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

[nalababybear]

It’s a heck a lot harder to fake a doctors note than it is to fake symptoms to a Disney employee. Notes also would allow verification from the doctors office , I don’t see why that is so hard to implement.

Cause in the USA, it's not about the diagnosis. It's about the need for reasonable accommodation.

Involving Healthcare system adds level of complexity that's really not indicated.

 

[GoingSince1990]

If Disney announced that they would start accepting doctors' notes, in less than 24 hours there would be ads all over the internet for "ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION- GET APPROVED FOR DISNEY DAS TODAY!" where doctors with questionable ethics would offer a 15-minute online consultation for $50 or so in which people could self-describe their symptoms and get a nicely official-looking note from an actual doctor to support their DAS request.

 

[Philsfan77]

I'm disagreeing with nothing in your post at all. (Just want to be clear about that).

I think one significant reason IBCCES is better is because they at least look like they care. (Follow me here) Say that someone tells Disney I need DAS, and has at least arguably a valid request, Disney says no, person says but I have medical records, Disney says don't care don't want to see them....AND THEN, the person has a significant health issue in the park. The fact that Disney refused to look at the records is going to be (in hindsight) very damaging. It seems as if they don't want to know because they don't want to have to accommodate.

I fully understand where you are coming from...but it's kind of a darned if you do, darned if you don't stance for Disney right now regarding it. There is no incentive right now to put a system in place that is already under litigation. Let Six Flags, their parent company and their legal teams battle that out (and maybe Universal if they get dragged into it).

 

[Betty Rohrer]

If Disney announced that they would start accepting doctors' notes, in less than 24 hours there would be ads all over the internet for "ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION- GET APPROVED FOR DISNEY DAS TODAY!" where doctors with questionable ethics would offer a 15-minute online consultation for $50 or so in which people could self-describe their symptoms and get a nicely official-looking note from an actual doctor to support their DAS request.

Very true

 

[Philsfan77]

Is it really necessary that about every other page we end up going back to the "why not a Dr's note/form/etc.?" The Mods have explained over and over why not. Just scroll back a couple of pages and you can see a very good outline of why this is not used by Disney. Disney has determined what method they will use. If we want to go there, we have to play by their rules.

Sorry if this sounds harsh... but we're almost at 300 pages now, and this has been discussed many many times... Let's try to work towards understanding the new methods and what we need to use in the future for our trips.

I apologize as I kind of dipped us back that way with my response to the poster asking why they don't go that route. The last few pages aren't really beneficial to anyone (between arguing why or why not doctors notes are necessary or coming up with new hacks for why the system will be abused and fail), and at some point in the spirit of shifting this conversation towards helping each other navigate the changes, we are all going to have to accept that for the time being, this is the system whether we like it or not.

Hopefully as people start using the system, we can shift this thread or a new one, towards lifting each other up with ways to adjust to the changes.

 

[mlayton14]

Very true

It seems to me it would be very easy to identify fraud with this system. 100 doc notes from the same office over the course of a few days? A note from a doctors office 3 states away? Yep. Instead we are relying on peoples own words which is clearly causing issues

 

[keishashadow]

On another note…how sad that there are so many tutorials on how to abuse DAS.

Can’t say I’ve ever seen a single one. Probably because I wasn’t looking. Don’t plan on starting now

I find it interesting that the first day or two the new DAS rolled out, I was seeing pretty much only posts about being denied.

It could be that those who have since been denied aren’t open to sharing it as quickly as those who passed muster

Since it opened, TRON has been very strict on the boarding window - even for DAS-users.

Tron far too aggressive for majority of my group. Was writing as to GoG

 

[Liquidice]

If Disney announced that they would start accepting doctors' notes, in less than 24 hours there would be ads all over the internet for "ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION- GET APPROVED FOR DISNEY DAS TODAY!" where doctors with questionable ethics would offer a 15-minute online consultation for $50 or so in which people could self-describe their symptoms and get a nicely official-looking note from an actual doctor to support their DAS request.

It doesn't seem much different than "medical professionals" from Inspire Health making an assessment not to give you DAS based on a 5 minute conversation with you though. We're currently at the opposite end, where Disney is bringing in their own so called professionals and telling most people they don't qualify.

