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

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I only used that term as I’ve worked in the disability sector and tend to lapse into that terminology, apologies. Not suggesting people can’t share their thoughts, was coming at it from the place of explaining that there are already some inbuilt precautions that people who are not immune compromised might not know about, like HEPA filters on planes. In the same way I frequently find out about things that might help conditions I don’t have reading these discussions.

I totally understand and I don't think you meant anything by it I also used it as a jumping off point because able-bodied has been liked nails on chalk board for this thread for me personally primarily because of the way its been used by the bulk of posters who have said it.

 

[nalababybear]

Disney probably believes that the number of "worst of the worst" cheaters, willing to lie through their teeth to CM after CM throughout the day, looking them in the eye and saying "I've been in the standby line for an hour and need to use the bathroom", is a tiny fraction of the number of people prepared to lie or exaggerate one single time to get DAS, which they can then use all day, every day, throughout their trip without any further inquiries. And in this, I believe Disney is correct. For one thing, all it takes is for a single CM to have spotted someone leaving the line 5 minutes in when they claim to have waited an hour, and then boom, removal from the park and a possible trespass.

Exactly. Filtering cheaters at the entryway is only to dissuade some. The dedicated cheaters will get through.

Cheaters will get caught a different way and hopefully Disney enforce their listed consequences.

The more stringent the entry can lead to those actually qualifying and needing an accommodation is missed, which IMHO really sucks for those needing it.

 

[Woth2982]

I have tried to scroll through, but have not seen the answer and having a tough time with the correct key words to search for it. My daughter (3.5) has ASD, I will be calling for DAS (we are not in our trip window yet), and if she is denied, has anyone been able to ask if single ride restrictions could be lifted on Genie+? I have no issue buying Genie+ to get into the LL, the issue comes where my daughter likes to ride the same rides over and over, small world, dumbo and tea cups for example, so in this case Genie+ isn't perfect for us, but a good enough solution to her line issues, would be a perfect solution if the ride limit could be lifted. We had DAS in April and these three rides is legit all we did at Magic Kingdom. Again, this is all hypothetical as I have not had my call, and more for me to inquire about when I have our call with guest services next month. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

 

[nalababybear]

I have tried to scroll through, but have not seen the answer and having a tough time with the correct key words to search for it. My daughter (3.5) has ASD, I will be calling for DAS (we are not in our trip window yet), and if she is denied, has anyone been able to ask if single ride restrictions could be lifted on Genie+? I have no issue buying Genie+ to get into the LL, the issue comes where my daughter likes to ride the same rides over and over, small world, dumbo and tea cups for example, so in this case Genie+ isn't perfect for us, but a good enough solution to her line issues, would be a perfect solution if the ride limit could be lifted. We had DAS in April and these three rides is legit all we did at Magic Kingdom. Again, this is all hypothetical as I have not had my call, and more for me to inquire about when I have our call with guest services next month. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

Try the front door first.

Make a list in the why she wouldn't do well in a standard queue beyond saying she's on the spectrum. Examples of issues, real.life experiences of what happens when she is in a queue. Things you've done to try to mitigate. I'm sure you'll.have plenty. Write them down so you'll be ready cite as many will blank out on the video chat

ETA if she needs it, ask for stroller as a wheelchair

 

[lanejudy]

the fact that a health organization did the training would likely trigger these rules and require that any electronic devices used on site would have to be HIPPA compliant

No, I don't believe that is accurate. You are conflating two things and trying to expand it based solely on the title/degree/certification of one person who may or may not be involved in a conversation.

Yes, California has some stronger-than-federal laws about privacy. But HIPAA is the federal law and CMIA is the related state (California) law that provides additional safeguards to a patient's medical records. HIPAA is actually broader in scope as to "covered entities" with CMIA more limited to medical practitioners, but neither one is includes an amusement park. None of your "records" or notes with Disney pertaining to DAS are "medical records" -- and that is an important distinction. There is no treatment, no diagnosis, etc. Just because an individual you speak with may (for example) be a Nurse Practitioner does NOT make every conversation with that person a "medical record." Disney is (and has been) responsible for keeping PHI (protected healthcare information) private, but based on everything I know about Disney and DAS is they are NOT maintaining any records of your diagnosis or medical information even if you choose to share it. They are only taking notes about needs related to the standby queue.

Folks -- it's very important to recognize the difference between NEEDS and diagnoses. Disney has very clearly stepped away from the documentation, medical, diagnosis concept that other theme parks have done and is very clearly limiting accommodations based on NEEDS.

 

[Ollivier]

Understand, but again, if the issue is your SIL not being able to wait in the line, then I'm just not understanding why splitting the party and some waiting in line while he joins before boarding won't work. You would be waiting the same amount of time as with DAS, possibly less.

When going to Disney we all want to spend time together with our family.
Das allows a family to wait together when a family member can not handle the lines. This is an important part of the accommodation.

When you need das, It does not realy matter that you wait 10 min. more.

 

[mistysue]

Thank you very much! Riding small world over and over isn't my idea of a great vacation, but my daughter LOVES it and seeing her enjoy it makes it great for me. Re-Entry could definitely be a possibility for us as well should we be denied! I am so very new to all this, it has been a crazy overwhelming year!

As others said, at least those ones aren't likely to have massive line issues (unless you are going for Christmas week or something, in which case have you considered not?)
We used G+ at Dumbo and teacups a month ago and it was no change from the regular line, we were just having fun seeing how many rides we could use it for.

