Universal now requiring documentation be sent to a third party for accessibility

[JLTraveling]

My grandson struggles to make to the DAS CM. Between the long line and the noise from the train, it’s rough. Last trip, we had to leave the line and go to another DAS location. It’s so strange to me majority of people in the long dedicated DAS line dont show any discomfort? I’m getting tired of the rampant rule breaking in society.

So my dad with spinal issues should be freaking out about the train or else he's a rampant rule breaker? What an odd reason to judge people...

 

[SirDuff]

No kidding .. when I’m in a line with 100% DAS applicants, I should see some traces of my grandsons behavior.

Why? Not everyone who needs a DAS has the same issues as your grandson.

 

[ToxicRoyalty]

No kidding .. when I’m in a line with 100% DAS applicants, I should see some traces of my grandsons behavior.

Oh, come on now.

You're insisting on these lines that are entirely DAS applicants, which is near impossible. Honestly, if you're applying for the DAS in guest services, I don't believe you that it's some sort of long, DAS dedicated line. That doesn't exist.

Second of all, people have written many well thought out posts explaining to you why people may be acting differently, not sure why you're choosing to disregard them all. But no, you shouldn't "see some traces of your grandsons behavior" in a group of people applying for DAS for various reasons. Your grandson's reasons for DAS are not the only eligibility reasons that exist. There's honestly a high chance your grandson shares a diagnosis with people who have behaviors completely unlike his. The world is bigger than your own personal experiences.

 

[ToxicRoyalty]

So my dad with spinal issues should be freaking out about the train or else he's a rampant rule breaker? What an odd reason to judge people...

"I'm sorry, if you don't have a seizure specifically while waiting to receive your DAS pass, we can't give it to you."

 

[DLgal]

Just echoing that this is absolutely untrue. SSDI and Blue Book disabilities have a narrow definition of disabilities that prevent a person from working. There are millions of disabled people in the US able to work who need accommodations. The US does not in any way "define disabilities" like this. I suppose your strict (incorrect) definition explains your earlier responses people took issue with about documentation, though. I do wish the US was like most countries who do have government certifications for disability beyond SSDI.

In fact, most job applications now have a question about disability for EEO tracking. This question includes many disabilities not covered by SSDI, like diabetes. A diabetic person has a disability (and may consider themselves disabled), requires accommodations at work, and may need accommodations in theme parks. The US government (via the EEOC) and the ADA guidelines consider diabetes a disability.

For further clarification, IBS is a disability.

Not according to this:

https://www.eeoc.gov/foia/eeoc-info...ndrome is an impairment as defined by the ADA.

 

[razlime]

Not according to this:

https://www.eeoc.gov/foia/eeoc-informal-discussion-letter-5#:~:text=Irritable bowel syndrome is an impairment as defined by the ADA.

No. Unfortunately, that source is quite out of date. It's from 2000, and multiple updates to EEOC and ADA guidelines have come out since. As of 2009, IBS would qualify.


"If a person's IBS symptoms significantly impact on a major life ability, IBS would qualify as a covered disability. An amendment to the ADA went into effect on January 1, 2009, that expanded the definition of a disability, providing better protection for individuals with chronic illnesses, such as IBS. Two specific changes are most applicable to IBS:2

Fact Sheet on the EEOC’s Final Regulations Implementing the ADAAA. EEOC Home Page.

• The term "major life activities" now includes recognition of problems with "major bodily functions" such as those of the digestive system.
• The episodic nature of some disabilities is now recognized, as long as the symptoms interfere with a major life activity when present."

 

[DLgal]

The point is to prove that there is an actual disability. Countless people, including people posting on this thread, have complained that untrained CMs at Disney (or wherever) aren't qualified to determine if a guest actually has a disability. Universal appears to agree with that, and has put the disability determination itself into the hands of a third party.

But having a disability doesn't mean that accommodations of choice or even reasonable accommodations will be available or granted, since multiple people with the same disability could require no, fewer, or greater accommodations.

Taking this just a but further:

IBCCES designates people as having a disability. However, we ALL know that Disney and Universal, in the USA parks, at least, do NOT issue guest assistance cards for mobility disabilities that can be resolved by a wheelchair. They do not issue them for blindness, or deafness. Those are all disabilities, but there are no theme park accommodations that allow those people to avoid the lines. They have OTHER accommodations in place for these other disabilities.

So, the purpose of IBCCES, as mentioned is simply to identify a person as one with a disability. But each individual company will have their own requirements for issuing a special accommodations pass based on their operations and the existing level of accommodations built in.

