DAS, Fast Pass-Disneyland/DCA

[rafiki77]

It's been a long time and a lot has changed since the last time we went to Disneyland. My family of 4 (3 disabled) are going to Disneyland and DCA on the 3rd and the 4th of November. My two kiddos are 15 and 11 but are intellectually around 9 and 6. They have high functioning Autism, Cerebral Palsy and my youngest has Epilepsy as well. They also have an inability to sweat enough to keep them from overheating. Rumor has it that the temperatures are going to be in the low 70's. Which makes our situation both needs for cognitive help, mobility help and the need for shade or A/C. My youngest will have her Special Needs Stroller. She can walk up and down stairs, but it takes her a long time to do so. I have mobility issues due to Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Pushing my youngest in her stroller is going to be like me using a walker. I have heard so many different things about getting a DAS or not needing to have a DAS. Plus the need for Fast Pass and not needing the Fast Pass. I know my youngest and I want to see "Frozen" and my oldest and his dad are probably going to want to do California Screamin'. Do we need a DAS? Do we need Fast Passes, what?? Thanks.

 

[Aladora]

Whether or not you get a das, definitely use fast passes. They can be used together quite effectively.

 

[SMD]

They're not doing FP for Frozen anymore, and no DAS for that show. If you get a stroller as wheelchair tag you can request accessible seating, which is available on multiple levels, so I'm not sure how they handle it, but I think it's just standby because the lines are accessible.

I would try to get a DAS for all 3, with the non-DAS holders added to each. If everyone is doing something together, get 3 returns. If you're splitting up, then you get 2 returns and 1 return. Just be aware that if you do use a stroller as wheelchair that you can't double dip and holda DAS return and a wheelchair return at the same time. You can hold FPs and DAS at the same time, so the best strategy will be a combination of DAS, FP and possibly rider swaps if you need certain seating configurations with the older 2.

 

[DisneyOma]

I would try to get a DAS for all 3, with the non-DAS holders added to each. If everyone is doing something together, get 3 returns.

I know at WDW you cannot be on more than one active DAS time at a time. I'd think Disneyland, which had the majority of GAC use/abuse, would also have something in place so people wouldn't be able to be in 3 virtual queues at the same time.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I know at WDW you cannot be on more than one active DAS time at a time. I'd think Disneyland, which had the majority of GAC use/abuse, would also have something in place so people wouldn't be able to be in 3 virtual queues at the same time.

You can be on more than one active DAS at a time, but you can't have an active wait time on more than one at a time.

 

[rafiki77]

Thank you everyone for the information. We were hoping to get 2 DAS cards with 4 people on each card. So we would get 1 card for A with 4 people on it, and 1 card for DJ with 4 people on it. I had heard they take photos of the person needing the DAS. Is that true? If we can do it the way I stated above then for rides like California Screamin' A can go on with Dad using the A's DAS while DJ and I sit out. DJ recently broke her back and at 11 years old has Osteoporosis in her spine. We will find out if she has osteoporosis through the rest of her body next week. Of course after we go on our trip.

 

[wilkeliza]

Thank you everyone for the information. We were hoping to get 2 DAS cards with 4 people on each card. So we would get 1 card for A with 4 people on it, and 1 card for DJ with 4 people on it. I had heard they take photos of the person needing the DAS. Is that true? If we can do it the way I stated above then for rides like California Screamin' A can go on with Dad using the A's DAS while DJ and I sit out. DJ recently broke her back and at 11 years old has Osteoporosis in her spine. We will find out if she has osteoporosis through the rest of her body next week. Of course after we go on our trip.

DAS holders can't be on another DAS holders card so if you only have 4 people in your party and 2 that need DAS you can put the 2 non-DAS holders on both cards but they can only have 1 return time at any given time. So your dad could have a DAS return time under A but could not have an active return time under DJ until the time on A's is used.

They do take photos for the DAS so you couldn't swap A and DJs to get extra rides on Screamin' or anything like that. On top of that just know that the DAS does not guarantee a shaded or A/C place to wait so make sure you plan ahead and know where you can go to get out of the sun and into A/C. The last time I was at Disneyland I remember it being very hard to find places indoors to sit and eat most were outside with fans.

 

[rafiki77]

DAS holders can't be on another DAS holders card so if you only have 4 people in your party and 2 that need DAS you can put the 2 non-DAS holders on both cards but they can only have 1 return time at any given time. So your dad could have a DAS return time under A but could not have an active return time under DJ until the time on A's is used.

