DAS on Rides with Separate Wheelchair Entrances

[lovewdwfun]

We'll be traveling with my son who will have a DAS (autism and Down syndrome) and also a wheelchair. As I recall, there are some rides where getting a DAS is a waste, because either way we'll be directed to the same wheelchair entrance. Does anyone have a master list of these?

The one I recall is Spaceship Earth - with or without a DAS/Genie +, we went to the same separate wheelchair entrance.

Can someone remind me on Small World and Jungle cruise? Is there a benefit to using a DAS and getting a return time if you have to also wait in the accessible entrance? Are there any other rides like this I am forgetting?

On another note, this is our first year moving from "Stroller as a Wheelchair" to an actual wheelchair. Is there anything I should know?

Thanks!

 

[RoseGold]

Really depends on when you are going. If you are off-peak, Small World might be a 10 minute wait anyway, so no point in using DAS on it. But over Christmas break, whew.

 

[lanejudy]

It can be hit or miss - they may be issuing “wheelchair return times” when you arrive at the attraction, and therefore not allowed to enter the alternate entrance immediately. However if you have a DAS Return Time and arrive then, your “wheelchair return time” will be immediate because you already waited with the DAS.

 

[ajsamett]

Big thunder Mountain is a wheelchair comes in the back ride because the queues aren't wheelchair accessible

 

[SueM in MN]

We normally do use a DAS Return Time (or DAS Advance Selection) on both Jungle Cruise and Small World.
At Jungle Cruise, they give us a wheelchair return time of “now“ when we have a DAS Return Time. Other people we’ve seen without DAS Return Time get a wheelchair return time consistent with the Standby Wait Time.

At Small World, unless the Standby Wait is really short, we’ve been asked if we have a DAS Return Time before being let into the line. We have seen other people be given a wheelchair return time.

My daughter can’t do Space Mountain of Big Thunder, so I can’t speak for those.

Star Tours at the Studios does give wheelchair return times; we‘ve had a DAS Return Time and were let right in while a group behind us was given a wheelchair return time.

We have not been on Spaceship Earth recently, so I don’t know how it’s currently done. The last time we went, there was a CM with a clipboard taking names at the exit. I THINK those with DAS Return Time were put higher on the list if I remember correctly.

 

[OKWMom]

When we have gone to Big Thunder, unless it wasn't busy, (we go in January), they have given us a return time to come back to the wheelchair area unless we had a DAS time.

 

[PatMcDuck]

It DOES pay off sometimes to have either a DAS or Genie+ return time even for those rides, because otherwise you may get a WC return time. But if it is not busy, or CM just makes a decision, they let you right on.

 

[pryncess527]

It can be hit or miss - they may be issuing “wheelchair return times” when you arrive at the attraction, and therefore not allowed to enter the alternate entrance immediately. However if you have a DAS Return Time and arrive then, your “wheelchair return time” will be immediate because you already waited with the DAS.

This is what they were doing at Small World in Dec, the family in front of us was turned away for not having a reservation. I don’t know if they issued them one on the spot, I’d assume so

 

[BusterAndTheBanshee]

Here is our data point...

It's a Small World: This has a separate wheelchair line. We did get a DAS for the ride, but they put us onto the wheelchair line without checking our DAS reservation. So, for the ride, it seemed like a waste to get a DAS. It was actually a negative since we had to go to a cast member to "clear" our DAS reservation so that we could get one for another ride.

Spaceship Earth: The wheelchair entrance is in the exit area. Again, they did not check our DAS. They just let us on. So this seemed like another one where DAS would not provide any benefit.

Jungle Cruise: They let us through the LL line as they would for any ride with DAS. So that one seemed like it was a benefit to get DAS.

Regarding going from "Stroller as a Wheelchair" to a regular wheelchair, there is nothing special you need to know, other than cast members will no longer as to see your "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag. The first year we went with a regular wheelchair, we were a bit paranoid, so we got a "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag anyway. The CM didn't think it would be necessary, but still gave it to us to make us feel better!

 

[SueM in MN]

Here is our data point...

It's a Small World: This has a separate wheelchair line. We did get a DAS for the ride, but they put us onto the wheelchair line without checking our DAS reservation. So, for the ride, it seemed like a waste to get a DAS. It was actually a negative since we had to go to a cast member to "clear" our DAS reservation so that we could get one for another ride.

Spaceship Earth: The wheelchair entrance is in the exit area. Again, they did not check our DAS. They just let us on. So this seemed like another one where DAS would not provide any benefit.

Jungle Cruise: They let us through the LL line as they would for any ride with DAS. So that one seemed like it was a benefit to get DAS.

Regarding going from "Stroller as a Wheelchair" to a regular wheelchair, there is nothing special you need to know, other than cast members will no longer as to see your "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag. The first year we went with a regular wheelchair, we were a bit paranoid, so we got a "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag anyway. The CM didn't think it would be necessary, but still gave it to us to make us feel better!