 

[DLgal]

No. Unfortunately, that source is quite out of date. It's from 2000, and multiple updates to EEOC and ADA guidelines have come out since. As of 2009, IBS would qualify.


"If a person's IBS symptoms significantly impact on a major life ability, IBS would qualify as a covered disability. An amendment to the ADA went into effect on January 1, 2009, that expanded the definition of a disability, providing better protection for individuals with chronic illnesses, such as IBS. Two specific changes are most applicable to IBS:2

Fact Sheet on the EEOC’s Final Regulations Implementing the ADAAA. EEOC Home Page.

• The term "major life activities" now includes recognition of problems with "major bodily functions" such as those of the digestive system.
• The episodic nature of some disabilities is now recognized, as long as the symptoms interfere with a major life activity when present."

Well that's good to know as a lifelong IBS sufferer.

Although when I'm having an episode, I literally cannot leave a bathroom for hours on end. A DAS would be no use to me. I just can't even go to a theme park. All my Magic Key no shows are due to IBS episodes.

 

[DLgal]

I didn’t make myself clear… I’m talking about day 1 when you register for DAS on site. Only DAS are in line waiting for the CM to load your app with your party. Your not in line for a ride.. thats part of why my autistic grandson struggles.
Once we’re in line for a ride, we usually go into a count down so he can process the wait.

I understood what you were saying.

We have done this every 60 days for the last 8 years. I understand the process. My son is always happy and smiling when we first arrive to the park and have to renew his DAS.

However, NOT everyone in line at Guest Relations is there for a DAS. Many, many people are doing other things. Guest Relations handles a lot of different issues. You are gonna be in line with numerous people NOT getting DAS. They would look and act completely typical.

 

[DLgal]

My grandson struggles to make to the DAS CM. Between the long line and the noise from the train, it’s rough. Last trip, we had to leave the line and go to another DAS location. It’s so strange to me majority of people in the long dedicated DAS line dont show any discomfort? I’m getting tired of the rampant rule breaking in society.

Disney now offers the ability to do this ahead of time in the privacy and quiet of your own home. So do that next time.

This is ALSO what Universal is doing with this new system. We are all set for our next trip to Universal and all we have to do is simply drop into Guest Relations with the card and case number and they will hand us the pass with no discussion.

 

[DLgal]

"I'm sorry, if you don't have a seizure specifically while waiting to receive your DAS pass, we can't give it to you."

"If you were REALLY autistic, wouldn't you be flapping your hands and chewing on your shirt collar?"

 

[notatallmagic]

"I'm sorry, if you don't have a seizure specifically while waiting to receive your DAS pass, we can't give it to you."

Drop to the floor, have a seizure, and lose conciousness in 3...2...1...THEN you get the pass. What's funny/dark humor is that when DAS didn't work during Covid re-open, my DAS holder DID lose conciousness on Splash Mountain. According to this line of thought, I guess I should have videotaped it and submitted it as an Exhibit to my application? Oh, wait, I was taking care of my kid to keep her from an even worse outcome...sigh.

 

[DLgal]

Drop to the floor, have a seizure, and lose conciousness in 3...2...1...THEN you get the pass. What's funny/dark humor is that when DAS didn't work during Covid re-open, my DAS holder DID lose conciousness on Splash Mountain. According to this line of thought, I guess I should have videotaped it and submitted it as an Exhibit to my application? Oh, wait, I was taking care of my kid to keep her from an even worse outcome...sigh.

What do you mean when DAS didn't work with covid reopening? We got a DAS as soon as Disneyland reopened. We were the only people ever in the Fastpass Lanes.

 

[voxparse]

"If you were REALLY autistic, wouldn't you be flapping your hands and chewing on your shirt collar?"

I probably shouldn't give up my secrets so easily but what I do is very loudly proclaim at least once every hour in the park "MAN THIS TYPE 1 DIABETES WHILE PUSHING THIS MANUAL WHEELCHAIR MAKES IT REALLY TOUGH TO KEEP MY BG IN RANGE". Gets me a DAS every time and I can't believe they keep falling for it.

 

[HopperFan]

So how exactly does a "documented disability" look? I've got tons of records about my issues, etc, so would that be considered a documented disability? How about if it only affects my ability to access attractions at WDW (I don't do other types of activities on the WDW level) and nothing else?

I think that has been answered since I've been gone.

There is no "look" - they are asking for documents from health or educational professionals that verify that one does indeed have a disability. If they are satisfied (they seem to be pretty easy to approve) they pass it on to Universal to then review and make the approval decision.

