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

[g3pak]

Sadly, no. I bought mine from Amazon. But the regular, non-UV umbrellas Disney does sell in the parks are a good option, too - I’ve had one in regular use (and I’m a Floridian, so it gets a LOT of use!) for about a decade! Just not as good as a UV one for sun protection.

I am looking at the ones on Amazon. Will any umbrella labeled UV umbrella work, or does it need to be one of the umbrellas with silver on the outside? I prefer one with a pleasant design facing out rather than blinding everyone with silver. Ha ha

 

[PrincessV]

Still interested in how they would handle this if solo guest was using a scooter or electric wheelchair and attempting to tell a CM they need to leave the line...

I just saw a report on that this morning. They said it wasn’t pretty: trying to turn around and scoot the wrong way back through the line was difficult and people in line were not thrilled. There was no CM to assist until after they got out of the line.

Kind of like a DAS lite...attempt to use the queue for rides...if you reach a point where you can't, you can then essentially use DAS as you previously would (at least in this persons case).

The two huge questions I have with this approach are:

1. How many times is one allowed to do this per day? Per park?? Because if someone cannot tolerate a traditional line for more than 15 minutes due to their disability, and all 5 hypothetical rides they wish to experience are more than 15 minute waits, they’re going to need to do this on all 5 rides. Is it really going to be that easy???

2. Being able to do this requires that the user is able to detect that they need to before their disability renders it too late - whether that’s a need for restroom facilities, or meltdown, or other.

I’d still like to think this could work for me, but those issues stand out as possible complications. .

 

[PrincessV]

I am looking at the ones on Amazon. Will any umbrella labeled UV umbrella work, or does it need to be one of the umbrellas with silver on the outside? I prefer one with a pleasant design facing out rather than blinding everyone with silver. Ha ha

I think any labeled UV - mine is white on the outside, silver on the inside. It came in a bunch of other colors, too. (And in retrospect, white was a mistake: it’s already dirty after a couple WDW days of sitting it next to me or on the ground.)

 

[GoingSince1990]

Still interested in how they would handle this if solo guest was using a scooter or electric wheelchair and attempting to tell a CM they need to leave the line...

From what I’ve seen, it very much depends upon the attraction. In some cases a CM may attempt “to hold your place in line”, meaning that you will be escorted back to re-enter the queue where you exited it. If you were nearly at the front, you may be permitted to enter the LL. CMs do have the ability to issue ad hoc LL return times but apparently this is very much discouraged, and monitored, and CMs who issue too many are subject to discipline. And this case-by-case approach really isn’t something that’s brand new. CMs have always been empowered to come up with a fair and reasonable solution when things happen, like when a 5-year old child has a potty emergency right before boarding Peter Pan after waiting in line for an hour, and Disney’s expectation is that leave-the-line emergencies that have previously been addressed by issuing DAS “just in case” can also be accommodated in this manner.

 

[BingoJoe]

How many times is one allowed to do this per day? Per park?? Because if someone cannot tolerate a traditional line for more than 15 minutes due to their disability, and all 5 hypothetical rides they wish to experience are more than 15 minute waits, they’re going to need to do this on all 5 rides. Is it really going to be that easy???

A solo traveller with a disability that renders them unable to tolerate more than 15 mins in the line at any point will probably be quite a rare occurance. But there is no reason the cast members at each attraction wouldn’t all grant the access. I don’t even think they would know what had happened in the other lines.

If someone is clearly trying to game the system by entering a line and then almost immediately asking for a return time I suspect the cast members on duty will be able to tell and adjust the return time accordingly. I don’t think that will be an issue.