They do take photos for the DAS so you couldn't swap A and DJs to get extra rides on Screamin' or anything like that. On top of that just know that the DAS does not guarantee a shaded or A/C place to wait so make sure you plan ahead and know where you can go to get out of the sun and into A/C. The last time I was at Disneyland I remember it being very hard to find places indoors to sit and eat most were outside with fans.

How would they know if another person with a DAS is on another persons DAS card? They only take the photo of the one person correct? So if DJ and I were in one line and A was with his dad in another line or further down in the line how would they know we were together? Obviously we wouldn't be talking to each other.

I don't remember DCA, but at Disneyland we have always eaten at a place in Fantasyland and had no problems finding a table indoors.

We are not trying to cheat Disney with the DAC cards. Just want to make sure that both kids can ride on the rides or go where they want to go with enough ease for everyone. (insert sarcastic laugh here)

 

[wilkeliza]

How would they know if another person with a DAS is on another persons DAS card? They only take the photo of the one person correct? So if DJ and I were in one line and A was with his dad in another line or further down in the line how would they know we were together? Obviously we wouldn't be talking to each other.

I don't remember DCA, but at Disneyland we have always eaten at a place in Fantasyland and had no problems finding a table indoors.

We are not trying to cheat Disney with the DAC cards. Just want to make sure that both kids can ride on the rides or go where they want to go with enough ease for everyone. (insert sarcastic laugh here)

Your ticket is linked to that DAS so it would show that A and DJ have their own DAS and thus wouldn't need to be on someone else's. Now you can be a non-DAS holder on mulitiple DAS cards but once you say you are riding with A you can't say you are also riding with DJ as when they scan A's card you will be marked as having a DAS return. The system uses your ticket to make sure you don't have more than 1 DAS return time. So A can have you and his dad on his card and DJ can have you and DJ dad on their card. You go up and say oh A needs a return time for Screamin with his dad riding with him. They scan A's card and mark A's dad but not you as riding. Then you say DJ needs a return time for Radiator Springs it won't let them choose A's dad just you unless A has already used their DAS return time.

So A and DJ can have their own cards but they can't be on each other's DAS. So if you all want to ride together you just get A and DJ return times that would be exactly the same time but if they want to go on different rides then you can say which people in the group are riding with each DAS holder.

It feels hard to explain through text.

 

[lanejudy]

The DC & DCA - Disability Access Service Card thread pinned near the top of this forum has up-to-date information about how the process works at the California parks. You only need to read the first post; the rest is old discussion. The DAS is now electronically tied to the ticket media, I don't believe they issue a paper card anymore. Each rider may only have 1 DAS return-time "active" regardless of how many DAS holders that guest is accompanying; and as mentioned if both kids have their own DAS I don't believe they can be tied to another DAS. If both kids wish to ride, you can get the same return time for both (and the rest of the party). If the kids wish to split up or can't/won't do the same attractions, the rest of the party will need to decide who to go with.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[SMD]

Have you checked the weather forecast? It supposed to be low to mid 80s, not 70s on your dates. I agree with PP, shade is at a premium in the parks, and seating with A/C is hard to come by without waiting for shows. You may want to think of back up plans for staying cool, like cooling towels, fans and/or carrying an umbrella to make your own shade.

 

[Nevada Jen]

When you are getting your kids DAS passes, also remember to get a stroller as a wheelchair tag for the special needs stroller. We go to DLR a lot. everyone is making it sound really complicated. Get DAS cards for both kids (hopefully), put all family members who dont have DAS cards on both cards at Guest relations. They will give you your first return time at guest relations. You can also get fastpasses for rides, just like a normal park goer. Finally, and this is where it does get confusing, most of the ride lines on the Disneyland side of the park are not wheelchair accessible. So for those rides you can either get a DAS return time from the umbrella stands with the plaids or you can get a return time right at the ride (sometimes they just let you right in the exit). You can't have both active at once but it does save you from sending a runner back to the stand. TO get wheelchair return times, you need the wheelchair person to be there with everyone at the ride. FOr DAS, you can send a runner with all the passes while everyone else rests.

