New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[RSoxNo1]

From what I've read, guests don't need to be present at the call, but they do need to be added as friends-and-family on the call. If an extra guest needs to be added to the party or the friends-and-family list then you would need to call again since CMs at the park won't have the ability to add anyone.

Disneyland doesn't have the friends and family list so it would operate differently. At the parks they will connect you to a video call with a disability service CM.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I was referring more to large numbers of people leaving all at once, along with fights breaking out in lines. I suppose anything is possible but maybe it would be better to wait to see how the new accommodations work instead of so much hypothesizing.

I do get that - I guess I'm saying I don't think it'll take large numbers of people coming back using AQR to cause a physical space issue with people walking past them while they stand still waiting.

Re the fights, i am staying away from those comments. Anyone fighting at Disney should be trespassed immediately.

 

[mikejs78]

Maybe but I get the feeling people are going out of their way to imagine worst-case scenarios.

I'm not imagining a worst case scenario, I'm just curious. DAS users were not an insignificant number of parties. A number were illegitimate, but another number were people with legit needs for whom AQR is now required. We don't know what that will look like yet.

 

[mikejs78]

Does anyone know what happens if the party in standby gets to the merge point before the guest who leaves returns?

 

[Jrb1979]

I'm not imagining a worst case scenario, I'm just curious. DAS users were not an insignificant number of parties. A number were illegitimate, but another number were people with legit needs for whom AQR is now required. We don't know what that will look like yet.

While true in the past but now it will the DAS user plus 1 more guest using the LL queue. Before it was the DAS user plus up to 6: guests

 

[Angel Ariel]

Does anyone know what happens if the party in standby gets to the merge point before the guest who leaves returns?

My understanding is that they either let people go by them also, or they ride the attraction without the guest who had to leave (if, for ex, the guest who had to leave will be a long time before returning). That this is basically something the individual party has to work out when the person using AQR leaves the line.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

But that's not the same scenario. What you described is someone passing you because you stopped and then getting upset when you tried to get back in front of them. Same deal with the strollers. People don't pay attention to those around them and think someone is trying to cut when they are just catching up to their party after parking the stroller. In the Return to Line situation, you would never get back in front if the people passing you, so there wouldn't be any confusion causing someone to get mad at you.

As you said, people don't pay attention to others around them, and then- if someone does something out of the ordinary-they immediately think, "that person is trying to cut" in front of them. In the situation I described, I wasn't catching up to anyone, I was merely standing back up, and was mindful not to split up a family. I was ALREADY in line ahead of them, and I was ONE person.

Some parkgoers are very nice, others very much get in a ME-ME-ME mode. It is partly the nature of being herded all day. There's a reason CM's have to slow-walk lead the front of the pack every morning at rope drop.

I'm sure nobody posting here would act that way, but parkgoers can be very aggressive. Anyone who has been to WDW enough times has seen plenty of selfish behavior, but I realize some folks posting here don't get to the parks very often.

 

[natatomic]

Another site clarified there are two procedures -

AQR, Attraction Queue Re-entry, which is when you have to leave a queue while in it and come back to the LL merge and wait for your party to catch up.

RTQ, Return to Queue, is when the CM at the attraction gives you a return time rather than going through the AQR process. My understanding is this is supposed to be used sparingly with AQR in play.

I’m imagining my non-DAS family might once in a blue moon qualify for an AQR. I’m local, and it’s typically just me with my two youngest (5 and 1.5). Also expecting another soon. I can see me and the littles being in line and there’s suddenly either a potty emergency - or even worse - a diaper emergency. With it being just me and littles, I’d imagine that would be a situation where if we had to duck out of line, they would give us an RTQ.

I don’t see it happening frequently, of course. I’m pretty on top of my 5yo’s bathroom needs, and the toddler typically only has one poop a day. I’m just using this as an example of why one might be given an RTQ vs an AQR.

I’m also wondering if they will keep track of how many AQRs they give to any given party. Maybe…it could show a pattern of abuse. But on the other hand, if someone has bathroom issues formerly covered by DAS, and they travel either alone or in a grouping similar to mine, multiple AQRs could be justified.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I’m imagining my non-DAS family might once in a blue moon qualify for an AQR. I’m local, and it’s typically just me with my two youngest (5 and 1.5). Also expecting another soon. I can see me and the littles being in line and there’s suddenly either a potty emergency - or even worse - a diaper emergency. With it being just me and littles, I’d imagine that would be a situation where if we had to duck out of line, they would give us an RTQ.

I don’t see it happening frequently, of course. I’m pretty on top of my 5yo’s bathroom needs, and the toddler typically only has one poop a day. I’m just using this as an example of why one might be given an RTQ vs an AQR.

I’m also wondering if they will keep track of how many AQRs they give to any given party. Maybe…it could show a pattern of abuse. But on the other hand, if someone has bathroom issues formerly covered by DAS, and they travel either alone or in a grouping similar to mine, multiple AQRs could be justified.

Just being honest, I would not use that reason for a line pass? It's for people who really need it that didn't qualify for DAS. This would be taking advantage too.

I've had stomach aches and got out of line, just my bad luck. Got back to end of line when I felt better.

Just my thoughts.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm not imagining a worst case scenario, I'm just curious. DAS users were not an insignificant number of parties. A number were illegitimate, but another number were people with legit needs for whom AQR is now required. We don't know what that will look like yet.

