Should I talk to Disney about this AK DAH experience?

[gap2368]

I asked someone I travel with whether the DAS has been available to use at special events (like the MNSSHP) and was told yes that she was able to use it - at least at the MK. She said she had used it often for special events like this without a problem but has not attend the AK after hours one.

I too have been told a number of times that the DAS can be used any time the wait is over 15 minutes long and I have used the DAS for EMH MNSSHP, MVMCP for the ride in SWGE when there are no FP all without question I have done quite a few rides downing morning EMH quite a few times ( I tend to wake up early any ways) there have been 2 rides that I can think of once at EE and the manager was talking to another guest coming running after me as I was walking away saying she was sorry that the CM that told me no was wrong ( she talked to the CM right infant of me telling them that the DAS is used any time the wait is over 15 minutes, the other time at buzz and that is a little longer of a story but the manager there told me the same thing) I have also asked at GR when getting my DAS if it could be used at EMH or MNSSHP ( I have not done MVMCP for a few years) and I have been told yes each time. I even emailed Disney last year before I went to MNSSHP to check ( since there have been so many people saying it is not used) and was told you guessed it yes I know a few people on here and in life that have used the DAS during specula event and EMH with no problem I have also looked on Disney website and I can not find anywhere that it say the DAS is only used during normal park hours and not for special event or EMH.

I have done two DAH at the MK and all the rides were walk on or waiting for one train beside the very start 7DMT was a 30 minute wait but they were letting DAH guest right in the FP line.

@OhanaMoana I would email Disney but your post was say too long and concussing ( I read it a few times and still have no clue what you are talking about, but I do have a disability with reading some times, but I do not think I was the only one) I would make it much shorter but if you feel like thing could be better then yes let Disney know how else will they truly know how guest feel about things unless they are told ( the good and the bad)

 

[J'aime Paris]

I'm sorry your experience wasn't so great...

WDW is such a huge place and its hard to keep a continuity of policy/procedure. I find that if you speak to 5 different CMs, and you'll get 5 different answers. In a perfect world, the CMs should all be equally knowledgeable, but it's simply not the case.

EE being inoperable for most of the evening is a bummer, but these things do happen... It really adds to the ride times of other headliners for sure!
(Which means many guests probably ran over to FOP instead)

Guests not having DAH tickets can get into line right up to the 9pm closing time. And FOP continues to be popular, which certainly adds to wait times....and add in no EE for the evening.

Seems like you encountered a "perfect storm" situation, where not much went right. And that's a tough $400 pill to swallow.

I'd give WDW a shout out. All feedback is valuable!

 

[Toffeewoffy]

Just to add that while there wasn't an event the night we were at AK, when my daughter and I returned to FoP just before 9pm to try and get a crafty last ride before the park had closed, they'd already closed the line and roped the area off!

We did a MK Extra Hours event back in February - gifted to us after I had an accident getting off the teacups ride (totally my fault and I kept telling them that) - but we found that in the 3 hours we literally got to go on 3 rides and managed a quick drink and ice cream. Those 3 hours go extremely quickly when you're still queuing 20 minutes or so for rides. The queues for the free drinks/snacks were upwards of 15-20 minutes as well! There's no way we'd have paid over $100 each for that experience. It wasn't that magical at all.

 

[DisneyOma]

I did find out on another trip however, that rides without fastpass (such as MF) will accommodate DAS passes, so that may be have been a poor assumption.

What is MF?

we have used DAS before so we specifically asked ”what is the wait time for AK DAH attendees” and “Guest x has a DAS - what is the wait for a return time for DAS?” As separate questions. First time we were quoted the 135mins, second time we were told there was no DAS and wait was still 135 but that it would “go down later”. The CM at the other ride I mentioned told us that what should’ve happened is that even though there are no FP+s during DAH, the event attendees should be put in the physical line used for FP+ even if FP+ system wasn’t technically operating (I think, presumably, so that attendees still get priority over regular hours park guests as though they had a FP+ rather than having those paying a premium getting stuck in the huge post-closure wait line - but this last piece of logic is my assumption, bit what the second CM explicitly told me. She was only explicit about there being a separate physical line (and associated wait time) for DAH attendees.

