So Worried about DAS/Wheelchair combo at Disneyland

[Nevada Jen]

We are headed to Disneyland this weekend. In the past we have just used the wheelchair lines and skipped anything that was mainstreamed that had too long of a wait for my DD, rather than try to explain that the wheelchair is the least of her needs. We tried once years ago and were brushed off and told the wheelchair pass gets us the same access. Well now it is really not an option to not get both the stroller as a wheelchair and the DAS. I have seriously worked myself up over this. I thought I had picked a low attendance weekend. Now it is going to be packed. I have to be able to figure out how to use the New DAS system or it is going to be a disaster of a trip.

It used to be we just couldn't do the mainstream line rides but basically walking on to the non mainstream line rides sort of made up for it. Am I understanding correctly that the non mainstream line rides also give out return times based on the wait time to wheelchair users?

Also, I am REALLY uncomfortable explaining to a perfect stranger, with my daughter standing right there, all of her deficits. She can understand but she can't talk. I think how horrible it would be to me if my mom told some perfect stranger my faults and I couldn't comment on the good things that balance it out. So basically, I am having a bit of a melt down. Can someone pipe up with something to put my mind at ease?

 

[Gracie09]

I would suggest writing down a your concerns for the CM to read. They may still ask questions but it may be more of a clarification type. Also, concentrate on why she can't wait in line.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Write down concisely the reason/s your daughter can't wait in line/use the typical wheelchair return option.
Explain quietly to the CM that's what this note is and hand it to them. Be prepared to explain why the wheelchair return time alone isn't an option.

Read the WDW DAS sticky thread.

Also, there isn't a wheelchair pass. Some attractions will give a wheelchair return time.

 

[Nevada Jen]

Thank you! I didn't even think of writing them down. I had them written out in my post, but then I decided it might be bad form to post it publically. Seriously thank you! That is a huge weight off my shoulders!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not bad form, just not information you need to share with potentially thousands of strangers .

 

[lanejudy]

I agree to use a note to communicate to the CM at Guest Relations. Make it a list of bullet points, leave off anything related to mobility or stamina, and keep it as brief as possible. It should just relate to her issues specifically in a standard queue environment. You don't indicate how old your daughter is, but she does not need to be right next to you while you discuss the DAS. She can sit a little bit away and come join you to have her picture taken.

If I understand correctly, you will be at Disneyland in California. You are correct that wheelchair return times are utilized regularly at the Magic Kingdom due to the older park and fewer mainstreamed lines. One main difference between a wheelchair return time and a DAS return time is that the w/c one is limited to the one-hour window, whereas DAS is a "return anytime after x:xx." If you have a FP or DAS return time for a ride that has a separate wheelchair entrance -- I believe the wheelchair return time will be immediate rather than another wait.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[SMD]

One main difference between a wheelchair return time and a DAS return time is that the w/c one is limited to the one-hour window, whereas DAS is a "return anytime after x:xx." If you have a FP or DAS return time for a ride that has a separate wheelchair entrance -- I believe the wheelchair return time will be immediate rather than another wait.

Enjoy your vacation!

That hasn't been my experience. On most rides, wheelchair returns and DAS returns wait together. The only difference was that the wait time before returning was different. For POTC the standby line was 15-20 minutes, we had to wait 2 hours. Then when we returned we had to wait with 3 parties ahead of us for 2 ride cycles because they only allow so many wheelchair parties at a time. At Jungle Cruise we waited 10 minutes when the standby line was closer to 40 minutes. But then we waited 25 minutes at the return. We were not waiting for the wheelchair boat. In fact, only 1 party ahead of use had an ECV. Most were using DAS (this was when they still used the paper cards). What I don't know is what would happen in a situation like POTC. What if you get a return time at the kiosk for 10 minutes, but when you go to the exit the wheelchair return time is an hour? You may end up getting a wheelchair return time. Even if they let you into the line to load at the exit with just the DAS return time, odds are you are still going to wait awhile on that particular ride.

 

[Nevada Jen]

It is more the rides with the mainstream lines I am worried about. Not being able to get out if she has a seizure which will happen at least once a day. In my experience people in the wheelchair line usually move out of the way and there are more cast members around to get people out of the way.

 

[SMD]

It is more the rides with the mainstream lines I am worried about. Not being able to get out if she has a seizure which will happen at least once a day. In my experience people in the wheelchair line usually move out of the way and there are more cast members around to get people out of the way.

Most of the mainstream lines have multiple points where you can exit. If you see the line ahead of you stopping, and you're going to be in an area where you can't easily get to an exit, just stretch out your party so you won't pass the exit. When the line moves again you can condense and the people behind you will move up a little faster.

 

[lanejudy]

It is more the rides with the mainstream lines I am worried about. Not being able to get out if she has a seizure which will happen at least once a day. In my experience people in the wheelchair line usually move out of the way and there are more cast members around to get people out of the way.

