Are they getting overly strict on DAS

[mlggator22]

For the first time in years, they tried to deny me a DAS when I went to the parks this month. I have been using a DAS for about 5 years for pain management. I get pretty severe nerve pain in my back and legs when I stand or sit (specifically upright like in a wheel chair) for long periods of time. I cannot use a wheel chair. The pain will get progressively worse as the day goes on. DAS allows me to walk around which is the best and also find places where I sit in ways that don't cause pain or even to go to the nurses station and do my stretches. Problem is, I don't look disabled at all. I don't have a mobility issue in that I don't need to use a wheel chair or walker. I don't limp. It's not a mobility issue, its a pain issue.
The girl was so rude. She kept repeating that DAS is only for kids with autisim and that Disney changes their DAS policies daily so it changed since I came in January. She kept saying that I had to get a wheel chair and I kept trying to tell her that it doesn't work for me. Like another poster, she mentioned tic toc, but didn't really accuse me of it.
I think they are really trying to intimidate people to not get DAS. She did eventually cave and give it to me, but boy she made me feel like CRAP for it. I haven't been treated this badly for my disability ever. In January, I came to Disneyland and they guy who issued my DAS had an uncle with my same condition. He completely knew what I was talking about and was so nice.
Now I am returning for my son's birthday at the beginning of May and I am already getting so stressed about this confrontation. If I don't have the DAS, I will likely have to end my day early and my recovery time the next few days will be a lot longer to get pain free again. I am so worried.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Let me point out that even if you have the wheelchair. you are not required to sit in it all the time. You can walk while pushing it empty, or put it to one side and walk around unaided briefly. It will give you a guaranteed place to sit when Disney has removed benches to encourage more dining and shopping.

 

[gap2368]

I am sorry this happened to you. I have been hearing that they are getting more strict on the das pass

 

[SueM in MN]

In the past, when we overheard people requesting DAS at park Guest Relations, the CMs were often over lenient with issuing DAS. It seemed like sometimes, the conversation was really minimal - the guest said, « I want to apply for DAS « and the CM said, « Great. Who is it for ? » and started issuing it.
They are getting stricter and more consistently asking questions. What they seem to be getting stricter on is concentrating on the concerns DAS is being issued for are related strictly to the issues the guest has while waiting in lines.
The question you need to be prepared to answer is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the traditional (regular) lines?
or stated another way, what about the lines are an issue for you?

 

[mlggator22]

Let me point out that even if you have the wheelchair. you are not required to sit in it all the time. You can walk while pushing it empty, or put it to one side and walk around unaided briefly. It will give you a guaranteed place to sit when Disney has removed benches to encourage more dining and shopping.

Unfortunately this has the potential to make my situation worse. I need to keep my lower back rounded and keep the muscles loose in my back. Sitting upright (I know it sounds absurd) actually aggravates it. When I am home, I have to sit with my feet propped way up to put my back in a rounded position.
Fortunately at work, I have a job where I can walk a lot (I teach and move around the room all the time) and can change positions. Staying in a particular position for a long time increases pain. So standing for long periods of time or sitting upright for long periods of time. Walking is the best for me. Its keeps my back loose and I feel a lot better.

 

[mlggator22]

In the past, when we overheard people requesting DAS at park Guest Relations, the CMs were often over lenient with issuing DAS. It seemed like sometimes, the conversation was really minimal - the guest said, « I want to apply for DAS « and the CM said, « Great. Who is it for ? » and started issuing it.
They are getting stricter and more consistently asking questions. What they seem to be getting stricter on is concentrating on the concerns DAS is being issued for are related strictly to the issues the guest has while waiting in lines.
The question you need to be prepared to answer is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the traditional (regular) lines?
or stated another way, what about the lines are an issue for you?

Yes, this makes sense. I do try to explain it to them. One issue I had with the girl was as I was explaining that my issue is not mobility related but nerve and pain related, she kept giving me mobility options. And over and over again, I had to keep explaining to her, my disability is not in the normal sense mobility related.
I'm sure she was suspicious because again, I have a hidden disability. I look perfectly normal. Its frustrating that so many people abuse the system so the people who legitimately need it are now being denied. My pain levels are real and debilitating if I am not able to adjust what I do to control them.