WDW is notorious for this - misinformed CMs, CMs with incomplete training, or for whatever reason, go off script. It's hard to know which CM is actually right.

my experience matches what @OKWFan88 Said: we asked around 9:15pm, 15 minutes after event started when we had wristbands, and we specifically said we were there for AK DAH, has wristbands, and had a person with DAS needs (and a DAS pass) and we couldn’t stay in the standby line that long (135mins). Didn’t seem to matter to first CM. So it wasn’t a question of clarity of us being attendees or what we needed in terms of help to enable our DASuser to be able to wait in line and then be able to ride.

The standby during the event was 135 minutes? Were they all guests of the event, or stragglers from the day? Officially, DAS is not available during a special event. So if the queue is long, there's really nothing they do about it.

I asked someone I travel with whether the DAS has been available to use at special events (like the MNSSHP) and was told yes that she was able to use it - at least at the MK. She said she had used it often for special events like this without a problem but has not attend the AK after hours one.

Again, it seems to depend on the training and whim of the CMs. Officially, it seems, DAS isn't used during a special event. Disney needs to be told though, that they are selling too many tickets if the queues are that long? Of at least offer use of the DAS after the queues get a certain length, or have a waiting area during special events (that would be my choice) that is less restrictive, and then give access.

 

[Sparkly]

Just to add that while there wasn't an event the night we were at AK, when my daughter and I returned to FoP just before 9pm to try and get a crafty last ride before the park had closed, they'd already closed the line and roped the area off!

We did a MK Extra Hours event back in February - gifted to us after I had an accident getting off the teacups ride (totally my fault and I kept telling them that) - but we found that in the 3 hours we literally got to go on 3 rides and managed a quick drink and ice cream. Those 3 hours go extremely quickly when you're still queuing 20 minutes or so for rides. The queues for the free drinks/snacks were upwards of 15-20 minutes as well! There's no way we'd have paid over $100 each for that experience. It wasn't that magical at all.

That's because we spent a lot of time wandering really- if we had wanted to we could have gone on a ride over and over.

 

[clm10308]

I also found your post confusing.
Is the concern the communication issues? Or is the problem the lack of DAS at the after hours events which often have much longer lines than many people want after paying extra money for the event?
I couldn’t figure out what response you are wanting from the guest services cast member.
So, when you do send your email, be more specific. Describe what you would have liked her to say or do. Are you wanting a refund or fast passes for later?

 

[jeal]

If this was the first time someone in your group was using a DAS it can be confusing especially when the event doesn’t typically allow the DAS. The DAS doesn’t give you a short time to wait for the attraction - it allows you to not have to wait in line. You do not get automatic entry into the fast pass line. It does allow the person who requires the DAS (and their party) to go someplace else until their return time comes. So, if the standby time was 125 minutes the CM gave you correct information about the return time.
Typically you need to tell the CM that you have a DAS and need a return time. They do not offer this to you. Also, you can only hold one DAS return time at a time so if the wait was 125 minutes you would have waited almost 2 hours to ride FOP even with the DAS.
It seems as if the problem was with the CM who told you to get in the stand by line even though you had paid for after hours.

 

[maxiesmom]

I wanted to read that, but wow. Could you break down that last giant paragraph please?

 

[camper06]

Officially, DAS is not available during a special event.

Just curious, is this official policy on the website? or where does this come from? (not specifically questioning you, I have seen this stated over and over on these boards by many posters).

does anybody have a link to this policy? I have used DAS many times at parties, and was informed of the availability to use DAS during the party by guest relations.

We were at a sold out MNSSHP last tuesday (10/8), and I never had an issue getting a return time, either at the ride or at the guest experience teams located in the parks.

 

[gap2368]

Just curious, is this official policy on the website? or where does this come from? (not specifically questioning you, I have seen this stated over and over on these boards by many posters).

does anybody have a link to this policy? I have used DAS many times at parties, and was informed of the availability to use DAS during the party by guest relations.

We were at a sold out MNSSHP last tuesday (10/8), and I never had an issue getting a return time, either at the ride or at the guest experience teams located in the parks.

