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

[Angel Ariel]

Sure, but there is a difference between waiting 50-60 minutes to ride in standby versus getting in the LL and waiting for 10-20 minutes in line with DAS. Most people wouldn't be able to wait 60 minutes multiple times.

They limit paid LL+ to one per day, it only makes sense to limit DAS to one per day as well.

People with DAS have to wait the length of the standby time outside the line before they enter the lightning lane. They aren't skipping the wait, just changing where the wait is done.

 

[jennab]

There still seems to be too much discrepancy between those who get DAS and those that do not from reports.

I think one update for the DAS system should be only allowing one DAS pass per ride per day. And not including some of the big headliners like ROTR that seem to have a greater incentive for those abusing the system.

If they are wanting to cut down on those taking advantage, those updates seem most reasonable to me. I've seen more than a couple reports of people bragging about get on ROTR or Space Mountain multiple times in one day because they have DAS.

The issue with limiting to one ride per day is that standby isn’t limited and DAS is supposed to be a replacement to standby. So you know someone would argue that they aren’t being allowed the same option as the non disabled.

And it’s hard to tell about discrepancies because people can SAY they know someone with the same disability who was approved and they were denied, but we don’t really know the ins and outs and what was said. I would say no two people have the exact same symptoms or explain the same way.

 

[traveler9]

The issue with limiting to one ride per day is that standby isn’t limited and DAS is supposed to be a replacement to standby. So you know someone would argue that they aren’t being allowed the same option as the non disabled.

And it’s hard to tell about discrepancies because people can SAY they know someone with the same disability who was approved and they were denied, but we don’t really know the ins and outs and what was said. I would say no two people have the exact same symptoms or explain the same way.

Which is why I think they should apply that limit to everyone for the top rides, DAS or standby.

 

[jennab]

Which is why I think they should apply that limit to everyone for the top rides, DAS or standby.

I say let people wait in whatever lines they want (or wait outside the line if DAS). I think the same about the virtual queues and honestly wish they just let people wait who wanted to instead of playing the VQ “lottery”. But as long as standby can go on rides multiple times, DAS users will be able to as well. It wouldn’t work to limit only DAS users, which seems to be what the person posting was suggesting.

 

[Living42Day]

DAS is equal to LLMP OR LLSP in that one could do many other things while waiting for their time to ride as in go on other rides, see a show, shop, eat or just sit and relax in an air conditioned place etc. Even with that, the paid LLMP does not allow re-rides like DAS does. Waiting for your DAS return time is not the same as standby where the non -DAS user is stuck standing often times in the heat for the length of time it takes to get on the ride not being able to exit and do something else while the DAS user (and their whole group) has many other options including putting demand on other rides while holding their place on their chosen DAS ride. Of course it is easy then for the DAS user to re-ride many times (whether they will or not is their choice) while the average non-DAS user will not choose to go through another 1-2 hour, or more, wait in line to re-ride a high wait attraction like ROTR especially if they have small kids with them.
Disney has decided that is how DAS will operate and that is their right to do so but saying that the only difference is not waiting in a physical line is not accurate and their differences was the reason why DAS became the number one choice and led to it being unsustainable.

Agreed. That is the rub. People with DAS accommodations who go on ROTR can book it 3-10+ times per day, while also going on other rides. That is not equitable access, that is better access and is putting a strain on the system overall.

DL/WDW can even look at their own system in Tokyo Disney. People can leave the area, go to the bathroom, shop, etc but cannot double dip on waiting in one queue while simultaneously experiencing another.

"Please present the Park ticket used to register for the Disability Access Service to the Cast Member at the attraction or Disney Character greeting location.
Guests who have difficulty standing in line for a long period will be able to wait at a separate area, along with thier party, instead of in the queue until the designated time (you may not be able to experience the shows or presentations at the queue area).
You will not be able to experience another attraction or Disney Character greeting while using this service."

 

[lanejudy]

WE ARE NOT DISCUSSING WHETHER DAS ALLOWS “MORE” OR SHOULD BE LIMITED. Disney has decided how DAS works and what is allowed. Hypotheticals of “what should be…” are not allowed on this thread.

 

[nalababybear]

Agreed. That is the rub. People with DAS accommodations who go on ROTR can book it 3-10+ times per day, while also going on other rides. That is not equitable access, that is better access and is putting a strain on the system overall.

