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

[jennab]

I think they are supposed to meet at the merge, not fight their way in. Or wait in the LL until their party loads. I think that is more of their overblown hysterics. It might have happened in the very beginning, but doubt it does now. The might have to move past people to get out but there are always ways to get out fast and most are not going stop you from getting OUT. Especially since half haven't even tried or won't try for it and are only demanding RT or DAS.

I

Yessss. So much misinformation from people in fb groups and Reddit saying they can’t go to Disney because their anxiety can’t handle having to push back to their spot in line and they don’t want to be called “line cutters” by aggressive guests. Ive tried to explain multiple times about calling their party in line once at merge point and talking to the CM to use the LL to meet up. Some tell me I’m wrong but most just don’t reply because I think a lot just want to be angry and don’t want to accept that it may not be as difficult as they think.

 

[mistysue]

My FB feed keeps showing me bloggers re-posing articles about the DAS changes. It's so exhausting, obviously click bait and they are giving people more chances to complain and exaggerate - as every comment section is all people posting how they can't survive another trip now or how Disney shouldn't be able to tell the disabled that they don't have a disability. Ugh.

 

[PrincessV]

I’m glad I applied. Having my alternate plan already planned out helped me mentally not be so nervous. I encourage you to apply, at the end you will get an answer one way or the other and your path forward becomes clearer.

I probably will at some point - right now I’m in that in-between space where I don’t know when I’ll next head over to WDW, so I don’t have any park days booked and if I do, it’ll be a last-minute decision to make a day trip. But I’ve got a multi-day visit planned for early Nov., so I may try the DAS call when that 30-day window opens if AQR isn’t working well enough for me.

 

[DiznyDiva]

Yessss. So much misinformation from people in fb groups and Reddit saying they can’t go to Disney because their anxiety can’t handle having to push back to their spot in line and they don’t want to be called “line cutters” by aggressive guests. Ive tried to explain multiple times about calling their party in line once at merge point and talking to the CM to use the LL to meet up. Some tell me I’m wrong but most just don’t reply because I think a lot just want to be angry and don’t want to

I agree. They want to be angry. Anything positive is immediately tied apart and distorted. They pass the mis information because if fits their agenda and it stirs everyone up, knowing its misinformation. They are now saying that if you get a RT you do get right on...um no.. maybe if the ride is not busy or only one person....but that's not what a RETURN TIME is. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.

RT are given, more so AT DW. DL has about ten rides they give them and CA has none. Don't except it and be thankful when it does happen. Plan and learn what works for you.

MK seems to give out more than any other place, while Epcot, Hollywood and AK are pretty limited. Again plan.

Bottom line really? Do your own personal research. Like you would do for any trip. My pet peeve is people who spend tons of money without any research and then complain because they were uniformed. Might not be fair....

 

[StarCruzer]

My FB feed keeps showing me bloggers re-posing articles about the DAS changes. It's so exhausting, obviously click bait and they are giving people more chances to complain and exaggerate - as every comment section is all people posting how they can't survive another trip now or how Disney shouldn't be able to tell the disabled that they don't have a disability. Ugh.

Facebook is such a wasteland these days in terms of clickbait/ragebait. Anyone who manages to stay in ANY group on that platform has far more patience than I do.

 

[keishashadow]

If approved for DL as a multi-day single ticket holder...

Does it apply to one's AP at WDW?

Guess the answer is no

Sure that I read posts here and elsewhere on 'net that it would be the case. In that the two parks, while still not 'speaking' to the other, would honor the other's DAS approvals

Asked of DL yesterday & was directed to this on website

 

[lanejudy]

If approved for DL as a multi-day single ticket holder...

Does it apply to one's AP at WDW?

Guess the answer is no

Sure that I read posts here and elsewhere on 'net that it would be the case. In that the two parks, while still not 'speaking' to the other, would honor the other's DAS approvals

Asked of DL yesterday & was directed to this on website


View attachment 883681

There were a couple of early reports that people were told approval at one would carry to the other. I have since seen on the website that it's resort-specific. Though I've also read reports of guests asked if they were approved at the other -- so it may be something they aren't announcing? Maybe it's only if there is overlap in ticket days? Hopefully someone who was one of those early reports can come back to update.

 

[DiznyDiva]

If approved at one park, you re approved at the other, at least as a pass holder.. And it's pretty seamless.

I admit not knowing about what happens to single ticket holders.

