DAS changes coming WDW May 20/ DL June 18, 2024

[10CJ]

That’s a really good question and a very likely scenario that I’m sure happens at Disney a lot.
I would guess that Disney would not spilt up minor children in a party.. and assuming one of the adults has a disability, it would not likely be wise to leave minor children with that adult while the other adult waited so I would think that would be one of those “exceptions to the rule” sort of things (just IMO though, I have no idea what they plan to do in they situation ..but it seems like that would be reasonable)

You are making a lot of assumptions about the disabled adult here. You are basically saying disabled adults can not take care of minor children.

 

[PrincessV]

I was hoping exactly this? So we would call 30 days before the pop up trip (so next week) and if approved, have the approval for 120 days from 1st park usage (best case scenario)? Does that sound right?

We do have park reservations for everthing just because I leave nothing to chance..
Lol.

My DAS kiddo's annual pass expires end of August, so if the new system doesn't work for her in whatever form, she would have the option not to renew.

@lanejudy got it here…

If you pre-register before May 20th, the DAS will only be good for 30 days. Regardless of whether the trip is after the 20th.

If/when you pre-register on or after May 20th, the DAS should be good for 120 days.

So if your next visit isn’t happening until, say, May 29, I’d just wait until May 20 (actually, I’d wait a couple more days if you can, because I suspect May 20 could be nuts with calls!) to do the virtual call, and then you’d be set for 120 days.

But if you want to visit before May 20, I’d suggest skipping the virtual call altogether and doing it in person: this is still available in the parks until May 20 and will almost certainly have a shorter wait. I had no wait a few days ago at a blue umbrella. Say you visit on May 18 and renew DAS in person: that renewal will be good for 30 days, so you you’d then need to do the virtual call to renew again in June.

 

[Kgrace1989]

No, not at all… I have disabled people in my family and one of them is a parent to young children. What I said was going off of the way Rider swap for disabilities works.. which is to have one caretaker wait with the individual with the disability.

And my assumption would be that if the disabled person has a DAS and the issue is SEVERE enough to require the traditional DAS.. then it would be a big ask for them to take care of minor children at a theme park while the other adult waits in line.

Let’s say that Disney readjusts what they are saying and makes DAS available to those with GI issues (as many have stated here, it’s a real need for them- (and I am not judging at all… I think for some it most certainly is)

But let’s say the person has GI issues severe enough to require a DAS.. it probably isn’t a great idea to leave 3 minor children in their care at that time. Because if they have an issue and need to use to a restroom for an extended time then it wouldn’t be safe for the children to wait by themselves.

I don’t know what challenges Disney will still give guests a “traditional DAS “ for.., I do know that they plan on limiting it to only those with SEVERE needs related to their disability.

With that in mind.. someone struggling with that level of need, world probably struggle with caring for kids in a crowded theme park.

The example was based the question posed which was the idea that one adult had a DAS (meaning SEVERE needs) and one did not and they had 3 children with them. ..
I made no assumptions that all disabled people would struggle to care for kids in a theme park.. but someone with that level of need would most likely not be able to do that.

 

[lanejudy]

What I said was going off of the way Rider swap for disabilities works.. which is to have one caretaker wait with the individual with the disability.

WDW does not yet offer a Rider Swap for disabilities if everyone plans to ride. WDW only has Rider Swap if there is a non-rider. Any other assumption of Rider Swap at this point is speculation.

I understand we all want to try to figure out how we think things might work. But we just don't know at this point. Speculation of various ways this might work out isn't particularly helpful because it could be setting some bad info out there that something thinks is accurate.

 

[audrey2580]

I was shocked today to receive a phone call from Disney Disability Services. It was based on an email I sent them about registering for DAS for an upcoming trip to Disneyland in June (first day is 6/17).

My original question was about needing to register twice for DAS as some on this board had suggested (which has since been debunked I think) that if your trip crossed over the 5/20 (for WDW) or 6/18 (for DLR) boundary that your previously approved DAS would be invalidated and you would need to re-apply.

