DAS changes starting June 18

[kristensideaoffun]

It is generally quiet in this thread. The thread on the disability board exploded and is now closed.

We do not have enough information. We do not know how broad the interpretation of "developmental disorders" will be. Depending on interpretation, it can still include anxiety and PTSD.

We also do not know if there are other conditions that will qualify.

It might be good that there is a trained health care professional in between now instead of a regular CM. They probably have a better understanding what difficulties might arise with certain conditions and think along with solutions. Especially with those who now fall between definitions.

No matter what or how Disney had communicated this, there would always be details missing. People who struggle with the unknown would be probably be worried or concerned regardless of how it was communicated.

It is not nice, but we have to wait and see. And unfortunately, some will have to be guinnea pigs.

Let's hope we will get answers soon.

Developmental disorders can include anxiety and PTSD, however, the impairment has to have been developed by the age of 22 so this new policy largely excludes adults with these disorders. It’s pretty laughable that one of the “accommodations” DLR listed was to have people in your group create a buffer around you. That’s a pretty difficult thing to do when you are by yourself or with only one other person.

My daughter has epilepsy and ADHD. ADHD is a developmental disorder but does not cause her to have an issue waiting in line, her epilepsy does. It’s very clear she no longer qualifies for DAS because her developmental disorder is not the issue that causes her to be unable to wait in certain lines. None of the alternative “accommodations” already posted on the DLR website are ones that actually accommodate her disability.

 

[Porsche4]

Not exactly. If your mobility issues can be helped by a wheelchair/scooter/mobility device, they will not approve DAS. (i.e. I broke my leg last year and rented a scooter, but would not have qualified for DAS because that was my only issue).

However, if you have other extenuating circumstances such as @maleficent55's husband does that a mobility device cannot help and makes it difficult to wait in lines, they would previously approve DAS. My mother uses a mobility device, but she also has anemia which can cause fainting/dizziness and digestive problems due to her cancer. They approved her for DAS for those issues, not for mobility issues.

The new policy would tell guests to use a mobility device, but also take part in whatever this "return to queue" business is going to be if they have other health issues. (I guess leaving the queue if you need to and getting a pass that allows you back into the queue where you left off? Or if you have family staying in line you can re-join them? We'll see how that pans out.)

I think the way they are going to deal with this is something they already have in place for ECV/wheelchair users that can't access the old small lines that exist in the older Fantasyland rides for example. The way this works is you approach the cast member at the ride and they give you a ticket with a return time on it that is the same as what the posted wait time is. You can then go off and do other things. When your return time comes around you go back to the cast member and they will direct you through the exit line and then you can ride with your group. You don't need a DAS card to access this system but I think thats what they mean by having other options available for people with different disabilities.

 

[Porsche4]

I know a lot of people will disagree with me but I really wish they would issue these passes only if you have a medical certificate from an authorised specialist. My adult son has finally been diagnosed with not only autism but ADHD. I've known for years that he has these things but he was in denial. Finally now he has found two wonderful health professionals who are helping him through the process but it is very difficult for him to face. He is coming with me on a trip to DL in December this year and I would like to get DAS for him but going through a lengthy questioning process with a complete stranger will for him be very very difficult. If we were able to present a certificate from his doctors and proof of the medication he is on, surely that would be a better way of dealing with this. I am going to have to weigh up if the pros of having DAS outweigh the distress of putting him through a questioning process.

 

[Porsche4]

Well, I guess this eliminates the DAS for my daughter with epilepsy. She really struggles at the parks when the temperatures go above 80. There are many queues she simply cannot wait in if the sun is out. This return line thing doesn’t sound like a solution to me. Will we be expected to wait in line until she can’t do it any longer then on the way out, explain to a CM why we are leaving to be able to utilize the return line?

I don't think so, you will approach a CM and they will give you a return time ticket that is the same as what the standby wait time is. Then you go wait somewhere else or do something else and return when it specifies. Then you go through the exit line.

 

[brentm77]

It’s pretty laughable that one of the “accommodations” DLR listed was to have people in your group create a buffer around you. That’s a pretty difficult thing to do when you are by yourself or with only one other person.

It's that type of accommodation recommendation that has people concerned. It's absurd on its face. It gives little reason to hope that Disney has true alternative accommodation solutions for physical disabilities that will be excluded from DAS now.

