How Das is effected by Fast Pass +

[mirandaperez10]

Traveling to disney in February , we have not been in a few year and trying figure out this will affect my family with many dissabilites, and my grandmother with a bad knee who must use ECV.

I have a family who has autism who gets stressed out in crowd and is prone to panic attacks, in the past these individual in our party have been sent through the Fastpass line with a Guest Assistance Card.

Does anyone have any experience with how the Fastpass plus system has affected how disney handles people in this situation we are trying to make the best choices with our planning..
Any help would be appreciated

 

[OurBigTrip]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3178976

I highly recommend you read the thread linked above, as there is detailed info about the Disability Assistance System (DAS), which replaced the GAC in 2013.

The quick and dirty is that with the DAS, you get return times that are about 10 minutes less than standby time, rather than going right into the FP+ line, as you did with the GAC. While you wait for your return time, you can do other things - grab a bite to eat, sit and relax, ride other rides with shorter wait times, etc.

DAS works very well in conjunction with FP+, in that you can schedule three FP+ rides in advance, and then use your DAS in between.

 

[aaarcher86]

We just returned using the DAS back in October.

It's really easy. FP+ and the DAS are essentially 2 separate things. You schedule your FP+ and use it just like you would a FP. You go straight into the FP line when you head to the attraction during your time.

For the DAS - you essentially head up to the ride and ask for a return time. If the standby line is 60 min, you'll get a 50 min return time (standby minus 10 min). You can come back ANY TIME after 50 minutes. It doesn't expire, but you can't have any other return time until it's used. When you go to use it, you'll go right through the FP line just like before. The only difference is now you have a bit of a wait before getting into the line. That's all.

You'll probably want to check out which rides give wheelchair return cards so you don't use a FP+ on that but I don't think there are many.

The best thing we did was to always make sure we had a return time. Going to eat lunch? I'd go grab a return time so that the wait would be over by the time we were finished. Know your kid wants to ride TSM a few times? Schedule a FP and grab a return time earlier so you can ride it back to back. We staggered our DAS times and FP+ fairly easily to alternate - FP time, DAS time, FP time, DAS time... the DAS user DOES NOT have to be present at the ride to get the return time which is helpful. My husband goes with the kids to meet a character and I'll grab a return time.

It's really easy to use once you get your hands on it.

 

[bidnow5]

I love the system I was able to go on every ride I wanted when we went at the end of October

 

[SueM in MN]

We've been to WDW 4 times now for long trips using DAS.
As the others posted, it works best if you use it with Fastpass Plus. We found it to work very well.

 

[mirandaperez10]

That is great hear guys I was so worried that it would be a lot of trouble.

 

[blondietink]

Just go back from WDW. My son uses a wheelchair, so we didn't need a DAS but this was our strategy that could work for anybody with a DAS.

Get to the park early, as soon as you can close to park opening. Ride whatever rides you can get on. Most had a short wait until around 11 am (5 or 10 minutes). We had made FP+ reservations for our 3 most important rides at a park, which we made starting at 11 am. So, we rode the rides in the am, used our 3 FP+ from 11 or 11:30 through 2:30, then we were free to make another FP+ at that park, or change parks. The CM's always checked to make sure we had a FP+ linked to our Magicbands, so we did not skip any lines or get special treatment. Many of the rides that had a separate entrance for the disabled have now been changed, including Peter Pan, and are mainstreamed lines until very close to the point where you get on the ride.

There were several other families we met throughout the parks that were using the DAS system of getting a return time and were unhappy. But, they did not make any FP+ reservations in advance, so they were unable to ride many of their preferred rides.

We had a lot of success at a busy time of year using the magicband FP+ system and thought that even getting into the parks through the entrance went much faster than when they had tickets.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just go back from WDW. My son uses a wheelchair, so we didn't need a DAS but this was our strategy that could work for anybody with a DAS.