The CM I spoke with was very clear I would not have to re-register and my DAS would be valid for the length of my trip (or presumably 30 days for AP or Magic Keys).

While I had her on the phone, I asked about the change in eligibility for DAS. I specifically asked about the wording on the website which said "developmental disabilities". What I asked was whether that would impact eligiblity for DAS if the person did not have a developmental disability.

What she told me was that it is just an example of something that might qualify for DAS and that every discussion will be handled on a case by case basis just like it is today. She said they do not want to list all of the disabilities that qualify for DAS.

She said the only difference is that instead of talking with a CM that the Video calls starting on 5/20 for WDW and 6/18 for Disneyland would be with someone from their "Accessibility Services Team". I presume this still means CMs that are trained by medical professionals and not actual medical professionals, but it sounds like it is a different group of people (or possibly the same people doing the video calls today just under a different name and no longer the people at Guest Relations like it is today).

Anyway, I thought it was very interesting that she said there would be no changes to eligibility for DAS and it would be handled on a case by case basis. I suspect the devil is in the details and there will be changes to who qualifies for DAS but it will not necessarily be limited to developmental disabilities, which I think is the good news based on the conversation I had.

I know this is very much the same thing our awesome mods have been saying time and time again but I hope it also helps others feel a little better.

Thank you for reporting this back to us! This is indeed positive. I take this to mean that those of us who don't feel return to queue or bathroom passes will work for us will hopefully have a chance to explain why.

 

[lanejudy]

For those worried about being capped out at 4, there really is nothing stopping people from swapping bands, so even if A/B/C/D are the only ones allowed to be on the DAS pass, then E/F could swap bands with A/B once in a while and still go through the line, and A/B would go off to do a standby line/shopping/just wait. I don’t think Disney cares which bodies are going through the line (aside from the DAS holder, obviously). They just want to reduce the overall number of people getting access to LLs via the DAS.

My understanding is that Disney's rules do not allow sharing of MagicBands. The DISboards doesn't allow discussing circumventing Disney's rules.

 

[Graciegirl5]

I’m confused by the 30 days from registration comments. We have a trip May 19-28. We did the video chat Sunday night the 21st. The CM granted the DAS for my son. She said it didn’t expire until May 29. She gave an extra day “in case you need to extend your trip by a day.” If our whole trip needed to be within 30 days, then are we good through the 29th or did the CM make a mistake? Is there a way to check? I just don’t want to be there and find out it expires on the 21st. Thank you!

 

[CarlyMur09]

yeah, we booked for May 11-19 all in one go, on April 11 (so 30 days from our first day) and are AP holders, even have pre-selects and for up to the last day (18th and 19th are days 8 and 9, which is more than the the limit of 7.) so I had assumed it was 30 days from first day.

 

[Kgrace1989]

The problem is that many DAS users on this thread aren't able to access some rides at all because the LL returns have gotten so long. With more than 10% of population having approved reasons they are unable to wait in line, it is unsustainable to allow average party sizes of even 4 to have unlimited access to lightening lanes, but Disney is trying not to limit it to DAS user and one guest at this stage. There are some families with 3+ children and they are likely to be accomodated, but Disney needs the rest of us to realize that the point of DAS is to allow people who otherwise can't ride at all to get to experience the rides, not to allow their extended families and friends to do every high wait ride together-- there are usually many rides or experiences in each park that do not have longer than 20 minute waits and those are the rides/shows we can do together with extended family and friends.

I really really liked this post. And you are right it is sad for those with large groups that probably don’t come as often. But you are also right that 10+ entering the LL spontaneously (Any time After the standby wait has passed) just isn’t sustainable.

