New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[DisneyHead123]

The Genie+ is a system that need a major overhaul unless they really feel that changing the DAS system will dramatically improve availability of rides. IMO right now there are only two ways to make it work. One is to book one of the big rides at 7AM and base your day around that return time in the morning. You would need to rope drop the park, hit one of the other big rides and then hope that a 3rd is available at the 10AM booking window. For Epcot, where Genie+ has limited availability it would basically be booking Frozen at 7AM, rope dropping Remy, getting Test Track with the 10AM booking and then going from there filling in the gaps with shows and rides like Nemo.

The other way is stacking for a later day. That doesnt work great with dining reservations but with that you are booking every two hours and just moving the rides to late in the day so you can hopefully just run through the park. Once your rides begin. That usually means booking something at 7AM and then modifying it once the times change to 3PM or later. Then at 10 book a ride thats open later, then book another at 12, and another at 2 if available.

None of these are great options and it requires being on the phone a lot during the day but they do work for getting better use out of the Genie+. The problem is most park goers are going once a year or once every two years and dont know how to use it and get shut out by those who go all the time. Disney just markets this as a skip the line product and in the small print basically says its not a guarantee for availability. You wind up getting to the park at 9 AM and next thing you know nothing is available until 2PM unless you want to use it on a ride with a 10 minute standby line. For what they charge Disney either has to make the system work better to offer more availability for every user or have a system that can auto book a day and auto alert you to available modifications of some sort based on priorities you put in there.

I totally agree they need to redo it. My understanding is that it's modeled after MaxPass in a park that has nowhere near the capacity to handle that type of system with the same results (although with attendance going up at Disney Land, that may eventually be the case for Maxpass too.)

What I have said for awhile now is that I think Disney will trend towards increased reservation times. I know not everyone likes having a set time but logistically that makes the most sense. It's the reason when you go to Open Table they have you pick a time, they don't say "try showing up whenever you want on this day although if the restaurant is full it's full". Putting people into time slots maximizes overall availability.

 

[jennab55]

I think from my perspective and we haven’t had a video chat yet but the reports (granted almost all that are posted about are negative) are indicating that if you don’t fit into that category then they don’t care about your needs… again that’s only from admittedly negative reports I’ve seen.

My wife doesn’t have autism however she has several conditions sadly that have varying needs that wouldn’t be suited by the other options available, one thing she experiences is a huge sensory overload in enclosed spaces and that’s exasperated by crowds of people (we never attend sports or music concerts for this reason) and when she flares up or has an attack it flares up other conditions into a vicious cycle that would make our trip a waste of time and money.

In my opinion it’s unfair that she would be excluded because she doesn’t have autism as the reports I’ve seen seem to be saying but also if that’s the way Disney wants to go then so be it as it’s their business.

My advice is to explain WHY she can’t wait in line vs her diagnosis or what she does or doesn’t have. They don’t need to know the diagnosis, just why she can’t wait in line or what you do in your every day lives (not going to concerts or areas where you have to wait around crowds)

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Wait so is the system totally flawed as you say here. Or is it totally unknown meaning no one can make a determination that it is flawed or not, like you posted 10min after you posted this?

I think if it’s unknown enough that people are canceling trips is totally flawed from a business perspective.

Either the members who have posted personal experiences on this board are lying and should have not received DAS before (which I don’t think is true at all) - or the system is flawed and those who legit need it are not able to receive it now.

 

[Jrb1979]

I totally agree they need to redo it. My understanding is that it's modeled after MaxPass in a park that has nowhere near the capacity to handle that type of system with the same results (although with attendance going up at Disney Land, that may eventually be the case for Maxpass too.)

What I have said for awhile now is that I think Disney will trend towards increased reservation times. I know not everyone likes having a set time but logistically that makes the most sense. It's the reason when you go to Open Table they have you pick a time, they don't say "try showing up whenever you want on this day although if the restaurant is full it's full". Putting people into time slots maximizes overall availability.

They don't need reservation times. More capacity would help but really the only way Genie+ works better is if less guests have it. There is a reason every other park limits how many guests can buy their skip the line pass.

 

[MintCity]

There’s going to be a period of change adjustment. From a change management perspective we know the why behind the change and I acknowledge there are many that disagree with the why. But we don’t know the how which means people don’t know what the end state is going to look like and how it impacts them. The unknown is likely driving cancellations. Also they likely factored in an assumption for cancellations and they’re prepared to weather the storm through the transition. This is a company that hasn’t been shy of doing the unpopular things and removing value from the guests. As an example you can list all things that were included in a WDW stay that are now available for additional dollars.

 

[JMcMahonEsq]

I think if it’s unknown enough that people are canceling trips is totally flawed from a business perspective.

Either the members who have posted personal experiences on this board are lying and should have not received DAS before (which I don’t think is true at all) - or the system is flawed and those who legit need it are not able to receive it now.

Or you know, the third option, that Disney was casting a very wide net, wider than was legally needed in the past, and have now made changes to address that.

 

[DisneyHead123]

They don't need reservation times. More capacity would help but really the only way Genie+ works better is if less guests have it. There is a reason every other park limits how many guests can buy their skip the line pass.

