New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[pigglewiggle]

There's a lawyer out there who just got VERYYYYY excited over this line. Waiting for this to change after someone chucks a lawsuit at Disney, especially as someone on the spectrum myself. It's only a matter of time until someone sues because Disney deemed the person applying for DAS had a 'mild case'.

This is a shame.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

This is all well and good but the people who have trips scheduled w/in days of the new rules have really not been given ample time. I called Disney the other day to see if refunds would be issued and was told this would have to be an elevated conversation and there would be no guarantee of a refund. So, basically, people whose trips will fall w/in a short time of the implementation might get screwed.

An “elevated conversation” is very easy to do, and I bet you anything that if you elevate to the first level of escalation they will absolutely give you a refund.

 

[KaitlinGrace1990]

I agree the list can become overwhelming and a shorter list may help however as I have mentioned in the past there are questions they can and do ask even without knowing a diagnosis and each question builds on the previous question. Again I don't want to give too much information but I trust that with the extra training these cast members will hopefully getting the cast members will be able to make the right decision.

Agreed. Since they really have always insisted they don’t want a diagnosis… they just need to know what the person struggles with that is relevant to their ability to wait in traditional lines… I feel that as long as people can communicate what the (non mobility related) challenges are with lines Disney will be able to determine how to help

 

[Moth]

This is a shame.

I personally feel they should not be using wording like 'mild case' when it comes to autism. which is widely known to be on a spectrum. There is no such thing as a 'mild case' of autism and I personally think it's disgusting Disney is even inferring it even exists.

 

[Angel Ariel]

This is a shame.

This is why it's always been about explaining the accommodations needed and not diagnosis.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I hope you are correct, but I can tell you from personal experience that I am doubtful. See that picture by my name? The day that was taken, we were in line for the safari. At the point where you are required to park your stroller, I take it out of line and park it, and the 2 minutes later when I came back to line, the ladies behind us tried to physically block me from rejoining my wife, daughter and brother. They had been behind me for 30 minutes and had watched me take the stroller out, yet tried to block my reentry.

I really hope there is a good plan for the return-to-line program. In theory, I think it is an excellent idea. But my faith in the average Disney line denizen to play nice and make this work is not high.

I saw something similar, and equally disturbing.

On a very busy mid-day in 2023, the area near the entrance of BTMRR queue was crowded.

Family arrives: Two eager approx 10-year old boys running ahead, mom+ dad come next, trying to keep up. Fifteen feet behind mom and dad comes slower-walking grandma, except the family doesn't notice she's fallen a bit behind. {Actually, since then I've since noticed this pattern happening a LOT at WDW.}

So several families cut in-between mom+dad and very petite grandma. Not line cutting, just funneled. A short- and I mean short distance later- just past the ride entrance- petite grandma has to pass about 10 people to catch up to mom/dad/kids. Mind, all within 3minutes of entering the queue, grandma politely taps folks on the shoulder, "May I please pass you to rejoin my family?" while pointing to her family.

A burly guy loudly YELLS, "No! NOBODY will pass ME!" then continues to verbally berate her for several minutes, clearly standing over her like a giant bull. He's so loud and obnoxious, that everybody in the queue is now staring at him.

Luckily, at that point, mom+dad noticed that grandma had fallen behind. Luckily, the bull's wife also intervened and prevailed upon him to reconsider. He let grandma pass, but continued to bellow for some time.

His instant rage was rather disturbing.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I personally feel they should not be using wording like 'mild case' when it comes to autism. which is widely known to be on a spectrum. There is no such thing as a 'mild case' of autism and I personally think it's disgusting Disney is even inferring it even exists.

There are absolutely differing severities of diagnoses. Someone in my life is very high functioning Aspergers. She would say herself she doesn't need a DAS.

 

[Patcheslee]

I doubt people are worried so much about the people who actually saw them leave so much as they're concerned about the new people who will have entered the line after they left who wouldn't have seen them leave.

This 100% for me. I've had a couple negative confrontations with trying to reenter because I didn't have a little one with me. Most that stands out is a lady pulled the "you're an adult you should have gone before getting in line". Ppl seem more judgemental towards adults. Actually just compounds the anxiety of waiting in a line.

 

[lentesta]

There's a lawyer out there who just got VERYYYYY excited over this line. Waiting for this to change after someone chucks a lawsuit at Disney, especially as someone on the spectrum myself. It's only a matter of time until someone sues because Disney deemed the person applying for DAS had a 'mild case'.

They seem like they’re very prepared for litigation.

 

[pigglewiggle]

This is why it's always been about explaining the accommodations needed and not diagnosis.

And you still can if you ask for a healthcare professional during interview.

Unless actual experience tells us differently.

 

[Happyday]

I personally feel they should not be using wording like 'mild case' when it comes to autism. which is widely known to be on a spectrum. There is no such thing as a 'mild case' of autism and I personally think it's disgusting Disney is even inferring it even exists.

Agree not sure how to word it but 'autism and similar' are spectrum issues and some higher functioning may or may not be able to handle lines. Again this is where the questions that are asked will be important, I think taking it on an individual case by case situation is best they probably shouldn't have added that.

