New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Chi84]

Ill be honest noone was annoyed they were denier DAS they were all just in the same boat that they were told they would be accommodated if something came up and none

Right, I meant adjustments on both sides. CMs should clearly be better-trained but sometimes it takes awhile for everyone to get up to speed.

 

[NotTheOne]

Right, I meant adjustments on both sides. CMs should clearly be better-trained but sometimes it takes awhile for everyone to get up to speed.

Not to mention, everything I've seen from people who didn't get approved for DAS is that they need to speak to an attraction CM because every attraction has its own process. Given that, I wouldn't expect the GS CMs to know anything more than "speak with the attraction CM".

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

First of all, you edited my post to take what I said out of content. I’m sure it wasn’t intentional - just done to shorten it.

well I didn’t edit it, I just quoted one sentence. The full quote seems to make the same point - that access is available but for a price.

Full quote:

I agree that a separate system is needed for a specific population (Disney has now identified it), but for many disabled people who find in-line accommodations difficult or uncomfortable, the paid system exists as access. The ADA is about ensuring access, not free access or access at a reduced price.

My point is that the ADA access can’t be at an extra price.

 

[NotTheOne]

well I didn’t edit it, I just quoted one sentence. The full quote seems to make the same point - that access is available but for a price.

Full quote:


My point is that the ADA access can’t be at an extra price.

Again, it depends.

Disney doesn't have to provide free wheelchairs or ECVs, for example. It depends on what's being accommodated. I agree that they can't tell people to use Genie+ as an accommodation, but there is nothing wrong with them saying "If you don't think the provided accommodations will work, or if you don't want to split up your party, then Genie+ is available"

 

[Chi84]

well I didn’t edit it, I just quoted one sentence. The full quote seems to make the same point - that access is available but for a price.

Full quote:


My point is that the ADA access can’t be at an extra price.

I agree with that, but Genie+ is not ADA access. It is a form of access to the lines.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

OK, but again, (and I know you probably don't know the answer to this, it's rhetorical) did she and the others ask prior to entering the line or after? Because I'm seeing plenty of people on other sites saying that asked ahead of time, and when they had an issue, they were accommodated by meeting with their party at the merge after returning through the LL.

This is the biggest problem right now though, you can’t get answers, no one, including Disney, has answers.

We’re a party of 2, we’ve asked multiple times if we’ll have to wait alone using return to queue or if we’ll get a return time, I’ve seen other ask about a single adult with multiple children, no one can provide answers beyond “it’ll depend on the ride”.

It’s easy to say take personal responsibility and plan ahead but when no one has answers yet that’s impossible.

We’re fortunate we don’t have a Disney trip currently planned (never thought I’d type that sentence) but for those that had booked prior to the changes they are the guinea pigs, Disney is using them to figure out what works and what doesn’t, that’s a crappy way to treat someone who spent thousands of dollars to visit Disney. They should have had the answers before rolling it out.

 

[NotTheOne]

This is the biggest problem right now though, you can’t get answers, no one, including Disney, has answers.

We’re a party of 2, we’ve asked multiple times if we’ll have to wait alone using return to queue or if we’ll get a return time, I’ve seen other ask about a single adult with multiple children, no one can provide answers beyond “it’ll depend on the ride”.

It’s easy to say take personal responsibility and plan ahead but when no one has answers yet that’s impossible.

We’re fortunate we don’t have a Disney trip currently planned (never thought I’d type that sentence) but for those that had booked prior to the changes they are the guinea pigs, Disney is using them to figure out what works and what doesn’t, that’s a crappy way to treat someone who spent thousands of dollars to visit Disney. They should have had the answers before rolling it out.

You got an answer, you just don't like it - the answer is "it'll depend on the ride".

When I say plan ahead, I'm not talking about before you even get there, I'm talking about listening to what is being said by Disney on the calls, which from everything I'm seeing is "It will be different depending on the attraction, so talk to the attraction CM". So planning ahead in this context would be asking at every attraction "I can't wait the length of this standby, what do I need to do? And if I need to leave the line, how does that work?"

