New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Markc2]

Tell that to my Mom who literally passed out & fainted in MGM studios due to her condition & her initial stubbornness to not get a GAC at the time. I guess she shouldnt go & enjoy a vacation with her son & her granddaughter anymore. 3 bouts of cancer numerous other medical conditions but yea she shouldnt enjoy the rest of her life…. Comments like this just shows the ignorance of some. But hey. You do you.

The reality is that most of us will never understand the struggles of other medical's conditions until we have a loved one who has these complications. That poster's comments highlight that ignorance perfectly.

 

[jaklgreen]

I've never used it myself, but doesn't the Play app has to detect you in the queues that offer games? If that's the case then they have the tech to confirm you are in a queue. It'll be interesting how they plan it. I applied for DAS last year because of the notable confrontations with other guests seen on social media.

Yeah, you have to have your blue tooth on. But I am sure that they will be more than satisfied by the amount of times that I am in the restroom.

 

[Section106]

I want more clarity on leaving and returning to the standby line. Fist fights are going to occur. People are not cool with moving out of the way now. Hell, they lose their shizzle over disabled people "cutting" in line with DAS or getting to board a bus first.

I emailed disability.services@disneyparks today to ask for clarity. I recieved a generic email in return with a promise to answer my questions after some more research on their part. This roll out feels very uncaring and disingenuous.

 

[Splash4eva]

While this isn't aimed at you specifically, or anyone who legitimately needs the DAS; it doesn’t change the fact that there are many people who were able to obtain a DAS by embellishing a condition that may or may not exist or knew the proper code words to convince a cast member to grant them access to the program. In many of these cases of abuse, the sole purpose for wanting to be in the program is purely for the benefit of being able to use lightning lane at will without having to pay the fees associated with Genie+.

It is hard for me to sincerely believe the argument that people who claim they desperately need the DAS service because they cannot wait in a long line for an attraction but can wait in a long line when it is convenient for them and their needs. Whether it is waiting for a concert, waiting in line for merchandise, waiting on transportation, or waiting on food, there are many instances of abuse that have been noticed and documented by Disney to the point that they know there are contradictions in the claims coming from those people and know there is a problem with abuse.

I think it is an insult to the intelligence of all park goers to say that everyone in the DAS program legitimately has the disability they claim and needs the accommodation they request. It is also unrealistic to say all who apply for DAS all stay strictly within the parameters of their medical specific needs that they told Disney when they requested their DAS. Someone who legitimately needed the DAS would not be able to cherry-pick when their disability prohibits them from waiting in a line and when it doesn’t. People with serious medical conditions usually cannot turn it off when it becomes convenient.

If someone is able to wait in a long line for something where DAS accommodation is not offered and chooses to do so anyway despite telling Disney that it is not possible for them to wait in line for attraction queues citing medical reasons, then it is only fair and correct for others to question and challenge the validity of their need for the DAS pass.

Desperately needing DAS accommodation for theme park attractions but being able to miraculously recover from their condition when it comes time to do an activity where that accommodation did not apply is a big part on why this program needs revisions. Disney has admitted there is a large amount of people enrolled in the program who simply do not belong. They have also admitted they have evidence that there has been more than a small amount of documented abuse of the program. If the amount of abuse was insignificant, they wouldn't be changing the program and the requirements so radically. While I feel for the people who truly need this accommodation, it’s hard to ignore the blatant disregard for the rules. It is a shame that those who abuse the program are now causing hardships for the people who need the program for the reasons it was intended.

& those same people will continue to abuse the system unless documentation is needed. Again ill repeat they literally gave a blue print on what was gonna be considered eligible. Do you really think these people are not going to lie & claim some type of autism spectrum etc to gain the system again?!? Its like lets ban guns & expect criminals to follow the law & not find a way to obtain one. Lets all not be naive here now.

 

[Splash4eva]

The reality is that most of us will never understand the struggles of other medical's conditions until we have a loved one who has these complications. That poster's comments highlight that ignorance perfectly.

Listen i get the ignorance its human nature sadly but what people dont understand is everyone is different & some can handle the same ailment that another can not.

 

[AdventurersClub]

& those same people will continue to abuse the system unless documentation is needed. Again ill repeat they literally gave a blue print on what was gonna be considered eligible. Do you really think these people are not going to lie & claim some type of autism spectrum etc to gain the system again?!? Its like lets ban guns & expect criminals to follow the law & not find a way to obtain one. Lets all not be naive here now.

That is the problem with empty threats, until people start having their annual passes revoked or they get fired from their Cast Member/DCP job and trespassed, people will think it's low risk and high reward to lie and that is the wrong message to send. If they are serious about this rule, they need to be serious about the followthrough with the consequences for violating the rule.

 

[Tha Realest]

& those same people will continue to abuse the system unless documentation is needed. Again ill repeat they literally gave a blue print on what was gonna be considered eligible. Do you really think these people are not going to lie & claim some type of autism spectrum etc to gain the system again?!? Its like lets ban guns & expect criminals to follow the law & not find a way to obtain one. Lets all not be naive here now.

With all due respect, you’ve made some pretty outrageous and ridiculous claims over the last two days, with the latest comparing the DAS revisions to the wisdom of gun laws. Seriously, dial it back a few notches.

 

[Tha Realest]

I find it so strange the wording they have chosen to use. “Like autism or similar”? And that specific verbiage is now in two places.

It looks like something you’d write in a draft and then leave yourself a note to come back and finish later.

