Now that the DAS at WDW is electronic...

[OurBigTrip]

...albeit still in the "test, fix, test" phase, it seems to me that a good next step would be to allow three DAS choices at a time, just like FP+.

In my mind (not the greatest, but it occasionally works ), it would work like this:

Get a return time for the first attraction, then choose two other attractions.
For the second and third attraction, return times would be based on the first return time plus length (in minutes) of the first attraction plus current wait time for the second attraction, return time for second attraction and length of second attraction plus current wait time for the third attraction.
Return times for the second and third attractions would be re-adjusted once the DAS holder and party actually enter the first attraction, thus allowing for the return anytime after nature of the DAS.

The wait times are universally known, as demonstrated by MDE, where you can see current wait times, so it's really just a matter of programming the math.

 

[Sunnywho]

Disney can definitely tinker with the current program now that it's digital. The danger I guess is not making it too powerful and attractive to abuse. Did Disney have to increase staffing at ride entrances in order to accommodate the DAS when it rolled out? Your suggestion would reduce their involvement.

I wouldn't mind if they offered two options: the DAS as it currently stands or the option to have an anytime DAS appear magically at a set interval. Every hour and a half, for example, a DAS FP would appear. That would also alleviate the need to go to the ride entrances.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Disney can definitely tinker with the current program now that it's digital. The danger I guess is not making it too powerful and attractive to abuse. Did Disney have to increase staffing at ride entrances in order to accommodate the DAS when it rolled out? Your suggestion would reduce their involvement.

I wouldn't mind if they offered two options: the DAS as it currently stands or the option to have an anytime DAS appear magically at a set interval. Every hour and a half, for example, a DAS FP would appear. That would also alleviate the need to go to the ride entrances.

I agree about not making it attractive to abuse, and I'm of the opinion that so long as they keep the wait times in place, their is little incentive to abuse the DAS.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

We all know wait times vary throughout the day. Let's say you pick 7DMT for your first DAS, Dumbo for you second DAS. When you pick Dumbo the wait time is 30 minutes. By the time you ride 7DMT the wait time is up to 60 minutes. With your idea, would the DAS return time adjust to 60 minutes? That would be fair, because if you had to walk over to Dumbo after riding to 7DMT you would get a return time if 60 minutes. If your wait time stays at 30 minutes that would be an unfair advantage.

 

[OurBigTrip]

We all know wait times vary throughout the day. Let's say you pick 7DMT for your first DAS, Dumbo for you second DAS. When you pick Dumbo the wait time is 30 minutes. By the time you ride 7DMT the wait time is up to 60 minutes. With your idea, would the DAS return time adjust to 60 minutes? That would be fair, because if you had to walk over to Dumbo after riding to 7DMT you would get a return time if 60 minutes. If your wait time stays at 30 minutes that would be an unfair advantage.

Under my idea, the subsequent wait times would adjust, up or down, each time you show up for a return time. Using your example, the wait time for Dumbo would be based on what it is when you enter the 7DMT and scan your MB. There may be a slight advantage, but not that much, as it's unlikely to go from 30 minutes to 60 minutes in the time it takes to ride 7DMT.

 

[design_mom]

I'm not sure. I think a good next step would be to allow a DAS user to schedule their next attraction via MDE once their previous DAS time has been used. This would alleviate the concerns some people have about approaching an attraction, then leaving.

Am I understanding that "your system" would assign the wait times for all three based on when the DAS user makes the booking? If so, I think that would open things up for abuse because the wait time when you book would not necessarily match the time when you're actually ready to join the [virtual] standby line. Standby times fluctuate throughout the day, so you could end up waiting longer or shorter than the standby line depending on when you book... but I don't think it would take long for people to figure out how to work the system. (Book three big-ticket DAS times at rope drop and get short return times for all three...but the lines grow quickly, so by the time you actually get done with Ride #1, the standby times for #2 and #3 will likely be much longer than when you booked.)

I think the current one-at-a-time when you're actually ready to join the standby line is a fair solution that provides access without making it too attractive to scammers. I do support offering more options (including through the MDE app) for scheduling the next return time though.

