Ravenclaw78
Well-Known Member
I will be better about that in the future!
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New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024
- Thread starter AEfx
- Start date
Yes good point, no absolutes, I agree there!
Posted last one before I was done. Haha.
I also wanted to say, I think there are just some reasons that just most likely won’t get approved. Not ALL, but MOST. The ones that come to mind first are bathroom needs and mobility needs. If that is the reason the person was getting DAS before, they will most likely be denied now. I know we can say over and over that no, it’s needs based, but I also think that is giving false hope to people in those groups. Then they are upset when they call and are denied.
DoubleSwitchback
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't say I don't believe these, but I think a lot of details often get left out. Might she have also had physical challenges that she discussed with the CM, leading to the ECV recommendation?
It wasn't that long ago that someone on this very thread had people upset that her kids weren't included beyond the 4 person das limit... then it came out that one was an adult. There always seem to be lurking mitigating circumstances for the "crazy" stories
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
Like the families who want you to trade seats on the airline so “kids can sit with parents” - and the kids are grown! Haha
Tigger&Pooh
Active Member
I would say MOST guests with ANY given disability should expect to be denied DAS. No diagnosis is a given to receive DAS and most will not be able to show the level of needs for which Disney is now granting DAS. The more people understand that and plan for alternative accommodations, the less stress and disappointment they’ll feel.
John park hopper
Well-Known Member
It's my understanding if you make resort reservations 30 days out you can apply for a disability accommodation. If you are denied and feel you won't be able to do WDW you have ample time to cancel.
Tigger&Pooh
Active Member
You need a ticket, not necessarily a resort reservation, to do the DAS request. Tickets are usually non-refundable but if fully-unused retain value as a credit towards future tickets. At least one authorized reseller offers a refund minus a restocking fee.
WDW resort reservations as a package (room+tickets) incur penalty if cancelled within 30 days of arrival. Room-only reservations can be canceled up until 7 days prior to arrival without penalty (8 days in 2025).
flynnibus
Premium Member
That said, being in line is probably far less difficult than navigating around the open park. So to expect a line-skip for lines... while you normally move through the mob to get TO that attraction? Doesn't pass the sniff test...
TrainsOfDisney
Well-Known Member
I agree - I’m guessing there was another issue as well? Otherwise it doesn’t make sense, no.
DoubleSwitchback
Well-Known Member
It probably also depends which report we're talking about. Was this from the early days of the switch over? Back then there was outrage when anyone who was "truly" disabled was denied. People have gotten a bit more reasonable about discussing/considering the actual need in the intervening months.
eta: To clarify, I'm not saying someone who is blind could never need DAS!
Yes! We should all have another plan. I mean just in life I have to have multiple plans in case things don’t go as expected.
seabreezept813
Well-Known Member
Just to clarify I wasn’t upset about not being extended the 5 person allotment and gave more information for those who were. I knew the reason and didn’t push back. So I wouldn’t qualify that as a crazy story.
I will say it doesn’t feel like the Disney way if the party is immediate family, staying in the same hotel room and reservation, and the DAS holder is already missing out on bigger rides with the family (height) so why not let everyone go together on the small stuff. For example, if we do Haunted Mansion, we’re still only using two doom buggies, whereas having to go back and do twice actually takes up more ride capacity.
These CMs do not have an easy job right now so I understand that they are going only by the book and pushback will only make things worse I just think that some common sense has been taken out of the process. I also agree that a lot of the stories might be exaggerated because the whole thing is emotional and for good reasons. Health issues can make people emotional and Disney is one expensive trip. So I think we’re getting anecdotes that maybe aren’t purposefully exaggerated but just kind of naturally are because it deals with sensitive topics.
I wonder if you brought up these points, you are immediate family, all in the same room, and DAS holder can’t do big rides, if they would give an exception and add the additional adult child? I mean it wouldn’t hurt to ask I suppose. It’s not like you have 3 separate rooms and it’s cousins and aunts/uncles you are trying to include.
seabreezept813
Well-Known Member
My friend went recently with a DAS holder and CMs were pretty kind about letting in a plus one. They were a large extended group. So we’ll just hope to get lucky and if not pivot.
DrummerAlly
Well-Known Member
I want to share my experience from WDW this past week to offer some hope to former DAS users. (And would really appreciate no un-kind comments). My daughter has Level 1 Autism with Language Impairment and used DAS previously. She would have been extremely upset to apply for DAS and be denied and so we decided to not even apply for it, to explain to her that the system changed and its no longer available, and set her expectations accordingly to help her plan ahead. Like many with autism, changes of plans or expectations are difficult, and so for our family, it was better to just not even try and set expectations for this trip differently.
