Rumor New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Section106]

I’ll go back to my earlier question; we do t know what “return to queue” encompasses yet - right? (Assuming it’s not the same as RS) I’m hopeful I’ll go “oh, that makes sense” but not expecting it. It does seem odd that Disney has announced this change without all the details. If nothing else it would remove some uncertainty.

The lack of clear language is what has really made me angry. We need to know what to expect so I can mitigate any problems that will arise.

 

[Chi84]

We don’t need to see what is done to know that there is not actually a very specific set of guidelines for businesses to follow as was being implied.

You do if you’re talking about court cases determining legality.

 

[Jrb1979]

Splitting up is not the default experience. It is an option, not the standard. Making it the standard for those with disabilities is not an equivalent experience. It’s also just callous.

What should they do? Keep the system as is and let it continue to overwhelm the system.

 

[Happyday]

The younger child doesn’t usually want to wait while the other sibling rides and instead the family breaks into two groups and ride different attractions at the same time.

Then why go if you can't ride anything? This doesn't apply when someone is physically able to ride but just can't wait they are still human beings with wants and needs. Small children will be able to ride in later years.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I looked at the wait times now. There are some (most in MK). Something else that has to be kept in mind is families with disabilities aren't likely to be criss crossing the park at will. So yeah, I might see that spaceship earth has a 15 min wait right now, but if we're already up at figment we aren't doubling back to come to spaceship earth. It's too much of a strain on everyone to criss-cross and is more likely to cause DD to fatigue out early. My neurotypical nephews don't have that issue, they'd happily run wherever.

I totally agree, the criss cross that happens when you see a low wait time and want to get to that attraction is exhausting. To be honest, I really would not trust the app, if I happen to be walking past an attraction that had a low standby posted AND it looked like the queue was short, we would jump in.

The same criss cross that was caused by the free Fastpass+ and still exists with the paid Genie+ is annoying. The good thing about the free system is you could just skip your free reservation if you didn’t want to travel across the park, when you pay, you really don’t want to waste it.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

In the past Disney provided a premium experience for people with disabilities and it was commendable but it’s no longer able to do that as it’s significantly affecting other guests.

I thought it was those abusing the system that was affecting other guests not those with disabilities?

 

[peter11435]

You do if you’re talking about court cases determining legality.

I think you missed his point

 

[Jcf8037]

The difference, again, is that there are many attractions with no height requirements that such a family would be able to ride together throughout the day and throughout their trip.

For a family with a disabled child using this because their child is unable to wait in the physical queue, this will be for all rides save the select few in a day that have a very short wait. That is a fundamentally different experience than the family you're referring to.

I have appreciated your input into this conversation, but I think when those (like me) supporting the changes make a point, some (like you) who have been using DAS compare it to your own needs and respond as such. That’s totally understandable to me, but I think there’s a disconnect. I can’t speak for others, but as for me, I’m seeing it from a. Macro level while those who are upset with the changes are looking at it from a personal and very micro level. I don’t pretend to know your (or anyone’s) personal situation but you’ve shared a lot and I would be stunned if you, or the gentleman with the wife who is a disabled veteran, weren’t able to continue enjoying the parks in the same way (meaning you will still qualify for DAS in the future). You are parties of 2 or 3 where other accommodations are not in the realm of possibilities. There will always be those families where there is no other option, and historically, Disney has catered to them with grace and empathy.

These new rules are presented as the hardline, textbook requirements, in my opinion. Their presentation appears to be designed to immediately cull the families who are outright cheating or taking advantage. Disney doesn’t intend to force the families, like yours, into an experience that is inferior to any guest.

 

[Tha Realest]

I would love to see the data on this.

In your opinion can you list the rides that are less than 15 minutes throughout the day please.

