DAS & child swap

[GinnyBear's_mom]

Forgive me if this has been asked before, but I've searched and haven't been able to find an answer. This summer I'm taking my 10th Disney trip but it will be my first injury since receiving a brain injury from a car accident last year. Being short & succint is no longer my strength so please bear with me if this is long-winded!

I'm hopeful that I will qualify for DAS due to the sensory issue I now have. DH and our 3 kids (DD7, DD4 & DS2) will be travelling with me. If we want to go on a ride like Soarin' or Splash Mountain am I able to ride with the DAS return time with one of my daughters and use child swap for my husband and other daughter since our son (age 2) can't ride? Or is child swap not possible with DAS?

If DH can't go in a ride because he has to stay with DS he will be be OK as he has been to WDW plenty of times. The problem is that I probably won't be able to stand in line with both of my daughters by myself (even with the shortened DAS return time) since I plan on wearing my noise blocking headphones indoors. I trust DD7 to stand with me, but not DD4 as she is a bit of a wildling and I imagine I will be pretty overwhelmed as it is. DAS won't help me on rides with height restrictioms if we can't use child swap. I'd rather know now so I can prepare our daughters that there are rides we might not be able to go on.
Anyone out there have experience with DAS & child swap?

 

[gap2368]

yes I am almost sure you can do this.

Also while your husband is on the ride you will be watching 2 kids so this could be hard for you

Do you have any other problems beside noises

 

[gap2368]

and noise blocking head phones may not be enough for you you may want something like these

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Champion-Passive-Muff/39818002

 

[SueM in MN]

No one can tell you whether or not you could for sure do that. You can choose those attractions for your Fastpass choices - that way there won't be any question.

Your husband can ride with one child while you stay with the other 2 children. When he is done, you would ride with the other child while he stays with the child who already rode and the 2 yr old.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

I just bought these- http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NK...headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=51LPkgaY+ML&ref=plSrch so I'll have a few weeks to see how well they work.

As far as having DS2 and DD7 while DH is with DD4, since DS is in a stroller I should be ok since I will be out in the open. Mickey bars can always be used to smooth things over while we wait for DH!

As far as other problems, when I am exposed to loud, repeated sounds or bright flashing lights that i can't escape I get a cascade of symptoms including speech delays and a stutter, word retreival slows down, comprehension slows, migraine and dizziness and I walk as if I'm intoxicated. It could be something as simple as a child crying loudly, someone behind me laughing excessively loud, or a child with a blinking spinning light-up mickey toy and if I'm in line, I'm stuck and can't escape. The longer I am exposed the worse my symptoms are. If I'm out in the open I can just walk away. I plan on using my earplugs when I'm in the parks which filter out high and low sounds but still allow me to hear conversations. The headphones will be used when I'm in short lines to avoid any worsening of symptoms or when I'm in a jampacked area, like sitting and waiting for a parade when I can't simply walk away. Long lines will have to be avoided- wearing the headphones longer than 15-20 minutes is bothersome because I also have prescription glasses and sunglasses that will help me with my focusing problems and light sensitivity since my eyes are out of wack from the accident. I also can't stand still for long periods- I start to sway due to problems with balance. So inching along in a slowly moving line would be torture for me. I know the DAS will not assist me with this specific problem as it can be solved if I'm in a wheelchair.

I have lots of strategies I use daily to help manage my symptoms, but I know my symptoms will be extremely heightened due to my "new" environment, the heat, stress of 3 kids in a theme park, etc. Most days we're doing a max of 3 hours in the parks then going back to the hotel to rest and come out again in the evening for a few more hours. We have days for rest built into the schedule and our days of commando touring are on hold for now.

 

[SMD]

You could get 2 FP+ for a 2 different rides instead of 4 FP+ for a single ride and then either switch Magicbands/tickets or switch off who rides first and use rider swap with the FPs. Then you wouldn't be as dependent on DAS to bypass the queues with the most sensory issues.

 

[gap2368]

I just bought these- http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NKSMPZW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1463713739&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=noise+headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=51LPkgaY+ML&ref=plSrch so I'll have a few weeks to see how well they work.

As far as having DS2 and DD7 while DH is with DD4, since DS is in a stroller I should be ok since I will be out in the open. Mickey bars can always be used to smooth things over while we wait for DH!

As far as other problems, when I am exposed to loud, repeated sounds or bright flashing lights that i can't escape I get a cascade of symptoms including speech delays and a stutter, word retreival slows down, comprehension slows, migraine and dizziness and I walk as if I'm intoxicated. It could be something as simple as a child crying loudly, someone behind me laughing excessively loud, or a child with a blinking spinning light-up mickey toy and if I'm in line, I'm stuck and can't escape. The longer I am exposed the worse my symptoms are. If I'm out in the open I can just walk away. I plan on using my earplugs when I'm in the parks which filter out high and low sounds but still allow me to hear conversations. The headphones will be used when I'm in short lines to avoid any worsening of symptoms or when I'm in a jampacked area, like sitting and waiting for a parade when I can't simply walk away. Long lines will have to be avoided- wearing the headphones longer than 15-20 minutes is bothersome because I also have prescription glasses and sunglasses that will help me with my focusing problems and light sensitivity since my eyes are out of wack from the accident. I also can't stand still for long periods- I start to sway due to problems with balance. So inching along in a slowly moving line would be torture for me. I know the DAS will not assist me with this specific problem as it can be solved if I'm in a wheelchair.