ETA: I see you explained that your system's return times would adjust. I see that as creating a whole lot of problems for people who don't understand how the DAS works (why does my time keep changing?!?!)... and I would guess that people consider the wait time before they decide what to do next (they don't necessarily want to tie up the DAS with a long-wait ride if something else has a shorter one.) It sounds like your system would be even less spontaneous than just saying "What should we do next?", but wouldn't necessarily solve the needs of people who are very schedule-based either, if their times keep changing and can't be counted on. (As an example, I do not have special needs but it really stresses me out when I use my GPS system and get stuck in traffic. My ETA keeps ticking higher and higher and there's nothing I can do about it. Stresses me out. Sometimes I have to just turn the thing off.)

 

[OurBigTrip]

I'm not sure. I think a good next step would be to allow a DAS user to schedule their next attraction via MDE once their previous DAS time has been used. This would alleviate the concerns some people have about approaching an attraction, then leaving.

Am I understanding that "your system" would assign the wait times for all three based on when the DAS user makes the booking? If so, I think that would open things up for abuse because the wait time when you book would not necessarily match the time when you're actually ready to join the [virtual] standby line. Standby times fluctuate throughout the day, so you could end up waiting longer or shorter than the standby line depending on when you book... but I don't think it would take long for people to figure out how to work the system. (Book three big-ticket DAS times at rope drop and get short return times for all three...but the lines grow quickly, so by the time you actually get done with Ride #1, the standby times for #2 and #3 will likely be much longer than when you booked.)

I think the current one-at-a-time when you're actually ready to join the standby line is a fair solution that provides access without making it too attractive to scammers. I do support offering more options (including through the MDE app) for scheduling the next return time though.

ETA: I see you explained that your system's return times would adjust. I see that as creating a whole lot of problems for people who don't understand how the DAS works (why does my time keep changing?!?!)... and I would guess that people consider the wait time before they decide what to do next (they don't necessarily want to tie up the DAS with a long-wait ride if something else has a shorter one.) It sounds like your system would be even less spontaneous than just saying "What should we do next?", but wouldn't necessarily solve the needs of people who are very schedule-based either, if their times keep changing and can't be counted on.

Oh, I agree that being able to schedule via MDE would be the best, no doubt about it. I think even being able to get a return time for any attraction from any attraction would be great, and easier on families than it is now. But I've seen many complaints about not being able to have more than one return time at a time, and this would be one way to schedule the order, if not the exact return time, without having to run all over the park.

 

[aaarcher86]

I think I'd prefer being able to assign times myself via MDE or adding kiosks for people that don't want to go to the ride.

I prefer giving their wonky system as little to do as possible!

 

[OurBigTrip]

I think I'd prefer being able to assign times myself via MDE or adding kiosks for people that don't want to go to the ride.

I prefer giving their wonky system as little to do as possible!

LOL I agree!

 

[charmed59]

Under my idea, the subsequent wait times would adjust, up or down, each time you show up for a return time. Using your example, the wait time for Dumbo would be based on what it is when you enter the 7DMT and scan your MB. There may be a slight advantage, but not that much, as it's unlikely to go from 30 minutes to 60 minutes in the time it takes to ride 7DMT.

The really cool thing about this idea is it could be used by everyone, and be called the Standby return time instead of DAS return time. If they could make it so no one is standing in any line more than the 15 minutes or so that a FP line takes, they could get rid of the DAS program altogether.

 

[Sunnywho]

The really cool thing about this idea is it could be used by everyone, and be called the Standby return time instead of DAS return time. If they could make it so no one is standing in any line more than the 15 minutes or so that a FP line takes, they could get rid of the DAS program altogether.

Didn't they experiment with getting rid of the standby line at some rides like Soarin? It wasn't well liked because they ran out of standby paper return times and then people were not able to get in a standby line or ride at all.

I'm not sure. I think a good next step would be to allow a DAS user to schedule their next attraction via MDE once their previous DAS time has been used.

Could the technology do that? It would solve some problems.
I have to remember that when we visited Disney World last, it was less than a month since DAS was rolled out, FP+ was being trialed at most resorts but FP was also still in existence, and it was a holiday week...whenever we approached the rides to get a DAS time, it was a very busy area with hardworking CMs.

 

[phorsenuf]

I do wish they would allow you to get a time without walking to each attraction though. It would be nice if when you got out of one attraction you could get your new one right there. I find we actually do more walking with the current system.

