DIS article: Visiting Disney World With a Disability Post DAS

[bluecruiser]

New article from Kelly Mack: Visiting Disney World With a Disability Post DAS

The article discusses her recent WDW visit after DAS changes that resulted in her not being approved for DAS. Quote from the article:

"We had to do a lot of work to manage things so that I would be as comfortable as possible, yet often I got worn out and experienced an increase in pain and fatigue. While Disney World used to be a vacation where I could take a break from daily accessibility battles to just relax and have fun, it no longer feels easy but instead is effortful. I felt a lot less welcome as a disabled guest and we observed many fewer visibly disabled people than in previous years. This has me wondering if the decision to reduce accessibility is a feature (on purpose) and not a bug (not accidental)."

More details on her trip are in the article.

 

[Genie+]

Is the “really only helps with a single attraction” in regard to heat/sun sensitivity, or just lines?

“In any case, we have learned through experience to visit the Parks from early morning rope drop to minimize time in the heat and sun, take long indoor lunch breaks for me to rest and recover, and know where to go inside when I need additional recovery time. I wear a large hat and strong sunscreen. We also carry cold bottles of water and a small cooler with ice packs to apply. We found we needed all these tools and strategies, yet still had to depart the Parks early when I was too tired and in pain to enjoy myself…

…We used the early half-hour to queue in attractions with outdoor lines that would be too hot for me later in the day. While this strategy is good, it really only helps with a single attraction. The rest of the time, we strategized where to go based on indoor queues and the length of the queue.”

With parks opening EE at 7:30am, 8am and 8:30am, I’m not sure I follow how it “really only helps with a single attraction”. Most people with heat/sun sensitivity (like myself) skip the 5 months of Orlando summer. If you’re visiting during the other 7 months (seems this article’s trip did just that unless they waited 2 months after trip to publish), then there is no way rope-dropping “really only helps with a single attraction” for the purposes of avoiding heat/sun.

I’m guessing that even though that phrase seems related to previously mentioned weather sensitivity, it’s more about length of ride lines?

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I have mixed feelings about the article. While it’s very easy to have sympathy for the challenges that a specific person faces, it also must be weighted against a) the impact to the overall park operations, b) what accommodations are necessary to more closely approximate the experience of a non-disabled guest, and c) what steps the guest have taken to self-accommodate. Even the definition of “essential accommodation” in cases like is not nearly as cut and dry as she might be implying.

I remember just after the changes were announced a guest complaining about the lack of DAS for sun sensitivity when it was pointed out that if you cannot be in the sun at all then it’s awfully hard to be in Florida in the summertime. Perhaps she might be better served coming in November/December/January when temps are cooler and the days are short?

With respect to her specific complaints, some can be dealt with with CM training (eg. inconsistencies in how rides are handled). At the same time I’m going to give Disney the benefit of the doubt when it comes to safety. I also think the excuse of “some children were behaving badly in lines and their parents weren’t doing anything about it so I should have DAS” is kind of thin.

At the end of the day Disney is not an easy trip for a lot of families, and plenty of people spend short days in the park or have to adjust their touring styles to work for their families. Her “long mid-day lunch breaks” are a very common strategy, as is going back to the hotel for a mid-day nap/swim/get out of the sun.

If you think of the range of what Disney experiences might look like for guests - anywhere from “VIP/Premier access to LLs to waiting in lines all day long to waiting in lines for part of the day to life is so hard that I can barely make it through the entrance", perhaps she went from well above average (with DAS) to below average (without), but that’s not the same thing as barring the gates and making something impossible to visit.

 

[Genie+]

Discussing impact to disabled community is one thing, discussing that WDW is being hostile and trying to discourage disabled from attending is entirely different. Needs more proof and more context to lead a charge throwing around accusations like that.

 

[lanejudy]

If you’re visiting during the other 7 months (seems this article’s trip did just that unless they waited 2 months after trip to publish)

I believe her visit may have been in Sept. 2024 (maybe earlier) -- based on a pre-trip article with a published date of Aug. 23rd. I don't know how long it takes to write and subsequently have an article published.

 

[jennab]

At the end of the day Disney is not an easy trip for a lot of families, and plenty of people spend short days in the park or have to adjust their touring styles to work for their families. Her “long mid-day lunch breaks” are a very common strategy, as is going back to the hotel for a mid-day nap/swim/get out of the sun.

