New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Ayla]

Just out of personal curiosity, how would DAS help with that condition? Even if she was allowed to skip a line to the very end, how do you guarantee that no one else in the ride vehicle has taken THC. Heck with ever easing restrictions on THC use you could have CM's who are assisting people with DAS that have used it. Like any environmental allegory or sever peanut allergy that one seems very hard to control/mitigate in a large public setting.

Agreed. DAS will do nothing to help, especially since 1) she is still standing in line while passing hundreds of people and she's literally walking past thousands of people a day.

 

[Happyday]

Its probably wouldnt but guess what. Now many many people will have nothing … so once again trying to hide behind a legal battle thinking people can win will cost everyone the access they needed. Again. Go to a 3rd party prove your ailment system and call it a day.

Hahhhh now I am confused! I totally don't understand what you are saying. I am just talking about the re-ride situation not DAS in it's totality. Also I know Universal uses the IBCCES system so it is pre proven, I am asking after you get that approval how do they accommodate them?

 

[Disstevefan1]

No, they just won't do rides over a certain wait time according to them.

Oh boy. There are not many attractions with short standbys these days.

Well it leaves a lot of time to buy merch and food.

After all, isn't that the real reason we are there anyway?

 

[Vclguy90]

So what are you folks going to do? Buy genie+? I looked into it and how to use it and, due to it's complexities and seemingly unuserabilty, I couldn't fathom how it even worked. Made me even more confident in my needing to use the DAS system. My brain can't wrap itself around how it works to the point to where I gave up.

 

[larryz]

My guess -- and it's just a guess -- is that Disney ran the geolocation data of people using DAS based on the location reported by their MDE app, and noticed that many people who "can't wait in line" were spending their time waiting for their DAS window waiting in line for other attractions.

 

[Happyday]

I am going to ask this again as there is radio silence... After you get your IBCCES at Universal what does their accomodations look like? How do those individuals ride the rides?

 

[JAN J]

Based on the few reports I’ve seen so far, it looks like they are denying DAS to those who are Level 1, particularly if they are adults. My guess is that they know this is going to end up in court, but Genie+ is so profitable that Disney is willing to go that route in an attempt to decrease DAS users in the LL.

I don't want to pinpoint this your comment specifically, but (in regards to autism and similar conditions) why are we assuming that Disney will be taken to court because of this change? And even if it does, what are the odds that they lose?

I know that the over tightening of restrictions (which I believe will be smoothed over time) will definitely cause distress for some families, but there's a big difference between what they have to do (official disability guidelines) and special accommodations they provide at will.

 

[Vclguy90]

My guess -- and it's just a guess -- is that Disney ran the geolocation data of people using DAS based on the location reported by their MDE app, and noticed that many people who "can't wait in line" were spending their time waiting for their DAS window waiting in line for other attractions.

Sucks for the people that literally used as intended and went to go sit down and have a beer or something.

 

[pdude81]

I am going to ask this again as there is radio silence... After you get your IBCCES at Universal what does their accomodations look like? How do those individuals ride the rides?

My understanding from being in some Universal Groups online is that IBCCES verifies the disability, but the guests still have to go to someone in park to get approved for the appropriate accommodations for that disability. So there have been people with mobility issues that get approved by IBCCES as having a valid disability, but since many of the queues are accessible they didn't get to use the express line for many rides.

This is all hearsay of course since I'm retelling stuff I kind of half remember. But the pre-interview with IBCCES is just one piece of the puzzle.

 

[Comped]

My guess -- and it's just a guess -- is that Disney ran the geolocation data of people using DAS based on the location reported by their MDE app, and noticed that many people who "can't wait in line" were spending their time waiting for their DAS window waiting in line for other attractions.

I mean, wasn't that exactly what Disney said could be done under DAS? Enjoy other attractions and offerings while waiting? The list of rides I've ever done that for is relatively limited (Peoplemover, Ellen, GMR, once in a rare while a different ride or two that had a wait time under 15-20 mins) - because they all had short enough waits that I could handle waiting in the normal line.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

why are we assuming that Disney will be taken to court because of this change?

If Disney stopped providing any DAS for anyone I think they would have more of a chance legally - but this seems like a very odd choice and I can’t imagine it actually went through a legal department that specializes in disability access.

Having non-medically trained CM’s judge the level of a condition over zoom is just asking for legal issues.

If someone asks for an interpreter at a parade or performance the CM doesn’t ask the severity of your hearing loss and judge if you really need an interpreter or not do they?

 

[mhumphr6]

I'm not sure if that would qualify or not (seems like a "No" but that's just an educated guess based on the changes made and the few reports of results under the new system). I'm not sure how DAS would really solve your wife's issue, though. Disney doesn't drug test people when they enter, so how would anyone know if someone in the LL line had an edible before getting in line? It seems line the risk is the same in both lines.

