New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[DryerLintFan]

Exactly this. Disability is not one size fits all; what may be reasonable for one person with a certain disability to endure is different than what’s reasonable for someone differently abled.

I think that’s what they’re trying to move towards

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I kinda get you here

But the other factor is that Disney is fighting a silent battle at the gates. The Bobs overpriced the parks

If this was 2007 or 2015…the PR concern would be minor. But they don’t need bad juju now. There’s only so long threatened Bob can say the parks are making more money by slashing hourlies and jacking prices on bottled water.

Oh yeah, this definitely isn’t a strictly legal decision. They’re eliminating DAS for those with disabilities that primarily (although not exclusively) impact older adults while making sure that those with disabilities that can appear in children (although last throughout life) are still eligible. Prioritizing children certainly makes sense from a PR perspective and candidly, I think that’s a good thing anyway. Those with the disabilities that are not included in DAS can still use the return to line pass.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Really it sounds like they’re attempting to draw a hard line between can’t wait in a line because the actual act of waiting in the line causes an issue, and can’t wait in a line because an issue might occur while in line that is unrelated to the actual act of waiting.

I think abuse is only part of the picture. I think this is bigger than lying.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I kinda get you here

But the other factor is that Disney is fighting a silent battle at the gates. The Bobs overpriced the parks

If this was 2007 or 2015…the PR concern would be minor. But they don’t need bad juju now. There’s only so long threatened Bob can say the parks are making more money by slashing hourlies and jacking prices on bottled water.

I’m no businessman (obviously) but isn’t there a case to tell the shareholders, listen, we’re going to take a hit publicly, but this is the plan to not only regain current financial success but surpass it within the next five years.

Like, surely the shareholders see that something gotta give? Like when the stores file for bankruptcy so they can come back stronger?

 

[Disstevefan1]

You are entitled to a reasonable accommodation for your disability. Not the accommodation you feel you’re entitled to due to your disability.

In essence, Disney is offering a more encompassing series accommodations to a non-verbal person with Down Syndrome vs someone with Type 1 diabetes or extreme irritable bowel syndrome.

You are entitled to your opinion as to what does not qualify as a disability.

It will be interesting to see those with legitimate disabilities who previously qualified, now will not with the new system.

 

[Splash4eva]

A DAS user doesn’t have to be a “fraud” for this to be still be a systemic problem. Part of the problem here is obviously that people are getting an accommodation that interferes with park operations when a different and less demanding accommodation is possible. This is why things like a “return to line” pass are a reasonable accommodation for those whose disability prevents them from standing in lines for a long period of time without a break (versus those who are neurodivergent and literally cannot wait in a long line). Then there’s the soft abuse already mentioned here, when those who legitimately qualify for DAS nevertheless “maximize” it to such an extent that they are using it when they don’t need to. Things like a DAS user who uses DAS to skip a 15 minute peoplemover line, not because they really can’t wait in that line (they just waited in a 20 minute lightning lane+after-merge line for Soarin the day before) but because they have the service, so they use it.

In the end it doesn’t really matter whether it’s all abuse. What matters is that the system as a whole is unsustainable. As DAS usage increases year over year (that tripling stat is eye-popping), more and more of overall ride capacity will go to DAS and less and less will be available for everyone else. Each individual DAS user may think “hey, I’m only adding a minute onto everyone else’s line, and they’re all jerks for questioning that”), but in the aggregate every ride only has a certain amount of throughput every day. DAS is currently on the trajectory that, if unchanged, nearly all of that throughput would go to those within the DAS ecosystem, with very little left for everything else. Something had to change, and this is why Disney is doing this.

Im truly curious how they plan on making this leave the line work when someone really needs to go to the bathroom as one user already discussed and others who truly cant stand in line that long are gonna be given i dk “breaks”. When you have multiple people at same time needing that same accomadation its going to be a nightmare getting them out and getting them back in. The root cause is still not being fixed pre books need to go. Rerides need to be addressed and yes this is the tricky area agreed. The delayed booking of another ride will ease some pain as well. Ultimately tho i dk what this is really gonna do when it comes to wait times. Whats funny is this. We been hearing for how long wait times are “inflated” yet now they are accurate. Genie + is far from perfect but you can easily get a solid days worth of selection with any sort of intelligence. Ive been during Thanksgiving week twice which is usually a busy week and also there end of August into Labor day and had great success granted the summer trip crowds were definitely less. Again there will never be any real right answer but until disney addresses the real issues none of this changes and again imo this will free up some more LL for rides which will be scooped up by others and will now have more people purchasing it imo.

 

[Vclguy90]

How do they catch someone lieing about a disability if they can't ask for proof?

 

[Tha Realest]

You are entitled to your opinion as to what does not qualify as a disability.

It will be interesting to see those with legitimate disabilities who previously qualified, now will not with the new system.

I never said those categories weren’t disabilities. To the contrary, they all constitute a form of disability.

The type of disability can dictate what is a reasonable accommodation.

Our opinions are irrelevant. It’s what’s objectively reasonable.

 

[Happyday]

Okay I just have to ask... I know nothing about Universal as there really are very few rides we can ride there. I now they have a system in place for autism and DD, and you have to have documentation are there any other accommodations? Do they have the same issues? If not what other differences are there?
Again just asking trying to educate myself please only helpful responses.

