Please clarify new system for me. I have a specific question and have read everything I can find.

[Bitsmommy]

Hi! We haven't been to Disney since the have implemented the new DAS. Honestly, we were waiting for the kinks to be worked out. However, we are going for fall break and I need some clarification. My son has both Autism and some very serious medical problems. In past trips we use the stroller as a wheelchair sticker in conjunction with the DAS to reduce wait time (he can't handle it physically or emotionally). Prior to the new system, we typically used the wheelchair entrance, even if there was no wait. Because, we kept him in the stroller until we boarded the ride. I understand that with the new system, you aren't able to have more than one "return time" on the card. So, what happens for rides where you need to utilize the wheelchair entrance if you are waiting for a DAS return time for another ride? For example, if Splash Mountain has a 90 minute wait- we would have an 80 minute return time. During that time, if Peter Pans Flight only has a 20 minute wait and we choose to do that, will we still be able to utilize the wheelchair accessible entrance or would we have to wait until we rode SM to even get in the other line because he has a DAS? I realize that MOST of the entrances have been changed to be accessible from the regular queue. However, it was my experience last time we went, that several still weren't and a "back way" was required. I hope that makes sense.

 

[SueM in MN]

Where are you going - WDW or Disneyland?

They both work a little differently because of the accessibility differences at the parks.

If you are talking about WDW, you will have 3 Fastpass Plus times that you can preschedule.
Peter Pan at WDW has been changed so both the Fastpass and Standby lines are accessible.

There is a 'pull off point' for guests using mobility devices quite close to the regular boarding area. So, if the wait in the standby line is 20 minutes, you will go in the regular line until it reaches the pull off point and wait there a few minutes for boarding.

If there is something you know has a handicapped boarding area and usually has a long wait, that would be a good choice to use a Fastpass for.
Which specific attractions are you wondering about?

 

[Bitsmommy]

Disney World. I know that most of the rides have been changed so the lines are accessible. But, some haven't. I am wondering how that applies if we are getting on a ride that isn't accessible. I just used those two as an example.

I know that the handicapped boarding area does have a longer wait at times, but we can't take the risk of him being exposed to all of those people/germs by going through the queue. The last time we went and didn't take extra precautions, he was in ICU for 4 days because of something he picked up. He coded from a stomach virus in January. We will just have to wait, because risking it isn't an option. Besides, he really can't walk and breathe at the same time. So, we would have to carry him through the queue.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

at WDW most wheelchairs go in regular lines all the way to boarding. you can still use stroller as a wheelchair tag. I know at Toy Story ride the wheelchair pull out can take up to 30 minutes longer than regular line but you are in regular line almost to the ride. Small World the lines were right next to each other and wheelchair could only have so many chairs/strollers in the ride area so line moved very slow. so I would plan on being close to others waiting not a separate area

 

[SueM in MN]

Which attractions are you asking about?

There are very few at WDW which still have a separate handicapped entrance that would be used with a wheelchair or stroller as wheelchair.
For the following, in most cases, guests with mobility devices will be with other guests until a certain point in either regular line or Fastpass line (if using DAS or Fastpass)
For the attractions where I wrote "sectioned off" area, it is literally sectioned off,neither other guests on the other side of the chains

At MK, these currently have a different entrance or waiting area:
- railroad stations at Main Street, Frontierland and New Tomorrowland
- Enchanted Tiki Room: youwait in a separate row with other guests right behind you
- Jungle Cruise has a separate entry/waiting area for those who need to stay in the wheelchair for the wait. In May, they were giving out wheelchair return times or we used Fastpass
- Big Thunder Mountain Railroad: the line is not accessible, so there is a separate entrance
- Country Bear Jamboree: Waiting area sectioned off with chains from the rest of the area
- Splash Mountsin: after waiting in line, accessible area that bypasses stairs
- Liberty Square Riverboat: there is a separate way down to boarding, but you board with everyone else
- Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor: waiting area sectioned off with chains from the rest of the area
- Mickey's Philharmagic: waiting area sectioned off with chains by the rest of the siting area
- Small World: after waiting in regular line to the last turn before heading down, you go to a handicap waiting area. Guests using Fastpass or DAS enter there when they return