This is 100% me. I have my own disabilities and know my limits. Even with my son having DAS in the past I was still in pain and fatigued and needed breaks. We could never do open to close parks even with DAS. It’s just not possible. Many people are in that same situation.

If heat and sun are problems, maybe it’s best to visit Nov-Feb timeframe…. I also find it gross to insinuate that Disney WANTS less disabled people. Cmon now…

 

[OurBigTrip]

This is 100% me. I have my own disabilities and know my limits. Even with my son having DAS in the past I was still in pain and fatigued and needed breaks. We could never do open to close parks even with DAS. It’s just not possible. Many people are in that same situation.

If heat and sun are problems, maybe it’s best to visit Nov-Feb timeframe…. I also find it gross to insinuate that Disney WANTS less disabled people. Cmon now…

Yeah, this article has much the same tone as her last one...

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

New article from Kelly Mack: Visiting Disney World With a Disability Post DAS

The article discusses her recent WDW visit after DAS changes that resulted in her not being approved for DAS. Quote from the article:

"We had to do a lot of work to manage things so that I would be as comfortable as possible, yet often I got worn out and experienced an increase in pain and fatigue. While Disney World used to be a vacation where I could take a break from daily accessibility battles to just relax and have fun, it no longer feels easy but instead is effortful. I felt a lot less welcome as a disabled guest and we observed many fewer visibly disabled people than in previous years. This has me wondering if the decision to reduce accessibility is a feature (on purpose) and not a bug (not accidental)."

More details on her trip are in the article.

If you look at her past articles in 2023 and both in 2024 there are problems she has with DAS as a program. It seems when things go perfectly for them there's nothing to complain about, but if any changes occur to the program that they don't like it Disney is being exclusionary and punishing.

For instance she even found fault with social distancing while going to the parks in 2020 during the pandemic!...as in the social distancing creating longer lines and thus she was in the sun and using up her wheelchair battery which okay wow. And then she complained about the buses and social distancing.

In 2023 she felt Disney was punishing disabled planners when there was a rule change then.

You can't discount how someone is feeling but it is cherry picking people's views. The contributor seems to just have a rough go at WDW with the program.

But their reviews on rides, areas and hotels with respect to accessibility would be good information for someone.

 

[HopperFan]

I have mixed feelings about the article. While it’s very easy to have sympathy for the challenges that a specific person faces, it also must be weighted against a) the impact to the overall park operations, b) what accommodations are necessary to more closely approximate the experience of a non-disabled guest, and c) what steps the guest have taken to self-accommodate. Even the definition of “essential accommodation” in cases like is not nearly as cut and dry as she might be implying.

I also have sympathy for the challenges the writer has. Adult DS is permanently developmentally disabled with physical issues as well. I have had RA for 60 years and very very fortunate mine did not progress severely as hers has (I am sitting here with ice packs on).

Her article and other experiences shared have one thing in common ~ they are written from a very personal point of view. Disney is not doing this to punish anyone, this is not personal, they are doing this because DAS was impacting operations. Having been twice since the new program, the LL has been markedly improved. Guests paying for the LL service expect it to be fluid, not bogged down. And LL is available for anyone to buy.

She feels Disney is deliberately punishing the disabled and treating them poorly in person??? DS and I felt no indifferent or unkind treatment from CMs. Our first night at MVMCP DS had a medical incident in the final queue and a manager was there quickly and got me a wheelchair and assisted as much as I wanted. We had a few other positive experiences that were a result of his disability. In all of our trips (there have been many) we have never felt dismissed or mistreated.

All her "having to strategize" their days is no different for anyone, and it is a part of life for those with disabilities. I said before DS was approved that if he was not it would be on me to restructure our days to get there early, be there towards the end of the day, take breaks during the worse part of the day, buy LL, maybe extend our trips to do shorter days. We must take responsibility for our vacations utilizing our own tools, and any tools we can obtain. Making good choices for times of year, how we'll do transportation, what are the best dining options for us, keeping on top of triggers. It is not Disney's job nor do they owe us anything. I find WDW an accommodating and welcoming place, with plenty of options for everyone.

I get the disappointment with a hard trip but it's not on Disney. Our trip last week was rougher, we ended up not getting to park until hours after opening, one day we made it 4 hours, one day we didn't make it at all. We missed lots of rides this trip. It happens, it is the world we live. It is the risk we take when we travel. We don't expect anyone to make up for those things.

