New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Vacationeer]

Depends on the child and parent.

Agreed.

Not only maturity, it’s also life experience. Plus the comfort/tolerance of caregivers.

From wording on WDW’s site it seems these are the limits to what is allowed:

• To get into a park anybody under 14yo must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.
• Once inside the park anybody 7yo and up may go off on their own or with others under 14yo (as long as someone in their party 14yo or more stays in the park during that time? That’s not clearly written out but I think the intent of gate entry rule)
• It’s only 6yo and under that WDW requires constant supervision by someone 14 or older.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I always took this as they have to be 7 to ride the ride alone, like in the ride vehicle, not that once they get into the park they could just run around the park all day, wait in lines by themselves ect.

Children are allowed to use the Single Rider queue starting at age 7, so yes, according to Disney, they can wait in a queue by themselves.

 

[jennab55]

The problem with second or third-hand reports is that they often get mangled in the re-telling and there is no way to ask questions or clarify circumstances. Then people make up facts to fill in the blanks and argue over things that never happened.

Right, but that’s really the ONLY way for us to get information right now, from someone positing their experience in a group like this or FB. I agree though, take these reports as not 100% truths. Although in this situation it could make sense with Disney's policy of how old children need to be to ride/wait alone.

 

[Patcheslee]

On one hand I think the DAS accommodations were too generous and had become too cumbersome in numbers to continue without changes like this. So many of the people whining just don't like the accommodation being offered - yet it will work for their needs, even if they don't like it.

On the other hand, I don't love some of the people on this forum dismissing concerns from people who find the seemingly different policies from ride to ride to be acceptable. Yes a few minor things will vary from attraction to attraction, but what shouldn't change is how a guest is accommodated. For example, a single mom with an 11 year old son being told that they can be given a return time at Big Thunder so the kid doesn't have to wait alone, while being told at Space Mountain the child should wait alone until merge is seemingly kind of an unnecessary layer of stress. The policy should be more consistent and trained to a "t" with front line CMs. Instead it just seems like it's been a game of telephone from park ops execs to front line managers to the front line CMs.

I sent an email to disability services asking where CMs are usually located on Remy & Guardians to exit/reenter for restroom use since I'm not familiar with nor seen many in queue videos. The response was to speak with front line CMs. A bit disappointed as I just wanted to have some idea of where to find them if needed.
Surprisingly they also couldn't tell me if park EMS is aware of and able to use MyID medical info if I were to have an issue without my family around.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Yes, I have seen reports of this on fb groups. I’ve seen this reported a few times with posters with children of different ages. But with everything reported online it could be exaggerated. However I’m also thinking possibly likely since Disney's policy to stand in line alone is 7yrs old. And again I’m talking about the adult being the disabled person and the child being neurotypical.

That strikes me as an odd move for a family theme park. I certainly hope it’s not actually happening with 11-year-olds.

 

[Touchdown]

Well happy Monday with better weather and Pixie passes back, it’s a crowded day:

 

[Chi84]

That strikes me as an odd move for a family theme park. I certainly hope it’s not actually happening with 11-year-olds.

It may not be. Apparently, the 11-year-old was used as a hypothetical example on this site.

 

[jennab55]

That strikes me as an odd move for a family theme park. I certainly hope it’s not actually happening with 11-year-olds.

Yes I thought so too. Then people replied to the posters that disney allows 7yrs and above to stand in line alone. The reports I saw were ages 11+ except one lady who said they told her that about her 5yr old granddaughter…. However I didn’t believe that report as the lady had some other claims that appeared quite exaggerated.

 

[doctornick]

Agreed.

Not only maturity, it’s also life experience. Plus the comfort/tolerance of caregivers.

From wording on WDW’s site it seems these are the limits to what is allowed:

• To get into a park anybody under 14yo must be accompanied by someone 14 or older.
• Once inside the park anybody 7yo and up may go off on their own or with others under 14yo (as long as someone in their party 14yo or more stays in the park during that time? That’s not clearly written out but I think the intent of gate entry rule)
• It’s only 6yo and under that WDW requires constant supervision by someone 14 or older.

I'm not sure that's the correct interpretation. I think ages 7 to 14 are allowed to "ride alone" (under 7 need to ride with someone over 14) but that isn't the same as being allowed to be in line or otherwise in the park alone. I think it means that (for example) you can be in a vehicle by yourself at age 10 but your parents/older siblings who were in line with you could be in a different vehicle.

 

[Vacationeer]

Where the ages are concerned, it’s about what is allowable.

Can you let your 8 & 11yo roam Tomorrowland for a few hours, tell them to meet you at Cosmic Ray’s 4pm and go watch CoP 3 times in a row? Technically yes.

Could you do that with a 6 and 13yo? No.
—
Can you breastfeed and tend to your infant while letting your 10yo twins get Dole Whips and ride Jungle Cruise? Yes.

If one of them was only 5yo, then no, they’d need somebody at least 14yo to accompany them.
—
Can you drop your 12yo nephews off at a park and go outlet shopping for several hours? No.

If your 15yo niece escorted the 12yo nephews into the park and then they split up? Yes.

If their 5yo neighbor tagged along, the 15yo would need to constantly supervise that child.

 

[Minnesota disney fan]

I agree. I think it sucks that Disney does not have a level of pass, other than Premiere, that does not require reservations. They are leaving money on the table.

The facts that I hate reservations, and that I agree that they are unpopular, are not reasons that a DAS reservation system would not work.




I have no idea what numbers Disney would use. Disney could determine that on average, x number of people with DAS are in the parks on any given day. They could say that the number of DAS reservations would be 90 percent of x, thereby reducing the number of people using DAS on any given day by 10 percent.

