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

[White_Rabbit18]

Can we all agree that CMs don’t get paid enough to deal with the fallout of DAS?

Between the pressure of deciding the allocation of return to line pass, people directing their frustration/anger at you/ probably having to deal more trying to get people to stay in order, this seems like a nightmare

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Can we all agree that CMs don’t get paid enough to deal with the fallout of DAS?

Between the pressure of deciding the allocation of return to line pass, people directing their frustration/anger at you/ probably having to deal more trying to get people to stay in order, this seems like a nightmare

Yes we can (hopefully). I do worry that this will further exacerbate Disney’s issues with adequate staffing (and properly trained staff).

 

[Disneychick75]

Can we all agree that CMs don’t get paid enough to deal with the fallout of DAS?

Between the pressure of deciding the allocation of return to line pass, people directing their frustration/anger at you/ probably having to deal more trying to get people to stay in order, this seems like a nightmare

Absolutely - Disney has put them in a terrible situation.

 

[Evita_W]

Absolutely - Disney has put them in a terrible situation.

I think we all should be able to agree there.

 

[BingoJoe]

I wish I could have video taped my son for Disney to see how badly DAS is needed. Last week we were at disney and mine train was down all morning. Finally opened and we got a DAS and we waited our hour wait. We scan In and the lightning lane long was INSANE. and then the ride was having issues again. Line wasn't moving. Our son starts melting down and we finally had to leave the line which then causes a MASSIVE meltdown because all he wanted to do was ride mine train. It was gut wrenching and we were screwed no matter what we did...it was the exact example why we need DAS so bad.

We did rise when we came back to MK after mid day breaks. The backed up lightning lanes finally cleared out

I also think this is a good example of why they need to make sure DAS is not overused. If the lines are too full of people with needs that could be accommodated by a return to line, then the DAS doesn’t work for your son as the wait will still be too long.

I believe that is also the basis Disney can fight challenges to the changes under.

 

[diablodancer]

Can we all agree that CMs don’t get paid enough to deal with the fallout of DAS?

Between the pressure of deciding the allocation of return to line pass, people directing their frustration/anger at you/ probably having to deal more trying to get people to stay in order, this seems like a nightmare

Yep, have also now seen a few reports of CMs being visibly upset denying people on calls too. It sounds horrid for them on both ends (in the park and on calls).

 

[BingoJoe]

Yep, have also now seen a few reports of CMs being visibly upset denying people on calls too. It sounds horrid for them on both ends (in the park and on calls).

I think for a lot of people that kind of call really isn’t in their wheel house.

I think one of the advantages of pushing all the applications to specialist cast members could be that, once the system settles down and return to line becomes the new normal, ordinary cast members will have to deal with this stuff less.

 

[Bearval]

I wish I could have video taped my son for Disney to see how badly DAS is needed. Last week we were at disney and mine train was down all morning. Finally opened and we got a DAS and we waited our hour wait. We scan In and the lightning lane long was INSANE. and then the ride was having issues again. Line wasn't moving. Our son starts melting down and we finally had to leave the line which then causes a MASSIVE meltdown because all he wanted to do was ride mine train. It was gut wrenching and we were screwed no matter what we did...it was the exact example why we need DAS so bad.

We did rise when we came back to MK after mid day breaks. The backed up lightning lanes finally cleared out

I like to believe that 95% or more of the people that post here on the Disboards that apply for DAS truly need it. Unfortunately I am certain that that percentage drops drastically for the general public that attempts to get a DAS pass and the ones that suffer for the crackdown on the abuse are families that really can benefit from it but are denied. I for one am glad Disney put an end to the "rent a family member" where people would hire a disable person to get to the front of the line and that person wasn't even required to get on the attraction.

 

[White_Rabbit18]

Yep, have also now seen a few reports of CMs being visibly upset denying people on calls too. It sounds horrid for them on both ends (in the park and on calls).

I can imagine. People can be calling in about really serious and scary diagnoses like cancer or Diabetes and they have to turn them down. I am sure people can get emotional during these calls. Honestly, what a horrible system.

 

[Bearval]

Yep, have also now seen a few reports of CMs being visibly upset denying people on calls too. It sounds horrid for them on both ends (in the park and on calls).

The CM members are following a script and check list that was developed by an outside company to determine whether or not DAS gets approved. From what I am seeing/reading on several social media sites is that physical disabilities are largely being denied since the ques for most attractions can accommodate electric scooters or wheelchairs.

 

[lanejudy]

Between the pressure of deciding the allocation of return to line pass

Just to clarify because there is confusion here...