Personally not even sure the point of the article, it really was just a personal complaint. What I'd like to read is folks who might have been in the situation of no DAS (any of us who have been approved might not be next time) and what things they found really helped with their day. I'm sure there are some great tips and little known things folks could take advantage of to make the most of a day with challenges. What rides were easier to find a solution, just knowing going in what others experienced is way more helpful! than lots of complaining.

 

[jennab]

All her "having to strategize" their days is no different for anyone, and it is a part of life for those with disabilities. I said before DS was approved that if he was not it would be on me to restructure our days to get there early, be there towards the end of the day, take breaks during the worse part of the day, buy LL, maybe extend our trips to do shorter days. We must take responsibility for our vacations utilizing our own tools, and any tools we can obtain. Making good choices for times of year, how we'll do transportation, what are the best dining options for us, keeping on top of triggers. It is not Disney's job nor do they owe us anything. I find WDW an accommodating and welcoming place, with plenty of options for everyone.

100%. We all have to be responsible for our trips too. We go usually when it’s less busy and lots of times do early mornings to not have as many crowds. Even people who don’t have disabilities might need to plan or take breaks.

 

[mistysue]

I really feel for her, and it sucks to feel like things are unfair.

It's really hard to read that and not keep hearing myself think "that's everyone though isn't it?" Like it's not good for anyone to spend hours standing in the sun and heat. I was born pale and burn like an ant under a microscope, but it isn't really anyone else's responsibility to require others sacrifice to accommodate me on it. I get it's a weird comparison and we don't know if she has a specific anti-sun/heat issue, but married to someone with natural pigment I really see the difference in how to wears on different people, no disability required. We had to learn I can't go in the late Summer because I can't take it, but there's no documentable reason why, my body just can't with the heat and the sun, and it's sort of not Disney's fault. You'd find me mid-day camping out in a store because I wanted to pass out from sitting on the curb.

Park touring in the heat and the sun is terrible and some people are also disabled to top it off. The average guest still has to deal with the sun and the heat too. And with how the long lines and poorly behaved children wear out our batteries (figuratively and in her case also literally). Someone who goes during that sort of weather and doesn't get an effect from it was certainly getting an above par experience before.

 

[steve456]

There are parts that I genuinely don't understand:

"[l] had to depart the Parks early when I was too tired . . . to enjoy myself. "
"it no longer feels easy but instead is effortful"

Aren't both of these normal experiences for visitors regardless of disability? If not I don't know how to reconcile that with all the complains I hear, exhausted people I see, my own experience, and the common advice people give non-disabled guests (e.g. plan mid-day breaks from the parks to recharge).

 

[mistysue]

There are parts that I genuinely don't understand:

"[l] had to depart the Parks early when I was too tired . . . to enjoy myself. "
"it no longer feels easy but instead is effortful"

Aren't both of these normal experiences for visitors regardless of disability? If not I don't know how to reconcile that with all the complains I hear, exhausted people I see, my own experience, and the common advice people give non-disabled guests (e.g. plan mid-day breaks from the parks to recharge).

There are certainly times when people forget the whole "grass is always greener" concept. It's hard because nobody can really judge how difficult things are for others. So it's common for ALL of us, regardless of status, to at times picture our experience as unfairly difficult. It sounds like that is a piece of what is going on here.

 

[Goldelpack]

Regarding the article itself: I never want to sound dismissive regarding other people's perception regarding their personal issues & challenges. I also have never believed that the DAS accomodations were a cure all for everyone or that it was ever intended to be. I completely recognize that parts had been very essential to guests and many of those parts take a lot more effort to use and figure out. By restricting, eliminating, changing or adapting these accomodations it seems people are really concluding that Disney is somehow trying to stop disabled guests overall - from enjoying, visiting, or whatever their imaginations can dream up.
Responsibility is generally something that starts and stops with the guest(s) and their traveling group. Disney is responsible for having GENERALLY safe, clean, accessible places for most to enjoy. It is important to realize that there's always going to be visitor's who needs more of this or that - or less. I can't see how it's Disney's responsibility to ensure that 100% of all visitors are completely accomodated.
I haven't ever used DAS. I have found ways to work with whatever my current needs are - and they change - sometimes without warning. The only thing I expect from Disney is that I get a room where my ECV can go (no steps). I request it in advance. If I have been given a room that isn't accessible - guest services fixes it immediately.
Shade - I despise shade for the most part because I feel exceptionally cold 90% of the time. When I do feel hot I turn the silly little fan on my ECV on and I'm generally good. This is completely opposite of most people. Should Disney remove all shade for me? Ha.
Even with full time ECV use I tire out pretty fast. I use to be able to park the ECV and wait in lines. No way. I usually don't head out to the parks until lunch time. WIthin a few hours I head back to resort for naptime. Then back out to a park. Back in the day I rope dropped, hopped, and made the closing event at whatever park. But all of this is my problem. What I'm saying is simple - I've taken the responsibility to adapt my trips to my needs and current abilities.

