Disney with Cancer

I don't think folks think you are trying to "milk the system," but they are trying to explain to you how Disney's system works. The American's with Disabilities Act focuses on equal, not preferred access. It does not address equal enjoyment or equal benefit of experience. Different countries do handle things differently. I've had both positive and negative experiences in my travels, but have always endeavored to understand the "rules of the road." I very much understand about chronic pain- I have what's been recognized as one of the more debilitating conditions known, and fight through pain every day.

Before the DAS, individuals were going to the front of the line and some were riding repeatedly. Although I didn't personally experience it, apparently in some cases (Cars attraction in Disneyland, in particular, comes to mind), there were so many people claiming disabilities going straight to the front (and repeating rides) that is was having major impacts on those without disabilities. Disney designed the DAS to comply with its perspective of the law to level access to attractions. The DAS is not intended to reduce wait times but to provide an alternative waiting environment. It doesn't (nor is is it intended to) address all situations for all disabilities. It addresses a subset.

There are many examples where those of us with disabilities don't get to pick an accommodation of our own choosing- One cannot currently remain in one's own wheelchair on a plane (and yes, there are discussions underway to potentially change that). One can't insist that a vehicle manufacturer install a bigger engine in a car so that it can accommodate a wheelchair lift. I'd prefer to sit in the mezzanine of a local theater, but it's not accessible (it's construction predates the ADA),

Irrespective of the DAS, If sitting helps relieve/moderate your pain, you may want to rent/bring a rollator, wheelchair, or scooter anyway. Disney has been reducing the number of places to sit fairly consistently, and you may not find one when/where you want.

As others have mentioned, Disney may provider other resources.

Also, if you are planning to rent a car, be aware that Florida does not recognize things like the blue badge for parking- you have to get a Florida permit. When we were in Germany two months ago, my Texas disabled parking permit wasn't accepted- there's no reciprocity.

Steve
 
This is why I think you need to sit down and think what kinds of problems will you encounter at Disney what kinds of problem will you have in line think about this and go to GR and let them know. from what you said you have pain ( what causes your pain) you get tiered and have problem with the sun. I would go to Gr and let them know these thing and aks them what would work for you.

I do know someone that went to Disney about 4 months before they died of cancer they had a great time ( and never used or asked for a DAS) You just seem like the only thing that will make this vacation is if you have a DAS and fromwhat you have said I can see no reason why you need a DAS a DAS will not make your waits shorter in fact it might make it longer, a DAS will not make it so you walk less in fact it will make it so you walk more, a DAS will not keep you out of the sun it for sure will make you be in the sun more, but you seem to be so fixed on I have a Disability I need the Disability pass when in fact from what you said it wil make it harder for you less enjoyable for you. So yes you can lie and get one if that is what you want, or you can sit down and think of the problem challenge you might/will encounter and write them down/ remember them and then go in to GR and talk to the CM there about who to turn Disney and how to make it the best trip for you and your family. ( one reason why I told you can go back to gr if you notice you are having a hard time with something) and one thing the person that I know that had cancer did was he got an I am celebration and put life on it he knows he was terminal but for his life was a celibration and he lived each day to the fullest.

I see you have 10 posts now.

I really do want you to have a great trip and I hope it is full of fun great memories for you and your family and more pixie dust then you can imagine, Disney is really where Dreams come true. I am not trying to be mean to you at all just telling you how i see thing from what you have said.
I did not fixate on getting a DAS. My original post stated that I planned to ask for it, and why. Then I asked for some additional advice. I was taken aback by the repeated suggestions that I just get a wheelchair, when I am fully mobile.

I have learned quite a bit from this post (specifically about the lines being out of the sun, as well as the First aid station as a place to rest) and these will help me plan my trip better.

At no point did I say that walking increases my pain or is difficult. Standing still is painful. You asked what causes my pain. It is the chemotherapy drug Taxol. It just causes pain. When the pain is bad it feels like my bones are broken. This is a known side effect of this drug. It also causes extreme fatigue. This is not caused by walking too much, or anything else.
It may very well be that my request for a DAS will be denied, and if it is, so be it. The purpose of my post was to gather information in advance of my trip (such as the sun info).
 
