Just back using DAS plus service animal at DL

[karliebug]

Had a good time at DL despite having to limit time in the parks due to heat, which effects my daughter's condition. I like how DL has the guest service kiosks sprinkled throughout the park to get return times, it made it convienent to use. Did run into some snags with our service dog,however. Some CM didn't know if dogs could ride on their attraction or not. We knew which ones we could go on because we had the list. We were there as part of a service dog conference so we had several handlers/dogs in the park. Some CM didn't seem to know how to handle the rider switch situation on rides where the dogs couldn't ride. On most rides, we came back at the time on our DAS, proceeded thru fast pass line or exit with our dogs, half the group rode the ride while half waited with the dogs. When first group exited, second group got on. This worked smoothly. One group ran into a big snafu at the Indiana Jones Ride . The group got a DAS time of 1 hour and when they returned they were told they could not take dogs thru line with them or use wheelchair entrance. They said that the dogs were treated as a child that was too short to ride and would have to remain at exit. So first group went thu 20-30 min FP line without their dogs and then second group had to go through 20 -30 min FP line. And there were stairs that no one told them about! One girl that uses her service animal for support was so weak that they immediately had to leave the park after the ride. Unfortunately, I wasn't with them or I would have explained to the CM that a service animal is a like a piece of medical equipment like a wheelchair or crutches and that they should have gone through the line with them. Also, since they had already waited their "virtual hour"' , I think the should have been put on through the exit as was done at most other attractions. They actually waited an additional hour before everyone got to ride. The CM's at DL don't seem nearly as helpful or friendly as the ones at WDW but maybe I just ran into the wrong ones. My daughter had a seizure on Main Street and one CM told us we would have to move because we couldn't stand there to watch the fireworks. When we asked another CM to get us a wheelchair so we could get her out of the park quickly (Main Street was wall to wall people because fireworks were ready to start) he told us that they don't have wheelchairs in the park. Finally a security CM called a nurse from first aid and she was able to bring a wheelchair and another security CM took us backstage so we could bypass most of main street. He was very helpful and we made sure to go to guest services the next date and leave a written compliment for him. This was our first time at DL, first time using DAS and first time with the service dog so all in all it went pretty well. We go to WDW next month where I am much more familiar so I am hoping for an even more successful trip.

 

[lanejudy]

Thank you for the feedback about DL. We don't get as many reports for the California parks so this is good to know. I'm sorry you had difficulties with CMs and their knowledge of how to handle Service Dogs. I hope your daughter is feeling better with no lasting effects from her seizure.

Enjoy your WDW vacation next month!

 

[SMD]

For future reference, here's how you avoid the stairs on Indy.

After the safety video, when you round the corner, just before the stairs, there's a gate on the left. Sometimes there's a CM, sometimes you'll have to flag one down. There's an elevator, you then exit at the top of the stairs, and switch to a second elevator that goes down (you're crossing the track when you're upstairs).

They used to send you straight through the exit and you could access the elevator from the exit side of the platform, but several years ago they started making everyone watch the safety video, and that causes the HA and SR lines at Indy to be pretty long waits.

 

[karliebug]

I see that as one problem with the DAS vs. the GAC, which used to have a stamp that told the CM what your needs were. She had no idea that there were stairs in the line.