Frozen Ever After and getting DAS return time?

[ArielRae]

DS(6 Autistic) and I have a trip coming up and like to get a DAS return time for Frozen Ever After. Preferably in the morning so we can use it later some time after lunch. Heard lines are over 2hrs long and figured it would be after lunch before our pass was valid. Please help with our strategy. We have a FP already for Soarin which he has ridden before loves and HAS to go on again. So I booked our tier one FP for that. We do plan to be there at rope drop. I have read that even being at rope drop is a crazy packed walk (some run) back to Norway. I just would like to get a DAS return time to come back later for the ride but don't want to have to drag my son all the way back there thru the masses. Is there another way to get a DAS return time other then going straight there in the morning with all the hoards of people? Is it possible to stop a guest relations at the front of the park and explain what I am explaining here in hopes to get the return time? Please rule out any preopening meals. We are budgeting this trip. Thanks everyone.

 

[SueM in MN]

Your child doesn't need to go to the Norway area to get a DAS Return time unless you are alone with him and don't have anyone else to send. The DAS holder does not need to be present to get a DAS Return Time; any other member of your group who is linked to the DAS can get a time.

I was going to check the current wait time, but according to My Disney Experience app, it is currently not operating. You can check the wait times on the app to give you a little bit of an idea how wait times are going.

The CMs at Guest Relations will sometimes give the first DAS Return Time if you stop at Guest Relations, but the wait there first time can be fairly long. I am not sure whether or not they would give a DAS Return Time for such a new and busy attraction.

 

[ArielRae]

Yes this trip is just my son and I so no one to watch him while I run to get the return time. That's why I came here to ask my question on the best way to handle this.

 

[SueM in MN]

Yes this trip is just my son and I so no one to watch him while I run to get the return time. That's why I came here to ask my question on the best way to handle this.

In that case, I would suggest:
- watching the My Disney Experience app to find out what you can about the wait times and how quickly they go up.

- I would watch both Soarin' and Frozen Ever After. Soarin' is also new and will have a lot of people wanting to see it, but Soain ' has a lot more capacity. So, even though both are new, Soaring may have a lot shorter wait times and less of a mad rush to get there.
If that is true, you might want to see if it's possible to switch your Soarin' Fastpass for a Frozen one.

- keep in mind that if you are able to get a DAS Return Time for Frozen Ever After, the DAS will be tied up until after you have used the DAS for Frozen.

- it seems like Frozen Ever After has broken down fairly often. If it is not in operation when you arrive to get a DAS Return a Time, they will not be able to give you one.

- explaining your dilemma at Guest Relations to see whether they are able to help.

 

[Baklava]

When I got my DAS the CM at Guest Relations set up my first return time for me on the spot. Is Epcot your first park day?

 

[ArielRae]

No AK is our first park day. Never had a CM offer to make our first return time in all the years we have been using it with DS. Thanks for letting me know.

 

[StirlingSilver83]

I think I would stop by the Epcot guest services that day and just see if they can do that. I mean it doesn't hurt to ask. My older son is on the spectrum and when he was your sons age I don't think I would be comfortable dragging him through that type of crowd either. Even if guest services say they can't really help u by the time u get out of there hopefully everyone has already started to filter through the park so it won't be that first mad rush to get there. Maybe u should consider renting a Disney stroller for the day...my son was in a stroller at Disney when he was 6 Bc he needed that safe space. That way if u do have to weave through the crowd your son will have a safe space to be in while u head to Norway

 

[gap2368]

I would stop by GS let them know it is just you and your son and ask if they would not mind giving you the return time there The worst they can say is no

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

Sorry to jump in but do you know if you can DAS the Elsa and Anna meet and greet?

 

[ArielRae]

Since we plan to be there for rope drop should I try talking with guest relations that is outside the park to help out or best to wait for the one inside?

 

[SueM in MN]

Sorry to jump in but do you know if you can DAS the Elsa and Anna meet and greet?

At this point, no. They have not been using Fastpass for the meet and greet.
In general, only those meet and greets with Fastpass are able to accommodate DAS. That may change.

Since we plan to be there for rope drop should I try talking with guest relations that is outside the park to help out or best to wait for the one inside?

I would go to the inside of the park Guest Relations.

 

[harrowgirl]

I would switch and get the FP for Frozen Ever After if at all possible and DAS Soarin. I think that is a better use of the FP, and much easier to navigate and get the DAS for Soarin.

 

[Paula Sedley-Burke]

At this point, no. They have not been using Fastpass for the meet and greet.
In general, only those meet and greets with Fastpass are able to accommodate DAS. That may change.


I would go to the inside of the park Guest Relations.

Thank you Sue you are as ever so helpful and prompt in your reply.

 

[ArielRae]

I would switch and get the FP for Frozen Ever After if at all possible and DAS Soarin. I think that is a better use of the FP, and much easier to navigate and get the DAS for Soarin.

I thought about doing that but the only FP time available for the frozen ride is not until 3pm and that is after the time DS wants to be back at the resort swimming and done for the parks for the day.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I thought about doing that but the only FP time available for the frozen ride is not until 3pm and that is after the time DS wants to be back at the resort swimming and done for the parks for the day.

Could you take an afternoon break to swim and then return to Epcot in the late afternoon to use a FEA FP? With how long the lines have been and how often the ride has been breaking down, a DAS return time could be after 3:00pm even if you go there in the morning. Also, be aware that with the ride breakdowns, the FP lines have been very long. On opening day, I read reports that the FP return line was stretching out of the Norway pavilion. I haven't followed reports since then other than the fact that breakdowns have been continuing to occur.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just wanted to chime in and say know your son's limits. Even with DAS and FP if the ride has been down your wait could go up to 30 minutes or longer. I've heard of FP waits of over an hour after the ride was down (posted wait time was 3 or more) so just keep that in mind as well.

 

[dismom57]

Another complicating factor, not that life if not complicated enough. On some occasions the CMs would not give us a DAS return time if the ride was down. Hopefully FEA will be performing better when you go. We are going in August, and I am going to try and FPP it, but we may just not be able to ride this trip .

 

[wilkeliza]

Another complicating factor, not that life if not complicated enough. On some occasions the CMs would not give us a DAS return time if the ride was down. Hopefully FEA will be performing better when you go. We are going in August, and I am going to try and FPP it, but we may just not be able to ride this trip .

You brought up a good point. They have also been cutting the stand by line due to back ups at FP and break downs. I wonder if they can give a return time if the standby line is technically down but the ride is operating since you wouldn't technically have been able to end the standby line.

 

[Ladcassidy]

For now, Frozen Ever After is often operating only for guests with FP+. As we stood in the FP+ only line earlier this week, I overheard CMs tell multiple families that they were unable to assign a DAS return time because there was no official standby/ wait time to gauge it by.

 

[SueM in MN]

For now, Frozen Ever After is often operating only for guests with FP+. As we stood in the FP+ only line earlier this week, I overheard CMs tell multiple families that they were unable to assign a DAS return time because there was no official standby/ wait time to gauge it by.

If the ride is down, not only are they not able to have a Standby wait time to gauge by, but they may not even be using the Standby line at all.
Even for attractions like Haunted Mansion or Pirates,mother won't give a DAS Return Time because they don't have any idea when or if it will be coming back up.