DAS Issue - Can anyone help?

[JulieSharp]

Hiya

We haven't booked a holiday yet because the new DAS is putting us off.

Our Ds has non-verbal Autism, aged 17 but mentally 3 years old and does not understand queuing for long periods. He also uses a wheelchair due to not being able to walk for long periods.

Our Ds has been to Disney world loads of times and used the GAC with success. We used to go to a ride and the CM would tell us to use another entrance/exit and we would wait 10/15 minutes, then ride. We were able to get onto 5 rides and leave the park by lunchtime.

With the DAS, am I right in thinking that you go to a ride and the CM gives you a time to come back? If this is the case then my Ds will have a meltdown at every ride. Go to a ride but not ride, this will be very tricky for us. I feel in our particular situation using a kiosk would of been better.

Can anyone tell me if you stay on-site and use the early hours, when the queues may be lighter, or at line drop, could you just walk on a ride without using DAS?

Anyone with any experience ?

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Early mornings have short lines especially EMH. Your son does not have to be present to get the return time. My experience at universal with a similar system was we had to wait around at the ride entrance till our time or else my daughter would meltdown. Good luck.

 

[2tinkerbell]

By staying on site and utilizing DAS as well as FP, you will find that it works. Going early when crowds are low is also a big help. As far as riding 5 headliners and being back to the hotel by lunch depends on when you are planning on going.

Aladora has some great tips and strategies on how the DAS works and how she approached it with her son.

I wouldn't let the negative bother you from scheduling a trip. For every negative blog, or report, you will see more people who are having a good experience.

 

[ttintagel]

If you do have a DAS, and your party is bigger than just you an your son, someone else can go to the ride and get the return time so that your son doesn't have the "Go to a ride but not ride" experience, if that helps at all.

 

[JulieSharp]

Thanks everyone for your advice.

Ds just loves the Pirates of the Carribbean and he knows the route there.

 

[clanmcculloch]

Using FP+ and arriving at RD we were able to ride a lot by lunch without even using the DAS. A good touring plan is VERY helpful. Also, the rides that have alternate entrances for wheelchairs do not use FP+ for wheelchair users and those wheelchair lines are now for the most part shorter than they used to be since those who used that entrance due to non-mobility needs in the past now go through the FP+ line.

Here are a couple of my touring plans that worked perfectly (for us anyway; I assume you want different attractions but I'm sharing to show what we were able to accomplish).

Magic Kingdom

Day 1: Rope Drop 9:00
Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
Mad Tea Party
Journey of the Little Mermaid - Under the Sea
Enchanted Tales with Belle (FP+ 9-10)
Mickey's Philharmagic
Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin (FP+ 10-11)
Monster's Inc Laugh Floor (FP+ 11-12)
leave by 11:45 to get to lunch ADR

Day 2: Rope Drop 9:00
Peter Pan
It's a Small World
Jungle Cruise
Pirates of the Caribbean
A Pirate's Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Sea
BTMRR (2 FP+)/Aladdin (2 FP+) followed by Sorcerer Adventure
Columbia Harbour House 11:15
Haunted Mansion (FP+ 12-1)
this day we took a break and did something we almost never do; we went back to the park; it was the day after a resort day so everybody was rested up
Be Our Guest 4:35 ADR
MSEP 7:00 (FP+ 6:40-7:00)
Wishes 8:00
Tomorrowland Transit Authority
Monster's Inc Laugh Floor

 

[SueM in MN]

Look near the top of this board for a thread all about DAS at WDW.
The first post in that thread is FAQs about DAS and should answer all your questions.

DAS is actually working well for most people, especially if the use it in conjunction with Fastpass Plus.

I am on vacation right now at WDW and typing on my iPhone, so I can't link any of the threads where people reported their experiences, but there are several recent threads for WDW.
Despite being very busy for Spring break, we are doing well.

 

[Pooh2]

We went Thanksgiving week. By going for opening and then scheduling our 3 fastpass for afternoon/evening, we had a great trip and very little waiting online.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My 24 year old is similar. Autism, downs, not really verbal. We had great success with the DAS at DL in October 2013. (BUT, I will admit, their system looks better to me, with the kiosks giving return times for any ride in either park).

I am taking DS to WDW this October 2014 though, and I think we will do ok. If you have a spare person in your party, that person can get the return times, which might be helpful. Some rides, you use a WC entrance, and do not need to use the DAS pass for those (at DL resort, those were all at DL I think).

