New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney’s website explicitly says it is being reconfigured to a smaller, discrete group (small percentage, and only developmental disabilities):

• DAS is intended to accommodate a small percentage of Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

As it should be.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

% of visitors get 70% of a rides capacity
92% of visitors get 30% of a rides capacity, which is unevenly given to G+ users

This is a huge problem and needs a radical solution, I’m sorry it’s causing heartache to some of the most vulnerable in our society but the company cannot function, nor is it fair to the rest of us, for this to continue.

Yeah, this. It’s not an “extra 1-3 minutes waiting for peoplemover” because a DAS user can’t stand in a 10 minute line. It’s about using so much park capacity because the system is too generous that there’s nothing left for everyone else.

 

[Tha Realest]

They’re using the lions share of the ride capacity…and hardly any of the park capacity

The complaints must be off the charts - lb for lb

I can’t imagine they are the worst feedback scores in the history of Disney parks…by a lot. Worst than late 90s/early 2000s Disneyland

This is what I think too. Also, it has to be a nightmare operationally. You have people who are paying a premium to get a limited experience/use out of G+ (PLENTY of anecdotal stories of how they get 2-3 redemptions total during their day) and the standby experience is a tedious chore.

 

[Touchdown]

They’re using the lions share of the ride capacity…and hardly any of the park capacity

The complaints must be off the charts - lb for lb

I can’t imagine they are the worst feedback scores in the history of Disney parks…by a lot. Worst than late 90s/early 2000s Disneyland

Not only that it explains why my “hack” works so well, rope drop. The first two hours of the day are wonderful, because I hit the headliners in the first hour (before DAS return times start) and then hit the secondary rides in the second hour (as the DAS users are riding the headliners and thus haven’t signed up for those rides yet.)

 

[Andrew25]

This past Friday/Saturday were the first major days for Pixie/Pirate pass holders to return after a nearly 1 month blockout... lines for LL and Guest Services were busy throughout the day.

I don't wanna make any assumptions... but it wouldn't surprise me to see DAS be compromised of a good % of APs.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

This is what I think too. Also, it has to be a nightmare operationally. You have people who are paying a premium to get a limited experience/use out of G+ (PLENTY of anecdotal stories of how they get 2-3 redemptions total during their day) and the standby experience is a tedious chore.

Well I’ve used genie off and on…and some days you can’t really get anything out of it.

Even to hardened frequenters…it’s annoying.

I can’t imagine If you get 7 days every 5 years or once in your life how it looks?

Never getting ratatouille or slinky dog?

A combined 1:30 of action?

Oh no…they are in trouble. Negative PR on the street level

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

I think what’s missing in the sell out talk is the availability of desirable attractions throughout the day, especially everywhere but MK, when it doesn’t sell out.

I have no insider information but my gut says this is what they need to address in order to promote more sales of Genie - obviously more ride capacity and things to do in park is the real problem here but that’s not easy to address quickly. The perception that their ride skip service sucks compared to other parks, and gets you on few rides with significant effort isn’t flattering. Desirable attractions are gone relatively quickly even when the service isn’t sold out. I would think this is what they’re trying to free up LL capacity to address (as well as the lengthy waits that can occur), to increase guest satisfaction and in turn genie+ sales.

In a perfect world they’d stop playing games with staffing and would have had enough attraction capacity in all 4 parks to allow for pleasant touring most days of the year, but I think we can all agree that’s not the route they’re realistically gonna go. 50-75% - whatever the actual number is - of LL usage coming from a non Genie+ source is huge, it’s no surprise that would have to be addressed first before they can address the common genie complaints.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yeah, this. It’s not an “extra 1-3 minutes waiting for peoplemover” because a DAS user can’t stand in a 10 minute line. It’s about using so much park capacity because the system is too generous that there’s nothing left for everyone else.

…who are paying the lions share of the money

No hakuna matata

 

[Tha Realest]

I think what’s missing in the sell out talk is the availability of desirable attractions throughout the day, especially everywhere but MK, when it doesn’t sell out.

I have no insider information but my gut says this is what they need to address in order to promote more sales of Genie - obviously more ride capacity and things to do in park is the real problem here but that’s not easy to address quickly. The perception that their ride skip service sucks compared to other parks, and gets you on few rides with significant effort isn’t flattering. Desirable attractions are gone relatively quickly even when the service isn’t sold out. I would think this is what they’re trying to free up LL capacity to address (as well as the lengthy waits that can occur), to increase guest satisfaction and in turn genie+ sales.

In a perfect world they’d stop playing games with staffing and would have had enough attraction capacity in all 4 parks to allow for pleasant touring most days of the year, but I think we can all agree that’s not the route they’re realistically gonna go. 50-75% - whatever the actual number is - of LL usage coming from a non Genie+ source is huge, it’s no surprise that would have to be addressed first before they can address the common genie complaints.

Is the possibility of selling more G+ an objective of this? Perhaps. But my gut tells me DAS as presently constituted is drastically ruining the experience for the non-DAS users so fully that they had to do something. It’s operational chaos.