FastPass worked better with bigger crowds though. I know some people don't like the advance planning, but it wouldn't even have to be way in advance. If they even gave you the ability to choose a time the morning of, that would go a long way towards spreading riders out throughout the day, vs. dumping everyone into early spots that they may or may not want.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Or you know, the third option, that Disney was casting a very wide net, wider than was legally needed in the past, and have now made changes to address that.

It has become abundantly clear this is what they’re attempting to change. “Why don’t they just ask for proof?? I’d give it!”, because too many people legitimately have proof of some form of disability that previously qualified. They’re seemingly trying to draw a much harder line between cannot be accommodated in some other way, and prefer not to be accommodated in some other way.

It’s most obvious in the AQR accommodation and the way they’re not restricting who can use it all, rather making it pretty useless if you aren’t actually using it for what it was designed for. Sure you can have an adult stay in line and have another take the kiddos out and return via the LL, but how many people are actually going to go through the trouble of this and repeatedly split up the family and maybe waste more time doing so?

 

[UK Disney]

I'm here now, I've used individual lightening lanes for each park with genie plus for all parks except animal kingdom. This is my 3rd year of using genie, I've never noticed before but I've started to notice the colour on the scans from the first person ahead of us, it's been blue I'd say more than 80%, the system needed to be changed.

 

[Sallie]

I’m seeing a lot of posts on other things of how bad people are being treated when they do the video chat. Some people are being called liars, being laughed at, being told oh well, maybe don’t go. That in itself to me is a huge problem. No need to be mean and snarky. If people don’t qualify, they should be nicely told. theres probably still people trying to lie but no need to be a jerk about it. And I’m sure there’s people being nasty when applying too. But the castmember and health people should be professional.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I’m seeing a lot of posts on other things of how bad people are being treated when they do the video chat. Some people are being called liars, being laughed at, being told oh well, maybe don’t go. That in itself to me is a huge problem. No need to be mean and snarky. If people don’t qualify, they should be nicely told. theres probably still people trying to lie but no need to be a jerk about it. And I’m sure there’s people being nasty when applying too. But the castmember and health people should be professional.

I don't believe those posts at all. I'm sure you read that, but I don't believe those posters. No CM is laughing at people and calling them liars.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I don't believe those posts at all. I'm sure you read that, but I don't believe those posters. No CM is laughing at people and calling them liars.

It’s happened before. No reason it can’t happen again. The question is more whether it is systemic.

 

[pigglewiggle]

It’s happened before. No reason it can’t happen again. The question is more whether it is systemic.

Sure, there's always a bad apple. But that post said lots' of posts of this happening.

 

[Chi84]

Sure, there's always a bad apple. But that post said lots' of posts of this happening.

There’s no purpose in arguing that particular point. People will judge the credibility of those posts based on their own experiences and common sense.

 

[Sallie]

I don't believe those posts at all. I'm sure you read that, but I don't believe those posters. No CM is laughing at people and calling them liars.

i hope you’re right! I have been seeing an awful lot of them. I’ve always spoken with a very nice caring castmember. I have never encountered a problem even at the parks. I haven’t tried to apply for my next trip. Not sure if I’m going to. If people are right I won’t qualify anymore. So I am just making a plan b. I’m not stressing about it.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Not for nothing emotions, stress, and anxiety are probably running very high when a rejection happens. I could see a circumstance where script like suggestions once a rejection happens come off cold or mocking, especially if the guest calling is questioning what their options are now.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Disney has put every single one of us in a position to re-evaluate the value of our trips, with the unbundling of services such as FastPass and Magical Express, with across the board price increases, with challenges to ride new attractions (get a boarding group or pay up), with increased wait times and crowded feel, etc.

It’s hard to say in a way that doesn’t sound completely condescending that this is a value judgment a lot of us have had to look longer and harder at more recently, especially Genie+ years. Maybe DAS has helped to shield people from the increased park day costs and crowd portion a little bit. Yeah it does really suck to have to add on the costs of Genie+ and ILL to an already more expensive trip to allow for what you consider a good and worth it trip. That’s what they’ve done to the parks period.

I agree with this but am not sure if DAS shielded us from those changes or it’s just an additional loss to disabled guests that other guests haven’t had to factor into their “is it still worth it” calculation yet.

We’ve debated the value of the parks so many times over the last 4 years it’s become laughable, reservations, loss of magical express, loss of FP, increasing prices, more blackout days on our AP, now the loss of DAS, with every change it becomes harder and harder to justify the cost and the roadblocks but we still love Disney so we try.

This feels like a grieving period, many know it’s not worth it anymore, they’re just going through the emotions of accepting it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I don't believe those posts at all. I'm sure you read that, but I don't believe those posters. No CM is laughing at people and calling them liars.

I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.

I am sure folks who previously qualified for DAS and now do not, finding this out for the first time during the interview are mad/upset/confused and their perception of the interaction is biased.

I also suspect there may be some folks on the other end performing the interview that are not the best trained.

So its a mixed bag.

 

[Todd H]

I know when someone is being rude. When someone sarcastically tells me to have a magical day and hangs up on me as I’m asking questions I’d say that is being rude. And it’s fine. I registered right at 9 AM so maybe she knew what kind of day was in front of her and took it out on us. No matter. I got a full refund.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

I don’t envy the job of these CMs, hopefully they are getting hazard pay because Disney set them up to deal with disappointed, frustrated, sad, etc guests all day long.

You couldn’t pay me enough to crush the dreams of loyal fans all day long.