I know the lightening lane line may be a shorter distance to the ride, but wouldn’t you have similar issues in any line?
If you had the DAS previously, you disclosed the same information to CMs, so what's the difference now? Not everyone ends up with the medical professional when they call.
There is no need to disclose "sensitive medical information" unless you choose to do so. "Needs" are not the same thing -- simply explain your needs related to a standard queue environment. You do not have to share diagnosis, treatments, therapies, test results, etc.
It is different though because a family without disabilities can all wait together for the attraction, under Disney’s new rules, those with disabilities must wait separately form the remainder of their group, this is indeed by very definition exclusion.
And they are incorrect, the TOS when you get a DAS, specifically states that it IS ok to use Genie+/ILL, Disney encourages DAS holders to do so, as such, not sure how anyone can claim it is abuse.
It depends on the needs, but generally speaking, for many the fact that it is a shorter distance and shorter wait does make a difference, in some cases, even when the wait times are the same, the distance makes a difference. For example, DH can’t do Soarin’ at EPCOT anymore (lightning lane or Stand By) because of how insanely long the queue is in either case, but at DCA can, but generally not on the standby side because of all of the switchbacks (if the line starts inside the building, he is fine, but then that’s the same as Lightning Lane at that point). Kilimanjaro Safari, we realized neither of us can handle the standby queue, even if there is no one in line when we got into it because it was the first ride of the day and there was no line, it was before park opening when it opened, so the system didn’t let us get a DAS return time. Just not an option due to the queue setup, even when it is moving slowly.
Families without disabilities spend years being separated while waiting for an attraction if they have a child who is too short to ride it. And while I'm not a lawyer, I don't think the argument "OK, Disney's accommodations allow people with disabilities to do the rides, and they can ride at the same time as the other members of their party, BUT that's not enough, they also need to allow us to all stay together all the time we are waiting in line" will get much traction, legally.
Disney isn't forcing those with disabilities to split from their groups. Groups can choose not to use the available accommodations and find other ways to stay together 100% of the time.
on that page.
There really is a difference between an objective safety issue (too short), and a disability accommodation for people who meet the objective safety standards , however.
That’s the general consensus among most it seems. Saddens me to read many comments on FB wherein people are gleefully celebrating the changes and often being beyond cruel to people who are denied. I’m sure it’s causing many who had DAS extra stress. I give them grace, they will eventually come to terms with it. Sometimes people just want to be vent/be heard.
Of course not. Nor, should those who symptoms change or accelerate also be forbidden from reapplying.
Not intended to pry as to your disability at all.
Exactly. I’ve been very surprised during this transition period to read so many comments from people who freely stated “they know they qualify” etc. whether it’s referencing under the past system or the new one. I don’t think anyone can truly predict their outcome, especially now
I stepped away from thread for a few days. In this vein, are CMs also able to outright deny DAS and refuse to let the applicant speak to the HCP?
There are countless reasons why families with or without disabilities cannot wait together or ride certain rides together…..claustrophobia, back issues, pregnancy, motion sickness, being afraid of heights, simply being afraid of something in the queue or being afraid of the ride. etc….
As someone who took two kids under 5 without DAS for years and then developed a condition that (previously) qualified for in the past 2 years, I think a lot of DAS families aren’t aware, have forgotten, or completely discount how challenging the parks (especially queues) are for other guests. Some of the conditions listed above are actually disabilities but queues can be very challenging for an non-disabled groups too, imagine an able bodied (but not especially burly) single mom with a 9mo old and 3 year old— with current park waits, they probably can’t do many rides when everything requires 30+ minute rides as they are required to be holding an infant while wrangling a toddler.
However, by requesting DAS (or an accommodation to avoid the queue) isn't the disabled individual implying the queue is "not safe" for that individual? I use quotes there because I fully realize it isn't the same safety issue. But a too short child actually isn't unsafe in the queue, they are unsafe to ride and Disney prefers to keep them completely out of the queue to make loading the ride easier. By that comparison, the queue itself is the problem for the disabled individual but not for the short child -- yet the child is absolutely excluded from being in the queue.
Yes, to my knowledge a CM can deny DAS without asking an HCP to be involved. I'm not sure if there is a process to request an HCP be involved but would assume so.
I have seen at least a couple of reports where individuals were denied DAS, arrived at the park and tried the alternative accommodations, and then were able to reconnect and explain why it didn't work. I think some of the "don't call back" is now coming from the perspective of too many people trying to "shop" CMs and find one that will give them DAS if they ask enough times. If someone truly feels they messed up their initial call, needed to get their thoughts in order, and reconnects - I hope that is allowed. As PP mentioned, likely to include an HCP at that point. Likewise, if DAS is denied and a guest can show true effort to make the alternate accommodations work but unsuccessful -- yes they can reconnect and again likely with an HCP+CM combo.