I think it's sad that I would need to lie in order to get something I shouldn't have to lie for. I understand what you're saying that it's not really for disabled people, but rather for people who have difficulty waiting in a line.

This vacation is not only for me, it is mostly for my kids (and was booked before I knew I had cancer). I am trying to figure out how to make my cancer have less of an impact on my kids' trip. Waiting on a line would have been perfectly normal for me 6 months ago, but is now very painful and difficult.

I had hoped to find others in this board who had traveled to Disney while dealing with cancer and chemotherapy in order to gain insight. Instead I've found some folks who are basically treating me like someone trying to milk the system, when in fact I have a terminal illness. I never said I have pain from walking. You said that. I have pain just from being. It is a side ffect of the chemo I am on, called Taxol. Chronic pain is exhausting.

If I've contributed at all to you feeling that "we" think you're trying to milk the system, I sincerely apologize, because that was never my intent!! I just don't want you to plan your trip based on something that, given what you've said here, you very well may not get. At Disney, the standard accommodation for fatigue and/or mobility problems, including painful mobility, is a wheelchair or ECV.

In the U.S., with the exception of handicapped parking privileges, there is no governmental body that says certifies and issues documentation stating that someone is disabled, and therefore they are entitled to x, y, and z when they are out and about. It's completely reliant on on the honesty of people only requesting accommodations when they truly need them.

And as I mentioned earlier, a business need not provide the requested accommodation, they need only provide an accommodation that meets the need. For example, a blind restaurant guest might prefer a Braille menu, but the restaurant can choose to have a server read the menu to the guest instead. The DAS itself is under attack from a few parents of autistic children (lawsuit is currently at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals) because their preferred accommodation is to go straight into the FastPass+ line without waiting, rather than getting a return time to come back after waiting the length of standby -10 minutes outside the line. We don't have any blanket policy or law in the US that says all disabled people, regardless of disability, are exempted from waiting in lines.

I do sincerely hope that you have a wonderful trip!
 
I don't think folks think you are trying to "milk the system," but they are trying to explain to you how Disney's system works. The American's with Disabilities Act focuses on equal, not preferred access. It does not address equal enjoyment or equal benefit of experience. Different countries do handle things differently. I've had both positive and negative experiences in my travels, but have always endeavored to understand the "rules of the road." I very much understand about chronic pain- I have what's been recognized as one of the more debilitating conditions known, and fight through pain every day.

Before the DAS, individuals were going to the front of the line and some were riding repeatedly. Although I didn't personally experience it, apparently in some cases (Cars attraction in Disneyland, in particular, comes to mind), there were so many people claiming disabilities going straight to the front (and repeating rides) that is was having major impacts on those without disabilities. Disney designed the DAS to comply with its perspective of the law to level access to attractions. The DAS is not intended to reduce wait times but to provide an alternative waiting environment. It doesn't (nor is is it intended to) address all situations for all disabilities. It addresses a subset.

There are many examples where those of us with disabilities don't get to pick an accommodation of our own choosing- One cannot currently remain in one's own wheelchair on a plane (and yes, there are discussions underway to potentially change that). One can't insist that a vehicle manufacturer install a bigger engine in a car so that it can accommodate a wheelchair lift. I'd prefer to sit in the mezzanine of a local theater, but it's not accessible (it's construction predates the ADA),

Irrespective of the DAS, If sitting helps relieve/moderate your pain, you may want to rent/bring a rollator, wheelchair, or scooter anyway. Disney has been reducing the number of places to sit fairly consistently, and you may not find one when/where you want.

As others have mentioned, Disney may provider other resources.

Also, if you are planning to rent a car, be aware that Florida does not recognize things like the blue badge for parking- you have to get a Florida permit. When we were in Germany two months ago, my Texas disabled parking permit wasn't accepted- there's no reciprocity.

Steve
Thank you Steve. I think I get it now. Most of the people in this thread were very kind in their explanations. And yes, the system is very different to what I am accustomed to (in the short time I've been part of the disabled world). It's based on different laws and more importantly, a very different culture.

