Has Disney’s DAS Pass Become A DASaster?

[JJZMgailey]

The Disney DAS Pass is a service that the company introduced to their parks in 2013; it stands for Disability Access Service and comes in the form of a card to replace their Guest Assistance Card. Over the years, this system has evolved from being one of the most outstanding theme park services for people with additional needs to something manipulated by those willing to deceive in order to jump the queue.

Read more of this article over on the DIS.

Has Disney’s DAS Pass Become A DASaster?

 

[DLgal]

I'm sorry, but this article is ridiculous and very much full of assumptions.

We have been using the DAS going on 10 years now and there is no special language or magic words you need to use. You just have to tell the truth about why waiting in line is difficult. My son has autism. I have never used the word autism in my dealings with CMs. My son is now 16 and speaks for himself when we renew his DAS every 60 days. His communication is NOT good. He has a speech impairment as well. But he speaks as best he can and the CMs follow up with direct questions to him about why waiting in line is hard, that he can easily answer. It's never been a problem.

The system is fine. It works. It doesn't need an overhaul. There will always be scammers, just like there will always be those people whose 5 year olds are "two" at the entrance gates. You can't police everyone and Disney doesn't want to. They KNOW there are scammers. But now, there are a lot less than there used to be. Using this system, while it is helpful, does NOT make your day immune to problems. There are still days where the crowds are too much and even the DAS isn't helping. Rides break down frequently, and you can't get a return time for a broken down ride, so often you miss out on a favorite, just as everyone else does. It's not a golden ticket to a carefree day.

You also DON'T have to pre register online. We have never done that. Anyone can still walk up in person to obtain a DAS at any Disney park.

Honestly, some of these articles being published need to be fact checked a bit better. I get that this is an opinion piece, but still.

 

[dizneedoll]

I'm sorry, but this article is ridiculous and very much full of assumptions.

We have been using the DAS going on 10 years now and there is no special language or magic words you need to use. You just have to tell the truth about why waiting in line is difficult. My son has autism. I have never used the word autism in my dealings with CMs. My son is now 16 and speaks for himself when we renew his DAS every 6 months. His communication is NOT good. He has a speech impairment as well. But he speaks as best he can and the CMs follow up with direct questions to him about why waiting in line is hard, that he can easily answer. It's never been a problem.

The system is fine. It works. It doesn't need an overhaul. There will always be scammers, just like there will always be those people whose 5 year olds are "two" at the entrance gates. You can't police everyone and Disney doesn't want to. They KNOW there are scammers. But now, there are a lot less than there used to be. Using this system, while it is helpful, does NOT make your day immune to problems. There are still days where the crowds are too much and even the DAS isn't helping. Rides break down frequently, and you can't get a return time for a broken down ride, so often you miss out on a favorite, just as everyone else does. It's not a golden ticket to a carefree day.

You also DON'T have to pre register online. We have never done that. Anyone can still walk up in person to obtain a DAS at any Disney park.

Honestly, some of these articles being published need to be fact checked a bit better. I get that this is an opinion piece, but still.

I 100% agree with you! I read the article yesterday and was so annoyed with another person complaining about DAS again.

The part that was most upsetting was that she claimed people were using anxiety as an excuse to get a DAS. I struggle with panic disorder and claustrophobia and without DAS I would not be able to go at all. Im already uncomfortable requesting a DAS and feel like Im being judged or worried that CM's or other guests think Im trying to scam somehow. Articles like this one are not helpful!

This is the second article by the same person that I've read on the Dis that has lot of ignorant information. I think they need to screen these "articles" and their writers a little better.

 

[mom2diskids]

That was an opinion piece, an ill informed, harmful one at that. I'm surprised and disappointed it was published.

 

[Her Dotness]

Assumptions, indeed. I was taken aback by a couple of the writer's assumptions.

Namely, "In my mind, I liken it [scamming DAS] to a physically disabled person parking further away to leave the spot at the front door free for something [sic] less mobile, then watching another person pull in and take it, walking away without issue."

First, anyone possessing a handicap placard or plates is highly unlikely to be this self-sacrificing. They have gone through an often laborious process of obtaining placard/plates because they need to use handicap parking. They would be taking that disabled space, not leaving it for another.

