New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[el_super]

Are guests needing this assistance now required to show proof of the disability?

They cannot, and will not ask for any proof. The law will not allow it.

What they can do instead, and what they have always done, is ask questions about what a person can or cannot do, and assign them an accessibility option that best meets their needs. Sometimes this will be DAS and sometimes this will be something else.

What has changed is that they are offering up a new option to allow people to freely leave and re-enter a queue in the hope that this new option will reduce the number of people needing DAS to completely bypass the line.

But DAS is staying and the process of how one requests and recieves assistance isn't changing all that much. Except now they are moving online, and hiring more people so there won't be a 2+ hour wait at City Hall.

 

[TeriofTerror]

This thread has certainly been an eye-opener. In our family, one person has IBS, another has bladder control issues, and a third has ADHD and chronic fatigue. It has seriously never occurred to us to apply for a DAS card. I guess I've always thought of it as something more for people that were "death's door" than... us???

 

[nickys]

I’m one of the few who has never had an issue doing DAS registration online from the UK and on a VPN so hopefully I can still make it work.

First test for us will be our first trip to Disneyland on August.

If I can’t do it online then I want the option to do it at my Disney resort when I check in as I don’t want to be faffing around with it on my first park day. I guess this also exempts us from the registering 2 days before arrival

When you did the video call, did the CM see you were from the UK?

Someone I know from another site managed to get through using a vpn but the CM then said “Oh, I shouldn’t really be doing this. But seeing as you’ve waited all this time I’ll do it for you”.

 

[Basil of Baker Street]

As long as there has been people and systems, there has been people trying to cheat the system.

Don't be mad and Disney. Be mad at the liars and the cheats.

 

[Florida Man]

I don't know anyone personally with Autism--or at least a severe case of it (I believe it's on a specturm). But I have watched a YouTube video or two, and I know that people who have it can't stay still for long and can be disruptful (not knowing social cues), so I can understand why waiting in a line around others could be hard.

Does Disney offer any sensory headphones or anything of that nature so that maybe loud sounds could be cut down in the queue lines?

 

[Chi84]

They cannot, and will not ask for any proof. The law will not allow it.

This has not been established yet.

 

[Splash4eva]

How? This is the unwarranted panic I'm talking about.

There's absolutely nothing about this system (that's been revealed so far, at least) that will make it easier (or the same) for liars to get access while making it harder for people with legitimate disabilities to get access. That's just not real.

It's bordering on wild conspiracy theory takes at this point, with people throwing out crazy speculation about what's going to happen with absolutely no logical reasoning behind it.

Your last line fully encapsulates why this is bordering on flat earth territory, by the way, because that would be clearly illegal and Disney would get absolutely hammered over it in the legal system.

If the system does turn out that way, then I'll be the first to denounce it. But nobody knows that yet, and people are foaming at the mouth over literally nothing because nothing has actually happened. Everyone should just calm down and wait and see how the new system plays out instead of getting themselves into a frenzy over imagined scenarios.

I have a trip booked for 6/13. So i will let everyone know how it goes in about a month when i do my interview…

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

This has not been established yet.

It’s definitely how I read the ADA laws but I’m not a lawyer or a medical professional.

 

[Jrb1979]

I think that the problem is that DAS people are in the same line as Genie+ and that they oversell Genie+. We didn't have these issues with DAS before they went to selling Genie+.

DAS has seen usage triple since Genie+ came into place. It's not all due to abuse but it still has added too much to a system that can't handle it.

A good start is only allowing 3 guests per DAS guest. That will help cut down the amount of people using the LL queue.

 

[lazyboy97o]

You know that Legal had to vet everything and did a Risk analysis before approval right?

So? Lawyers do lose cases. There also aren’t regulations surrounding even possible operational decision. Most importantly, the legal review team isn’t going to be the ones actually implementing the system. Go look through the DoJ settlements and you’ll find plenty of big companies.

 

[Happyday]

This thread has certainly been an eye-opener. In our family, one person has IBS, another has bladder control issues, and a third has ADHD and chronic fatigue. It has seriously never occurred to us to apply for a DAS card. I guess I've always thought of it as something more for people that were "death's door" than... us???

Well then obviously you have done without and done okay. If there truly is an issue I am sure you would have looked into it more. Sorry but some families just can't do it without.

 

[flynnibus]

It’s definitely how I read the ADA laws but I’m not a lawyer or a medical professional.

The argument is that a new standard will be set by the courts when they judge on the registration processes like the one at Six Flags.

But you are right, in general, the guidance is they should not ask for documentation, nor can they require it. But the DOJ has already carved out limited exceptions where necessary for public accommodation scenarios, and the argument is the courts may allow it as a means to balance the need to combat abuse while still making the accommodation available.

Basically - it's being done TODAY (by Six Flags and others) and hasn't been ruled valid or invalid yet by the courts in this particular case of accommodations for queuing in a theme park.