Not only is the human buffer absurd for the reason you mentioned, but also because people often won't honor a "buffer.". Have these executives never stood in a Disneyland line? They are almost asking for fights to start with this type of thing. Many people don't even control their own kids, who push past us often and bump into us over and over again. Then you have the lines where cast members are angrily yelling to fill in all the space. It's just not a practical solution for someone who can be jostled due to a disability.

 

[meeshy1342]

I ask this because I am genuinely curious (and I mean no disrespect or belittlement of people who struggle with waiting in lines for a variety of physical reasons) but why do people feel that the "Return to Line" option is not a viable and reasonable accommodation? While it doesn't allow you to immediately get on the ride, for those who are unable to wait in long lines, this would allow you to leave the ride to walk around or sit elsewhere (including inside in the air conditioning if heat is a contributing factor to issues with waiting in the longer queues), etc. Again, please don't jump down my throat, I'm honestly wondering why people feel that is an unreasonable alternative. Please note, I'm not referring to those with autism etc. for whom the DAS system will still be an available option (based on what Disney has said).

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I ask this because I am genuinely curious (and I mean no disrespect or belittlement of people who struggle with waiting in lines for a variety of physical reasons) but why do people feel that the "Return to Line" option is not a viable and reasonable accommodation? While it doesn't allow you to immediately get on the ride, for those who are unable to wait in long lines, this would allow you to leave the ride to walk around or sit elsewhere (including inside in the air conditioning if heat is a contributing factor to issues with waiting in the longer queues), etc. Again, please don't jump down my throat, I'm honestly wondering why people feel that is an unreasonable alternative. Please note, I'm not referring to those with autism etc. for whom the DAS system will still be an available option (based on what Disney has said).

I want to know how one person can do it

Like if your alone then what? Thats what I want an answer on from Disney.

Or what if your about to get on a ride but.....have to leave per your condition then what? Can you leave the ride and ride it even if your group already has?

Just sounds like Disney pushing this onto CM's and making their job more stressful

 

[DLandgirlie]

The 'return to line' is how some other posters have explained it in previous posts:
For example, my family have used it for Pirates. You go to the cast member, they give you a return time, you return to the cast member and wait in the exit line to board.
It's not a literal return to the exact spot you were at in line, therefore single guests can use this form of accessibility. For example, people with gastrointestinal issues, you have the freedom to not being confined to a line.
The problem is, this form of accessibility, needs to be expanded to all rides. People shouldn't be confined to only ride select attractions. So if they expand the 'return to line' option to all rides, then I don't see a problem with guests with physical disabilities being able to use it.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

The 'return to line' is how some other posters have explained it in previous posts:
For example, my family have used it for Pirates. You go to the cast member, they give you a return time, you return to the cast member and wait in the exit line to board.
It's not a literal return to the exact spot you were at in line, therefore single guests can use this form of accessibility. For example, people with gastrointestinal issues, you have the freedom to not being confined to a line.
The problem is, this form of accessibility, needs to be expanded to all rides. People shouldn't be confined to only ride select attractions. So if they expand the 'return to line' option to all rides, then I don't see a problem with guests with physical disabilities being able to use it.

So you get the card before getting in line?

Because if your just in line and have to go, you don't have time to go find a CM and get one then,

Also what happens if your by your self?

 

[maleficent55]

So you get the card before getting in line?

Because if your just in line and have to go, you don't have time to go find a CM and get one then,

Also what happens if your by your self?

Yes, before getting in line
There is always a cast member at the entrance of all queues

 

[foolish_mortals]

I don’t think we know exactly how the ‘Return To Queue’ will work.

We can guess, but until they say for sure we don’t know. They did say it was “new” so there is a potential for it to work differently from how current return to lines work.

They really should have released all the information. There are too many gaps in the info they’ve provided leading to a lot of understandable anxiety.

 

[smack]

This shouldn't affect the red stroller "wheelchair" tags, correct?

 

[Lisa24jks]

I think the way they are going to deal with this is something they already have in place for ECV/wheelchair users that can't access the old small lines that exist in the older Fantasyland rides for example. The way this works is you approach the cast member at the ride and they give you a ticket with a return time on it that is the same as what the posted wait time is. You can then go off and do other things. When your return time comes around you go back to the cast member and they will direct you through the exit line and then you can ride with your group. You don't need a DAS card to access this system but I think thats what they mean by having other options available for people with different disabilities.