Furthermore, a person may be entitled to disabled parking for a condition that isn't visible---ummm, like qualifying for the DAS, for instance. They may be able to walk without evident impairment because mobility isn't the problem.

The writer's lack of knowledge and discernment is distressing.

 

[DLgal]

I 100% agree with you! I read the article yesterday and was so annoyed with another person complaining about DAS again.

The part that was most upsetting was that she claimed people were using anxiety as an excuse to get a DAS. I struggle with panic disorder and claustrophobia and without DAS I would not be able to go at all. Im already uncomfortable requesting a DAS and feel like Im being judged or worried that CM's or other guests think Im trying to scam somehow. Articles like this one are not helpful!

This is the second article by the same person that I've read on the Dis that has lot of ignorant information. I think they need to screen these "articles" and their writers a little better.

Anxiety is a legitimate reason to obtain a DAS. If my son didn't already use it, my husband would get one for the crowd anxiety he has from PTSD. He can barely tolerate being in the parks, and without our family having use of a DAS, he wouldn't be able to go at all. On our last visit 10 days ago, we got in the standby line for IASW because it said only 15 min. It ended up being close to 40. My husband was about to lose it. He spends lines like that scrutinizing everyone in the line and determining who would be the biggest threats and how he would "neutralize" them if they attacked him. He is a Marine with combat PTSD and when he is surrounded by people like that, he feels threatened. I had to make him put his earbuds in and listen to a podcast while looking down at the ground so that he could make it through. Anxiety is a real problem for a lot of people.

Hugs to you! Get the DAS and enjoy your park time! It's no one else's place to judge.

 

[DLgal]

Assumptions, indeed. I was taken aback by a couple of the writer's assumptions.

Namely, "In my mind, I liken it [scamming DAS] to a physically disabled person parking further away to leave the spot at the front door free for something [sic] less mobile, then watching another person pull in and take it, walking away without issue."

First, anyone possessing a handicap placard or plates is highly unlikely to be this self-sacrificing. They have gone through an often laborious process of obtaining placard/plates because they need to use handicap parking. They would be taking that disabled space, not leaving it for another.

Furthermore, a person may be entitled to disabled parking for a condition that isn't visible---ummm, like qualifying for the DAS, for instance. They may be able to walk without evident impairment because mobility isn't the problem.

The writer's lack of knowledge and discernment is distressing.

In my state, handicap plates are given to every veteran who has been granted 100% disability through the VA. It's automatic. You don't need to have a mobility issue. Most 100% disabled vets don't have mobility issues. The DMV agrees that it is an appropriate aid for that population.

 

[dizneedoll]

Anxiety is a legitimate reason to obtain a DAS. If my son didn't already use it, my husband would get one for the crowd anxiety he has from PTSD. He can barely tolerate being in the parks, and without our family having use of a DAS, he wouldn't be able to go at all. On our last visit 10 days ago, we got in the standby line for IASW because it said only 15 min. It ended up being close to 40. My husband was about to lose it. He spends lines like that scrutinizing everyone in the line and determining who would be the biggest threats and how he would "neutralize" them if they attacked him. He is a Marine with combat PTSD and when he is surrounded by people like that, he feels threatened. I had to make him put his earbuds in and listen to a podcast while looking down at the ground so that he could make it through. Anxiety is a real problem for a lot of people.

Hugs to you! Get the DAS and enjoy your park time! It's no one else's place to judge.

Thank you for your kind words! And thanks to your husband for his service. Im sorry he has to go through those struggles.

 

[HopperFan]

Article written October 2022 -

Given her photos are of Disney World one would assume she has first hand experience of using a DAS there OR did her research. We start out with "comes in the form of a card" ... Ms. Wood it hasn't been a card in a long time. Credibility is instantly gone in terms of her being a travel "influencer/writer" or whatever she thinks she is.

Is Disney back to giving them away like candy, probably. Are there people exaggerating conditions to get approved, probably. Are there people outright lying, probably.

BUT she has ZERO proof, ZERO data, ZERO facts ............. she just wants to complain that the US system is unlike her country's system.