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

This is what I think too. Also, it has to be a nightmare operationally. You have people who are paying a premium to get a limited experience/use out of G+ (PLENTY of anecdotal stories of how they get 2-3 redemptions total during their day) and the standby experience is a tedious chore.

Isn’t this actually Disney’s genie+ disclaimer, that you can expect to use it on 2-3 attractions a day? That’s abysmal for a line skipping service, and straight from them. Especially when the price can climb so high.

 

[DryerLintFan]

I trust the sources on this, and frankly, the way Disney cracked down hard also points to this being true.

Oh i agree! Just from a numbers perspective it’s not actually known. We’re ballparking it, but if someone new came into the discussion they wouldn’t know that.

That’s all i was saying. I don’t dispute we’re in the right place, most likely

 

[Joel]

I don't wanna make any assumptions... but it wouldn't surprise me to see DAS be compromised of a good % of APs.

I would bet there's a strong correlation between frequency of visits and DAS usage.

 

[Touchdown]

Is the possibility of selling more G+ an objective of this? Perhaps. But my gut tells me DAS as presently constituted is drastically ruining the experience for the non-DAS users so fully that they had to do something. It’s operational chaos.

Why not both?

Imagine trimming DAS capacity use to 25%, a 45-55% reduction. Then imagine doubling G+ availability. More profit for Disney, less people in LL and therefore more standby availability.

If G+ becomes worthwhile I will switch from a never user to a frequent one. It just needs more capacity, and the ability to reride.

 

[Happyday]

Isn’t this actually Disney’s genie+ disclaimer, that you can expect to use it on 2-3 attractions a day? That’s abysmal for a line skipping service, and straight from them. Especially when the price can climb so high.

Yes this is the disclaimer and you are correct it is abysmal! It just occurred to me that I would like to know what the numbers are in each specific park. If you watch YouTube videos most if not all of the tip giving site suggest not getting Genie+ for AK and one other park I can't remember right now. Has anyone done a breakdown of these % in each park?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Isn’t this actually Disney’s genie+ disclaimer, that you can expect to use it on 2-3 attractions a day? That’s abysmal for a line skipping service, and straight from them. Especially when the price can climb so high.

Yes…

And that makes it less useful and less convenient than fastpass+ for many

…for a fee

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yes this is the disclaimer and you are correct it is abysmal! It just occurred to me that I would like to know what the numbers are in each specific park. If you watch YouTube videos most if not all of the tip giving site suggest not getting Genie+ for AK and one other park I can't remember right now. Has anyone done a breakdown of these % in each park?

They say no Epcot and no Dak

But the same loose logic applies to studios

Really in theory…it only works where there are the largest amount of rides and crowds


In the end…Disney knows two things:
1. Bob Iger’s management has screwed up wdw for decades
2. Chapek blew his cover alot faster than had been done prior.

You make can make an argument otherwise…but it won’t win

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not only that it explains why my “hack” works so well, rope drop. The first two hours of the day are wonderful, because I hit the headliners in the first hour (before DAS return times start) and then hit the secondary rides in the second hour (as the DAS users are riding the headliners and thus haven’t signed up for those rides yet.)

The first hour is by far the best hour…because it closely remembles the parks as they were built to operate…

But even that gets screwed up too often based on the same kinda “tip video” nonsense that is the root cause of the DAS abuse

 

[Happyday]

They sat no Epcot and no Dak

But the same loose logic applies to studios

Really in theory…it only works where there are the largest amount of rides and crowds


In the end…Disney knows two things:
1. Bob Iger’s management has screwed up wdw for decades
2. Chapek blew his cover alot faster than had been done prior.

You make can make an argument otherwise…but it won’t win

So basically most of these statistics must be coming from MK? Again still trying to get what I can out of this as I didn't realize the abuse was this bad, I am starting to think some (I'm not saying all) of the problem comes from the switch from Fast pass to Genie+. I'm also thinking there are some people that abuse the system just to get ahead.

 

[Hockey89]

Not only that it explains why my “hack” works so well, rope drop. The first two hours of the day are wonderful, because I hit the headliners in the first hour (before DAS return times start) and then hit the secondary rides in the second hour (as the DAS users are riding the headliners and thus haven’t signed up for those rides yet.)

Same. We do genie and LL and rope drop. We always get in11-12 rides at MK.... And hit almost everything we want in the first couple hours of the other parks. I can't imagine showing up at 11.... Hell on earth....

 

[DisneyHead123]

8% of visitors get 70% of a rides capacity
92% of visitors get 30% of a rides capacity, which is unevenly given to G+ users

Is the 8% DAS holders, or total people in a DAS party? I think it has to be the latter because 8% of people using 70% of capacity doesn’t make any sense (if that’s the case their capacity estimates are way way off.)

8% times, say, 5 people is 40% of actual park goers, correct?

Technically it seems like 40% of guests should only be physically able to use 40% of capacity or else the capacity numbers are simply wrong, but I don’t know how much the ability to be in two lines at once impacts things.