At EPCOT, these currently have a different entrance or waiting area:
- Spaceship Earth: enter in a different place and wait at the exit
- Captain EO (or whatever takes its place): waiting area on a raised platform compared to others
- Circle Of Life: waiting area sectioned off by chains from the rest of the waiting area
-Turtle Talk: separate waiting room
- American Adventure: go up in elevator and wait in balcony
- Mexico ride: parallel line to regular line

At the Studio:
- Great Movie Ride: waiting area in front of main group of guests once you reach big room
- Star Tours: routed toward the left line. This is pretty much deserted if it is slow, but is used for other guests when it's busy.
- Muppet Vision 3D: waiting area chained off from regular waiting area
- Toy Story Midway Mania: after waiting in line, accessible boarding area that bypasses stairs

At Animal Kingdom:
- It's Tough To Be a Bug: after waiting in line, chained off waiting area
- Killimanjaro Safari: after waiting in line, a separate accessible boarding area
- Kali River Rapids: after waiting in line, a separate accessible boarding area

 

[SueM in MN]

As was already mentioned, they still have the ability to use a stroller as a wheelchair. It is totally separate from DAS; some people have only mobility needs and don't need DAS. Other people need both DAS and to be able to use a stroller as a wheelchair.
They use a tag, sort of like an airline baggage tag to identify strollers being used as wheelchairs. With that tag, you could bring his stroller with and use it wherever wheelchairs go. So, you would have no need to carry him in any lines and you can use the stroller to help keep him separated from other guests/touching things in line.

Queues are either totally wheelchair accessible, or the CMs/signs direct guests with wheelchairs or strollers as wheelchairs to the correct place for boarding.
All queues are accessible all the way to the boarding area except for these where guests need to be ambulatory:
- Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse: must be ambulatory
- Tom Sawyer's Island: can ride the raft, but the island is full of narrows spots, stairs, etc.
- Tomorrowland Transit Authority:

 

[SueM in MN]

We have found that the waits in the handicapped boarding areas, like Toy Story Mania, Spaceship Earth, a Great Movie Ride and Small World have decreased greatly since DAS started. We have not waited more than 10 minutes in those lines in our 5 trips since DAS started.
One of the things we noticed was that before DAS, there were frequently guests using a Guest Assistsnce Card who did not have a mobility device waiting in those lines with us. Sometimes, up to 2/3 of the people waiting were using DAS, but not a mobility device. I get why they were there, their GAC said they could use the 'alternate entry' and that was the alternate entrance.
Those people are now going into the Fastpass line and the only people in the accessible line are those with mobility devices. That makes it faster for everyone.

 

[wdw70sgirl]

Long time lurker here but wanted to ask you about this. With a child that 'coded' for a virus who could end up in the ICU due to germs--why risk a theme park? I know Disney is a wonderful experience for anyone, but children who endure a lot even more so. However the risk of what you described would far out weigh this for me. Disney has to be one of the crowded, germ infested places on earth, not even considering waiting in line. From the buses/monorails to the bag check in line--you will always be surrounded by a lot of people. I'm not trying to be mean, I really just want to understand how you can take the risk of coding and ICU. I have a child who has had many surgeries and this is the last place we would go when her immune system is fragile.

Disney World. I know that most of the rides have been changed so the lines are accessible. But, some haven't. I am wondering how that applies if we are getting on a ride that isn't accessible. I just used those two as an example.

I know that the handicapped boarding area does have a longer wait at times, but we can't take the risk of him being exposed to all of those people/germs by going through the queue. The last time we went and didn't take extra precautions, he was in ICU for 4 days because of something he picked up. He coded from a stomach virus in January. We will just have to wait, because risking it isn't an option. Besides, he really can't walk and breathe at the same time. So, we would have to carry him through the queue.

