New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Angel Ariel]

It's also amazing that this wasn't a thing that happened for the first 40 or so years of Disneyland's existence before the ADA existed.

Yes because then society basically shunted people with developmental and/or cognitive disabilities into institutions or hid them at home.

Not exactly something I would like society going back to.

 

[phillip9698]

What do other parks not offer?

Parks such as Six Flags require documented information from a doctor which is then reviewed by a 3rd party to receive a pass. And this must be completed prior to visit, not at a kiosk with people making 12 dollars an hour who just want to finish their shift without issues.

Cedar Fair parks have passes that still require your group to wait in the physical queue if you are disabled but dont need an attendant. But i will admit, this still depends on how much the patron complains and how over it the worker is at the moment.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Yes that’s fine it’s Disney’s choice, but people are allowed to voice their displeasure.

There's a difference between "voicing displeasure" and some of the things posted in this thread.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think I’ve been pretty clear that people with appropriate disabilities should and will be accommodated.

There are people with physical issues not alleviated by a mobility device who were already facing challenges being provided with accommodations. Every indication is that this will become even harder.

 

[flynnibus]

It's also amazing that this wasn't a thing that happened for the first 40 or so years of Disneyland's existence before the ADA existed.

Huh?

Disney has been accommodating guests with disability needs long before the ADA made it a legal requirement.

 

[Trauma]

You are making several assumptions there, partner. I’ve said nothing about my life experience but thanks. Typical response, though. I think I’ve been pretty clear that people with appropriate disabilities should and will be accommodated. DAS will not be the only accommodation provided.

And people are abusing the current system. This is a fact supported by bountiful evidence that has caused Disney to make this change in the first place.

“One has to think those vocally dismissive toward these changes (before even seeing how they work out) have been taking advantage of the system”

Maybe I’m taking your words out of context, but the way I read it your calling a member of my family and abuser.

 

[Purduevian]

Nice there is a whole group of you making ignorant comments.

Did it ever occur to you that there is people that legitimately need DAS that are no longer eligible?

Yes that’s fine it’s Disney’s choice, but people are allowed to voice their displeasure.

At this time we don't know where Disney will draw the line on getting DAS. My hope is that everyone receives the appropriate accommodations that they require. I also believe that before this change:
1) It was too easy for people with no accommodations needed to receive this pass (abusers)
2) Many people that could have been just fine with other reduced or no accommodations received the pass because of the advantages associated with DAS (although these people have a disability)
3) There are still people where nothing other than DAS will allow them to experience an attraction. These people should still get DAS.

I also have opinions that DAS goes too far for people in group 3. However, I would much rather have the current DAS system for those people than no DAS at all.

 

[ToTBellHop]

There are people with physical issues not alleviated by a mobility device who were already facing challenges being provided with accommodations. Every indication is that this will become even harder.

I have a friend with a condition that is slowly fixing his joints together, for whom it is very painful to sit in a wheelchair but also hard to walk (standing is ok) and he was basically told to get a scooter and drive through most queues.

He decided WDW isn’t for him any more although he also said there are parts of a WDW trip beyond the queues that are also hard. The whole trip is hard. Not sure a bloated Lightning Lane would have helped all that much, though.

 

[Patcheslee]

people with disabilities also often have higher rates of anxiety also. The lack of clear information from Disney will heighten anxiety, especially for people with trips near the changeover date. Having anxiety about an upcoming change that there is little clear information about to know whether it will impact you or not doesn't mean one is abusing DAS and doesn't really need it.

I'm already watching standby line queue videos to get an idea where the exits are if I need them cause it at least helps a bit to know where the escape is.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Huh?

Disney has been accommodating guests with disability needs long before the ADA made it a legal requirement.

I mean, if you think that Disneyland had an equivalent line-skip system to DAS or GAC circa 1955-1975, then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Splash4eva]

“One has to think those vocally dismissive toward these changes (before even seeing how they work out) have been taking advantage of the system”

Maybe I’m taking your words out of context, but the way I read it your calling a member of my family and abuser.

Same here but hey ignorance is bliss…

 

[Angel Ariel]

I mean, if you think that Disneyland had an equivalent line-skip system to DAS or GAC circa 1955-1975, then I don't know what to tell you.

If you think people with disabilities were going to Disneyland (or really most public places of entertainment) in similar numbers pre and post ADA, then I don't know what to tell you either. Especially in that 1955-1975 timeline.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Huh?

Disney has been accommodating guests with disability needs long before the ADA made it a legal requirement.