 

[Happyday]

For example, a quick (and hugely unpopular) one would be that DAS is for the handicapped individual plus one attendant only.

Gets them past ADA legal requirement and would immediately shut down all “DAS tours” and significant abuse.

The rest of the party, if any, waits like everybody else, which is both consistent to the normal guest experience and also reduces the “additional ride” issues if there are larger groups.

The answers aren’t pretty, but they are possible and will help lessen this escalating insanity.

Unfortunately again not all disabilities are the same. Some may need two people to assist with a transfer to the ride

 

[pdude81]

The root cause is still not being fixed pre books need to go.

Pre-books go away as of 5/20 based on the language. They only specify them for now through May 19.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Okay I just have to ask... I know nothing about Universal as there really are very few rides we can ride there. I now they have a system in place for autism and DD, and you have to have documentation are there any other accommodations? Do they have the same issues? If not what other differences are there?
Again just asking trying to educate myself please only helpful responses.

Universal switched to the IBCCES system a little while ago. It’s an independent organization that requires medical verification of your disability. Based upon that Universal will then accommodate you with several different options which range from all sorts of things like access to the express pass lines after a return time wait like DAS to (rarely) a true line-skip system after a return time wait for those who can’t handle the EP lines.

Edit: The IBCCES system is currently being tested in court.

 

[DryerLintFan]

How do they catch someone lieing about a disability if they can't ask for proof?

They don’t

 

[Happyday]

Pre-books go away as of 5/20 based on the language. They only specify them for now through May 19.

That is what I was getting from this as well. I did see something about the possibility in some rare cases though so... again this is a mess we aren't going to know till they start the new system

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

For example, a quick (and hugely unpopular) one would be that DAS is for the handicapped individual plus one attendant only.

If all you care about is the speed that the line moves and it doesn’t matter if families get to sit together than Disney shouldn’t let any groups ride together but force them to fill all available seats.

This would DEFINITELY make the lines move faster and since that is the ultimate goal it should be a win for everyone.

 

[Splash4eva]

Agree that joke was in poor taste. However we have no evidence whatsoever that people who truly suffer are going to be denied an accomodation. At worse, they’re going to get to wait in line and leave line when they need to. People are overreacting on the news because they’ve gotten used to their preferred line-skip system when another accommodation may end up working perfectly well for them.

I get all of that but a prime example is the solo traveler who already has stated a get out if line would do nothing for his condition if denied. Im sure he is not the only one. Seems to me the issue is not DAS users but the part size rerides & pre books fix that which they did not 2 of those they could have legally done with no issues at all

 

[Happyday]

Universal switched to the IBCCES system a little while ago. It’s an independent organization that requires medical verification of your disability. Based upon that Universal will then accommodate you with several different options which range from all sorts of things like access to the express pass lines after a return time wait like DAS to (rarely) a true line-skip system after a return time wait for those who can’t handle the EP lines.

Edit: The IBCCES system is currently being tested in court.

That's what I thought if that is the only difference isn't what this new Disney system basically do the same thing but without the need for documentation. I don't blame Disney for doing everything but what is being tested in court. I won't be surprised if IBCCES is allowed to be used Disney will jump on it. I am also curious if Disney basically did the same if the problems would solved or is it beyond the system? Again trying to learn and wrap my head around all this.

 

[Splash4eva]

Pre-books go away as of 5/20 based on the language. They only specify them for now through May 19.

I was curious how they would going forward i didnt see anything definitive. So they are in the right direction

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

I get all of that but a prime example is the solo traveler who already has stated a get out if line would do nothing for his condition if denied. Im sure he is not the only one. Seems to me the issue is not DAS users but the part size rerides & pre books fix that which they did not 2 of those they could have legally done with no issues at all

I am skeptical of the solo travelers who suffer from physical (versus neurological) impairments who are already stating a return to line pass will definitely do nothing for them without seeing what that return to line pass actually looks like. There is a difference between a person who cannot wait in a line due to emotional/neurological disabilities and those who cannot wait in a line because they may need to frequently leave to go to the bathroom, take a break, etc. The latter might prefer to get the classic DAS line-skip, but they can’t, because that is sucking up too much capacity from everyone else. When GAC changed to DAS there was a ton of similar sentiments and outrage from the former GAC users and that ended up working out fine for basically all of them.

 

[Splash4eva]

That's what I thought if that is the only difference isn't what this new Disney system basically do the same thing but without the need for documentation. I don't blame Disney for doing everything but what is being tested in court. I won't be surprised if IBCCES is allowed to be used Disney will jump on it. I am also curious if Disney basically did the same if the problems would solved or is it beyond the system? Again trying to learn and wrap my head around all this.

What always baffled me was this. If a guest is willing to show proof/documentation Disney still will not allow it. Now is a perfect example where it would probably out a ton of people at ease if Disney on the chat allowed someone to show/read all the documentation on it from professionals who know way more than a CM or 3rd party and use that advice. Those who “refuse” and get denied then imo really dont have a leg to stand on. Now with that being said with this last minute change plenty would not be able to get proper documents in time. But most probably have it and others could probably get it in time. I do not know anyone who legit needs this service that is not willing to show proof.