New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[DisneyHead123]

and AQR is already available to everyone.

I thought there were reports of CMs saying they hadn’t heard of it, or rides where it is not available for single riders, like ToT.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Ripe for abuse, both because it's easy to fake a doctor's note and because there are too many doctors who will just give the patient what they want, whether they really need the specific accommodation or not.

Plus, that doesn't necessarily mean (not sure if this is where you were going) that the guest would still need a DAS. A doctor could legit write a note saying that the guest can't wait in a line longer than 15 minutes. Well, there are other accommodations for that.

Like I said, nothing is perfect. There are people who file false disability claims that involve hundreds of thousands of dollars. But it would be something.

 

[Vacationeer]

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.

No more confusing than last 10yrs - DAS wasn’t automatically given for disabilities like hearing, vision, mobility, etc.

 

[NotTheOne]

I think limiting the amount of DAS accomodations that provide LL is not a crazy thought. It would allow for the program to continue to operate but would limit the use so that Disney could make their LL sales and keep the customers buying Genie Plus happier(because nobody is happy they had to buy it in the first place). I don't see how this is all that different from when someone who needs accessible seats at a concert goes to get them. There is a limited amount of them, and the customers need to make sure they plan ahead as early as possible to secure them. Now this only works if there is still screening in place to cut down on "cheaters". Is it a perfect system? No, but nothing seems to be.

I'm not a fan of a hard limit on the number of DAS simply because I think it's legally iffy. However, if Disney were to go that way, I think they would have to allow people to apply for DAS as soon as they have a resort reservation.

 

[Chi84]

Hopefully just that, if Disney tech teams can figure out the programming.

I don’t understand. If they figure out the programming, what accommodation would they offer to a person who can’t stand in line for 30 minutes?

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

How so?

When rider swap was only for children too short to ride, families could not get rider swap at rides like HM, even if a small child was too scared to ride. CM's also often had to check to make sure the child really was too short.

When my extended family used to use it, we usually had a stroller, and a small child willing to nap in the stroller. We'd also aim to do big rides while the child was napping. but Ww deiced that every child had to be height-checked, so we had to wake them up to request a child swap.

I imagine the above had to be difficult for CM's.

Back in that time, if the scared/napping child was an inch too tall, then requesting a child swap for that child was considered a form of fakery. It was hotly debated on Disney forums at the time.

Ironic that offering child/rider swap to everyone is now being offered as a way to curb abuse.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

I think we are starting to see a difference in wait times. Of course there have been low crowds, but many who have been gaming the system and would have been using DAS are just not waiting in as many lines as they used to.

It seems a bit early to draw any big conclusions.

 

[Splash4eva]

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.

Disney seems to disagree with that opinion

 

[Vacationeer]

When rider swap was only for children too short to ride, families could not get rider swap at rides like HM, even if a small child was too scared to ride. CM's also often had to check to make sure the child really was too short.

When my extended family used to use it, we usually had a stroller, and a small child willing to nap in the stroller. We'd also aim to do big rides while the child was napping. but Ww deiced that every child had to be height-checked, so we had to wake them up to request a child swap.

I imagine the above had to be difficult for CM's.

Back in that time, if the scared/napping child was an inch too tall, then requesting a child swap for that child was considered a form of fakery. It was hotly debated on Disney forums at the time.

Ironic that offering child/rider swap to everyone is now being offered as a way to curb abuse.

There also existed a ‘hack’ for using Rider Swap in tandem with FP+ to basically double FP access. Among other things, one method was one parent using FP to enter and then doing rider swap for the crew, and then the other parent picking an different FP and doing the same. Maximizing meant 3 FPs a day equalled 12 FP rides for the kids for families who had a baby.
Old testimony :
The last time my wife and I went to Disney, my son was 2 years old. We used rider swap to essentially "double" our fast passes by using one fastpass and then using rider swap for the other person. Then the 2nd person would fast pass a different ride. It was fairly simple with just the 3 of us.
NOW however, my son will be 5 and we have a daughter who will be 2. We are also going with my wife's family that consists of her parents (both non-riders) and her sister, husband and their 8 year old daughter. I'm wracking my brain to come up with a way to use rider swap to our advantage with a group this size and I'm not sure any of them will work well. There will be a total of 4 adults and 2 children riding, with another 2 adults not riding and therefore not using their passes as well as our 2 year old who won't get any fast passes and won't be tall enough to ride anything with a height restriction (except MAYBE Barnstormer).
Options I've come up with so far:
1. 2 adults and 1 child ride, then use rider swap for the other 2 adults and 1 child. Probably the most "legal" way, but wastes the grandparents passes and the kids won't get to ride at the same time and they will also only get one ride each.
2. 2 adults and 2 kids ride, then the other 2 adults and ONE of the kids can ride. We would use the grandparents passes for the kids on the next ride. Obviously the biggest drawback with this option is that only one kid gets to ride twice. It also means the kids have to use the grandparents bands, which from my understanding isn't "allowed" but they don't really enforce that. Is this a correct assessment?
3. 1 adult and 1 child fast pass, getting a riderswap pass for a second adult and the child. Then 1 more adult and 1 more child use the same toddler to obtain 2 more riderswap passes. The grandparents' fast passes get used for the kids on the next ride. This is probably the sketchiest way I came up with and honestly it feels a little scummy, but it was the only way I could think of to get both kids on the ride twice and use up ALL of our group's fast passes. I would assume it depends on the cast member not noticing that the same toddler has been used to get rider swap passes twice.
Does anyone else have any thoughts or other options? Would any of these strategies work or not work? Am I misunderstanding something? Am I a jerk for trying to "abuse" the system? This is probably the last opportunity we will have to take advantage of the rider swap program, since no one is planning to have any more kids and they'll probably all be tall enough to ride by the next trip, so I want to make the most of it.

