Disney Genie and Genie+ at Walt Disney World

[Purduevian]

But if I just had Genie+ I could do that. Let's say I had gotten a HM return time for 11:00 a.m. and I got my DAS pass at 10 AM for a return at 11. Now, we all know Peter Pan lasts about 90 seconds, so if I had standby and Genie+ I could easily get in line at 10, wait for an hour, then go make my HM Genie+.

Where do you cut it off? Let's say I have an 11 AM LL for HM and I get in a 55 DAS virtual line at 11. Should I be denied because of my HM pass? Or have the HM pass cancelled? Especially since someone who didn't have DAS could do that and easily make it to HM within the grace period?

Couple that with the fact that DAS return times don't currently expire - with the caveat that, unlike Genie+, you can't hold more than one at once.

The cut off should be no scanning into/redeeming a LL while holding a DAS return time. Just like I cannot scan into a LL while standing in a standby line.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

There is absolutely an advantage in that they can "wait" for DAS attractions without waiting in the standby queue. This is by necessity, but it frees them up to watch a streetmosphere show or even a major entertainment offering, shop, eat, and generally take in more of the park, while the non-disabled guest is still physically in line.

The only alternative to that is the "holding area" idea which wouldn't work for a variety of reasons.

While there is the advantage, I don't consider it unfair because 1.) it is required by law to accommodate guests with disabilities, and Disney is known for going above and beyond to be inclusive of these guests, and 2.) guests with disabilities and their families/travel party face challenges which the average, non-disabled guest does not face, and in many cases, can "slow them down," which can impact the amount they can experience (in both quality and quantity) during their visit.

Rides are just one aspect of visiting WDW. I think able-bodied folks forget all the times/ways they have significant advantages at WDW. Moving around WDW is very Darwinian. If you are fast and nimble, you get advantages all day.

It is everything from exiting rides quickly, getting off the monorail quickly, moving into every open space, grabbing a QS table, restrooms, seeing the animals at AK, quickly getting in a queue, easy access to merchandise in every store.

Even loading onto rides is often much slower if you have mobility limitations, because you have to wait for the accessible vehicle.

Able bodied folks don't see how often they pass wheelchair users.

 

[DisneyDodo]

Rides are just one aspect of visiting WDW. I think able-bodied folks forget all the times/ways they have significant advantages at WDW. Moving around WDW is very Darwinian. If you are fast and nimble, you get advantages all day.

It is everything from exiting rides quickly, getting off the monorail quickly, moving into every open space, grabbing a QS table, restrooms, seeing the animals at AK, quickly getting in a queue, easy access to merchandise in every store.

Even loading onto rides is often much slower if you have mobility limitations, because you have to wait for the accessible vehicle.

Able bodied folks don't see how often they pass wheelchair users.

That’s certainly true, but DAS isn’t even targeted at guests with mobility issues. It’s specifically meant as an accommodation for those who can’t wait in line. IIUC, mobility issues alone would not qualify someone for DAS, as the guest would be expected to wait in the queue on a scooter.

But even if DAS were meant to accommodate mobility issues, it already accomplishes that by allowing guests to virtually enter a queue from their current location, rather than having to navigate their way to the attraction entrance. They can then make their way to the attraction at their leisure (once their callback time approaches). Even if able-bodied people pass them on the way, they’ll still end up boarding the ride later because the disabled guest gets access to the LL.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Ever been on an 8 hour flight and seen a parent an child, or an adult walking round and round the plane? That’s the movement breaks. It’s actually easier than a car journey, not least because airlines also strive to make things as easy as they can.

I was just on a flight a few days ago. Turbulence. For the last 90minutes, nobody was allowed to walk around. I've been on other flights where the turbulence lasted longer- the entire flight. (Granted, I've not had that experience on an 8-hour flight. Eight hours of no walking/restroom breaks would be near-impossible for anyone.)

I would think road trips could more easily be broken into 1-hour segments, and/or as-needed breaks, but YMMV.

 

[Jrb1979]

I personally don't think there is a lot of abuse happening with DAS. What I think is happening is more people are using than they did in the past.

It's due to cost of Genie+ and Genie+ not as flexible for planning.

 

[Jenny72]

I mean, once you start thinking about it, it's very tricky. My elderly relatives can't stand in long lines, especially not in the sun. They also can't get around the park very fast or easily. Pretty much every fourth person in this country has some sensory issue, mental/cognitive health issue, or physical issue that could feasibly merit accommodation. That's partially because we've come to recognize that a lot of people face challenges both visible and invisible.

This is true in a lot of places, not just Disney. I don't envy anyone who has to decide who receives the accommodation and who doesn't, because I think it's fair to say that a lot of people "deserve" it. Ideally, one would want the park to be generally accommodating overall, to make it easier for everyone: friendlier and shorter lines, places to sit/cool down/take a break, etc. It does not feel like that has been the overall goal of management for a while.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Rides are just one aspect of visiting WDW. I think able-bodied folks forget all the times/ways they have significant advantages at WDW. Moving around WDW is very Darwinian. If you are fast and nimble, you get advantages all day.

