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

[keishashadow]

Since people can register for DAS 30 to 2 days before their trip, there could be people who are still registering for a trip that starts on/before May 20 until May 18.
I think your idea that the "new rules" may have an actual start date of June 20. That would be the first date that all guests registering for DAS would have registered 30 days out.

I think May 21 will be the first time everyone will actually be registering when their entire trip would be under the new rules and June 20 will probably be the 'go live' date for the changes.
I can't know for sure, but it makes sense

exactly what I was told at Epcot GS yesterday

All the Qs I’m asking of them the last week, probably have a wanted poster of me in back room lol

 

[SarahC97]

exactly what I was told at Epcot GS yesterday

All the Qs I’m asking of them the last week, probably have a wanted poster of me in back room lol

I wonder if you register under the old rules but your trip straddles June 20th if you'll get the old DAS for your entire trip? I can register May 17. My trip is June 16 to 23. I'm having stress dreams about this!

 

[LuckyMamaInDE]

I wonder if you register under the old rules but your trip straddles June 20th if you'll get the old DAS for your entire trip? I can register May 17. My trip is June 16 to 23. I'm having stress dreams about this!

Pretty much the same dates for us (DAS party member does not have a DD)

 

[Angel Ariel]

Why not? Other tourist destinations don't tell us in advance if something is changing or closing. Why are Disney Parks expected to do differently?? Universal certainly didn't give folks 6 months in advance and yet folks adapted and continued to go.

And the general consensus from the disability community was that their roll out of IBCCES was a disaster.

Yeah, people adapted - as they will with this change. And they were also loudly vocal about the issues they were experiencing (long wait times with ibcces, not hearing back on their application, long waits on the phone with universal, etc). That's no different than what's happening here.

 

[Jellybean9]

Are people really taken by surprise by these changes? The rumored changes to DAS have been circulating for months.

 

[SueM in MN]

Updated information from emails I've seen:

Advance Video Registration currently 30 to 2 days before the visit.
Some guests registering now have trips that:

• begin and end before the new program starts (May 20 for WDW and June 18 for DL). They would be under the 'old rules'
• begin before the new program starts, but end after the new program starts. People are reporting their entire trip was under the 'old rules' - this makes sense to avoid a change in the middle of a trip
• begin after the new program starts. Some who registered in the last few days are 30 days out from the start by only a few days are reporting they are under the 'old rules'

The first dates ALL people doing Advance Video Registration would be under NEW RULES would be May 20 for WDW and June 18 for DL.

NEW RULES per information on Disney websites and UNOFFICIAL conversations/emails received by guests:

• updated process for Accessibility Services conversations will begin May 20 for WDW and June 18 for DL
• Registration will be WITHIN 30 days before visit (not within 30 to 2 days). Registration will be by video call with Disney CMs either in advance or in park
• 'traditional DAS' (including DAS Return Times) will be limited to guests with "developmental disabilities, such as autism or similar" who have difficulty with the line environment
• Need to wait 10 minutes after scanning into current DAS Return attraction to make another
• Party size will be limited to 4 total for non-related persons. Exceptions will reportedly made for 'immediate family', but not clear exactly what this means
• Other accommodations will be offered on an individual basis, based on needs. Some of the offered accommodations include Rider Switch, planning with the FREE Genie service, Line Return
• Unclear if DAS Advance Selections will be offered at all; may possibly be offered as an additional accommodation for some guests

If you are doing advance video registration and want to report here, please include:

• Which park?
• Does your trip start before or after the 'new rules' date? If before, are all the days of your trip before?
• What kind of tickets? Did your ticket type require park reservations? Only date based tickets don't require reservations
• Does the person you did registration for fit into the category of developmental disability (autism or similar) that is listed on the website or some other issues/concerns with waiting in the regular lines?
• REMINDER: don't post specific diagnosis, symptoms or conditions, just 'yes' or 'other'
• Did the person end up registered for DAS or other accommodations? If other accommodations, do they sound like they will meet the needs?

Disney has indicated they will be doing individual assessments and accommodations based on needs/concerns related to waiting in the regular lines. Pretty much every condition/diagnosis has a spectrum - some have many needs. Some have very few needs.

This means MAY NOT give everyone with the same condition/concern the same accommodations.

Disney MAY NOT publish exactly how other accommodations will work or what exact accommodations will be given for which needs. They MAY (hopefully will) have kind of a 'cookbook' of accommodations they can pull additional from to meet individual needs.

 

[Karin1984]

Are people really taken by surprise by these changes? The rumored changes to DAS have been circulating for months.

I think there is only a handful of people who are on the right platforms to see the rumors. The majority of people will only look into the rules when they are planning a trip.

I am not hanging out in this section of DISboards often. It is that I am going to DL next month that I was looking for updates. Otherwise I would not have opened these threads.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Are people really taken by surprise by these changes? The rumored changes to DAS have been circulating for months.

Yes, I was actually. We've had quite the medically busy few months for myself and DD so I haven't been on Disney forums constantly to see any rumors.

