GAC to Become DAS

[JLipnick]

I feel a little uneasy about the "kiosks" and here's why: It puts the disabled "on display" and you know that anyone at the kiosk has disabilities (whether hidden or not), which is discriminatory. Also, how many kiosks will there be in each park? If someone who has a loved one with disabilities and has to walk all over the park to get a new "ticket" (one per ride), it truly is a burden for those families. The whole point of the GAC was to make things EASIER for the disabled and I feel this "one ticket per ride" stuff is going to inhibit the disabled from coming to WDW. It will be interesting to see how it all shakes out. I was hoping they would have tried a "test run" at DL first and if successful THEN bring it to WDW. Guess Disney is confident this will work. Crossing my fingers....

I was thinking the same thing. It should be tied to the FP+ and attractions should be able to be added via the app or the FP+ kiosks which will be used by all.

 

[No Time To Say Hello Goodbye]

I was thinking the same thing. It should be tied to the FP+ and attractions should be able to be added via the app or the FP+ kiosks which will be used by all.

My guess is that eventually it will be. Just they aren't ready for that part yet. Again, that is a total guess on my part! MM+ has issues still and I don't think they would want it to mess up on a DAS user. So probably when system is more stable and less prone to technical problems.

 

[flynnibus]

I feel a little uneasy about the "kiosks" and here's why: It puts the disabled "on display" and you know that anyone at the kiosk has disabilities (whether hidden or not), which is discriminatory. Also, how many kiosks will there be in each park?

It's already be discussed with CMs that there will be no kiosks.

The whole point of the GAC was to make things EASIER for the disabled and I feel this "one ticket per ride" stuff is going to inhibit the disabled from coming to WDW

No, the point was to make them able to participate. Address the need.. not 'make it easier'

 

[DISNEYCASTAWAY]

Yes there will be more planning, i already do this for our trips. We get to use the magic bands and fast pass + on this upcoming trip. I made sure to fast pass the most popular rides, and then we will have the GAC at the start of our trip, and the DAS for the end. This only applies to rides with stairs for our family as it always has in the past and will do so under the new system. I will tell you this even with the GAC card the toy story ride almost always had us wait we could not merge like the fast pass users because of the stairs. The wheelchair access is what we have to use and that backs up a lot. This would make us wait to get on the ride longer than the people with fast pass, and sometimes only slightly shorter than the regular line. I can't wait to test the new system. I think it will be great. Our family makes the best of any situation and don't see this being that big of a problem.

 

[DisneyGirl3820]

It's not kiosks, you go to the ride to see the CM. It was a few posts back now.

Ok. Good to hear. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[fosse76]

Yah, I mentioned that one awhile back

I think the genie is out of the bottle on this one.. its too difficult to get people to ignore this as a whole.. but I do think it will kill off the 'me too' bandwagoning.

I think the only way to prevent each member of the party from each getting a DAS in order to exploit the unlimited FP loophole would be to identify every member of the party, and no DAS recipient would be permitted to be listed as a "guest" on another DAS. I assume they will have a database or some type of computer system with recipient information, so this should be rather easy to accomplish (if perhaps a little time-consuming). That would significantly deter abuse.

 

[jrlbc06]

I think the only way to prevent each member of the party from each getting a DAS in order to exploit the unlimited FP loophole would be to identify every member of the party, and no DAS recipient would be permitted to be listed as a "guest" on another DAS. I assume they will have a database or some type of computer system with recipient information, so this should be rather easy to accomplish (if perhaps a little time-consuming). That would significantly deter abuse.

What if two different members of the same party have a legitimate disability. And one disabled member loves Space Mountain and the other doesn't ride that ride. But the one who doesn't ride Space Mountain loves Tower of Terror but the other doesn't ride THAT ride? Can't do it because of the requirement that the guest listed on the DAS ride the ride.



Also they DID do a test run of this in Disneyland over the last month. We visited at the beginning of September. We used to get a GAC card with a 'may use alternative entrance' stamp. At Guest Relations, we were told that this stamp was no longer being used. Instead we were given a GAC with a generic stamp. We would approach each ride and the cast member at the entrance would issue us a return ticket (basically a blank fast pass on which they would write a return time based on the wait time). We would then do something else in the area and return to the ride when it was our time. It worked extremely well, was fair to all guests, and people freaking out about this are the true abusers who are having their magical unlimited front of the line pass taken away.