 

[DLgal]

Very sorry you were given a hard time. It is so ironic that this woman was claiming that DAS is only supposed to be for autistic people (it's not), but they insist on NOT hearing about my son's autism diagnosis, even though it would help explain his difficulties. It would have been much easier to say that his challenges were "due to autism" because it seems that people generally understand what that means. Instead I had to provide a word salad that explained his issues without ever mentioning what they are attributed to.

What you need to do is craft a statement that effectively communicates what challenges the traditional queue poses to you and how a wheelchair does NOT alleviate those challenges.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

I have heard they are getting extremely strict at WDW (not so much DLR though that is a different entity all together). It’s a shame because my mom has to rent a scooter, and I am going through a lot of health issues and hopefully will find out what’s wrong before we go but I am genuinely afraid because I don’t look disabled either. It’s horrible.
And again I get why they are getting strict, especially since people have allegedly abused it in the past, but it does suck for all of us who genuinely need it.

 

[2tinkerbell]

We generally get a DAS pass for my DD. They have always asked questions and I now let my DD take charge of answering the questions. That kind of seals the deal for us. The problem that we found this last time at DLR was we waited outside the queue for our return time and then ended up waiting up to 1/2 hour longer in the “lightning lane.” This basically made the DAS pass ineffective for DD. If we were going to wait 1/2 hour anyway, there were many times we just scheduled a Genie+ time. My DD did pretty well with us giving her space in the line and having her noise cancelling ear buds at the ready. She did need more down time though.

 

[DisSurfer878]

Very sorry you were given a hard time. It is so ironic that this woman was claiming that DAS is only supposed to be for autistic people (it's not), but they insist on NOT hearing about my son's autism diagnosis, even though it would help explain his difficulties. It would have been much easier to say that his challenges were "due to autism" because it seems that people generally understand what that means. Instead I had to provide a word salad that explained his issues without ever mentioning what they are attributed to.

What you need to do is craft a statement that effectively communicates what challenges the traditional queue poses to you and how a wheelchair does NOT alleviate those challenges.

This has happened to us too- not for autism but another condition. They specifically don't want the condition so here I am artfully dancing around "labels" to explain this in layman's terms (aka not medical jargon) to a person who may only be extremely vaguely familiar with what I'm talking about and is actively judging me lol

 

[DisneyOma]

Unfortunately this has the potential to make my situation worse. I need to keep my lower back rounded and keep the muscles loose in my back. Sitting upright (I know it sounds absurd) actually aggravates it. When I am home, I have to sit with my feet propped way up to put my back in a rounded position.
Fortunately at work, I have a job where I can walk a lot (I teach and move around the room all the time) and can change positions. Staying in a particular position for a long time increases pain. So standing for long periods of time or sitting upright for long periods of time. Walking is the best for me. Its keeps my back loose and I feel a lot better.

You don't need to be in the wheelchair (or ECV or rollator) at all times - but it does give you a place to sit. In queues, we have not had to stand in a particular spot for more than a minute or two. Your group could create a bubble for you to pace back in forth in the queue as well. Good luck getting comfortable on the attractions - the seats there are brutal; hard plastic, straight backs. I'd like to bring a cushion, but have been told here that it most likely wouldn't be allowed on attractions with any type of restraint.

 

[Lewisc]

6 flags, and some other parks, use a third party to evaluate what accommodations are appropriate for the guests condition.

You need to upload the following

• Contact information and statement from medical provider, government entity, or educational support professional related to accommodations requested

https://accessibilitycard.org/

 

[wdw4rfam]

Very sorry you were given a hard time. It is so ironic that this woman was claiming that DAS is only supposed to be for autistic people (it's not), but they insist on NOT hearing about my son's autism diagnosis, even though it would help explain his difficulties. It would have been much easier to say that his challenges were "due to autism" because it seems that people generally understand what that means. Instead I had to provide a word salad that explained his issues without ever mentioning what they are attributed to.

What you need to do is craft a statement that effectively communicates what challenges the traditional queue poses to you and how a wheelchair does NOT alleviate those challenges.