I know in my country there would be no way for a rental car to acquire handicapped parking permit. I was wondering if there was any way to do so in Florida (we will be renting a car).

Also, sitting does not relieve my pain. Chemo induced bone pain is not related to movement (if anything, movement alleviates it). May help when I get tired though.
 
I think it's sad that I would need to lie in order to get something I shouldn't have to lie for. I understand what you're saying that it's not really for disabled people, but rather for people who have difficulty waiting in a line.

This vacation is not only for me, it is mostly for my kids (and was booked before I knew I had cancer). I am trying to figure out how to make my cancer have less of an impact on my kids' trip. Waiting on a line would have been perfectly normal for me 6 months ago, but is now very painful and difficult.

I had hoped to find others in this board who had traveled to Disney while dealing with cancer and chemotherapy in order to gain insight. Instead I've found some folks who are basically treating me like someone trying to milk the system, when in fact I have a terminal illness. I never said I have pain from walking. You said that. I have pain just from being. It is a side ffect of the chemo I am on, called Taxol. Chronic pain is exhausting.

First off, I am sorry that you are dealing with breast cancer, it is an ugly road to have to travel on and one that I know all too well.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 34 and my son was only 17 months old. I've done chemo and in total have had 4 surgeries related to not only the cancer but also the BRCA2 mutation that I found out that I carry. It's been almost 11 years since my original diagnosis and I can say that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

That was all to say that I know what you are going through and I know what it is like to want to make your trip as "normal" as possible for you and your children.

I'm also in an intersting position where I not only know what it is like to go through chemo but I also have a son who is autistic, we have used both the old GAC and the new DAS, and we have gone to both Disneyland and WDW.

Please understand that what I am about to say is in no way attacking, criticizing or shaming you in any way at all.

You have posted here that you have a problem with walking and fatigue as well as the fact that it is sometimes extremely painful for you to walk. This information tells me that you will likely need some sort of mobility device to help you navigate WDW. There is a lot of walking and getting the DAS, while it helps with the physical act of being in the stand by line actually makes for more walking. I can definitely understand NOT wanting to get a wheelchair or ECV but I wonder if a rollator (wheeled walker with a seat) might not be the solution to many of your issues. You can use it to sit on in longer lines, you can lean on it if walking gets painful and it avoids you being confined to a chair.

Another thing you will definitely want to do is plan your FP+ thoughtfully. If there are attractions that are on your "must do" list that will have long lines, then make sure you book those.

As you mentioned, mid-day rests are essential but I would also plan on hitting up more relaxing attractions between exciting ones. Things like Jungle Cruise, It's a Small World, the Safari in AK, Living with the Land and Muppet Vision to name a few.

No one here can tell you what you should or should not do and no one can say whether or not you will get the DAS if you request it. What we can do is help you to manage you expectations about what Guest Services are likely to do and also offer up some ideas about how you can make this trip as wonderful as possible.

Good luck with your treatment and your trip, please feel free to either send me a private message or post any questions that I may be able to answer here.
 
Disabled parking in the US is assigned to the individual- states issue placards that hang from the rearview mirror in addition to license plates. the placard can easily be moved vehicle to vehicle.

see https://orlandotouristinformationbureau.com/other/international-parking-badges.htm for info about getting a temporary Florida permit (as I recall, the process was somewhat similar for a US visitor to Germany- we didn't go through the steps as it was a short visit and we didn't want to spend the time on paperwork.

At the theme parks, especially the Magic Kingdom, its a much longer walk from the disabled lot to the ferry or monorail than if you take the tram, but the tram can't handle mobility equipment.

If you're staying onsite, there is no charge for parking at the theme parks (disabled tags or otherwise). If staying off-site, there is a charge of something like $20 daily (keep your receipt, its good at all parks for the day).
 