I am not defending the US system regarding many things in this arena, the lack of "rules" has impact and I'm not defending Disney's rules as I think they can do this better, especially now that Genie+ has monetized the service. But I'm not going to write a whiny article because .... don't even know what her point was really.

Question: Does this site really need to have an Opinion piece that brings no value and portrays opinion as facts? Reading an article like that just says the bar is low for what is published and best to just skip articles. Her complaint belongs here on this board so she can face the people she is talking about, not put out there as quality reading material for a website.

 

[Disneychick13]

I know that my opinion will be very unpopular on these boards, but I whole heartedly agree that the DAS process and system is a disaster. While I believe that many people use it that are deserving of it and need it, I think that the process is so ripe for abuse that something should be done about it to strictly regulate who can use it. The truth is, we have NO idea how many people use it fraudulently because there is no way to track it at all. The fact that you need absolutely no proof is highly problematic as anyone can claim that they are entitled to it. And while I believe that the vast majority of people are good and honest, there are so many people that go to the parks, that even a small percentage of them claiming a DAS pass in error causes a strain on the system. So that the people that really need it (and the people now paying a premium for faster access via LL and Genie+) are all taken advantage of. Disney won’t change their rules, not because they can’t, but because it would cause a PR nightmare for them. They know that the process is abused, but they turn a blind eye because it’s “easier” for them.

I won’t presume to know the numbers of people abusing the system just as I hope proponents of the DAS as is also won’t presume the numbers of people abusing the system. Just because they are using the system correctly doesn’t mean that tons of people aren’t. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for a DAS pass. I know someone that uses it. When I say they would literally not be able to go to any theme park without one I am not exaggerating. It’s precisely for this reason that I really really hate to see that people lie or exaggerate their need for the DAS pass in order to get one. And while I have no proof about it, the fact that the process is so ridiculously easy makes it an impossibility that it is not widely abused. The fact that there might be zero proof is because there is no way to get proof. So opinion is all you can have on this issue. I think that’s fair game.

 

[CJN]

I feel that articles like this always have two unintended results:

1 - It spreads the news to even more unscrupulous people that the system can be scammed.

2 - It provides fodder to rile up even more hostility towards DAS users.

Neither of which is helpful or necessary.

 

[DLgal]

I know that my opinion will be very unpopular on these boards, but I whole heartedly agree that the DAS process and system is a disaster. While I believe that many people use it that are deserving of it and need it, I think that the process is so ripe for abuse that something should be done about it to strictly regulate who can use it. The truth is, we have NO idea how many people use it fraudulently because there is no way to track it at all. The fact that you need absolutely no proof is highly problematic as anyone can claim that they are entitled to it. And while I believe that the vast majority of people are good and honest, there are so many people that go to the parks, that even a small percentage of them claiming a DAS pass in error causes a strain on the system. So that the people that really need it (and the people now paying a premium for faster access via LL and Genie+) are all taken advantage of. Disney won’t change their rules, not because they can’t, but because it would cause a PR nightmare for them. They know that the process is abused, but they turn a blind eye because it’s “easier” for them.

I won’t presume to know the numbers of people abusing the system just as I hope proponents of the DAS as is also won’t presume the numbers of people abusing the system. Just because they are using the system correctly doesn’t mean that tons of people aren’t. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for a DAS pass. I know someone that uses it. When I say they would literally not be able to go to any theme park without one I am not exaggerating. It’s precisely for this reason that I really really hate to see that people lie or exaggerate their need for the DAS pass in order to get one. And while I have no proof about it, the fact that the process is so ridiculously easy makes it an impossibility that it is not widely abused. The fact that there might be zero proof is because there is no way to get proof. So opinion is all you can have on this issue. I think that’s fair game.

So because it can potentially be abused, it's a "disaster?"

Please.

There is far less abuse than you think. I've seen numerous people be turned down for DAS passes because they tried to scam the system and failed and the CM saw right through it. I've heard the conversations.

It's not that easy to get one and you have to be pretty specific in your explanation of why you need one. It is not "ridiculously easy." As I mentioned before, my son has used one since he was 6. He is 16 now. Literally every 60 days, we have to plead his case. Again. Even though his condition will NEVER go away. If it was so easy, Disney would simply flag his Magic Key for a permanent DAS and we'd never have to go through the process again.

