WDW Summary of NEW DAS changes and Disney Genie - Post ONE is an updated summary

[SueM in MN]

I'm sure this is somewhere in this thread, but I couldn't initially find it. A friend is heading to WDW for their spring break, and wants to know: is it 30 days from CHECK IN or 30 days from first park day? They arrive on a Saturday but their first park day is a Monday.

What the WDW website says is 30 days before first park visit.

If you want to avoid searching, the first post of this thread is a summary of WDW DAS changes. It’s a little messy because I havent had a chance to clean it up. But, the information and links are all there

 

[DisSurfer878]

Here's what the website says:

Guests with Disabilities – Frequently Asked Questions

Q.

I would like to use Disability Access Service (DAS) during my upcoming visit. When can I begin online registration and planning with the DAS Advance option?
A.

Eligible Guests can now pre-register for DAS Advance virtually with a Cast Member, using live video chat. Please note that you may pre-register as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit, but no less than 2 days before arrival.
During the registration chat, you will be able to use the DAS Advance planning option to work with a Cast Member to book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences, for park visits within 30 to 2 days of the live chat.
Learn more about Disability Access Service.

Thank you! The "2 days before arrival" confused her, apparently, because it doesn't specify haha

 

[DisSurfer878]

What the WDW website says is 30 days before first park visit.

If you want to avoid searching, the first post of this thread is a summary of WDW DAS changes. It’s a little messy because I havent had a chance to clean it up. But, the information and links are all there

Thank you! I figured I missed it.

 

[jlundeen]

This morning I was able to launch the Pre-Registration chat session about 6:05 (CT) and was out by about 1-1/2 hours later.

I was renewing my DAS from our November trip for our upcoming Feb trip. I was expecting to go through the same procedure I went though last time of three separate CMs, and was surprised when the video chat CM came on first. He verified my travel party (two on-site reservations, hubby and I in one room, daughter, son-in-law and grandson in the other), verified that we a we all have ticket media, park passes, and then, after verifying my need, asked if I had questions, and passed me on to the scheduler. That CM picked up very quickly, and asked for which attractions each day. She never asked for good times, and didn't tell me the times she picked until the end. Since we are Park Hopping on some of the days, I did mention that when I told her selections. At the end, all but one of the selections were workable, and she was able to change the one that wasn't.

It seems that this procedure has come a long way since they started it last fall. I'm good with the selections I have, some are still a bit tight, but we'll make them work.

 

[Lsdolphin]

So when we got a DAS the beginning of Dec I was told it was good until Feb 2nd and we just needed to stop in at Guest Services to renew but I think something posted on Dis that you can’t just renew pass but you have to qualify all over again...is this accurate?

 

[SueM in MN]

So when we got a DAS the beginning of Dec I was told it was good until Feb 2nd and we just needed to stop in at Guest Services to renew but I think something posted on Dis that you can’t just renew pass but you have to qualify all over again...is this accurate?

They seem to have been re-asking questions to qualify people whose DAS was issued before the new process started October 19.
That was what happened to us when we went to renew our DD’s DAS later in October. The CM who helped us said they were re-registering everyone. I haven’t read a lot of reports of people’s experience renewing, but the ones I read were renewed, not needing to qualify again. That said, people should always be prepared to be asked to identify their disability needs that prevent waiting in line. In the past, CMs did periodically ask.

 

[tramps’lady]

They seem to have been re-asking questions to qualify people whose DAS was issued before the new process started October 19.
That was what happened to us when we went to renew our DD’s DAS later in October. The CM who helped us said they were re-registering everyone. I haven’t read a lot of reports of people’s experience renewing, but the ones I read were renewed, not needing to qualify again. That said, people should always be prepared to be asked to identify their disability needs that prevent waiting in line. In the past, CMs did periodically ask.

I’ve renewed twice in person since the new system went into effect. No questions either time. Don’t know if they can see the reason why I qualify or not but assume there must be something in there. I’ve had my DAS since 2018 and am local so renew every 60 days. I’ve actually never been asked questions since the first time. I simply ask to renew and am done. Seems strange but works for me as nothing has changed and I don’t expect it ever will

haven’t tried the video chat as I go so often the extra two rides don’t really matter.

 

[JoJoGirl]

OK - It’s Saturday morning. We requested a DAS video chat at 7:03.

We are still waiting at 8: 30. Seeing the spinning circle and the message “We are currently experiencing extended wait times and encourage you to check back later.”

Planning to wait this out. The DAS is for my brother, who lives in a group home during the week and isn’t available for video chat. Today he’s at my parents and we’d really like to get everything taken care of.

I’ll update later on how everything goes. Please wish us luck!

 

[DisSurfer878]

OK - It’s Saturday morning. We requested a DAS video chat at 7:03.

We are still waiting at 8: 30. Seeing the spinning circle and the message “We are currently experiencing extended wait times and encourage you to check back later.”

Planning to wait this out. The DAS is for my brother, who lives in a group home during the week and isn’t available for video chat. Today he’s at my parents and we’d really like to get everything taken care of.

I’ll update later on how everything goes. Please wish us luck!

Sending pixie dust your way that it doesn't take too long!

 

[JoJoGirl]

Sending pixie dust your way that it doesn't take too long!

