New DAS System at Walt Disney World 2024

[Chi84]

I view AQR in a similar way as Rider Switch. Ultra helpful if you need it for its intended purposes. Some cons that don’t really outweigh the pros if you use it without actually requiring it. I’m sure this is why they’re opening it up to all.

If you don’t actually have somebody in your party who does not want to or cannot ride but cannot be left alone, all you’re gaining with rider switch is a person or two in your party avoiding the standby wait and maybe somebody getting an extra ride. That’s at the cost of splitting your party and taking more time to send the second group through. Similarly although not identical, AQR allows a small portion of your party to sit out of the main standby queue, at a cost of having to split up your party each time (this is being considered a con by former DAS users right now, the loss of family time), and possibly timing it incorrectly/getting stuck in the LL and increasing your overall party’s wait time. Again, only super valuable if you have a reason to use it. Kind of a hassle otherwise.

I can see people deciding to buy Genie+ rather than face the kind of hassles a return to line system might engender.

 

[Drdcm]

Well we know that won’t be done. I meant realistically.

I honestly think the return to queue option is probably the best way to handle it. It’s not going to work as well as DAS for people and they’re going to be upset. I think it’s probably going to be legally challenged and will remain in place because it probably offers the minimum of what is necessary to provide access.

Logistically, I think they should utilize exit queues for when people “rejoin” because it will probably give people more space to wait.

I also think the barrier of exiting and reentry will limit its actual use to times where it is actually needed.

 

[Matthew]

Oh, you're wrong there. The released statistics show that a majority of guests are purchasing Genie+.

The average length of stay for a Disney World vacation is 6 days can you show me stats that back up that guests are purchasing Genie+ for each park day of their trip?

Last stats I saw were 2022 where they said 50% of their guests purchased it. When we stay it’s for 14 nights so we’d be spending on Genie+ on 10 possibly more days.

But as I previously said… I’m not adverse to purchasing Genie+ … but without DAS even with Genie+ we are going to be unable to ride a lot of attractions because when we can’t get a lightning lane we wouldn’t be able to do standby because my wife would not be able to tolerate it. I’m sorry if me getting upset about my family no longer having access to or indeed ever had access to a service we’ve relied on to be able to be experience WDW in a fun way offended you as that was never my intention and we’d stand for 3 hours in line for Rise in a heartbeat if it meant we had a normal family life… but sadly we never will.

 

[DisneyHead123]

I’m curious as to what people are proposing if a return to line system doesn’t work.

I honestly think that’s for Disney to figure out. I say that as someone who is quite sympathetic to Disney. But they are making millions a day on Genie+, and it’s not like they were forced to implement it. So they can put some of those millions to work figuring out a feasible alternative.

 

[KrzyKtty]

What worries me is that insiders have already said that Disney was surprised by how much DAS usage grew. Like extremely, beyond their wildest predictions surprised. I could easily see that being repeated with RTQ. Probably more so, because with DAS, if a person was cheating the system, they still had to lie in an actual interview, which takes a certain amount of audacity. Less so if people are “just” asking to use the bathroom, and telling themselves “it’s only for one ride”. (Like who among us hasn’t already pretended they had to use the restroom to temporarily escape a boring meeting, class, or conference?)

Tips and tricks and new ways of doing things seem to move incredibly fast with the TikTok generation. I get why it surprises people because it surprises me too - I just didn’t grow up with that “constant change, there’s always a new hack” mindset. But if anything I think the sudden growth of DAS is a case study in how that works.

A possible difference I see here is that DAS would hold a larger party would it not? This RTQ I would imagine would only be 2 people max at normal. The one that needs to leave the line, and a possible helper.

The larger concern I see is where are all these cast members supposed to be so that you can "find" them and quickly get out of the line when you have an urgent need. Last time I went to WDW, it wasn't like there was a cast member every few feet monitoring the line.

 

[Vclguy90]

What happens if a person needs to leave the line every 5 minutes to return. Won't that off everyone else around them?

Also, can a person just leave and come back when the expected wait time is over? I don't get this leaving line thing.

 

[Patcheslee]

I’m curious as to what people are proposing if a return to line system doesn’t work.

For me, maybe DAS lite on MDE after going through same DAS interview? Only becomes available if an attraction is over 90 minutes, 99% chance I'll be leaving once for the restroom. Maybe allow 1 DAS style queue request/day, & must be used within 90 minutes of eligibility vs good all day, and still limit party size. That would cut down on ppl who are more prone to leaving during high demand and free up space for general public to meet up with their group. Don't know, doesn't seem to be many good options that ppl won't find a loophole to.

