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

[Obi-J Kenobi]

After reading the 33 pages thus far on this forum thread, all I can say to the CMs that have to implement all the new accommodations is GOOD LUCK!

I'm sure corporate leadership will give the in park CMs all the training and education necessary to implement the new accommodations for folks with disabilities, on the fly and even handedly.

Score one for the in park CMs, because their lives just got so, so much easier.

Exit question: Was I sarcastic enough or should I have laid on a little more thick?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I think this highlights the issue of how prevalent disabilities/conditions are

The CDC indicates 1 in 36 children are autistic. How many children are in WDW on any given day?

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

None of those programs help people with MS-related problems with the heat.

Ah, but there are so many $50 mister fans to choose from - he could even purchase one with Mickey ears.

This blurb irritates me. They act like people who've dealt with these issues all their lives haven't tried these things. Also, it's very hard to create space when CMs are telling everyone to scoot in and take up all available space.

Surely T1 diabetics never knew they could resolve their issues by "just bringing food" before, the sillies. Nevermind that I've run into many cast members who won't let you bring food into the line at all.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Ah, but there are so many $50 mister fans to choose from - he could even purchase one with Mickey ears.

Surely T1 diabetics never knew they could resolve their issues by "just bringing food" before, the sillies. Nevermind that I've run into many cast members who won't let you bring food into the line at all.

I assume you’re being sarcastic about the mister fan helping him. MS and heat is not the same as when the rest of us just get too hot and need a glass of water.

 

[Jellybean9]

The ADA requires that companies provide accommodations that enable people with disabilities to experience public places—which include theme parks—in the same way as people without disabilities.

That means my husband is legally entitled to experience WDW without getting sick from being in the heat.

If Disney doesn’t want him to access DAS, they could do other things like give him a cooling vest. His workplace did that.

But the answer cannot be to simply provide nothing.

Maybe then cooling vests and UV umbrellas are the solution? Does Disney have to provide that? Disney doesn't provide insulin for diabetics.

 

[HopperFan]

This thread is full of lots of opinions and personal interpretations, and very little facts.

Disney has unfortunately used wording that has opened a firestorm, but we honestly have no idea what their plan is, and probably best to just wait until the full plan comes to light.

We do know they have an army of very good lawyers (who win in court) on this subject - so I think whatever they come out with will be legally compliant.

Probably best to wait until all information is released and then folks can decide if Disney is still a place they want to go. We all have limitations and some things are just not doable.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

I assume you’re being sarcastic about the mister fan helping him. MS and heat is not the same as when the rest of us just get too hot and need a glass of water.

I am being sarcastic, no worries. The whole thing just smacks of not having worked with many of the people suffering the conditions this list is supposed to address.

 

[nalababybear]

DLR - wait times for LL has routinely increased over 30minutes for many rides and has resulted to essentially a system that does not accommodate the return time intent of DAS itself in current day reality.

Those objecting to the the changes will still have issues without a new policy like the return to line that is clearly being adopted in response to a specific uptick of abuse. This is the same reason why GAC transitioned to DAS due to rampant highly visible abuses.

DAS usage has absolutely increased. It's not uncommon to have 2 DAS parties tapping in these days. It's not rare by any means.

Disney found it time to address now. How it will be implemented and enforced will be interesting.

I'm also interested to see how this impacts line rejoining too as entire families 'rejoin' often which this appears to be able to address as no person without a 'bathroom pass' can rejoin

 

[mercuryvenus]

Maybe then cooling vests and UV umbrellas are the solution? Does Disney have to provide that? Disney doesn't provide insulin for diabetics.

Insulin is a medication. Very different.

Disney has to provide reasonable accommodation. That could involve a variety of things. He’d be happy with a cooling vest, but I’m not sure how that would work, given that Disney isn’t requiring documentation. So what’s stopping people without MS from claiming they need one? What happens if we get there and there aren’t any left?

 

[sarahk0204]

That is my hope. DS 20 is planning on applying tonight, as we are just within our 30 day window. I sure can report back how things go.

