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

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I did mention - politely! - that I’ve not seen this kind of accomodation mentioned anywhere, so I was a little thrown.

It sounds like they are explaining the procedure/policy/protocol for someone with as unique of a situation as yours is falling under.

I know we have talked a lot on this thread about accommodations but what they are asking you to do isn't really fitting that definition, they are more just telling you if you want to be able to use DAS when you're solo with your situation that you describe during the chat is something they say needs to be discussed each and every time. I can't really say whether I agree with it or not but they seem to think that with what you're describing your issues are something DAS would help with but when you're solo as opposed to when you're with other people and you go on enough frequency that it may fall under them wanting more insight.

I do agree with misty in that they may be looking at how to more refine these more unique individual situations without being too all-encompassing while they are doing it. I'm not sure the numbers of high frequent very close distance to the Parks goes solo but then also enough with other people guests are out there who has issues that may qualify for DAS.

Realistically, I only generally do 3-5ish attractions in a day, so if they’re worried about me being some kind of super user, my 30 year AP history would inform that’s not happening! I figure maybe an average day will now be 2-3 rides, none of them headliners… will I want to bother driving 4 hours round trip for that? IDK, we’ll see.

I do think the type of procedure they want you to do would definitely be a consideration for what you are feeling you're up to doing at the Parks and whether that is worth it to you at that exact moment to either request DAS or even go to the Parks but I would not focus on how many attractions you do a day and all that "super user" stuff in terms of what procedure they may be applying to you (which could change over time too); you (general you but also specific to you) don't really know if that has anything to do with why they would want to change up certain components of being approved.

 

[mistysue]

Thanks! And maybe? It was SO weird, I really don’t know what to make of it. We talked quite a bit because I was really trying to grasp what I was being told to do and how or if it made sense for me vs. just not bothering to visit as much. The CM was very pleasant and seemed genuinely to want to recommend what they thought would work best for my needs. They really were not pro-AQR for me - that was the oddest bit.

Realistically, I only generally do 3-5ish attractions in a day, so if they’re worried about me being some kind of super user, my 30 year AP history would inform that’s not happening! I figure maybe an average day will now be 2-3 rides, none of them headliners… will I want to bother driving 4 hours round trip for that? IDK, we’ll see.

In your case, I would hope they actually track enough to see you're being truthful about that. I'm sure you've seen some of the same posts over the years I have where people are using DAS to get into everything in the park and how it wouldn't be fair if they couldn't do that... Even a person doing that feels what they are doing is justified, so seeing that you are really only doing a few rides should reflect positively on you if that is what they are feeling out for. It's much more difficult to pull back if they had granted it and you responded by looping all headliners for 14 hours straight than re-visiting to say "oh, you are honest there..."

 

[PrincessV]

EDITED BY Moderator to add information:
Poster called back and was approved for DAS. Link to post where she updated information.
I definitely did not get the impression the CM was concerned about how often I visit or how many attractions I might do - that was never part of our conversation. It was more that my particular disability (which BTW the CM stated, I did not - they happened to be correct, and I mentioned my diagnosis in a previous DAS request, so maybe it’s in the notes they’re not supposed to keep?? Or just a good guess? IDK - that was also odd) isn’t ASD, but also is very much something they want to accommodate with DAS, not AQR. But only for a day at a time.

The more I think about it, the more perplexing it is. The activist in me wants to call back, talk to another CM and see if I can get more clarification as to why they think calling every day is better than AQR, but y’all… I live a busy, full life, and I’m tired lol! There may be a day when I feel like trying to understand it better, but today is not that day and that’s okay! I’m approved for one day that I may or may not visit, depending on weather and traffic - I guess if I don’t go, the DAS will drop off and maybe I’ll call again for the next day I want to visit and see what that CM offers.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

see if I can get more clarification as to why they think calling every day is better than AQR

AQR isn't something that needs approval from a specialized team. You're basically pushing back against them wanting to give you something on a higher level If you feel that AQR is the same as DAS for your personal situation and you think the method of getting DAS they have told you is too much you can just use the method that doesn't require approval from the specialize team and as you need it.