According to Laughing Place, and this is just MK:

"it's a small world"	22
[Archived] Meet Tinker Bell at Town Square Theater	21
Under the Sea - Journey of The Little Mermaid	20
Dumbo the Flying Elephant	19
Meet Daring Disney Pals as Circus Stars at Pete's Silly Sideshow	19
The Barnstormer	19
The Magic Carpets of Aladdin	18
[Archived] Country Bear Jamboree	16
Liberty Square Riverboat	15
Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor	15
Walt Disney World Railroad - Fantasyland	15
Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover	14
Walt Disney World Railroad - Frontierland	14
Walt Disney World Railroad - Main Street, U.S.A.	13
Mad Tea Party	12
Mickey's PhilharMagic	12
The Hall of Presidents	12
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel	11
[Archived] Stitch's Great Escape!	11
Tom Sawyer Island	11
Walt Disney's Enchanted Tiki Room	10
Walt Disney's Carousel of Progress	6
A Pirate's Adventure ~ Treasures of the Seven Seas	5
[Archived] Sorcerers of the Magic Kingdom	5
Swiss Family Treehouse	5

 

[Touchdown]

I thought it was those abusing the system that was affecting other guests not those with disabilities?

There is no way for Disney to curb the abuse without removing the premium option for people with disabilities.

 

[BalooChicago]

I’m guessing the wait for SGE is well in excess of eleven minutes.

 

[Jcf8037]

In the end, the online / social media world seems to be what has ruined it for everyone. Its not the same, obviously, as someone needing DAS to go on rides, but I remember the trip where my daughter and I tried to get our favorite treat at Disney, ice cream from the French pavilion, every day we spent at Epcot, and found an hour long line every time we showed up. Finally, we went in the exit door to ask why the lines had become so long compared to our previous experiences. The answer was, in all seriousness, “tik tok.” People had posted about the brioche ice cream sandwich and it went viral. I watched two teen girls filming themselves and the cast member preparing the food. It became a status symbol, a “must have” Disney treat.

While that’s not on the same level as this, if we didn’t have all the “Disney hacks” posts out there, and we didn’t support the parks influencer culture, we likely wouldn’t have all the DAS cheaters either. In an attempt to earn online clout, or in some very few cases, money, these people have ruined it for everyone.

 

[Jrb1979]

I thought it was those abusing the system that was affecting other guests not those with disabilities?

That is only part of it. Many seem to not understand that Disney has til now gone over above accommodating those with disabilities. I get many are frustrated with the changes but it had to happen.

 

[wdwjmp239]

There are so many people who have unjustly taken advantage of this system, to the detriment of those who truly need it, so, unfortunately this was an inevitable outcome.

This is what my wife and I were talking about on the drive home from Epcot last night. There are so many people who need it and there are those who abuse the system because they think they're entitled to some special access. This all started with the spring break crowds back in the early 2000s when they would rent a scooter so they can skip the lines. And this is why I keep saying, "This is why we can't have nice things."

Hey Disney...if you're following this thread.....you need to make this right. This is absolutely out of hand.

 

[Splash4eva]

If the DAS applicant knew the others in their group (if more than one attendant) has to actually stand in the standby line for an hour for Peter Pan, the fraud issue and incentive would instantly be significantly reduced and “DAS tours” would immediately end.

I don’t know anybody that wanted to pretend they had a three year old with them to be able to experience what my wife and I were doing during our child swap trips.

If there had been a “magic pass” that would have allowed us to not have to wait through the entire standby line for every attraction, yeah, people would have lied to get it.

This is without a doubt something that should have been tested out 1st. With basically everyone having a phone texting someone you are “close” is not an issue. Also if your party got to the front and the DAS user was not there yet you could easily have them wait on the side for say a 5 minute grace period to ride alone. Problem solved. Its a win win for everyone. To me there were plenty of options Disney could have easily tried they just didnt. Now with that being said. I would agree on a case by case basis this hard “rule” could be adjusted but to me have it a rule to deter anyone initially and go from there.

 

[Angel Ariel]

To be honest, I really would not trust the app, if I happen to be walking past an attraction that had a low standby posted AND it looked like the queue was short, we would jump in.

