DAS Pass for a person with a prosthetic ?

[mansionterror]

Hi all!

I just got off the phone with Guest Relations because I had submitted a request for a shower bench for my husband. AT the end of the call the cast member I spoke with asked me if I knew about the DAS pass. I told her vaguely as we used it when my husband first got his prosthetic (10 years ago) and was using a scooter on our trip. She said we should request one for this trip to eliminate the need to stand in long lines. I have been reading the information post for DAS and am not sure if he would qualify for a pass or not. I know they have made many changes for the requirements to issue a pass. If lines are short enough he is fine to stand in them but if there is an exceptionally long line it does cause him pain to stand on his prosthetic. Does anyone have any experience with DAS and being a prosthetic wearer?

 

[olive]

My father has two prosthetic legs. He can't stand on them for long at all, and only with a walker. At Disney, he doesn't use a DAS, but does use a scooter. His typical accommodation is to use the wheelchair entrances where those exist. Your husband seems more mobile outside of his wheelchair, and may be able to access more rides physically than my father. Definitely visit guest services to discuss with them. Since my dad rides such a limited number of rides at Disney, the wheelchair queue is a sufficient accommodation for him. It may be for your husband, as well. We have other family members who use a DAS that limits waits in lines. For any line, the DAS allows a return time. Rather than waiting in the regular line, your husband could return and go through the FP line either walking or in his scooter. This may be more appropriate for your husband! Then he can decide based on how long a line is. It also will help for situations with unexpected delays. That could cause serious issues with pain when a ride goes down/offline and he is standing on his prosthetic.

Good luck!

 

[mansionterror]

Thank you so much! We typically don't have to use one however with the longer lines due to distancing I figured it may be a good idea this year.

 

[gap2368]

I would think a ECV would help him more then the DAS would

 

[SteveMouse]

DAS is typically not issued when the problem is stamina or mobility-related. Usually, Disney would recommend the use of a mobility device such as a wheelchair or ECV. You are, of course, welcome to ask Guest Services when at one of the four main parks.

 

[livbeatles]

My dad is a also a prosthetic wearer and we have been firmly denied when our DAS request was misconstrued as being related to his amputation/prosthetic, and they will direct you towards a mobility device instead. Of course, you may be granted the request, but I'd be prepared for a 'no.'

This past trip was actually the first where my dad used a wheelchair in the parks while also wearing his prosthetic leg, and I have to say, it was a game changer. We simply parked it when he didn't want to use it and he just walked through the ride/shop, but he also admitted that it made the overall experience for him more enjoyable, just in terms of getting from land to land. He was able to be more relaxed and take in the environment, theming and details, rather than worry about the ground (and people) around him and the aches and pains associated with Disney-distance walking. (Granted, someone driving an ECV will still need to pay attention to the people in front of them! A wheelchair is the right choice for our situation, though I know many prefer ECVs)

 

[mansionterror]

Thank you for all the responses. We haven't even thought about it in 10 years. I don't think he will want to deal with an ECV. We will certainly inquire about the DAS but no big deal if they won't give him one. Honestly, it surprised me the year he did get one (since he was in an ECV that the cast member clearly saw). We are celebrating his 50th so I know it will be a great trip.

 

[KPeveler]

You may want to consider a wheelchair or ECV because of all the walking/standing outside of lines. It could be a lengthy wait for a bus, especially if you are trying to ride at peak times, like opening or closing. There are no trams, so if you are driving, there will potentially a LONG walk. Now that restaurants have mobile order, the seating is blocked off until you have your order, so he cannot go sit down while you get food. Not sure if nighttime shows will be back by then, or fireworks, but the DAS doesn't work for that either. Plus Disney is increasing capacity, so lines will definitely not be shorter than they are now when you go back.

You could rent a wheelchair and he could push it empty (or with your park bags in it), then sit down when you come to a place you need it, like lines or mobile order queues. You could park it in an area, then walk around as much as he wants to, then he can sit down again. Just a thought!

 

[DisneyOma]

Thank you so much! We typically don't have to use one however with the longer lines due to distancing I figured it may be a good idea this year.

The lines may seem "longer" but they are constantly moving as there is no FP queue to stop the loading process. Can he walk the park (5-8 miles a day) without issue? If so, he may find the queues much more accessible now that FP isn't in play.

