Is there any way to inquire about DAS without ticket entry

[bdarling]

We are driving a long way and hope to check in by late afternoon. We are planning for our entire crew to go to Guest Service to ask about DAS. Is there any Guest Service outside the gates that we could go through before activating our tickets? We would love to get the DAS on arrival night, and start the tickets for Rope Drop the next day. I really was hoping there was a place at Disney Springs!

If not, we will RD our ride and then go back to Guest Services. Unless anyone knows if GS opens early if they allow early entry at RD. I am reading that AK lets people in 15 minutes before RD.

 

[SueM in MN]

Without going into a park, the Guest Relations right outside the 4 Theme parks are the only places that issue DAS. There is a Guest Relations at Disney Springs, but it doesn’t issue DAS.

You may or may not be able to get DAS at the outside of the park spot, so keep in mind that you may make the trip and not be able to do it. Most of the time, it should not be a problem, but occasionally they don’t have the iPad that is used to issue DAS or have some other issue.
You will need to go thru Security in order to get to Guest Relations and if you are not staying at a WDW resort, you will pay for parking.

If you need to activate your tickets before you go into a park, you will need to do that at one of the outside the park Guest Relations and can get DAS then. I don’t know if DAS can be issued without an active park pass - I don’t remember it ever being discussed.

 

[gap2368]

Also all of the parks let you in the front part early like MK let’s you in an hour before park opens( for 9 am) there is a GR you can very easily get to you can do this at all the parks but EPCOT witch holds guest before the GR also all the parks but EPCOT have guest experience booth where you can get your DAS and return times.

It might be easer just to do it the morning of if your going to any park but EPCOT

 

[bdarling]

I decided to email Disney and for kicks asked about Disney Springs Guest Relations since we are staying a short walk away at Saratoga Springs. I got a quick response as follows:

The Disability Access Service can only be set up at a Guest Relations Lobby inside the park after your tickets have been activated. Unfortunately, the Disney Springs Guest Relations team is unable to assist as the services are only valid at the Theme Parks. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

So that is the answer. Tickets must be activated to set it up, which means being inside the park. So, I will take the advice above and get to a park earlier than opening and ask about the DAS. I hope we won’t be too far behind after that, but the DAS may help with that.

 

[lanejudy]

I know some guests have obtained DAS at the outside-the-parks locations the evening prior to first park day. However, as SueM mentioned, it’s not guaranteed.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[kpd6901]

Our last visit last November, based on DISboard advice, we went the evening before. Our first park day was Black Friday. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Mickeys Backyard BBQ. The advice was that early morning guest relations outside the parks would focus mainly on people with ticket problems, so go the evening before. We went on Thanksgiving evening after our meal, and we had no problem getting the DAS the evening prior to our first park day, on an incredibly busy Thanksgiving Day.

 

[Lilsia]

I had to activate my AP on our first day so waited in line at MK guest services. I saw several families get a DAS there. I don't see any issue with you doing that. Their "official" statement is probably to get it inside the parks since the outside GS gets pretty busy with people with ticket issues. But I would give it a try. If not, then get there early the next morning.

 

[SueM in MN]

Just for clarification - Guests were never able to get DAS at Disney Springs or at water parks, only at the 4 Theme Parks.
On our trip last Fall, we needed to activate our Annual Passes, which we did at the outside of the park Guest Relations at Epcot. We were able to also renew our daughter’s DAS at the same time.

 

[Katiegrose]

We are driving a long way and hope to check in by late afternoon. We are planning for our entire crew to go to Guest Service to ask about DAS. Is there any Guest Service outside the gates that we could go through before activating our tickets? We would love to get the DAS on arrival night, and start the tickets for Rope Drop the next day. I really was hoping there was a place at Disney Springs!

If not, we will RD our ride and then go back to Guest Services. Unless anyone knows if GS opens early if they allow early entry at RD. I am reading that AK lets people in 15 minutes before RD.