I don't have a 3rd person to get the return times, so I will have to work at distracting DS when we approach a ride and leave after getting a return time. Like for Space, he might be repeating "Space, Space" over and over, I will just have to say, "not yet", and get him onto something else nearby. I am not really sure how he will react, as this is all new.

Between arriving early, close to rope drop, and FP+, AND a DAS, I think we will do ok, and I hope you do, too. As I have said to others, if you really want to do Disney, and the new WDW system sounds unworkable, consider a trip out to DL. It is so much easier there in some ways. Parks right next to each other, NO busses to deal with (a blessing for me with DS alone, and his heavy chair), old fashioned FP machines, and an easier DAS distribution system.

(downsides include higher $$ airfare and more expensive $$ hotels, of course)

 

[Sunnywho]

We were able to get onto 5 rides and leave the park by lunchtime.

With FP+, you'll have reserved times for 3 rides, so it's just an additional 2 needed. I think touringplans might be a good resource for finding rides that have minimal wait first thing in the morning.

You could also get a DAS time at each of the rides you also have a FP+ for, so that you approach the ride, get the time written down, then ride immediately using FP+, then ride again using DAS as the time will probably be ready.

 

[JulieSharp]

Thanks for all your tips and letting me know your experiences of DAS. What a relief that we don't all have to turn up to the ride for a time slot, that's a few meltdown's averted. Dh is a faster on his feet than me, so he can have that job.

 

[SWofDisorder]

I was chatting online with CM friend of mine. I was also very concerned but he put it in a way that makes sense. You first get 3 fast passes, then you also get 3 DAS times. That makes 6 headliner rides in one day if needed.

We always go at rope drop. DH complains that I am so commando that we are not enjoying the park, but if you want to get the rides, get there at rope drop, go to the slow load rides like Dumbo, the rocket ships, your favourites. Then use the FP for the headliners that will build up. Finally use the DAS for rides your child really wants to be on but missed.

Good luck and let us know how your trip goes with the DAS.

 

[lanejudy]

... You first get 3 fast passes, then you also get 3 DAS times. That makes 6 headliner rides in one day if needed. ...

I just wanted to clarify here...there is no limit to the number of DAS return times one may obtain in a given day. The only limit is that you may only have 1 "active" return time on your card, so it must be used or crossed off to obtain another one.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[gilesmt]

I just wanted to comment, that it is not always true that you can send someone else to get your return time. We went for thirteen days in march. We only our DAS card 11 times, so with the new FP system it is very doable and for the most part even though it was spring break the lines where 15 minutes if you hit them right, DAS was usually used for repeat rides or afternoon rides.

But my one frustration was that on rides with long lines, especially long FP lines, were you had to get in line and get to the front to get the card signed and then get out of line and then get back in the lines and yes some of those lines were 10 minutes, well with space mountain, trek and soaring it was not true for us that someone else could get the card signed, they wanted the person with the disability whose picture was on the card there. Since I have not heard of this before, I am not sure if it is new policy, or if because I am an adult it would be different for a child or what, but it was our experience that the three times we sent my dd to get it signed for a return time without me she was not allowed to get it signed so we quit doing it.

People where say it can be done, but it does not state that on the card and each time I was not there my dd had to call me and make me come to that line to get it signed. ONLy our experience. For a child with autism I think this would be hard to get in space line for 10 minutes just to get it signed and have to get out of line for an hour, my disability does not cause that kind of frustration but be warned that at least some rides may work this way.

 

[SueM in MN]

I just wantedto comment, that it is not always true that you can send someone else to get your return time. We went for thirteen days in march. We only our DAS card 11 times, so with the new FP system it is very doable and for the most part even though it was spring break the lines where 15 minutes if you hit them right, DAS was usually used for repeat rides or afternoon rides.

But my one frustration was that on rides b] long lines, especially long FP lines, were you had to get in line and get to the front to get the card signed and then get out of line and then get back in the lines and yes some of those lines were 10 minutes, well with space mountain, trek and soaring it was not true for us that someone else could get the card signed, they wanted the person with the disability whose picture was on the card there. Since I have not heard of this before, I am not sure if it is new policy, or if because I am an adult it would be different for a child or what, but it was our experience that the three times we sent my dd to get it signed for a return time without me she was not allowed to get it signed so we quit doing it.