 

[jlundeen]

From what I’ve seen, it very much depends upon the attraction. In some cases a CM may attempt “to hold your place in line”, meaning that you will be escorted back to re-enter the queue where you exited it. If you were nearly at the front, you may be permitted to enter the LL. CMs do have the ability to issue ad hoc LL return times but apparently this is very much discouraged, and monitored, and CMs who issue too many are subject to discipline. And this case-by-case approach really isn’t something that’s brand new. CMs have always been empowered to come up with a fair and reasonable solution when things happen, like when a 5-year old child has a potty emergency right before boarding Peter Pan after waiting in line for an hour, and Disney’s expectation is that leave-the-line emergencies that have previously been addressed by issuing DAS “just in case” can also be accommodated in this manner.

Actaully, I was thinking more about trying to get OUT of the queue (just thinking about Navi River Journey as one example) by trying to go backwards through the line, on a scooter... finding a CM to tell you need to do this would be a challenge in inself, but actually getting out would be a nightmare.

 

[NumberOneDime]

If someone is clearly trying to game the system by entering a line and then almost immediately asking for a return time I suspect the cast members on duty will be able to tell and adjust the return time accordingly. I don’t think that will be an issue.

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

 

[jlundeen]

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

Sounds like a great question to ask on the video call....

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

I’m speculating here but my guess is that Disney will be able to track this, and if too many people have the same idea (aka influencers start advocating this) there will be another round of crackdowns to tighten eligibility/access even further.

 

[BingoJoe]

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

If they are in your party I think the idea is they can skip out and rejoin you later.

I think most issues, like anxiety or ibs, don’t work on an exact timer. For people unable to stand for that long a mobility aid will allow them to sit inside or outside of the line. I think a return when needed works for most people.

I personally, for reasons of boredom, absolutely can’t stand waiting longer than about 40 minutes for any attraction and always manage to ride every attraction at least once so i don’t think it’s a massive problem tbh.

 

[NumberOneDime]

Sounds like a great question to ask on the video call....

From everything I've read they don't seem to know much on these calls about this new line leaving thing. Nearly everybody has been told to ask the CM at each attraction for more information. The rules do not seem to be clearly defined. Also this line leaving thing isn't just for disabled people but all guests, apparently.

I’m speculating here but my guess is that Disney will be able to track this, and if too many people have the same idea (aka influencers start advocating this) there will be another round of crackdowns to tighten eligibility/access even further.

Yes, my common sense tells me this new system won't last very long because I don't think it will work for any group as a whole: disabled guests, regular guests and most of all Cast Members.

I think most issues, like anxiety or ibs, don’t work on an exact timer.

I would just say for some of us we live with our disabilities every day of our lives and we know our bodies and what we can and cannot do. For some waiting in line for over 60 minutes is never possible, and I mean never. That person knows it and their doctor not only knows it but would medically say you must not do it. So if the posted wait time is 120 minutes why should such a person even play silly games of pretending to be in the line when in the end they will have to leave it anyway? It honestly feels like....faking or pretending or something. Faking the ability to get through that line...I guess? It's not going to happen in the end so why delay the inevitable of asking for a return to line?

 

[StarGirl11]

Actaully, I was thinking more about trying to get OUT of the queue (just thinking about Navi River Journey as one example) by trying to go backwards through the line, on a scooter... finding a CM to tell you need to do this would be a challenge in inself, but actually getting out would be a nightmare.

I mean sure that sounds easy on paper. But even if you go straight back it’s easy to get slightly turned by accident. Though that might be a me issue…

 

[BingoJoe]

I would just say for some of us we live with our disabilities every day of our lives and we know our bodies and what we can and cannot do. For some waiting in line for over 60 minutes is never possible, and I mean never. That person knows it and their doctor not only knows it but would medically say you must not do it. So if the posted wait time is 120 minutes why should such a person even play silly games of pretending to be in the line when in the end they will have to leave it anyway? It honestly feels like....faking or pretending or something. Faking the ability to get through that line...I guess? It's not going to happen in the end so why delay the inevitable of asking for a return to line?

I agree, for me a wait of 60 minutes is never going to happen so I just would never join that line. I would buy an individual LL or just skip it until another time.