Are you really saying that a 10 percent reduction in the number of people using DAS is a severe hardship?

Again, I have no idea what numbers Disney would use, but it's not fair to say that they would limit the number of DAS users to 10 percent of the average number that existed before the change. I think it's fair to assume that they could be reasonable when determining the number of DAS reservations available on a given day.

They could even say that the new system would be set at 99 percent of x. Anything would be an improvement. Anything.


Do you honestly think that there are that many people with DAS that it would lead to the problems you are describing? I don't think so. If that many people with DAS were in the parks now, the standby lines would never move.

Excuse me, but are you only on this forum to argue? These points and discussions have been answered appropriately in the course of all these pages. Please refer back and try not to argue nonsense points that have already been addressed. thank you.

 

[doctornick]

Children are allowed to use the Single Rider queue starting at age 7, so yes, according to Disney, they can wait in a queue by themselves.

Above age 7 they are allowed to ride a ride alone, so being able to utilize the Single Rider line makes some sense. But that doesn't mean they are "allowed" (by rule) to be waiting in line or otherwise roaming the park without supervision. I think the premise would be that the 8+ year old would be in the single ride line with an older family member but they would not be guaranteed to be in the same vehicle (as is the rules with single rider).

I realize it would lead to situations where an 8+ year old would be separated for some period of time at load or unload, but perhaps that is viewed as acceptable given the presence of CMs right at those locations.

 

[Chi84]

People have all kinds of opinions about what ages are appropriate for different activities. This could get off-topic quickly. Maybe just confine the discussion to DAS and specific reports.

 

[hopemax]

It’s interesting what time and changing expectations does to people. There was a reason the Disneyland $99 SoCal Annual Pass was called the “baby sitter pass,” back in the day.

The once inside the park, 7 year old rule has been around for decades. Gen X kids are quite familiar with being 7, 8, 9 and dropped off at a movie theater, skating rink or mall with a friend. And Disney was considered “safe.” I don’t remember which Disney group it was, but other posters would talk about being taken to the park with a parent, and at some point the parent would head off to the Neon Cactus at the Disneyland Hotel while the kids stayed in the parks.

Anyway, that’s an old, old rule. But parenting has changed.

 

[Vacationeer]

People have all kinds of opinions about what ages are appropriate for different activities. This could get off-topic quickly. Maybe just confine the discussion to DAS and specific reports.

The age limits are the maximum allowance, where WDW is not going to prohibit choice.

At the same time WDW reserves the right to intervene where problems occur.

But yes… this is separate from DAS and other accommodations.

 

[KrzyKtty]

It’s interesting what time and changing expectations does to people. There was a reason the Disneyland $99 SoCal Annual Pass was called the “baby sitter pass,” back in the day.

The once inside the park, 7 year old rule has been around for decades. Gen X kids are quite familiar with being 7, 8, 9 and dropped off at a movie theater, skating rink or mall with a friend. And Disney was considered “safe.” I don’t remember which Disney group it was, but other posters would talk about being taken to the park with a parent, and at some point the parent would head off to the Neon Cactus at the Disneyland Hotel while the kids stayed in the parks.

Anyway, that’s an old, old rule. But parenting has changed.

It's not just parenting that has changed but the world at large. Getting into that is off topic though.

 

[DisneyCane]

It’s interesting what time and changing expectations does to people. There was a reason the Disneyland $99 SoCal Annual Pass was called the “baby sitter pass,” back in the day.

The once inside the park, 7 year old rule has been around for decades. Gen X kids are quite familiar with being 7, 8, 9 and dropped off at a movie theater, skating rink or mall with a friend. And Disney was considered “safe.” I don’t remember which Disney group it was, but other posters would talk about being taken to the park with a parent, and at some point the parent would head off to the Neon Cactus at the Disneyland Hotel while the kids stayed in the parks.

Anyway, that’s an old, old rule. But parenting has changed.

What's funny is that with technology a kid of that age would be even safer today wandering around the parks with similar aged kids. The parents can track them everywhere and a voice command can call 911. You could probably even set something up that alerts the parents if any of the group gets further than a certain distance from the other group members.

The parents can even contact the kids at any time. Back in "my day" it would be impossible to contact a kid who is in the park with friends.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I'm not sure that's the correct interpretation. I think ages 7 to 14 are allowed to "ride alone" (under 7 need to ride with someone over 14) but that isn't the same as being allowed to be in line or otherwise in the park alone. I think it means that (for example) you can be in a vehicle by yourself at age 10 but your parents/older siblings who were in line with you could be in a different vehicle.

Just to clarify, the above is incorrect. Age 7 and up have long been allowed in the queues by themselves, including single rider.

I would also take that to mean they are allowed to use the restroom unsupervised. (though family restrooms are also an option.) I don't imagine many 7 year olds are going around the park entirely by themselves, but I think it makes sense that 2nd graders are allowed to use the restroom without mom/dad beside them.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

People have all kinds of opinions about what ages are appropriate for different activities. This could get off-topic quickly. Maybe just confine the discussion to DAS and specific reports.

It is relevant though, because we don't yet know how the new accommodations will work.

Asking what the (legal) minimum age for children is to wait in a queue (or outside the queue) by themselves is very pertinent.

How far should the new policies go?

 

[Chi84]

It is relevant though, because we don't yet know how the new accommodations will work.

Asking what the (legal) minimum age for children is to wait in a queue (or outside the queue) by themselves is very pertinent.

How far should the new policies go?

Probably better to wait for some reports on how far the policies actually do go. Why argue over hypotheticals? I guess it’s a matter of opinion.