People where say it can be done, but it does not state that on the card and each time I was not there my dd had to call me and make me come to that line to get it signed. ONLy our experience. For a child with autism I think this would be hard to get in space line for 10 minutes just to get it signed and have to get out of line for an hour, my disability does not cause that kind of frustration but be warned that at least some rides may work this way.

Disney's official FAQs pages on their website all say that another member of your party can get a Return Time without the person the DAS is for is present.

https://wdpromedia.disney.go.com/me...sney-Parks-Disability-Access-Service-Card.pdf

So, those CMs who required you to be there were not correct. We just got back from WDW and all our Return Times were obtained by me or DH, without DD (the DAS holder) being present.

 

[Minuet888]

Since I am in LA and we don't have it what is the difference between fastpass and Fastpass+

 

[SueM in MN]

Since I am in LA and we don't have it what is the difference between fastpass and Fastpass+

Fastpass
- obtained at the attraction on the day of your trip
- first come, first served
- Fastpasses for popular attractions may be gone soon after the park opens
- When you go to the Fastpass machine, you take whatever time it is given; no choice of times
- as long as there are Fastpasses available, you can use them on whichever attraction you want
- there are some time omits to how frequently you can get a new Fastpass; after using the first one of in a time frame before using the first one
- the Fastpass is a paper 'ticket' that you present later to get on the attraction

Fastpass Plus
- arranged ahead of time; the amount of days ahead depends on where you are staying. WDW Resort guests can arrange them the farthest ahead.
You can also obtain them the day of your trip and edit your Fastpass Plus times by canceling or switching a time
- you get Fastpasses using the My Disney Experience (MDE) website or a MDE smartphone app. They can also be obtained from Fastpass Plus kiosks at the park
- WDW is saving some Fastpasses for distribution the day of your trip
- you can choose the time of your Fastpass Plus from a selection of times shown to you on the MDE app
- the Fastpasses are electronic and are saved on your My Disney Experience account. Each guest has a MDE 'user' associated with their ticket
- tickets have an RFID chip that can be scanned by Fastpass Plus readers at each attraction to read Fastpasses stored on your individual MDE profile and use the Fastpass Plus
-currently the attractions are divided into tiers, and you can only get one Fastpass Plus in the 'top' tiers
- currently, you can only make 3 Fastpass Plus times, but they recently rolled out ability to get more once you have used those 3

 

[Minuet888]

wow ok thank you for that explanation
I wonder why they don't have fastpass plus in Disneyland in LA
Something about fastpass though you said:
as long as there are Fastpasses available, you can use them on whichever attraction you want
but that's not true necessarily I think unless I am misunderstanding
If I get a fastpass at the Space mountain attraction it is only available for Space Mountain not anywhere I want.

 

[SueM in MN]

wow ok thank you for that explanation
I wonder why they don't have fastpass plus in Disneyland in LA
Something about fastpass though you said:
as long as there are Fastpasses available, you can use them on whichever attraction you want.
but that's not true necessarily I think unless I am misunderstanding
If I get a fastpass at the Space mountain attraction it is only available for Space Mountain not anywhere I want.

I was trying to be brief and inadvertently wrote something misleading.

It is as long as there are Fastpasses available for a particular attraction, you can get one for that particular attraction.
So, if there are still Fastpasses left for Soarin' at DL, you can get another, even if you already used a Fastpass for that ride today.

That is different (at least currently) at WDW with Fastpass Plus. Some WDW parks currently have tiers of rides, with only being able to choose one from the most popular tier. So, at Epcot, you can choose Fastpass Plus for Soarin' or Test Track, not both, and you could not get 2 for Soarin'
This is at least for now; it could change.

From what I have read, Disneyland will get Fastpass Plus, but not for a while.
There is a lot of pre-work, like getting RFID enabled passes, getting RFID readers at each attraction, re-configuring lines to add Fastpass Plus lines if they don't already have Fastpass. It's been in the works at WDW for at least a couple of years before it rolled out for testing in late 2013.

 

[Minuet888]

right after I get a Fastpass for Space Mountain and my FP says to come back at 8pm, (even though I got the FP at 1pm) an hour after I got the FP I can get another FP for any other attraction even Space Mountain.

What does RFID mean?
Is there a thread that has all of the abbreviations?
And thank you for explaining everything Sue you are the best!