*just edited to fix my spelling, typos (I should not walk the dog and post at the same time )

 

[DisneyOma]

I'm glad that DAS exists for this exact situation. I have never expressed that I wanted DAS to go away. Your situation is exactly what it should be used for. That being said, I don't think a very good percentage of DAS users needs to use that time for medical/health reasons (that's not to say they shouldn't be allowed DAS - that's not what I'm saying). If you're not having a crohn's flare...an ADHD child probably doesn't need to attend to health issues....if you have heat/light sensitivity and it's dark outside and 60 degrees....there is obviously a group of DAS users that don't need to spend that time attending to their needs.

The only reason I posted my original comment was because of the frequently repeated statement that DAS users actually have to wait longer than non-DAS users. That sentiment is flawed and really doesn't paint an accurate picture of reality.

I use my wait time to go to first aid and do PT exercises that alleviate some of my pain. But a person with ADHD also needs a time to "reset" after a stimulating event, or find an outlet to use up some pent up energy. A person with heat/light sensitivity would only be able to meet your scenario at night (like 3 hours?), during a few months of the year.

My understanding is that Disney's rules do not allow sharing of MagicBands. The DISboards doesn't allow discussing circumventing Disney's rules.

From what I read on https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/faq/bands-cards/transferring-to-friend/ and https://privacy.thewaltdisneycompany.com/en/resortfaqs/ the magic band/card has safeguards for fraud by using ticket tag (biometrics) and a pin code for charging. It says nothing about LL use.

 

[BrightMorningStar]

My understanding is that Disney's rules do not allow sharing of MagicBands. The DISboards doesn't allow discussing circumventing Disney's rules.

Sorry to get off track, it just made my brain jiggle a little bit. LOL

I have wondered about that. I am not sure if it was one CM or if this happens frequently....when some of our party was late to EPCOT, (we had a family of 10) it was suggested by a CM that we could do VQ for the people who did not ride/want to ride so those who want to ride again with their family could temporarily use our MBs.

 

[rastuso]

Aww aww

My friend had a boot on and used one of those kneeling push scooters. You could also rent a motorized scooter instead of a wheelchair. This is not a problem for Disney to solve for someone

But unruly kids is?

I don't get the complete dismissal of physical issues.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Aww aww

But unruly kids is?

I don't get the complete dismissal of physical issues.

No one is dismissing physical issues. But the issue you described (boot) is resolved by a mobility aid. And it's not Disney's responsibility if a guest has unruly kids.

 

[SueM in MN]

……

While I had her on the phone, I asked about the change in eligibility for DAS. I specifically asked about the wording on the website which said "developmental disabilities". What I asked was whether that would impact eligiblity for DAS if the person did not have a developmental disability.

What she told me was that it is just an example of something that might qualify for DAS and that every discussion will be handled on a case by case basis just like it is today. She said they do not want to list all of the disabilities that qualify for DAS.

She said the only difference is that instead of talking with a CM that the Video calls starting on 5/20 for WDW and 6/18 for Disneyland would be with someone from their "Accessibility Services Team". I presume this still means CMs that are trained by medical professionals and not actual medical professionals, but it sounds like it is a different group of people (or possibly the same people doing the video calls today just under a different name and no longer the people at Guest Relations like it is today).

Anyway, I thought it was very interesting that she said there would be no changes to eligibility for DAS and it would be handled on a case by case basis. I suspect the devil is in the details and there will be changes to who qualifies for DAS but it will not necessarily be limited to developmental disabilities, which I think is the good news based on the conversation I had.

I know this is very much the same thing our awesome mods have been saying time and time again but I hope it also helps others feel a little better.

Thanks for your report
As @lanejudy and I (along with many posters) have said, it certainly appears that Disney is going back to making accommodations based on needs, not a one size for everyone.
This is in compliance with the ADA.

