WDW DAS going digital? - YES - started April 30, 2015. See page 6

[caperguy]

WDW, sorry -- I just edited it.


edit: Just saw another reply -- thanks!! I hadn't come across that...someone had referred to DAS and I spent part of the afternoon (at work....shhh) trying to figure out what it was.
good to know! between the heat and lack of patience, these options should help out!

 

[caperguy]

I wonder if WDW staff would allow me to carry/wear my son's band, too, as he despises things on his wrist. Although he may surprise us and go with it, I want to be prepared!

 

[lanejudy]

Absolutely, you may carry or wear your son's band for him. Or he could hook it on a belt loop if that would be more comfortable for him.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[caperguy]

awesome! Thanks for the quick reply. I'll check back next month to see reaction from people once the DAS goes digital. We're only going 2.5 days so we want to make the most of it.

 

[mshanson3121]

I wonder if WDW staff would allow me to carry/wear my son's band, too, as he despises things on his wrist. Although he may surprise us and go with it, I want to be prepared!

Glad you asked, as my DD is the same way. She can't stand them.

 

[Tissa]

My son wore his band for 2 minutes then tossed it to the ground. The rest of the trip I wore it on my right wrist and I wore mine on my left wrist.

 

[Disneylvr]

On our trip last year I wore my magic band on one wrist and my daughter's on the other. That is our plan for this year as well. CM's were very understanding and it was no problem.

 

[SueM in MN]

This was posted in another thread.
To avoid having multiple threads on the same subject, I am copying that post here and closing that thread:

Hi All,
Picking up my son's DAS yesterday at Guest Relations in HS and the Cast Member surprised us by saying they'll be on the Magic Bands next time we come in September. I asked when they'd be starting that process and he smiled widely and said it had been moved up from the original date of May 1st to Mon, 4/27. Wow! That would be great.

He didn't have all the details and he essentially said its not done until it's done, but he was pretty sure about Monday.

We asked a few more questions and it sounds like we would still go to the fastpass entrance for the ride and get the return time. He also said there were rumors we'd be able to do some part of it on the MDE app, but maybe just to view the return time. After a day in the rain sending runners around with a piece of wet paper that sounds lovely!

Just thought I'd send a heads up for those visiting next week.

Regards,
Skip

 

[dayvewc]

I have looked through the thread, but it was quickly so I might have missed it, but how will this impact people who are mobility challenged? I know that having my issues met with an ECV means that I do not get a DAS, but if they are no longer issuing return times on the rides where the lines are not accessible, what happens?

 

[lanejudy]

I have looked through the thread, but it was quickly so I might have missed it, but how will this impact people who are mobility challenged? I know that having my issues met with an ECV means that I do not get a DAS, but if they are no longer issuing return times on the rides where the lines are not accessible, what happens?

They should continue to issue return times. The general "news" of this thread is that those return times will be issued electronically directly onto the guest's tickets/MB, it will no longer be written on a piece of paper. This has been the standard practice at DL/DCA for both DAS and wheelchair return times for several months now.

If the standby entrance is not accessible, and they are currently issuing wheelchair return times for that ride, you will need to show your tickets/MBs (for your whole party) to receive a wheelchair return time. You might want to bring a piece of paper to write it on. If they are not issuing wheelchair return times at the moment you arrive at the attraction, you should be directed to the accessible entrance.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[dayvewc]

They should continue to issue return times. The general "news" of this thread is that those return times will be issued electronically directly onto the guest's tickets/MB, it will no longer be written on a piece of paper. This has been the standard practice at DL/DCA for both DAS and wheelchair return times for several months now.

If the standby entrance is not accessible, and they are currently issuing wheelchair return times for that ride, you will need to show your tickets/MBs (for your whole party) to receive a wheelchair return time. You might want to bring a piece of paper to write it on. If they are not issuing wheelchair return times at the moment you arrive at the attraction, you should be directed to the accessible entrance.

Enjoy your vacation!

Thanks. I guess my question is whether there is something that I need to do now different or additional to what I've done in the past. Since the ECV solves the mobility issue, I haven't had to stop at Guest Services b/c I didn't qualify for a DAS. But, if there is something that has to be notated/marked on the ticket/MB for the return time to be issued, would I need to stop off now for them to do that? Or, is that something that the CM's at the attractions can do?