Ok before I post this I will say that sometimes I can not get out what I am thinking ( and typing is sometimes even harder, ) so please understand I am just trying to help ( whether you get a DAS or not I really do not care)

but it sounds like you are in pain most of the time- and walking can help with the pain. I get it I go quite often with a friend that has server pain and walking does help ( until she broke her foot) for her she uses a can to take some of the pressors off her joints, I do not know if this would help you at all ( the person I know going through chemo walking caused pain and really could not walk that fair) if you do decide to get a wheelchair( and you might want to look at getting one off site so that you can having it getting to and from your car, after a long day at the park this might be when you need it most) you can park it in the land ( or area you are in) and then when you start to get tired use it then or use it as a walker, since walking helps you most lines are slow moving but can stop for a bit ( especially if they are adding a car to the ride, someone need more time to get in the ride vehicle.) So having a family memebr stand behind you a little so that people do not crowded you space and you can do side step, walk in place some if the lines stop for more time then you can stand still.

You said you get tired easily, do you have any ADR where you can sit inside and recharge, doing a show can be great, there are some really good ones at AK, ( I love finding Nemo) this way you can sit someone and really enjoy things. I have heard that doing a ride and then a show can really help. also after you use your first 3 FP you can book another one. I have heard of great things from touring planes ( I think it cost some money not sure if there is a free one) but I know people that use it and do not wait more then 20 minutes for any rides at all.

and you said the sun is something you must avoid, I think you have a good handle on this, ( the Omni freeze slives are great) but you are going in December so it might be a little cooler for those ( depending on where you are coming from and the weather in FL) so you might want a lightweight sweater, windbreaker to help ( along with an umbrella or a wide brim hat)
 


First off, I am sorry that you are dealing with breast cancer, it is an ugly road to have to travel on and one that I know all too well.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer when I was 34 and my son was only 17 months old. I've done chemo and in total have had 4 surgeries related to not only the cancer but also the BRCA2 mutation that I found out that I carry. It's been almost 11 years since my original diagnosis and I can say that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

That was all to say that I know what you are going through and I know what it is like to want to make your trip as "normal" as possible for you and your children.

I'm also in an intersting position where I not only know what it is like to go through chemo but I also have a son who is autistic, we have used both the old GAC and the new DAS, and we have gone to both Disneyland and WDW.

Please understand that what I am about to say is in no way attacking, criticizing or shaming you in any way at all.

You have posted here that you have a problem with walking and fatigue as well as the fact that it is sometimes extremely painful for you to walk. This information tells me that you will likely need some sort of mobility device to help you navigate WDW. There is a lot of walking and getting the DAS, while it helps with the physical act of being in the stand by line actually makes for more walking. I can definitely understand NOT wanting to get a wheelchair or ECV but I wonder if a rollator (wheeled walker with a seat) might not be the solution to many of your issues. You can use it to sit on in longer lines, you can lean on it if walking gets painful and it avoids you being confined to a chair.

Another thing you will definitely want to do is plan your FP+ thoughtfully. If there are attractions that are on your "must do" list that will have long lines, then make sure you book those.

As you mentioned, mid-day rests are essential but I would also plan on hitting up more relaxing attractions between exciting ones. Things like Jungle Cruise, It's a Small World, the Safari in AK, Living with the Land and Muppet Vision to name a few.

No one here can tell you what you should or should not do and no one can say whether or not you will get the DAS if you request it. What we can do is help you to manage you expectations about what Guest Services are likely to do and also offer up some ideas about how you can make this trip as wonderful as possible.

Good luck with your treatment and your trip, please feel free to either send me a private message or post any questions that I may be able to answer here.
I'm also BRCA2. Have had 2 surgeries already, with a third scheduled after our trip.

I never wrote that I have trouble walking or pain while walking. One of the other commenters repeated it so many times everyone thinks I said that. I have NO problems walking. I have terrible bone pain irrespective of movement - in fact, walking and even running alleviates the pain sometimes. I do not get fatigued from walking. I am fatigued in general from chemo. (Not sure what chemo you had - I'm currently on Taxol). I'm loathe to get a wheelchair because it is really disturbing to my kids to see me appear "sick". Obviously if I felt I needed one, I would get one. I am bald, misding eyebrows (and other body parts) but for my kids, the wheelchair makes them think I am going to die. Not doing that to them if I can help it.

Thank you for the tip about the more restful attractions. I will definitely include those.
 