 

[Bitsmommy]

I am going to start this by saying, I asked for clarification on how the new system worked. I didn't ask someone to critique my parenting choices. But since you did, here is your answer. His immune system is always fragile and will be for the rest of his life. Every single time he leaves the house, he takes that risk. The state requires me to send him to school. I take that risk. I reduce the risk by cleaning the classroom for him every morning so it is as germ free as possible. I need groceries, I take him to the grocery store with me. I reduce that risk by cleaning the shopping cart and help him to avoid touching things that could pose a greater threat. He has to go to the doctor's office. I reduce that risk by not allowing him in the waiting room and utilizing a back door entrance. At Disney World, he uses his stroller as a wheel chair, to help with mobility and to create a buffer between him and the surfaces everyone touches. We try to go during a less busy time. We also use a lot of hand washing and sanitizer. His physician (who agrees with my philosophy) makes sure he has is flu shot at least 2 weeks before we leave and we have an emergency plan in place. This allows him to have a nice trip, while still being as protected as possible from as much as I can protect him from. I can't force a 5 year old little boy to live in a bubble. If I did, he would not have any quality of life. There is a happy medium when it comes to protecting your child, keeping them safe, and your child losing their quality of life. My husband and I- as well as a TEAM of doctors do our best to keep his quality of life a good as possible, while still maintaining his health. I certainly hope that you are not willing to approach every Make a Wish child who you see at the parks and ask them the same question. Because, I assure you that most of them also are immunocompromised in some fashion as well. My son qualifies for a MAW trip- we choose to allow those resources to be applied to someone who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to take that kid of trip.

 

[SueM in MN]

People make choices and decisions all the time. For many people with disabilities, the 'easiest' and 'safest' choice would be to do nothing.
Not leave home. Never take chances. Never live life.

But, that's not what most people want. To take a quote from a character in Steel Magnolias,
"I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

Many of the people on this board are just trying to find a way to have their "30 minutes of wonderful".

This board was created to give people information so they can make informed decisions and choices.
So, that they can make the safest and best choices for themselves and their families.

Some people take the information and decide that the 'cost' of this particular wonderful is more than they are willing to 'spend'. And, they end up not going.
Others use the information to make things work for them, and choose to go, knowing there is some 'cost', but deciding that the 'choice' is worth the 'cost'.

'Choice' is the important word. It's the person/family's choice to make.
Would all of us make the same choice, given the same circumstances?

Probably not, but it's not our choice to make.
I have a Facebook friend whose daughter is on a ventilator. She has gotten mucous plugs multiple times, which clog the ventilator and stop her from being able to breathe. This makes her heart rate go down and unless they can get the mucus cleared and get her heart rate up, she will die. They just changed her advance directives to DNR, which means, one time (who knows how soon), they will not be able to bring her back and she will die.
They are at WDW right now, realizing the risks and doing what they can to mitigate the risks.
Would I choose the same?
No. Never. I am not as brave as her and her mom.

But, her child loves WDW and has a smile like the sun, so who am I to say that they can't/shouldn't go and experience the things that create that smile.

There is a link in my signature to a trip report from a family who looked at the roses in life instead of the thorns. The writer of that trip report is dead now, but I am happy to say that she was able to get many '30 minutes of wonderful' in her life.

 

[ttintagel]

Hope everything works out on the next trip! I also have a compromised immune system, and always pick SOMETHING up at WDW. Last time, I had pneumonia by the end of the trip and watched the MVMCP parade from a shivering heap on the pavement! Next time, in addition to my usual fanatical use of hand sanitizer, I plan on increasing the use of Lysol wipes and wearing masks whenever the crods are too heavy. I'm sure you do all that already; just chiming in to commiserate.

 

[Bitsmommy]

We have bypassed the Lysol wipes and use the same wipes that they use at the hospital to clean the beds and blood spills. You can get them on Amazon now so they aren't that hard to find. We also clean the hotel room before he gets out of his stroller with them and I even bleach the bathroom tub. I have a cleaning kit that goes to all hotels with me. For the items I can ship ahead or fly with (yes, I board early and clean the plane) I use Wegoshop and have it delivered to the hotel. He won't tolerate a mask on his face (I wish he would), but the good news is he is super short- so it takes effort for people to cough in his face, ect... unless they are other kids. With this system we have had two successful trips to Disney World where he came home healthy!! Hopefully, we can go for number three

 

[ttintagel]

Thanks for the tip on the wipes!

 

[Bitsmommy]

People make choices and decisions all the time. For many people with disabilities, the 'easiest' and 'safest' choice would be to do nothing.
Not leave home. Never take chances. Never live life.