 

[lovethattink]

I was at mk today. Spoke to a cm at an attraction about it. He told me to expect delays at first. I assume he was referring to GS and not his attraction. He said it takes more time to set everything up and the times. He said given a choice, he prefers the paper system.

 

[aaarcher86]

Thanks. I guess my question is whether there is something that I need to do now different or additional to what I've done in the past. Since the ECV solves the mobility issue, I haven't had to stop at Guest Services b/c I didn't qualify for a DAS. But, if there is something that has to be notated/marked on the ticket/MB for the return time to be issued, would I need to stop off now for them to do that? Or, is that something that the CM's at the attractions can do?

You would just follow the procedure you've been following based on the article.

 

[dayvewc]

You would just follow the procedure you've been following based on the article.

That's what I thought, just wondered if anyone knew something different.

 

[tinkerpea]

This is a basic question but thought the posters to this thread would definitely know -- we're just planning our trip to WDW for August with our 6yo autistic son and I just found out about this DAS this afternoon. His first trip, we were there 8 years ago ourselves (no FP bands then.....

My question for this thread is: if you have DAS and Fastpass on the bands (sorry, I don't know all the abbreviations), you'd be able to have 2 times at once that you can go to the 'quick' line (for 2 different attractions)? And in order to get the DAS or FP for a particular attraction, you need to go to a kiosk AT that attraction?

thanks! (I'm sure I'll have more questions later....)

Yes you can, and it works well, my oldest has an obsession with riding certain rides twice after each other,
So what we always do is have a fp time and get a Das time, say for space mountain, we would ride space come out and ride again with the Das Time.

 

[mamattorney]

I've been hanging on to last year's paper DAS for this year's trip because I was told that reissuing the DAS would be quicker and easier if they could scan the QR code. Is that moot now?

 

[lanejudy]

I've been hanging on to last year's paper DAS for this year's trip because I was told that reissuing the DAS would be quicker and easier if they could scan the QR code. Is that moot now?

I'd still recommend bringing it on your next trip. You should still expect to answer at the question "have your needs changed?" and maybe a couple more confirmation questions.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[dsdeleon]

Kenny the Pirate has decent info and used the DAS with another person so it's clear.

http://www.kennythepirate.com/2015/...ty-access-service-system-is-becoming-digital/

You still have to go up to the ride and get a return time. There is no scheduling at a kiosk or on MDE (which I think DL does, you can get it at as kiosk). That was one of the main features of going electronic I thought. In our case, DS "gives up" on the day because of this.

The return time is automatically calculated with the little handheld device from the STANDBY CM only. It was nice to have the option of going to the FP or standby CM as one of them is always held up for quite a while in a snafu with MDE or guests.

I agree that there was 0 consistency in CM return times. Sometimes, they didn't take away the 10, sometimes, they took away 20. Sometimes, they let you through when less than 20, sometimes not. I like the electronic calculations.

I hate the blue light up as well. It's so annoying to get looks from guests like we are doing something wrong when they wave us through after showing them the paper DAS.

I am still unclear if the picture now comes up on the screen, as with the paper DAS they could (and sometimes did as they should) check the picture to make sure the party was entering.

We let our APs go this year, but I am certainly going to be watching trip reports and hope this gets tweaked nicely.

 

[CoriM48]

Personally, I am very relieved that we can still go to the attraction, and not find a kiosk. The kiosks always have long lines, and, in my opinion, there are not nearly enough of them in the parks to make them easily accessible. I'm sure it will take a minute or two longer for the CM to fish out the machine and input the information, but it's such a better, more fair, smart system to have it be electronic.

I am curious is the CM has to fish out the handheld machine again when the light is blue in order to match the picture. That seems like it would be a waste of time, especially if the machine is kept over by the Standby CM.

 

[aaarcher86]

Personally, I am very relieved that we can still go to the attraction, and not find a kiosk. The kiosks always have long lines, and, in my opinion, there are not nearly enough of them in the parks to make them easily accessible. I'm sure it will take a minute or two longer for the CM to fish out the machine and input the information, but it's such a better, more fair, smart system to have it be electronic.

I am curious is the CM has to fish out the handheld machine again when the light is blue in order to match the picture. That seems like it would be a waste of time, especially if the machine is kept over by the Standby CM.

The Mickey head turns blue when you scan your band to use the DAS time.