Last month when the changes were first announced -- or partially announced without much detail -- everyone started referring to a new "return to queue" accommodation. That was a misnomer and is now causing confusion because Disney officially refers to it as Attraction Queue Re-entry. There is a lesser-used process at WDW which is technically "return to queue" but a CM has clarified that is not the accommodation most folks will receive. Ability to use Attraction Queue Re-entry is not predicated on the in-park attraction CMs making any determination of who gets it. It is available to any and all guests who have to leave the queue for whatever reason. How it works may differ from attraction to attraction.

Nobody at the queue will be determining eligibility.

 

[Leigh L]

Ahhh, so everyone else can wait in standby all day for the popular rides, but you should get to reride them all day.

Gotcha

Consider, that many with disabilities will never experience certain rides like you're thinking. My DD rides IASW, Pirates, and HM multiple times a trip, but she'll never get to experience Big Thunder, Space, or even Slinky.

Genie+ would not work for my family.

 

[Yinn]

The CM members are following a script and check list that was developed by an outside company to determine whether or not DAS gets approved. From what I am seeing/reading on several social media sites is that physical disabilities are largely being denied since the ques for most attractions can accommodate electric scooters or wheelchairs.

That’s always been the case though for physical mobility issues.

Reading some denials on various sites, I am wondering if they got lax with that and some people started getting approved for it anyway over the last couple of years.

 

[lanejudy]

The CM members are following a script and check list that was developed by an outside company to determine whether or not DAS gets approved. From what I am seeing/reading on several social media sites is that physical disabilities are largely being denied since the ques for most attractions can accommodate electric scooters or wheelchairs.

I believe you are correct in that the CMs are following a script and they have a checklist. They are sticking tightly to that script right now.

However... you have a misunderstanding of "physical" disabilities in this context. It doesn't only refer to need for a wheelchair, but generally a medical diagnosis that is not "developmental" in nature. It might be a digestive issue, diabetes or epilepsy just to call out a few but not intending to overlook many others. A wheelchair may or may not help any of those individuals. The Attraction Queue Re-entry is expected to help many -- how well it does remains to be seen.

Those whose disabilities require the use of a mobility device can and have been accessing the queues without DAS for many years now.

 

[BingoJoe]

Consider, that many with disabilities will never experience certain rides like you're thinking. My DD rides IASW, Pirates, and HM multiple times a trip, but she'll never get to experience Big Thunder, Space, or even Slinky.

Genie+ would not work for my family.

That’s the same for my family because my daughter doesn’t like fast rides.

Genie plus does work well for rides like pirates etc, because they are less in demand you can basically back to back all the lesser rides if you time them right.

 

[Yinn]

Ahhh, so everyone else can wait in standby all day for the popular rides, but you should get to reride them all day.

Gotcha

The DAS still needs to wait - just like the standby waits - all day as many times as they want.

A non-DAS user currently can buy a Genie and use LL, then jump into the standby line, ride it, back into standby line as many times as they may want h til the park closes.

A person in need of DAS who is unable to wait in standby, without appropriate accommodations can only do that first part, buy a Genie and he’s LL. The end.

Your statement is coming from a basis of assuming a DAS holder is 100% capable of waiting in standby.

 

[10CJ]

Hold up, make up an agency? Below, I've posted a screenshot of my search and the first result. I don't understand why you're implying that I'm making something up. It's insulting.

You are not answering the question, which is why it seems like you might be making something up. As pp mention the ADA is not an agency, it is a law. It sounds like you called the Department of Justice. If you had just said you called DOJ there would not have been an issue.

A different example would be if you have questions about the affordable care act (ACA), you could contact Health and Human Services (HHS). ACA is the law, HHS is the agency.

 

[lanejudy]

You are not answering the question, which is why it seems like you might be making something up. As pp mention the ADA is not an agency, it is a law. It sounds like you called the Department of Justice. If you had just said you called DOJ there would not have been an issue.

Did you look at the screenshot that person shared? It mentions nothing of the agency name, nothing about Department of Justice.

 

[KMP12]

Consider, that many with disabilities will never experience certain rides like you're thinking. My DD rides IASW, Pirates, and HM multiple times a trip, but she'll never get to experience Big Thunder, Space, or even Slinky.

Genie+ would not work for my family.

Exactly. Our son can't ride a lot of stuff due to his special needs. So what does it matter if he re rides the same stuff. Disney is his escape. All year he's excluded from daily activities and Disney is his one place he can "do it all".

 

[KMP12]

I also think this is a good example of why they need to make sure DAS is not overused. If the lines are too full of people with needs that could be accommodated by a return to line, then the DAS doesn’t work for your son as the wait will still be too long.

I believe that is also the basis Disney can fight challenges to the changes under.

I agree. When we were there we had an older group of ladies complaining to us they won't qualify anymore because of their mobility issues. They were a group of 4 or 5 who thought because they used scooters they needed it.