New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[jennab55]

It was less risk because there were fewer people wanting it. DAS -- while intangible -- is a limited commodity due to it's impact on the standby and evening FP/LL queues. When demand for it increases there's not enough available to give to everyone who wants/needs it without negatively affecting others. Disabilities have "exploded" (for lack of a better word) over the past decade, whether that is due to more diagnoses or better testing to make those diagnoses or simply more acceptance of disabilities or an aging population or likely all of these combined.

As I pointed out...in 2011 I was far from confident that my child would qualify for accommodations (GAC at that time). We made our trip plans, had plans A-B-C considered if needed for any given day. We had to actually be onsite to obtain any accommodation -- and again, I was not feeling confident due to lack of information available. In fact, we didn't obtain the GAC until late in our second day because it was denied at first request (until I arrived at Guest Relations in a frazzled state and my child was in meltdown). The Internet has shared so much about DAS and made it "easy" in the past decade that many felt they were entitled to accommodations long before they left home with no alternative plans in mind to accommodate their own needs. People assumed there was no risk but that doesn't mean there was no risk.

Oh yes, people used to not even be able to apply until onsite!

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh yes, people used to not even be able to apply until onsite!

Yes - and Disney changed that. They didn't have to, they chose to for their own reasons. But even with having to be on site - I've visited gone to a local amusement park where I was able to have the conversation about disability accommodations and be approved for their program or not *before* having to spend money on tickets. The guest relations window where the conversation was held was before the ticket windows. So there was still a choice available to people who didn't qualify for the accommodations to decide whether to spend the day at the park or not.

Again if smaller parks/businesses can figure out ways for disabled people to still have that choice after knowing what accommodations they'll have access to, Disney can too. They may choose not to, but it is very much a choice.

 

[jennab55]

Yes - and Disney changed that. They didn't have to, they chose to for their own reasons. But even with having to be on site - I've visited gone to a local amusement park where I was able to have the conversation about disability accommodations and be approved for their program or not *before* having to spend money on tickets. The guest relations window where the conversation was held was before the ticket windows. So there was still a choice available to people who didn't qualify for the accommodations to decide whether to spend the day at the park or not.

Again if smaller parks/businesses can figure out ways for disabled people to still have that choice after knowing what accommodations they'll have access to, Disney can too. They may choose not to, but it is very much a choice.

Oh I don’t disagree that they should either refund people or allow a conversation prior to purchasing tickets. I was just agreeing that I forgot you used to have to apply in person once there, which for a lot of people meant shelling out all the money to get there, not usually a day trip.