California and Florida both started requiring accessible features at public accommodations before the federal government. Both states even provided input to the US Access Board when the ADA Standards for Accessible Design were first developed.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

If you think people with disabilities were going to Disneyland (or really most public places of entertainment) in similar numbers pre and post ADA, then I don't know what to tell you either. Especially in that 1955-1975 timeline.

Ok, well then I expect we will see news stories about people passing out in the lines, throwing up, and having panic attacks and other medical events in the queues of all the Six Flags Parks, Sea World, Universal, Busch Gardens, and local amusement parks any day now. Most of those have accomodations that are arguably even more restrictive than what Disney is moving towards with its new DAS rules. The comment I was responding to was from a poster who indicated that this was about to start happening in the Disney queues as a result of these changes. That was a ridiculously hyperbolic comment.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Here is another gem—my coworker who admitted she knew JUST WHAT TO SAY to the DAS line to make sure her entire family of 8 can get DAS because her son has (mild) ADHD is now complaining that this will be a huge problem because grandma cant handle the heat. Grandma has no disability.

But sure. No one is abusing this and anyone who suggests they are is an ignorant a-hole.

I should probably step away. Disney agrees that it’s being abused and needs to be limited better. So that’s that.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm already watching standby line queue videos to get an idea where the exits are if I need them cause it at least helps a bit to know where the escape is.

Not to make things worse, but most of those exits are not going to be intended for regular guest use. If they don’t trigger an alarm there is still a good chance they will deposit you backstage.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Ok, well then I expect we will see news stories about people passing out in the lines, throwing up, and having panic attacks and other medical events in the queues of all the Six Flags Parks, Sea World, Universal, Busch Gardens, and local amusement parks any day now. Most of those have accomodations that are arguably even more restrictive than what Disney is moving towards with its new DAS rules. The comment I was responding to was from a poster who indicated that this was about to start happening in the Disney queues as a result of these changes. That was a ridiculously hyperbolic comment.

You made multiple statements about pre ADA disability accommodations at Disneyland. That's all I responded to.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Here is another gem—my coworker who admitted she knew JUST WHAT TO SAY to the DAS line to make sure her entire family of 8 can get DAS because her son has (mild) ADHD is now complaining that this will be a huge problem because grandma cant handle the heat. Grandma has no disability.

But sure. No one is abusing this and anyone who suggests they are is an ignorant a-hole.

I should probably step away. Disney agrees that it’s being abused and needs to be limited better. So that’s that.

Very few people in this thread have denied the existence of DAS abuse.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

But these words out of context can be distorted too.

Is "if I have to" without any consequence? Meaning... take for example the person with the handicap parking because they can't walk long distances... it doesn't only mean they can't physically do it ever, it can mean they have trouble doing so, or even to the point of difficult to do.

Does "if I have to" mean they can tolerate it for 20mins if they have to.. or does it mean "I can do it for hours on end..". The idea of posing for a photo doesn't address this distinction at all.

Can a deaf person read lips enough to get by in a video intro? Maybe...
Does that mean they shouldn't be offered Closed Captioning because they can get by partially or with difficulty w/o?

I don't know this woman or her issue - but I think taking her as a poster child of the issue of 'need vs want' is not a great platform to preach from.

Severity is hard to communicate and interpret, especially when dealing with topics that are related to coping or tolerance.. instead of physically impossible.

Visiting Disney shouldn't be a matter of 'what you can survive' - Its intended to be an enjoyable experience. From a customer service prospective, that is going to mean trying to make guests comfortable where they can. That is going to open up the discussion to things about what reduces negatives for guests and not just dealing with 'what you can absolutely physically do if you had to'.

And this is why it's difficult to fit one answer to all problems... especially when the solutions include things that people would otherwise .

She said her eyes can't stand the sun even with sunglasses. She also gave People a photo of herself at MK in the sun without sunglasses (in what appears to be a DAS section for a stage show based on the row of ECVs behind her, although maybe that's just a coincidence that a group of people all in ECVs were there at the same time). The vast majority of queues are either indoors or have some degree of shade from coverings or trees and shrubs. Slinky is the only queue I can think of that doesn't have adequate shade, even after they added some covering. Add it all up and there's no reason to believe she can't visit the parks without DAS.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

Since TRON is on the virtual queue, that one might not be the best example.

Someone who has a heart condition that triggers an arrythmia when they get overheated, for instance, might be best served trying to experience that attraction at night, or in the morning. But you don't get much of a choice when it comes to the VQ.

Someone with a heart condition shouldn't ride TRON at all.