New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[arich35]

I will be interested on how this effects lines when implemented

 

[lazyboy97o]

It is not about my opinions, Disney’s ADA lawyers know exactly what they can pass the legal test on in their specific situation and they should be aggressively holding to only that as that is their best defense against liability.

Going above those absolute requirements is only causing them more pain (and the other guests) and exposing them to lawsuits for their discretion and inconsistencies.

Any “good deed” here will be aggressively punished by these particular groups of people.

This is based on a completely incorrect premise. Disney’s lawyers do not know exactly what they can do because there is no specific guidebook outlining business operations. There are some regulations and case law they can reference but that’s not something known with certainty. Even the ADA Standards for Accessible Design don’t cover every scenario.

 

[Chi84]

This is based on a completely incorrect premise. Disney’s lawyers do not know exactly what they can do because there is no specific guidebook outlining business operations. There are some regulations and case law they can reference but that’s not something known with certainty. Even the ADA Standards for Accessible Design don’t cover every scenario.

Maybe let’s wait to see what Disney does before discussing its legality.

 

[mickEblu]

Rider switch being the alternative to DAS would be a deterrent for anyone who doesn’t truly need the accommodations. It’s difficult to use it to gain anything over a guest without accommodations since it forces the party through the attraction twice. I would assume people would not be using it as a precaution in the same way they use DAS, and instead would attempt the line first or buy Genie. It would both eliminate some of the overuse brought on by people who legitimately qualified but don’t need to use it all the time, as well as discourage people who lie to get it as there’s much less to gain.

You can technically use it like DAS to be in two places at once, but the “fee” to do so is higher. Someone in your group now needs to physically be in that line.

This sounds like it would be a deterrent but would it actually be offered as a viable alternative to DAS considering the DAS user would essentially have to separate from their party (or part of their party) for 2/3 of the day?

 

[nickys]

If rider switch is being used as one of the major accommodations in place of DAS as the Disneyland site indicates, then this issue still exists. Because the people waiting while the 1 person rides can stilll go ride an attraction with a shorter line and then go back and ride the first attraction with a LL.

No. It seems that what is being offered is the main group waits in standby. When they come off the ride then the person with the disability plus one care-giver then go through the LL line.

 

[jinx8402]

Rider switch ain't it for DAS. Sorry. So families would not be able to enjoy rides together? DAS family now need to wait the full wait time + LL wait time for basically any ride (ok, maybe not for rides with 10-15 minute standby).

I’m confused why this wouldn’t work - you would be with her the entire time, first waiting with her and then riding with her.

If there are more people in your party, they would all wait in the standby queue.

If it is just the two of you in the party, rider swap does not apply.

Ummm...what if the 3rd/4th person are children? Just gonna leave a child baking in the sun while he takes his wife on a ride?

People really need to think about what DAS is supposed to accomplish. Rider switch ain't it for DAS, sorry.

 

[Tha Realest]

Rider switch ain't it for DAS. Sorry. So families would not be able to enjoy rides together? DAS family now need to wait the full wait time + LL wait time for basically any ride (ok, maybe not for rides with 10-15 minute standby).

Ummm...what if the 3rd/4th person are children? Just gonna leave a child baking in the sun while he takes his wife on a ride?

People really need to think about what DAS is supposed to accomplish. Rider switch ain't it for DAS, sorry.

You’re correct. Rider switch is not part of DAS.

A form of rider switch seems to be available as an accommodation for non-developmental disabilities.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

cm verifies child is too short,

Cm doesn’t verify the child is too short because the child doesn’t have to be too short. Anyone can not ride the ride for any reason (including they don’t want to ride the ride), and the CM will grant a rider swap. I did a trip recently with my BIL’s family and his son was afraid of many rides (including basic dark rides we didn’t expect like Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway) so we used it in those situations.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Waiting in the LL can be up to 40 minutes. I have had to leave and come back a few times when the line got too long.

It sounds like the new accommodations that are being proposed will be better for you then. A return to line pass should fix this for you in a way that even the Lightning Lanes cannot. In fact, without this fix, the lightning lanes would continue to get longer and longer as more and more people qualified for DAS making DAS ultimately useless, so this is should be a good thing for you in that regard as well. I still maintain that everyone should wait and see what Disney’s Return to Line Pass actually looks like before attacking the company and others. People were outraged when GAC changed to DAS as well and in the end nearly everyone ended up adapting to DAS just fine.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Disney: we plan to offer a variety of accommodations to fit each guest on an individual basis, including this one accommodation

Forum members: but this one accommodation won’t work for everyone!! People with disabilities are all different, how can they expect this one accommodation to work for all of them?!?