For me, I got it because sometimes it is extremely painful for me to walk.

I never wrote that I have trouble walking or pain while walking. One of the other commenters repeated it so many times everyone thinks I said that. I have NO problems walking

I think people keep talking about you having pain while walking is because you said you did.
 
I'm loathe to get a wheelchair because it is really disturbing to my kids to see me appear "sick".

A wheelchair or ECV is just a tool to help you. It should not, and does not, indicate a person is "sick." Many people use a mobility device, particularly at WDW, who are not sick. If you needed glasses you would wear them without hesitation because they are a tool to help you see. The stigma of wearing glasses has largely been erased in today's world. It would be oh-so-nice if society in general could get past that perception of wheelchairs as well. You can help teach your children that by showing how such a tool helps you -- and your family -- have a more enjoyable vacation because it extends your stamina by giving you all more time in the parks before the fatigue has a negative impact on your experience.

SteveMouse has a very good post. In the U.S., people with disabilities fought for decades to not be seen as "sick" but rather differently-abled. Hence, the ADA legislation written as requiring "equal" access as opposed to "special" accommodations.

Your whole family deserves a break from what has likely turned your life upside down. I truly hope you have a wonderful vacation! :flower1:
 
...I'm loathe to get a wheelchair because it is really disturbing to my kids to see me appear "sick". Obviously if I felt I needed one, I would get one. I am bald, misding eyebrows (and other body parts) but for my kids, the wheelchair makes them think I am going to die. Not doing that to them if I can help it.

I understand completely the idea that your children could be traumatized by seeing you in a wheelchair.

But if you rent a pink scooter (because in the US, pink is the color recognized for the fight against breast cancer) (and yes, there is a rental company that has a pink scooter - it's very pretty!) and then explain to your children that Mommy is just using this because we are going to walk so much at Disney World, they will likely accept it better than you think.

In fact, you could set that expectation by talking to them *before* you even leave for Florida. Start the conversation by telling them the truth - that at Disney World a lot of people walk miles and miles every day (the average Guest walks between 3 & 10 miles; our family tends toward the 10 mile end of the spectrum ever since I put wheels under my butt) and that you might just use this really neat pink scooter so that you can keep up with them! Show them a picture of it. Make it a *positive* thing - that if Mommy does use this scooter for part of the time (because you can park it, and walk part of the time, and then move it to the next area you are going to explore) then we can stay in the parks longer, and we can have more fun, because Mommy won't be so tired. Will you be OK with that? It's not a wheelchair, it's an electric scooter.

Open that dialogue *now*, before you leave. Give them a chance to have input - and they may surprise you. When I had to finally stop and call to have a scooter delivered in the park, and had to tell my family that I couldn't do it, I couldn't go on without the ECV, I could barely stand to look at them. I was horrified, humiliated, and crying because I had do this to even be able to get back to the Resort that night. Our daughter hugged me, and told me she was actually *relieved* because she had been watching me struggle to walk, to keep up, and to try not to ruin our vacation by holding everyone else back.

And I promise - everyone here is just trying to be helpful. Sometimes tone is difficult to perceive via a message board like this, and it's easy - especially when we are on page 3 of a thread - for things to get a bit mixed up. Just know that we are trying to set some realistic expectations for you and your family; nothing is worse than arriving for vacation, only to find that what you *thought* would happen isn't even possible, and now you have to try and figure everything out on the fly.

I join everyone else here in wishing you the best possible vacation.
 
I guess this is a cultural difference (although I am American I have lived most of my adult life in another country). Where I live, an obviously ill person is afforded the right to choose how to best handle their disabilities. I'm finding it mildly horrifying to be told that I should use a wheelchair when I don't require one. To be clear, I'm not horrified by anyone here, just perhaps the culture. I appreciate the advance warning about what to expect when getting to Disney.

Where I live someone on chemotherapy is considered disabled. Disabled people (whatever the disability - this includes children on the autism spectrum, wheelchair bound people, mentally ill folks) are not required to wait on line anywhere. I find it rather upsetting that I would have to discuss the details of my illness (which is not an obscure, unknown condition) with a non-medical person when anyone who looks at me could figure out that standing on line for 2 hours would be a challenge.

