New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[DisneyHead123]

I think the reality is that anyone who has previously received DAS is never going to want to switch to the new system because it doesn’t benefit them as much, regardless of whether the accommodation fits the disability

I think it's probably a mix. Some people may see it as a downgrade. But for someone with anxiety issues, this is basically saying they have to wait until they have a panic attack, and then get out of line (at which point they're already mid panic attack). For those who might encounter a medical need, I can see how the idea of getting out of line quickly if needed could be scary. Some of those lines are quite packed and there's no obvious place where a person could alert a CM that they need to leave without either waiting quite awhile or pushing past people.

Unless they are going to give you one of those giant flags to hold up, lol (you know the ones they give you in corn mazes, so the staff can come retrieve you if you're lost), I really don't see any way around that. I don't want to prejudge, but I just literally see no physical way that would not be the case with the current line structures.

 

[dreamfinder912]

I have yet to see a single person say that the return to line plan might work for their family. It’s kind of curious because it’s the obvious choice for the majority of people who can cognitively manage the wait but have physical limitations.

Because it's riddled with questions and worries that can't/won't be answered ahead of time. How sick do we have to let ourselves get in line before we're allowed to leave the line without the threat of "oh you're abusing the system, banned for life" hanging over? Will we make it out in time? Will we recover quickly enough to catch up with our party and ride? What do we do when we're alone, or if it's an anniversary trip do we spend the bulk of the day without our partner while they wait in line for us? Will the attraction CM believe us in the first place? (this is a big issue for folks like me with invisible disabilities)

It's isolating, intimidating, absolutely riddled with what ifs and stressors. Imagine explaining over and over what you have going on within earshot of other guests and to every poor attraction cm you have to talk to and then relying on them to believe you and help you. Most CMs are wonderful, but they're human and bad days happen to them too. Case by case means care can be tailored. It also means it's incredibly subjective. You may have no problems with one ride one day and then showing up a week later it could be a completely different ruling.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Exiting the queue, no problem.

Re entering to get to your spot is stressful as Joey Bagadoughnuts from Jersey has no idea what you are doing trying to cut in line.

I don’t understand why you keep ignoring that the return to queue uses the lighting lane. There is no “cutting” past someone to return to your place.

 

[Splash4eva]

Until it’s rolling we really have no idea and can’t speak in certainties.

On another board -I think, it may actually have been here, I saw that Disney may have 2 similar but different accommodations at play. One being the more traditional “bathroom pass” system where a person who is already in the queue leaves their party behind and then rejoins, and another being more like DAS 1.0 where a person is pre approved to approach a CM at the entrance and is given a return time.

Disney is seemingly being vague with the details right now, but as others have pointed out I think it’s because there isn’t one set policy that they’re applying across the board to those who do not qualify for the traditional DAS.

Leaves party behind except when you are traveling with a minor child and only adult…

 

[Splash4eva]

The point isn't is it a legit replacement, as good as DAS. The point is it's another accommodation to help those who can't wait in a line. It was never meant to be the same/as good replacement.

Of course people will be angry to get what they see as an inferior product. But if the inferior product does the job, meets ADA requirements, then that's what it will be.

And people have a right to be mad, cancel trips, yell on social media, all of it.

And if the skip the line system really does end up being that the person must leave and come back on their own without CM assistance, or lightning lane, something that deters anger from other guests, then I will agree that it's idiotic.

Again. Im not talking from a legal pov because honestly thats what has messed everything up when courts and lawyers are involved…
Hence why i keep pounding the fact myself and other DAS users should not be allowed re rides or some limit to getting them time wiss

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Because it's riddled with questions and worries that can't/won't be answered ahead of time.

What do we do when we're alone, or if it's an anniversary trip do we spend the bulk of the day without our partner while they wait in line for us? Will the attraction CM believe us in the first place? (this is a big issue for folks like me with invisible disabilities)

It's isolating, intimidating, absolutely riddled with what ifs and stressors.

I think this is the scenario many of us are in right now, we have no idea if it will work or not and that’s very stressful.

In our case it’s just the 2 of us 90% of the time, theoretically I could wait alone in line while my girlfriend leaves and waits alone outside the line but that’s sounds like the worst vacation on earth.