A pro tip: Write the names of each person with a sharpie on their ticket on the back (but not covering the bar code). Then before you go get two clear lanyard pockets that attach to a lanyard. After you get into the park, and get the DAS passes, each parent should take theirs and one kids tickets and put them face to face inside the lanyard (and take a photo where you can see the numbers of the tickets). Then, when you are getting DAS rides added or using your ticket to ride, you can just have them scanned from the lanyard. by flipping it to one side and then the other. Otherwise you will be pulling those tickets out constantly. And I say before you go, because it is almost impossible to find completely clear ones at DLR.

I think you will have a great time at that time of year! Have fun!

 

[rafiki77]

Thank you everyone for your help. We had an amazing time. We arrived Wednesday and used our tickets towards a down payment for annual passes. Which helped us out tremendously. We were able to go that night after the expo and get our DAS passes and wheelchair tag. We were able to get 2 DAS passes. I didn't see the need to get one for myself. We spoke to two different cast members inside of Guest Services at DCA. I was put on my youngests pass and their dad was put on the oldest kiddos pass. It made it a little bit difficult for me because of my mobility issues but we got through it. We went on most rides together and somehow got linked up as a party of 4. So when they scanned one of the passes all of our pictures showed up. Which helped me a lot. We never figured out how to do a wheelchair pass instead of a DAS pass. I did do as Nevada Jen said in regards to putting the passes face to face. Some of the Cast members didn't understand what we were doing when we would flip the lanyard card holder. It confused them, while others thought it was the coolest thing. Thank you Nevada Jen!! Anyhow, thank you for all of your help. If someone can give me more info on the wheelchair return times that would be great. That way if I go without my kiddos (yeah me time!) then I can enjoy myself a bit more. My youngest and I were able to see Frozen. They do not do passes anymore for it. I had left her with her dad at the Animation Studios to draw. I took her stroller to help keep me upright and help save a spot for her. I was told by a cast member that I needed to have my whole party with me. I explained to them that that was NOT accessible, that the member of the other party was Autistic and could not wait in line for an hour. After talking with them another cast member mentioned that they had a seperate room that we could wait in. We just had to tell the person at the gate about our needs. I went back and got my little one and went with her up to the cast member and told them what I had just been told. He of course knew nothing about a seperate room. My little one stayed in her chair and we waited in an area with others in a wheelchair. Thankfully it was up against the building and there was shade. My phone was charged enough that she tried to keep herself occupied. We had a couple meltdowns in line but we made it through. She LOVED Frozen! She has agreed to see it again knowing that she will have to wait in line. Perhaps next time someone will know about the room. I do have to tell you the worst thing about the trip only because it's kinda funny. On Thursday night we were in Fantasyland at closing. The kids Dad left us and went to the Hotel to have dinner waiting for us. I haven't gone on Mr. Toads Wild Ride in 20 years. Because I HATE that ride!! The whole Hell scene creeps me out. I gave in to the kids and we went on the ride. Of course it broke down!! I have been going to Disneyland since I was like 2 years old. In other words a very very long time. I have never been on a ride that broke down. But of all rides this one broke down with me and my kiddos on it. My oldest was in his own car behind us. He was in the scene where the Judge says "Guilty" and is pointing! We were literally at the mouth of hell!!! The heat beaming down on us, the mouth right there in front of us. The eyes just staring at us!!! UGHHH!! Yeah neither kid wants to go on that ride again, and I don't blame them. I will not be going on it either! Thank you again for the help.

 

[SMD]

They only give out wheelchair return times if the return line is so long there's no room for people to wait. So if you go to the ride and they put in you in the HA line, they're not issuing returns. There are some rides that are typically so busy they're almost always giving out returns. It's usually Peter Pan, POTC and Space.

 

[Nevada Jen]

I don't know that I understand the wheelchair return times quite right either because we always use them in combination with a DAS but for instance, at Big Thunder, lets say you got a DAS time from a plaid at the stand. You trudge up the hill to the exit, which is where you enter with a wheelchair when you have a DAS return time. You ride the ride and come out the exit, you can get a return time for Big Thunder from the guy at the exit rather than walking all the way back to the plaid at the stand. I think we use wheelchair entry on the fantasyland rides. We generally go in the exit and they either let us on or tell us to come back in 5 minutes after they clear out the currently riding chairs or they give us a return time using their little scanner. With the wheelchair, there is no need to go back to the plaid at the stand to get DAS times. Those are the only times we use the WC entrance over the DAS because it is just too hard to get back to a guest relations stand with a wheelchair. LOL. Last time I rode Toad I literally thought, this would be the WORST place to get stuck at the exact location you are talking about!