 

[SueM in MN]

As has been mentioned a few times... while the parks are "ADA compliant" by design and physical features (which is largely wheelchair or mobility device accessibility), Disney still has a responsibility to offer accommodations for those with disabilities that aren't met by those physical features. DAS as an accommodation program/service is not specifically required, but some type of accommodation must be available. The viewpoint that "DAS is not required" is inaccurate if not replaced by something else.

Totally agree.
It may not be DAS exactly that is required, but Disney is still required to make reasonable accommodations for guests with disabilities who need accommodations.
The accommodations don't have to be more than what meets the needs and don't have to be the person's preferred accommodation (i.e. they don't have to provide DAS if the guest prefers that, but could be accommodated in other ways).

And, some of the things that are available to all guests can work as accommodations. Examples include:

• Return to Queue for anyone who needs to leave the line
• Mobile ordering is a convenience for everyone, but also helps guests who can't wait in line
• Mobile checkout also prevents/shortens waiting in line

Ultimately I would not be surprised if this was challenged in court. Only time will really tell if Disney is legally compliant or not.

I expect there may be some lawsuits, but so far the people who are talking about lawsuits are mostly the DAS Defender groups. Many of them haven't applied or tried any of the suggestions.
I think it would be a really heavy lift to be able to prove that DAS is the ONLY reasonable accommodation for their needs.
'Reasonableness' has 2 sides. It has to be reasonable to meet the needs of the disabled person, but also reasonable from the standpoint of the operation of the business.
In the DAS Autism lawsuit, which Disney won, the plaintiffs were not able to prove the only accommodation that would work for them was to go back to GAC, which allowed them to go to any attraction without waiting. Disney was able to prove that going back to GAC would negatively affect their ability to do business and serve other guests.

That lawsuit is pretty well known, but there is another Disney won that many people haven't heard of. There are people who use Segways as mobility devices who sued Disney to be able to use them in the parks. Disney was able to prove it would not be safe for guests to use Segways in the park

I am editing my long post above for grammer and spelling. I see the autocorrect gremlins were active! I also tried to type it on an iPad which gives me odd spellings. Sorry. Will do it now.

LOL - My iPad keeps trying to autocorrect to French - LOL

Exactly this. Last trip with DAS, at Epcot we were continually behind a family with 12+ people using DAS for one person. When we travel with my daughter, son-in-law and my Grands, we will have to split and though it will be tricky to maneuver, we will gladly do it.

THAT was a big issue. What was supposed to be a rare exception became something some people expected.
Especially on one Facebook page, when people posted, "we have 12 in our group. How do we all stay together?" other posters often suggested "try to get someone else approved for DAS so you can all go together".
I also frequently saw posts where people had 4 people in their family group who were all approved for DAS and each had 5 people attached to their DAS - so a total of 24 people in a group using DAS. I'm not saying those people who were approved for DAS should not have been approved, but 24 guests in one group is a lot!

 

[keishashadow]

If approved at one park, you re approved at the other, at least as a pass holder.. And it's pretty seamless.

Thanks for posting. Would be nice if this is indeed current methodology

Is this personal experience, anecdotal or did you see this in writing somewhere on The WDW website that I'm missing?

collectively here, anyone have thoughts on how to verify the DAS might apply to both US parks?

Dont think texting on WDW DAS page would work/let me into the queue as I have these specific question as to duality of DAS vs a request for DAS there

Even if APH had a WDW park day reservation in place, once the last DL day tix expired; their website seems to indicate NO to both my questions.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

During busy times, Disney reserved 93% of ride capacity to the lightening lanes and 7% to stand-by. As you said, SueM, four DAS plus five attached to each DAS is 24 people. That means ***** (reworking the math) **** people in stand-by would have to wait until all 24 people were loaded on the ride.

 

[nalababybear]

Totally agree.
It may not be DAS exactly that is required, but Disney is still required to make reasonable accommodations for guests with disabilities who need accommodations.
The accommodations don't have to be more than what meets the needs and don't have to be the person's preferred accommodation (i.e. they don't have to provide DAS if the guest prefers that, but could be accommodated in other ways).

