Unsure about DAS for DD

[sherry7]

My DD, age 3.5, has mild hypotonia (low muscle tone) in her ankles. She wears Sure Step SMO braces to help the problem, but she still gets tired much faster than a typical child her age. At our local amusement park, she can typically stand/walk in a line for about 15 minutes before she complains about her ankles being tired, at which time DH usually carries her through the line. At 36 lbs though, she's starting to get pretty heavy. She rides in the stroller between rides.

Our trip is the first week of February, which should be low crowds. I am really unsure as to whether we should ask for a DAS card or not. Her disability isn't obvious at all, especially since the braces aren't that noticeable once her socks are folded down over the tops of them. The average person would probably think that we were "scamming the system", so to speak.

What advantages would the DAS card give her during a low crowd week? Even after reading the sticky, I don't quite understand how it works. Thanks for your advice.

 

[Michigan]

There really is no longer a time when the crowds are low because travel times have been opened for Brazil making the parks more crowded all the time.

You should request that your stroller be used as a wheelchair. You will receive a tag that will allow you to take the stroller in line with you.

 

[sherry7]

There really is no longer a time when the crowds are low because travel times have been opened for Brazil making the parks more crowded all the time.

You should request that your stroller be used as a wheelchair. You will receive a tag that will allow you to take the stroller in line with you.

I thought the Brazilian tour groups were in January? (Had an bad experience with them the last time we went in January, due to unruly ill supervised teenagers.)

Can the stroller go through most lines? I never paid attention when we went previously.

 

[aaarcher86]

I thought the Brazilian tour groups were in January? (Had an bad experience with them the last time we went in January, due to unruly ill supervised teenagers.) Can the stroller go through most lines? I never paid attention when we went previously.

With the tag, yes. Most lines are accessible.

 

[WantToGoNow]

Since this is a mobility issue you probably won't qualify for the DAS. Get a stroller as wheelchair tag and push her through the lines.

 

[sherry7]

Since this is a mobility issue you probably won't qualify for the DAS. Get a stroller as wheelchair tag and push her through the lines.

I'm sorry, but I don't understand the difference between the two? I read the sticky, but this is all new to me.

 

[aaarcher86]

I'm sorry, but I don't understand the difference between the two? I read the sticky, but this is all new to me.

The DAS is for people that for one reason or another can not wait in a line. They are given a return time based on the current wait time and they wait their turn outside of the confines of the line. For example, my friend's autistic son can't deal with the physical constraints of the line. He will arm flap, make loud noises, sit down and rock back and forth, etc. It becomes very uncomfortable for him and other line goers. With the DAS he could walk around the park and remain in open spaces while he waits his turn.

For mobility issues they do not issue a DAS as the needs can be met with (in your case) a stroller as a wheelchair tag. That way your daughter can remain in her stroller while waiting in line versus standing and tiring herself out. The tag allows strollers through the line. A guest without one would not be able to take their stroller through.

 

[Michigan]

I thought the Brazilian tour groups were in January? (Had an bad experience with them the last time we went in January, due to unruly ill supervised teenagers.)

Can the stroller go through most lines? I never paid attention when we went previously.

Last year the USA opened up the time they can travel here to all the time to promote tourism to central Florida so now they are here all the time. The groups with families are nice but the teen groups are out of hand.

Any line a wheelchair will fit a stroller will fit.

 

[WheeledTraveler]

A "stroller as wheelchair" tag is what it says. It allows a stroller to be used as a wheelchair for lines. It does actually attach to the stroller, rather than being a card you need to show. Most lines are wheelchair accessible and in those that aren't, you'll either be directed immediately to an alternate entrance or given a "wheelchair return card" (difference from a DAS) with a return time.

A DAS is a cardfor people who cannot safely wait in line for reasons other than mobility or stamina issues. People with mobility and stamina issues, such as your daughter, are told to rent/bring a relevant mobility aid (in your daughter's case a stroller). People with a DAS show their DAS cards and are given DAS return times (the attraction wait time minus 10ish minutes). This allows them to wait in an alternate location for rides with lines over 10-15 minutes.