I ask this because I am genuinely curious (and I mean no disrespect or belittlement of people who struggle with waiting in lines for a variety of physical reasons) but why do people feel that the "Return to Line" option is not a viable and reasonable accommodation? While it doesn't allow you to immediately get on the ride, for those who are unable to wait in long lines, this would allow you to leave the ride to walk around or sit elsewhere (including inside in the air conditioning if heat is a contributing factor to issues with waiting in the longer queues), etc. Again, please don't jump down my throat, I'm honestly wondering why people feel that is an unreasonable alternative. Please note, I'm not referring to those with autism etc. for whom the DAS system will still be an available option (based on what Disney has said).

The 'return to line' is how some other posters have explained it in previous posts:
For example, my family have used it for Pirates. You go to the cast member, they give you a return time, you return to the cast member and wait in the exit line to board.
It's not a literal return to the exact spot you were at in line, therefore single guests can use this form of accessibility. For example, people with gastrointestinal issues, you have the freedom to not being confined to a line.
The problem is, this form of accessibility, needs to be expanded to all rides. People shouldn't be confined to only ride select attractions. So if they expand the 'return to line' option to all rides, then I don't see a problem with guests with physical disabilities being able to use it.

Everyone is making a lot of assumptions about what "Return to Queue" is and what some of you are describing is... DAS. Essentially. So, I highly doubt it's going to be that or they would just call it DAS. (Yes, some rides have this feature because you can't fit wheelchairs/ECV in the queue and that will still be a thing even in the new system. I'm talking about people who are otherwise mobile but have other medical issues.) However, this is also the same process that DAS users go through except they get their return times on their phones instead of going to a CM. Then you either return through a lightning lane on rides that have them, or you go to the exit on rides that don't have lightning lanes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I sincerely doubt that they're going to give non-DAS users the same or similar system as DAS users. Because then anyone can go to the ride exit and be like, "I have IBS! Give me a return time!" and now they're back in the same mess they were to begin with where people are lying and abusing it.

What I think a lot of people are worried will happen for people now disqualified from DAS is you have to go in regular standby and then if you have a medical issue and need to get out of the line suddenly, now you have to weave your way through God knows how many people to get out of that line. Then come back and see a Cast Member so you can either meet your party again or I guess get put back in line if you're alone. (Believe me, there is nothing my mother will hate more than having to ask 75 people in line behind her to get out of her way so she can get out of a line in an urgent situation.)

The truth is, no one knows exactly how it is going to work yet, but it has a LOT of people worried about how they will navigate future park trips or even if they will be able to do so.

 

[brentm77]

Everyone is making a lot of assumptions about what "Return to Queue" is and what some of you are describing is... DAS. Essentially. So, I highly doubt it's going to be that or they would just call it DAS. (Yes, some rides have this feature because you can't fit wheelchairs/ECV in the queue and that will still be a thing even in the new system. I'm talking about people who are otherwise mobile but have other medical issues.) However, this is also the same process that DAS users go through except they get their return times on their phones instead of going to a CM. Then you either return through a lightning lane on rides that have them, or you go to the exit on rides that don't have lightning lanes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I sincerely doubt that they're going to give non-DAS users the same or similar system as DAS users. Because then anyone can go to the ride exit and be like, "I have IBS! Give me a return time!" and now they're back in the same mess they were to begin with where people are lying and abusing it.

What I think a lot of people are worried will happen for people now disqualified from DAS is you have to go in regular standby and then if you have a medical issue and need to get out of the line suddenly, now you have to weave your way through God knows how many people to get out of that line. Then come back and see a Cast Member so you can either meet your party again or I guess get put back in line if you're alone. (Believe me, there is nothing my mother will hate more than having to ask 75 people in line behind her to get out of her way so she can get out of a line in an urgent situation.)

The truth is, no one knows exactly how it is going to work yet, but it has a LOT of people worried about how they will navigate future park trips or even if they will be able to do so.

I think you are exactly right about what Disney has in mind and why people with certain disabilities are concerned. About a decade ago, I took a person with medical needs to Universal. Her needs were needing a bathroom unexpectedly and urgently. Universal told me their solution was to waive down an employee in line when needed and they would help her exit and come back. It didn't work a single time, as there was never an employee in sight when the medical need arose. It simply didn't work. This sounds exactly like what Disney has described. Unless they have a cast member every 25 feet, plus a way to exit every line quickly, it's not a solution for many disabilities. It's going to be chaos and cause problems if someone in an EVC needs to turn around and get back through narrow winding lines.

I don't personally have a family member with the type of need that would be urgent like that, but I absolutely feel for those who do if this is Disney's solution.