Also, the Guest Experience umbrella's may be able to set one up- I know they can reactivate and add/remove guest to one.... When I visited in June we needed to book it to get to SDMT for our FP (even with the grace period) so we went back to the back and quickly set up our DAS and got a stroller=wheelchair tag right in Fantasyland.

My second piece of advice if your in MK, if you need to set it up see if the ticket office near Hall of President's is open- they traditionally have a much shorter line than GR (there are SO many issues at GR). I have had better luck at the ticket office than GR, however on the above mentioned trip in June the office wasn't open yet....

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We are driving a long way and hope to check in by late afternoon. We are planning for our entire crew to go to Guest Service to ask about DAS. Is there any Guest Service outside the gates that we could go through before activating our tickets? We would love to get the DAS on arrival night, and start the tickets for Rope Drop the next day. I really was hoping there was a place at Disney Springs!

If not, we will RD our ride and then go back to Guest Services. Unless anyone knows if GS opens early if they allow early entry at RD. I am reading that AK lets people in 15 minutes before RD.

with my grandkids doing a DAS outside the gate at a park and not going in would be a major meltdown. if DAS is for a child that child will need to be there

 

[kpd6901]

with my grandkids doing a DAS outside the gate at a park and not going in would be a major meltdown. if DAS is for a child that child will need to be there

This can be true, but that depends on each kid. Our November trip in question was actually a complete surprise trip. They didn't know until we got to the airport. However, from that point we communicated our plans, where we were going and when. This may be something to consider. Only you will know how your kids are more likely to react. We just told ours that we would be going to spend all day at MK on Friday, but that on Thursday, we would just need to stop by the outside of MK to talk to the ticket folks. But that we would be definitely going in the next day. Communication and knowing your kid....or also knowing and preparing in advance for the potential meltdown and just working through it.

 

[SueM in MN]

Since ‘plans’ and communicating plans were mentioned, I thought I would share this daily plan that one of my Facebook friends made for her son.
It’s made with an iPad communication app called Proloquo2Go. The icon/drawings are in the app. The pictures are mostly from the Disney website.

 

[love2flyatl]

Those whom went to a park the day before just to try get the DAS had to pay for parking ($ 25) if not staying in a Disney hotel correct?

 

[mamabunny]

Those whom went to a park the day before just to try get the DAS had to pay for parking ($ 25) if not staying in a Disney hotel correct?

Yes, you would have to pay to park if you are not staying onsite. If you are staying onsite, you can drive to the Park, or you can simply take a bus, boat, Monorail or (soon) Gondola.

 

[camper06]

Those whom went to a park the day before just to try get the DAS had to pay for parking ($ 25) if not staying in a Disney hotel correct?

We had ticket issues and didn't want to waste time in the morning straightening it out. We had dinner our first night at Cape May at Beach club. After dinner we took a boat over to international gateway and did it at guest relations there. So did not have to pay for parking.

 

[love2flyatl]

Thank you all.

 

[SueM in MN]

We had ticket issues and didn't want to waste time in the morning straightening it out. We had dinner our first night at Cape May at Beach club. After dinner we took a boat over to international gateway and did it at guest relations there. So did not have to pay for parking.

Important to be aware that right NOW the International Gateway area at WDW is torn up for renovations to the entry ans security area.
The last pictures I saw were from a week ago. The ticket and Guest Relations booths were totally torn out.
The article and pictures didn’t show how they were handling entry there or how long it would be torn up. I don’t know if they have only entry there or also Guest Relations.

 

[camper06]

Important to be aware that right NOW the International Gateway area at WDW is torn up for renovations to the entry ans security area.
The last pictures I saw were from a week ago. The ticket and Guest Relations booths were totally torn out.
The article and pictures didn’t show how they were handling entry there or how long it would be torn up. I don’t know if they have only entry there or also Guest Relations.

Good to know. Didn't hear about that. Thanks Sue!

 

[tramps’lady]

international gateway as of yesterday has a small temporary booth with ticket sales and guest relations on the left as you come over the hill and down to the gateway from the resorts. it is before security and well before the actual tap stiles to enter the park