20-30 sounds like a lot when you consider that merge points and Lightning Lanes were never designed for that sort of waiting. It is not a lot when you realize it is only 2-3% of 1,000 people.

 

[mikejs78]

Just being honest, I would not use that reason for a line pass? It's for people who really need it that didn't qualify for DAS. This would be taking advantage too.

I've had stomach aches and got out of line, just my bad luck. Got back to end of line when I felt better.

Just my thoughts

Disney has stated that AQR is available to all guests.

 

[pigglewiggle]

Disney has stated that AQR is available to all guests.

Okay, well kind of silly to do that. People will come up with anything!

 

[natatomic]

Just being honest, I would not use that reason for a line pass? It's for people who really need it that didn't qualify for DAS. This would be taking advantage too.

I've had stomach aches and got out of line, just my bad luck. Got back to end of line when I felt better.

Just my thoughts.

I was under the impression that RTQs and AQRs would be available to anyone who needs them in the moment. I mean, how on earth would they be able to tell who has IBS and no longer qualifies for the DAS vs who has a random case of the runs? An emergent bathroom need CAN happen to anyone, so why can't you help anyone who has a need in that moment? I can't imagine a situation in which a cast member is going to ask, "Do you have a documented medical condition that results in frequent bathroom use, or is this just a random case of the runs? If it's the second, too bad so sad."

I’m not saying I’d hop out of line and just expect to be giving a RTQ time. I can only think of one time I personally had to duck out of line with my kids due to my older needing to go #2. We were very near the merge point, and when I told the CM we had a bathroom emergency, he OFFERED me a LL to come back. I didn't ask for one. I would think CMs would do something like that with this new system. "Hey, it's just me and these kids, and this one needs a potty. Where's the nearest one?" "Over by that lamppost. Would you like to come back to the ride when you're finished? I can make it so you come right back to this spot." "Sure, that'd be awesome, thank you."

Heck, even in my former CM days, I did the same for guests at the merge point (and even the greater point) all the time. "Oh man, you've already waited 30 minutes? Here, take these FPs and when you come back, you can just join that line since you were so close."

 

[pigglewiggle]

Hey, whatever.
Everyone can get in and out of line then.

Just then what the heck was the point of even changing DAS if everyone is waiting at the merge point!

 

[pdude81]

I was under the impression that RTQs and AQRs would be available to anyone who needs them in the moment. I mean, how on earth would they be able to tell who has IBS and no longer qualifies for the DAS vs who has a random case of the runs? An emergent bathroom need CAN happen to anyone, so why can't you help anyone who has a need in that moment?

I’m not saying I’d hop out of line and just expect to be giving a RTQ time. I can only think of one time I personally had to duck out of line with my kids due to my older needing to go #2. We were very near the merge point, and when I told the CM we had a bathroom emergency, he OFFERED me a LL to come back. I didn't ask for one. I would think CMs would do something like that with this new system. "Hey, it's just me and these kids, and this one needs a potty. Where's the nearest one?" "Over by that lamppost. Would you like to come back to the ride when you're finished? I can make it so you come right back to this spot." "Sure, that'd be awesome, thank you."

Heck, even in my former CM days, I did the same for guests at the merge point (and even the greater point) all the time. "Oh man, you've already waited 30 minutes? Here, take these FPs and when you come back, you can just join that line since you were so close."

I agree. It makes sense that if this is necessary for bathroom emergencies, it's used by anyone who is having a bathroom emergency.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I have to be honest, I'm completely lost on the point of any of this now if everyone gets to use the merge point pass.

Oh well!

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

You can barely take advantage of AQR (the “bathroom pass” method) if you aren’t actually using it for its intended purpose. It isn’t really advantageous to have 1-2 people in your party get in standby, leave, and then meet up via merge unless you have a pressing need to do so. Disability related or not. I bet you’d waste more time than you’d save in the long run.

RTQ (closer to DAS 1.0) is not open to everyone and from what we currently know will be pretty limited.

Edit - I may be flip flopping the two acronyms lol.

 

[natatomic]

Hey, whatever.
Everyone can get in and out of line then.

Just then what the heck was the point of even changing DAS if everyone is waiting at the merge point!

Because the main party would still be in the line with the RTQ option. Absolutely nothing would be gained.

The AQR sounds similar to the DAS but it has been stated that they are to be very strict as to who they give them out to. I was using my family as a hypothetical - one parent accompanying very small children. I couldn't exactly leave a 5yo in line by herself so I could change a diaper. (Again, I have never had to leave a line for this reason yet, I'm just spitballing what would quality one for an AQR vs a RTQ). Another situation I can imagine would be if someone were travelling alone. Neither type of group is particularly common at Disney - it's usually families with at least 2 adults, so someone is able to stay in line. So I can't imagine AQRs would be given out with much frequency.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

20-30 sounds like a lot when you consider that merge points and Lightning Lanes were never designed for that sort of waiting. It is not a lot when you realize it is only 2-3% of 1,000 people.

And if a ride goes down?

Last year I was in line for GoG when the ride went down. After an hour, people started leaving the line to use the restroom, def more than 3% of the people in the queue.

I will be curious to see how RTQ works when rides go down.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Does anyone know what happens if the party in standby gets to the merge point before the guest who leaves returns?

Presumably the same thing. They would wait there for the guest in the lightning lane.