 

[B O]

I reached out to Disney directly because my husband has Epliepsy & a service dog. I was told by Disney directly that the DAS is only for people with developmental disabilities moving forward.
He is unable to que in the sun because if he gets over heated he will have a seizure. Last time we were there in 2022 he used the pass only twice so we do not use it as a replacement for Genie plus In fact we purchased Genie plus for rides he was unable to go on. In the past he has had a note from his epileptoligist & a copy of his paper work from the federal government stating he is disabled. We have a disabled parking pass ( he can not drive)
Here is my issue with that YES people abuse this system I have stated in the past I have never seen so many "disabled" people in one place & they are disgusting, anyone who is truly disabled does not want to live that way.
I think Disney is going to be in some trouble with the ADA. Telling my husband that even though he did all of the mounds of Dr's appts & paperwork to be eligible for disability but they do not consider Epilepsy a disability is BS. I have a trip booked for May of 2025 & will do my zoom call ahead to see if he is eligable but if he is not I will be canceling the vacation and spending my 14 grand somewhere else.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

He is unable to que in the sun

Did you ask them if there would be an alternative (other than DAS) to allow him to avoid outdoor queue’s? Similar to how some rides that are not wheelchair-accessible (ie: SM) have alternatives for those in mobility devices. That might be worth exploring. Maybe you could even get return times for rides with outdoor queues instead of for all rides.

 

[B O]

Did you ask them if there would be an alternative (other than DAS) to allow him to avoid outdoor queue’s? Similar to how some rides that are not wheelchair-accessible (ie: SM) have alternatives for those in mobility devices. That might be worth exploring. Maybe you could even get return times for rides with outdoor queues instead of for all rides.

The e mail I got back said & I quote. This is the standard e mail being sent regarding DAS ( I'm guessing to avoid questions) please be sure to sign up for the call up to 30 days before y our vacation. I did see that was changing to 120 days

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yep. As well as what Universal tried with Jimmy Fallon and Fast and the Furious. But neither of those rides were popular enough to stress test a new system.

I’m curious what they have planned for Epic Universe, as I expect Super Nintendo World is going to change the calculus somewhat on who wants to be in a Universal theme park. The facial recognition technology they are testing for ticket entry, could potentially be used to help address access for everyone, by using your face to checkin somewhere but wait elsewhere or at least not in tight switchback lines. And who know what else they have planned.

Epic Universe is not going to be a virtual queue park. Universal did at one point intend to go that direction for the entirety of the Universal Orlando Resort but their were too many issues with Race Through New York, Fast & Furious: Supercharged and, most importantly, Volcano Bay.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

This sounds like it would be a deterrent but would it actually be offered as a viable alternative to DAS considering the DAS user would essentially have to separate from their party (or part of their party) for 2/3 of the day?

Similar to parties larger than their stated cap being separated who will still qualify for DAS, if they do not make exceptions for all party sizes.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Are you joking? DAS DO wait in line. How are we this far in and some of you still don't realize that? Waiting in the LL can be up to 40 minutes. I have had to leave and come back a few times when the line got too long. I don't know how any of you can speak to other people's experiences as if you are there with us. The problem is not the waiting, it is the EASY and QUICK access to the restroom. Not sure why some of you struggle so much to comprehend this.
I don't know why you are hung up on the People mover, it is one of the few rides that I go on but it is not like I sit there all day riding it. Some of you are getting really nasty with your posts verging on personal attacks. Sad how some of you treat those with legitimate disabilities. We just want to be able to have a halfway decent vacation. The rest of our lives revolve around our medical issues.

A 40 minute LL wait is a problem, whether it’s for DAS returns or paid line skip guest satisfaction. Theoretically, this is why changes that are big enough to move the needle should help everyone. Someone who cannot wait in a lengthy queue and has been assigned a DAS should absolutely not be faced with a 40 minute queue upon return.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Maybe let’s wait to see what Disney does before discussing its legality.

We don’t need to see what is done to know that there is not actually a very specific set of guidelines for businesses to follow as was being implied.

 

[BalooChicago]

There is nothing official on how “return to queue” will work, right? Doesn’t it seem odd they announced without having the full plan ready?

I’ve been to WDW every other year my whole life, and since 2015 DLR on opposite years. In the last twelve months we did DLP, DLR, and WDW.

Without DAS (or something functionally similar) for my son this last trip to WDW may have been our last.

 

[wdisney9000]

People were outraged when GAC changed to DAS as well and in the end nearly everyone ended up adapting to DAS just fine.

The evolutionary process from GAC to original DAS to this new version of DAS seems to be slowly whittling out certain disabilities.

Will there be another DAS evolution in a few years that eliminates more disabilities from being considered as eligible? Rhetorical question. Just observing, not complaining.

 

[dothebrdwalk]

This sounds like it would be a deterrent but would it actually be offered as a viable alternative to DAS considering the DAS user would essentially have to separate from their party (or part of their party) for 2/3 of the day?

That's what I find so sad about the idea of using the rider switch as a "viable replacement for DAS." Families are coming to be together.

There are very few scenarios in which Rider Switch would actually work for people. Yes, it may work for those able bodied families who are truly abusing the system, but anyone with a real disability who needs DAS, I truly cannot see it working for.