 

[PrincessV]

AQR isn't something that needs approval from a specialized team. You're basically pushing back against them wanting to give you something on a higher level If you feel that AQR is the same as DAS for your personal situation and you think the method of getting DAS they have told you is too much you can just use the method that doesn't require approval from the specialize team and as you need it.

No, I’m not pushing back on anything - I’m truly confused as to why they’d actively push me not to use AQR, when it’s what’s been advised to so many others. I don’t know what I’m missing, but needing to call in every day for DAS that may or may not be approved isn’t better for me and my particular situation. Asking 2, maybe 3 times a day at an attraction entrance if they can accommodate me, without being required to go into lengthy detail about my symptoms, is a MUCH better option for me, and I explained that to the CM, so I just don’t understand why they’d push for me to call every day instead. I’d like to understand the why behind it, but probably not enough to do more than wonder out loud!

 

[jennab]

I finally got through… and had an “approval” unlike any I’ve seen reported before. For background, I’m a semi-local AP at WDW who does some single day visits and some multi-day trips each year.

I described what happens to me in long lines etc. and my problems with lines are severe enough that they DO want me to use DAS - that was made clear… but they also don’t technically meet full DAS approval criteria, so I was approved for a single day at a time and will need to reapply every day I wish to visit - and only if I’m visiting solo. I have some multi-day trips planned, but it doesn’t matter: I was told to do the chat each day I want to visit. So in practical terms, if I were visiting Sept. 10, 11, 12, and 13, I’d need to chat to get the 10th approved, visit that day, and then chat again on the 11th. Rinse and repeat for the 12th and 13th. And again, this is only when I’m solo (which is most of the time) - any time I might be visiting with others I’d be denied.*

I did mention - politely! - that I’ve not seen this kind of accomodation mentioned anywhere, so I was a little thrown. I thought APs were to be approved for 120 days? Only if the AP meets certain criteria, apparently. They also told me that CMs can also only be approved one day at a time. (I am not a CM.)

We talked about the logistics of that and I said that it took several hours to get through today due to technical issues, and I don’t usually have ANY time in my daily life to do it, even if it goes straight through, so I’ll probably just use AQR instead. The CM tried to dissuade me from that, saying I certainly can, but that it would require asking at every attraction and some CMs/some rides won’t be willing to do anything, so it will be better for me to do the DAS chat every time. Of course, that assumes I’d be approved every time and no one can guarantee that, so I’m not seeing how doing a daily DAS chat is better. That was really odd to me.

I’m kind of stunned. I was prepared to be approved, or rejected - I was NOT prepared for something in-between! Not sure what I’ll do with this. Realistically, calling every day I plan to visit isn’t going to happen: my issues are very hard to talk about without triggering the issue itself and that is not something I wish to do every morning of a vacation. I think I’ll continue trying AQR, hitting rides when lines are short, buying ILL or whatever they’re called now if and when I have the money and inclination for individual rides, and honestly - just not doing some rides anymore, I guess. Like I did before a CM suggested I try DAS, ironically. Maybe if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll try doing the chat in the park some days, where I’d expect to be sent through the queue more quickly.

*It also occurs to me that sometimes people in my F&F list visit WDW on the same day as me, but we might only see each other for a meal - I’d still be solo for rides - would the fact that we have park reservations on the same day mean I couldn’t get DAS that day? IDK but maybe I’ll need to dump the few friends I have in my F&F list to avoid that issue.

Frankly, this is just more than I wish to think about for a day at WDW. I don’t plan ahead, I don’t buy MultiGenieFP++, I don’t make ADRs - I visit when I feel like visiting with as little fuss involved as possible and am unwilling to change that. In the end, I’m glad I downgraded my AP when I renewed recently and just won’t go to WDW at busy times anymore.

The DAS for single traveler only I’ve heard of, but not getting approved daily. That one seems odd. I mean could you call in the morning before you head to the parks, or even do it while at the park because you’d get through quicker (theoretically)?