Again, not upset at any of you. Just sort of bewildered by the cultural differences.

How does not waiting in line work/ Do you just cut into the line whenever you want? buying a ticket to go to the movies, do you just cut someone off? Elbow in in front of the next person in line? then flash a card? Is that accepted in the UK? How do you stop people from making fake cards?

I had hoped to find others in this board who had traveled to Disney while dealing with cancer and chemotherapy in order to gain insight. Instead I've found some folks who are basically treating me like someone trying to milk the system, when in fact I have a terminal illness. I never said I have pain from walking. You said that. I have pain just from being. It is a side ffect of the chemo I am on, called Taxol. Chronic pain is exhausting.

I think you need to have the mindset that having a terminal illness (you know you're not going to make it? I'm sorry! I hope you have a wonderful trip and make great memories) does not give you certain rights in the US. Small, socialist-health style countries do things differently than the US. We are bigger, have the ADA, and basically can't do things the same way smaller countries can.

I did not fixate on getting a DAS. My original post stated that I planned to ask for it, and why. Then I asked for some additional advice. I was taken aback by the repeated suggestions that I just get a wheelchair, when I am fully mobile.

I have learned quite a bit from this post (specifically about the lines being out of the sun, as well as the First aid station as a place to rest) and these will help me plan my trip better.

At no point did I say that walking increases my pain or is difficult. Standing still is painful. You asked what causes my pain. It is the chemotherapy drug Taxol. It just causes pain. When the pain is bad it feels like my bones are broken. This is a known side effect of this drug. It also causes extreme fatigue. This is not caused by walking too much, or anything else.
It may very well be that my request for a DAS will be denied, and if it is, so be it. The purpose of my post was to gather information in advance of my trip (such as the sun info).

You stated that the chronic pain is exhausting, the drug causes extreme fatigue, yet you think you can walk 6-8 miles a day? The DAS gets you out of one queue for the wait of the stand by line. What are you going to do in that time that won't also cause fatigue, etc? Stand in a gift shop, walk around, stand in another queue? How does that relieve the fatigue and exhaustion? Remember, the DAS is not to get you more access into queues, it's just an alternative waiting pass. It won't make your day shorter, unless you are standing, waiting in other queues. And you said you can't do that. That's why people are saying get a wheelchair, get a scooter. There are very few benches at WDW, very few short queues. Get FP+ for the attractions you must do, the ones with long lines. Even if you get a DAS, it will only be like one FP+ for the day. you can get another one after you use it, but then you have to stand/wait/queue until that time.
 
Someone up thread mentions shows to relax like Nemo. I'd like to mention there are some shows that just have benches. No back rest. I'm not sure how this affects you, but didn't want you to make a FP for a show and then realize "this won't work". Before my DH started using a wheelchair at disney, we crossed those show off the list. Now we see them again.

Also a PP mentioned getting a pink scooter........We had a plain old wheelchair, but attached tiny battery operated twinkle lights to it. The grandkids loved it. Other kids loved. We were on the bus, with the chair folded up and one wheel was slightly off the ground, a little girl started spinning the wheel. When I turned on the lights, it was wow, this is amazing. Even got comments from adults, like cool chair.

Whether or not you get a DAS card, it still sounds like some type of device will be needed. Walk all you want, but a seat when you need it. That's one of the things with my DH. At home, in our normal life, walking is no issue. At disney 4 or 5 miles a day, standing for outdoor shows, standing for the "holding pens" for rides, a lot of benches have no back support.....my DH wouldn't go without a wheelchair.

About four trips ago, he wasn't getting a wheelchair, no way no how........Just walking the distance in the airport to the plane, he turns to me and says "let's get a wheelchair".

I wish you the best.
 
Why spread misinformation like this?

I believe the intended message was "one at a time" -- you only quoted part of what was said, and the poster goes on to say "you can get another one after you use it." Many guests report only using DAS for 1-3 attractions in a full day.



DAS in the U.S. parks is different than disability programs at theme parks in other countries. It would seem OP was not aware of that, but now understands. Let's offer suggestions to the OP of how to make her family's time in the parks most productive and enjoyable.
 