Waited 2 hours for Disney chat, and then they closed for the night. Even though it's a rolling 28 day window, the announcement yesterday probably inspired people within that window (and maybe outside of it) to try now and made them experience heavy call volumes.

 

[Unity]

Also what if you are a solo traveler? Solo travel to Disney parks is not uncommon these days.

No, no, if you're a solo traveler then why would you ever need a DAS. I mean you're well enough to travel alone- that must mean you don't need accomodations /s

Not even just solo, but also couples. I was hoping my partner to come along with me on this trip next year and now I'm having to imagine them just consistently circling me like some sort of sheepdog to 'get people away from you.' A rather amusing image but also - no.

I think ultimately we're going to have to wait on stories of people applying and hearing what Disney has to say. Or until they actually update on what standing in line means.

I realize for my mother in particular none of what Disney recommends will help at all regarding her condition. Nor will return the line. Imagine getting pass a hundred people when you're already dealing with heat and exhaustion problems - and having to do so in a wheelchair/ECV/walker [whichever she wants to use this time].

 

[kandb]

I know someone who gets a DAS for herself and her immediate family but always goes to disney with her sister and sister's family and her mother goes as well. They all have fallen under her DAS pass and get the accommodations that come with her pass (hidden disability). Will all the rest of her family members now not be able to use her DAS anymore?

 

[mercuryvenus]

I know someone who gets a DAS for herself and her immediate family but always goes to disney with her sister and sister's family and her mother goes as well. They all have fallen under her DAS pass and get the accommodations that come with her pass (hidden disability). Will all the rest of her family members now not be able to use her DAS anymore?

The limit is 4 plus immediate family.

 

[xipetotec]

I


It will cut the ones that day of decide they all of sudden have some reason they need it when they don’t. I have personally known people that have done just that and brag about it.

On the flip side of that, my wife has always "not wanted to be a problem" and has powered through, and one year she was really struggling and not getting on a lot, and going back to the room a lot until a cast member said "You really should be on the DAS" and they did an interview at guest services and changed her trip, AND her life at Disney on future trips... Of course, NOW she does the interview ahead of time, but that saved her trip that time.

Now that might go away...

 

[Obi-J Kenobi]

now I'm having to imagine them just consistently circling me like some sort of sheepdog to 'get people away from you.'

I've been told that I'm the living embodiment of Gaston, so my DW already does this to ward off all the groupies.

 

[Unity]

Waited 2 hours for Disney chat, and then they closed for the night. Even though it's a rolling 28 day window, the announcement yesterday probably inspired people within that window (and maybe outside of it) to try now and made them experience heavy call volumes.

I had a Disney chat yesterday online and the poor representative didn't even know the change had gone out lol. Said it was news to her as well and recommended just trying to apply anyway and see what happens.

 

[Gentry2004]

Disney is required to provide reasonable accommodations for access to attractions. It's not required to accommodate unreasonable expectations. I don't see why a theme park located in a humid, subtropical climate should provide an environment where guests aren't exposed to heat. Guests voluntarily make the choice to visit a theme park located in Florida. If someone has a condition where they can't be exposed to cold, should they expect a ski resort to accommodate that?

Something I have noticed while reading this thread is that many travel parties have multiple individuals with a condition/disability (e.g. I won't qualify anymore but 2 other people in my travel party will qualify). I think this highlights the issue of how prevalent disabilities/conditions are. What is the answer then? There is no physical/financial way for Disney to provide reduced waits for every single party that identifies as having an issue.

I think the often parroted claim that DAS users are waiting the same amount of time (or more) than non-DAS users needs to be toned down. Non-DAS users are not waiting in line as soon as they enter the park and while walking to the attraction. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line while eating or meeting a character. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line for Slinky Dog Dash while they ride Rise of the Resistance. Non-DAS users aren't waiting in line while they return to the resort for a nap or a swim break. I'm not saying this shouldn't be in place, but I don't think it's honest to say the "waits" are equivalent.

