Awful Experience Registering for DAS Pass

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

For context, I am a thirty-year-old woman with Autism and ADHD.

As an adult, I don't wait in long lines at all (to me, anything over 15-20 minutes is too long), and mostly enjoy the parks by walking around with my headphones on. I usually put a good 16 miles in during park days because I don't like to stop moving / don't like to be surrounded by people / bumped into by strangers. I don't like being perceived and will hide if a costumed character tries to interact with me.

All that being said, I have an annual pass and like to visit Disney whenever I can. I don't do many rides anymore because the lines are now always over 30 minutes. I will purchase individual lightning lanes for rides occasionally, but this gets expensive quickly when done every trip. My psychiatrist recently recommended I try getting the DAS pass for future visits, which allows you to walk around instead of waiting in the physical queue, and to return to ride during a given time slot (similar to how the lightning lane operates).

I have a planned upcoming visit to Disney on April 13 and 14, and joined the web chat queue to see if I could register for the DAS pass via video call. After two hours, a cast member joined, and asked why I felt I needed the DAS pass / why I felt I couldn't wait in long lines.

I started off by explaining that I have Autism and ADHD, and she cut me off to angrily tell me that THEY DON'T DO DIAGNOSES HERE and to just tell her my symptoms. I don't do well with skipping ahead or with conversations deviating from how I scripted them to be, so I was at a loss for words and began to rock back and forth and flicking my fingers against my teeth to calm myself. It's the most common stress response for me. My visible stimming is partly the reason why I am allowed to work from home permanently at my job.

Anyway, she rolled her eyes like she thought I was hamming it up for attention and told me she would have to move on to the next person if I wasn't prepared. I tried to explain my issues ... and she sighed and said: "Okay, let's get you registered, then."

I was shuffled back to the chat window to do my preselects, but there was a sour taste in my mouth for the rest of the night. I felt like a criminal for asking to be allowed to enjoy the parks like others do without having to drop tons of money just to unlock accessible lines.

I wish they would just allow you to submit medical documentation and be done with it so you could get your accommodations without being treated like a liar/faker/cheat. I hope the cast members/guests at the park aren't just as cruel about it. I'd rather continue not riding anything at all if so.

We don't deserve to be treated like we're bad people just because others have tried to cheat the system. Some of us really do need it.

NOTE: posted edited by moderator to remove personal information and scripted information​

 

[elvispursley]

Maybe try applying in person.Much shorter wait and most Cams generally seem more patient. Sorry you had an unpleasant process with it. I hate having to try to explain without using my diagnosis and it seems the online experience can differ vastly depending on CM to CM. I’m sure if they allowed documentation, there would be even more abuse or it may put those who can’t afford a doctor’s visit at a disadvantage. My wish is that once you qualified for the pass, there would be a record of it so when you did “reapply”, you wouldn’t have to go through the whole explanation again.

 

[lanejudy]

Wow, that was a whole lot of personal information. I have removed some of it to protect privacy and also to not be construed as a script for requesting DAS.

I'm really sorry you had a challenging experience on the video chat. I can see that you had something prepared but WDW doesn't accept information about diagnoses or treatments. They only want a basic explanation of one's needs while waiting in a standard queue environment. Since you are an AP, you'll need to renew the DAS again in 60 days. As PP suggests, requesting in-person is an option if you are stressed by the video chat.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Maybe try applying in person.Much shorter wait and most Cams generally seem more patient. Sorry you had an unpleasant process with it. I hate having to try to explain without using my diagnosis and it seems the online experience can differ vastly depending on CM to CM. I’m sure if they allowed documentation, there would be even more abuse or it may put those who can’t afford a doctor’s visit at a disadvantage. My wish is that once you qualified for the pass, there would be a record of it so when you did “reapply”, you wouldn’t have to go through the whole explanation again.

Thanks for the response! She did register me eventually, but even still seemed like she didn't really believe me. I know a lot of people think Autism and ADHD are things you grow out of, since so much of the material surrounding both focuses on Autistic/ADHD children and their caregivers, but we are still disabled even when our bodies are bigger and our social ineptitude isn't endearing anymore. Not to imply that's necessarily what she thought, of course.

The whole process just seemed needlessly aggressive. I've heard horror stories about people making nasty comments when they notice your LL turnstile flashes blue instead of green, or even that they have gotten dirty looks from the cast members themselves for not "looking" disabled enough go warrant having DAS.

I'm considering just skipping the rides as I normally do, since using the DAS pass appears to bring on so much scrutiny and negativity from those who don't understand invisible disabilities.

Sorry to be negative, I'm just anxious over the whole thing.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Wow, that was a whole lot of personal information. I have removed some of it to protect privacy and also to not be construed as a script for requesting DAS.

I'm really sorry you had a challenging experience on the video chat. I can see that you had something prepared but WDW doesn't accept information about diagnoses or treatments. They only want a basic explanation of one's needs while waiting in a standard queue environment. Since you are an AP, you'll need to renew the DAS again in 60 days. As PP suggests, requesting in-person is an option if you are stressed by the video chat.

Oh, sorry. I'm not good at splitting between what is and is not okay to share. Thank you for editing the post to comply with board standards instead of deleting it outright.

 

[Selket]

I have a planned upcoming visit to Disney on April 13 and 14, and joined the web chat queue to see if I could register for the DAS pass via video call.

There's really no excuse for someone to treat you this way and I'm sorry to hear that happened. When you go to renew your pass, do it in the park at one of the blue umbrellas. I don't think there's all that much benefit to doing it over the phone because you could probably find return times for the rides you want once you arrive without doing it in advance. You also won't be waiting 2 hours to get it done.

I hope you get to enjoy the parks. I've traveled often with a couple of people who use a DAS and I've never noticed dirty looks or heard remarks.

