At WDW and having trouble with DAS

[Mleach]

We are currently on my daughter's birthday trip to WDW. She is turning 7. In the past (2 or 3 times a year for a few years now) we have been fine with the DAS. The kiddo has a wheelchair, but also autism, and pretty severe epilepsy and cognitive disability. She is on a lot of meds and isn't always alert. We only go to the park for a few hours at a time then we have to go. The fastpass lines are crazy long. Like, 30 minutes or more. So we get a return time for the wait minus 10, then the fastpass line is another 30. Then the wheelchair is often further delayed. Long story short, she hasn't made it through a single line at MK during regular hours (the party was better). We have to abandon the line after 10 or 15 minutes as the noise and crowd becomes too much, and get another return time. We went to guest relations and they said, so sorry, come at a slower time of the year. The website says they are willing to make accommodations in special cases but no one we have found will do so. I asked if I could wait in line and bring her in at the end, they said no. Does anyone have any ideas? We did not do a single ride or character today. Thanks in advance.

 

[gap2368]

I would talk to the CM at the ride and see if they can help you in some way.

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry things aren’t going well for you this trip. The parks are getting more and more crowded, and all the parties really impact MK. Some random thoughts that may or may not help:

• earmuffs to block out audio stimulation
• If your party is large enough, create a buffer zone between her wheelchair and other guests
• Rope drop, EMH or even the paid EMM to get a few rides done before the crowds build
• Rides during the parade
• Character meals instead of meet & greets
• Try a different park

Maybe tomorrow will be a better day!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Did you specifically ask about special accommodations? Try again, and have that page up on your phone.

 

[Mleach]

Thank you guys for reading and responding. We do the muffs already, it is a help. It's not terribly busy at all right now. So, it's weird that the lines for fastpass are so long. It's frustrating that Disney states over and over that autism can be accommodated, but no one is empowered to do anything. She was all dressed up to meet Cinderella yesterday, so excited, but couldn't make it through the fastpass line and also didnt understand why she couldn't see the princess. It's hard for us too.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, characters. You can have one person wait in line while you walk around they area with her. When your person is second in line, go ahead and get in line with them. Just, obviously, stay where you can keep an eye on the li ne. Or have them call you when they get close to the front.they

most other guests will understand.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thank you guys for reading and responding. We do the muffs already, it is a help. It's not terribly busy at all right now. So, it's weird that the lines for fastpass are so long. It's frustrating that Disney states over and over that autism can be accommodated, but no one is empowered to do anything. She was all dressed up to meet Cinderella yesterday, so excited, but couldn't make it through the fastpass line and also didnt understand why she couldn't see the princess. It's hard for us too.

If you can, book a few character meals. Otherwise yes, an adult can hold a spot in a character meet and great line and have others join them.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I’m so sorry that you’re having such a rough time, and I hope it was better today.

Hopefully you’ll be able to more easily do the character meets, but I’m not sure what else Disney could do to accommodate her for the FP line, since that line is the accommodation. I don’t see how it would be feasible to get her from a waiting place outside the line up to the front after you waited.

Hoping for all of you that the rest of your trip is better.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I am truly sorry you are having a rough time. It sucks to see a kiddo struggle. I just don't know what else they can do. You have to go through the que in some form to get to the loading area safely for most rides. A few like BTMRR and HM can be bypassed, and that might be an option, but I just don't know what a CM could do to change the fact that you are having to wait in the fastpass lines.

 

[DisneyOma]

Oh, characters. You can have one person wait in line while you walk around they area with her. When your person is second in line, go ahead and get in line with them. Just, obviously, stay where you can keep an eye on the li ne. Or have them call you when they get close to the front.they

most other guests will understand.

If you can, book a few character meals. Otherwise yes, an adult can hold a spot in a character meet and great line and have others join them.

Inside character meets, with the FP queue wouldn't work for this - there is no way up to the front without squeezing past all the people ahead of you, and the DAS user must go in first to access the DAS , right? You can't send another person in the group in first - the DAS user has to tap first, and then the rest of the group goes in. You can't tap in your group and let them go in the queue without the DAS person.

 

[maxiesmom]

Inside character meets, with the FP queue wouldn't work for this - there is no way up to the front without squeezing past all the people ahead of you, and the DAS user must go in first to access the DAS , right? You can't send another person in the group in first - the DAS user has to tap first, and then the rest of the group goes in. You can't tap in your group and let them go in the queue without the DAS person.

It would be without using the DAS.

 

[DisneyOma]

Let's get this straight. Teenagers are now supposed to share locker rooms in schools to accommodate certain other students, but this is before the courts?

It would be without using the DAS.

So FP+ or standby? There will be so many people ahead in either queue - Disney policy is all enter the queue at the same time for indoor queues. Pushing past a lot of waiting people in the queue can turn unpleasant.