Except DAS is not for people who are mobility challenged. If you are mobility challenged and try to get a DAS you will just be told that you can utilize a wheelchair/scooter/etc.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

I don’t think it would do that. Standby lines generally do not move any faster than LL lines (and often move much slower). If the LL line can accommodate the touchpoint, the standby line could as well.

You might get temporary buildups of guests at the queue entrance at some points (like you do for LL), but those guests would eventually catch up to the rest of the line, and their overall wait time would remain unchanged because the ultimate bottleneck would still be load.

I can't think of a single ride that loads quicker than folks could scan in. If it helps, put the touch point deeper in the attraction

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

Sure, go ahead and increase the standby line wait time by 50%.

How so?

 

[Splash4eva]

Meanwhile we have all these “experts” & “insiders” yet noone can simply answer my simple question of how many DAS users are abusing the system outside of Disney rules & regulations. Silence speaks volumes….

 

[James Alucobond]

Meanwhile we have all these “experts” & “insiders” yet noone can simply answer my simple question of how many DAS users are abusing the system outside of Disney rules & regulations. Silence speaks volumes….

There was a very detailed post just four pages ago that demonstrated how an apparently small percentage of guests are utilizing an inexplicably disproportionate percentage of capacity on popular rides.

 

[Splash4eva]

There was a very detailed post just four pages ago that demonstrated how an apparently small percentage of guests are utilizing an inexplicably disproportionate percentage of capacity on popular rides.

And again how is that DAS users not needing the system… ive already stated i ise DAS legit need it and have ridden the same attraction multiple times in a day. Im not abusing the system im not lying about my needs as i literally tell them why i need it and get approved each and every time. So explain to me again how anyone here has said DAS is getting abused and shown any “proof”. Im an example of playing by every Disney rule and according to your reply im “abusing” the system?
I keep seeing countless people post that people are abusing the system who have no valid reason to use it yet show NO proof to those claims and have gone silent when anyone has asked for any proof they have to make that claim…

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

ive already stated i ise DAS legit need it and have ridden the same attraction multiple times in a day. Im not abusing the system

Riding the same high demand attraction multiple times in a day using DAS probably is abuse in the eyes of many.

 

[Brian]

Riding the same high demand attraction multiple times in a day using DAS probably is abuse in the eyes of many.

Why would some view it that way? If DAS is intended to be a replacement for standby for those who cannot wait in the standby queue, why shouldn't they be able to do the same attraction more than once? Non-disabled guests can get in the standby queue as many times per day as they please.

 

[Splash4eva]

Riding the same high demand attraction multiple times in a day using DAS probably is abuse in the eyes of many.

Now we are moving the goal posts? 1st it was people obtaining DAS that didnt need it. Now people who ride things multiple times which is perfectly allowed by Disney is abusing the system?!? Please explain how so?!? Non DAS users can ride things multiple times but DAS users cant?!? Like i said seems like we are moving goal posts. Either way i have yet to see any hard#s of DAS users that are using the system that are lying t obtain that “privilege”. Silence again speaks volumes bc noone can have any insight or proof of that number or to the extent that is happening…

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Why would some view it that way? If DAS is intended to be a replacement for standby for those who cannot wait in the standby queue, why shouldn't they be able to do the same attraction more than once? Non-disabled guests can get in the standby queue as many times per day as they please.

Because very few people, including non-disabled guests, can realistically wait in a 2 hour line three times in a day to ride ROTR. Given the TSMM stats from the lawsuit where 3 percent of people were using 30 percent of the ride’s capacity a reasonable fix would be to limit DAS rerides of extremely popular attractions.

 

[Splash4eva]

Why would some view it that way? If DAS is intended to be a replacement for standby for those who cannot wait in the standby queue, why shouldn't they be able to do the same attraction more than once? Non-disabled guests can get in the standby queue as many times per day as they please.

Its not… Not coming at anyone but neither Len or Steve or Anyone for that matter can answer a simple question as to how many people are using DAS that dont qualify for it… all anyone wants to say is DAS usage is high. That does not imply anything is being done wrong by these users… im not naive to think there is some “fraud” happening but not 1 insider can even give a guestimate.

 

[Brian]

Because very few people, including non-disabled guests, can realistically wait in a 2 hour line three times in a day to ride ROTR. Given the TSMM stats from the lawsuit where 3 percent of people were using 30 percent of the ride’s capacity a reasonable fix would be to limit DAS rerides of extremely popular attractions.

What would physically prevent a non-disabled guest from waiting in a two hour line three times in a single day?

 

[Splash4eva]

Because very few people, including non-disabled guests, can realistically wait in a 2 hour line three times in a day to ride ROTR. Given the TSMM stats from the lawsuit where 3 percent of people were using 30 percent of the ride’s capacity a reasonable fix would be to limit DAS rerides of extremely popular attractions.

Again. Explain to me why you or anyone can decide its abuse when Disney clearly allows it?!? This talk started with DAS users abusing the system bc they lied about needing it to now … where we are saying someone rides 7Ds or Rise twice in a day they are abusing the system?!? Come on now

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

What would physically prevent a non-disabled guest from waiting in a two hour line three times in a single day?

Because life and ability is a spectrum and the average person is not going to be able to wait in a 2 hour line three times in one day? I mean is this really controversial?