 

[KPeterso]

I finally got through… and had an “approval” unlike any I’ve seen reported before. For background, I’m a semi-local AP at WDW who does some single day visits and some multi-day trips each year.

I described what happens to me in long lines etc. and my problems with lines are severe enough that they DO want me to use DAS - that was made clear… but they also don’t technically meet full DAS approval criteria, so I was approved for a single day at a time and will need to reapply every day I wish to visit - and only if I’m visiting solo. I have some multi-day trips planned, but it doesn’t matter: I was told to do the chat each day I want to visit. So in practical terms, if I were visiting Sept. 10, 11, 12, and 13, I’d need to chat to get the 10th approved, visit that day, and then chat again on the 11th. Rinse and repeat for the 12th and 13th. And again, this is only when I’m solo (which is most of the time) - any time I might be visiting with others I’d be denied.*

I did mention - politely! - that I’ve not seen this kind of accomodation mentioned anywhere, so I was a little thrown. I thought APs were to be approved for 120 days? Only if the AP meets certain criteria, apparently. They also told me that CMs can also only be approved one day at a time. (I am not a CM.)

We talked about the logistics of that and I said that it took several hours to get through today due to technical issues, and I don’t usually have ANY time in my daily life to do it, even if it goes straight through, so I’ll probably just use AQR instead. The CM tried to dissuade me from that, saying I certainly can, but that it would require asking at every attraction and some CMs/some rides won’t be willing to do anything, so it will be better for me to do the DAS chat every time. Of course, that assumes I’d be approved every time and no one can guarantee that, so I’m not seeing how doing a daily DAS chat is better. That was really odd to me.

I’m kind of stunned. I was prepared to be approved, or rejected - I was NOT prepared for something in-between! Not sure what I’ll do with this. Realistically, calling every day I plan to visit isn’t going to happen: my issues are very hard to talk about without triggering the issue itself and that is not something I wish to do every morning of a vacation. I think I’ll continue trying AQR, hitting rides when lines are short, buying ILL or whatever they’re called now if and when I have the money and inclination for individual rides, and honestly - just not doing some rides anymore, I guess. Like I did before a CM suggested I try DAS, ironically. Maybe if I’m feeling up to it, I’ll try doing the chat in the park some days, where I’d expect to be sent through the queue more quickly.

*It also occurs to me that sometimes people in my F&F list visit WDW on the same day as me, but we might only see each other for a meal - I’d still be solo for rides - would the fact that we have park reservations on the same day mean I couldn’t get DAS that day? IDK but maybe I’ll need to dump the few friends I have in my F&F list to avoid that issue.

Frankly, this is just more than I wish to think about for a day at WDW. I don’t plan ahead, I don’t buy MultiGenieFP++, I don’t make ADRs - I visit when I feel like visiting with as little fuss involved as possible and am unwilling to change that. In the end, I’m glad I downgraded my AP when I renewed recently and just won’t go to WDW at busy times anymore.

That is definitely strange. And I would have a problem calling each time too. I swear I heard a story of someone being approved as a solo for a period of time and it was just them on it and no guests or family members could be added to the DAS if the person went with friends or family.

 

[PrincessV]

OR they are trying to discourage applying in future (so like a nudge to use other accommodations).

That was my thought at first, too, and what caught me off guard was the anti-AQR talk. Like, I know I’m in the minority, but if you don’t want to approve me, please just deny me politely and we can move on lol! But why then push me not to use the alternate accommodations available? So weird.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No, I’m not pushing back on anything - I’m truly confused as to why they’d actively push me not to use AQR, when it’s what’s been advised to so many others. I don’t know what I’m missing, but needing to call in every day for DAS that may or may not be approved isn’t better for me and my particular situation. Asking 2, maybe 3 times a day at an attraction entrance if they can accommodate me, without being required to go into lengthy detail about my symptoms, is a MUCH better option for me, and I explained that to the CM, so I just don’t understand why they’d push for me to call every day instead. I’d like to understand the why behind it, but probably not enough to do more than wonder out loud!