 

[ddrongowski]

I don't think it is just against disabled people. Common courtesy is out the window. In the 16 years I have been going to WDW(always use Disney transportation) peoples attitudes have changed. I rarely see any adult able bodied men giving up their seats for anyone, including elderly, pregnant women, etc. My husband is the first one to get up if and elderly person gets on and there are no seats. Grown men should be ashamed of themselves for sitting there while the elderly stand. I usually end up giving them my seat and I am no spring chicken myself.

I am like your husband and a man. But the problem in America, is that boys have been being de-masculinized and thus you have males that are not men. But this is not their fault, but the fault of a society wanting everyone to be soft and feminine. That is my true opinion, it was not always this way, but is the only conclusion I can come to, just to let you know I am 45 years old. So I have had time to see the effects.

 

[ddrongowski]

Multiple members of a party get one.

The cheaters will keep cheating.

But this will slow them up a little and make it a little more time-consuming.

But this will slow them down somewhat.

Procedures
-Only 1 (one) active return time can be written on a DAS card placing you in a virtual standby queue. Just like a regular guest in a standby queue, you can't be in multiple lines at once.
-Once a return time has been redeemed it is crossed off and no longer active allowing you get a new return time.
-Crossing off a return time also voids or cancels it to the equivalent of getting out of line.
-DAS Return Times have the same policy as a Fastpass when it comes to early arrivals, but they do not expire at a certain time of that day allowing those with special needs to not be restricted to returning back by a specific time if it doesn't work for them. The catch however is that it will still remain active and additional return times can't be gotten until it is used.

 

[ddrongowski]

But wouldn't be pretty obvious if more then one member of a party attempt to get matching return times? Or will it not be that concise?

Unless they only want to ride that one ride this will slow them down somewhat.
Procedures
-Only 1 (one) active return time can be written on a DAS card placing you in a virtual standby queue. Just like a regular guest in a standby queue, you can't be in multiple lines at once.
-Once a return time has been redeemed it is crossed off and no longer active allowing you get a new return time.
-Crossing off a return time also voids or cancels it to the equivalent of getting out of line.
-DAS Return Times have the same policy as a Fastpass when it comes to early arrivals, but they do not expire at a certain time of that day allowing those with special needs to not be restricted to returning back by a specific time if it doesn't work for them. The catch however is that it will still remain active and additional return times can't be gotten until it is used.

 

[Goofyernmost]

Unless they only want to ride that one ride this will slow them down somewhat.
Procedures
-Only 1 (one) active return time can be written on a DAS card placing you in a virtual standby queue. Just like a regular guest in a standby queue, you can't be in multiple lines at once.
-Once a return time has been redeemed it is crossed off and no longer active allowing you get a new return time.
-Crossing off a return time also voids or cancels it to the equivalent of getting out of line.
-DAS Return Times have the same policy as a Fastpass when it comes to early arrivals, but they do not expire at a certain time of that day allowing those with special needs to not be restricted to returning back by a specific time if it doesn't work for them. The catch however is that it will still remain active and additional return times can't be gotten until it is used.

So the real trick is ride it and move on to the next one, do something that doesn't require special access during the wait, then rinse and repeat. I could see that working.

 

[ddrongowski]

You don't need matching return times... the second person gets on the attraction as a guest of the first person.

You use the second card to get a 're-ride' time... or you use it to stack times and reduce the wait till your next attraction.

Now that we know return times aren't enforced, your party could get up to 6 DAS cards and stack up to 6 attractions if you had 6 people in your group who were willing to lie to get a card.

Here is a simple fix and maybe it is already in place, but if you get a DAS you cannot be listed on someone elses DAS. I would believe I would remember you in a 60 minute window if I saw you 2 or 3 times.

 

[ddrongowski]

So, what happens when Peter Pan is 101, Pooh is in referb, and Snow White no longer exists?

I'm not trying to be difficult, this could easily be your reality this very week with the GAC.

I had the same thought.

 

[ddrongowski]

So the real trick is ride it and move on to the next one, do something that doesn't require special access during the wait, then rinse and repeat. I could see that working.

Still slows them down when standby lines are 60+ minutes.

 

[Matt_Black]

I am like your husband and a man. But the problem in America, is that boys have been being de-masculinized and thus you have males that are not men. But this is not their fault, but the fault of a society wanting everyone to be soft and feminine. That is my true opinion, it was not always this way, but is the only conclusion I can come to, just to let you know I am 45 years old. So I have had time to see the effects.