The IBCCES Accessibility card does not automatically grant you accommodations, it is step 1 in filtering people out and then the next step is still a conversation with Universal (at least in the case of Universal Studios this is how they are doing it).

While I'm not necessarily saying the IBCCES is the perfect solution for Disney, I think the route they've gone done so far is not good.

There needs to be some kind of middle ground - unfortunately right now, Disney's solution is to weed out as many people as they can and offer them alternative accommodations which so far we have not really seen implemented very well and in some cases does not meet the need of the guest.

I hope over the coming months they re-evaluate and come up with something better.

 

[Marrila]

It seems to me it would be very easy to identify fraud with this system. 100 doc notes from the same office over the course of a few days? A note from a doctors office 3 states away? Yep. Instead we are relying on peoples own words which is clearly causing issues

Disney will not accept or read Dr's notes or other documentation.

 

[starlite_]

People react that way as a learned response. A dog that is kicked often will learn to reflexively cringe/cower/snarl when ever a person walks by. It's no different with people with disabilities having to constantly defend themselves against cruel/ignorant comments and questions. Is it the right response? No, is it an understandable response? Yes. Especially because those who are disabled are at high risk of developing anxiety which definitely colors your view and reactions.

Thankfully people aren't dogs. They are people, and they can reason.

I am not trying to be rude, I understand having a hard time trusting when you've been beaten down again and again. That doesn't excuse the behaviour thought. Compassion and consideration should be given to all, both disabled folks, other guests and CMs. We can't ask people to be compassionate for our issues while at the same time throwing dirt at them.

 

[GoingSince1990]

It seems to me it would be very easy to identify fraud with this system. 100 doc notes from the same office over the course of a few days? A note from a doctors office 3 states away? Yep. Instead we are relying on peoples own words which is clearly causing issues

Setting up and maintaining a blacklist of doctors whose notes will not be accepted? Checking to see how close the doctor's office is to the applicants residence (which is a dubious test anyway, as many people keep the same doctor when they move)? What a nightmarish can of worms all of that would be. Far easier to just stay with the current policy of not accepting doctors' notes.

 

[Tatebeck]

I think that this new system may actually work to reduce fraud and overuse since they seem to be very strict initially, which to me is a good thing.

One thing I don't understand is why the alternate accommodations like return to queue and attraction queue return passes are paper passes. Like people have been saying, a group could leave a couple members at a time and leave one sacrificial person to wait in line while they do other things then return later, even if the official rules say that at least half are supposed to stay in line.

Your tickets and group are already on the app, so I hope they update the system so they scan your app into an ipad and you get a digital AQR to get back into line that is limited to half of your party size. If any more try, they get denied and have to wait in line unless the first part of the missing group returns. And they need to be strict here to and punish anyone who tries to skirt the rules otherwise eventually this may get as crazy out of hand as the previous DAS system did, especially if anyone can now request these return to line passes/AQRs.

 

[cat4hurricane]

Disney will not accept or read Dr's notes or other documentation.

Yes, we are very aware of that, as it has been stated previously. However, that doesn’t mean they can’t use this time to evaluate their new systems, and determine if asking for documentation is the way to go, or if there’s something better they haven’t tried. This is a new system, it’s going to have kinks they need to iron out, I have no doubt that if people bring it up to Disney enough, that they may decide to make adjustments or see that the current system isn't working.

If Universial can ask for documentation, and they apparently use the same system foundation, what’s stopping Disney from asking (kindly) for documentation? They can ask for it, it’s not illegal, and it’s people’s right to either give them that, or decide not to. Just because they don’t do that now doesn’t mean they can’t decide to do that in the future, it’s a valid option that has been brought up not only multiple times in this thread, but multiple times on social media as a possible, and in some cases, even better option than their current system, which is just taking people at their word and making essentially snap decisions (5 minute conversation with a CM and a health professional you’ve never met, versus taking the word of a doctor you’ve known potentially for years).

 

[lanejudy]

It doesn't seem much different than "medical professionals" from Inspire Health making an assessment not to give you DAS based on a 5 minute conversation with you though. We're currently at the opposite end, where Disney is bringing in their own so called professionals and telling most people they don't qualify.