 

[mansionterror]

Yes he can manage the parks for that long. He knows his limits and takes breaks as needed

 

[cobright]

I would think a ECV would help him more then the DAS would

I had a client once that was being offered a job but he had requested a 3 month accomodation letting him off work that would require 2 hands. He was being fit with a Vader robotic hand that would allow him to work without restriction but would take a few months to get up to speed.

In this line of work there is plenty he can do with just one arm. The main thing he didn't want to be doing was working on a ladder 1-handed. I'd told him, and others to make this sort of request before and never heard of it being refused. But the hiring manager replied by forwarding the company's HR person's reply, something like, "Can't he just get a hook? Tell him to use a hook."

I rather thought the HR person was making a cruel joke and the manager was an idiot that took it seriously. But like the common suggestion that the OP's husband just get a wheelchair, this person's suggestion would solve my friend's problem, at the expense of some dignity.

Does anyone have any experience with DAS and being a prosthetic wearer?

I build custom prosthetics and mobility tech and a couple of my Florida clients are amputees. Up until the pandemic WDW was my regular haunt and proving grounds for changes made to a client's system. Here's my experience.

Guest relations will often tell you that mobility issues are accommodated by way of wheelchair access to rides. But usually someone with a lower prosthetic is not immobile. It isn't even often a stamina issue. Even with a great prosthetic, force against the end of the terminated limb will cause damage.

To many (including plenty of GR cast members) this is a distinction without a difference. I've argued my client's case (so to speak) successfully a couple times by comparing standing on a prosthesis to someone with a solar sensitivity standing in an outdoor line. That person can probably walk from place to place but even with sunscreen will be damaged by standing in an outdoor line. Disney would never tell such a person to simply wear full body covering clothes.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I had a client once that was being offered a job but he had requested a 3 month accomodation letting him off work that would require 2 hands. He was being fit with a Vader robotic hand that would allow him to work without restriction but would take a few months to get up to speed.

In this line of work there is plenty he can do with just one arm. The main thing he didn't want to be doing was working on a ladder 1-handed. I'd told him, and others to make this sort of request before and never heard of it being refused. But the hiring manager replied by forwarding the company's HR person's reply, something like, "Can't he just get a hook? Tell him to use a hook."

I rather thought the HR person was making a cruel joke and the manager was an idiot that took it seriously. But like the common suggestion that the OP's husband just get a wheelchair, this person's suggestion would solve my friend's problem, at the expense of some dignity.



I build custom prosthetics and mobility tech and a couple of my Florida clients are amputees. Up until the pandemic WDW was my regular haunt and proving grounds for changes made to a client's system. Here's my experience.

Guest relations will often tell you that mobility issues are accommodated by way of wheelchair access to rides. But usually someone with a lower prosthetic is not immobile. It isn't even often a stamina issue. Even with a great prosthetic, force against the end of the terminated limb will cause damage.

To many (including plenty of GR cast members) this is a distinction without a difference. I've argued my client's case (so to speak) successfully a couple times by comparing standing on a prosthesis to someone with a solar sensitivity standing in an outdoor line. That person can probably walk from place to place but even with sunscreen will be damaged by standing in an outdoor line. Disney would never tell such a person to simply wear full body covering clothes.

Bottom line is that if an issue can be resolved with a mobility aid, the Disney expects the guest to use a mobility aid. It isn’t about preference or which accommodation someone wants, it’s about what works.

in this instance, a mobility aid would alleviate the pain caused by standing for a long time, so at that point, DAS becomes the preferred accommodation rather than what is actually needed.

Disney may well say yes, but they would be perfectly within their own stated policy to say no. The OP says they will manage without a DAS if needed, so it’s just a matter of what the CM decides to do.

 

[DisneyOma]

But like the common suggestion that the OP's husband just get a wheelchair, this person's suggestion would solve my friend's problem, at the expense of some dignity.

Getting a wheelchair (or a simple prosthetic while waiting for a better one to be made) is not at the expense of some dignity - it's comments like this that take away the dignity of a person, IMO. Using a tool of any kind does not reduce a person's dignity - it's how others respect that tool. To treat someone as less than because they are in a wheelchair, or not using a fancy tool is the problem in society.

 

[cobright]

Getting a wheelchair (or a simple prosthetic while waiting for a better one to be made) is not at the expense of some dignity - it's comments like this that take away the dignity of a person, IMO.