For Small World, it’s variable. If the current wait time is low, they usually don’t give out wheelchair return times to use the wheelchair queue. In that case, having DAS would not make a difference. There are also times when the regular Standby Line is a short wait, but the wheelchair queue is full - in that case, they do give wheelchair Return times for guests who don’t have a DAS Return Time.
If the Standby Wait time is longer, they do check for DAS Return Times; those guests are let right into the wheelchair queue and other guests are given a DAS Return Time.
In our experience, there is usually a CM with a handheld scanner at that entrance to read Magicbands. If thry don’t read it, a DAS Return Time will still be active - it can be cancelled by CMs at the Guest Experience umbrellas or by one of your party in the app.

For Jungle Cruise, we need to bring our DD’s wheelchair in line and use the wheelchair accessible boat. When CMs see us, they usually try to give us a wheelchair return time to use the accessible entrance. When we say she has a DAS Return Time for it, they read all our Magicbands and give us a wheelchair Return time of ‘now’.

 

[BusterAndTheBanshee]

For Small World, it’s variable. If the current wait time is low, they usually don’t give out wheelchair return times to use the wheelchair queue. In that case, having DAS would not make a difference. There are also times when the regular Standby Line is a short wait, but the wheelchair queue is full - in that case, they do give wheelchair Return times for guests who don’t have a DAS Return Time.
If the Standby Wait time is longer, they do check for DAS Return Times; those guests are let right into the wheelchair queue and other guests are given a DAS Return Time.
In our experience, there is usually a CM with a handheld scanner at that entrance to read Magicbands. If thry don’t read it, a DAS Return Time will still be active - it can be cancelled by CMs at the Guest Experience umbrellas or by one of your party in the app.

For Jungle Cruise, we need to bring our DD’s wheelchair in line and use the wheelchair accessible boat. When CMs see us, they usually try to give us a wheelchair return time to use the accessible entrance. When we say she has a DAS Return Time for it, they read all our Magicbands and give us a wheelchair Return time of ‘now’.

Dumb question..... What is a "wheelchair return time"? My daughter uses a wheelchair but we have never gotten one of those. I should note that, while our daughter uses a wheelchair in the parks, she is able to transfer from the wheelchair to the rides.

 

[Kerr84]

Here is our data point...

It's a Small World: This has a separate wheelchair line. We did get a DAS for the ride, but they put us onto the wheelchair line without checking our DAS reservation. So, for the ride, it seemed like a waste to get a DAS. It was actually a negative since we had to go to a cast member to "clear" our DAS reservation so that we could get one for another ride.

Spaceship Earth: The wheelchair entrance is in the exit area. Again, they did not check our DAS. They just let us on. So this seemed like another one where DAS would not provide any benefit.

Jungle Cruise: They let us through the LL line as they would for any ride with DAS. So that one seemed like it was a benefit to get DAS.

Regarding going from "Stroller as a Wheelchair" to a regular wheelchair, there is nothing special you need to know, other than cast members will no longer as to see your "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag. The first year we went with a regular wheelchair, we were a bit paranoid, so we got a "Stroller as a Wheelchair" tag anyway. The CM didn't think it would be necessary, but still gave it to us to make us feel better!

Why couldn't you cancel it yourself? I thought it was allowed in the app?

 

[BusterAndTheBanshee]

Why couldn't you cancel it yourself? I thought it was allowed in the app?

This was before you could do DAS in the app. But you are right. If this had been in the app, we probably wouldn't have had to ask a cast member for help. Sorry for the confusion!

 

[lanejudy]

What is a "wheelchair return time"?

If either the posted Standby time is longer or if there is a back-up at the alternate (wheelchair) entrance, the CM may issue a "wheelchair return time." It's like a FP with a 1-hour window. If you have a DAS Return Time, the wheelchair-return-time is immediate.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

IME don't even bother using a DAS on the rides with a separate wheelchair entrance. Just get a "wheelchair return time" (also called a "location return time" by some CMs at some rides) and then you can get a DAS for something else during the same time. In either case (both DAS and WRT/LRT) you'll enter immediately through whatever the wheelchair queue is, though there may be a wait if there are others in the wheelchair queue. That is true for entry through the LL with a DAS as well, and unfortunately has been getting worse in the past year or two.

For things like Jungle Cruise they'll send you in the wheelchair entrance and, depending on whether you need the accessible boat and whether others in line also need the accessible boat, the wait can get long. The good thing is that you can see the size of the wheelchair line easily from outside the queue area, so you can swing by and see it's too long for your family to wait and do something else in the meantime.

To the best of my knowledge, at this point there is not a window on the DAS or the WRT/LRT. It just says "after x time". I have definitely used them much later in the day, including after going back to the hotel room or hopping to another park. Just know you can only have one of each type of return time at a time. This can be a real problem if you don't plan ahead, especially at MK because so many rides require a wheelchair-user to go through an alternate entrance.

 

[DisneyOma]

Just know you can only have one of each type of return time at a time. This can be a real problem if you don't plan ahead, especially at MK because so many rides require a wheelchair-user to go through an alternate entrance.

Why would having two return times set up be a real problem? You just have to wait for the time, while doing something else that doesn't require either access, which the DAS holder would be doing anyways?