Doing this in an outside queue (the queues without FP where you meet a character for a short scheduled time) can work as long as you let the CM attending know that is what you are doing. I've seen them stop people from coming over.

 

[nikkislaght]

I’m not suggesting that this is your thinking , but people get the DAS thinking it’s a fast track to the ride , when in actuality like you listed it’s sometimes longer . Especially if going in via the wheelchair entrance. We have used a DAS for the last 8 yrs for my son and now added to our trips is my husbands wheelchair . And yes once you add that wheelchair you have to wait . One of the reasons is they can ( for safety/evacuation reasons) only have one or two wheelchair users at a time on certain rides . So asking them to allow you to bypass even the fastpass line most likely won’t get you anywhere . As suggested going at a slower time of the year . Not using the wheelchair entrance, or possibly using a cover on her stroller / wheelchair to encase her to block not only audio pollution but visual noise as well . My son uses a cap, then the hood on his top . Sunglasses and ear buds to control the input . . I hope you can come up with a solution .

 

[sharadoc]

We have asked to use wheelchair entrance for a couple rides and it isn't quicker but it is secluded in most cases, which is what we need. I'm sorry this hasn't worked for you, they are giving more fastpasses I think so that even fp lines can be long.

 

[lanejudy]

It's frustrating that Disney states over and over that autism can be accommodated, but no one is empowered to do anything.

Well, the primary accommodation is the DAS which amounts to essentially an extra FP as many times as you can each day for the length of your vacation. They also allow a stroller-as-wheelchair. One or the other or both help most families who deal with autism at WDW. Those are the standard accommodations; what else exactly would you like for them to offer? If you go to Guest Relations with a specific request, they may be able to help make that happen. Especially if it's a very specific request for a very specific situation.

I hope you have a more enjoyable day tomorrow!

 

[AnneK]

Unfortunately the suggestion to go at a slower time of year, while not helpful at the moment, is the correct suggestion. I'm curious what further accommodations you are hoping to achieve? Guest Relations does not have the ability to issue what they call the Genie Pass (instant access), that is limited to the Make A Wish foundation only.

Try MK again on a day that is a party day, crowds are typically much lower during the daytime hours. Also try getting there right at opening if you can, the first two hours are always the best crowd wise.

 

[a1tinkfans]

I truly hope ur day and your experiences have gotten better.
Pixie dust your way for some Xtra Special
Moments!

 

[Mleach]

Thanks everyone. To clarify, the issue for me is that my kiddo just can't wait in a line that is 30 minutes long. We don't mind waiting outside the line, and aren't trying to get some super quick front of line treatment. The disney website specially says that DAS may not work for guests who have limited time in the parks, and to discuss the need for alternate accommodation with guest services, but it sounds from what you've all said that there simple aren't any other arrangements. Touring Plans estimated this week as 1-3 crowds, which is why we planned this week (from 2000 miles away). I think Disney is handing out a ton of fastpasses at MK in particular, resulting in longer and longer lines, which dilutes the accommodation that was set up several years ago for everyone who may need a DAS.
(For anyone coming in late, the kiddo has autism, can't walk or help transfer, severe epilepsy, a feeding tube, is incontinent and cognitively disabled, we are not trying to get a free ride, but just make the vacation possible.)
Thank you all for your good wishes and excellent suggestions.

 

[DrunkJam]

I'm sorry it's hard, and I hope it gets better.
The only thing I can think of, is, YOU know what your child needs (to make her experience equivalent to a person without her disabilities as much as possible, which, is allowed, of course, and not at all the same as preferential treatment) Think about what could, in specific situations, given what she wants to do, help her, then ask whether those specific things can be done.
Giving people a potential solution helps them feel empowered to help you.
My son is autistic, and we found character meals a much easier way to meet characters, and we got some really great cinderella interaction at 1900 Park Fare.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Thanks everyone. To clarify, the issue for me is that my kiddo just can't wait in a line that is 30 minutes long. We don't mind waiting outside the line, and aren't trying to get some super quick front of line treatment. The disney website specially says that DAS may not work for guests who have limited time in the parks, and to discuss the need for alternate accommodation with guest services, but it sounds from what you've all said that there simple aren't any other arrangements. Touring Plans estimated this week as 1-3 crowds, which is why we planned this week (from 2000 miles away). I think Disney is handing out a ton of fastpasses at MK in particular, resulting in longer and longer lines, which dilutes the accommodation that was set up several years ago for everyone who may need a DAS.
(For anyone coming in late, the kiddo has autism, can't walk or help transfer, severe epilepsy, a feeding tube, is incontinent and cognitively disabled, we are not trying to get a free ride, but just make the vacation possible.)
Thank you all for your good wishes and excellent suggestions.

This really stinks! I hoe they can find some way to better accommodate, but in the meantime I had a thought. How is your kiddo with getting up early? If it's possible, adjusting your schedule to be at the park for rope drop would likely really cut down on the lines you are waiting in.