However within the news rules I think it would be fine to leave the line and join up with your party later on. For those, much rarer, single travellers I don't see why they couldn't ask for a return time sooner on a very long attraction line.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This program is being used at DLR too, as is, and with how often genie+ is thrown out as just get it instead of you're denied DAS, it feels important to keep in mind that in disneyland (alone, not both parks), buying an ILL or Genie+ isn't really a disability accommodation as it only provides access to 1/4 of the attractions in the park. It's a much different situation in Disneyland than in FL.

 

[OurBigTrip]

what

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

Gaming the system, but I’m sure there are plenty of people willing to do it.

 

[jlundeen]

I have a sincere question and I'm really curious. If I have somebody in my party who has medical issues that does not allow them to tolerate long lines and the posted wait time is long (let's say at least 60 minutes but maybe 120 minutes or more) is there any point in waiting 25 minutes before turning back....annoying a long line of people as you shove past them....plus putting that person in a painful position for no reason for 25 minutes?

Is it gaming the system to do it right away when it's medically inevitable?

But the wait would still be as long, since only the 1 guest (or 2 if a minor or guest needs assistance) get to "leave the line". They can wait somewhere else, but ultimately meet up with the group still in stand-by to reach merge point (or another location) before they all ride together... At least that's the way I understand it.

 

[Angel Ariel]

It's really sad that it's considered gaming the system to avoid causing a person known and unnecessary pain while they still have to wait the standby wait and go through the AQR rejoin process.

There's nothing that has been shared about the AQR process from Disney that indicates the person must be in crisis or emergent need in order to exit the line. It's a really sad day if we're requiring people to reach crisis points before accommodating a disability (and I would argue that requiring people to reach crisis is then not actually accommodating the disability, because when people are accommodated they shouldn't be reaching crisis).

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

Gaming the system, but I’m sure there are plenty of people willing to do it.

I keep coming back to: almost everybody willing to lie to abuse the system already had DAS— it was tragically easy to review threads like this and figure out how to get it. Even if the same number of people try to fake this system, LL usage goes down dramatically because the majority of the party has to stay in line except the 1-2 people with needs plus caregiver and maybe minors...and they will take longer than standby riders because of waiting at the merge point. Yes, smaller parties may get return times—but they have to walk all the way to the attraction and make their case to a CM only to get a return time to the LL that is the current wait time (so standby wait plus LL return wait)…that is far less valuable than tapping your DAS tile to get in the queue for Test Track once you’ve touched the tap point on Remy and are waiting to ride (or even after you’ve waited the 10m like the change is happening now).

These are the kinds of changes Disney needed to make to provide legally required accommodation for those of us who have conditions making it impossible to tolerate longer queues while also disincentivizing unnecessary use. As people find ways to abuse these new accommodations (or more and more of the theme park guest population legitimately needs them) Disney will have to keep making them harder to get and less attractive.

 

[rk3668]

I would just say for some of us we live with our disabilities every day of our lives and we know our bodies and what we can and cannot do. For some waiting in line for over 60 minutes is never possible, and I mean never. That person knows it and their doctor not only knows it but would medically say you must not do it. So if the posted wait time is 120 minutes why should such a person even play silly games of pretending to be in the line when in the end they will have to leave it anyway?

Can a person in this situation safely ride many rides at Disney? Don't most rides have a chance of some mechanical or other issue that could make the ride close to 60 minutes? There was an issue one time when I was on Pirates that made the ride well over an hour.

 

[PrincessV]

Can a person in this situation safely ride many rides at Disney? Don't most rides have a chance of some mechanical or other issue that could make the ride close to 60 minutes? There was an issue one time when I was on Pirates that made the ride well over an hour.

I can’t speak to all disabilities, but for mine, rides are not the problem: queues are. Because of the specific attributes of queues, which are distinctly different than rides. I’m not particularly thrilled about being stuck on POTC for an hour, but it’s not going to be an issue for my disability.