They are literally dealing with a lawsuit of the changeover to the DAS from the GAC right now and the judge sided with Disney. Disney has proven IN COURT that their current system is fair and works as intended.

 

[tetera]

I know that my opinion will be very unpopular on these boards, but I whole heartedly agree that the DAS process and system is a disaster. While I believe that many people use it that are deserving of it and need it, I think that the process is so ripe for abuse that something should be done about it to strictly regulate who can use it. The truth is, we have NO idea how many people use it fraudulently because there is no way to track it at all. The fact that you need absolutely no proof is highly problematic as anyone can claim that they are entitled to it. And while I believe that the vast majority of people are good and honest, there are so many people that go to the parks, that even a small percentage of them claiming a DAS pass in error causes a strain on the system. So that the people that really need it (and the people now paying a premium for faster access via LL and Genie+) are all taken advantage of. Disney won’t change their rules, not because they can’t, but because it would cause a PR nightmare for them. They know that the process is abused, but they turn a blind eye because it’s “easier” for them.

I won’t presume to know the numbers of people abusing the system just as I hope proponents of the DAS as is also won’t presume the numbers of people abusing the system. Just because they are using the system correctly doesn’t mean that tons of people aren’t. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for a DAS pass. I know someone that uses it. When I say they would literally not be able to go to any theme park without one I am not exaggerating. It’s precisely for this reason that I really really hate to see that people lie or exaggerate their need for the DAS pass in order to get one. And while I have no proof about it, the fact that the process is so ridiculously easy makes it an impossibility that it is not widely abused. The fact that there might be zero proof is because there is no way to get proof. So opinion is all you can have on this issue. I think that’s fair game.

Some people are dishonest and that stinks - there are always going to be some of these people. Anyone who lies to get a DAS pass and takes advantage of that system has bigger issues and it's not my place to police them; people should probably assume that anyone they witness using DAS is doing it because of a very real need (and spend less time worrying about what other people are doing on vacation).


I do not know exact numbers, but I am going to go ahead and make a few assumptions here:

The majority of people going to WDW are not using DAS.

The majority of people using DAS legitimately need it.

Therefore, whatever small percentage of people there are "abusing the system" to get a DAS are presumably therefore not causing enough of a "strain on the system" to consider the "DAS process and system" to be "a disaster."

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

As someone who was only exposed to DAS due to a friend, the one place I think that DAS gives the perception of a potentially unfair advantage is through the 2 advanced selections. For an outsider people might hear “wait, FP went away but if I just claim DAS I can still book my rides ahead, I don’t have to pay for Genie+, and maybe I can go on more rides by waiting in 1 line and doing DAS for another??? Sign me up!”

I don’t pretend to know the trials that families who rely on accommodations like DAS go through. And I I imagine that just about every one would gladly trade a bit of normalcy for the ability to pre-select Space Mountain. But while education can help overcome points 2 and 3 (for the 10 millionth time it isn’t faster access. It’s just waiting somewhere else. And plenty of people use both to maximize their time in parks) there really isn’t getting around the first one.

Is it fair to allow pre-selections for some but not all? That’s up to Disney. But at the end of the day, if it makes it easier for someone who TRULY needs accommodation to have a magical day, I’d rather err on the side of too much than too little, at least until scammers ruin this one too.

 

[Renaissancerocks]