DL/WDW can even look at their own system in Tokyo Disney. People can leave the area, go to the bathroom, shop, etc but cannot double dip on waiting in one queue while simultaneously experiencing another.

"Please present the Park ticket used to register for the Disability Access Service to the Cast Member at the attraction or Disney Character greeting location.
Guests who have difficulty standing in line for a long period will be able to wait at a separate area, along with thier party, instead of in the queue until the designated time (you may not be able to experience the shows or presentations at the queue area).
You will not be able to experience another attraction or Disney Character greeting while using this service."

Disneysea may have that in writing. In practice, it's DAS. They just have an area that's available to utilize; it's NOT required.

Regardless, Mod has asked TWICE now to stop trying to relitigate intentions and modifications. DAS has been revamped recently and we're still in the shakedown period to tweek that. I doubt any new major changes will happen for until at least 2025 -- so let's listen to our mods

 

[NightGuardianAngel]

Lets just close this thread to any further replies if they don’t want anymore discussion on DAS.

 

[dizneedoll]

Lets just close this thread to any further replies if they don’t want anymore discussion on DAS.

After almost 10,000 posts, everything has been said that there is to say about it. The same things just get rehashed over and over again. Maybe its time to put this thread out of its misery.

 

[NightGuardianAngel]

After almost 10,000 posts, everything has been said that there is to say about it. The same things just get rehashed over and over again. Maybe its time to put this thread out of its misery.

Yes. That is why it should be closed so someone else who is unaware would not reply and rehash it.

 

[Marrila]

Lets just close thread to any further replies if they don’t want anymore discussion on DAS.

After almost 10,000 posts, everything has been said that there is to say about it. The same things just get rehashed over and over again. Maybe its time to put this thread out of its misery.

If some folks decide the discussion here is uninteresting the good news is there are lots of other dis forums they can peruse.

 

[lanejudy]

DL/WDW can even look at their own system in Tokyo Disney.

Tokyo Disney — or any non-US park — operates under local rules and laws which often are very different from the US ADA. There cannot be a comparison to what is done in other countries.

This thread is for discussion of the new/current DAS system now in place at the US parks. Discussion of other changes causes confusion for those who come here for accurate information, and further tends to alienate those with disabilities by pushing them into defensiveness. Nobody on the disABILITIES Forum should be made to feel they are “lesser.”

Discussion of “could be/should be/wish it was” changes for DAS belong on a different DISboards forum — Rumors, Community Board, Controversial Topics, etc.

 

[lanejudy]

Lets just close this thread to any further replies if they don’t want anymore discussion on DAS.

After almost 10,000 posts, everything has been said that there is to say about it. The same things just get rehashed over and over again. Maybe its time to put this thread out of its misery.

Yes. That is why it should be closed so someone else who is unaware would not reply and rehash it.

Feel free to move along to other threads. We continue to get guests with questions about the changes so the thread will remain open.

 

[HyperspaceMountainPilot]

I just want to add one small piece of information before unfollowing this thread — I went to WDW as an ex-DAS user (denial after program changes to mostly exclude physical disabilities), and in the weeks leading up to our visit and DURING the visit itself, the old DAS tile in the app would periodically appear upon loading for a few seconds before disappearing. This continued despite several version updates, etc. I only mention it because (especially before arriving) it gave me false hope that maybe I had somehow been approved even though I was told I wasn’t approved— once or twice in the parks I managed to click on it before it disappeared but it only gave me a blank screen. I knew I was denied so it wasn’t a big deal but an annoying reminder of how much more pleasant our trips were when we did have DAS.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I was too hot (not disability related) and exhausted (disability and new LL program requiring you to show up at parks early related) to try to do much more than the 3-4 LLs we had paid for most days, but the one time I actually requested AQR (in 5 days) they actually just gave us LL access. We also did some low wait high capacity attractions (carousel of progress) as well. We had some amazing moments and family memories, but it was pretty hard on me— especially since you still need to wake at 7AM if you want to do VQ rides.

We will continue to visit WDW but I think we will shift down to once per year instead of 2-4 times per year unless WDW rolls out a paid line skip program that works better for our family. I don’t have any ill will towards Disney for cracking down on DAS and LLs actually did work a lot better this trip, but I’m not going to spend so much time and money there if much of the trip is spent worrying about maximizing LLs for my kids. Anyway, I’m going to unfollow this thread because DAS is no longer relevant to us, nothing personal to any of the folks here.

