EricsBiscuit
Well-Known Member
This is an excellent change to help cut down on abuse of the system. It’s not the fault of non-DAS guests that this needs to be changed. Rather, this change is caused by the countless guests who abuse the system.
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New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024
- Thread starter AEfx
- Start date
The issue with the ADA is that bushinesses are not allowed to violate your privacy (and HIPPA) by asking for your medical information but you have to provide reasonable accommodations when someone states they have a disability. The third party can ask you because the third party hires health care professionals (bound by professional standards) who are impartial and can ask for your specific disease then use their medical knowledge and the documentation you provide to tell Disney what a reasonable accommodation is for you. It’s sad we can’t take people on their word in this day and age, but we can’t take people on their word. I think the system is fair.
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
Honestly…they probably don’t won’t to complicate the process more for the CPs than it already is
The place is a mess as is
SingleRider
Premium Member
They could possibly use MagicBands and location services/Bluetooth to determine when DAS users are waiting in standby lines. And if somebody frequently abuses the system they could revoke their DAS.
Pi on my Cake
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
How would you change that? Require every guest to scan their tickets when they enter every single line all day just to make sure no one is entering the attraction when they have a DAS scheduled? That would be way worse and annoying for everyone and probably slow things down more than DAS abusers riding low wait rides while waiting for their pass.
Not saying abuse isn't bad, just that I don't think there's a real way to fix it without either punishing the people who legitimately need it, punishing non-users, or both. I'd rather people who need help get it even if that means people who don't need it also get it.
Sure it makes standby lines longer, but you know what would help that more than cutting down on DAS abuse? Building new rides/lands to increase capacity or removing regular FastPass/Genie+/lightning lane completely. Both of those would do way more to improve the standby waits without hurting disabled people. But those cost Disney money and they'd rather just punish vulnerable people than fix the actual issues
Both of those are rules already
SingleRider
Premium Member
Even scanning one band per party (like they do for early entry at the front of the park) at the ride's entrance would probably help.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
The problem though is that instead of honoring that determination, as intended to create a multi-venue pass, each venue is then deciding on their whether or not to honor the determination. It means that it’s possible for someone to receive accommodations at one park but not the other.
lazyboy97o
Well-Known Member
A lot of the talk about abuse is based on assumptions. There’s a little bit of discussion of peerage of riders using DAS but it’s never seriously compared to actual statistics regarding the prevalence of disabilities within the general population.
Indy_UK
Well-Known Member
The UK Merlin parks have recently updated their version of DAS (ride access pass) which now requires you to book the day you want to visit but using the disability scheme as they cap the amount of people using the service per day.
It’s ended up a right mess for day visitors who turn up and then have to get a refund because there isn’t any passes left for those with disabilities as most book days/ weeks ahead.
It’s ended up a right mess for day visitors who turn up and then have to get a refund because there isn’t any passes left for those with disabilities as most book days/ weeks ahead.
Disstevefan1
Well-Known Member
This is good news in my mind. The current system does not want to see any documentation and is at the whim of the cast member on duty.
Vegas Disney Fan
Well-Known Member
DL Paris offers both, you can do it online or at a guest relations counter at the park, which is what we did.
Even though we were denied our last trip I still prefer their system, it’s honestly less invasive to show someone a piece of paper than it is to try to explain a complicated medical condition to a CM, and also explain why that condition requires accommodations.
It’s possible DLP has a way of arguing your case if you’re condition isn’t on their approved list, we didn’t do it ahead of time and didn’t want to argue with a CM at the park so we just dealt with it.
nickys
Premium Member
Not sure it’s more legal protection as such.
But certainly here in the U.K. there tend to be discounts for those with disabilities or a “carer goes free” policy, but in order to qualify you must prove your disability. Whether that’s medical information, proof of receipt of a disability benefit or similar.
nickys
Premium Member
I think the list of conditions that someone else also referred to earlier on requires a medical certificate. But some of the conditions can be interpreted in different ways. For example if PTSD isn’t specifically mentioned it could come under another umbrella. You would need to have studied that part in advance because the certificate / letter also needs to specify which numbered condition you qualify under, presumably to make it easy for the CM to register it on the system.
But I believe it can be done when you arrive as long as you have the required documentation.
DavidDL
Well-Known Member
This would be awesome, if true. Tired of seeing this system be abused. Until recently, I thought it required "more" to get a DAS pass. But on a recent trip with my sister and brother-in-law, all they had to tell the Guest Relations CM was that they had a "bum knee" and without any further questioning or verification, the park was suddenly our oyster for the day.