Think about it this way. Your telling someone who can walk just fine that his legs aren't good enough. That instead of a minor and largely invisible accommodation, the only way they will get to do the same things as everyone else is by adding a 50-250 pound clumsy machine. This, from a guy who builds custom wheelchairs.

It's telling someone that their sense of body identity, for just a few months, isn't worth a changed workload. You might not see the difference between a hand and a hook, but many people are rather attached to the hand. And this from a guy who what built a few hooks and specialized hand tools.

The goal should always be the least severe accomodation. Someone on the spectrum with sensory processing issues could perhaps be accommodated by putting them in a styrofoam cocoon and wheeling them through the line on a handtruck like a keg of beer. Not all of them if course, but certainly some of them, so why not try that first? The answers should be obvious. It would place an added expense on the guest and it would be humiliating.

I don't speak for mobility disabled ppl, my legs work fine, etc... But I've been there, when the decision that the chair is their best chance at a normal life is made... a few dozen times now. It's not an easy day. Now you're saying that sticking a guy in a wheelchair who can walk just fine and can stand pretty well is the best tier-1 remedy.

 

[Evita_W]

Think about it this way. Your telling someone who can walk just fine that his legs aren't good enough. That instead of a minor and largely invisible accommodation, the only way they will get to do the same things as everyone else is by adding a 50-250 pound clumsy machine. This, from a guy who builds custom wheelchairs.

It's telling someone that their sense of body identity, for just a few months, isn't worth a changed workload. You might not see the difference between a hand and a hook, but many people are rather attached to the hand. And this from a guy who what built a few hooks and specialized hand tools.

The goal should always be the least severe accomodation. Someone on the spectrum with sensory processing issues could perhaps be accommodated by putting them in a styrofoam cocoon and wheeling them through the line on a handtruck like a keg of beer. Not all of them if course, but certainly some of them, so why not try that first? The answers should be obvious. It would place an added expense on the guest and it would be humiliating.

I don't speak for mobility disabled ppl, my legs work fine, etc... But I've been there, when the decision that the chair is their best chance at a normal life is made... a few dozen times now. It's not an easy day. Now you're saying that sticking a guy in a wheelchair who can walk just fine and can stand pretty well is the best tier-1 remedy.

Exactly, the person knows their own limits and what is an appropriate accommodation for them.

I think most people are missing the original post, the person clearly was under the impression they shouldn't qualify for a DAS, but a WDW CM suggested they should inquire about one and they weren't sure if they should follow that advice or not. My suggestion is if you think it would help, go for it, but do be aware that it might actually cause more issues than it helps in this case, as you have to go to the attraction in most cases, with fewer benches around, you may have to go a fair distance away and then come back.

A wheelchair or ECV could help, but not sure, as I have not had experience with prosthetics, so I don't know if sitting for extended periods of time would cause issues. Again, the OP would know better than any of us. But if he needs a place to sit on occasion, would a walker with a seat built in be beneficial? I would suggest one of the canes (especially collapsible ones) with seats, but I have seen them turn people away with those.

 

[SteveMouse]

Think about it this way. Your telling someone who can walk just fine that his legs aren't good enough. That instead of a minor and largely invisible accommodation, the only way they will get to do the same things as everyone else is by adding a 50-250 pound clumsy machine. This, from a guy who builds custom wheelchairs.

The ADA does not require the provision of an individual‘s preferred accommodation or an accommodation that is the least restrictive, but only that an accommodation be provided. If the issue is with stamina or mobility, Disney‘s position is that a wheelchair or ECV are two tools that could be used to address the issue. Disney does not prohibit the use of canes, rollators, or other tools, but it does not have those available (and under the ADA, it doesn’t have to).

Disney is accustomed to dealing with a certain set of issues to be accommodated and has developed some tools and methods for addressing those commonly-occurring issues. I am sure there are some rare issues that occur that require more customized solutions.

 

[Brett Wyman]

DAS is typically not issued when the problem is stamina or mobility-related. Usually, Disney would recommend the use of a mobility device such as a wheelchair or ECV. You are, of course, welcome to ask Guest Services when at one of the four main parks.

DAS is not supposed to be used for any physical impairments mentioned above.