I have lots of strategies I use daily to help manage my symptoms, but I know my symptoms will be extremely heightened due to my "new" environment, the heat, stress of 3 kids in a theme park, etc. Most days we're doing a max of 3 hours in the parks then going back to the hotel to rest and come out again in the evening for a few more hours. We have days for rest built into the schedule and our days of commando touring are on hold for now.

you are going during busy time of year so even the FP lines could be really long ( more then 15 minutes and getting out of line is not fun) I would bring a very light wheat hoody to keep out some light that is nothing you. sunglasses also help . are you going to use a wheel chair for your balance problems or a cain might be better since your DH will be pushing the stroller. I would also FP your top rides incase you do not get a DAS pass. and do rope drop as the lines are shortish the earlier you go. it sounds like fire works will be a no go for you so I would skip then along with the night time show. Disney brings out things that flash light at night to sell and they have the light in the theam park darker so it can be hard to see whee you are going.

 

[Roobear77]

I will tell you what our experience has been. We have found that when you approach the CM for a rider swap, they don't care how you are waiting. I have never had a CM ask or watch to see which line my DH went in after asking for the swap ticket/lanyard.
So, if it is a ride you are using a DAS return time for, YOU need to be the one who rides first. It cannot be your husband, as the return time is for YOU. So everyone go up to the podium, show them the too small child. Get the rider swap ticket/lanyard, hubby and kids not riding go do whatever, you and whoever is riding with you go to the tapstiles and scan your bands (remembering that if it is a DAS return YOU must scan first). Ride the ride, and then whenever hubby and/or other kids are going to ride they simply present the CM at the FP entrance with the rider swap ticket and go through FP line.

Now, that being said, there are all sort of reports about CMs not doing what you expect. So take it with a grain of salt.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I will tell you what our experience has been. We have found that when you approach the CM for a rider swap, they don't care how you are waiting. I have never had a CM ask or watch to see which line my DH went in after asking for the swap ticket/lanyard.
So, if it is a ride you are using a DAS return time for, YOU need to be the one who rides first. It cannot be your husband, as the return time is for YOU. So everyone go up to the podium, show them the too small child. Get the rider swap ticket/lanyard, hubby and kids not riding go do whatever, you and whoever is riding with you go to the tapstiles and scan your bands (remembering that if it is a DAS return YOU must scan first). Ride the ride, and then whenever hubby and/or other kids are going to ride they simply present the CM at the FP entrance with the rider swap ticket and go through FP line.

Now, that being said, there are all sort of reports about CMs not doing what you expect. So take it with a grain of salt.

As this previous poster stated take it with a grain of salt because many are trained that a DAS and rider swap do not go together since the DAS user must ride and the rider swap ticket is good for the rest of the month. It doesn't have to be used immediately or even the same day. This is from a WDW attractions MK CM.

 

[DisneyOma]

I just bought these- http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00NKSMPZW/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?qid=1463713739&sr=8-3&pi=SY200_QL40&keywords=noise+headphones&dpPl=1&dpID=51LPkgaY+ML&ref=plSrch so I'll have a few weeks to see how well they work.


As far as other problems, when I am exposed to loud, repeated sounds or bright flashing lights that i can't escape I get a cascade of symptoms including speech delays and a stutter, word retreival slows down, comprehension slows, migraine and dizziness and I walk as if I'm intoxicated. It could be something as simple as a child crying loudly, someone behind me laughing excessively loud, or a child with a blinking spinning light-up mickey toy and if I'm in line, I'm stuck and can't escape. The longer I am exposed the worse my symptoms are.

There are a lot of attractions you will not be going on if these are your triggers.

Avoid:

Space Mountain
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Stitch's Great Escape
Winnie the Pooh (possible trigger in the Tigger scene)
TTA (since it goes through Space Mountain)
Dinosaur
Expedition Everest
RnR
Voyage of the Little Mermaid (possible trigger with the overhead lighting)
Muppets 4D (the scene at the end - lights/sounds)

I know I missed some, but these are the attractions I know cause me a little discomfort, and some of your triggers are close to mine. My responses to the triggers are migraine/dizziness.

DAS should work with Child Swap. It works with FP+, and the DAS is electronic now so it should be the same procedure.

Definitely use FP+ or DAS for Under the Sea (Journey of the Little Mermaid) That queue is pretty, but echoes.

 

[GinnyBear's_mom]

Thanks everyone! Lots to think about. I'll go back to the drawing board with some of my fastpasses just in case CMs do not allow child swap with DAS (and assuming I qualify for DAS in the first place!). Hard to plan when there's so much up in the air, but at least I got my daughters fastpasses for Frozen Ever After and Jungle Book this morning so I will celebrate that small victory at least lol!

 

[SueM in MN]

It's also important to know that not every attraction offers Rider Switch. You can only get it at those that do.
This is the WDW web page about Rider Switch and includes a link to a list of attractions that offer it.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/rider-switch/