I've read through a lot of this but not all, yet...
First, I am concerned that autism specifically is a qualification, as a blanket statement. I know many people with autism who can wait just fine in lines, and autism is so common now (the incidence is estimated to be 1 in 70 males) I think they've just "approved" a huge amount of people without understanding their individual needs at all. And of course many people with ASD would have a hard time waiting in lines...its not a one size fits all diagnosis!
Sadly, I also know people who have HFA, and got
DAS for their family of 20+. Many people have abused the system so I appreciate that they are looking carefully at it.
I've honestly never considered that people with some of the conditions mentioned here use DAS.
We have a child who cannot tolerate the heat at all. We know WDW is hot, and avoid the months and times of day that heat would be an issue - sometimes all day, depending on the weather. We need to do that because even walking around the parks in extreme heat would be dangerous, even getting to a show or ride at all, never mind the lines. We've never used DAS, and like I said it didn't ever occur to me. Mostly I guess because the heat is still there whether or not we are wanting to go on a ride. We know we are choosing an outdoor experience in Florida and we tweak to do what's best for our family if we need to.
Another person in our family has IBS, has to be very careful about food on vacation, and sometimes sits out a ride or even needs a trip to the infirmary when we are at a park for a private restroom.
I'm not saying others with the same issues shouldn't get DAS, just that for some it is manageable and for others with similar issues it may not be- and blanket statements of diagnosis qualifications are very tricky, imo.
I think WDW has been very accommodating. They are a vacation destination with theme parks, and it's a decision for each family to think through if going to theme parks is something they can/should/want to do.
I truly hope they figure out a way to stop the cheaters and people who are abusing the system while providing for those who have medical accommodation needs. I'm sorry that its already causing stress for some and really hope that those with upcoming vacations receive the support they were counting on.