 

[seashoreCM]

RE: Being fitted with a (one) prosthetic hook and then being able to work on a ladder. Hold on to the ladder using your free hand while maintaining all good ladder usage habits, and perform the task using the hook. This way, if the hook should come off you don't fall.

If a wheelchair (or scooter) will alleviate or circumvent the impairment for which you might be requesting use of Disability Access Service then you do not need the DAS.

Do not feel bad about taking up a wheelchair if you have a prosthetic leg, given the miles of walking the average guest does in a typical day. Those with a temporary prosthetic i.e. walking cast, should get a wheelchair for part time use unless the doctor recommends walking all day using the cast.

 

[DisneyOma]

Think about it this way. Your telling someone who can walk just fine that his legs aren't good enough. That instead of a minor and largely invisible accommodation, the only way they will get to do the same things as everyone else is by adding a 50-250 pound clumsy machine. This, from a guy who builds custom wheelchairs.

It's telling someone that their sense of body identity, for just a few months, isn't worth a changed workload. You might not see the difference between a hand and a hook, but many people are rather attached to the hand. And this from a guy who what built a few hooks and specialized hand tools.

The goal should always be the least severe accomodation. Someone on the spectrum with sensory processing issues could perhaps be accommodated by putting them in a styrofoam cocoon and wheeling them through the line on a handtruck like a keg of beer. Not all of them if course, but certainly some of them, so why not try that first? The answers should be obvious. It would place an added expense on the guest and it would be humiliating.

I don't speak for mobility disabled ppl, my legs work fine, etc... But I've been there, when the decision that the chair is their best chance at a normal life is made... a few dozen times now. It's not an easy day. Now you're saying that sticking a guy in a wheelchair who can walk just fine and can stand pretty well is the best tier-1 remedy.

No, I am not at all - I am stating that the idea that it is in some way less dignified to have a certain prosthetic over another one, or using one at all is unhelpful. That's what I stated. If someone wanted to be in the queue with a device (that was safe) of any kind, be it earplugs, headphones, or your styrofoam, then let them and don't judge them for one device being "less than" another. People with disabilities are already collectively thought of as "less than" by some, let's not make tools they could use a judgemental issue as well.

 

[cobright]

The ADA does not require the provision of an individual‘s preferred accommodation or an accommodation that is the least restrictive, but only that an accommodation be provided. If the issue is with stamina or mobility, Disney‘s position is that a wheelchair or ECV are two tools that could be used to address the issue.

This isn't exactly true. Since WDW already issues 'return time' accommodations to others, they can't very well claim that issuing it to an amputee is an onerous burden.

Beyond that, the ADA has issued guidance before on how much choice the disabled person gets in what accommodations they have a right to. Take Segues and 'Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices' (OPDMD). The ADA wrote a guidance sheet in 2010 (i think) clarifying that unless the venue can show that a mobility device cannot be operated within reasonable safety standards, a venue may not choose what mobility tech a disabled person is allowed to use. Prior to this, some parks would prohibit any motorized wheelchairs from operating off paved trails, would prohibit wheelchairs powered by combustion engines, prohibit 2-wheeled mobility devices and so on.

Applied here, I would (and have) argue that a person who has replaced a lower limb with a prosthetic may not have either a mobility or stamina issue. The guest may have all the strength in the world necessary to remain upright. And yet... even the best prosthetics till must sandwich a bit of flesh and bone and prolonged weight bearing may not exhaust the guest while at the same time it is causing that guest injury.

By your reasoning Disney could throw away all their braille menus and such and assign blind guests a CM to follow them around and read everything to them. Never mind that many guests would prefer the braille and simply offering their literature in braille would be less of an imposition on the guest, as long as it works the guest's preference makes no difference.

I am stating that the idea that it is in some way less dignified to have a certain prosthetic over another one, or using one at all is unhelpful.

If you've gotten the impression that I think using a wheelchair is undignified I will apologize for expressing myself poorly. Pretty much the entirety of my free time for the last 7 or so years has been in improving access to wheelchair tech, improving the inclusivity of venues to mobility devices, and improving the experience had using mobility tech.

Using a wheelie, or a hook for that matter, isn't undignified. But refusing to make an easy accommodation to an amputee, one that the venue already makes for others, and instead requiring them to use assistive devices that they don't really need or may be personally uncomfortable with is infantilizing.