Okay, but your objections are to DAS in general, which they are not getting rid of. Its one thing to say DAS is not reasonable, and its another thing to say DAS IS reasonable, but only for some disabilities and not others. It's a tiny needle to thread. I think they would have been better off altering the program for everyone to reduce abuse and reduce the attractiveness of the program rather than effectively saying some disabilities deserve it and others don't. They have somewhat done that with getting rid of the 2 advance passes (even when they first announced that it seemed crazy) and lowering the group size to 4, but they could have gone further with limiting the total number of rides in a day and/or imposing a waiting period so that people are not virtually "in line" for one ride, while they are still in line/riding their previous DAS attraction. Any of those restrictions/limitations would have been more understandable than what they did.

 

[mercuryvenus]

On the flip side of that, my wife has always "not wanted to be a problem" and has powered through, and one year she was really struggling and not getting on a lot, and going back to the room a lot until a cast member said "You really should be on the DAS" and they did an interview at guest services and changed her trip, AND her life at Disney on future trips... Of course, NOW she does the interview ahead of time, but that saved her trip that time.

Now that might go away...

Yep. And it’s really sad. Even with DAS, my husband struggles sometimes.

I remember on one humid day at HS, his stomach went out (meaning he started to feel extremely sick). We had bought the Fantasmic dining package, so he really wanted to stay and make it through.

There honestly wasn’t much Disney was able to do for him. Ice packs didn’t work. He ended up powering through, but was pretty miserable. He slept a solid 12 hours that night and was off the next day too.

People need to realize how serious these conditions are.

 

[PrincessV]

I love this one:

• Encourage other members of your party to help create space around you in line to make it more comfortable.

So when CMs ask everyone to move forward and to not leave any space between you and the next guest, how will this work?

Also what if you are a solo traveler? Solo travel to Disney parks is not uncommon these days.

Agreed on both points. I’m solo 90% of my visits to WDW. I’m also a very petite person: when in queues alone, I literally cannot see past all of the taller bodies surrounding me - it’s like being in a loud tunnel of humans. I actually have politely asked fellow Guests if they could please give ma a little extra space… some have been very kind and accommodating (one family basically “adopted” me into their family and counted me in their head count to ride so they could make sure I had extra space on the ride, too - amazing!), some gave me a dirty look but did help me out, and one threw some expletives at me and told his kids to “get right up in her space.” I stopped asking after that incident.

I’ve also quietly asked CMs if I can please stand off to the side in crowded spaces where there isn’t a queue, exactly, and was told no: “all available space MUST be filled.”

I wear earbuds when needed: it helps a little and can get me through a 30-min wait. I distract by playing a game on my phone. I practice breathing exercises and meditation. I try to avoid crowded areas and do rides when they have shorter wait times. I avoid entire parks completely some days. I very rarely spend more than a few hours in a park, and often only do 2-3 rides in a day, often not even using the DAS access. I do everything I can on my part to accommodate my own needs, and that is exactly what I expressed to the CM when I first inquired about DAS - and it was the CM who expressly told me that DAS exists so that maybe I don’t need to do quite so much of that: to offer a tool that lifts some of the burden of accommodation off of me so that I might enjoy Disney in a way closer to that of someone without my condition can.

 

[mercuryvenus]

Okay, but your objections are to DAS in general, which they are not getting rid of. Its one thing to say DAS is not reasonable, and its another thing to say DAS IS reasonable, but only for some disabilities and not others. It's a tiny needle to thread. I think they would have been better off altering the program for everyone to reduce abuse and reduce the attractiveness of the program rather than effectively saying some disabilities deserve it and others don't. They have somewhat done that with getting rid of the 2 advance passes (even when they first announced that it seemed crazy) and lowering the group size to 4, but they could have gone further with limiting the total number of rides in a day and/or imposing a waiting period so that people are not virtually "in line" for one ride, while they are still in line/riding their previous DAS attraction. Any of those restrictions/limitations would have been more understandable than what they did.

They should have just switched to Universal’s system. Requiring documentation and a medical process would have really cut down on abuse.