL for and it turns blue without having DAS. 50/50 the CM will override it. Sometimes we have to step back but it's always worth a shot!

 

[Disneychick75]

I always tap in a few minutes early if we're already at the attraction I have a LL for and it turns blue without having DAS. 50/50 the CM will override it. Sometimes we have to step back but it's always worth a shot!

Interesting, thanks for sharing!