I do believe based on what has been said, been accepted etc, that the process is likely very flawed because most of what folks are saying they submitted or can be submitted has absolutely nothing to do with one having issues waiting in a theme park queue. So it basically is just the first step in weeding people out of the process that are asking for accommodations because "they say so." Step one, you must have a professional Assessment or Evaluation to move forward. It is a weed out process.

I didn’t make myself clear… I’m talking about day 1 when you register for DAS on site. Only DAS are in line waiting for the CM to load your app with your party. Your not in line for a ride.. thats part of why my autistic grandson struggles.
Once we’re in line for a ride, we usually go into a count down so he can process the wait.

Oh, come on now.

You're insisting on these lines that are entirely DAS applicants, which is near impossible. Honestly, if you're applying for the DAS in guest services, I don't believe you that it's some sort of long, DAS dedicated line. That doesn't exist.

Second of all, people have written many well thought out posts explaining to you why people may be acting differently, not sure why you're choosing to disregard them all. But no, you shouldn't "see some traces of your grandsons behavior" in a group of people applying for DAS for various reasons. Your grandson's reasons for DAS are not the only eligibility reasons that exist. There's honestly a high chance your grandson shares a diagnosis with people who have behaviors completely unlike his. The world is bigger than your own personal experiences.

We have been getting DAS for DS since it's inception. We have never done online, always in person at Guest Services. We have never been in a DAS only line. We are with people with all kinds of issues; dining, Genie+, tickets, MDE issue is a popular one, Redemption and Gift Card issues and more.

 

[bambialways4ever]

No kidding .. when I’m in a line with 100% DAS applicants, I should see some traces of my grandsons behavior.

Our reasons for getting the DAS pass have NOTHING to do with "behavior".

 

[bambialways4ever]

Well that's good to know as a lifelong IBS sufferer.

Although when I'm having an episode, I literally cannot leave a bathroom for hours on end. A DAS would be no use to me. I just can't even go to a theme park. All my Magic Key no shows are due to IBS episodes.

I think it's different for different people. My dad has it, diagnosed about 10-15 yrs ago and will go for hours, but not without stopping. He often has 30 or 45 minutes between "episodes". He doesn't use a DAS, but in his case, since the times are open ended, it would be beneficial in a flare up since he has "gaps" that he can't plan for but do exist and he could use a return time when he's "in between".

 

[bambialways4ever]

"If you were REALLY autistic, wouldn't you be flapping your hands and chewing on your shirt collar?"

THIS.

Amazingly, some autistic people can "mask" their stims and appear neurotypical for periods of time. It does not suddenly make them not autistic, or not in need of a DAS

 

[notatallmagic]

My kiddo was diagnosed right before Covid, so we were still new to everything. We had booked an extended family trip that happened to fall the first week Disney World reopened. The untrained, overwhelmed DAS Cast Member at Splash Mountain had a line a mile long in direct sun. We got onto the ride, and my kiddo started losing consciousness. When the ride stopped and I was struggling to get her off the ride, the CM waiting LAUGHED at us, and made a comment like "what's going on HERE?" We were able to treat and get her back to the room safely, but it was a real lesson for all of us. In the beginning, none of us were really ready to accept that this was our new normal, and that we would need help doing things we used to take for granted.

Maybe that's why this stuff is so hard for me. I wish we DIDN'T need it; and our family has resisted to a degree asking for any accommodations. The school basically insisted on her 504; it ended up being required for ACT and AP testing so that forced our hand. We're three years in now, and understand things better, but this certainly isn't something (and I would suspect for most/all of us) that we WANT. So when people ruin it/make it more difficult for my family, maybe it hits me differently?

What do you mean when DAS didn't work with covid reopening? We got a DAS as soon as Disneyland reopened. We were the only people ever in the Fastpass La

 

[DisneyOma]

My grandson struggles to make to the DAS CM. Between the long line and the noise from the train, it’s rough. Last trip, we had to leave the line and go to another DAS location. It’s so strange to me majority of people in the long dedicated DAS line dont show any discomfort? I’m getting tired of the rampant rule breaking in society.

As others have stated, it's not a long line dedicated to DAS requests. We have gone in the past to add days to our tickets, request buttons, etc. Assuming that it's all for DAS? That would be your first mistake.

I didn’t make myself clear… I’m talking about day 1 when you register for DAS on site. Only DAS are in line waiting for the CM to load your app with your party. Your not in line for a ride.. thats part of why my autistic grandson struggles.
Once we’re in line for a ride, we usually go into a count down so he can process the wait.

Again, it's not just for DAS.