Which was nice, don't get me wrong. But the manner in which it was acquired didn't sit right with me. Especially knowing anyone could say something like that and abuse it. For the record, I don't think either one of them really needed it. But I do have friends who have had like, full lung transplants and have cystic fibrosis that actually DO need a pass like this to be able to enjoy their day in the park and who certainly have no shortage of documentation from doctors to prove it. Those are the kinds of people who a DAS pass should be helping. Not someone who just doesn't want to stand in line.
Which was nice, don't get me wrong. But the manner in which it was acquired didn't sit right with me. Especially knowing anyone could say something like that and abuse it. For the record, I don't think either one of them really needed it. But I do have friends who have had like, full lung transplants and have cystic fibrosis that actually DO need a pass like this to be able to enjoy their day in the park and who certainly have no shortage of documentation from doctors to prove it. Those are the kinds of people who a DAS pass should be helping. Not someone who just doesn't want to stand in line.
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
It should also be said that there is a wide range of people with autism and just because somebody is on the spectrum, it doesn't necessarily mean that they require special accommodations. "Autism" should not be the passcode to free benefits (especially if somebody isn't on the spectrum at all).
Sirwalterraleigh
Premium Member
I’ve heard a few people saying they didn’t want to pay so they used it…same with ADHD. Nobody should be so proud to take advantage of it.
We all hate genie. But if you don’t want to pay/deal with it…don’t go to Disney parks. Do the right thing
DisneyCane
Well-Known Member
People who do that are an example of what is wrong with society and the sense of entitlement some people have. It is one of the many things (most of which are WAY outside the scope of the discussion) that are implemented with good intentions to assist people who need assistance but end up being abused by the dregs of society.
mikejs78
Premium Member
That's because they don't want liability around keeping PHI.
I would disagree with A. HIPAA, while good, has its flaws, and isn't any more stringent than many of the security standards out there. B is probably true.
That's actually not clear. The DOJ has fairly consistently ruled that proof of disability shall not be a requirement to reveive an accomodation in most cases - with a few exceptions. The exceptions have been when related to health and safety concerns (specifically around the use of motorized vehicles for disabilities, and for accomodations in testing for education and certifications. In one area specifically discussed in the DOJ's guidance, for example, a ticket venue cannot ask for proof of disability for selling accessibility seats, even though those may give preferred viewing of a concert, show, or sporting event. Rather, they can ask a couple of targeted questions.
This is the most ignorant statement I have read all day, and it's attitudes like this that led to the passing of the ADA, because it's about giving people with disabilities the ability to participate in activities that others who don't have the disability are able to.
But we still had to 'wait' for some experiences even with DAS pass. So I just dont get it. Why go to a crowded people packed #1 tourist trap if you have social anxiety or something of the sorts? Doesnt make sense to me.Do something more tame with your money if you dont like crowds. Get your Disney fix on a cruise instead.
My son has serious sensory challenges. He *loves* the parks - loves the rides, the characters, just being there. For him, it's not about just being in an area with a lot of people. It's being a) in a crowded *enclosed* area where b) he's not moving for a long period of time. He can tolerate short-ish waits. On some days he can even tolerate longer waits. But there are many times where the lack of movement coupled with the enclosed, noisy space with strong smells makes it very, very difficult for him. But he loves the rides, loves walking around the park, loves the characters. Why should he be deprived of that experience because of his personal challenges? I'll say too that the way we use DAS is very tailored to him. Generally, if it's something that *he* really wants to do (like a Mickey Meet and Greet), we will use it. Or, we'll use it if one of us is taking him to do something while the other is taking our older son on a ride my younger son won't do. Otherwise we purchase Genie+ and use that.
You can't. That's already a rule. It doesn't allow anyone else to scan in unless the DAS rider scanned in first. CMs are supposed to ensure that all members of the party go into the line. Now, no one could stop your mom in your scenario from leaving the line after the tap point, but I doubt this is a rampent problem.
It hasn't been challenged yet. The DOJ tends to frown on requiring proof of disability. The way they are doing it, where there is an alternative way to get a pass wtihout proof, is a grey area. But there's currenty a lawsuit and it remains to be seen whether or not this will end up being legal or not.
That's not entirely correct. The ADA usuaully doesn't allow asking for proof. The loophole this company (and Six Flags, Universal, and soon Disney) are trying to argue, is that because it is not *required* but is a benefit to the person with the disability by creating a single one-year pass that can be used at multiple locations, then it may pass scrutiny. But that hasn't been tested yet with the DOJ or the courts.
Or one could not use a magic band, and turn off location services/bluetooth on their phone. It would be easy to work around, so that's probably not worth it for Disney to implement.
That's surprising. Mobility disabilities typically aren't allowed for DAS passes.