 

[notatallmagic]

Why not? Other tourist destinations don't tell us in advance if something is changing or closing. Why are Disney Parks expected to do differently?? Universal certainly didn't give folks 6 months in advance and yet folks adapted and continued to go.

Actually, we didn't. We were out of state Passholders, and need to do lots of planning; we also cannot navigate theme parks safely without accommodations; as was proven bt a life threatening incident when Disneys DAS process wasnt working well shortly after Covid. Universal's implementation was so awful that we canceled our Annual Passes. And my DAS Holder was approved under their new system and was granted accommodations.

 

[Karin1984]

they are shunning a large chunk of their customers, who may be turned off from returning in future years.

I think that the percentage that will not come back or not come back for the coming years will be very small. Yes, there will be people who stop going to Disney because of this change. But I think a large chunk will adapt, either by using Genie+, spread their activities/more breaks, or the accommodations offered by Disney.

A Disney vacation is what they know, looking into other type of vacations will take time, energy, looking into accommodations options at this new destination. Sometimes it's more convenient to go for the easiest option (stick to what you know), even when it has downsides.

 

[starlite_]

And the general consensus from the disability community was that their roll out of IBCCES was a disaster.

Yeah, people adapted - as they will with this change. And they were also loudly vocal about the issues they were experiencing (long wait times with ibcces, not hearing back on their application, long waits on the phone with universal, etc). That's no different than what's happening here.

Indeed the response was similar, but it doesn't really answer the question. Why do folks expect theme parks to be on another lvl of communications than other tourist destinations?

The Eiffel Tower certainly doesn't give their elevator refurbishment calendar 6 months in advance. Nor the CN Tower, or the Statue of Liberty. Just to name a few random but popular ones. So why are theme parks expected to ??? I don't get it tbh.

I agree with Mackenzie as well that a longer rollout would lead to more uncertainty and anxiety. With 1.5 months in advance everyone is panicking, imagine 4 months??

Rip the bandaid and be be done with it IMO.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I think that the percentage that will not come back or not come back for the coming years will be very small. Yes, there will be people who stop going to Disney because of this change. But I think a large chunk will adapt, either by using Genie+, spread their activities/more breaks, or the accommodations offered by Disney.

A Disney vacation is what they know, looking into other type of vacations will take time, energy, looking into accommodations options at this new destination. Sometimes it's more convenient to go for the easiest option (stick to what you know), even when it has downsides.

This.

Some people won't come back, but I'm guessing (just guessing) that it will be small percentage. A much larger percentage (again, just a guess) will continue to come back and utilize the new accommodations, whatever those might be. The DAS long ago became, for many, many, people, a way to make the trip easier rather than a way to make the trip possible. Offering different accommodations for different needs will (hopefully) re-align DAS back to the intent of what is really Disney's highest level of accommodation for non-Wish trip guests - a tool for those who simply could not visit Disney without that level of accommodation.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Indeed the response was similar, but it doesn't really answer the question. Why do folks expect theme parks to be on another lvl of communications than other tourist destinations?

The Eiffel Tower certainly doesn't give their elevator refurbishment calendar 6 months in advance. Nor the CN Tower, or the Statue of Liberty. Just to name a few random but popular ones. So why are theme parks expected to ??? I don't get it tbh.

I agree with Mackenzie as well that a longer rollout would lead to more uncertainty and anxiety. With 1.5 months in advance everyone is panicking, imagine 4 months??

Rip the bandaid and be be done with it IMO.

Disney created these expectations themselves when they began requiring that people plan their dining 180 days before their trip (SO thankful it's a shorter window now), and FP+ 60 days out, etc etc etc. This wasn't something guests wanted - it's what Disney wanted to make their staffing "more efficient." They created a culture of telling their guests they needed to plan their vacations at least 6 months out over MANY years. Disney has no one to blame but themselves for those expectations existing.

And let's be clear, it's not just about how little time they gave - it's about the lack of clarity in what information they did provide. They are changing websites frequently with rider switch, this return to queue thing that hasn't been fully explained, etc. Clear and timely communication helps prevent/alleviate anxiety.

 

[Missyrose]

Rip the bandaid and be be done with it IMO.

I think that part of the problem is Disney isn't pulling in the crowds or money it used to. Disney learned a long time ago that pushing the idea that there wasn't a slow time anymore was a cash cow. Lower crowds/resort bookings brought staffing scalebacks, fewer cars being used for attractions and skyrocketing wait times... which proved to be the perfect incentive to sell people ways to reduce their wait times in the form of Genie+ and ILL. Call me cynical, but revamping DAS is another play at the margins of money-making (many pages of this thread are devoted to how fewer people in LL means Disney could theoretically sell extra Genie+/ILL spots). But I don't think even Disney was prepared for the level of pushback it's gotten over the DAS changes. So while Disney could have always planned for this overlap/transition period but didn't communicate well. Or it could very well be scrambling to figure out a way forward without a flood of complaints, bad stories in the press and 200-page threads on discussion boards.