It is really awful. Maybe it is because cognitive disorders is offensive or too limiting? And is there really anything “like” autism, which encompasses a wide array of neurodivergent characteristics (hence the oft-associated term, spectrum).

 

[CastAStone]

What is this lost revenue you all keep speaking of?

Genie+ has sold out 29 times in the nearly 2 years since they changed it so it could. 5% of days.

In other words, if DAS wasn’t taking up LL space they would sell 0 extra G+’s 95% of the year.

This is clearly about fixing a guest experience problem.

 

[Splash4eva]

With all due respect, you’ve made some pretty outrageous and ridiculous claims over the last two days, with the latest comparing the DAS revisions to the wisdom of gun laws. Seriously, dial it back a few notches.

Thats your opinion & you are entitled to it. But if you think for one minute people who have lied & abused this system will Not do the same going forward you are kidding yourself unless they require some form of documentation or proof. Lets not be naive & tell me to dial it down a few notches.

 

[DryerLintFan]

Are there restrictions to what attractions you can use your specific DAS for based on your individual disabilities? Certainly once Disney is made aware of any triggering issues they should take responsibility and steer that guest away from experiences that would leave them open to any possible discomfort no matter the queue time.

Its user Defined atm. I imagine that list would be difficult for Disney to collect and then implement. Like you’d need a checklist of the things you felt you could do during your DAS call, or something like that.

I personally have a list of rides i cannot go on. I don’t go on them. But I’ll be honest,… i really miss Everest

 

[Horizonsfan]

So exactly like how people can wait in line and go on whatever ride the want. Which is what DAS is supposed to be the alternative for, not Genie+. Some seem to forget that DAS people still wait however long the standby wait time is to get on the ride. Not only that, they have to then wait however long the LL is.

It’s not the equivalent to stand-by. The non-Genie+, non-DAS guest cannot magically duplicate themself and go on the carousel, the train, or any other low wait attraction while still simultaneously waiting to get to the end of the Mine Train line. What you’re experiencing in that scenario is closer to Genie+ with free ILL included.

That is why DAS has been so appealing to people who would function just fine without it.

 

[Splash4eva]

What is this lost revenue you all keep speaking of?

Genie+ has sold out 29 times in the nearly 2 years since they changed it so it could. 5% of days.

In other words, if DAS wasn’t taking up LL space they would sell 0 extra G+’s 95% of the year.

This is clearly about fixing a guest experience problem.

I think the theory is & its not wrong is that if someone has DAS they will not buy genie if denied DAS they will buy genie so thats a ton of lost revenue as you just proved by stating how many days were not sold out.

 

[seabreezept813]

I feel like a simpler first step in “cracking down” could simply be switching to virtual application only, no premade ride selections, and party members only immediate family or part of your booking. That would weed out the tour guide abuse and free up some confusion by taking out preselects.

 

[RamblinWreck]

Thats your opinion & you are entitled to it. But if you think for one minute people who have lied & abused this system will Not do the same going forward you are kidding yourself unless they require some form of documentation or proof. Lets not be naive & tell me to dial it down a few notches.

I think a large number of people who had no problem doing any of these things:

1. Telling the truth about a condition that would get them approved for DAS even though they didn’t really need it
2. Embellishing the severity of a real condition they had
3. Lying about a DAS qualifying condition that was not terribly severe and not easily proven false

Will have a much harder time getting on a video call and pretending to be autistic. Not all of them. But most of them.

 

[Splash4eva]

I think a large number of people who had no problem doing any of these things:

1. Telling the truth about a condition that would get them approved for DAS even though they didn’t really need it
2. Embellishing the severity of a real condition they had
3. Lying about a DAS qualifying condition that was not terribly severe and not easily proven false

Will have a much harder time getting on a video call and pretending to be autistic. Not all of them. But most of them.

How so?!? My GF for example her daughter has an IEP on spectrum was non verbal 2 years ago. She has behavioral issues which somewhat is holding her back still & in no way shape or form be able to wait in any line with her condition. I assure you there is no way you would know she has issues so does that mean she gets denied?

 

[Splash4eva]

I feel like a simpler first step in “cracking down” could simply be switching to virtual application only, no premade ride selections, and party members only immediate family or part of your booking. That would weed out the tour guide abuse and free up some confusion by taking out preselects.

Exactly. Ive said this before the 2 pre selects were not needed but hey want to give me them so be it. Granted at times the attractions you want are not available or time slots but again. Its 2 free rides extra. Limiting it to only your immediate family seems too obvious to me & again its simple to see who is abusing it when the same DAS users show up with different people constantly. They botched this completely imo

 

[Angel Ariel]

Certainly once Disney is made aware of any triggering issues they should take responsibility and steer that guest away from experiences that would leave them open to any possible discomfort no matter the queue time.

For legal reasons I highly doubt Disney wants to take on that responsibility. Their responsibility is to inform - not to make a customer take their advice. This could easily tangent into providing medical advice, which Disney wants absolutely no part of.

 

[Angel Ariel]

waiting on transportation

To be fair, waiting on transportation isn't really an option. DAS doesn't apply for Disney's transportation services. Whether talking about a Disney bus, a shades bus, a ride share service, etc - how long anyone has to wait is out of their control (and simply driving themselves isn't an option for all for a multitude of reasons).

 

[DryerLintFan]

To be fair, waiting on transportation isn't really an option. DAS doesn't apply for Disney's transportation services. Whether talking about a Disney bus, a shades bus, a ride share service, etc - how long anyone has to wait is out of their control (and simply driving themselves isn't an option for all for a multitude of reasons).

This is another place we desperately need benches. Why are there no benches at the bus stops?!