 

[Vclguy90]

A possible difference I see here is that DAS would hold a larger party would it not? This RTQ I would imagine would only be 2 people max at normal. The one that needs to leave the line, and a possible helper.

The larger concern I see is where are all these cast members supposed to be so that you can "find" them and quickly get out of the line when you have an urgent need. Last time I went to WDW, it wasn't like there was a cast member every few feet monitoring the line.

What happens if it's 2 adults and a child? One can't expect the child to come assist nor stay in line by themselves.

 

[Chi84]

I honestly think that’s for Disney to figure out. I say that as someone who is quite sympathetic to Disney. But they are making millions a day on Genie+, and it’s not like they were forced to implement it. So they can put some of those millions to work figuring out a feasible alternative.

I absolutely agree it’s Disney’s problem and part of it was caused by providing some pretty generous accommodations in the past. Their issue now is that they’re selling an expensive product that’s not as good as DAS to both disabled and non-disabled users and they need to make it work for those users.

 

[Chi84]

What happens if a person needs to leave the line every 5 minutes to return. Won't that off everyone else around them?

Also, can a person just leave and come back when the expected wait time is over? I don't get this leaving line thing.

Every 5 minutes?

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

What happens if a person needs to leave the line every 5 minutes to return. Won't that off everyone else around them?

Also, can a person just leave and come back when the expected wait time is over? I don't get this leaving line thing.

How would a person who needs to tend to something every 5 minutes experience anything at Disney? Most LLs are longer than this and certainly with the attraction included they are.

 

[flynnibus]

What worries me is that insiders have already said that Disney was surprised by how much DAS usage grew. Like extremely, beyond their wildest predictions surprised. I could easily see that being repeated with RTQ. Probably more so, because with DAS, if a person was cheating the system, they still had to lie in an actual interview, which takes a certain amount of audacity. Less so if people are “just” asking to use the bathroom, and telling themselves “it’s only for one ride”. (Like who among us hasn’t already pretended they had to use the restroom to temporarily escape a boring meeting, class, or conference?)

It's worse than the DAS population... because if it has any value besides simply 'I got to use the restroom and come back' it will be incentive for the population OUTSIDE of the DAS population to use it.

It's a self-defeating loop... If it's good, it will draw people in to use it... killing itself and making a mess of the queues. If it's bad, it doesn't solve the initial problem for those who needed it.

Tips and tricks and new ways of doing things seem to move incredibly fast with the TikTok generation. I get why it surprises people because it surprises me too - I just didn’t grow up with that “constant change, there’s always a new hack” mindset. But if anything I think the sudden growth of DAS is a case study in how that works.

Tru - 'viral' has a new definition and spread rate compared to even 10 yrs ago.

 

[flynnibus]

Every 5 minutes?

he's not saying the same person... but someone doing this every 5 mins...

 

[KrzyKtty]

W

What happens if it's 2 adults and a child? One can't expect the child to come assist nor stay in line by themselves.

We can do that all day with every scenario. If the adult was the one disabled and needed help because they couldn't go alone, they all would have to go. But it would be the same virtually as my question a few pages back. What happens if the person is alone. Who do they rejoin then?

But I think the average would normally just be one or two people.

 

[Vclguy90]

How would a person who needs to tend to something every 5 minutes experience anything at Disney? Most LLs are longer than this and certainly with the attraction included they are.

Number 1, it's a hypothetical question. Number 2, your response seems to have the aura of 'if that is how your disability works than stay home.'

 

[Chi84]

he's not saying the same person... but someone doing this every 5 mins...

Apparently not.

 

[KrzyKtty]

Number 1, it's a hypothetical question. Number 2, your response seems to have the aura of 'if that is how your disability works than stay home.'

I took it as more of the person pointing out the question seemed a bit hyperbolic.

 

[JAN J]

No, you just aren't seeing how it will be used in the wild...


You can't simultaneously help a wide population and also hide the details. These are conflicting objectives. This notion of hoarding details is a losing proposition.


This is someone's hope - and someone who is ignoring you just took a HUGE POPULATION and pulled the rug out from under them. This isn't some hidden gem people will have to discover... It's going to be iterated by Disney hundreds of times a day to people and also over every Disney website.

