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

[ClaraOswald]

Fair enough - then just make it a rule that anyone with a DAS can’t utilize any standby line while they have a DAS return time.

Tap ins or not, they are able to read Magic Bands and tickets.

Part of the equation is to make DAS less attractive to abusers.

But how would they know you're in a standby line when there aren't any scanners?

Has it been clarified if you can do the video chat 120 days before your trip or is it 30 days before the trip and then good for 120 days? This all very confusing for someone that has severe anxiety and ocd. I have been sick all day worrying.

I haven't read the WDW page. But on the Disneyland page, it says 30 days before and it's good for 120 days, or the length of the ticket. Here's how it's worded on the Disneyland page:
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Guests have the option to discuss eligibility virtually with a Cast Member via live video chat as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.

If DAS is provided, you (or a parent/guardian if younger than 18 years of age) will participate in the registration process, which requires having a photo taken.

DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. After this time period has passed, or when a new ticket is required, Guests will need to re-register.

Please Note: Guests visiting from April 9, 2024 through June 17, 2024 live video chat will be available 2 to 30 days in advance of a park visit and DAS is valid for the length of ticket or up to 30 days, whichever is shorter.
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ETA: Here's what it says on the Registration page for Walt Disney World.

Step 1: Register​

Registration is available via live video chat.

Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.
Please note: at this time, live chat is offered in English only.
Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relation location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
If DAS is provided after a conversation with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, the Guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will participate in the registration process. This requires having a photo taken of the DAS-registered Guest.
DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.
DAS is valid for up to 120 days. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
Please note: Guests visiting now through May 19, 2024, DAS is valid for up to 30 days.

 

[Gentry2004]

Fair enough - then just make it a rule that anyone with a DAS can’t utilize any standby line while they have a DAS return time.

Tap ins or not, they are able to read Magic Bands and tickets.

Part of the equation is to make DAS less attractive to abusers.

There is no indication this is where its headed. On the updated FAQ page under the question "What can guests do during their DAS virtual wait?" the answer given is: (bolded by me) "Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping."

 

[blabbermouth]

Fair enough - then just make it a rule that anyone with a DAS can’t utilize any standby line while they have a DAS return time.

Tap ins or not, they are able to read Magic Bands and tickets.

Part of the equation is to make DAS less attractive to abusers.

I also hear a lot of people who use DAS and Genie+ together. My (not so great) understanding is that they are fairly similar, and often use the same lines, but not always. (Please everyone correct me here if that is wrong!) So it has seemed to me before when listening to podcast trip reports or reading trip reports people use both concurrently, so they are waiting for a ride with DAS and waiting for a ride with Genie+ which seems a bit unfair/more likely to abuse the system? Although I don't think you can restrict someone from buying Genie+?

Just my thought from the little bit I know! Happy to reword it if I'm wrong

 

[Jaay]

But how would they know you're in a standby line when there aren't any scanners?



I haven't read the WDW page. But on the Disneyland page, it says 30 days before and it's good for 120 days, or the length of the ticket. Here's how it's worded on the Disneyland page:
---------------------
Guests have the option to discuss eligibility virtually with a Cast Member via live video chat as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.

If DAS is provided, you (or a parent/guardian if younger than 18 years of age) will participate in the registration process, which requires having a photo taken.

DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. After this time period has passed, or when a new ticket is required, Guests will need to re-register.

Please Note: Guests visiting from April 9, 2024 through June 17, 2024 live video chat will be available 2 to 30 days in advance of a park visit and DAS is valid for the length of ticket or up to 30 days, whichever is shorter.
---------------------

This is also a concern - they expect people to do these live video chat registrations every single time?

 

[OurBigTrip]

There is no indication this is where its headed. On the updated FAQ page under the question "What can guests do during their DAS virtual wait?" the answer given is: (bolded by me) "Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping."

I know, I’m saying that’s what they should do.

 

[ClaraOswald]

This is also a concern - they expect people to do these live video chat registrations every single time?

Yeah, I think it was already kind of like this. Well, you could do it in the parks though. But I've had to registered my son before every single trip to both Disneyland and WDW.

I edited my earlier post to add how it's worded for WDW. Seems a bit different.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I also hear a lot of people who use DAS and Genie+ together. My (not so great) understanding is that they are fairly similar, and often use the same lines, but not always. (Please everyone correct me here if that is wrong!) So it has seemed to me before when listening to podcast trip reports or reading trip reports people use both concurrently, so they are waiting for a ride with DAS and waiting for a ride with Genie+ which seems a bit unfair/more likely to abuse the system? Although I don't think you can restrict someone from buying Genie+?

