New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Chi84]

How is letting people have a companion some huge unworkable hurdle?

I have no idea whether it is or not.

Disney is required to make modifications when reasonable and necessary to accommodate someone with a disability. It need not be the person’s preferred accommodation, nor is it required that the offered accommodation remove all difficulty or discomfort.

The standard is not that Disney is required to provide the preferred accommodation unless it’s some “huge unworkable hurdle.”

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Disney is required to make modifications when reasonable and necessary to accommodate someone with a disability. It need not be the person’s preferred accommodation, nor is it required that the offered accommodation remove all difficulty or discomfort.

I think it’s reasonable to have a companion accompany you so you don’t have to wait alone.

It is the point of many ADA laws that businesses provide as equal of an experience as possible. That would include being able to wait with a companion rather than be separated. At least in my opinion.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

I think it’s reasonable to have a companion accompany you so you don’t have to wait alone.

It is the point of many ADA laws that businesses provide as equal of an experience as possible. That would include being able to wait with a companion rather than be separated. At least in my opinion.

But as said earlier...the person can wait in the line as long as they can then leave the line.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

But as said earlier...the person can wait in the line as long as they can then leave the line.

Perhaps I’m confused on the options, if a guest can’t wait in a line, I thought one of the options is for the rest of the group to wait in line and the guest with the disability can meet them at the LL merge. In that scenario, it seems reasonable that a companion would be able to wait with the guest.

That’s the scenario I’m referring to.

 

[Chi84]

Perhaps I’m confused on the options, if a guest can’t wait in a line, I thought one of the options is for the rest of the group to wait in line and the guest with the disability can meet them at the LL merge. In that scenario, it seems reasonable that a companion would be able to wait with the guest.

That’s the scenario I’m referring to.

I would think those would be extremely limited circumstances. Disney has decided to move almost everyone into lines. If you don’t have autism or a similar developmental disability, the accommodation is to wait in line and leave briefly if necessary.

The scenario you’re describing would probably involve an autistic guest who was with others who could wait in line.

 

[Chi84]

I think it’s reasonable to have a companion accompany you so you don’t have to wait alone.

It is the point of many ADA laws that businesses provide as equal of an experience as possible. That would include being able to wait with a companion rather than be separated. At least in my opinion.

The standard is reasonable and necessary. Not everything that is reasonable is necessary.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The standard is reasonable and necessary. Not everything that is reasonable is necessary.

Please do not read this as argumentive -
What is “the standard”? And Necessary for what?

- the standard set by the ADA goes beyond “necessary to accommodate” to “necessary for disabled guests to have the same experience as non-disabled.”

 

[TrojanUSC]

I would think those would be extremely limited circumstances. Disney has decided to move almost everyone into lines. If you don’t have autism or a similar developmental disability, the accommodation is to wait in line and leave briefly if necessary.

The scenario you’re describing would probably involve an autistic guest who was with others who could wait in line.

There are two options available to everyone:

1) the guest with the disability enters the queue and if they need to leave they can do so (with a caregiver) then they are able to meet their party at merge point upon returning.

2) the guest opts not to wait in line while the rest of their party does. After the family rides, that guest and a caregiver can enter through the LL. This rider swap service has always been available to parents with young children but has since been expanded.

 

[Chi84]

Please do not read this as argumentive -
What is “the standard”? And Necessary for what?

- the standard set by the ADA goes beyond “necessary to accommodate” to “necessary for disabled guests to have the same experience as non-disabled.”

The ADA requires that any policies, practices or procedures of a public accommodation be reasonably modified for disabled individuals as necessary to afford access unless doing so would fundamentally alter what is offered.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

as necessary to afford access

No, there are many examples of ADA laws going beyond “access” - it’s about equal access and equal opportunity to use a space the way other, non-disabled guests are able to use it.

Example - companion seats at theaters and at all levels / price ranges of the theatre.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

There are two options available to everyone:

1) the guest with the disability enters the queue and if they need to leave they can do so (with a caregiver) then they are able to meet their party at merge point upon returning.

2) the guest opts not to wait in line while the rest of their party does. After the family rides, that guest and a caregiver can enter through the LL. This rider swap service has always been available to parents with young children but has since been expanded.

Oh thank you! I think I had heard these 2 described one at a time and vaguely and thought they were all the same policy. This clears it up.