EDITED BY Moderator to add information:
original Poster called back and was approved for DAS. Link to post where she updated information.
Without a doubt I think it's a hassle (and more from the sounds of it on you personally) to call each time BUT that's because you're requesting to be approved for DAS and Disney is, at this time at least, saying when you're solo there's enough of what you've told us where DAS is something that fits. They don't have different levels of DAS so it's either deny you regardless of your solo status or approve you and at this time they have approved you but on their end advised you they have a different procedure in mind for your situation.

By all means you can call back if you're confused or think messages got crossed but I was responding because you said you "why they think calling every day is better than AQR" AQR isn't attached to DAS so if you personally feel AQR is adequate for your situation even as a solo person (which I know many wondered how it would work) use that. The vast majority of posters who have wanted to be approved have expressed they don't find AQR to be adequate to them hence my comment about you sounding like you're pushing back. You're almost making your own argument about why you shouldn't get approved for DAS lol, so then if that's how you would feel I would then suggest not applying for DAS and using other methods that you have done already (and normally suggesting to not apply for DAS when one has recently gotten approved isn't what I would suggest).

 

[jennab]

Thinking out loud - I wonder if this is the new approval for single travelers? That way they can confirm you are traveling solo before approving for the day? Otherwise, who is to say someone gets approved only solo but then connects friends or family and the system can’t stop them? Will be interesting to hear if this happens to anyone else.

 

[PrincessV]

The DAS for single traveler only I’ve heard of, but not getting approved daily. That one seems odd. I mean could you call in the morning before you head to the parks, or even do it while at the park because you’d get through quicker (theoretically)?

That’s exactly what was recommended: that I get up and call at 7am, when chat queues are short. And it’s a fair recommendation - but for me, it’s too much: for a number of reasons, to me it’s not worth doing. In-park IS something I may consider because rarely do I get to a park and go straight to a ride, anyway. I don’t have room on my device for Zoom, but I can see going to GS and using their iPad… though there’s still no guarantee the CM I’d happen to get that day would approve, right? That’s the rub: wasting an hour or more of my time and mental energy having to go into the details in the chat only to be denied sounds a lot less pleasant than a 30-second ask at a ride, no matter the outcome.

That is definitely strange. And I would have a problem calling each time too. I swear I heard a story of someone being approved as a solo for a period of time and it was just them on it and no guests or family members could be added to the DAS if the person went with friends or family.

Yep, I’ve seen others approved as only a solo Guest, but nothing before about needing to call every day. Something new they’re trying, or something weird I happened to land in? No clue!

 

[PrincessV]

You’re almost making your own argument about why you shouldn't get approved for DAS lol

LOL, 100% yes! I was TOTALLY prepared for being denied, but figured it was worth a call because if denied, at least I could honestly say at an attraction, “I was denied DAS but told to inquire at the ride” My game plan is totally thrown by this in-between thing! I know the CMs at rides surely don’t care either way, but it felt good and right in my mind that I be denied DAS first. I like clear cut rules: ambiguity is not my friend.

ETA: it occurs to me, too, that I may be a bit miffed at myself for getting approval for a park day at AK, where I had no intention of doing any rides that have long waits in the first place. Had I known I might get a single-day approval, I’d have made it for a day and park where the lines are a bigger issue for me!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

That is definitely strange. And I would have a problem calling each time too. I swear I heard a story of someone being approved as a solo for a period of time and it was just them on it and no guests or family members could be added to the DAS if the person went with friends or family.

While I don't really know what exactly how it went on the call just to speak to this many companies ebb and flow and adjust as time goes on, try this or that, etc. Sometimes it works much better for the consumer, other times it doesn't. And there's the possibility that erroneous information was given, IDK just allowing that to be part of it.

