DAS changes coming WDW May 20/ DL June 18, 2024

[starlite_]

I left for a few hours and it seems the thread reached the conspiracy theories part of its life cycle.

 

[smartlabelprint]

An attempt at levity but if this wasn't a DAS thread I would read this as a quite common enough experience many traveling parties experience even adults (I myself get hangry). Obviously not trying to compare like for like but all of your description can be someone else's experience just with their traveling party completely unrelated to DAS.

I almost always will give the advice for people to try out a local or regional theme or amusement park if they can because Disney is on a whole 'nother level and increasingly more complex. That's not to take away anything from the tribulations others experience here with members in their traveling party having needs.

Sadly her description is spot on. If you have a a DD maybe you can sort of understand, but likening a rough morning for an adult or NT kids simply isn’t possible. If your day starts like this it never gets better. That’s part of why das helps us. Sure, my kid could probably stand in the 1st 20 min line of the day at dumbo, but each minute adds to the load on the brain. So we use DAS for that and wait 5 minutes hoping we can make a 3 rides in the morning.

 

[smartlabelprint]

Wonderfold has a program where they give away a few wagons a month to families that need it. You could also try to get insurance to pay for one. Wagon or special tomato type wheelchair. We just used a minigrant for my 9 yo to get an adult jogging stroller.

 

[Jdavidm]

Sadly her description is spot on. If you have a a DD maybe you can sort of understand, but likening a rough morning for an adult or NT kids simply isn’t possible. If your day starts like this it never gets better. That’s part of why das helps us. Sure, my kid could probably stand in the 1st 20 min line of the day at dumbo, but each minute adds to the load on the brain. So we use DAS for that and wait 5 minutes hoping we can make a 3 rides in the morning.

This 100%. It all adds up. Research the “spoon theory” if you’re someone trying to understand this.

I also use DAS for shorter waits because waiting in several “short waits” just adds up. If I was waiting in one 20 minute line and then taking an hour or so break to regulate or even leaving the park…I could do that. But the point of DAS is so that we don’t have to “reach our limit” just to enjoy one ride.

Not to mention, someone totally overwhelmed sensory wise probably isn’t going to enjoy the ride once you do board it.

 

[StevieB81]

We did our screening the other day. We have multiple DAS users, and the ones with neurodivergent issues actually had to answer more questions than in the past. Like my daughter's anxiety starts getting so bad she gets tunnel vision, etc. I, on the other hand, answered fewer and I have IBS. It was kind of weird. I was only offered 4 days of pre-selects. Don't know why and didn't really care. We don't use most of them anyway.

I'll add that I'm not a fan of being separated from my family while on vacation. Kinda defeats the purpose. Not that we don't split up sometimes, but that's generally when someone has had enough and the rest haven't. I'm less of a fan of a potty pass. I don't need to advertise my specific issue to a cue full of people, twice, and get the ugly looks that would inevitably follow. At least regular DAS is somewhat anonymous, and doesn't, to me anyway, tread a fine line on HIPPA. But I'm a pretty private person, so it could be just me. I also didn't read all 105 pages, so sorry if I missed something.

 

[OurBigTrip]

We did our screening the other day. We have multiple DAS users, and the ones with neurodivergent issues actually had to answer more questions than in the past. Like my daughter's anxiety starts getting so bad she gets tunnel vision, etc. I, on the other hand, answered fewer and I have IBS. It was kind of weird. I was only offered 4 days of pre-selects. Don't know why and didn't really care. We don't use most of them anyway.

I'll add that I'm not a fan of being separated from my family while on vacation. Kinda defeats the purpose. Not that we don't split up sometimes, but that's generally when someone has had enough and the rest haven't. I'm less of a fan of a potty pass. I don't need to advertise my specific issue to a cue full of people, twice, and get the ugly looks that would inevitably follow. At least regular DAS is somewhat anonymous, and doesn't, to me anyway, tread a fine line on HIPPA. But I'm a pretty private person, so it could be just me. I also didn't read all 105 pages, so sorry if I missed something.

HIPAA doesn’t apply in any way, shape, or form in the Disney accommodation process.

You said four days of pre-selects - how many days will you be there?

 

[smartlabelprint]

I mean, assumedly a real person with such issues would present all of their potential issues out front [without saying what their own diagnosis is]. I'd think anyone would give an odd glance if someone called for one set of issues, got rejected, and then called back for another different set of issues altogether. Since they take your picture etc. it's easy to track.

Though I would say such cases should be limited to calls taken within the same time period for a trip. After all, there are also times when something may develop a disorder [PTSD, etc.] or the brain changes from an injury and such.