This article proves the point in just how “subjective” a disability can appear and am quite taken aback how she says, “ In my mind, I liken it to a physically disabled person parking further away to leave the spot at the front door free for something less mobile, then watching another person pull in and take it, walking away without issue.” Walk away without issue? You have no idea just by looking at someone if they have “issue.” People like you are the people that make rude comments to my son and I when using the disability placard. Just because someone”looks” like they do not have any issue does not mean that is the case. I would like to think that as an author about such a subject, you might be compassionate and understanding about said subject. I do not respond to articles, however I felt compelled to point this out to you and the readers that a disability is not always visible. You do not see the internal struggle or understand why we need to park in that parking place. We park there do to an invisible disability. I would urge people to not assume someone that looks fine is not disabled. There are people with heart issues, COPD, artificial limbs with limited battery life, and those allergic to sunlight and need to get to shade quickly. My son and I have run into these people in the parks. What my son and these people have in common is an invisible disability. They are treated horribly by people based on assumptions. My son and the people I have listed are yelled at, criticized, and called names and harassed by supposedly good people. Do not put a sentence like “walking away without issue.” Do some people take advantage, YES! But, not every person that looks normal is normal. If you would take a moment and ask a question before criticizing, or better yet think if they are parking there that there is a reason. Please do not make life harder for my son and many others that have invisible disabilities that you can’t begin to understand. My problem is not with disney doing these interviews or even asking for a doctor’s note, on the contrary I am all for it. My problem is people like you thinking that just because someone looks normal means they are normal. My son has a very rare condition of 1 in several million. Just because you do not know that he is disabled by looking at him means nothing. Just like you may not know that this person has an artificial limb with limited battery life and by parking at the other end of the parking lot they might not be able to complete their grocery shopping. Just like someone with COPD May look normal but may struggle to take a few steps. Please do not assume that someone is not disabled because they “look fine” or “move without issue.” This article is encouraging the very poor behavior of calling out “normal” looking people for parking in disabled parking spaces. And, furthermore, this publication should be ashamed that they have published and given credence to such small mindedness.

 

[DLgal]

As someone who was only exposed to DAS due to a friend, the one place I think that DAS gives the perception of a potentially unfair advantage is through the 2 advanced selections. For an outsider people might hear “wait, FP went away but if I just claim DAS I can still book my rides ahead, I don’t have to pay for Genie+, and maybe I can go on more rides by waiting in 1 line and doing DAS for another??? Sign me up!”

I don’t pretend to know the trials that families who rely on accommodations like DAS go through. And I I imagine that just about every one would gladly trade a bit of normalcy for the ability to pre-select Space Mountain. But while education can help overcome points 2 and 3 (for the 10 millionth time it isn’t faster access. It’s just waiting somewhere else. And plenty of people use both to maximize their time in parks) there really isn’t getting around the first one.

Is it fair to allow pre-selections for some but not all? That’s up to Disney. But at the end of the day, if it makes it easier for someone who TRULY needs accommodation to have a magical day, I’d rather err on the side of too much than too little, at least until scammers ruin this one too.

This is a benefit, no doubt. However, it has limitations in that you are held to that one hour window and if you miss it, too bad. For the VAST majority of DAS users, the biggest need is flexibility. Most people who use a DAS can't predict how their day will ever go, and I would venture a guess that a large percentage of these pre-selections go unused. We could never use this type of offering, for example. So, while it appears to be a perk, in practice it's not that useful.

 

[Disneychick13]

So because it can potentially be abused, it's a "disaster?"

Please.

There is far less abuse than you think. I've seen numerous people be turned down for DAS passes because they tried to scam the system and failed and the CM saw right through it. I've heard the conversations.

It's not that easy to get one and you have to be pretty specific in your explanation of why you need one. It is not "ridiculously easy." As I mentioned before, my son has used one since he was 6. He is 16 now. Literally every 60 days, we have to plead his case. Again. Even though his condition will NEVER go away. If it was so easy, Disney would simply flag his Magic Key for a permanent DAS and we'd never have to go through the process again.

They are literally dealing with a lawsuit of the changeover to the DAS from the GAC right now and the judge sided with Disney. Disney has proven IN COURT that their current system is fair and works as intended.

But how do you know there’s far less abuse than I think there is? Anecdotal evidence from a few people? I explicitly said I don’t know the numbers. Don’t presume you do. I do believe that most people who are entitled to a DAS get one. Therefore the system works with that metric. As I stated… I WANT there to be a system for guests who need it. I don’t begrudge any one of them being able to use it. At all. But to say that the process isn’t easily able to be manipulated is silly. That’s obviously OK with Disney. They have never been sued, that I knew of, by people that claim the system is unfair because it is abused; only by people who think it doesn’t do enough. That doesn’t prove anything about the ability of the system to be manipulated.