When I was at the insurance company we'd ebb and flow on qualifications for New Business. For example when CAT losses (think natural disasters and the like) were low and profitability was high we'd take on more risk. Maybe that tiny small wood rot on a corner of your siding would get notated upon new business inspection but you wouldn't be declined. On the other hand let's say there were higher losses and less profitability they would tighten up those qualifications such that that tiny wood rot would get you declined until you proved you fixed it. This time period of ebbing and flowing could be only a matter of months. From agent's perspective they had a client that was approved 4 months ago and that same type of client could be declined now. It's just a normal part of the insurance industry.

Another time at the insurance company for about 5 or 6 months as an underwriter (but not really as we were licensed via the agent) all calls related to reinstatement of a cancelled or non-renewed homeowner's policy related to the condition of the home had to go through Account Underwriting (licensed underwriters) and there were only about 6 or 7 throughout the whole company. So I'd get the phone call, look over photos then if I felt it was good to go transfer myself to Account Underwriting who then had to do the same. Only we were also on hold too before we got to that Account Underwriter. It often led to my phone calls with 1 agent being 45 mins to more than an hour. That was the company's way of ebbing on a quite boa constrictor way but would have meant an agent before and after that requesting my assistance wouldn't have had to deal with all that mess and lengthy phone call.


I'm not attaching profitability here with Disney as we're talking about a different industry but was describing how the process went there. Sometimes companies put on restrictions or methods that don't make much sense to us, sometimes the company finds out it didn't make much sense to them either lol but yeah I guess because of what I've had to deal with not all things seem as strange to me as it might to others.

 

[lanejudy]

it would require asking at every attraction and some CMs/some rides won’t be willing to do anything

They really were not pro-AQR for me - that was the oddest bit.

Sorry you are going through this but thank you very much for the report. It'll be interesting to hear how your visit goes.

Regarding the above 2 statements -- I wonder if they are adjusting how to handle AQR and solo visitors. Possibly too many (or more than expected) complications within the park/at attractions with so many now pushed out of DAS and using AQR. And solo visitors really require a return time of some sort (lanyard, pass, etc.) without a party to do the waiting. As was rumored a few months ago, the ability to obtain a "return time" may be very limited and CMs were supposedly required to document it.

That said, I have heard of solo visitors being granted a "solo" DAS that couldn't be linked with a party. So that would make more sense than re-connecting each day of a visit.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

LOL, 100% yes! I was TOTALLY prepared for being denied, but figured it was worth a call because if denied, at least I could honestly say at an attraction, “I was denied DAS but told to inquire at the ride” My game plan is totally thrown by this in-between thing! I know the CMs at rides surely don’t care either way, but it felt good and right in my mind that I be denied DAS first. I like clear cut rules: ambiguity is not my friend.

ETA: it occurs to me, too, that I may be a bit miffed at myself for getting approval for a park day at AK, where I had no intention of doing any rides that have long waits in the first place. Had I known I might get a single-day approval, I’d have made it for a day and park where the lines are a bigger issue for me!

I totally get the ambiguity, it never makes it easy to work with and at a place like Disney where planning has become so ingrained in many repeat visitors probably all the worse for that

 

[PrincessV]

Regarding the above 2 statements -- I wonder if they are adjusting how to handle AQR and solo visitors. Possibly too many (or more than expected) complications within the park/at attractions with so many now pushed out of DAS and using AQR. And solo visitors really require a return time of some sort (lanyard, pass, etc.) without a party to do the waiting. As was rumored a few months ago, the ability to obtain a "return time" may be very limited and CMs were supposedly required to document it.

There’s a thought… and my very limited experience using AQR was that the CMs I asked were NOT offering a return time. They sent me right into the empty LL, which may just have been pixie dust on a slow day, but may also have been accommodating without needing to document. I’m going on the assumption that for the biggies - Rise, TRON, GOTG - I’ll probably be denied anything and I’ll either pony up for the LL price or skip it. It was nice being able to do those each visit, but I’m okay with it being only a couple times a year; they’ll just be that much more special right?!

That said, I have heard of solo visitors being granted a "solo" DAS that couldn't be linked with a party. So that would make more sense than re-connecting each day of a visit.