The Good:
We were able to ride everything we wanted with lightening lanes using very careful planning. We purchased Genie+ everyday and used it efficiently. We had a great trip, overall, and my family was basically able to do what we used to do.
The Stressful:
The one hour return time was extremely stressful at first as it didn't allow us to be flexible when my daughter's needs changed (need for a break, need for air conditioning). Additionally, she had significant stress thinking we had to run from one ride to the next to catch the LL window and was disoriented and frazzled, at one point leaving behind her bag with her glasses and prescription on Big Thunder Mountain (both were recovered). The best news of the trip occurred when we figured out by chance that Disney was not enforcing the LL return window times (at least on any ride we tried). We tapped into several rides several hours late, including for headliners like Frozen, and the mickey went green immediately. Once we had figured this out, it really helped.
The Meh:
It was much more expensive than I would have liked.
I drew a hard line and refused to purchase any ILLs. We tried waiting in a 50 minute line for Rise of the Resistance and my daughter ended up crying and panicking through much of the line. We got lucky and managed the rest of the ILL rides with much less waits (with significant planning on my part), without purchasing ILL. For a less savvy Disney traveler with an evening high functioning autistic child, this would have been a nightmare.
Next Trip:
Probably Universal so we can just get Express Passes and skip the stress. But, this is do-able. I hope this helps and provides some hope to people who are going to skip DAS or are denied DAS.
The Good:
We were able to ride everything we wanted with lightening lanes using very careful planning. We purchased Genie+ everyday and used it efficiently. We had a great trip, overall, and my family was basically able to do what we used to do.
The Stressful:
The one hour return time was extremely stressful at first as it didn't allow us to be flexible when my daughter's needs changed (need for a break, need for air conditioning). Additionally, she had significant stress thinking we had to run from one ride to the next to catch the LL window and was disoriented and frazzled, at one point leaving behind her bag with her glasses and prescription on Big Thunder Mountain (both were recovered). The best news of the trip occurred when we figured out by chance that Disney was not enforcing the LL return window times (at least on any ride we tried). We tapped into several rides several hours late, including for headliners like Frozen, and the mickey went green immediately. Once we had figured this out, it really helped.
The Meh:
It was much more expensive than I would have liked.
I drew a hard line and refused to purchase any ILLs. We tried waiting in a 50 minute line for Rise of the Resistance and my daughter ended up crying and panicking through much of the line. We got lucky and managed the rest of the ILL rides with much less waits (with significant planning on my part), without purchasing ILL. For a less savvy Disney traveler with an evening high functioning autistic child, this would have been a nightmare.
Next Trip:
Probably Universal so we can just get Express Passes and skip the stress. But, this is do-able. I hope this helps and provides some hope to people who are going to skip DAS or are denied DAS.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Thanks for sharing your experience first hand.
This is interesting…. I wonder if it changed because they are getting ready to switch to the new system or maybe it’s been like this for awhile but people just didn’t know?
DrummerAlly
Well-Known Member
I really don’t know. I didn’t know if they loosened it because of former DAS users, if we just got lucky, or if it’s because of the upcoming switch or something else. We tapped into haunted mansion, smugglers run, frozen, and a few others anywhere between 30 minutes to 4 hours late and there was an immediate green Mickey - no need for a CM to “let us in”.
Being able to tap in late relieved a ton of stress on us during the trip. I wish we had figured it out a few days earlier.
RSoxNo1
Well-Known Member
I was in Disneyland last week. We had pre-registered under the old system but were using it under the new system. I stopped at accessibility services to see if our party size could be increased and was told no. It seems the primary variable there is the number of children in the party.
They did make an alternative accommodation for us, indicating there is some flexibility here. What it really seems like is they want to be able to say that they've restricted the usage to 4 guests per DAS user, but they have the ability to grant additional "anytime" lightning lanes. I also witnessed a separate area outside of Indiana Jones for accessibility.
In short, I think they've succeeded in making another thing more confusing.
By comparison, we also went to Universal Hollywood last week, submitted the documentation for my brother ahead of time and were approved. That was quite simple. Go to the attraction, if the wait is 25 minutes or less, you go in the Express Lane, otherwise you get a return time.
They did make an alternative accommodation for us, indicating there is some flexibility here. What it really seems like is they want to be able to say that they've restricted the usage to 4 guests per DAS user, but they have the ability to grant additional "anytime" lightning lanes. I also witnessed a separate area outside of Indiana Jones for accessibility.
In short, I think they've succeeded in making another thing more confusing.
By comparison, we also went to Universal Hollywood last week, submitted the documentation for my brother ahead of time and were approved. That was quite simple. Go to the attraction, if the wait is 25 minutes or less, you go in the Express Lane, otherwise you get a return time.