Some people are dishonest and that stinks - there are always going to be some of these people. Anyone who lies to get a DAS pass and takes advantage of that system has bigger issues and it's not my place to police them; people should probably assume that anyone they witness using DAS is doing it because of a very real need (and spend less time worrying about what other people are doing on vacation).


I do not know exact numbers, but I am going to go ahead and make a few assumptions here:

The majority of people going to WDW are not using DAS.

The majority of people using DAS legitimately need it.

Therefore, whatever small percentage of people there are "abusing the system" to get a DAS are presumably therefore not causing enough of a "strain on the system" to consider the "DAS process and system" to be "a disaster."

I agree that the majority of people going to Disney are not using DAS (there is data to support that that Disney has).

I have no idea if the majority of people using DAS legitimately need it. There is NO data to support that assumption (Disney doesn’t have that data so you can’t possibly have it either).

I don’t want to police anybody. I want Disney to do that. I’m not passing judgement on individuals, I’m passing judgement on the system. I’m an extreme rule follower and it irritates me to see a system that is so flawed.

 

[SueM in MN]

Regarding the 2 DAS Advance Selections, many people have posted they did not/could not use many of them for various reasons.
Sometimes it’s flexibility or something that happened in their schedule that caused them to be missed.
On our last trip, we missed most of our daughter’s DAS Advance Selections - some were because our morning did not go well and we weren’t able to get to the park early enough.
We missed one because of a seizure and another because we had to wait a long time for the Companion Restroom.
We are not alone in missing the time period; I’ve seen posts here and on various other forums/Facebook.

The other thing the article left out is that there are penalties if Disney finds out that someone lied about a disability or misuses DAS.
Before beginning the DAS registration process, guests have to agree to and sign the Terms and Conditions. They include a statement that the person does have a disability requiring DAS and listing the following penalties:

If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.

 

[greeneyedchick]

I know that my opinion will be very unpopular on these boards, but I whole heartedly agree that the DAS process and system is a disaster. While I believe that many people use it that are deserving of it and need it, I think that the process is so ripe for abuse that something should be done about it to strictly regulate who can use it. The truth is, we have NO idea how many people use it fraudulently because there is no way to track it at all. The fact that you need absolutely no proof is highly problematic as anyone can claim that they are entitled to it. And while I believe that the vast majority of people are good and honest, there are so many people that go to the parks, that even a small percentage of them claiming a DAS pass in error causes a strain on the system. So that the people that really need it (and the people now paying a premium for faster access via LL and Genie+) are all taken advantage of. Disney won’t change their rules, not because they can’t, but because it would cause a PR nightmare for them. They know that the process is abused, but they turn a blind eye because it’s “easier” for them.

I won’t presume to know the numbers of people abusing the system just as I hope proponents of the DAS as is also won’t presume the numbers of people abusing the system. Just because they are using the system correctly doesn’t mean that tons of people aren’t. Please don’t misunderstand me. I’m all for a DAS pass. I know someone that uses it. When I say they would literally not be able to go to any theme park without one I am not exaggerating. It’s precisely for this reason that I really really hate to see that people lie or exaggerate their need for the DAS pass in order to get one. And while I have no proof about it, the fact that the process is so ridiculously easy makes it an impossibility that it is not widely abused. The fact that there might be zero proof is because there is no way to get proof. So opinion is all you can have on this issue. I think that’s fair game.

Disney doesn't necessarily have the ability to change it. I would gladly show medical documentation to get the pass but the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits them from asking about my child's medical diagnoses and when I try to show them documentation, they refuse to look at it because they don't want to get accused of violating the ADA.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

About advanced selections - I’m speaking about the perception from an outsider. Someone who is used to fast passes and now doesn’t have them anymore, but sees this other group that has the ability to book in advance. Whether or not they use it doesn’t matter. It’s all about “I want that shiny toy over there,”

If most people don’t use them perhaps Disney could make DAS “appear” less attractive to those who don’t need it by doing away with it and simply make it about waiting somewhere else.

Again, I have no ill will towards people who need DAS. Watching my friend struggle last time was eye-opening for sure. I’m just trying to think about what might be done to preserve it in its most helpful form for as many people need it.