I believe the intended message was "one at a time" -- you only quoted part of what was said, and the poster goes on to say "you can get another one after you use it." Many guests report only using DAS for 1-3 attractions in a full day.

DAS in the U.S. parks is different than disability programs at theme parks in other countries. It would seem OP was not aware of that, but now understands. Let's offer suggestions to the OP of how to make her family's time in the parks most productive and enjoyable.

It's a complete sentence. I didn't copy the following sentence because that confuses the issue further. You can get another one but if you have to stand until that time? I'm sorry, I don't know what that means
 
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I read the period as a typo for a comma because the next phrase doesn't begin with a capital letter to start a new sentence. Comma and period are next to each other on the keyboard, I often hit the wrong one. Once a person gets another DAS return time, they must wait for time to pass before using it -- that may involve standing, walking, another queue, or whatever. If fatigue is a factor, sitting is usually helpful, and there are relatively few spots to sit while waiting for a DAS return time.

Helpful suggestions for the OP, please...
 
It's a complete sentence. I didn't copy the following sentence because that confuses the issue further. You can get another one but if you have to stand until that time? I'm sorry, I don't know what that means
A DAS isn't immediate access. You get a return time based on the current standby time. You wait elsewhere until that time when you can enter the fastpass entrance. And you can only have one return time that is "active." You can only get a new return time after you have used the old one and the new one will be based on the standby time. It's not front of the line and doesn't eliminate the wait, just the wait IN the queue itself. That's why it is not particularly helpful for people dealing with fatigue issues. It doesn't change the waiting, just where you are waiting.
 
As others have said, you may be turned down if you use your fatigue issue as a reason for DAS as the remedy (recommendation) would be to use a wheelchair or ECV, both of which are accommodated in almost all queues. You might want to focus your request on the fact that you are immune compromised due to your treatments and that you can't be in crowded lines for long periods of time.
 
It's a complete sentence. The following sentence then goes on to confuse the issue further. You can get another one but if you have to stand until that time? I'm sorry, I don't know what that means

I found it confusing too - it's not just you! I *think* the PP means that it is like one EXTRA FP+ per day. You can only get a new one if you've used it (or cancel it), though how/when you get it isn't like the FP+.

OP - I understand your feelings about your children. My mum died of breast cancer (first diagnosed when I was 18-months-old and died when I was 20-years-old - so many years of experience through serveral "bouts"). And you are doing what my mum would have done - anything she could to make it easier on me. Now, I didn't actually have a problem with her in a wheelchair/using a rollator (my "issue" was her balding - I learned to give her injections, cleaned her mastectomy wounds, and pushed her around in a wheelchair, but was always brought up short by her baldness), but can understand that it is an issue for your children. Speaking as a child (or, rather, as one who was a child), I'd have a conversation with them about it. As a PP suggested, framing it (wheelchair/ECV/rollator/whatever) as a way to make it possible for you all to have a great trip. A tool, just like FP+ and making dinner reservations 100 days in advance - things you don't do/need in your normal life, but do/need at WDW.

In terms of practicalities - I'd ask about a DAS, but agree with others that it may be refused and, also, that it may not actually help you as much as you think. It will not allow you to fit more rides in during a shorter amount of time (unless you can stand in ride lines while waiting for the DAS to become valid). What helped when I went with my mum during one of her "sick" times:

- We stayed onsite near parks that we'd frequent (Yacht Club for us - easy access to Epcot and DHS)
- We had more table service meals than quick service (though we tend to prefer that anyway)
- We took breaks as needed
- Occassionally, mum would stay in the room to have a nap and we'd go back out for a few hours before meeting up again for dinner
- She used a wheelchar that we took turns pushing (she had brain mets and would not have been able to deal with an ECV, but that is a good option if it works for you)
- We alternated shows (with a chance to sit in air conditioning) with more active rides
- We really just enjoyed spending time together even if that was at the resort, pool, or whatever

I wish you all the best and hope for an awesome trip. If you'd like to PM me, please feel free (though I'm happy to answer questions on the thread if you have any).
 

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