 

[Moth]

There are absolutely differing severities of diagnoses. Someone in my life is very high functioning Aspergers. She would say herself she doesn't need a DAS.

See but I have high functioning aspergers also and I feel like I need DAS due to how stressful some of the queues are for me at some of the parks. Some of these queues pack you in like sardines, some of these queues have you bake in Floridian heat, it's just a lot of different factors for something when I'm trying to enjoy a vacation with family. For something like autism, what works for one person isn't going to work for the other. I fully see where that someone in your life is coming from though.

But Disney will always face this issue with people trying their best to treat this as a 'free genie' or with others seeing it as a 'instant get on ride button'. And it's hard to mitigate that without other major things changing in the parks. It's just a shame that there just wasn't another way to fix this system without some form of casualty to people who actually need it.

They seem like they’re very prepared for litigation.

It's Disney. Of course they are!

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

They seem like they’re very prepared for litigation.

Honestly, as a lawyer myself, I’d say litigation on this matter is just as likely to set a precedent that a DAS type line-skip system as an accommodation at a theme park isn’t legally required for anyone, as it is to set the precedent that Disney has made it too narrow. This is especially the case given the current makeup of the federal courts in Florida, the eleventh circuit, and the Supreme Court.

 

[RamblinWreck]

There's a lawyer out there who just got VERYYYYY excited over this line. Waiting for this to change after someone chucks a lawsuit at Disney, especially as someone on the spectrum myself. It's only a matter of time until someone sues because Disney deemed the person applying for DAS had a 'mild case'.

I would be surprised if they are truly trying to determine how mild your autism is, rather than make a judgment based on how you described your condition affects your ability to stand in line.

If you just say “I’m on the spectrum”, even if that’s true, it’s not going to qualify for anything on its own.

 

[flynnibus]

The people most near the greeter CM at the end of the line? I would hope a loud announcement from the CM asking to clear a path will suffice for them.

Yeah if lines were 50ft long… but they are not.

Good luck on everest for instance…

 

[Happyday]

There are absolutely differing severities of diagnoses. Someone in my life is very high functioning Aspergers. She would say herself she doesn't need a DAS.

Exactly what I am thinking. I have seen and know how much of a range and how different individuals are. Just because you have an autism diagnosis doesn't mean you are not an individual with different needs than someone else with autism. Again this is where I am hopeful the cast members get some extra training and support.

 

[RamblinWreck]

I personally feel they should not be using wording like 'mild case' when it comes to autism. which is widely known to be on a spectrum. There is no such thing as a 'mild case' of autism and I personally think it's disgusting Disney is even inferring it even exists.

To be clear, they aren’t using that wording.

What we have seen posted in this thread is effectively a game of telephone.

Something was relayed to the CM’s. That was relayed to Len. That’s now being relayed to us.

Specific wording is likely to have changed.

 

[KaitlinGrace1990]

I saw something similar, and equally disturbing.

On a very busy mid-day in 2023, the area near the entrance of BTMRR queue was crowded.

Family arrives: Two eager approx 10-year old boys running ahead, mom+ dad come next, trying to keep up. Fifteen feet behind mom and dad comes slower-walking grandma, except the family doesn't notice she's fallen a bit behind. {Actually, since then I've since noticed this pattern happening a LOT at WDW.}

So several families cut in-between mom+dad and very petite grandma. Not line cutting, just funneled. A short- and I mean short distance later- just past the ride entrance- petite grandma has to pass about 10 people to catch up to mom/dad/kids. Mind, all within 3minutes of entering the queue, grandma politely taps folks on the shoulder, "May I please pass you to rejoin my family?" while pointing to her family.

A burly guy loudly YELLS, "No! NOBODY will pass ME!" then continues to verbally berate her for several minutes, clearly standing over her like a giant bull. He's so loud and obnoxious, that everybody in the queue is now staring at him.

Luckily, at that point, mom+dad noticed that grandma had fallen behind. Luckily, the bull's wife also intervened and prevailed upon him to reconsider. He let grandma pass, but continued to bellow for some time.

His instant rage was rather disturbing.

Wow… for some people there just are not words (well there are words…. But not nice ones lol). But in all seriousness, I do hope that since they plan to have a lot of folks leaving and entering lines, they also have cast members accessible to prevent these sort of scenarios.

 

[Happyday]

I would be surprised if they are truly trying to determine how mild your autism is, rather than make a judgment based on how you described your condition affects your ability to stand in line.

If you just say “I’m on the spectrum”, even if that’s true, it’s not going to qualify for anything on its own.

BINGO!

 

[RamblinWreck]

Wow… for some people there just are not words (well there are words…. But not nice ones lol). But in all seriousness, I do hope that since they plan to have a lot of folks leaving and entering lines, they also have cast members accessible to prevent these sort of scenarios.

The cynical side of me says the they probably want to have leaving the line available as an option they have offered just to protect from lawsuits, but they’d rather it not seem like an easy or comfortable thing to do.