They have announced that the registration will be done by the Accessibility Services Team; that reportedly does include the previous video registration CMs, but is removed from the Guest Relations group.
I’ve thought all along that the mention of “autism or similar” was a message to the people who filed the previous (unsuccessful) lawsuits

The more I think on this…

Say 8-10% of guests on any given day hold a DAS pass. And, each of those guests, on average, has 2 or 3 people connected to their pass. That means that, on most days, 25%-40% of guests have very little need to purchase Genie+. (I’m thinking it’s a fairly small percentage of people who combine DAS with Genie+.)

Economically-speaking, it would be a big win for Disney’s bottom line to increase the percentage of guests who have a less lucrative accommodation. Things like rider swap or leave-the-line would bring many people back to a more baseline experience that is, perhaps, equivalent to that of a regular standby guest. I’m thinking along the lines of “it’s doable but not perfect”.

And, if you want an experience that’s more “enhanced” than the most basic accommodation, or regular standby, you can buy Genie+.

It is not clear that the supposed 8-10% figure some people are quoting is ONLY the persons registered for DAS and doesn’t include their entire group.

THIS! ^

Disney is in a situation where they have to try to limit the cheating, assist those who need it and make it fair for those who purchase a service. It may end up changing again and Disney may actually offer more grace than we realize today.

Unpopular but truthful, Disney does not owe any special privileges or access beyond what the law requires. Disney is not required to offer DAS. Thankfully they do because we have had to use it several times. I love that Disney does that. Truthfully, they are not going to make everybody happy. We have used DAS in the past and may find that if we take a certain family member with us, it may no longer apply. She will have to make a choice rather she should go or not.

Disney has gone through these growing pains before. I remember when they changed the rules for bus loading with ECV/wheelchair guests. I recall when a family of 10 - 12 would roll up to a bus stop with an ECV after people had been waiting for 20 minutes and after the chair was loaded, their entire group would get on before those who had been waiting. We saw a group of almost 30 with 1 wheelchair where this happened at Pop Century years back and we had to wait for another bus after already waiting more than 35 minutes. :/ Disney had to make a change to that to try to curb people from cheating the system. Some families legitimately were "hosed" on it and those who used the wheelchair simply to get their party on the bus first were stopped.

We’ve traveled with guests using wheelchairs on the bus since the mid 1990s. It never was a situation of ‘bring your whole large group on with the wheelchair guest’. It was always supposed to be limited to a total of 6.
But, when a driver is all by himself at the stop and a huge group got on with the wheelchair, it was very difficult for the driver to do anything to stop them

My understanding is that Disney's rules do not allow sharing of MagicBands. The DISboards doesn't allow discussing circumventing Disney's rules.

I agree with lanejudy

 

[rastuso]

Yeah and they have the capability of waiting in lines without accommodation. If they want to ride twice, wait in line. I can have an MS episode triggered by waiting in the heat, so if I use Genie+, I am only able to ride:

Each ride once
Only if it’s available

Or I can risk having irreversible damage to my brain or spine.

If I had a heat triggered severe illness like that, I'd maybe look for cooler places to vacation.

 

[ForWhomTheMouseTolls]

If I had a heat triggered severe illness like that, I'd maybe look for cooler places to vacation.

Because Disney World is awesome, but thanks for the “why don’t you avoid stairs” response.

 

[StevieB81]

Just to throw some more confusion into the discussion about how long the registration is good for: the CM we worked with told us that our DAS will be good for 30 days from check-in.

 

[lanejudy]

She said it didn’t expire until May 29. She gave an extra day “in case you need to extend your trip by a day.”

It sounds like the CM was able to manually override the current standard of 30 days.

 

[4Hawks]

No one is dismissing physical issues. But the issue you described (boot) is resolved by a mobility aid. And it's not Disney's responsibility if a guest has unruly kids.

I think that by "unruly kids", they mean kids with Autism/ADHD/Sensory issues

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Because Disney World is awesome, but thanks for the “why don’t you avoid stairs” response.

Didn't you know? We're not supposed to go anywhere or do anything if we have a disability. We're meant to just stay home and avoid inconveniencing others by requesting reasonable accommodations.