You get the "stroller as a wheelchair" tag at Guest Services. You'd just go to GS, tell them you want a stroller as wheelchair tag, and use the same/similar explanation you gave us for why you need one.

 

[JillyBean1899]

I thought the Brazilian tour groups were in January? (Had an bad experience with them the last time we went in January, due to unruly ill supervised teenagers.)

Oh, trust me, they're pretty much all year round. It's the cool thing for wealthy families to do, send their kid to the US for quinceañera (the Hispanic version of "sweet 16", when the girls turn 15 and become women ... the guys celebrate, too, just their parties aren't as crazy as the girls' ones are). The social/monetary divide in Brazil is much sharper than the US, so there's not really much of a middle class; a lot of the teenagers have a sense of entitlement, and think that if someone is working "for" them (as they see people at a theme park), they must be "beneath" them. They drove me nuts when I worked at Universal. They'd pack into the queue at Kongfrontation (which was almost completely indoors and themed like a subway/tram station) and start chanting in Portugese and clapping. I can't tell you how many complaints I got from other people in the line that couldn't even hold a conversation with the person next to them, or their young kids would freak out because of the noise. And you don't want to know what bodily excretions they've handed me in bags or bottles because they didn't want to get out of line to visit a bathroom, and just assumed that I'd be more than happy to dispose of it for them.

When I see a Brazilian tour group get in a line, I go the other direction. I know that not all of them are stuck up little snots, but enough of them are that I don't want to take that chance. Luckily they wear matching shirts so they're easy to pick out.

Back to your situation. With the stroller as wheelchair tag, make sure you ask the CM greeter outside each attraction if the queue is wheelchair accessible. Some of them haven't been updated, and may have stairs or tight areas where a chair or stroller can't easily navigate, and they'll direct you to a different entrance. That's pretty much the only difference you'll see during the day.

 

[sherry7]

Thanks so much everyone for the advice and explanations. It sounds like the 'stroller as a wheelchair' tag is exactly what we need. If I understand properly, we just go to Guest Relations the first day we're at a park, then the tag is good for 14 days? (We're staying offsite.)

This may sound like a silly question...but, what happens to the stroller once we get on the ride? I'm assuming the cast members will move it somewhere, like the exit of the ride. Is it okay if I leave things stuffed in the basket of the stroller?

 

[JillyBean1899]

There are hidden hallways that they can use to take the stroller to the exit. The only problem is that when they're really really busy, or they have a lot of chairs in the line, it can get a little backed up bringing them to the exit, so you might have to wait for it to get there. I'd take any valuables out of it, just like you would if you left it sitting out on the curb before entering the ride. I seriously doubt the employees would take anything, but you can't be sure other guests won't have access to it while you're on the ride.

 

[Michigan]

Thanks so much everyone for the advice and explanations. It sounds like the 'stroller as a wheelchair' tag is exactly what we need. If I understand properly, we just go to Guest Relations the first day we're at a park, then the tag is good for 14 days? (We're staying offsite.)

This may sound like a silly question...but, what happens to the stroller once we get on the ride? I'm assuming the cast members will move it somewhere, like the exit of the ride. Is it okay if I leave things stuffed in the basket of the stroller?

Yes just go to guest relations and you will be set for your entire trip.

The stroller will be treated like a wheelchair. When you board the ride they will take the stroller to the exit with the rest of the wheelchairs. I have never had a problem with either of my daughters wheelchairs backpacks being left on the chairs.

 

[Mrsjvb]

My DD, age 3.5, has mild hypotonia (low muscle tone) in her ankles. She wears Sure Step SMO braces to help the problem, but she still gets tired much faster than a typical child her age. At our local amusement park, she can typically stand/walk in a line for about 15 minutes before she complains about her ankles being tired, at which time DH usually carries her through the line. At 36 lbs though, she's starting to get pretty heavy. She rides in the stroller between rides.

if that is her only issue she will not qualify for a DAS at all but you can get a "Stroller as Wheelchair' Tag instead which allows you to take the stroller into most lines.