Small World is iffier - but with the DAS crackdown I truly suspect that line might go back to being like the old days, when it was 5-10 minutes most of the time. With the worst LL crowds we've ever seen, they were running small world as one LL line filling the front boat, the standby line filling the rear boat - and every 2-3 boats they filled from standby they would pause and overflow LL for an extra boat or two. If DAS use were to go down even 50%, I suspect that standby line of 30 minutes would have been 10-15 mins max. (because standby would not only NOT be pausing, but would have been overflowing the fill in the LL boats)

 

[nalababybear]

When going to Disney we all want to spend time together with our family.
Das allows a family to wait together when a family member can not handle the lines. This is an important part of the accommodation.

When you need das, It does not realy matter that you wait 10 min. more.

It maybe important to the family for sure. It's still not a necessity to attend the attraction for most folk.

As stated, For some with caretakers, it is an absolute need to be with the person with needs. Hence DAS

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

When going to Disney we all want to spend time together with our family.
Das allows a family to wait together when a family member can not handle the lines. This is an important part of the accommodation.

When you need das, It does not realy matter that you wait 10 min. more.

This has been discussed quite a lot here. The problem is that ride capacity is fixed, and Disney has pretty clearly decided that the number of people going through the LL via DAS has to go down.

Therefore every extra spot granted to a DAS family member is one less spot available for a DAS holder. That’s one of the reasons why Disney is cutting down on the number of people that can accompany the DAS holder.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

This has been discussed quite a lot here. The problem is that ride capacity is fixed, and Disney has pretty clearly decided that the number of people going through the LL via DAS has to go down.

Therefore every extra spot granted to a DAS family member is one less spot available for a DAS holder. That’s one of the reasons why Disney is cutting down on the number of people that can accompany the DAS holder.

Using round numbers here, but let’s say that 300 spots are available for DAS+family members. That’s 50 DAS parties of 6, or 75 DAS parties of 4. The criteria that Disney would need to use to get to a target of 50 parties is much more strict what it would need for 75 parties, potentially leaving 25 needly DAS riders locked out.

 

[dbriggsq]

I know I said I wasn't going to reply again but reading some of the replies ranging from 'perhaps you shouldn't go' to 'we've got that and wouldn't dream of getting DAS, just get on with it.' (Paraphrasing obviously).
Our situation is v rare (less than 60K in the US) it causes other problems. We are learning how to deal with it and know all the things to do to avoid problems. One thing we would normally avoid is being in close proximity to other people for prolonged periods of time. If RTQ actually means we could wait outside the queue for that particular ride then that would work. Maybe do a couple of rides with short waits and that would probably be it for the day due to fatigue. In this situation I think buying G+ is a waste of money.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

If someone knows going into Magic Kingdom that they want to ride calmer rides. (Not headliners). Their health is holding up, and it isn’t a very crowded day, they need to know they WILL get more than a couple rides while using Genie+. Don’t listen to fake accounts on social media thinking that’s just the way it is, Genie isn’t working.
The ride returns for Mermaid, Pooh, Small World, Pirates, are available.
Go to a Blue Umbrella and get help! It might be glitch on your phone/reload the app/etc. Call it whatever you like, it is the user not the product. Get help, don’t just get frustrated thinking those posts on social media were right, G+ doesn’t work.

If you are going into the park at opening (say 9am) and want less popular rides, you have BIG advantage in those first two hours! If you haven’t used G+ before you may not realize it.
Those other guests wanting an A list first attraction are waiting out their two hours (say they have Peter Pan at 12 pm, neither their first return time nor 2 hours have passed, they cannot make another return yet) It’s not wrong to be encouraging that if the goal is to ride Little Mermaid, Pooh, Small World, that G+ return times in those first two hours will be there.

I said that discussing possible plans was helpful. It was your tone and explicit words that it was user error and on the person that I spoke to with respects to number of attractions someone got with Genie+. And I'm NOT talking about believing everything you read, in fact I'm usually one of the most skeptical people, but that's besides the point.

You're talking strategy above which is exactly what I was speaking to that it depends on that. Unfortunately you intermixed in talk about it being on the person if they couldn't get more than a couple of attractions in your prior comments. It's all about someone's touring style (mixed in with crowd level). I think people have forgotten the FP+ thread and the strategies discussed there especially with respects to park hopping and which park to place your FP+ pre-selections at. Genie+ is no different in this respects, it works differently depending on how one wants to use it, how it works with their touring style. I wish I could find that thread again because truly people don't realize how similar this is to Genie+.

You and I will never disagree about strategy involved, we will disagree if you frame it like someone who couldn't get more than a couple of attractions with Genie+ is never a possibility, due to user error or total lack of understanding something you purchased. Absolutes I do not dabble in

 

[nalababybear]

]

Using round numbers here, but let’s say that 300 spots are available for DAS+family members. That’s 50 DAS parties of 6, or 75 DAS parties of 4. The criteria that Disney would need to use to get to a target of 50 parties is much more strict what it would need for 75 parties, potentially leaving 25 needly DAS riders locked out.

You're assuming there's a hard cap to DAS. There's not.

No person with need for accommodation will be denied due to capacity. What Disney deems as appropriate reasonable accommodation is up to them.

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

]
You're assuming there's a hard cap to DAS. There's not.

No person with need for accommodation will be denied due to capacity. What Disney deems as appropriate reasonable accommodation is up to them.

There absolutely is a hard cap on ride capacity. Disney’s changes are about reducing the number of DAS riders because they are impacting park operations. So while there isn’t an explicit number of DAS to give out like tickets which could sell out, that doesn’t mean that Disney doesn’t have a target that it is working towards to help improve operations.