Just my thought from the little bit I know! Happy to reword it if I'm wrong

Right, but anyone can use Genie +.

My point is that if you’re standing in line for Space Mountain, and I have a DAS return time for Space Mountain, you can’t ride another ride while you wait in line, whereas I can.

Has nothing to do with Genie+

 

[Gentry2004]

This is also a concern - they expect people to do these live video chat registrations every single time?

DAS users have always had to re-register. Nothing new there.

 

[acciodisney]

Many DAS users don't have the stamina to be in the parks all day so going to shorter lines while waiting for a return time or using Genie + can even the playing field on what they can accomplish. This is not an abuse of the system and it's actually suggested by Disney in the FAQ.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

The overall lack of clarity on several key issues with this new system, coupled with a startling number of Guests now anxious for their upcoming trip (not just here - several other communities) is yet another failure by Walt Disney corporate to properly communicate.

With the money people spend to come to these parks and resorts, increased anxiety due to lack of communication entirely on Disney’s part should NEVER happen.

Proud DVC member, AP, been coming to the parks for 25 years, and I will gladly say that this is a failure for Disney PR.

 

[Jaay]

DAS users have always had to re-register. Nothing new there.

Oh I know, but I mean more that if this method is going to cause even more issues and anxiety, it’s going to be consistently unpleasant.
I can speak from experience that speaking to a cast member in person, face to face in a park is way more comforting than a live video chat.
Obviously I could be in the minority here but the idea of a video chat for this is very daunting to me.

 

[Lugan]

After many years of just "pushing through", my wife insists that I seek out a DAS or AAP when we go to theme parks. She has had to deal with my issues enough in the past, and knows that it is a necessary accomodation. We finally decided to get Annual Passes this past year, with our next trip planned for just after the new policy goes into effect. I must apologize to everybody on the forum, because I'm sure that it's my luck that is pushing these changes into place at this point in time. (I jest ever so slightly with this comment).

I'm sure that the Disney corporation did a thorough analysis of the data, and determined that DAS abuse was costing them enough to implement these changes. However, I wonder what all factors were considered in this analysis. Everytime they make a change like this, it likely has a chilling effect on ancillary purchases like APs or DVC memberships.

Even if I continue to be eligible for DAS under the current system, am I as likely to renew my AP when it expires? Probably not. What is to say that they don't further tweak the system next year and suddenly I find myself out? I already have enough anxiety about having to renew for each of our planned trips while holding the AP (just 2, which made the AP ever so slightly a better monetary decision for us). We've toyed with a DVC membership off and on for a few years as well. However, am I willing to make a decades' long commitment to Disney vacations? Much less likely after being reminded that Disney can essentially change an enjoyable vacation into drudgery at the drop of a hat and I'm left with little recourse.

I'm as frustrated as anyone when I'm at the parks and I see the LL queue backed up to an absurdly long distance. I know that the queue will go faster than the standby queue due to the ratios used for moving the line, but I wonder how well the return time has accomodated me in these scenarios. Often, especially in problematic queues, we have to skip the attraction, and are faced with a decision to either give up the time, to find another attraction, or hang about even longer to see if the LL queue becomes manageable.

However, I place the blame firmly at Disney for the situation. Greed drove this situation. Greed to monetize Fast Pass into Genie+. Greed to reduce staffing and remove all sorts of non-wait experiences (i.e., Great Moments in History by the Muppets), which reduce wait times for ride attractions, and provide non-wait time attractions for guests to enjoy. I've purchased Genie+ since its inception, and I might even consider doing it again if it actually addressed my needs. But, it doesn't. The limitations on the back-end return time alone makes it undesirable. However, the lack of availability for actual good attractions past the first one of the day make it a poor substitute. If I hadn't experienced the poor availability of Genie+ times, I would be inclined to believe that Disney was overselling Genie+ as well in their pursuit of greed. And really, when Disney decided to monetize Genie+, it put them in a situation whereby it became a conflict of interest to have short standby lines for ANY guest.

To me, this doesn't feel like Disney addressing abuse of the DAS system because it is impacting DAS users by presenting them with exceptionally long queue times in the LL. To me, this feels like Disney addressing abuse of the DAS system because it is impacting their new cash cow: Genie+. People have found a free workaround. And it's gotten to the point where Disney has determined that the cost to them in Genie+ sales are higher than the loss of revenue from the legitimate DAS users that will be denied eligibility. The roll out has missed any opportunity to sell this as actually beneficial for legitimate DAS users, by the poor messaging, and the short timeline of roll-out.

 

[audrey2580]

So if the change starts May 20, that means we'll start getting info about experience from the first interviews starting April 20. I hope we get plenty of feedback then - I'll really appreciate any insights DAS users can share.