To us it’s not about whether the new system will legally provide access but whether the parks will still be fun.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I think this is the scenario many of us are in right now, we have no idea if it will work or not and that’s very stressful.

In our case it’s just the 2 of us 90% of the time, theoretically I could wait alone in line while my girlfriend leaves and waits alone outside the line but that’s sounds like the worst vacation on earth.

To us it’s not about whether the new system will legally provide access but whether the parks will still be fun.

Sounds like you’ll be joining the rest of us who have been questioning whether the parks are still fun the last few years.

 

[Drdcm]

Because it's riddled with questions and worries that can't/won't be answered ahead of time. How sick do we have to let ourselves get in line before we're allowed to leave the line without the threat of "oh you're abusing the system, banned for life" hanging over? Will we make it out in time? Will we recover quickly enough to catch up with our party and ride? What do we do when we're alone, or if it's an anniversary trip do we spend the bulk of the day without our partner while they wait in line for us? Will the attraction CM believe us in the first place? (this is a big issue for folks like me with invisible disabilities)

It's isolating, intimidating, absolutely riddled with what ifs and stressors. Imagine explaining over and over what you have going on within earshot of other guests and to every poor attraction cm you have to talk to and then relying on them to believe you and help you. Most CMs are wonderful, but they're human and bad days happen to them too. Case by case means care can be tailored. It also means it's incredibly subjective. You may have no problems with one ride one day and then showing up a week later it could be a completely different ruling.

Sure but then there is anxiety in addition to whatever other disability is present. If the anxiety is disabling, they should see if that qualifies for DAS as well. Be able to define the impairment and consequences and why alternatives aren’t appropriate. Anxiety is tricky. What is an appropriate and reasonable reaction to a 2+ hour wait? Most people won’t get in line because it sucks no matter what.

 

[Grantwil93]

I understand however I'm going to point out again Universal is a no go for a lot of people that go to Disney. The actual accessibility of their rides is unattainable. There is no way we would be able to get on 90% of their rides.

Oh I know, and from a cold hearted buisness sense, Disney knows that. So why would they fear significant lost buisness to competitors due to accessibility? It sucks, but other companies like universal or six flags don't even care to build parks for "everyone" in the first place. It may be time to pressure them to do so given that Disney realizes either many people come to them or simply won't go to major theme parks otherwise.

It sucks. Though, that's why I said EpIc Universe might be a viable option, it might be a bit better in this regard than universal's previous product. That family park in Texas (or wherever it is going) might be a positive sign too. At least I hope it is.

 

[Grantwil93]

It has already been posted that the return to queue system will not involve "cutting past" people. Rather, the person who returns to the queue will use the lightning lane and will meet the rest of their party at the merge.

And it'll be up to the party members in line to tell the merge CM they are waiting for someone and then the party members need to call the ones outside.

Disney was very explicit that they are trying to put as little extra work on frontline CM's for these changes as possible. For better or worse.

I'm not really willing to go into more detail on that front. But hopefully that statment gets the point across.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I can't imagine wanting to visit a place so often that causes me this much anxiety and stress.

I think this was one of the major appeals to Disney and why it had so many repeat visitors, it took a lot of the stress out of traveling.

It was so simple to fly to Orlando, walk downstairs to take the magical express to your hotel, have your bags magically appear in your room, walk outside and take a bus to the parks, never leave the bubble, etc, etc, etc

I debated using the present or past tense because a lot of those things still exist but about half the things that made Disney an easy trip are now gone, now we have to deal with our own bags, deal with our own transportation, deal with a lot of unknowns, it’s become just as stressful as going to any other location.

We just got back from a Kentucky trip for the bourbon trail, I never would have thought renting a car and driving across a state I’d never been in before would be less stressful than a Disney trip but it was far easier. We went to Norway last year and it was less stressful than Disney… Disney is doing something wrong when it’s become less stressful to fly to Europe than it is to visit the US parks.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I really don't understand what you mean here? Both parties waiting at the merge will necessarily have waited in either the standby queue or the lightning lane. They'll also be waiting in a place where there is at least 1 castmember extremely nearby.

What don’t you understand? If someone is waiting at merge they will be waiting there while others go past. Those going past can make comments to the person waiting.

A cast member standing nearby didn’t stop the previous issues which is why physical barriers were put in place.