 

[dededuce]

There are parts that I genuinely don't understand:

"[l] had to depart the Parks early when I was too tired . . . to enjoy myself. "
"it no longer feels easy but instead is effortful"

Aren't both of these normal experiences for visitors regardless of disability? If not I don't know how to reconcile that with all the complains I hear, exhausted people I see, my own experience, and the common advice people give non-disabled guests (e.g. plan mid-day breaks from the parks to recharge).

If you think of the range of what Disney experiences might look like for guests - anywhere from “VIP/Premier access to LLs to waiting in lines all day long to waiting in lines for part of the day to life is so hard that I can barely make it through the entrance", perhaps she went from well above average (with DAS) to below average (without), but that’s not the same thing as barring the gates and making something impossible to visit.

You both really nailed it. Does anyone describe Disney as "easy" in 2024? If someone had so many years of an "easy" experience, they benefitted from a far above average experience, which is a much better track record than the average visitor.

 

[Miffy]

You both really nailed it. Does anyone describe Disney as "easy" in 2024? If someone had so many years of an "easy" experience, they benefitted from a far above average experience, which is a much better track record than the average visitor.

Agreed. Disney is only "easy" these days if you have unlimited funds and perhaps a VIP tour every day. For the rest of us, we have to plan, plan, plan, and then revise on the fly when needed. It's just part of the current WDW experience.

 

[WDWkristin]

Sun and heat sensitivity are such a tricky one. I don’t quite understand the logistics of getting around an expansive park in the sun and heat but then not being accommodated by a fan and umbrella once you get to the line. Maybe I need to reflect more and learn more about the disability, or maybe those are the people DAS was trying to weed out. I’m not sure.

 

[Mirabell Rose]

You both really nailed it. Does anyone describe Disney as "easy" in 2024? If someone had so many years of an "easy" experience, they benefitted from a far above average experience, which is a much better track record than the average visitor.

Disney IMO used to be ‘easy’. You could buy a park pass for 7-10 days for $20-$30 more for each day beyond 3. That meant that a lot of on site guests could do just a partial day at the park and not feel you had to be there from open until close. So even though attendance may have been the same, it wasn’t as crowded because of the people who were there only part of the day. You didn’t need dining reservations except for a few places, you didn’t need technology to skip a line, you pulled a paper fast pass, and you didn’t need a park reservation like pass holders still do. Your luggage was whisked away for you before it hit the baggage carousel and appeared in your room, you sat on a air conditioner motor coach and watched a Disney film to and from the airport, and you checked your luggage in at your hotel lobby on your return trip. It was easy. And for someone with a disability, who has so many daily struggles, I think easy is a bit more wonderful.

 

[dededuce]

Disney IMO used to be ‘easy’. You could buy a park pass for 7-10 days for $20-$30 more for each day beyond 3. That meant that a lot of on site guests could do just a partial day at the park and not feel you had to be there from open until close. So even though attendance may have been the same, it wasn’t as crowded because of the people who were there only part of the day. You didn’t need dining reservations except for a few places, you didn’t need technology to skip a line, you pulled a paper fast pass, and you didn’t need a park reservation like pass holders still do. Your luggage was whisked away for you before it hit the baggage carousel and appeared in your room, you sat on a air conditioner motor coach and watched a Disney film to and from the airport, and you checked your luggage in at your hotel lobby on your return trip. It was easy. And for someone with a disability, who has so many daily struggles, I think easy is a bit more wonderful.

I don't disagree -- we started coming in 2003 so I remember those days, too. But that article wasn't comparing 20 years ago without DAS to today without DAS, but 2024 before and after DAS. To describe visiting in 2024 as "easy" shows just how premier the DAS experience is, and why it has to be limited to those who truly need it.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

I was going to say the same thing. We can all mourn the loss of “easy Disney,” but that’s not what DAS was supposed to replicate.