 

[Philsfan77]

I just want to add one small piece of information before unfollowing this thread — I went to WDW as an ex-DAS user (denial after program changes to mostly exclude physical disabilities), and in the weeks leading up to our visit and DURING the visit itself, the old DAS tile in the app would periodically appear upon loading for a few seconds before disappearing. This continued despite several version updates, etc. I only mention it because (especially before arriving) it gave me false hope that maybe I had somehow been approved even though I was told I wasn’t approved— once or twice in the parks I managed to click on it before it disappeared but it only gave me a blank screen. I knew I was denied so it wasn’t a big deal but an annoying reminder of how much more pleasant our trips were when we did have DAS.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I was too hot (not disability related) and exhausted (disability and new LL program requiring you to show up at parks early related) to try to do much more than the 3-4 LLs we had paid for most days, but the one time I actually requested AQR (in 5 days) they actually just gave us LL access. We also did some low wait high capacity attractions (carousel of progress) as well. We had some amazing moments and family memories, but it was pretty hard on me— especially since you still need to wake at 7AM if you want to do VQ rides.

We will continue to visit WDW but I think we will shift down to once per year instead of 2-4 times per year unless WDW rolls out a paid line skip program that works better for our family. I don’t have any ill will towards Disney for cracking down on DAS and LLs actually did work a lot better this trip, but I’m not going to spend so much time and money there if much of the trip is spent worrying about maximizing LLs for my kids. Anyway, I’m going to unfollow this thread because DAS is no longer relevant to us, nothing personal to any of the folks here.

Just to piggyback on this...I never had DAS or applied for it...I saw the same thing last week multiple times in terms of the DAS tile appearing for me. I am glad you were able to make the best of your trip overall and hope for some great future trips for you and the family down the road whenever you make your next return trip.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just to piggyback on this...I never had DAS or applied for it...I saw the same thing last week multiple times in terms of the DAS tile appearing for me. I am glad you were able to make the best of your trip overall and hope for some great future trips for you and the family down the road whenever you make your next return trip.

I've seen people on Facebook reporting the same glitch

 

[Flynn's Gal]

We continue to get guests with questions about the changes so the thread will remain open.

Good to hear. I'm mostly a lurker, but comment occasionally. I've invested time reading all 495 pages and I'd like this thread to see it through at least until the next cycle of reapplying occurs. For WDW AP holders, that should be coming up soon since 120 days from May 20th will be around mid-Sept. I don't recall anyone (not AP/Magic Key) taking a different trip after being approved for the first trip and their experience with going through the process again.

 

[nalababybear]

This thread will cycle with each surge of new visitors, many with the same concerns as earlier this year and now.

Most hopefully will be answered by the FAQ stickied in this subforum.

Also to hope to avoid relitigating the decision by Disney and why xyz program is better and likewise how DAS users are privileged somehow.

My continued hope is Disney tweaks the edges and improves the internal processes and communications between DAS team, guest relations and CM attractions as they exit the shakedown and cycle improvement phases.

Expect a bump in activity with 120day renewals and holiday visitors....thank you again mods

 

[Hippomom]

Agreed with everything here. I'm not going to be surprised if the pass is updated, especially with reports that the DAS/LL lines are still exceeding 20 minutes or more. A single ride by a DAS user and their family is still well within reasonable accommodation standards. I, too, have seen the reports of those going on Rise multiple times per day. There is one gentleman who goes on Radiator Springs Racers lots of times and he uses DAS. I think I read he gets on it 13-15 times per day. That seems a bit excessive for reasonable accommodations, IMO.

he uses single rider I believe not DAS, its actually much faster using single rider than DAS

 

[LarsoftheJungle]

…and further tends to alienate those with disabilities by pushing them into defensiveness. Nobody on the disABILITIES Forum should be made to feel they are “lesser.

THANK YOU. This feels like an important reminder. It’s WILD to me how many belittling and dismissive comments of disabilities and accommodations I’ve seen in these DAS related threads on a disabilities forum. I would humbly offer that none of us know the needs, struggle, pain, or life of a stranger and to assume you know better than them about their own experience is arrogant…and can come off pretty ableist even when that’s not the intention.