New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Purduevian]

Perhaps, but they are often VERY unpredictable. Having used them many times, it is often a total gamble. The wait for RNRC was especially uneven. Mid-day, you could use it once- 10min wait. Try it a second time, right away, and the wait was 60min.

Totally off topic... but if you are an odd numbered party on these attractions. You can spread a little magic by switching your odd man out for the other person in a group of 2 that waited SR.

I was going solo on RNRC as I had a LL and got paired with a mom. Her and her son had waited about the same as than the posted standby wait in the SR line. Her face lit up when I offered to swap seats with her son so they could ride together as I was riding with a stranger either way.

Back to DAS discussions, rider swap already separates you from most of your party for riding, I think SR is a fine thing to put as a potential accommodation as it works super well on TT and EE.

 

[NotTheOne]

Semantics (see next paragraph). It’s clear they (and other similar posts) are talking about the apparent responsibility cast members at rides have to determine/offer appropriate accommodation to guests in the moment.

We can all agree that the name DAS is now confusing, given that it is not an umbrella for the full range of accommodations available to those who may need them.

DAS was never a full range of accommodations though - it was one specific accommodation.

 

[Joel]

AQR existing and being available to all guests is a good thing that should have been formalized a long time ago. People have needed to leave queues for all sorts of emergencies since time immemorial.

People can be weirdly selective when it comes to their concern for cast members' well-being. The former status quo was not particularly good for attractions CMs either. In time, I think this will be an improvement overall.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The former status quo was not particularly good for attractions CMs either.

How so?

 

[Angel Ariel]

They adapt it.

The person who can’t wait in line waits with a carer, then when the first group comes off the ride the two go through the LL line.

If that's the policy for how rider switch works for disabled guests, then Disney should be making that clear in their policies on their site.

Disneyland's site had actually had such language for disabled guests until recently - they removed it to match WDW's wording. So that contributes to the indication that Disney does intend for their to be a nonrider.

 

[Joel]

How so?

LLs frequently backing up, which in turn brings the standby line to a standstill, and the frustration that causes for everyone involved even when no one is being visibly or verbally unpleasant. CMs having to deal with confrontations between guests when someone has to push their way back through the standby line to rejoin their family after a bathroom emergency because there isn't a better, publicized way to do so.

 

[Splash4eva]

IMO with each day that goes by I don't think the changes had anything to do with that. The changes were more to get as many people out of LL queues as possible

Get as many non paying people out of LL…

 

[NotTheOne]

Get as many non paying people out of LL…

Well to be honest, thought it's not a popular opinion, only those who pay for Genie+/ILL have any right to be in the LLs.

 

[Chi84]

Well to be honest, thought it's not a popular opinion, only those who pay for Genie+/ILL have any right to be in the LLs.

Well no, Disney determines who has the “right” to be in the LLs. Maybe you mean “should”have the right?

 

[NotTheOne]

Well no, Disney determines who has the “right” to be in the LLs. Maybe you mean “should”have the right?

What I mean is that Disney could say "No more DAS, other accommodations will be offered", and limit the LLs to paying customers only.

I don't imagine them ever doing that, but so long as they are accommodating needs via other means, they could if they wanted to.

Much harder to deny access to paying guests (other than for attractions that "sell out", for lack of a better term).

 

[DisneyHead123]

I'm far less worried about people's ability to cheat now than I used to be, especially considering how many people in various online Disney communities -- who are significantly more informed than the average guest -- still think DAS is diagnosis-based.

All the "Everyone will just say they have autism now. Checkmate, Disney!" comments when this change was first announced turned out to not be nearly as clever as people thought they were.

I think the problem is that if they were clear and consistent, they would indeed open the door for cheaters again. Right now they’re deterring them by being confusing, inconsistent, and unreliable. That may work to deter cheaters, but it means providing that same unreliable service to non-cheaters (both disabled guests or park goers who have an occasional situation like a bathroom emergency.) Not a good long term strategy for a theme park that has built a following based on customer service.