That's... I... you... Men not learning their manners is somehow a result of "feminization"?!? You realize that with being feminine comes more empathy, meaning if they WERE more soft and feminine, they'd be MORE likely to give up their seats?

 

[Goofyernmost]

Still slows them down when standby lines are 60+ minutes.

I agree!

 

[darthspielberg]

So, what happens when Peter Pan is 101, Pooh is in referb, and Snow White no longer exists?

I'm not trying to be difficult, this could easily be your reality this very week with the GAC.

No, I understand.

Under the new system they probably won't ride Peter Pan much, considering it's long wait times. Previously, they'd end up in the Fastpass line and waiting a much shorter wait.

As for things like Pooh going down, they've been through that, they were there right before it re-opened after it's refurb a few years back. They simply have to tell him every day that Pooh isn't open. Sometimes it's causes a tantrum, sometimes it doesn't. Hard to guess which will be the case.

Snow White has been a very big problem for them. He loved that ride to death, and now it's gone, and they explain that, but it hasn't quite sunk in. It will eventually (I think the Mine Cart ride will help)

 

[ddrongowski]

That's... I... you... Men not learning their manners is somehow a result of "feminization"?!? You realize that with being feminine comes more empathy, meaning if they WERE more soft and feminine, they'd be MORE likely to give up their seats?

I disagree and that is fine. But the reason I disagree is that if that was the case 99% of women would give up their seat and I do not see that.

 

[Matt_Black]

I disagree and that is fine. But the reason I disagree is that if that was the case 99% of women would give up their seat and I do not see that.

Well, if it affects both men and women, then it's something that goes across genders, so it's probably a bit hasty to ascribe it to "feminization". I agree that it's something to do with modern culture, but I think it's more due to the... self-absorbededness (not a word, I know) that comes with current technologies and social media.

 

[flynnibus]

Here is a simple fix and maybe it is already in place, but if you get a DAS you cannot be listed on someone elses DAS. I would believe I would remember you in a 60 minute window if I saw you 2 or 3 times.

I think the only way to prevent each member of the party from each getting a DAS in order to exploit the unlimited FP loophole would be to identify every member of the party, and no DAS recipient would be permitted to be listed as a "guest" on another DAS. I assume they will have a database or some type of computer system with recipient information, so this should be rather easy to accomplish (if perhaps a little time-consuming). That would significantly deter abuse.

This was mentioned when another poster mentioned another park used handstamps. You could prevent a 'guest' from getting a DAS card themselves. But it is difficult in practice because there are legit scenarios where if you have two disabled in a group... and they want to ride different rides, etc. You force the group to stick together... which has issues.

I talked through this whole scenario back on Monday.. see post below..

One angle the current rumored system does not address... is the idea of abusers getting multiple cards for party to get more rerides. They should make it so a DAS holder can not also be a 'guest' of a DAS holder.

Here's how you would work it.. and why it needs to be addressed.

I'm a party of 4 dudes. I send Dude1 in to get a DAS for his party of 4 (Dude1...4). I then send Dude2 in to get a DAS for 'his' party of 4 (same Dude1...4). Now we have 2 DAS cards in our party. That means we can hold up to 2 different DAS 'time slots' at the same time. Extend the scenario and you can get more.

Dude1 goes to kiosk and gets return time T1. Dude2 goes to kiosk and gets return time T2.

Now you goto the attraction, Dude1 flashes his DAS, and all four people get on. Woohoo! Let's ride again! Loop around.. Dude2 flashes his DAS and all four people get on again. Of course Dude2 could have gotten a return time for a separate attraction in the first place.. and reduced his effective wait by doing the first attraction while waiting for his T2 time to come up. No go and get new T3 and T4 times... and repeat the process. Now the group can bounce between rides with reduced waits with minimal effort. The more passes they have, the more rides they can do before turning to the kiosk.

Now here is the problem. You can't limit a DAS to one per party. Why not? What if a family has two disabled kids that each prefer different rides? If you only had one pass, you'd force the pass holder to ride everything. If little Johnny doesn't like Space Mountain, but his disabled older sister does... she needs her own pass. Now each child needs their own pass.

You could 'mark' each DAS accompanying guest with a stamp... but you can't exclude a stamped user from getting a DAS for the reason just mentioned above. The solution is to require DAS guests to have their own timecards.. which can only have one time on it at a time. But Disney's solution appears to be more like a FP pass that is consumed.. vs a timecard that is reused.