Oh my goodness! I didn’t even think this is why they took the pictures first!

 

[mlggator22]

Also an interesting point I’ve been meaning to mention: lots of other theme parks have “levels” or “different” types of accommodations.

Universal and Six Flags, for example. Six Flags actually still has one that’s immediate boarding through the exit. Universal has one that’s immediate express entry. The opposite end is a return time system. Not everyone is getting the same type of accommodation at these parks either. The type assigned is needs based.

I’m honestly surprised Disney went so long with only one type of accommodation that applied to everyone.

I wondering if Disney didn't do this without our knowledge. I have noticed some people on here mentioning that their DAS gave them immediate entry onto the ride (or the length of time of the LL) - basically they could go right into the LL. My DAS pass did not allow that. My return time was equal to the current standby wait time. I thought everyone had to wait the current standby wait time, but some comments are making think that some DAS passes were different.

 

[Disturbia]

Our party a will work this way
Party A DAS - 6 people

2 rides with 1 hour stand by waits (and LL waits of 15 min) - Party A makes reservation at gate at 9am

Arrives at ride 1 at 9:10am and enters LL
Rides as a full group and gets off at 9:25am
Makes reservation for next ride at 9:30am (10 minutes after they checked in to the ride) for 10:30am
Go to bathroom, give snacks to try to prevent meltdowns, snack wasn’t right 10 minute meltdown and elopement attempt, end up at a quickservice. Cancel 2nd ride and try to calm everyone with a ride like Casey jr. They see dumbo so want to try that next. Another bathroom break. Hungry again quick service. Now it’s too hot to do anything. Back to hotel for a 4 hour break.

That Casey Jr. example is spot on. What is it with that elephant eating peanuts? We missed our Dumbo LL because that’s all our DD4 wanted to see. We just grabbed popcorn and let her have her fill of imaginary feeding the fake elephant.

 

[Jdavidm]

I wondering if Disney didn't do this without our knowledge. I have noticed some people on here mentioning that their DAS gave them immediate entry onto the ride (or the length of time of the LL) - basically they could go right into the LL. My DAS pass did not allow that. My return time was equal to the current standby wait time. I thought everyone had to wait the current standby wait time, but some comments are making think that some DAS passes were different.

It’s not impossible. I still see plenty of people that say the type of accommodation I have at Universal “doesn’t exist” when guests mention it just because they don’t have it and if it did exist they would…

However, I’ve only heard of immediate boarding at Disney for Make A Wish trips so I suspect that it’s rare there’s no waiting at all involved.

 

[Madteaparty001]

I'm so sorry she and all of you had to experience that. It sounds like she's a twice-exceptional student. I have a lot of friends with children in similar situations, and it is its own difficult road - made more difficult because so many don't recognize it. I hope as awful as that situation was(/is), that you are able to get her better services

Twice exceptional is noted in her IEP but most schools don't understand how to handle that. We've looked into specialty schools but at 50k a year we make do with public, and to be fair it is a very good public school. They have her in an 'advanced student' cluster with similarly intelligent students, some of which are also on the spectrum, in a gen-ed class so that helps her at least have other peers she can relate to. They were also much more willing to add extra accommodations 'just in case' at the next IEP meeting seeing as that incident was 1 of 4 in a one month stretch. The end of the school year is always the worst, she's too burnt out to keep up the mask.

 

[krismom345]

We did our screening the other day. We have multiple DAS users, and the ones with neurodivergent issues actually had to answer more questions than in the past. Like my daughter's anxiety starts getting so bad she gets tunnel vision, etc. I, on the other hand, answered fewer and I have IBS. It was kind of weird. I was only offered 4 days of pre-selects. Don't know why and didn't really care. We don't use most of them anyway.

I'll add that I'm not a fan of being separated from my family while on vacation. Kinda defeats the purpose. Not that we don't split up sometimes, but that's generally when someone has had enough and the rest haven't. I'm less of a fan of a potty pass. I don't need to advertise my specific issue to a cue full of people, twice, and get the ugly looks that would inevitably follow. At least regular DAS is somewhat anonymous, and doesn't, to me anyway, tread a fine line on HIPPA. But I'm a pretty private person, so it could be just me. I also didn't read all 105 pages, so sorry if I missed something.

Curious if the days you were offered preselects were before May 20th?
Our trip starts the 23, and I’m hoping to have the call 30 days prior if there still doing them. I don’t care about the preselects but am trying to wrap my head around the dates they’re switching over everything.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I (like others) got the canned email response yesterday. I replied asking for more information on what these alternative accommodations might look like (and sharing my feedback on the lack of information). Here’s the response I got on that:

Thank you for reaching out to us. We have received your response to our email and appreciate your feedback. The information we shared with you and details on our website provide a comprehensive overview of our accessibility services. We are available to have an individual discussion about your particular concerns if you are within 30 days of your upcoming visit to Walt Disney World. When you are within 30 days of your visit, we kindly ask you to contact us through the services outlined on our website.