I too have been told a number of times at GR and thought the disability department online/ phone that the DAS is used anytime a ride has a wait more then 15 minutes also rider swap can be used too. I have used the DAS more times then I can count when there are no FP lines ( EMH MVMCP MNSSHP) the one event I did not use it in was MK DAH and that was becuse the lines were all walk on but 7 DMT at the start and they let us( people with DAH) right in the FP line. I tried looking on Disney website for anything that say the DAS can only be used during normal operation ( or not during EMH MNSSHP MVMCP) but could not find it. I was told by one cm on the phone that it was illegal to not have access to the rides for people with disabilities. This was is why at space mountain they kept the FP line ( and side) open at all times since this is the only way wheelchair user can go ( that track also has the only elevator for emergencies evacuation

 

[ElyseInWonderland]

Chiming in to say...if you do plan on writing to Disney, completely leave out the part about EE being down. Get to the main issue right away.

It helps to assume that someone at Disney will spend at MOST 2 minutes reading your letter. Put the "who, what, where, and how this affected your party" in the first paragraph. Be cordial but brief. If the Rep reading the letter believes they can gain some future value from what you're saying (i.e., they can help a future paying customer), they'll be MUCH more receptive and likely to provide a valuable response. (I have a background in technical writing )

Good luck, and I'm sorry your AK evening was a bummer!

 

[Lisa F]

I too have been told a number of times at GR and thought the disability department online/ phone that the DAS is used anytime a ride has a wait more then 15 minutes also rider swap can be used too. I have used the DAS more times then I can count when there are no FP lines ( EMH MVMCP MNSSHP) the one event I did not use it in was MK DAH and that was becuse the lines were all walk on but 7 DMT at the start and they let us( people with DAH) right in the FP line. I tried looking on Disney website for anything that say the DAS can only be used during normal operation ( or not during EMH MNSSHP MVMCP) but could not find it. I was told by one cm on the phone that it was illegal to not have access to the rides for people with disabilities. This was is why at space mountain they kept the FP line ( and side) open at all times since this is the only way wheelchair user can go ( that track also has the only elevator for emergencies evacuation

This is really good news - I was searching to see if the DAS can be used during parties - there is a DAH at MK with Villains on the one day we will be at the parks before our cruise and I am torn about doing it because my son is on the spectrum and I am reading about wait times of 45 minutes plus for some of the special overlay rides... which would certainly be meltdown inducing. We have used the DAS successfully during regular hours and it sounds like the CMs at the MK are more informed than at other parks so I am thinking of giving this a shot.

 

[Lisa F]

To the OP, I'd write Disney a short note saying that you were disappointed with the event as wait times at FoP were too long for your travelmate with a disability, you were not allowed to use the DAS so your party could not ride that ride at all, and EE was down for most of the night. I would just leave it at that and not go into the details unless they ask.

I am sure they will do something to compensate you - we attended a DAH at the MK and were frustrated that 7DMT, HM and Splash all went down for most of the evening - it was comical that they seemed to break down right before we got there. We still had a good time but I expressed my disappointment and Disney took care of us.

I would definitely reach out but agree with those saying to keep it simple - if they want more specific details they will reach out to you about it.

 

[gap2368]

This is really good news - I was searching to see if the DAS can be used during parties - there is a DAH at MK with Villains on the one day we will be at the parks before our cruise and I am torn about doing it because my son is on the spectrum and I am reading about wait times of 45 minutes plus for some of the special overlay rides... which would certainly be meltdown inducing. We have used the DAS successfully during regular hours and it sounds like the CMs at the MK are more informed than at other parks so I am thinking of giving this a shot.

You should be fine at magic kingdom the only ride I had truble with was buz and the manager there ended up telling me the DAS should have been used but I was just done for the night so I just left I have used it more times then I can count for space ( my favorite ride) 7DMT never used it for the people mover but I did hear a guest ask a CM one time if they could help her son the CM just had them wait off to the side for a few minutes then he let them in line right before you go up the ramp.

 

[audrey2580]

We just attended Oogie Boogie Bash at Disneyland and I asked if they honored the DAS during the event. The CM told me "Disabilities don't stop for parties". I loved that answer! I know DL is different than WDW but here they still had everyone use the regular line so people using DAS could use the FP line. We only needed it on Radiator Springs Racers but I'm grateful we had it.