But, that's not what most people want. To take a quote from a character in Steel Magnolias,
"I would rather have 30 minutes of wonderful than a lifetime of nothing special."

Many of the people on this board are just trying to find a way to have their "30 minutes of wonderful".

This board was created to give people information so they can make informed decisions and choices.
So, that they can make the safest and best choices for themselves and their families.

Some people take the information and decide that the 'cost' of this particular wonderful is more than they are willing to 'spend'. And, they end up not going.
Others use the information to make things work for them, and choose to go, knowing there is some 'cost', but deciding that the 'choice' is worth the 'cost'.

'Choice' is the important word. It's the person/family's choice to make.
Would all of us make the same choice, given the same circumstances?

Probably not, but it's not our choice to make.
I have a Facebook friend whose daughter is on a ventilator. She has gotten mucous plugs multiple times, which clog the ventilator and stop her from being able to breathe. This makes her heart rate go down and unless they can get the mucus cleared and get her heart rate up, she will die. They just changed her advance directives to DNR, which means, one time (who knows how soon), they will not be able to bring her back and she will die.
They are at WDW right now, realizing the risks and doing what they can to mitigate the risks.
Would I choose the same?
No. Never. I am not as brave as her and her mom.

But, her child loves WDW and has a smile like the sun, so who am I to say that they can't/shouldn't go and experience the things that create that smile.

There is a link in my signature to a trip report from a family who looked at the roses in life instead of the thorns. The writer of that trip report is dead now, but I am happy to say that she was able to get many '30 minutes of wonderful' in her life.

I have held my little boy in my arms while he has died four times in his short little five years. Every time, I have told him that it wasn't his turn and he needed to come back to me. Because it wasn't. However, if the time came, I would know and I would let him go. I would do that knowing that in his short, little lifetime, I gave him as many "30 minutes of wonderful" as I possibly could and his time to teach the world about really living life- was just over.

In January, I was told by the doctors to start talking to my son, because despite all of their medical intervention- the only thing he was responding to was my voice. I talked to him about all of the wonderful things that we would do when he woke up. Of course, we talked about taking his brother's toys, and playing with his dog, but we also talked about riding Splash Mountain at Disney World- as soon as he was tall enough. Well, he is tall enough- 41.75 inches with no shoes and 42.25 inches with shoes, with a little more time to grow. I have every intention of holding up my end of that bargain because he held up his. And, during that time, that 18 hours he was completely non responsive, he must have been listening to me too. Because the first thing he said to his Daddy was, " I am awake because Mommy was talking to the men and they made my heart stop hurting. Then the light went away." He gets his 30 minutes. I don't care what I have to do to make it happen, and honestly- I don't care who approves.

 

[sam_eu]

Which attractions are you asking about?

At MK, these currently have a different entrance or waiting area:
...
- Small World: after waiting in regular line to the last turn before heading down, you go to a handicap waiting area. Guests using Fastpass or DAS enter there when they return
...

Are you sure about this?
I just read in the disability guide from the WDW hompage:

“it’s a small world”®
Take a boat tour around the globe. Mobility Access:
Enter through designated wheelchair entrance.

It's a small world isn't listed on WDW hompage as mainstream antrance too...

Could anyone confirme or deny this for me?

 

[aaarcher86]

Are you sure about this?
I just read in the disability guide from the WDW hompage:



It's a small world isn't listed on WDW hompage as mainstream antrance too...

Could anyone confirme or deny this for me?

Sue has a daughter who used a wheelchair, so she'd be the one to confirm or deny

 

[SueM in MN]

Are you sure about this?
I just read in the disability guide from the WDW hompage:



It's a small world isn't listed on WDW hompage as mainstream antrance too...

Could anyone confirme or deny this for me?

Sue has a daughter who used a wheelchair, so she'd be the one to confirm or deny

We were there and rode it several times less than 3 weeks ago with DD in her wheelchair. We were also at WDW in late December/first week of January 2015 and rode several times.

We had Fastpasses, but also saw people who were using wheelchairs and did not have Fastpass.
With Fastpasses, we were sent directly into the accessible area. Guests with wheelchairs and ECVs who did not have Fastpass were sent in the regular (Standby) line.