If there is an advantage to using it - people will.


Live look in at the policy writer's room...
View attachment 787416



It is significant - because the # of people waiting is not just the DAS holder, but the rest of the party. Oh and where is the limit on your party size for RTQ? Oh.. not covered is that? So one mule can wait for how many people?


Funny - didn't I address that? Yes.. I did.

Do you think Disney would ever let LL lanes get down to walk on all the time? What that situation would signal is in fact there is free capacity they should be offering to LL and G+. As long as there is a paid option using the LL - there is a feedback loop to encourage that LL to never be empty.

And LL return lines being long is an every day occurance - not just limited to shutdowns. Disney won't be sacrificing LL or G+ sales to make RTQ work better.


All the math screams otherwise. And the better the system works, and the longer the lines are, the more reason for people to use. Literally all the incentives point to the system breaking down - not improving. That's why it's doomed.


A lot of effort? Get in line, then leave, come back 60-75mins later... Why is this hard? You don't think people would be enticed by the opportunity to get out of line?


I was responding to the comments that basically tried to deny this kind of conflict existed - it did, and will even be worse than the current situation because of the physical constraints they are trying to operate in.



Again, you see this once or maybe a few times a day.. no big deal. Now imagine a significant portion of the population are doing it.. Do you not see how this differs?


So you think someone is going to backtrack through the entire standby queue every time they need to do this? Yeah, good luck with that.


So the person who 'really needs' this as a sense of urgency... is going to be forced to move through a crowded queue, the entire length of the queue to exit. How long do you think that would take? How do you see that working for someone who maybe less agile or fraile? Or maybe even struggling with a physical issue that is WHY they are leaving the queue in the first place? And you don't see a problem with that? Not even if it's the simple 8% of people you mentioned?

All your points boil down to the exact reasons I'm saying it's doomed. You're relying on the fact only a small portion of people would use it.. while concurrently believing it will benefit those who use it... while not limiting who can use it.

These ideas can not co-exist and survive.

Your original point has quite a few obs but I will try to just offer a point or two:

1- I agree 100% that we don't have enough information on how the system works. So until we get some real world examples, we do what people do at forums (debate)

2 - Speaking first of LRT/QRT, you have to get to the attraction to get it, no remote trigger. That helps preventing abuse. And since it's accessibility, the CM normally asks why, and if they can transfer to the ride on their own.

3 - RTQ also cannot be triggered remotely, you have to get to the line to get it. Will also curb some abuse.
3a - I presume there will be a difference between single riders and parties. If a single rider or complete party exits, they could i.e. treat it as an LRT, and give you a return time for LL. If just one or some of members leave, they get an RTQ, but they can only move past the convergence points AFTER the people in line get there. And if they do that before their RTQ members, then they wait for the RTQ members to return.

4 - On your BTMRR example, I feel that is already the case in many attractions, where a person waits in line while the others do something else. Having a place to meet might actually help. Also, I don't know how to are measuring wait time, if it's visual queue or they give you a card or some other thing and measure the time. If the latter, that's fine. If the former, then the 45mins might actually be over an hour. And at some point they will update.
4a - Now, regarding how you separate your party on your vacation to go is entirely up to you (not you spefically, vacationers). Waiting in line while your SO(s)/family/friends get an ice cream, bathroom break, or quick shopping before joining you is one othing. But if they want to go ahead and enjoy their day WITHOUT you, also the party's prerogative. I wouldn't leave my DW in a long line alone so I can enjoy the park with the kids, and neither would she towards me.

Sorry for the long post.

TLR is I don't think RTQ will be chaotic

 

[ConfettiCupcake]

Number 1, it's a hypothetical question. Number 2, your response seems to have the aura of 'if that is how your disability works than stay home.'

No I'm literally asking how even DAS would help someone who needs to leave to tend to something every 5 minutes, because this feels like a gotcha question and not a legitimate worry someone who has successfully visited Disney parks with DAS would have.

Many LL returns have an upwards of 5 minute wait before boarding even if there is no wait before the merge point (and there often is).

 

[JAN J]

What happens if a person needs to leave the line every 5 minutes to return. Won't that off everyone else around them?

Also, can a person just leave and come back when the expected wait time is over? I don't get this leaving line thing.

Not DAS not RTQ not anything would help with that.
Maybe GAC from the old days, but what if 5 minutes into the ride you have an emergency as well?