I don’t know what the answer is. Moving to documentation eventually seems like it may be a necessity. Not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be a step at least.

 

[Chi84]

I think the problem is that if they were clear and consistent, they would indeed open the door for cheaters again. Right now they’re deterring them by being confusing, inconsistent, and unreliable. That may work to deter cheaters, but it means providing that same unreliable service to non-cheaters (both disabled guests or park goers who have an occasional situation like a bathroom emergency.) Not a good long term strategy for a theme park that has built a following based on customer service.

I don’t know what the answer is. Moving to documentation eventually seems like it may be a necessity. Not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be a step at least.

What would the document verify?

 

[NotTheOne]

I think the problem is that if they were clear and consistent, they would indeed open the door for cheaters again. Right now they’re deterring them by being confusing, inconsistent, and unreliable. That may work to deter cheaters, but it means providing that same unreliable service to non-cheaters (both disabled guests or park goers who have an occasional situation like a bathroom emergency.) Not a good long term strategy for a theme park that has built a following based on customer service.

I don’t know what the answer is. Moving to documentation eventually seems like it may be a necessity. Not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be a step at least.

There are obviously some CM training issues that still need to be addressed, which is leading to the inconsistencies we hear about. But I don't necessarily agree that not publicly detailing accommodations that really can't be publicly released, because there are too many variables, equates to providing unreliable service when guests are actually at the park.

 

[Joel]

I think the problem is that if they were clear and consistent, they would indeed open the door for cheaters again.

I don't know how anyone can possibly judge from the outside whether they're being consistent or not. People with the same condition getting different results isn't proof of that.

 

[DisneyHead123]

There are obviously some CM training issues that still need to be addressed, which is leading to the inconsistencies we hear about. But I don't necessarily agree that not publicly detailing accommodations that really can't be publicly released, because there are too many variables, equates to providing unreliable service when guests are actually at the park.

I don’t think it matters if they’re public or not, if they’re consistent people will piece them together. If they’re so inconsistent that you couldn’t possibly piece together the underlying pattern, then that’s just crappy customer service for people with actual disabilities. I just don’t see a way around that.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I don't know how anyone can possibly judge from the outside whether they're being consistent or not. People with the same condition getting different results isn't proof of that.

I’m talking more about AQR and RTQ, which were supposed to be the alternate accommodations for those denied DAS.

 

[DisneyHead123]

What would the document verify?

A need for a particular accommodation. Most likely from a doctor, or maybe certain therapists.

 

[Chi84]

A need for a particular accommodation. Most likely from a doctor, or maybe certain therapists.

Okay, so what if the doctor says a person has a disability that prevents them from standing in a line for more than 30 minutes? What accommodation do they get?

 

[Figgy1]

What I mean is that Disney could say "No more DAS, other accommodations will be offered", and limit the LLs to paying customers only.

I don't imagine them ever doing that, but so long as they are accommodating needs via other means, they could if they wanted to.

Much harder to deny access to paying guests (other than for attractions that "sell out", for lack of a better term).

Out of curiosity what do you propose for those that still qualify,

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I think the problem is that if they were clear and consistent, they would indeed open the door for cheaters again. Right now they’re deterring them by being confusing, inconsistent, and unreliable. That may work to deter cheaters, but it means providing that same unreliable service to non-cheaters (both disabled guests or park goers who have an occasional situation like a bathroom emergency.) Not a good long term strategy for a theme park that has built a following based on customer service.

I don’t know what the answer is. Moving to documentation eventually seems like it may be a necessity. Not a perfect solution by any stretch of the imagination, but it would be a step at least.

To me it seems like the only parts that aren’t really clear is exactly what needs Disney will grant DAS for without question - which nobody really needs to know provided they are being honest about the need they’re applying for, and how each specific situation will be handled at each specific attraction - however I suspect this will never quite be standard due to changing factors like crowds, guest situation, and even CMs granting a little pixie dust.

Documentation doesn’t seem to solve what they’re trying to do here. They are moving people with legitimate and documented medical issues off of DAS, and AQR is already available to everyone.