New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Good to hear your GF qualified for DAS.

I just saw a story about a little kid with a permanent feeding tube that previously qualified in the old system and now does not.

Since they cant always time the feedings with the LL return times the poor kid sometimes vomits in the queue. Its a good thing the kids mom is skilled with the vomit bag.

I do feel sorry for the folks with real limitations who no longer qualify for the new DAS.

Didn’t realize I’d used the present tense, she did qualify, she doesn’t anymore, now a trip to Disney comes with the reality she’ll be sick most days, sounds magical doesn’t it?

There is an important distinction in there...

Accessibility required by law you can argue 'should not help nor hurt ones daily goals'

But one must remember Disney's past was not driven by the law. Disney has had decades of systems intended to not just do the minimum, but to actually ENHANCE potential experience for these kinds of guests. Disney didn't stumble into somehow mistakenly enabling guests to do more than they could do otherwise - it was part of their customer experience strategy and choices.

So when you are talking about existing customers and how their world may change... you should consider the interaction between Disney and that customer. Not just necessarily what a company is legally obligated to do. Disney reached and did more for these kinds of guests... now they do less. That's still very true no matter what their legal obligations are.

I think this is the disconnect, Disney formerly went beyond what was required, this made the parks an accessible and fun place for people with disabilities, now they are only doing only what’s required, and that’s made the parks a nearly impossible place to enjoy for many people with disabilities.

Legally they’ve done nothing wrong, at least to my non lawyer understanding, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s a place that many people with disabilities can no longer enjoy, for people who’ve been Disney mega fans for decades, and spent countless vacations there because it WAS so accommodating, that’s a hard pill to swallow.

Many people are just grieving this reality, Disney WAS our happy place, it’s hard to accept that it won’t be anymore.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Didn’t realize I’d used the present tense, she did qualify, she doesn’t anymore, now a trip to Disney comes with the reality she’ll be sick most days, sounds magical doesn’t it?

Very sorry to hear. Another case of a person with true limitations who no longer qualifies.

Bad show Disney.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Sorry you feel this way

Why? What a strange phrase to use in this case.

There’s so much harm when politicians, businesses, etc. create an “Avatar” of an average customer, person, etc.

If you don’t see the harm that can cause, then I’m sorry you feel that way haha

 

[Purduevian]

There is an important distinction in there...

Accessibility required by law you can argue 'should not help nor hurt ones daily goals'

But one must remember Disney's past was not driven by the law. Disney has had decades of systems intended to not just do the minimum, but to actually ENHANCE potential experience for these kinds of guests. Disney didn't stumble into somehow mistakenly enabling guests to do more than they could do otherwise - it was part of their customer experience strategy and choices.

So when you are talking about existing customers and how their world may change... you should consider the interaction between Disney and that customer. Not just necessarily what a company is legally obligated to do. Disney reached and did more for these kinds of guests... now they do less. That's still very true no matter what their legal obligations are.

Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that GAC/DAS was intended to give qualifying guests an enhanced experience over non- GAC/DAS guests. I always thought the intention was to give those that needed it a similar experience to those that did not need it.

If the intent of a program is to give an enhanced experience, this will always come at the expense of other guests' experience.

 

[Tigger&Pooh]

Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that GAC/DAS was intended to give qualifying guests an enhanced experience over non- GAC/DAS guests. I always thought the intention was to give those that needed it a similar experience to those that did not need it.

If the intent of a program is to give an enhanced experience, this will always come at the expense of other guests' experience.

I don't believe Disney intended their accommodations give an "enhanced" experience. Such designation really depends on the disability/needs/manifestations and definitely does not apply to all who utilized GAC or DAS in the past. Not everyone has the same experience; however when the only accommodation offered is 1-size-fits-all it obviously was "more" than some people needed as accommodation. They are adjusting that now and it understandably rankles some who are losing that "enhancement" -- which pretty much just confirms it was more than those individuals need.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

Why? What a strange phrase to use in this case.

There’s so much harm when politicians, businesses, etc. create an “Avatar” of an average customer, person, etc.