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

You got an answer, you just don't like it - the answer is "it'll depend on the ride".

When I say plan ahead, I'm not talking about before you even get there, I'm talking about listening to what is being said by Disney on the calls, which from everything I'm seeing is "It will be different depending on the attraction, so talk to the attraction CM". So planning ahead in this context would be asking at every attraction "I can't wait the length of this standby, what do I need to do? And if I need to leave the line, how does that work?"

I’m not spending thousands on a vacation where the best answer Disney can give is “you’ll find out if the accommodations work only after you get here”.

In a few months we’ll have more first hand answers, until then a WDW trip isn’t even in consideration for us. You may be ok with going in blind and just hoping it works but we aren’t.

 

[peter11435]

I’m not spending thousands on a vacation where the best answer Disney can give is “you’ll find out if the accommodations work only after you get here”.

In a few months we’ll have more first hand answers, until then a WDW trip isn’t even in consideration for us. You may be ok with going in blind and just hoping it works but we aren’t.

Truth is it’s going to vary based on your needs and the individual attraction you’re asking about. With the current system it’s possible there might be some attractions that work fine for you and others that you don’t think work.

 

[NotTheOne]

I’m not spending thousands on a vacation where the best answer Disney can give is “you’ll find out if the accommodations work only after you get here”.

In a few months we’ll have more first hand answers, until then a WDW trip isn’t even in consideration for us. You may be ok with going in blind and just hoping it works but we aren’t.

You can read in multiple forums and on FB what the accommodations are for those not receiving DAS - join the line, leave if you need to, then meet up via the LL, rider switch, or in rare cases, return time. Return time is supposedly very rare, so I wouldn't count on that, leaving you the other accommodations. You should be able to decide if those work for you or not before you get there.

And by "work for you" I mean insofar as accommodating your disability, not staying with your party for the duration of the wait time. The first is a need, the second is a want.

 

[Angel Ariel]

m

OK, but again, (and I know you probably don't know the answer to this, it's rhetorical) did she and the others ask prior to entering the line or after? Because I'm seeing plenty of people on other sites saying that asked ahead of time, and when they had an issue, they were accommodated by meeting with their party at the merge after returning through the LL.

there has also been plenty of posts on various sites about the variability of attraction CMs having answers for guests. So I wouldn't jump to assuming that the guests in the situation shared here were in the wrong. As someone else said - change and adjustments are hard - not just for guests, but for CMs too.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Again, it depends.

Disney doesn't have to provide free wheelchairs or ECVs, for example. It depends on what's being accommodated. I agree that they can't tell people to use Genie+ as an accommodation, but there is nothing wrong with them saying "If you don't think the provided accommodations will work, or if you don't want to split up your party, then Genie+ is available"

Personal equipment falls under a different aspect of the ADa than public accessibility requirements. I wouldn't compare the fact that people have to pay for a wheelchair (personal equipment) to genie+ in this respect.

 

[NotTheOne]

Personal equipment falls under a different aspect of the ADa than public accessibility requirements. I wouldn't compare the fact that people have to pay for a wheelchair (personal equipment) to genie+ in this respect.

I wasn't comparing them.

 

[Angel Ariel]

You got an answer, you just don't like it - the answer is "it'll depend on the ride".

When I say plan ahead, I'm not talking about before you even get there, I'm talking about listening to what is being said by Disney on the calls, which from everything I'm seeing is "It will be different depending on the attraction, so talk to the attraction CM". So planning ahead in this context would be asking at every attraction "I can't wait the length of this standby, what do I need to do? And if I need to leave the line, how does that work?"

I've downloaded and printed pages upon pages from other parks that fully list out their attraction accessibility information - attraction by attraction. There is absolutely no reason that Disney's accessibility guides cannot include what the AQR procedures are for each ride, as that is an accommodation available to everyone and not dependent on DAS calls at all, nor limited in any way. There's no reason that anyone should have to wait until they are at a ride to be able to learn this information.