I'm a little confused what you are asking...if the line is mainstreamed, there is no "wheelchair line" as everyone uses the same entrance. "Mainstreamed" means the regular queue is accessible to mobility devices. The DAS will allow you to use the FP line, unless it is not accessible (in which case you'll get a wheelchair return time). Wheelchair return times may be given out when the regular or FP queue is not accessible, regardless of whether the guest has a DAS and/or a FP. It is intended to prevent back-up of those needing the accessible entrance, though there may still be a wait especially if anyone ahead of you needs an accessible ride vehicle.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[PatMcDuck]

When I was at DL last month, it appeared that the WC return times were handled much like the DAS return times, except that they are given by the CM at the ride. You have to hand over all the passes for the entire party, to be scanned. (And if you already have an active DAS return time, you can't get a WC return time too. I was a little confused, so once they let us ride (Peter Pan) even though we had an active return time for another ride, that was an hour off.) Of course, with short lines of about 10 minutes, they let you ride right away.

They seem to no longer allow "double-dipping" of having a DAS return time, plus a WC return time, at the same time. (which is fair of course). Because they scan your tickets for both, and they see what is active on there. The DAS at DL, along with FP-, is much easier to use than the system at WDW.

Not that this was exactly what OP was asking, just sayin'.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Others have covered the wheelchair/DAS q's but I wanted to add: It sounds like you have a variety of health concerns relating to your DD while in the parks at DL. If you haven't already checked out Disneyland's Guests with Disabilities section of their website here's the link https://disneyland.disney.go.com/guest-services/guests-with-disabilities/ there is a variety of information in there with regards to accommodations and planning information relating to various disabilities.

 

[Nevada Jen]

So we just returned from our trip and I wanted to give an update about how it worked out. We got to DCA on Saturday at about noon. I don't know the crowd level for sure but I am guessing it was about a 6. We went to guest services to get the Stroller as a Wheelchair tag and to try to get a DAS. First, there was a long line out the door at guest services. The entrance is all steps and you have to go around the side to get to the ramp. We used the ramp and went right into the building. There were two parties in front of us. A parade went by right as we were standing there but I wouldn't let anyone leave the line because I knew we all needed to be there for the DAS. After about 10 minutes of waiting in that line a cast member came up (the first one we had seen) and told us we had to wait in the long line outside. He said someone from everyone from our party except the person in the wheel chair needed to wait in the long line outside. After convincing them we couldn't just leave DD there he agreed to set my hubby stay with her but said my son and I had to wait outside. By the time we got to the line outside, it was twice as long as if there had just been some clear signage at the ramp (or a cast member) that would have explained what to do. The line to get the DAS took about 45 minutes. Once we got to the front, the gentleman was very helpful and took his time explaining how the DAS and wheelchair worked. Unfortunately, about half the information he gave us was wrong. I had to do very little explaining as to why we needed the DAS (but DD is very obviously more disabled than a simple inability to walk) which was what I was most worried about. I had more trouble convincing him to give me the stroller tag for the wheel chair. It is pretty obvious that it is w wheelchair but it does have a stroller handle and cannot be self propelled and we had problems at DW one day because of not having the tag. It turned out to be a good thing I got the tag because for some reason on Monday we got challenged on it several times/

We were told: If it is a mainstream line, we had to get a DAS pass at the kiosk to use anything other than the regular standby entrance. If it was not a mainstream line we used the wheelchair sticker and entered through the exit. I asked about wheelchair return times and we told they rarely used them to just walk on in the exit.

What really happened: At some non mainstream line rides you needed a return time and they gave them at the entrance to the exit. At others that were not mainstreamed, you needed a wheelchair return time and they would only give it at the kiosk so there was no person manning the entrance to the exit and you walked all the way down the exit only to find out that you had to go all the way back up and get a return time at a kiosk that was halfway across the park. This happened on Indianna Jones and it is a long walk down and back up pushing a wheelchair on a slope (and there were only two people in line at the actual wheelchair entrance to the line). I was quite unhappy about that one. Fantasy Land in the dark, without knowing which rides were following which procedure and most of the rides not having fast pass (so DAS walking folks were also using the exits as entrances) was pretty much a nightmare. Basically, you had to go to every ride, walk in the exit and then be told whether you needed to go to the information booth to get a DAS return time, could wait in the wheelchair/das line you were currently standing in or if they could give you a return time at a ride. I would list off which rides had which procedures because I did keep track the first day at each park but I don't think that would be helpful because the third day we did both parks again and the procedures were different for the same rides we had previously been at. DCA was actually much easier. Because the ride lines are all basically mainstreamed, we just used the DAS for every ride that had any wait over 20 minutes. It was much better staffed and you could always find someone to ask and they all seemed to know and have the same answers. DL, not so much. Possible because the procedure is not ever the same.