Agree. Every time we get my sons DAS they insist they don’t want to hear diagnosis. But he has trouble waiting in long lines…who doesn’t? That just doesn’t sound like enough to me. I still always have him say now that he’s an adult- I have trouble in long waits and confined in areas for a long time because my autism. They are going to hear it anyways.

 

[ttintagel]

I also have problems with standing in one place for a long time, and when I'm in a queue that's not steadily moving and not using a mobility device, I use my time in line to do stretches that help with my back and legs. I was told many years ago in no uncertain terms that those symptoms did NOT qualify for DAS. I'm very surprised OP was given one in the past.

 

[WonderlandisReality]

In the past, when we overheard people requesting DAS at park Guest Relations, the CMs were often over lenient with issuing DAS. It seemed like sometimes, the conversation was really minimal - the guest said, « I want to apply for DAS « and the CM said, « Great. Who is it for ? » and started issuing it.
They are getting stricter and more consistently asking questions. What they seem to be getting stricter on is concentrating on the concerns DAS is being issued for are related strictly to the issues the guest has while waiting in lines.
The question you need to be prepared to answer is:
What are your concerns with waiting in the traditional (regular) lines?
or stated another way, what about the lines are an issue for you?

What you describe is almost exactly the situation that occurred the first time we went to WDW with my youngest. I was a little taken aback. Universal, I felt, asked the appropriate question, "what challenges does she have when waiting in the standard line" I gave the answer, and we were immediately accepted. I know my daughter's situation is extreme, and I had no real qualms about qualifying, but I felt that Universal did a better job of upholding the integrity of its accommodation system at that time. When we returned in 2021, WDW did note she had it the previous year. They asked, "Have there been any changes that would affect her ability to wait in line" when I answered no, it was reissued. I thought this was definitely better for the system, but now I am a little curious about what they put down initially and if that will impact DAS registration when we go back later this year.

 

[TCRAIG]

I’ve never used DAS as I make do with my ECV and a bit of parking/walking…however…we’re hoping to bring our daughter, her husband, and our 2 little GrandGirls in 2024…and now I’m nervous…because the little one will need DAS…and I’m not sure what we’d do if she’s denied. She has severe cerebral palsy and is microcephalic - which means quadriplegic and non-verbal. We plan on bringing her special stroller and having it designated as a wheelchair so that will help - BUT - if she’s not moving or being held, she has a real tendency to scream bloody murder!! And then the only way to calm her down is either her mother or my husband has to hold her…so the plan was to use DAS to either find a seat and hold her or keep moving with the stroller until the DAS ride time comes up. I know it could still be a bit of a wait time even with DAS, but hopefully better than the standard queue…anyone have any recent experience with a severely handicapped toddler?

 

[gap2368]

I’ve never used DAS as I make do with my ECV and a bit of parking/walking…however…we’re hoping to bring our daughter, her husband, and our 2 little GrandGirls in 2024…and now I’m nervous…because the little one will need DAS…and I’m not sure what we’d do if she’s denied. She has severe cerebral palsy and is microcephalic - which means quadriplegic and non-verbal. We plan on bringing her special stroller and having it designated as a wheelchair so that will help - BUT - if she’s not moving or being held, she has a real tendency to scream bloody murder!! And then the only way to calm her down is either her mother or my husband has to hold her…so the plan was to use DAS to either find a seat and hold her or keep moving with the stroller until the DAS ride time comes up. I know it could still be a bit of a wait time even with DAS, but hopefully better than the standard queue…anyone have any recent experience with a severely handicapped toddler?

it is based off of needs not DX you will need to explain to the CM why she can not wait in the normal line and why she needs to wait out side of one

 

[TCRAIG]

it is based off of needs not DX you will need to explain to the CM why she can not wait in the normal line and why she needs to wait out side of one

I know that - the question is - will the possibility of her screaming like crazy suffice?

 

[gap2368]

I know that - the question is - will the possibility of her screaming like crazy suffice?

that will be up to the CM that you talk too. each CM can be a little different on what needs are meet.

 

[TCRAIG]

That’s why I was asking if anyone has any recent experience with DAS for extremely disabled toddlers…are they ‘toughening’ up on DAS for all or just adults?