My interview will be 4/21 and I will definitely report back.

Popping back in because the more I think about this, the more I am bothered. I am really hoping we are all proven wrong when they roll this out. Here are a couple more thoughts that have occurred to me. First, the number of people thing. I have read several comments that this is the only good part of the update. I'm going to challenge that. We are a family of 5, so, with the rule of 6, we were able to include a caregiver (grandmother or paid staff depending on the trip) no problem. But, even with the rule of 6 people, we were not able to include other family we often travel with because our immediate family is already at the max. We struggle with this at a local to us theme park too. But, Disney was supposed to be a park where families could have fun together. So it really stinks to have to split up from family because of DAS party size limits. Now, I have to worry about our caregiver being able to be included. When the rule was 6, immediate family was defined as living in your home by the way.

My other things is about Genie+ because my initial thought was, well, our trips just got more expensive because we will be forced to buy Genie+. But, then reading some comments here helped me see how G+ won't serve our needs primarily because of the 1 hour return window. DAS being an "anytime after..." return window is huge for us. Sometimes trips to the bathroom or needing to take breaks take much longer than we could ever anticipate and I think we would miss many windows.

I just keep really hoping it isn't as grim as it sounds.

Same, my son's college has super strict rules on disability services and he qualified there, but disney doesn't agree?! So if the suggestion is to use Genie+ then he is only allowed to ride the ride 1 time? He can't get a second Genie+ and medically can't wait in the 90 min line so how is that equal accommodations?

 

[Tatebeck]

It seems pretty clear that they won't be requiring any documentation that you're actually autistic. They went in the opposite direction of Universal, leaving those willing to lie with the advantage over those with documented disabilities.

That's not really going to help weed out the liars then. If you want to take advantage of a program that's supposed to be only for disabled people, they should require proof that you have said disability. Anyone can say that they have a problem, but if you have a diagnosis and proof from your doctor, it's much harder to lie about that.

 

[Unity]

Right, but anyone can use Genie +.

My point is that if you’re standing in line for Space Mountain, and I have a DAS return time for Space Mountain, you can’t ride another ride while you wait in line, whereas I can.

Has nothing to do with Genie+

But what if I have a DAS *and* Genie +? [Something my family has considered, and I am sure others have as well].

And a return time for Genie + happens to be during a DAS wait time?

It doesn't make sense to bar DAS guests from particpating in rides/shows.

 

[OurBigTrip]

Many DAS users don't have the stamina to be in the parks all day so going to shorter lines while waiting for a return time or using Genie + can even the playing field on what they can accomplish. This is not an abuse of the system and it's actually suggested by Disney in the FAQ.

I didn’t say it was abuse, because as you say, Disney encourages it.

However, it does provide better than equal access, which makes it more attractive to abusers.

Not to mention the fact that how long you can stay in the park is irrelevant to equal access to the attractions.

 

[OurBigTrip]

But what if I have a DAS *and* Genie +? [Something my family has considered, and I am sure others have as well].

And a return time for Genie + happens to be during a DAS wait time?

It doesn't make sense to bar DAS guests from particpating in rides/shows.

I’m talking about standby line while I wait for DAS return, not the LL.

 

[TwoMisfits]

There is no indication this is where its headed. On the updated FAQ page under the question "What can guests do during their DAS virtual wait?" the answer given is: (bolded by me) "Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping."

Right, b/c that will be for DAS holders. We've been discussing all the folks dropped out who will now have bathroom/leave the line privileges - that's not gonna be DAS.

AKA - Disney is obviously creating 2 accommodation levels. And it looks mostly like they have decided to crack down on adults vs families (thus, why developmental disabilities are still DAS included, while physical leave the line needs, which mainly are adult oriented, are not).

 

[HopperFan]

So the legal definition of immediate family includes grandparents. Are they saying grandparents are not allowed in the party of 6? Im seeing a lot of post saying no?

Most definitions I see are the grandparents are the immediate family of the parents, not the grandchild. An immediate family is parents and children (and sibling if you are a child). So if the grandchild has the DAS, the grands are not immediate.

Now do I think Disney is going to narrow the scope that much? No but if there are more than 4 people, they might say they will register the grandparents but only 4 can ride each time. I think they are ruling out extended families that say they are cousins, aunts, uncles and/or friends. They are working with the average family of 4 (US is 3.14) so that is reasonable.

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

I'm not sure that TWDC's PR person(s) are doing things to quell folks fears and concerns on this forum. I have attached the quote and a link to the article where I found this quote.

https://wdwnt.com/2024/04/disney-up...Disney is dedicated,Disney World spokesperson
Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks.

Walt Disney World spokesperson