 

[charmed59]

Didn't they experiment with getting rid of the standby line at some rides like Soarin? It wasn't well liked because they ran out of standby paper return times and then people were not able to get in a standby line or ride at all.

Could the technology do that? It would solve some problems.
I have to remember that when we visited Disney World last, it was less than a month since DAS was rolled out, FP+ was being trialed at most resorts but FP was also still in existence, and it was a holiday week...whenever we approached the rides to get a DAS time, it was a very busy area with hardworking CMs.

The key difference between this and the Soarin experiment is with Soarin people could get a standby paper return and then throw it away, as it didn't affect the rest of their rides. It wasn't like a DAS return time in that you couldn't get another one until you rode that one or deleted it. So lots of folks were pulling return times and then not returning. With the proposed change, if people saw their standby time was too long they could delete it, recalculating their return times for the next two rides. That would shorten the virtual queue line for someone else.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I'm confused by the desire/need for 3 DAS return times at once, unless you meant 3 DAS return times instead of FP+ return times? I found that on our last trip (2 weeks ago), that I did not even use the DAS very much, because I used FP+. I mostly used the DAS at MK, for the Mine Train, for example, because our FP+ for it was un-usable, as the ride went down, and we were leaving the park for the day. (we used the DAS 5 times in 8 days, I just looked).

But, I would love to schedule the DAS on my iPhone, or at a guest relations kiosk (like at DL), or even at one of the FP+ kiosk locations already used by other guests. The iPhone option would be complicated though, because now you need to specify which guests in your party are going to ride the DAS chosen attraction.

 

[>Ash<]

this system is fair - i used GAC and if you look at the new system its the same! you couldnt schedule your return times with your GAC so why should you be able to do it digitally
if you need the assistance then this is the current system we have to use.

Edit-
If you had the ability to schedule them yourself im sure disney would be hit with the coutcry from all the ablebodied people out there saying the system is giving disabled ufair advantage

i think the new system is the same as the old one, just digital and the cards are linked to a MB and your picture is taken its going to be alot harder to abuse this system.

 

[Smokeyspawn]

this system is fair - i used GAC and if you look at the new system its the same! you couldnt schedule your return times with your GAC so why should you be able to do it digitally
if you need the assistance then this is the current system we have to use.

Edit-
If you had the ability to schedule them yourself im sure disney would be hit with the coutcry from all the ablebodied people out there saying the system is giving disabled ufair advantage

i think the new system is the same as the old one, just digital and the cards are linked to a MB and your picture is taken its going to be alot harder to abuse this system.

Agreed. My son with Autism cant stand long waits in line. Now we can go to the CM (without him being with us thank goodness because when he sees it, he wants to ride it), get a return time and then have a distraction for him for however long it takes. If we plan our FP+ with a good planned path around the park, we can do a ton. What some are proposing itt is tantamount to unlimited FP+ selections which is just not fair.

 

[>Ash<]

Agreed. My son with Autism cant stand long waits in line. Now we can go to the CM (without him being with us thank goodness because when he sees it, he wants to ride it), get a return time and then have a distraction for him for however long it takes. If we plan our FP+ with a good planned path around the park, we can do a ton. What some are proposing itt is tantamount to unlimited FP+ selections which is just not fair.

my thoughts exactly. with my prosthesis i cannot stand for longer than 10-15 minutes so for rides like Peter Pan and such its going to be a god send to get a return time so im not trying to stand through a 40-70min line.

im happy with the new system its fair and cannot be abused so easily

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

my thoughts exactly. with my prosthesis i cannot stand for longer than 10-15 minutes so for rides like Peter Pan and such its going to be a god send to get a return time so im not trying to stand through a 40-70min line.

im happy with the new system its fair and cannot be abused so easily

I thought mobility problems don't qualify for a DAS? Disney recommends ECVs and wheelchairs for people with mobility problems.

 

[>Ash<]

I thought mobility problems don't qualify for a DAS? Disney recommends ECVs and wheelchairs for people with mobility problems.

i am in an ECV - i can walk for only 10-20mins before i fatigue

 

[Ms_Butterfly]

i am in an ECV - i can walk for only 10-20mins before i fatigue

Then you will have to use your ECV in the lines. You won't be getting DAS return times, as you stated above, since DAS is not for mobility problems.