That was exactly what I expected to get: either total denial or solo-only DAS. This whole “call in every day” thing is just… a lot. Especially because the CM didn’t mention once that I might be denied the next time I call: they made it seem like yes, I’d need to call and re-explain in detail every day I want to visit, but also made it seem like they expected it would be approved each time, for one day at a time. So why not just do the 120 days and be done with it, instead of wasting my time and theirs? I know I’m a broken record, but.. it’s SO odd lol!

 

[Disneylover99]

That was exactly what I expected to get: either total denial or solo-only DAS. This whole “call in every day” thing is just… a lot. Especially because the CM didn’t mention once that I might be denied the next time I call: they made it seem like yes, I’d need to call and re-explain in detail every day I want to visit, but also made it seem like they expected it would be approved each time, for one day at a time. So why not just do the 120 days and be done with it, instead of wasting my time and theirs? I know I’m a broken record, but.. it’s SO odd lol!

It will be interesting to see what happens when you do need to call back on the 2nd day of your trip. Is there some kind of a note attached to your DAS about this that the next CM will see? If not, maybe they’ll deny you or maybe they’ll approve you for the rest of the trip.

 

[starlite_]

There’s a thought… and my very limited experience using AQR was that the CMs I asked were NOT offering a return time. They sent me right into the empty LL, which may just have been pixie dust on a slow day, but may also have been accommodating without needing to document. I’m going on the assumption that for the biggies - Rise, TRON, GOTG - I’ll probably be denied anything and I’ll either pony up for the LL price or skip it. It was nice being able to do those each visit, but I’m okay with it being only a couple times a year; they’ll just be that much more special right?!

That was exactly what I expected to get: either total denial or solo-only DAS. This whole “call in every day” thing is just… a lot. Especially because the CM didn’t mention once that I might be denied the next time I call: they made it seem like yes, I’d need to call and re-explain in detail every day I want to visit, but also made it seem like they expected it would be approved each time, for one day at a time. So why not just do the 120 days and be done with it, instead of wasting my time and theirs? I know I’m a broken record, but.. it’s SO odd lol!

I wonder if the CM was simply trying to encourage you to apply again for DAS because it is better than using AQR. It does sound like they wanted you to have DAS but simply couldn't give it to you as normal. Maybe it's not that they were anti-AQR in general, just anti-AQR for you because DAS would work better in their opinion.

 

[PrincessV]

It will be interesting to see what happens when you do need to call back on the 2nd day of your trip. Is there some kind of a note attached to your DAS about this that the next CM will see? If not, maybe they’ll deny you or maybe they’ll approve you for the rest of the trip.

Just to keep things interesting, I don’t have a 2nd day lol! I have one day reserved on its own, and then nothing until a trip in early Nov. I don’t normally book day visits ahead of time because reservations never fill up anymore. So unless I happen to do a unplanned day between now and then, I guess my next call would be early Oct.

I wonder if the CM was simply trying to encourage you to apply again for DAS because it is better than using AQR. It does sound like they wanted you to have DAS but simply couldn't give it to you as normal. Maybe it's not that they were anti-AQR in general, just anti-AQR for you because DAS would work better in their opinion.

Yep, this exactly. And in general, they’d be right: DAS is the best option of what exists to fit my needs… except that if I have to call each day, it sure seems like at some point I’d be denied? But then again, maybe they put a note in there saying I should be approved on a rotating one-day basis?? IDK - it feels like a lot of extra work for everyone involved to do a couple rides. I’m honestly not bitter about it at all: it mostly makes me wonder what kind of response a different CM would give, you know?

 

[Perdita&Pongo]

With Tron now opening the standby line on 9/9, the only two rides/attractions that you can’t use DAS in MDE for are GOTG and TBA, yes? These 2 still have VQ (no standby) & I do know if you get a VQ return that you can use your DAS for the LL lanes there.

I was approved for DAS (medical/physical w/DD-like impairments) and going soon, so I want to make sure I understand the DAS usage for rides & attractions. Our last visit to WDW was in 2022 (had DAS first time then).

Thanx for any help!