 

[chrisney]

So if you're on your own, solo - and have a bathroom emergency, manage to get a CM (which I'll be honest I don't usually see a CM every 30-45 seconds) - where do you get put back into line? The end of it? There is nobody to rejoin because you're on your own, or maybe you're traveling with 1 other person who needs to go with you to help you.

There are still a lot of unknowns on how this is going to work, unknowns and change cause angst.

Or you are deep into a line on an ecv because you have COPD and can't walk any distance without having low oxygen saturation and shortness of breath but you suddenly and immediately need the bathroom because your bowels are going to empty in a minute if you''re lucky. Who is going to feel worse--me for suffering a humiliating accident or those around me who will have to deal with the stench, or have gotten hurt while I attempt to make use of the get out of line uption. This is not like a little kid who needs to get to the bathroom. How I wish it were. I would gladly wear an adult garment for that and just go without making waves.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I think that part of the problem is Disney isn't pulling in the crowds or money it used to. Disney learned a long time ago that pushing the idea that there wasn't a slow time anymore was a cash cow. Lower crowds/resort bookings brought staffing scalebacks, fewer cars being used for attractions and skyrocketing wait times... which proved to be the perfect incentive to sell people ways to reduce their wait times in the form of Genie+ and ILL. Call me cynical, but revamping DAS is another play at the margins of money-making (many pages of this thread are devoted to how fewer people in LL means Disney could theoretically sell extra Genie+/ILL spots). But I don't think even Disney was prepared for the level of pushback it's gotten over the DAS changes. So while Disney could have always planned for this overlap/transition period but didn't communicate well. Or it could very well be scrambling to figure out a way forward without a flood of complaints, bad stories in the press and 200-page threads on discussion boards.

I have no doubt that Disney knew exactly what kind of pushback they would receive - it’s the same level as when GAC was discontinued 11 years ago.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have no doubt that Disney knew exactly what kind of pushback they would receive - it’s the same level as when GAC was discontinued 11 years ago.

Agreed. This wasn't an accident. Not the timing, not the lack of clear information. Disney is too major of a player to not have known how this would play out (especially after the GAC-DAS transition). This all is going as they planned.

 

[lisset005]

• Does your trip start before or after the 'new rules' date? If before, are all the days of your trip before?
• 5/23+
• What kind of tickets? Did your ticket type require park reservations? Only date based tickets don't require reservations
• 10 Day Magic Your Way, they require reservations.
• Does the person you did registration for fit into the category of developmental disability (autism or similar) that is listed on the website or some other issues/concerns with waiting in the regular lines? REMINDER: don't post specific diagnosis, symptoms or conditions, just 'yes' or 'other'
• Yes.
• Did the person end up registered for DAS or other accommodations? If other accommodations, do they sound like they will meet the needs?
• Standard DAS.

Other things I noted:

• Approval took more explaining and conversation than in the past. CM was very serious and asked one question (to explain the need) and let me talk a good 5-6 minutes straight. CM asked for further clarification on our second/older child with the same conditions.
• Was allowed to assign up to 5 people under each approved DAS.
• DAS starts our first park day (May 23) and expires June 21. This was surprising to me.
• Was then transferred over to Advanced Selections after everything was set up. CM set up 7 days of pre-selects for our family. We are staying on property.

Edited: Hit enter on accident, before I was done writing everything out-sorry!

 

[sprem96]

I think there is only a handful of people who are on the right platforms to see the rumors. The majority of people will only look into the rules when they are planning a trip.

I am not hanging out in this section of DISboards often. It is that I am going to DL next month that I was looking for updates. Otherwise I would not have opened these threads.

Same, I only joined within the last 2 weeks as an attempt to get a better grasp on what's going on before my trip in August, usually I'm not even paying attention to Disney stuff unless I'm booking tickets months in advance of going. I have "other" issues that I deal with on the daily and don't have time for this. But I got word of the changes on social media and I'm doing my homework because or else I would have been severely confused and upset come time of my registration.

Props and shout outs go to all on here who are helping out with all the information they can and assisting everyone who are struggling in the dark with the new system arriving.

 

[starlite_]

Disney created these expectations themselves when they began requiring that people plan their dining 180 days before their trip (SO thankful it's a shorter window now), and FP+ 60 days out, etc etc etc. This wasn't something guests wanted - it's what Disney wanted to make their staffing "more efficient." They created a culture of telling their guests they needed to plan their vacations at least 6 months out over MANY years. Disney has no one to blame but themselves for those expectations existing.

And let's be clear, it's not just about how little time they gave - it's about the lack of clarity in what information they did provide. They are changing websites frequently with rider switch, this return to queue thing that hasn't been fully explained, etc. Clear and timely communication helps prevent/alleviate anxiety.

Isn't that what guests want tho?? How many folks here haven't been hoping to be able to reserve LLs with Genie+ in advance?

Personally I hate the idea of having to plan even where to eat 60 days in advance tbh.

I do agree that the over planning is part of the Disney trip culture, but I hesitate to blame only Disney for that. It's not like folks don't plan their Paris or Toronto or New York or "insert international destination here" visits 6 months out.