Get to the park early, as soon as you can close to park opening. Ride whatever rides you can get on. Most had a short wait until around 11 am (5 or 10 minutes). We had made FP+ reservations for our 3 most important rides at a park, which we made starting at 11 am. So, we rode the rides in the am, used our 3 FP+ from 11 or 11:30 through 2:30, then we were free to make another FP+ at that park, or change parks. The CM's always checked to make sure we had a FP+ linked to our Magicbands, so we did not skip any lines or get special treatment. Many of the rides that had a separate entrance for the disabled have now been changed, including Peter Pan, and are mainstreamed lines until very close to the point where you get on the ride.

There were several other families we met throughout the parks that were using the DAS system of getting a return time and were unhappy. But, they did not make any FP+ reservations in advance, so they were unable to ride many of their preferred rides.

We had a lot of success at a busy time of year using the magicband FP+ system and thought that even getting into the parks through the entrance went much faster than when they had tickets.

I just wanted to point out a couple of things for people who have not used Fastpass Plus or DAS:
- even if guests did not take advantage of pre-making any Fastpass + times, there are often still times available, even the day of the visit. So, don't give up.
The times available may not always be the times of your choice, but understanding how FP + works is very helpful.

- DAS provides for waiting outside of the regular line, with the wait time based on the current wait in the Standby line at the time. For really popular attractions, the Standby wait time can be long, especially during busy times.
But, since DAS users are not waiting IN the line, they can do other things like eating or going on other attractions with shorter lines.
That is why it's important to understand wait times and how to best use DAS.

 

[UpstateMick]

We just returned using the DAS back in October.

It's really easy. FP+ and the DAS are essentially 2 separate things. You schedule your FP+ and use it just like you would a FP. You go straight into the FP line when you head to the attraction during your time.

For the DAS - you essentially head up to the ride and ask for a return time. If the standby line is 60 min, you'll get a 50 min return time (standby minus 10 min). You can come back ANY TIME after 50 minutes. It doesn't expire, but you can't have any other return time until it's used. When you go to use it, you'll go right through the FP line just like before. The only difference is now you have a bit of a wait before getting into the line. That's all.

You'll probably want to check out which rides give wheelchair return cards so you don't use a FP+ on that but I don't think there are many.

The best thing we did was to always make sure we had a return time. Going to eat lunch? I'd go grab a return time so that the wait would be over by the time we were finished. Know your kid wants to ride TSM a few times? Schedule a FP and grab a return time earlier so you can ride it back to back. We staggered our DAS times and FP+ fairly easily to alternate - FP time, DAS time, FP time, DAS time... the DAS user DOES NOT have to be present at the ride to get the return time which is helpful. My husband goes with the kids to meet a character and I'll grab a return time.

It's really easy to use once you get your hands on it.

So essentially, if you are traveling with any who can use a DAS you spend the whole day with double FPs? Do you need any thing in writing to get a DAS or can you just go get one? This sounds like quite a plan! Thank you.

 

[UpstateMick]

We just returned using the DAS back in October.

It's really easy. FP+ and the DAS are essentially 2 separate things. You schedule your FP+ and use it just like you would a FP. You go straight into the FP line when you head to the attraction during your time.

For the DAS - you essentially head up to the ride and ask for a return time. If the standby line is 60 min, you'll get a 50 min return time (standby minus 10 min). You can come back ANY TIME after 50 minutes. It doesn't expire, but you can't have any other return time until it's used. When you go to use it, you'll go right through the FP line just like before. The only difference is now you have a bit of a wait before getting into the line. That's all.

You'll probably want to check out which rides give wheelchair return cards so you don't use a FP+ on that but I don't think there are many.

The best thing we did was to always make sure we had a return time. Going to eat lunch? I'd go grab a return time so that the wait would be over by the time we were finished. Know your kid wants to ride TSM a few times? Schedule a FP and grab a return time earlier so you can ride it back to back. We staggered our DAS times and FP+ fairly easily to alternate - FP time, DAS time, FP time, DAS time... the DAS user DOES NOT have to be present at the ride to get the return time which is helpful. My husband goes with the kids to meet a character and I'll grab a return time.

