DAS Question about chronic illness and returning for vacation

[Piglet]

We have been several times to Walt Disney World with our daughter that needs the DAS. With the new system, do they keep the info on their computer, so that if we give her name they can look her info up from last time?

 

[KPeveler]

I think they can see that she has a DAS before, but I think they are supposed to ask every time what her needs are. This is likely to help them keep up with changing illnesses and disabilities. Often a person may have needed a DAS in the past, but may not now.

I have had a DAS since the start of the system. Sometimes I ask for it to be renewed, and they just do it. Sometimes they ask me to tell them again what my needs are. So either one could happen.

 

[SueM in MN]

We've used DAS since it rolled out in 2013.
We come back to WDW about every 6 months. Since they started doing it electronically, they have been able to just read her Magicband. They have usually asked whether her needs are still the same.

It's always possible that the information could be lost or you could be asked more questions, but it should be pretty straightforward most of the time

 

[gap2368]

I go to disney about once a month and like sue said they will scare her MB ( they have never asked me if my needs have changed but I might have forgotten) they might take her picture again ( they seem to take mine ever other time I get mine)

the worst that could happen is your will need to reexplain her needs and if she has had one in the past she should be go to go.

 

[Piglet]

Thank you all!! It is such a complicated disease and I don't mind sharing about her, but sometimes it gets tiring explaining it so much! Even to medical professionals as I am sure many of you can understand!!

 

[lanejudy]

No need to explain the disease -- just a few simple sentences about how she is impacted by waiting in a standard queue environment. Most CMs won't understand medical diagnoses and terminology -- heck, I've had to explain my DD's diagnosis to many specialists who aren't familiar with it. You are also welcome to write down bullet points if that helps save you from talking about it.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[Piglet]

No need to explain the disease -- just a few simple sentences about how she is impacted by waiting in a standard queue environment. Most CMs won't understand medical diagnoses and terminology -- heck, I've had to explain my DD's diagnosis to many specialists who aren't familiar with it. You are also welcome to write down bullet points if that helps save you from talking about it.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thank you! I think I will do just that!

 

[KPeveler]

Thank you all!! It is such a complicated disease and I don't mind sharing about her, but sometimes it gets tiring explaining it so much! Even to medical professionals as I am sure many of you can understand!!

I have EDS, which is quite complicated. And I can guarantee that no GR CM will have a clue what that means. It can mean anything from a bad heart to bad joints to bad skin... I never give them my diagnosis, I just say "I have a medical condition that causes problems with..." or "a medical condition that keeps me from..." Then I explain my problems.

I hope that helps.

 

[memakwed]

I agree with everyone they will just scan her magic band and everything will be quite manageable just asking if anything has changed but I wanted to add that last visit the CM did require that all in my party be there and scanned everyones band after mine where before I had gone by myself and had my mb scanned. My last trip was in Oct. just so you can plan accordingly to have everyone close by if needed.

 

[SueM in MN]

I have EDS, which is quite complicated. And I can guarantee that no GR CM will have a clue what that means. It can mean anything from a bad heart to bad joints to bad skin... I never give them my diagnosis, I just say "I have a medical condition that causes problems with..." or "a medical condition that keeps me from..." Then I explain my problems.

I hope that helps.

Agree
You want to have it short, simple and only things that affect waiting in line.

I agree with everyone they will just scan her magic band and everything will be quite manageable just asking if anything has changed but I wanted to add that last visit the CM did require that all in my party be there and scanned everyones band after mine where before I had gone by myself and had my mb scanned. My last trip was in Oct. just so you can plan accordingly to have everyone close by if needed.

You will need to have your entire party with you when getting DAS authorized. They will first authorize it on the Magicband of the person with the disability.
Then, they need to scan the Magicbands of the rest of your group to link their Magicbands to the DAS holder.
You may not need the PEOPLE there, but you will need their Magicbands (some people have reported getting linked with just the Magicbands, no people, but I would suggest having the other members of your group present).

If a member of your group is not available, you can add them later. The whole group isn't needed to add someone, just the DAS holder and the 'new' person.

 

[ilovefh]

Just an FYI that I that I ran into last week and probably should have remembered! We were renewing DS's annual pass outside MK at guest relations and asked if she could renew his DAS. She said yes and told us it was all set. We went to use it and she hadn't renewed it. The line at guest relations in the park was crazy long so I sent DS, DH and DD to Starbucks while I waited with their bands. The CM informed me that he had to be with me in order to retake his picture. I didn't have my phone to call them back so I had to go to Starbucks, get him and come back and wait in line again, for the third time. DS was now a mess from having to wait in two guest relations lines and was trying to run away. The CM said he didn't need to retake his picture, which was super annoying because that was the whole reason I had to go get in in the first place. So he took a picture of him laying on the little couch inside guest relations.

I understand it's policy (although the guy that finally renewed it for us made it seem like a retaking a 2 month old picture was not a big deal), but even though you can get a return time without the person present you can't utilize it without the person who qualifies scanning their band first so it's not like we could have used it without him there.

So, moral of the story, you need the person that qualifies for the DAS with you when you renew it! (Side note, even though we have to renew every 14 days at Universal we don't have to bring DS into guest services to do it, which is nice!)