And, some of the things that are available to all guests can work as accommodations. Examples include:

• Return to Queue for anyone who needs to leave the line
• Mobile ordering is a convenience for everyone, but also helps guests who can't wait in line
• Mobile checkout also prevents/shortens waiting in line

I expect there may be some lawsuits, but so far the people who are talking about lawsuits are mostly the DAS Defender groups. Many of them haven't applied or tried any of the suggestions.
I think it would be a really heavy lift to be able to prove that DAS is the ONLY reasonable accommodation for their needs.
'Reasonableness' has 2 sides. It has to be reasonable to meet the needs of the disabled person, but also reasonable from the standpoint of the operation of the business.
In the DAS Autism lawsuit, which Disney won, the plaintiffs were not able to prove the only accommodation that would work for them was to go back to GAC, which allowed them to go to any attraction without waiting. Disney was able to prove that going back to GAC would negatively affect their ability to do business and serve other guests.

That lawsuit is pretty well known, but there is another Disney won that many people haven't heard of. There are people who use Segways as mobility devices who sued Disney to be able to use them in the parks. Disney was able to prove it would not be safe for guests to use Segways in the park

LOL - My iPad keeps trying to autocorrect to French - LOL

THAT was a big issue. What was supposed to be a rare exception became something some people expected.
Especially on one Facebook page, when people posted, "we have 12 in our group. How do we all stay together?" other posters often suggested "try to get someone else approved for DAS so you can all go together".
I also frequently saw posts where people had 4 people in their family group who were all approved for DAS and each had 5 people attached to their DAS - so a total of 24 people in a group using DAS. I'm not saying those people who were approved for DAS should not have been approved, but 24 guests in one group is a lot!

Lots of saber rattling. Lots of I'm going to universal and canceling xyz. Most of that is just angry talk.

People will adjust.

Imho, ADA gets it right for caregiver accommodations. Companies have to balance accommodations with operations.

We never expect more than a caretaker with the disabled person. We are grateful when the host insists a party stay together like boarding a transit bus at Disney with an ecv. One caretaker sits near with ecv, the rest of us hit the back of the bus. Party of 12 or 24?!?! That's just insane imho.

 

[mistysue]

During busy times, Disney reserved 93% of ride capacity to the lightening lanes and 7% to stand-by. As you said, SueM, four DAS plus five attached to each DAS is 24 people. That means 181 people in stand-by would have to wait until all 24 people were loaded on the ride.

You're calculating backwards there.

 

[DiznyDiva]

Is this personal experience, anecdotal or did you see this in writing somewhere on The WDW website that I'm missing?

collectively here, anyone have thoughts on how to verify the DAS might apply to both US parks?

Personal. But for a Keyholder, not single or multiday.

Use the app chat. They can answer an question pretty easily.

 

[gottalovepluto]

I probably will at some point - right now I’m in that in-between space where I don’t know when I’ll next head over to WDW, so I don’t have any park days booked and if I do, it’ll be a last-minute decision to make a day trip. But I’ve got a multi-day visit planned for early Nov., so I may try the DAS call when that 30-day window opens if AQR isn’t working well enough for me.

Upside to that would be you'll be able to discuss exactly how AQR has or hasn't worked for you!

 

[SueM in MN]

GOING FORWARD:
While the moderators understand the interest in the posts at another social media site, we ask that it not be discussed here on the disABILITIES Forum any further.
It's not going to change any of those people and although it may be somewhat interesting to talk about the 'train wreck', it's not really productive to our discussion.

If there is any real news that comes up, that can be discussed, but not just rehashing the past

 

[jennab]

Lots of saber rattling. Lots of I'm going to universal and canceling xyz. Most of that is just angry talk.

I honestly wonder how this will go. Will these people all really go to universal? If so, will universal end up with the same problem Disney had and need to adjust? I suppose they have a lot of thrill rides and not as many family ones so maybe they don’t get the same clientele.

 

[gottalovepluto]

collectively here, anyone have thoughts on how to verify the DAS might apply to both US parks?

It won't. They are separate systems so you technically need approval for both. However, the reports were if you were approved in one park you could apply for the other coast, they'll see you're approved for the one coast and approve you for the other coast without having to re-do the whole interview. There are no guarantees that will happen though, it's just something new that has happened for people under this new system.

 

[Ms Bibbidi]

You're calculating backwards there.

Thanks. Anyway, you all get the idea. A lot of standby had to wait.

 

[mistysue]

Thanks. Anyway, you all get the idea. A lot of standby had to wait.

At first I read it and was like "holy cow!" before realizing it wasn't quite right, it made for a pretty impressive thought. But yes, the important point is that people do have to wait for that craziness.