The Fastpass line is on the side of the attraction nearest the Rapunzel area (years ago, that was the exit). It is not accessible because it puts guests on the wrong side of the water compared to the wheelchair boarding area. The route of the Fastpass line doesn't come near the entrance to the accessible area.

The Standby queue runs across the whole front of the attraction. It makes several turns (how many depends on how busy it is and how they set up the chains). The last turn before joining the Fastpass queue is next to the entrance to the accessible boarding area.
We saw people with wheelchairs/ECVs waiting in the Standby queue until it reached that turn. At that point, they were pulled out of line and sent to the accessible boarding area.
I would call it a partially Mainstreamed line.

Prior to that, CMs were giving out wheelchair return cards for guests who needs to use the accessible area and didn't have Fastpass or DAS.

 

[CharmedCake]

Hi! We haven't been to Disney since the have implemented the new DAS. Honestly, we were waiting for the kinks to be worked out. However, we are going for fall break and I need some clarification. My son has both Autism and some very serious medical problems. In past trips we use the stroller as a wheelchair sticker in conjunction with the DAS to reduce wait time (he can't handle it physically or emotionally). Prior to the new system, we typically used the wheelchair entrance, even if there was no wait. Because, we kept him in the stroller until we boarded the ride. I understand that with the new system, you aren't able to have more than one "return time" on the card. So, what happens for rides where you need to utilize the wheelchair entrance if you are waiting for a DAS return time for another ride? For example, if Splash Mountain has a 90 minute wait- we would have an 80 minute return time. During that time, if Peter Pans Flight only has a 20 minute wait and we choose to do that, will we still be able to utilize the wheelchair accessible entrance or would we have to wait until we rode SM to even get in the other line because he has a DAS? I realize that MOST of the entrances have been changed to be accessible from the regular queue. However, it was my experience last time we went, that several still weren't and a "back way" was required. I hope that makes sense.

I would also if possible invest in getting surgical face masks for the unavoidable areas of high risk, as you can't guarantee all the time when mass crowds will appear, as Disney has and can be a patient zero scenario with dangerous outbreaks. You can find whatever designs you want including Disney on places such as Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/Kimberly-Clark-Childs-Stretchable-Earloops-Latex/dp/B00GX898AG

As surgical masks are proven anti-disease and anti-infection safeguards, and can be whip on and off at need, they could be useful for your child.

It might also be useful in future if Disney does become a too daunting task, maybe consider the Alunai Hawaiian Disney resort as it is a more controlled area in terms of people.

Or even if you fancy ever experiencing global travel with your child, Japan is very hygienic country, surgical masks are abundant and they have their own Tokyo Disney Resort and many other tourist attractions.

 

[PatMcDuck]

When I was at DL, the WC return times were almost counted as a DAS return time. So if you had an "active" DAS return, you could not also get WC return time on top of that. This is since they began loading both WC return times and DAS return times onto your park pass. So if you have a 90 minute splash mountain DAS return on your pass, you would not be able to get a WC return time. Thats not to say you could not wait in an accessible line, of course. The CMs also sometimes just wave you in (maybe more so with us, there is usually only the 2 of us and he transfers). Some rides they do not let long WC lines queue up. I saw this on PP, SW, for example. (I was there on a very busy week, Jan 1-Jan 5) I was told there, in that week, that I had to wait until I use my DAS return, to get a WC return time.

I was at WDW recently, but it was literally the last few days before they switched to the DAS on the Magic Bands, so I cannot speak to their system now.

 

[AFloridaMommy]

I can only answer your question for WDW, as we went there this past January.

First, please plan a weekend that is as quiet as possible. We went on a holiday weekend, and I wished that I didn't go then. Too crowded, and the lines were crazy.

Anyway, for certain rides like A Small World there is a separate access, but they made us walk...made us take my stroller as a wheelchair and park it...then take two kids 15mo and my DS. Nemo/Turtle Talk we waited in a seperate area...but every person in the other crowd was giving us the "evil eye" ::eye roll::

...meltdown after meltdown...

Not because of the policy, but because we went during one of the busiest weekends of the year. Never again.