New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[C33Mom]

After catching up on this thread all I will say is it’s amazing how important it is to some that disabled people get that absolute minimum required by law, and not an inch more.

Sad to see.

This is totally divorced from the actual conversation happening in the DAS and ex-DAS community. There may be a tiny minority who actually feel that way, but many of us are able to recognize the opportunity costs of the old excessively generous system— the two most critical are (1) extremely long and unpredictable LLs making it hard for the families who need DAS most to actually access the rides and (2) when the system is too generous it’s going to encourage more DAS misuse and abuse, which will result in even further tightening of accommodations for the people who really need it.

I don’t know if many of the people accusing others (and Disney) of being heartless really can’t comprehend these problems or they just don’t want to accept it. Here’s an example to make it even more obvious: if only the one person who needs it is allowed to use AQR, it’s pretty unlikely they are going to fake anxiety or IBS so they can go ride a bunch of short wait attractions without their group. Once you expand it to two people, it starts to look like an interesting (but unethical) park “hack” to people who feel Disney owes them something for the same reasons they used to justify lying to get DAS. Additionally, it doubles use of LL for every person who uses AQR.

I haven’t been to WDW since the new system was rolled out, for all I know Disney is allowing a companion and if they are, that’s great news for me and my family— I’m not going to be upset about it— but those of us support limits aren’t doing it because we hate people with disabilities, I would assume many/most here are AQR or DAS users or travel with someone who is.

 

[Angel Ariel]

One question, of it's a party of 3, wouldn't that then leave the other person who is in the line by themselves?

Others answered better than me already. I'm just going to echo the importance of the choice existing - the agency to choose matters.

 

[Angel Ariel]

How would they know the person has a disability in your second example?

They are telling people to tell the CMs and explain the need to the CM at the entrance. This isn't hypothetical - this is what the anccessibility team are telling people who do not qualify for DAS

 

[Chi84]

They are telling people to tell the CMs and explain the need to the CM at the entrance. This isn't hypothetical - this is what the anccessibility team are telling people who do not qualify for DAS

But are they saying to specify the disability? If AQR is for everyone and I tell the CM I am unable to wait in the line due to medication causing me to be sensitive to heat and my husband is the only one with me will they just give me a return time?

Or are you saying RTQ will only be given for someone with a disability who needs a caretaker? Does it have to be a designated disability or just someone who needs to have a person with them? My MIL was not disabled but she was old enough that one of us was with her at all times.

It seems the only dedicated disability service is DAS and that they’ve just made the rest of the lines accessible to all regardless of disability status.

 

[DoubleSwitchback]

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.

It doesn't skip the wait but it absolutely does skip the line! That's its whole essence

 

[Club Cooloholic]

It doesn't skip the wait but it absolutely does skip the line! That's its whole essence

Yeah, I am kinda of tired of hearing how awful anyone is for insinuating that DAS was a line skip service. We know it was nearly identical to buying an LL... Well how would Disney characterize their own LL program....

 

[Figgy1]

Yeah, I am kinda of tired of hearing how awful anyone is for insinuating that DAS was a line skip service. We know it was nearly identical to buying an LL... Well how would Disney characterize their own LL program....
View attachment 795585

it may appear like that to those without severe disabilities but they are not the same and LL won't work for some people for various reasons.

 

[NotTheOne]

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.

It's an accommodation for disabled guests that allows them to skip the line but not the wait. You may not like seeing it characterized that way, but that's exactly what it is.

 

[NotTheOne]

it may appear like that to those without severe disabilities but they are not the same and LL won't work for some people for various reasons.

Yes, we know that for some people, buying LL won't work because of the one hour return time requirement, but that wasn't the point that the previous poster was addressing, nor were they saying that buying LL would work for all DAS users.

The point was that there are some posters who are claiming DAS wasn't as "skip the line" service. However, waiting outside the line and returning through the LL works the same with DAS (yes, I understand the time restrictions, I'm talking about how the DAS is redeemed) as it does with Genie+. And Disney itself describes Genie+ as a "skip the standby line" service.

So to say that DAS, which mechanically operates the exact same way as Genie+ (and/or the newest iteration to come), isn't "skip the line" when Genie+ is described by Disney as "skip the standby line", is?