 

[Drdcm]

I think this was one of the major appeals to Disney and why it had so many repeat visitors, it took a lot of the stress out of traveling.

It was so simple to fly to Orlando, walk downstairs to take the magical express to your hotel, have your bags magically appear in your room, walk outside and take a bus to the parks, never leave the bubble, etc, etc, etc

I debated using the present or past tense because a lot of those things still exist but about half the things that made Disney an easy trip are now gone, now we have to deal with our own bags, deal with our own transportation, deal with a lot of unknowns, it’s become just as stressful as going to any other location.

We just got back from a Kentucky trip for the bourbon trail, I never would have thought renting a car and driving across a state I’d never been in before would be less stressful than a Disney trip but it was far easier. We went to Norway last year and it was less stressful than Disney… Disney is doing something wrong when it’s become less stressful to fly to Europe than it is to visit the US parks.

Removal of ME and EMH killed ease of use for us. We substantially reduced our trips. I get what you are saying 100%

 

[maemae74]

I think this was one of the major appeals to Disney and why it had so many repeat visitors, it took a lot of the stress out of traveling.

It was so simple to fly to Orlando, walk downstairs to take the magical express to your hotel, have your bags magically appear in your room, walk outside and take a bus to the parks, never leave the bubble, etc, etc, etc

I debated using the present or past tense because a lot of those things still exist but about half the things that made Disney an easy trip are now gone, now we have to deal with our own bags, deal with our own transportation, deal with a lot of unknowns, it’s become just as stressful as going to any other location.

We just got back from a Kentucky trip for the bourbon trail, I never would have thought renting a car and driving across a state I’d never been in before would be less stressful than a Disney trip but it was far easier. We went to Norway last year and it was less stressful than Disney… Disney is doing something wrong when it’s become less stressful to fly to Europe than it is to visit the US parks.

I feel like if I can make it through the Orlando airport without losing my marbles the rest is good. We purposely take late night flights there and back to avoid the excessive crowds and craziness.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

What don’t you understand? If someone is waiting at merge they will be waiting there while others go past. Those going past can make comments to the person waiting.

A cast member standing nearby didn’t stop the previous issues which is why physical barriers were put in place.

Why on earth would anyone make nasty comments about someone standing back and letting other people pass them. They are literally doing the opposite of cutting in line in that scenario. Your hypothetical of lots of people passing them and "making nasty comments" is just not reality, especially given that they are going to be standing very near a CM.

 

[Drdcm]

You obviously don't understand. I wish it was just cranky and tired.

I just want to be clear, I’m not arguing with your point because disabilities inherently change the threshold of tolerability. I just want to point out that this is the crux of the issue and why this is so controversial.

The question that needs to be demonstrated to establish a need is what a normal response to a situation would be vs what the response is because of the disability.

I was just listing an example, if someone isn’t able to wait in a 2+ hour line, is that undoable because of a disability or because a 2+ hour line is unreasonable regardless of disability status.

Again, not trying to say people with disabilities can wait just like non-disabled folks.

 

[networkpro]

So I looked up the ADA to see what the text of the law actually says (as opposed to the guidance issued by the DOJ). When it comes to accomodations required for public accomodations:


So the question in my mind is if waiting in line is essential to the nature of the service (experiencing an attraction). This hasn't been tested in any courts yet as far as I know. A court can decide anything, but my gut says that they wouldn't consider a line to be an essential element.

Nor does the law specify any time component, just the ability to utilize the good or service ... sometime.

 

[Drdcm]

That’s not something that regularly happens right at merge in the Lightning Lane. They also aren’t then joining others from stand-by.

I wonder if they will utilize exit queues to assist with reuniting people

 

[Drdcm]

Eh, I get a little annoyed when a family of 10 cuts through to the front to meet up with their one family member

 

[brettf22]

It has already been posted that the return to queue system will not involve "cutting past" people. Rather, the person who returns to the queue will use the lightning lane and will meet the rest of their party at the merge.

Has this “return through the LL” been officially confirmed? I think we’ve seen a comment from a CM (or the relative of a CM) who has gone through training that this would be how it was handled, but that it might be ride/queue dependent.

For that matter, do we know if they have started the return to queue process yet? Any first hand reports?