If you don’t see the harm that can cause, then I’m sorry you feel that way haha

There isn't any harm, its good business. Any successfully business has way too many customers, or potential customers to make any business decision based on each of their individual features/characteristics. You market to groups, to demographics, to target audience. Average is a mathematical term, there is no positive or negative connotation to it. A business in doing its marketing and forecasting isn't going to go through the millions of different people that visit every year and figure out what works best for each of them. You market and spend based upon your customers, and not your extreme demographics, but your average guests, as they make up the biggest percentage of your audience, which is where you should be spending your focus/money.

 

[flynnibus]

Honestly, this is the first time I've ever heard someone say that GAC/DAS was intended to give qualifying guests an enhanced experience over non- GAC/DAS guests.

You saying it would be the first time, because that's not actually what I said. I never made any comparison to other guest's experience.

 

[flynnibus]

Why? What a strange phrase to use in this case.

There’s so much harm when politicians, businesses, etc. create an “Avatar” of an average customer, person, etc.

If you don’t see the harm that can cause, then I’m sorry you feel that way haha

you painted it as if using such concepts was a negative or dismissive.

Customers are diverse, no business evaluates every decision by trying to evaluate it against EVERY POSSIBLE VARIATION of customer. No one can digest so many different answers into meaningful conclusions.

Concepts like 'demographics' and statistical analysis of customer trends is not dehumanizing nor a negative trend. It's literally how someone finds some consistency in what is otherwise an impossible evaluation problem.

 

[Disstevefan1]

There really isn’t an “average” park goer. Bob’s family of 4.5 kids from Colorado doesn’t actually exist outside of the boardroom and spreadsheets.

Problem is, TWDC makes decisions in its theme park business based on boardrooms and spreadsheets.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Problem is, TWDC makes decisions in its theme park business based on boardrooms and spreadsheets.

Exactly. You get it. Haha

 

[RSoxNo1]

Question: You are required to have an admission ticket before you can apply for DAS online. If you are denied a DAS, and you feel it is too onerous to go without one, can you get a refund? Can you find out of you qualify before you purchase a ticket.

Sorry if this has been discussed already but I can't read the entire thread. Thanks in advance.

At this point they will not talk with you without valid tickets.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Why would Disney want to set up a system and pay people to conduct the interviews/investigations for someone who hasn't committed to going to the park?

And also, the determination for if accommodations are warranted, and if so to what level (which might be less than DAS) should be based on need and need alone. Doing it before tickets are purchased leaves open a way too easy avenue of "well if you don't give me what I want, I guess I won't be buying tickets" which can lead to abuse and incentivizes over using DAS as to not lose customers.

The reason being is many people will not go through the trouble of floating Disney a several thousand dollar loan at the chance Disney would consider their disability severe enough to qualify for a DAS.

 

[Angel Ariel]

At this point they will not talk with you without valid tickets.

If you don't have date based tickets, they also require you to have theme park reservations before starting the video call

 

[Angel Ariel]

Just had our call. Got on just after 7, was answered by 7:35, off the call by 7:45. DD was approved. Having read from others with developmental disabilities with similar high needs being found not eligible, it was a worry. Surprised, happily so, at the low wait time before the video.

It was a longer experience in general because I didn't realize we needed theme park reservations in place (since they no longer have preselects, I thought just tickets being linked would be enough). The cast member gave me a few mins after starting to chat with me to do those before starting the video. I fully expected we'd be trying this again tomorrow.

 

[RSoxNo1]

Ds

Just had our call. Got on just after 7, was answered by 7:35, off the call by 7:45. DD was approved. Having read from others with developmental disabilities with similar high needs being found not eligible, it was a worry. Surprised, happily so, at the low wait time before the video.

It was a longer experience in general because I didn't realize we needed theme park reservations in place (since they no longer have preselects, I thought just tickets being linked would be enough). The cast member gave me a few mins after starting to chat with me to do those before starting the video. I fully expected we'd be trying this again tomorrow.

Disney World has been under an hour for the call. Disneyland has been substantially longer.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Problem is, TWDC makes decisions in its theme park business based on boardrooms and spreadsheets.

I’m sorry, are they not meant to make business decisions in a business environment based on business documents?

The reason being is many people will not go through the trouble of floating Disney a several thousand dollar loan at the chance Disney would consider their disability severe enough to qualify for a DAS.

This isn’t about being severe or not. This type of phrasing is so dramatic.

They’re not deciding if you’re “disabled enough”. They’re determining if you can be accommodated a different way than DAS or if that is the right fit for you.