By the very end of FP+, changes had already begun to limit that. They started making sure the whole party was using up a FP+ the first round (though that was very inconsistent) and started limiting how many could double up on the swap.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I don’t understand. If they figure out the programming, what accommodation would they offer to a person who can’t stand in line for 30 minutes?

I’m talking about ride specific and even time specific accommodations. If that wasn’t available, however, they could potentially qualify for traditional DAS, if a follow up interview determined that it was needed.

 

[Splash4eva]

I think limiting the amount of DAS accomodations that provide LL is not a crazy thought. It would allow for the program to continue to operate but would limit the use so that Disney could make their LL sales and keep the customers buying Genie Plus happier(because nobody is happy they had to buy it in the first place). I don't see how this is all that different from when someone who needs accessible seats at a concert goes to get them. There is a limited amount of them, and the customers need to make sure they plan ahead as early as possible to secure them. Now this only works if there is still screening in place to cut down on "cheaters". Is it a perfect system? No, but nothing seems to be.

The more i think about this idea the more it makes sense along with some of the other changes made. I also would bucket the allotment to people who have packages/vacations booked vs Local AP. I know its a hot topic but lets face it locals can come anytime they want and Disney would rather shut them out at times vs shutting out someone who is traveling

 

[NotTheOne]

Disney seems to disagree with that opinion

I'm assuming you didn't see my follow on comments.

 

[Touchdown]

Sorry to have missed yesterday, got busy but, today is again sticking to the pattern of long lines on weekdays

 

[NotTheOne]

The more i think about this idea the more it makes sense along with some of the other changes made. I also would bucket the allotment to people who have packages/vacations booked vs Local AP. I know its a hot topic but lets face it locals can come anytime they want and Disney would rather shut them out at times vs shutting out someone who is traveling

To me, and no, I'm not a lawyer, the legality of admitting someone to the park but then not affording them a needed accommodation (because some guests truly do need a DAS, couldn't do the parks otherwise) is suspect.

 

[Splash4eva]

I'm assuming you didn't see my follow on comments.

Good assumption. I was reading & commenting as i came across

 

[Splash4eva]

To me, and no, I'm not a lawyer, the legality of admitting someone to the park but then not affording them a needed accommodation (because some guests truly do need a DAS, couldn't do the parks otherwise) is suspect.

The regular guest is not guaranteed a chance to ride everything tho… i do get your point but to me another grey area. All im saying is this and have said it countless times. DAS users (i am one) cant expect the world from Disney and other companies and give nothing back in return and hide behind threatening of law suits because here we are now…

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I can’t see a (Disney) world in which they ever decide to implement hard limits like have been suggested, which would effectively shut some people out in order to accommodate people who can be helped in a different way but who are in the know enough to secure their spot first.

I also don’t understand how this is a better alternative to what they’re doing now for anybody but those in the know folks who are upset they’re losing their preferred accommodation when they can be accommodated in some other way.

 

[DoubleSwitchback]

The regular guest is not guaranteed a chance to ride everything tho… i do get your point but to me another grey area.

The #1 conclusion I've come to over the past two months is that the average DAS power user has no idea what the average/regular guest experience is like. No idea. Someone who recently lost DAS was complaining that they had to leave at 1 pm to rest midday out of the heat, when usually they'd keep going by taking nice AC breaks while waiting for each ride. This was the height of mistreatment and discrimination to them, whereas for the rest of us it's just known as "surviving WDW in June".

 

[NotTheOne]

Good assumption. I was reading & commenting as i came across

Fair enough, I do that as well (too often, I might add )

 

[Splash4eva]

The #1 conclusion I've come to over the past two months is that the average DAS power user has no idea what the average/regular guest experience is like. No idea. Someone who recently lost DAS was complaining that they had to leave at 1 pm to rest midday out of the heat, when usually they'd keep going by taking nice AC breaks while waiting for each ride. This was the height of mistreatment and discrimination to them, whereas for the rest of us it's just known as "surviving WDW in June".

I just got back and ill be honest Genie worked great as ive said a couple times. Yes having DAS obviously gets me on extra rides and kinda eliminates any down times if i dont want them… but im also not naive either. Issue is this. The Non DAS user also most of times dont understand the disability a LEGIT das user has.. so it does work both ways. Again i stress legit and not the ones who lie and cheat and claim things