 

[Happyday]

I don't know anyone personally with Autism--or at least a severe case of it (I believe it's on a specturm). But I have watched a YouTube video or two, and I know that people who have it can't stay still for long and can be disruptful (not knowing social cues), so I can understand why waiting in a line around others could be hard.

Does Disney offer any sensory headphones or anything of that nature so that maybe loud sounds could be cut down in the queue lines?

Unfortunately I don't believe so but when you have someone that needs this believe me you have them on hand for them as you probably use it daily. There are also other coping/ sensory items to help but again these are not always successful.

 

[Figgy1]

I don't know anyone personally with Autism--or at least a severe case of it (I believe it's on a specturm). But I have watched a YouTube video or two, and I know that people who have it can't stay still for long and can be disruptful (not knowing social cues), so I can understand why waiting in a line around others could be hard.

Does Disney offer any sensory headphones or anything of that nature so that maybe loud sounds could be cut down in the queue lines?

No, most who need them own their own as headphones have a "feel" so some need to have ones they find comfortable
That's how it works with the kids my ds knows

 

[Markc2]

. Unfortunately, DAS was abused rampantly for increasingly silly reasons and now those who truly need it pay the price. None of us want to stand in the hot sun in Florida in August in a queue, for example, but somebody has to at the end of the day. Heat exhaustion (for example) is IMO not a valid excuse in Florida as it can happen to quite literally anyone, and no one should really be given preference for something like that, especially as no one is forcing you to go to WDW at a given time.

This is rather an ignorant comment about "heat exhaustion" not being a valid excuse in Florida. If you're not a medical professional, you should not be debating about what you feel is "valid" (unless we're talking about something very ridiculous). I know many people who have disabilities that create situations where they are extra sensitive to heat for short periods of time. A lot of the park queues' are inadequately covered and poorly air-conditioned during the large summer crowds , creating potentially harmful situations to these folks. People with heart conditions, on special medicines, physical disabilities may have scenarios where they can't and shouldn't be out in the heat for too long. WDW is big enough that one can manage these situations decently when not waiting in line for a ride, but when the crowds are large and the lines move slowly, this can be an issue. You and I might be able to stay in the heat and direct sunlight for 30 minutes+, but there are those who can't - and it's not unreasonable to think DAS should be a tool for them to use when this situation arises.

The reality is that Disney created this issue of widespread DAS abuse when they started charging for Fastpasses via Genie+/Lightning Lane. Disney gave people ways previously to work around their disablities or health conditions through Fastpass+ so that they weren't dependent on a DAS program. Since it was taken away, it only makes sense that they've seen an increase in requests for DAS for both those who need it legitimately and those who don't.

Hurting those who need it because of their greed in charging for Genie+ seems incredibly low. This will undoubtedly lead to threats of lawsuits prior to it's implementation with their new "critiera" and I'm curious to see how Disney responds. We already know they're fearful of the Autism advocacy groups (based on their action against Disney when DAS was first altered), so they go out of their way to avoid ticking them off. They're now just trying to see who they can tick off and get away with.

There's no doubt that they need to refine the system. But right now, it seems as if they may have gone too far.

 

[Markc2]

So? Lawyers do lose cases. There also aren’t regulations surrounding even possible operational decision. Most importantly, the legal review team isn’t going to be the ones actually implementing the system. Go look through the DoJ settlements and you’ll find plenty of big companies.

Not only do lawyers lose cases but DISNEY's lawyers have lost many cases. Some you hear about, many you don't since they're settled behind closed doors. Whenever you're dealing with disabilities, you have to tread very carefully. Disney seems like they've been a little sloppy this time around, especially with their clientele. If they're using Six Flags as their legal basis, they're about to be very surprised. What Six Flags can get away with doing isn't the same standard that Disney is held to by it's guests....and the average Disney guest likely has more access to legal outlets than an average Six Flag guest.

 

[Florida Man]

No, most who need them own their own as headphones have a "feel" so some need to have ones they find comfortable

Gotcha. That makes sense. I was only asking because I recently went on a Carnival cruise and they were offering sensory bags which I believe included headphones or something like that.

 

[DeadyRoosevelt]

I guess I've always thought of it as something more for people that were "death's door" than... us???

You thought disability access was only for guests that were terminal?

 

[Patcheslee]

Well since my issues are bathroom related, they have posted that they will have a way to get in and out of line. I will have to speak to them about it since I travel solo for the most part now and there would be no one to hold my spot in line. Plus at times, I can easily have to go every 15-20 minutes. That is a lot of getting in and out of line for the longer queues.
And frankly, with the reports of the fights and arguments about people leaving and coming back into the line, I am not very confident that this won't end in some kind of confrontation with other guests.

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.

 

[Figgy1]

Gotcha. That makes sense. I was only asking because I recently went on a Carnival cruise and they were offering sensory bags which I believe included headphones or something like that.

That's wonderful!