New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[tissandtully]

Honestly the whole thing sounds like a PITA, even if I had a qualified disability I would just buy G+ and call it a day. what's a $100 over whatever time it takes to do all these and reveal all this personal info to a corporation.

 

[SamusAranX]

It absolutely does NOT

I’ll die on this hill

I’m not the smartest fella by any means, but can’t diabetes cause things like swollen legs/feet? Which would affect waiting in line

 

[CJR]

Ahh yes.. the classic Disney is the Villain for the monetization of wait times...

Universal Orlando:
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Do know Universal Charges north of $300 too, and it can go as high as $400 same day.
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or is it SeaWorld where you can get express for rides AND reserve show seating:
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Also they charge about 20 bucks shy of those prices for show seating reservations stand alone:
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So... Is Disney the real villain here, I would wager no.

I will mention that both companies do offer a line skipping option of some sort included with their top AP's. Not that it justifies anything, but it does make them very valuable IMHO.

IF we ever do Universal again, it's definitely something we're looking at.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

Yeah I'm sure they would agree with this as well, but also all these companies exist to make money and will do so until they stop making money on these changes.

Universal was the first to switch to a clearing house for the assistance programs.

But at least someone else realizes that Disney isn’t nonprofit theater.

 

[DisneyCane]

I still don’t get this.

How does this prevent abuse.

It’s looks the same as it has been for the last couple years?

Pure speculation on my part, but all these changes seem to imply to me that Disney is gearing up to start denying a lot more requests.

- Altered language as to who qualifies
- Increased staffing for pre-registration assistance
- No more approval at GR in the park (don't want to create a scene)
- 3rd party escalation point with the ability to request medical records.

My guess is that the Disney employees will be retrained to give an initial denial more frequently to what they consider to be borderline requests and then utilize the 3rd party escalation point to play the bad guy in upholding their stricter guidelines for qualification.

Besides the third party verification, I think adding the punishment for getting DAS under false pretenses (permanent bans) should get rid of the "tour guide" abuse as well as any local passholders who were abusing the system. Limiting the party size to 4 should help a little also as it can't be used for as large of a group anymore.

 

[MissingDisney]

They give it to her no questions asked right now.

Possibly that approach has contributed to so much of the abuse, they didn't ask enough questions. It was often extremely easy to obtain DAS.

By someone getting approved just saying they have cancer, that doesn't necessarily make them eligible based on the need. For example, my FIL has skin cancer on his chest. If all he said was that he had cancer, should he automatically be eligible?

Not trying to minimize the seriousness of cancer by any means, I'm just saying that extremely broad and overall diagnoses, even saying autism, or cancer, or heart issues, should not automatically make someone eligible for receipt.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

I will mention that both companies do offer a line skipping option of some sort included with their top AP's. Not that it justifies anything, but it does make them very valuable IMHO.

UORs Premier Annual Pass is single use per attraction after 4PM; SeaWorld's is 1 single ride Quick Queue per day for Platinum.

IF we ever do Universal again, it's definitely something we're looking at.

Just stay at the Royal Pacific, Hard Rock or Portofino, you get unlimited express with your hotel stay.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My guess is it increased the most after paid G+ came out

…what tipped you off?

 

[Trauma]

Possibly that approach has contributed to so much of the abuse, they didn't ask enough questions. It was often extremely easy to obtain DAS.

By someone getting approved just saying they have cancer, that doesn't necessarily make them eligible based on the need. For example, my FIL has skin cancer on his chest. If all he said was that he had cancer, should he automatically be eligible?

Not trying to minimize the seriousness of cancer by any means, I'm just saying that extremely broad and overall diagnoses, even saying autism, or cancer, or heart issues, should not automatically make someone eligible for receipt.

Yes but cancer is not a developmental issue. It looks like it doesn’t matter how serious it is you will not qualify.

That would make my Mom unable to use the parks.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m not the smartest fella by any means, but can’t diabetes cause things like swollen legs/feet? Which would affect waiting in line

Diabetes can cause about every side effect under the sun…including those and death about 10 different ways…

…oh wait…that’s UNCONTROLLED diabetes…my bad

 

[nickys]

Are you disputing that it’s being taken advantage of?