Exactly. Something nearby with a short wait, yeah, we would pop in. Having to travel for said short line to then travel back? Not feasible. We'd do a bathroom break or snack break instead. Or, back in the day when streetmosphere was a thing, enjoy that. Sadly WDW has sucked the life out of that. Part of why I prefer DLR.

 

[Angel Ariel]

That is only part of it. Many seem to not understand that Disney has til now gone over above accommodating those with disabilities. I get many are frustrated with the changes but it had to happen.

Many of us have actually acknowledged this and the need for change - but it's a long thread and it gets lost, and tbh it's exhausting to keep repeating it

 

[Tha Realest]

There is a difference between ADA mandated facility accessibility requirements and “I can’t stand in amusement ride lines in the sun so I choose to go to an amusement park with outside lines in the sun and demand the amusement park figure that out for me”.

Yep

Generally speaking, ADA mandated facility accessibility guidelines deals with ensuring wheechair access or other physical disabilities (e.g., certain percentage of seating or restrooms being ADA accessible, doors and aisles of a certain width, ramps of a certain incline). Existing facilities that predate the ADA do not necessarily have to rework them. This is why there are less physically accessible rides or queues at DL, and one possible reason why we’ve not seen a revamp of Peoplemover - that the current figuration, if brought back online with the extensive work it would require, would not pass ADA compliance.

What’s being debated is the more murky area of what is a reasonable accommodation for various guests that are considered disabled to have equal access to a good/service.

As someone eloquently put it earlier, those generally in favor of these revamped guidelines look at it from a macro level: what is the best way to continue to provide these accommodations to those who have near-impossible cognitive ability to wait that long. From the other standpoint, they view how suboptimal the experience is going to be if they have to physically wait, or use some form of return to line.

Unfortunately, “less ideal” or “not as generous a policy” may still fall within a reasonable accommodation. To your hypothetical, someone taking the position that they have trouble being outside in the heat begs two questions: 1) why would you go to the busiest theme park in the world that’s also in Florida, and 2) what would you be doing while not in that line?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I have appreciated your input into this conversation, but I think when those (like me) supporting the changes make a point, some (like you) who have been using DAS compare it to your own needs and respond as such. That’s totally understandable to me, but I think there’s a disconnect. I can’t speak for others, but as for me, I’m seeing it from a. Macro level while those who are upset with the changes are looking at it from a personal and very micro level. I don’t pretend to know your (or anyone’s) personal situation but you’ve shared a lot and I would be stunned if you, or the gentleman with the wife who is a disabled veteran, weren’t able to continue enjoying the parks in the same way (meaning you will still qualify for DAS in the future). You are parties of 2 or 3 where other accommodations are not in the realm of possibilities. There will always be those families where there is no other option, and historically, Disney has catered to them with grace and empathy.

These new rules are presented as the hardline, textbook requirements, in my opinion. Their presentation appears to be designed to immediately cull the families who are outright cheating or taking advantage. Disney doesn’t intend to force the families, like yours, into an experience that is inferior to any guest.

as I have appreciated your input . And I do want to clarify I am trying to see it from the macro level, and often find the personal examples more clear to understand - so it's more a combination of both than one or the other if that makes sense?

As for whether DD will still qualify - i hope you are right, but I hold a cautious viewpoint, as while I agree that I don't think Disney intends to force families into an inferior experience, unintentional consequences happen all the time.

There is so much in DD's life we have had to fight for. School-based therapies, access to actual academics, access to appropriate medical care, fighting with insurance, access to extra curricular activities with supports for her. The list goes on. None of these places *intend* negative experiences (save maybe insurance ), but that hasn't stopped it from being our reality. Disney is basically the one place we never had to fight for her needs to be recognized and met. I pray that doesn't change.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

To your hypothetical, someone taking the position that they have trouble being outside in the heat begs two questions: 1) why would you go to the busiest theme park in the world that’s also in Florida, and 2) what would you be doing while not in that line?

1 - because they want to experience Disney World.

2 - spending time in the shade, or at an indoor location.