I don't want to give the impression that it was a bad trip. We had a ball. Crowds were low on Sunday and Monday so we were able to ride what we wanted and still flub around with the DAS. That said, I read A LOT on here trying to figure out how the system worked. My husband, who read nothing wanted to demand our money back, in lieu of suing them and go home after our first night in Fantasyland. It is pretty hard to figure out how the DL system works. We definitely waited more than we used to. Probably at least half the time, we waited longer for the ride than a non disabled person would. Most of the time, it was probably about even (although the walking people in our group had to do a lot more walking to get the DAS and wheelchair return times). We only used fast pass on rides where my DD did not want to go. There were a couple of rides where I feel like we waited less (Big Thunder and Cars). I honestly can't imagine doing it at a time when the park is busy (although maybe it is more uniform when every ride has a significant wait time).

 

[lanejudy]

Thank you for sharing your experience. We don't get a lot of posts about the California parks so it's good to hear how things are working.

the third day we did both parks again and the procedures were different for the same rides we had previously been at

This is very true at both coasts. How accommodations are handled at a given ride may change depending on circumstances -- crowds that day, crowds that hour, number of guests needing the alternate entrance, etc.

I'm glad to hear your family had a great vacation!

 

[PatMcDuck]

It was very busy when we were at DL (Dec 31-Jan 5). Like I said before, we had to get return times for all rides that did not have FP lines. But there were always CMs at each ride to give those out. We stayed at DLHotel, and went to the parks at opening, or shortly thereafter. We got on many rides in the first 2 hours each day, thru the regular line.

Our only argument with a CM was at Indiana Jones. We had a DAS return time (not a WC return time), and we arrived at an hour after the time on our passes. The CM gave us a hard time. He said, "you are late, I will let you on THIS time, but you must return in your time in the future. " I was nice at first, I said, "no, you are incorrect, with a DAS return time, we do not have to be "on time". " He said, yes you DO, I said, no, we don't. I just wanted to get on the long line in, but he was just so smug it bugged me. He went on to say, it is at the CM's own personal discretion to decide to let DAS guests onto the line late, what would happen if we all showed up at once, etc.Which I know is why they have the WC return times; so I said, this is a DAS return time, NOT a WC return time. Meanwhile, line piling up behind me,,,,,, ugh. I said, "look, we ARE allowed to be "late", he has special needs, I had to change his clothes from a bathroom accident, etc etc, that is why we are allowed to BE LATE. I reported him, I think he was just misinformed.

 

[SMD]

Did they move the DCA Chamber of Commerce? It's flat and has no stairs. There's always someone outside both DL City Hall and DCA CoC, I think I would have asked them if someone had to wait in the line before assuming it was ok to use the ramp and skip the line. I know during the BVS construction it was temporarily moved to a bungalow, but that bungalow had a ramp and no stairs, so I'm a little confused where it would be now?

In my experience with a wheelchair/walker but no DAS there was always at least 1 CM at the entrance to ask about the accessible entrance procedure and return times. I found it easier to go to the ride entrance and then be directed to the exit than to start at the exit and go the other way. Indy has at least 2-3 CMs at the entrance, and the exit passes within 3 feet of the 2 CMs that pass out return times and single rider, so I can't imagine what went wrong there...

 

[Nevada Jen]

We started in Disney and got our DAS at the building to the left as you pass under the train tracks. I think it was city hall. Looks like a colonial mansion with about 6 steps leading up to a porch. To get to the ramp you walk past the front of the building and the ramp is on the side. The first time we did Indy, there was definitely no one at the exit. If there was someone at the entrance, they were on the side of the entrance furthest away from the exit and you couldn't see they were there through all the people. The second time, there was one cast member standing between the entrance and the exit. Same thing on space mountain. No one there until we walked all the way down the exit and then they made us go back up and find someone, which we couldn't but the photo people pointed out the cast member who was in a back corner away from the exit. There was certainly no way to tell that was the person you would need to check in with. Even more annoying is that person said "Oh you already have a time, you can go right down." But the guest relations ramp snafu and Indy and Space and Fanstasy Land were really my only complaints. We had no problems at all in DCA.

 

[SMD]

Sounds like they were unusually understaffed. There is almost always a CM at the City Hall podium at the top of the stairs and often another at the end of the line when it extends past the stairs. At Indy the distance between the exit and the FP return is only about 10-12 feet with the standby entrance in between. I can't believe they would pull the greeter, the single rider CM and the FP return CM. That would be very far to backtrack if you made it all the way down to the queue without stopping to ask outside first. Space also usually has 2 CMs because I frequently see them round the corner to assist guests. Plus the CMs at the ride photo stand right there are pretty helpful. The Space exit is very far from the entrance so sometimes if you have a question you do have to look around for someone. That is one ride where I definitely would not want to be misdirected to either the entrance or exit and then have to go to the other. But on most rides the entrance and exit are very close. I hope future guests in the same situation will learn from this frustration and ask the CMs to confirm procedures before assuming.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We started in Disney and got our DAS at the building to the left as you pass under the train tracks. I think it was city hall. Looks like a colonial mansion with about 6 steps leading up to a porch.

In fairness, it was presumptuous to assume that needing to use the ramp also allowed you to skip the line.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My husband, who read nothing wanted to demand our money back, in lieu of suing them and go home after our first night in Fantasyland.

What? Why? That's completely unreasonable.