 

[NotTheOne]

Yes. And if they're a party of more than 2 and AQR is needed, regardless of disability status, the person who can't be in/stay in line should have the option to have 1 companion with them.

We'll just have to agree to disagree on that...if a companion isn't needed, then there is no reason for them to wait outside the line.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I am kinda of tired of hearing how awful anyone is for insinuating that DAS was a line skip service. We know it was nearly identical to buying an LL...

Handicap Parking and preferred parking are nearly identical and yet 2 entirely different things. One is a legal requirement, one is a Money maker.

 

[Comped]

Handicap Parking and preferred parking are nearly identical and yet 2 entirely different things. One is a legal requirement, one is a Money maker.

And preferred parking is generally in a bit of a worse spot. Though handicap tends to fill up faster than I'd like... Especially at MK.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Handicap Parking and preferred parking are nearly identical and yet 2 entirely different things. One is a legal requirement, one is a Money maker.

I wasn't saying they were the same thing, just that what happens when using either is the same. Let's use your example. Is preferred parking, and handicap parking both at the front of the lot?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Yeah, I am kinda of tired of hearing how awful anyone is for insinuating that DAS was a line skip service. We know it was nearly identical to buying an LL... Well how would Disney characterize their own LL program....
View attachment 795585

Yes, because Disney would never overstate and hype an offering.

If you’re going to push arguments about operations (and not marketing) then it is important to be honest and accurate about the operational systems involved.

 

[Ayla]

it may appear like that to those without severe disabilities but they are not the same and LL won't work for some people for various reasons.

It's literally the exact same line/entrance to the ride.

 

[Club Cooloholic]

Yes, because Disney would never overstate and hype an offering.

If you’re going to push arguments about operations (and not marketing) then it is important to be honest and accurate about the operational systems involved.

I honestly can't argue this matter anymore, myself and others have presented clear evidence of why we have this perspective(even what should have been obvious prima facia). What have you provided, other than repeatedly saying the same thing.

Operationally, marketing wise, whatever you want to call it the two both LL and DAS allowed the user to get a return time and instead of standing in a long line, shuffling slowly along with sweaty hot masses, sometimes in the blistering sun, the user could go shop, eat, ride something else , or just sit somewhere. Then return to the ride and skip over that shuffle line process and get on the ride. If I am wrong, please point out the difference, other than with DAS you weren't even restricted to coming back at a specific timeframe once your wait period was over.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Let's use your example. Is preferred parking, and handicap parking both at the front of the lot?

I think so? Is that a trick question? Haha

 

[Touchdown]

Sorry this is a little early today, but I won’t be available at 12:30 and this is the closest I could get. It looks to be another lighter day for rides with over 60 min waits, but busier then yesterday:

 

[DoubleSwitchback]

Second, you shouldn't assume that just because someone disagrees with you that means they don't have family members/friends that deal with a disability.

Or even themselves! There's a lot of different opinions on how to "save DAS"; being able to speak truthfully about how the program works doesn't mean someone is opposed to the program.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Sorry this is a little early today, but I won’t be available at 12:30 and this is the closest I could get. It looks to be another lighter day for rides with over 60 min waits, but busier then yesterday:

View attachment 795604

Having just been there for a week, the real improvement is in the LL availability and the LL backups. I went the same week last year and it was night and day. Not a single backed up lightning lane entrance. The LL’s felt eerily empty as we walked through them. Also noticed that the peoplemover line never stopped moving and the posted 20 minute wait was actually around 9 minutes, likely because the cast members didn’t have to keep stopping the line to scan people and let them jump in front of it (which invariable leads to some empty vehicles being dispatched).

Really a win win win for everyone involved. Those who actually need DAS now don’t have to worry about backed up LL’s that might cause them an issue, and those who could have made do with a less generous accommodation should find a decent experience with G+ and the new multipass system (as should everyone else).

I also wonder if Disney is estimating even higher than normal when posting their standby waits because they’re still baking in too much DAS / LL usage. The waits we actually did stand in were far shorter than posted (even more than usual).

I got a post-trip survey and was sure to let them know in the general field for more comments after a question about LL usage/crowd levels that I appreciated that they had fixed this issue.