 

[Chi84]

This is the biggest problem right now though, you can’t get answers, no one, including Disney, has answers.

We’re a party of 2, we’ve asked multiple times if we’ll have to wait alone using return to queue or if we’ll get a return time, I’ve seen other ask about a single adult with multiple children, no one can provide answers beyond “it’ll depend on the ride”.

It’s easy to say take personal responsibility and plan ahead but when no one has answers yet that’s impossible.

We’re fortunate we don’t have a Disney trip currently planned (never thought I’d type that sentence) but for those that had booked prior to the changes they are the guinea pigs, Disney is using them to figure out what works and what doesn’t, that’s a crappy way to treat someone who spent thousands of dollars to visit Disney. They should have had the answers before rolling it out.

You can probably narrow it down a little. If, worst case scenario, they told you only AQR or rider switch so you would have to wait alone, what would you do? If you would be willing and able to buy Genie+/ILLs and you believe that system would work for you without the extras of DAS, would you buy them? If the answer is yes, then you could still plan the vacation but it would be more expensive.

 

[NotTheOne]

I've downloaded and printed pages upon pages from other parks that fully list out their attraction accessibility information - attraction by attraction. There is absolutely no reason that Disney's accessibility guides cannot include what the AQR procedures are for each ride, as that is an accommodation available to everyone and not dependent on DAS calls at all, nor limited in any way. There's no reason that anyone should have to wait until they are at a ride to be able to learn this information.

And perhaps they will at some point, who knows. I'm thinking that Disney isn't going to publish anything that can be used by scammers to ruin the new process the way DAS was ruined, but I could certainly be wrong.

I am curious, since you've done the research, does the accessibility related to not waiting in line work the same at each attraction or is it different for many/most at the other parks you've looked at?

 

[NotTheOne]

You can probably narrow it down a little. If, worst case scenario, they told you only AQR or rider switch so you would have to wait alone, what would you do? If you would be willing and able to buy Genie+/ILLs and you believe that system would work for you without the extras of DAS, would you buy them? If the answer is yes, then you could still plan the vacation but it would be more expensive.

Exactly.

 

[dreamfinder912]

Perhaps that woman should have asked a CM prior to entering the line what she would need to do if she needed to exit. I guess I shouldn't be shocked that some people who don't get what they want (DAS) take no responsibility for trying to make other accommodations work.

You also get a different answer every time you ask, even at the same attraction. It's down to the individual cast member. Someone who hears "you can leave at any time" doesn't have all the information they need. I was told there are cast members in the queue to let people in and out, but no idea on where they are/what to look for. It's very confusing even when you're not in the midst of a medical situation.

 

[Angel Ariel]

And perhaps they will at some point, who knows. I'm thinking that Disney isn't going to publish anything that can be used by scammers to ruin the new process the way DAS was ruined, but I could certainly be wrong.

That's why I pointed out AQR is available to everyone at any time. So there is no scamming to be concerned about. There is no reason whatsoever Disney can't make this information available in MDE or in accessibility guidelines.

I am curious, since you've done the research, does the accessibility related to not waiting in line work the same at each attraction or is it different for many/most at the other parks you've looked at?

Related to not waiting in lines, at all the parks we've been to it's been go to guest services share your needs and you get a wrist band or a paper (or something similar) to have for the day. It's not a decision made attraction by attraction.

 

[NotTheOne]

That's why I pointed out AQR is available to everyone at any time. So there is no scamming to be concerned about. There is no reason whatsoever Disney can't make this information available in MDE or in accessibility guidelines.

Related to not waiting in lines, at all the parks we've been to it's been go to guest services share your needs and you get a wrist band or a paper (or something similar) to have for the day. It's not a decision made attraction by attraction.

On the first point absolutely correct - I hadn't even considered that it's available to everyone, so yes, no reason Disney couldn't publicize that.

On the second point, you said that you had printed pages and pages of information about accessibility for different parks, so I assumed that included the accommodations for those who can't wait in line. Is that not the case?