Disney does not have "medical professionals" (with or without the quotations) making any assessment. Inspire Health was contracted to train the CMs who do the DAS video chats and also to train the frontline attraction CMs on new accommodations. Nobody is assessing anyone's disability -- level, severity or in any other sense. You inform them of your needs, explain how that impacts waiting in a queue environment, and they in turn tell you of the accommodation(s) available that best suits your needs.

 

[sprem96]

I honestly don't see the reason anyone would need to be specific as to why they need to leave to use the restroom or why the CM would care if the guest needs to pee/poop/other.

If the cast member (who we both agree aren't mind readers and can't know if the guest has a medical condition) asks them if they can hold it they can simply say no. If after that the CM denies them the Attraction Queue Re-entry then sure, make a fuss. But automatically assuming the CM is being insensitive and degrading to the guest and comparing it to asking a guest to "hold their heart attack" is way over the top.

It's honestly really tiring to keep seeing folks here and elsewhere automatically assume the absolute worst intentions of people and that everyone is being ableist. It's unhelpful and only increases the worry and anxiety surrounding these changes.

all I was saying is that a person with a disability can go in with the approach and just say it up front that they need an AQR because of their disability, just to save on time of being denied for whatever reason, adult, too close to boarding, etc.

 

[lanejudy]

One thing I don't understand is why the alternate accommodations like return to queue and attraction queue return passes are paper passes.

The Attraction Queue Re-entry procedures can vary based on attraction. Some may be paper, some may be digital, some may be a lanyard, it may be a password, and a CM has reported sometimes it may be a phone call.

 

[cat4hurricane]

Disney does not have "medical professionals" (with or without the quotations) making any assessment. Inspire Health was contracted to train the CMs who do the DAS video chats and also to train the frontline attraction CMs on new accommodations. Nobody is assessing anyone's disability -- level, severity or in any other sense. You inform them of your needs, explain how that impacts waiting in a queue environment, and they in turn tell you of the accommodation(s) available that best suits your needs.

That doesn’t seem right, I’ve seen at least one person (on social media) who said that their DAS approval was actually walked back, the CM was willing to give them DAS approval for their situation, then the Inspire Health person came on and the CM was forced to walk back the approval and give them nothing. So yes, it does seem like the Inspire Health people are assessing disabilities, because otherwise that person would have their accommodation. If it was just a call with the CM, they would have had DAS, now they don’t.

 

[Evita_W]

Although I feel for you and it sucks, especially so close to the date, I'm actually glad the CM didn't change the DAS approval decision based on telling them you need to cancel the trip. Solely because that would then be the next part of the script for anyone who was denied for any reason - threaten to cancel the trip, and they'll grant DAS as appeasement. That's not a precedent they want to set.

If Disney isn't already doing so, they do also need to be refunding actual tickets upon request, for anyone denied DAS. Not just a future credit. As well as waiving any Disney-issued cancellation fees. While that might be abused as well, the cost of a ticket that no one has used yet is not actually a tangible loss for Disney.

I honestly would take it a step further and say that if you booked prior to the rule changes being announced that if you are denied a DAS and that prevents you from being able to take the trip, Disney should be responsible for reimbursing EVERYTHING that you have that is non-refundable, even if not booked through them like airfare, etc.

 

[LuvOrlando]

If Disney announced that they would start accepting doctors' notes, in less than 24 hours there would be ads all over the internet for "ONLINE DOCTOR CONSULTATION- GET APPROVED FOR DISNEY DAS TODAY!" where doctors with questionable ethics would offer a 15-minute online consultation for $50 or so in which people could self-describe their symptoms and get a nicely official-looking note from an actual doctor to support their DAS request.

I disagree with neglecting an entire population of disabled people because some people can cheat.

If it is that easy to find the cheats couldn't Disney EASILY keep a list of sketchy Dr names and ask for extra support? I had an emotional support dog, I know people can get the dodgy paperwork through online sources so the facility gave me a form where my real life real world Dr needed to fill out all sorts of stuff. Make a form and make it tough.

I would be shocked if a real life disabled person couldn't provide backup like a parking placard, social security statement or a lengthly Dr form.

 

[LoveToDisney]

(Response was in regard to the Inspire person changing the decision to approve the CM’s decision to approve)

That CM might still have been in training?