 

[mistysue]

Does a "stroller are a wheelchair" person have to load through the wheelchair line? I know most lines are accessible, but toward the end don't they usually route the wheelchair users off to a different load area? The reason I ask is I am wondering if the OP will find that taking the stroller in the line might cause a dramatic increase in wait time on some rides, possibly creating a situation annoying enough to outweigh the benefit of not carrying the child through the last few minutes of some queues if they are able.
My youngest is also a hypotonia child, who has barely learned to walk on our last trip so we weighed the extra time it would add to our wait (thinking we would have to go through the alternate loading) and realized the ability to set DS down was not worth the waiting. If it doesn't work that way, I would love to be able to set him down next year- it's too hot in August to walk around with a portable heat generator on your hip.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Does a "stroller are a wheelchair" person have to load through the wheelchair line? I know most lines are accessible, but toward the end don't they usually route the wheelchair users off to a different load area? The reason I ask is I am wondering if the OP will find that taking the stroller in the line might cause a dramatic increase in wait time on some rides, possibly creating a situation annoying enough to outweigh the benefit of not carrying the child through the last few minutes of some queues if they are able.
My youngest is also a hypotonia child, who has barely learned to walk on our last trip so we weighed the extra time it would add to our wait (thinking we would have to go through the alternate loading) and realized the ability to set DS down was not worth the waiting. If it doesn't work that way, I would love to be able to set him down next year- it's too hot in August to walk around with a portable heat generator on your hip.

I think it depends on whether or not the person in the wheelchair or stroller is able to transfer onto the ride.

 

[Michigan]

Does a "stroller are a wheelchair" person have to load through the wheelchair line? I know most lines are accessible, but toward the end don't they usually route the wheelchair users off to a different load area? The reason I ask is I am wondering if the OP will find that taking the stroller in the line might cause a dramatic increase in wait time on some rides, possibly creating a situation annoying enough to outweigh the benefit of not carrying the child through the last few minutes of some queues if they are able.
My youngest is also a hypotonia child, who has barely learned to walk on our last trip so we weighed the extra time it would add to our wait (thinking we would have to go through the alternate loading) and realized the ability to set DS down was not worth the waiting. If it doesn't work that way, I would love to be able to set him down next year- it's too hot in August to walk around with a portable heat generator on your hip.

The extended wait is only for those that require the car to stay in their chair. Otherwise once you are escorted to the loading area you will be put right on.

 

[mistysue]

Wow, thank you! That could have saved us so much trouble two trips ago! A few times I had DS laying on the floor for a minute because he couldn't sit and there was too much carrying, people thought I had this strange toddler who wanted to lie on the ground. I had other guests tell my kid to get up. So awkward. (I sat and put his head on my ankle and stuff like that, it's not as terrible as it sounds without the visual but probably was a strange sight if you didn't know what was going on.) This year he will be able to sit unassisted, but I would prefer he didn't have to sit on the ground in most queues.

OP, if she hasn't been before, maybe your daughter will surprise you. My son has much more stamina at Disney than elsewhere just because there is so much going on I think he forgets he is tired and sore.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Last year the USA opened up the time they can travel here to all the time to promote tourism to central Florida so now they are here all the time. The groups with families are nice but the teen groups are out of hand.

What does this mean?

Brazilian citizens formerly were limited as to the times they could travel to the US? I don't believe this is correct.

 

[sherry7]

Wow, thank you! That could have saved us so much trouble two trips ago! A few times I had DS laying on the floor for a minute because he couldn't sit and there was too much carrying, people thought I had this strange toddler who wanted to lie on the ground. I had other guests tell my kid to get up. So awkward. (I sat and put his head on my ankle and stuff like that, it's not as terrible as it sounds without the visual but probably was a strange sight if you didn't know what was going on.) This year he will be able to sit unassisted, but I would prefer he didn't have to sit on the ground in most queues.

OP, if she hasn't been before, maybe your daughter will surprise you. My son has much more stamina at Disney than elsewhere just because there is so much going on I think he forgets he is tired and sore.

I'm pretty much basing it off how she was in our local amusement park this past summer, and we usually only stay there for about 4 or 5 hours since it's close and we have season passes. She's in a stroller between rides, but gets tired standing in the 10-15 minute lines. Poor DH is always the one who gets stuck holding her in line, and she's getting rather heavy now. The 'stroller as wheelchair' option will be perfect for her.