I’d say the “comprehensive overview” is a stretch of a description, but I didn’t expect much more in terms of communication from Disney at this point.

Maybe they meant the accessibility guide. It was pretty helpful. Apparently they offer depends now.

 

[smartlabelprint]

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[smartlabelprint]

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[smartlabelprint]

Even if one of them successfully faked autism, I suspect that in this scenario the accommodation offered would be exactly the same as for fake IBS (rider switch with 4 out of the 6 being required to go through the standby line).

They were able to see my son’s previous DAS. I wonder if they are able to use the symptoms shared at all to compare to the current request. Probably not if they only have that on video and others said videos aren’t saved to protect the medical info.

Wagons are prohibited (this was done pre-pandemic)

• Strollers larger than 31” (79 cm) in width and 52” (132cm) in length are not permitted. Stroller wagons are also not permitted.

A stroller (that is still within the size guidelines and not a stroller wagon) I believe can still be tagged as a wheelchair. Have no idea if that's applicable to the prior poster but just mentioning that with the stroller conversation.

There are some kids a stroller isn’t going to work. This poster’s child would probably do best in a wagon with high walls to kind of trap her in but make her feel cozy so she likes it. I’m still trying to bring my wagon next trip. I ordered a special needs stroller through a grant but it didn’t get here in time.

I thought they had been banned too, but I have seen multiple of these wagons at the last two visits to Disneyland. So they aren't being strict on that as much anymore.

they’re strict. Many wagons are turned away. Even, apparently, those for medical needs. I can report back at the end of the month if they allow ours.

 

[smartlabelprint]

It can be extremely hard to get stroller-as-wheelchair for a stroller agon. Essentially one needs to have a ton of medical equipment, and even then I’ve seen reports of being denied.

Stroller wagons are on the prohibited list in general. Some now are very foldable and people bring them in folded, claiming it’s a stroller.

Larktale makes one that is a stroller that conversions to a pull only wagon. I saw a YouTube video and I was so mad. She doesn’t even have a disabled child. She just tests wagons. They ruin it even for those who truly need it. Just like this whole das debacle. Too many selfish people.

 

[smartlabelprint]

I’m just curious, at what age was your son able to forgo the wagon? His autism sounds more profound than my son since he doesn’t talk. Mine just doesn’t have the core strength to walk far. And likes to block out sensory in a stroller, usually on a device.

Also, has anyone ever suggested he use an AAC or does he?
They’re trying to get my youngest one. No ASD but palate issue and hard to understand.

Thanks. I wasn't sure if that applied to use as a "wheelchair" for special needs kids or not.

Thankfully I know some special needs strollers hold larger kids and still fit into those dimensions. At least, I know Special Tomato makes one that would work.

 

[Disturbia]

Not trying to minimize anyone’s needs, but in my mind, it’s the issue of waiting outside the line in case something happens, and waiting outside the line because waiting in the line actually causes something to happen.

We all need to lighten up and be hopeful that Disney will continue accommodating kids rides for kids.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sadly her description is spot on. If you have a a DD maybe you can sort of understand, but likening a rough morning for an adult or NT kids simply isn’t possible. If your day starts like this it never gets better. That’s part of why das helps us. Sure, my kid could probably stand in the 1st 20 min line of the day at dumbo, but each minute adds to the load on the brain. So we use DAS for that and wait 5 minutes hoping we can make a 3 rides in the morning.

I never said anything about her description not being accurate for her, I said it is something you'd hear from other people who tour the parks too sans DAS because they are exactly what many others encounter too.

I know people are thinking about things from their minds of DAS (understandble given the thread topic) but millions of guests visit the parks each year and it would be unfair to assume they have better park days (or people including children in their travel party) and vacations just because they don't have someone that qualified for DAS nor would it be fair to assume people who did qualify DAS have better park days and vacations because of that. If a day starts off bad for traveling parties who don't have the need for DAS it doesn't mean it gets better for them.

Not all guests who qualify for DAS (prior way) have bad days (which has been said over and over in this thread) and not all guests who don't have a need for DAS (prior way) have good days. It's a theme park that can be too much for someone without any issues with queues and be fine for someone who does have those issues. And there's nothing to accommodate for a situation where someone in a person's traveling party (including children) are completely over it all and experiencing what the PP was mentioning but have no need for DAS.