Is the Disney language “caregiver”? That’s my argument - it should be “companion”

 

[Chi84]

No, there are many examples of ADA laws going beyond “access” - it’s about equal access and equal opportunity to use a space the way other, non-disabled guests are able to use it.

Example - companion seats at theaters and at all levels / price ranges of the theatre.

You asked what the ADA provides. That’s what it says.

The issue here is there is nothing comparable to line-skip accommodations. The closest is probably service animals and that is expressly covered by DOJ regulations.

I’ve said from the start that the problem is not whether line-skips are reasonably required or even necessary for access. It’s the second part of the equation; the fundamental alteration of services offered to others. The language of the only case covering this area is very favorable to businesses.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Just came back from a week long trip. I will say the improvement in the lightning lanes was nearly unbelievable and extremely noticeable. I saw absolutely zero backups at any lighting lane entrance. The vast majority of our lightning lanes were walk ons directly to the merge. Getting refresh LL’s was easy. Bravo Disney on finally fixing this huge problem. People who genuinely need DAS can now use it without worrying about the uncertainty of backed up lightning lanes, and everyone else can purchase the upcharge system and it will work much better.

Also pleasantly surprised by TBA (which I got a LL for right at 7 am). It’s no Splash, but it’s not bad.
Finally, I’d do not see anyone arguing with cast members at the ride entrance, which was another pleasant surprise.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You asked what the ADA provides. That’s what it says.

The issue here is there is nothing comparable to line-skip accommodations. The closest is probably service animals and that is expressly covered by DOJ regulations.

I’ve said from the start that the problem is not whether line-skips are reasonably required or even necessary for access. It’s the second part of the equation; the fundamental alteration of services offered to others. The language of the only case covering this area is very favorable to businesses.

Why do you constantly and deliberately mischaracterizing operational aspects? You know it’s not a line skipping service. You know what those are and that the distinctions are important when discussing operations of the services provided.

 

[Angel Ariel]

I would think those would be extremely limited circumstances. Disney has decided to move almost everyone into lines. If you don’t have autism or a similar developmental disability, the accommodation is to wait in line and leave briefly if necessary.

The scenario you’re describing would probably involve an autistic guest who was with others who could wait in line.

Wait - AQR was initially described exactly as the PP is suggesting - . Someone with a disability that doesn't qualify for DAS waiting in line, then upon leaving (if needing to leave), the person with a disability can wait until the party is nearing the LL merge point and then go through the LL and wait until their party joins them. It's also how I've seen reports of it being used being described.

 

[Chi84]

Wait - AQR was initially described exactly as the PP is suggesting - . Someone with a disability that doesn't qualify for DAS waiting in line, then upon leaving (if needing to leave), the person with a disability can wait until the party is nearing the LL merge point and then go through the LL and wait until their party joins them. It's also how I've seen reports of it being used being described.

There’s a difference between waiting in line and having to leave - and “cannot wait in line.” That’s what I was responding to.

 

[Chi84]

Why do you constantly and deliberately mischaracterizing operational aspects? You know it’s not a line skipping service. You know what those are and that the distinctions are important when discussing operations of the services provided.

We resolved this long ago. Everyone seems to understand that it’s not a wait-skipping service but it does let you skip standing in the physical line. Maybe you weren’t following then.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

We resolved this long ago. Everyone seems to understand that it’s not a wait-skipping service but it does let you skip standing in the physical line. Maybe you weren’t following then.

To be fair, you announced this long ago but it’s not something that “we” agreed on.

DAS is not a line skip or a wait skip service - it’s an accommodation for disabled guests.

 

[Chi84]

To be fair, you announced this long ago but it’s not something that “we” agreed on.

DAS is not a line skip or a wait skip service - it’s an accommodation for disabled guests.

Of course it is. DAS is an accommodation for guests who cannot stand in a conventional line due to a developmental disability such as autism. It allows those guests to skip standing in a conventional line and use the LLs instead. Disney is very clear about this.

It would make for some very long posts to have to use all those words to describe a system when we all know what we’re talking about. But if you can’t attack anything else, go for the language.

 

[Vacationeer]

The accommodation needed is to skip the (physical) line but then also need the same experience as the line, when not going in the line is the goal?