How many guests can accompany DAS rider?

[Straulin]

So last January (2022) we took an extended family trip with my niece who has special needs. There were eight of us on the trip. We registered her at the park for DAS and used it throughout the trip with all 8 of us riding together.

We have another extended family trip coming up this October. This time there will be nine of us.

We recently saw someone post something about up to five guests can accompany the p
DAS pass holder. Is this a new rule? Did we somehow accidentally cheat the system last year? Will we be able to all do rides together this year?

 

[lanejudy]

DAS-holder plus 5 has been the rule for as long as I recall -- a couple decades. They can make exceptions for larger parties which typically means one large nuclear families (2 parents plus several minor children).

Your niece/her parent(s) can certainly ask to have all 9 attached to her DAS. However I recommend having a back-up plan of splitting up if necessary. All 9 may be attached but only max of 6 (DAS+5) may be able to be selected for any given attraction. Linking all 9 allows for flexibility in who rides with whom.

 

[Straulin]

I wonder what happened last time. Maybe they didn’t explain we were two families and just said there were eight of us. Only my niece and her parents went inside to talk to them at the AK entrance.

Thanks for the response!

My wife would likely qualify due to her anxiety as she has had to jump out of line numerous times as she gets into a bit of a panic spiral when she can’t see an easy way out of the crowd of people if she is in line too long. She has always been too hesitant to apply for DAS as she doesn’t “want to take the slot away from someone who needs it more.” I also believe it is a bit of not wanting to admit she has a limitation and the idea of doing the interview also spikes her anxiety.

She may be willing to interview if it makes the group be able to stick together using separate DAS passes by synchronizing the timing.

 

[lanejudy]

Exceptions can be made and that's likely what happened during your last visit. Just pointing out that isn't the norm with multi-family parties.

If your wife might qualify, she can try either the advanced registration or in-person -- whichever method sounds "easier" for her to navigate since she's hesitant. But let her know that her not using DAS doesn't make it any more or less available to others; there is no limit on how many DAS can be granted. It only impacts her, you and anyone else in your party.

 

[Straulin]

That is what I have told her in the past.

A lot of folks don’t like Geni+ but I will say other than the added expense, it and ILL have let us make due where I don’t think the old fast pass system would have. DAS would clearly be better as the time constraints do still cause anxiety issues from time to time. I did learn last trip that you can keep modifying Geni+ reservations throughout the day so that helped. (I will just stack them as we go about our morning, meals, or midday breaks.)