It's really easy to use once you get your hands on it.

I just read this on another site...is this something that people are doing?

"Guests running low on moral fortitude can have everyone in their group take out the new pass and have several reservations open at the same time. It's also easy to forge return times with the system in its current state, though that will change once automated kiosks are brought online."

With this, it is basically unlimited FPs! Am I wrong?

 

[aaarcher86]

Nothing in writing needed. It's not really double FP. You can only have one return time on your DAS. Since you have to wait the length of the standby line minus 10 minutes, it's really like someone is waiting in line virtually.

WDW uses stamps for the DAS so forging times isn't really an option. DL is now electronic.

 

[emldrl]

So essentially, if you are traveling with any who can use a DAS you spend the whole day with double FPs? Do you need any thing in writing to get a DAS or can you just go get one? This sounds like quite a plan! Thank you.

I just read this on another site...is this something that people are doing?

"Guests running low on moral fortitude can have everyone in their group take out the new pass and have several reservations open at the same time. It's also easy to forge return times with the system in its current state, though that will change once automated kiosks are brought online."

With this, it is basically unlimited FPs! Am I wrong?

Are you asking how the DAS works, or are you asking how to get one? If you want to know how the DAS works, check the sticky at the top of this forum. No one can tell you specifically what to say to get one, just read the info and go from there.

Yes, some unscrupulous people were abusing the new system, so Disney is taking steps to fix the problem. And yes, you can use the DAS in conjunction with FP+, but you are not getting some big advantage over others. DAS is a way to make the attractions accessible for those with disabilities, not as a way to get one up on everybody else. Trust me, I'd choose being 'normal' any day of the week!

 

[UpstateMick]

Are you asking how the DAS works, or are you asking how to get one? If you want to know how the DAS works, check the sticky at the top of this forum. No one can tell you specifically what to say to get one, just read the info and go from there.

Yes, some unscrupulous people were abusing the new system, so Disney is taking steps to fix the problem. And yes, you can use the DAS in conjunction with FP+, but you are not getting some big advantage over others. DAS is a way to make the attractions accessible for those with disabilities, not as a way to get one up on everybody else. Trust me, I'd choose being 'normal' any day of the week!

Completely agree...just shocked that this would really go on. I was inquiring because my father in law just got a new knee and he may qualify in February.

Thank you for the info.

 

[emldrl]

Completely agree...just shocked that this would really go on. I was inquiring because my father in law just got a new knee and he may qualify in February.

Thank you for the info.

Just a heads up, if it is strictly mobility related, they will advise you to get a wheelchair or ECV. Another option, if he would rather walk most of the time, but needs a seat occasionally, is to rent a rollator. It's a walker with a seat. Good luck with your trip!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

We had a great experience with the DAS when we went to HS. It was a very quiet day, anyway, but we went straight to TSM with our FP+ and DD got a return time on her DAS card before we went in. We then rode TSM, popped down to finish seeing the Walt Disney museum thing as we'd been rushed through it last year. DD didn't then want to go straight back into TSM so we went and had lunch first, returning to TSM to ride with our DAS afterwards.

The only problem we had with it was that we arrived back just after a party of 6 wheelchairs/ECVs and therefore waited so long to get on even through the disabled section that it would have been quicker to leave my ECV outside and use my walking stick. But that's another story.

Anyway, after riding TSM we went round to Star Tours for our next FP return and got another return time on the DAS. By the time we came out of Star Tours, popped across to the restaurant for a quiick drink and came back in again we were already into our return time (it was a quiet day, as I said).

This system didn't work as well at the other parks as it all got a lot busier, but the above shows that the system can work to your advantage.

Regarding separate entrances for wheelchair/ECV users, we went to BTM a couple of times on our FPs and were given a chitty to go in through the exit where I left the ECV and finished the 20 or so yards on foot with my stick. We didn't ride anything at all in the ordinary standby queue so can't comment on those.