I’m assuming you never worked in a Disney park?

EVERYTHING is taken advantage of without question

No, I am not disputing. But if a CM is letting that many people through on one DAS then that’s on them.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Wait a second…they might have messed up the messaging…but there is no way physical/medical limitations are not granted accommodations.

Put that one to rest.

This is meant to try to reign in the “unseen”…specifically spectrum disorders. ADHD and psychological conditions.

 

[Comped]

but there is no way physical/medical limitations are not granted accommodations.

We hope.

 

[DeadyRoosevelt]

Wait a second…they might have messed up the messaging…but there is no way physical/medical limitations are not granted accommodations.

Put that one to rest.

This is meant to try to reign in the “unseen”…specifically spectrum disorders. ADHD and psychological conditions.

I hope you're right. The messaging makes the policy seem way too narrow.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

No, I am not disputing. But if a CM is letting that many people through on one DAS then that’s on them.

I'll tell you what I told Reddit a while back:

It’s 100% the culture of the parks and the management being scared to get even an iota of pushback.

Coming from when I worked attractions at the parks. I’ve had guests get annoyed and mad at me where I would follow printed policy. They would ask for my supervisor, and 9 times out of 10, the supervisor would accommodate them anyway.

To elaborate further, the printed policy can be right in front of a guests face and they will still complain. And it’s honestly easier for the venue management to just give into the 5% of guests who will complain then it is to risk a guest negative, because then you can have higher ups question why it even happened, all of this is while they tell us “Remember, these guests paid over $X to be here today.”

To note: this is when I was with Universal and not The Walt Disney Company

 

[Trauma]

Wait a second…they might have messed up the messaging…but there is no way physical/medical limitations are not granted accommodations.

Put that one to rest.

This is meant to try to reign in the “unseen”…specifically spectrum disorders. ADHD and psychological conditions.

You sure on that ?

The wording seems very specific.

 

[pigglewiggle]

I have a specific question - if we have a member who has an illness that requires use of a wheelchair at times, if they can technically wait in the line, but just in a wheelchair, that would not qualify for DAS, correct? Or does it?

Just need clarification before I tell someone.

 

[dreamfinder912]

I just hope there's a better process than universal for accommodating overlapping issues. If either one of my two disabilities went away I wouldn't need anything at all to get through the standby queue, but with both of them I do. I don't go to universal as often anymore, and when I do I can't stay very long. It sucks, and it'd break my heart to lose Disney in the same way.

 

[splashtest]

I am guessing that those with physical limitations , such as my husband will be assigned the “reenter the queue” feature making it so they can exit if needed. The only issue with that is not all conditions will benefit from that. My husband has MS. Extended non movement waiting and stressful situations (to him) elevate his symptoms. This sounds like a nightmare for someone like him. Sounds like Disney is forcing a subpar paid solution in Genie +……..

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

No, I am not disputing. But if a CM is letting that many people through on one DAS then that’s on them.

You learn very quickly not to challenge people and take the heat. You know how many people are shouted down for much less daily?

Theories vary…but it’s the monetary pressure. It costs too much…therefore people are tuned to game the system and “no” does not go over well.

There’s a wdw ad running now where the parents surprise the two target kids and the set of grandparents for that “surprise” trip that you are lead to believe is the first time for all…
Then they play a zootopia riff and show them living it up…

The problem is they’re are living it up to the tune of about $2,000 a day/$15,000 a week by my loose calculations (adds up quickly with $500 breakfasts)…

That’s what chapek blathered about: the whales from Denver.

The problem is it doesn’t fit the means and habits of their core US demographic travelers. In multiple ways.

So that’s the pressure that permeates the customers once they get there…it’s been building steadily under savior Bob…

“We’re paying THIS much…I’m gonna at least get ____”

We knew this under Eisner…but there was a line not to cross. It’s gotta be packed like a powder keg now.

Detest for the genie…DAS abuse…it all leads back to that little place.