The lightning line has provided an easier escape to get out of line if something does happen and gives a lower chance of being exposed to someone that has taken something. She has been stuck in a queue line before at a different theme park, had a reaction, and the park had to shut down the ride and evacuate the queue line to get medical personal there cause no one wanted to lose there space. Course there is always the risk of having it happen out side walking around the parks but that is also why she never goes alone. Genie plus is also not refundable and she could have a reaction before it’s even used which is kind of why I think they give das to development families instead of just telling to get genie plus as well. Idk it would have to be a wait and see

 

[DisneyHead123]

I don't want to pinpoint this your comment specifically, but (in regards to autism and similar conditions) why are we assuming that Disney will be taken to court because of this change? And even if it does, what are the odds that they lose?

I know that the over tightening of restrictions (which I believe will be smoothed over time) will definitely cause distress for some families, but there's a big difference between what they have to do (official disability guidelines) and special accommodations they provide at will.

Theme park accommodations are a blurry area because there’s not a ton of legal precedent, that I’m aware of. Which makes a challenge to these systems more likely, to my mind. If theme park accommodations were well established, people probably wouldn’t bother. But specifically because no one knows for sure what is and isn’t allowed, legally - it leaves open the possibility that such systems could be overturned, thus creating an incentive to challenge this in court.

I will say that I’m not sure what lobbying groups for those with various disabilities look like. That’s who probably has the money to fund such things, so if lobbying groups are not there or not well funded, it might make it less likely (although there are probably lawyers willing to work for free given that this would be a high profile case with lots of national coverage.)

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

If Disney stopped providing any DAS for anyone I think they would have more of a chance legally - but this seems like a very odd choice and I can’t imagine it actually went through a legal department that specializes in disability access.

Having non-medically trained CM’s judge the level of a condition over zoom is just asking for legal issues.

If someone asks for an interpreter at a parade or performance the CM doesn’t ask the severity of your hearing loss and judge if you really need an interpreter or not do they?

Take this FWIW since all I’m going on is the same anecdotes from the last few days were all reading, but it seems like they’re laser focusing on the needs of the individual and not very concerned with the level of the condition. It almost seems like they’re divorcing the conditions from the needs which is how some conditions that traditionally did qualify are being denied.

So the CMs seem to be avoiding the judging medically thing completely. Just my interpretation from the reports though.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I mean, wasn't that exactly what Disney said could be done under DAS? Enjoy other attractions and offerings while waiting? The list of rides I've ever done that for is relatively limited (Peoplemover, Ellen, GMR, once in a rare while a different ride or two that had a wait time under 15-20 mins) - because they all had short enough waits that I could handle waiting in the normal line.

This goes along with my comment earlier, Disney designed a program, and implemented policies, that made DAS ripe for soft abuse (for lack of a better word), whether your condition prevented waiting in a 10 minute line or a 45 minute line the advise was the same… use DAS and do other things while you wait. While it wasn’t outright abuse it lead to unsustainable overuse, and that’s why we are where we are now.

Had Disney changed their policies to limit use to specific line lengths, to a certain number of rides a day, to 1 use per ride, to a certain group size, etc they probably could have salvaged DAS, instead they just eliminated it and now those who genuinely needed it are left with nothing.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Class. Action. Train. Let's go

I don’t think so

 

[Disstevefan1]

This goes along with my comment earlier, Disney designed a program, and implemented policies, that made DAS ripe for soft abuse (for lack of a better word), whether your condition prevented waiting in a 10 minute line or a 45 minute line the advise was the same… use DAS and do other things while you wait. While it wasn’t outright abuse it lead to unsustainable overuse, and that’s why we are where we are now.

Had Disney changed their policies to limit use to specific line lengths, to a certain number of rides a day, to 1 use per ride, to a certain group size, etc they probably could have salvaged DAS, instead they just eliminated it and now those who genuinely needed it are left with nothing.

You are correct. Disney created this problem and now is over compensating to (try to fix it?)

 

[Disstevefan1]

I don’t think so

All is needed is to find a lawyer willing to take it on. Will it fly is another story.

I NEVER EXPECTED the AP lawsuit to go anywhere and the APs won the lawsuit.

 

[RamblinWreck]

Just reading the responses I’ve seen from people approved and denied so far, I think I can see what the magic words are that someone needs to use to game the system in this iteration.

It seems pretty clear that they want as few people as possible on the DAS, and it seems pretty clear what situations they want to use the DAS to avoid.

I don’t think I should say them though…

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

This goes along with my comment earlier, Disney designed a program, and implemented policies, that made DAS ripe for soft abuse (for lack of a better word), whether your condition prevented waiting in a 10 minute line or a 45 minute line the advise was the same… use DAS and do other things while you wait. While it wasn’t outright abuse it lead to unsustainable overuse, and that’s why we are where we are now.

Had Disney changed their policies to limit use to specific line lengths, to a certain number of rides a day, to 1 use per ride, to a certain group size, etc they probably could have salvaged DAS, instead they just eliminated it and now those who genuinely needed it are left with nothing.

These policy changes only make sense (save for the group size one) if we’re viewing DAS as an overall assist with the goal of making the individuals day smoother and not simply access to individual attractions. DAS isn’t intended to be that though. When you cut off repeats and number of overall rides per day, you’re no longer providing access the same way the general public has via the standby lines.

They seem to be leaning way harder into it being about access at each attraction, which to me is why return to line is being deemed as an appropriate accommodation despite it being arguably less convenient.