Thank you! We are still waiting . We opened another chat request on Mom’s iPad through her account, in case there was a glitch on my end. That one’s had a chat window open for 2 hours now with no CM reply yet. It would help so much if there was some sort of automated reply to let us know we are still in the queue. This might be a long day!

 

[JoJoGirl]

Ok, so I figured out that the first chat request we sent at 7:03 am didn’t complete properly due to a pop up/content blocker installed on my web browser. I use Purify, which must not play well with Disney.com, though I’ve chatted on plenty of other websites with no problems.

It may be useful to add “Disable all popup and content blockers” to the tips on the first post - to hopefully help someone in the future.

Still waiting for a CM to join the chat window we opened from another device at 9:30-ish. Maybe we will have to try another day when my brother is not at the group home.

Update:

It took a long time, but we finally finished with success. Wait time in the first chat window (opened at around 9:30am) was about five hours. The first chat was a very short screening session. Then we waited 10-15 minutes more to be connected to the video chat CMs. Unfortunately the first attempt at video chat had to be abandoned due to technical difficulties. Mom was given a “secret code” to use to skip the long wait and first screening chat next time. Tried this a half an hour later and everything worked great.

For the advance planning selections, we got all the attractions we requested during the timeframe we requested. One of our dining reservations did conflict with a ride window, and luckily I was able to adjust it successfully. All in all we are very happy with the scheduling.

Most of the wait and the problems we experienced could have been avoided had I realized sooner that my adblocker was blocking the chat window. Live and learn.

My advice is:

1. Disable all VPNs, adblockers, and content blockers before beginning.
2. Set your device’s screen to never time out or auto lock.
3. Request your registration chat right at 7:00am. Be sure that the chat window opens and starts properly. Set aside several hours in case things don’t go smoothly.
4. Open a second MDE tab to use for logging back in when MDE logs you out - every 30 minutes. I found a timer helped me to keep track of when a logout was about to happen.
5. Keep your device within sight and check it often. We did not receive any audible alert when the CM joined the chat.
6. Be patient. The CMs are extremely kind and helpful once you get connected. Despite the time it took, I am very happy we did the advance registration.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Decided to do the preregistration today. Before 7 I logged in and reviewed which days we would be where and accepted the terms and conditions. I also went to my iPhone settings and always allowed camera and mic and turned off pop up blocker for safari. At 7 I refreshed the page where you request the video call and clicked it. At 7:01 Ronald said he was initiating the call. It scared me because it was not loading his end of the call so I turned off my wifi and went on cellular which is sometimes better where I live. He did come on and by 7:04 i was done and I was on chat with Ivy to do ride selections. That took a very long time and I got bumped out of the chat twice. That was scary because I didn’t know how to get back but managed to both times. She asked for parks and dates and people going and 3 options per park and any conflicts. We only have 2 days and a half day at studios. I gave her my choices and told her to chose any tame non coaster rides if they were not available. I got early morning or shortly after park opening times for everything and top 2 choices for each park. It took until 7:40 for her to get them set up. It seemed she left the chat during the early part before she asked me what rides I wanted. Maybe she was shuffling more than one person at a time. She had me check MDE after she was done and all was good. So literally 40 min start to finish and only 4 minutes to get and complete the video part. Very quick. Our trip is a little less than 30 days out.

 

[Dis Dragon]

Can you start a DAS return time for a group if someone in your party hasn't scanned into the park yet? I would guess they are not eligible until they scan in.

 

[gap2368]

Can you start a DAS return time for a group if someone in your party hasn't scanned into the park yet? I would guess they are not eligible until they scan in.

pretty sure you have to scan in to the parks before you can be added on the return time

 

[mrsdoubie]

This may have been answered already but I can’t find it. Can you park hop with DAS? I had difficulty figuring out how to do it in MDE yesterday. I did AK 1st and that worked just fine. Hopped to Epcot but the AK rides were still populating and I couldn’t figure out how to change it. What do I do?

 

[SueM in MN]

This may have been answered already but I can’t find it. Can you park hop with DAS? I had difficulty figuring out how to do it in MDE yesterday. I did AK 1st and that worked just fine. Hopped to Epcot but the AK rides were still populating and I couldn’t figure out how to change it. What do I do?

You can park hop, but it may be ‘glitchy’ as far as showing your second park after you enter it.
What I’ve heard is to trying logging out and/or quitting the My Disney Experience app after entering the 2nd park, then log back in. If that doesn’t work, CMs at Guest Relations or one of the blue Guest Experience umbrellas can help you.

 

[SueM in MN]

pretty sure you have to scan in to the parks before you can be added on the return time

That’s how DAS worked before, so I don’t think it changed

 

[macandcheeseplease]

What is the earliest time you can get a return time for a ride? If the parks open to all guests at 9, can you request a return time on the app right at nine? I know some of the rides will get very long lines (like Rise of the Resistance) and the return time may be much later in the day.

 

[gap2368]

What is the earliest time you can get a return time for a ride? If the parks open to all guests at 9, can you request a return time on the app right at nine? I know some of the rides will get very long lines (like Rise of the Resistance) and the return time may be much later in the day.

You can get a return time once the park opens.

 

[jlundeen]

You have to have scanned into the park in order to make a same day Das reservation. Some have been able to make them for the extended early entry time also. But you have to be in the park.