 

[irlandaise]

Everyone is making a lot of assumptions about what "Return to Queue" is and what some of you are describing is... DAS. Essentially. So, I highly doubt it's going to be that or they would just call it DAS. (Yes, some rides have this feature because you can't fit wheelchairs/ECV in the queue and that will still be a thing even in the new system. I'm talking about people who are otherwise mobile but have other medical issues.) However, this is also the same process that DAS users go through except they get their return times on their phones instead of going to a CM. Then you either return through a lightning lane on rides that have them, or you go to the exit on rides that don't have lightning lanes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I sincerely doubt that they're going to give non-DAS users the same or similar system as DAS users. Because then anyone can go to the ride exit and be like, "I have IBS! Give me a return time!" and now they're back in the same mess they were to begin with where people are lying and abusing it.

You bring up a good point, Lisa. I think DAS is sometimes discussed as though it's a line-cutting measure (and I've had that in my head, too), but a group with a DAS pass ends up waiting for a ride the same length of time as people in the standby line, right? It's just that they can go and sit somewhere quieter while waiting their turn. It may look to people in the standby line as though DAS holders are cutting in, but they really aren't.

 

[brentm77]

I also want to add, to those taking the, "let's just wait and see, stop complaining" approach, that's not a great approach. Public uproar has and will push companies to pull back on bad ideas. See Delta's frequent flyer changes from 2023 that were cut back within weeks of announcing them. This is a much more important issue. Public discussion and pushback will almost certainly at least push Disney to be more thoughtful when the final program comes out. And even if it doesn't, at least people here will feel heard and have the chance to work through emotions and fears that are real and very important to them. If people don't love it, it's easy to skip these threads. But I think it downplays the struggles people with disabilities face to essentially tell them to chill out. They just want access to the world like anyone else, and that access to a place they love is being threatened with either bad ideas or very sloppy communication by Disney.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

I also want to add, to those taking the, "let's just wait and see, stop complaining" approach, that's not a great approach. Public uproar has and will push companies to pull back on bad ideas. See Delta's frequent flyer changes from 2023 that were cut back within weeks of announcing them. This is a much more important issue. Public discussion and pushback will almost certainly at least push Disney to be more thoughtful when the final program comes out. And even if it doesn't, at least people here will feel heard and have the chance to work through emotions and fears that are real and very important to them. If people don't love it, it's easy to skip these threads. But I think it downplays the struggles people with disabilities face to essentially tell them to chill out. They just want access to the world like anyone else.

I just wish they gave more details

We should have no questions if you make an announcement like this, in my opinion.

I don't know if Disney is not telling because they want to see the response but....anyway I emailed them asking about certain medical conditions and will try to call them again but yesterday took 4 hours and when it was my turn I didn't hear the notification and missed my turn.

 

[Lisa24jks]

You bring up a good point, Lisa. I think DAS is sometimes discussed as though it's a line-cutting measure (and I've had that in my head, too), but a group with a DAS pass ends up waiting for a ride the same length of time as people in the standby line, right? It's just that they can go and sit somewhere quieter while waiting their turn. It may look to people in the standby line as though DAS holders are cutting in, but they really aren't.

Exactly. It's not "free Genie+" like some people may assume it is. Somestimes Genie+ will have immediate return times and sometimes they won't. But, with DAS, it's essentially the length they would expect you to wait if you were able to wait in standby. And yes, some still see that as an advantage because you can go sit and have lunch or shop or do other things, but navigating a theme park with disabilities is in no way an advantage otherwise.

I'm able-bodied and physically healthy, but I'm often at the parks with family members who aren't. So I've seen it all at this point. Having these things available to them means they can still enjoy the parks, even if they have to enjoy it in a different way than they did when they were healthier.

 

[irlandaise]

Exactly. It's not "free Genie+" like some people may assume it is. Somestimes Genie+ will have immediate return times and sometimes they won't. But, with DAS, it's essentially the length they would expect you to wait if you were able to wait in standby. And yes, some still see that as an advantage because you can go sit and have lunch or shop or do other things, but navigating a theme park with disabilities is in no way an advantage otherwise.

That's actually a benefit for Disney because people can be spending money elsewhere in the park instead of standing in line! I'm guessing that's why FP and its successors were introduced, not because guests weren't willing to stand in long lines.

 

[JerrodDragon89]

That's actually a benefit for Disney because people can be spending money elsewhere in the park instead of standing in line! I'm guessing that's why FP and its successors were introduced, not because guests weren't willing to stand in long lines.

Per the company back in the day it was for both

They know some guests are willing to stand in lines and other's aren't so FP was created so you could do other things...would hopefully would include shopping and eating.