 

[10CJ]

Sorry your registration was a bad experience. I also have a hidden disability and I have not heard remarks or dirty looks while in the park. Not saying it never happens, but I don't think it is the norm. I would not let that stop you from using the service. I hope you are able to enjoy your visit.

 

[redberyl]

We use Das for my kids who both have invisible disabilities and have never once encountered negative remarks or dirty looks.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

Thanks, all. I suppose people do have incentive to exaggerate experiences when posting articles online, as negativity and shock value certainly work beautifully in concert to drive traffic to the hosting site.

It's heartening to hear that people here haven't had any bad experiences once actually in the parks. I did some more reading last night and found that the system appears to be so discreet that only the CM will know with certainty that you are using DAS instead of Genie+.

I will use it on my trip next weekend & will renew in-person, as suggested. Thank you for your patience, anecdotes, and kind reassurances!

 

[DisneyOma]

I am an older adult, and have never had that experience when doing the online registration, but I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Did you contact Disney to let them know about the problem you had?

 

[notatallmagic]

My daughter is the DAS holder; diagnosis at 17. He first solo online request for renewal (at 18; also AP holder, out of state at college) was incredibly awful. Enough that we took a break from Disney.

I did write a well thought email after this Mama Bear had calmed down. I belive this is a staff training issue, and expressed that. We have also had wonderful Cast Member interactions, so I mentioned that as well.

We are out of state, so we do need to arrange and renew her DAS prior to leaving, as she cannot navigate the parks safely without it, and we can't risk the costs of airfare and resorts if it is not granted. I have seen some improvements in the past 3 years, but there will always be that CM who doesn't do a great job.

I'm glad you were able to obtain the DAS; as a passholder I would recommend renewing regularly/before it expires, as that seems to make the process easier for her.

We have had an occasional side eye from a CM or guest, but very rare. It's most important that YOU know you need the pass, and that's what matters. Enjoy your trips!

 

[LuvOrlando]

So sorry this happened to you.

It is a good thing you got the DAS, hopefully your happy Disney memories will be enough to outweigh this sad part that you may need to do from time to time.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

I am an older adult, and have never had that experience when doing the online registration, but I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Did you contact Disney to let them know about the problem you had?

No, I don't like to get people into trouble (if I can avoid it). For all I know, I came across as suspicious - I don't like to make eye contact, even when doing a video chat, and will look away from the screen to talk, so she may have thought I was reading a script or receiving direction or just otherwise avoiding looking at her out of shame. People are inherently distrustful of the inability to meet their eyes, so I do get it. Part of her job is to weed out those looking to abuse the system.

Just wish I knew which behavior brought on suspicion so I can try to stifle it in the future, ha. I'm glad to hear you've never had that happen - I'm sure the renewal process will be much more positive. For all I know, the person the cast member dealt with before me was a real piece of work and she had just yet to let go of the bad mood brought on by that experience.

Either way, all is well now. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

 

[WDWJonasGirl]

I'm so sorry to hear this I'm an adult also with ADHD and autism so I'm familiar with the DAS. My mom's the one who explains to the CM's why I need it and what could happen after a certain amount of time

 

[greeneyedchick]

For context, I am a thirty-year-old woman with Autism and ADHD.

As an adult, I don't wait in long lines at all (to me, anything over 15-20 minutes is too long), and mostly enjoy the parks by walking around with my headphones on. I usually put a good 16 miles in during park days because I don't like to stop moving / don't like to be surrounded by people / bumped into by strangers. I don't like being perceived and will hide if a costumed character tries to interact with me.

All that being said, I have an annual pass and like to visit Disney whenever I can. I don't do many rides anymore because the lines are now always over 30 minutes. I will purchase individual lightning lanes for rides occasionally, but this gets expensive quickly when done every trip. My psychiatrist recently recommended I try getting the DAS pass for future visits, which allows you to walk around instead of waiting in the physical queue, and to return to ride during a given time slot (similar to how the lightning lane operates).

I have a planned upcoming visit to Disney on April 13 and 14, and joined the web chat queue to see if I could register for the DAS pass via video call. After two hours, a cast member joined, and asked why I felt I needed the DAS pass / why I felt I couldn't wait in long lines.

I started off by explaining that I have Autism and ADHD, and she cut me off to angrily tell me that THEY DON'T DO DIAGNOSES HERE and to just tell her my symptoms. I don't do well with skipping ahead or with conversations deviating from how I scripted them to be, so I was at a loss for words and began to rock back and forth and flicking my fingers against my teeth to calm myself. It's the most common stress response for me. My visible stimming is partly the reason why I am allowed to work from home permanently at my job.

Anyway, she rolled her eyes like she thought I was hamming it up for attention and told me she would have to move on to the next person if I wasn't prepared. I tried to explain my issues ... and she sighed and said: "Okay, let's get you registered, then."

I was shuffled back to the chat window to do my preselects, but there was a sour taste in my mouth for the rest of the night. I felt like a criminal for asking to be allowed to enjoy the parks like others do without having to drop tons of money just to unlock accessible lines.

I wish they would just allow you to submit medical documentation and be done with it so you could get your accommodations without being treated like a liar/faker/cheat. I hope the cast members/guests at the park aren't just as cruel about it. I'd rather continue not riding anything at all if so.

We don't deserve to be treated like we're bad people just because others have tried to cheat the system. Some of us really do need it.

NOTE: posted edited by moderator to remove personal information and scripted information​

I'm so sorry that you were treated like that. It makes me so angry when people don't understand autism and ADHD, especially in adults. It's very real and can be seen on an MRI. I feel the same way as you do, thinking that people think that we are trying to scam the system and wishing there was a way to prove it to them. I understand that they can't ask for a diagnosis. As someone with anxiety, too, I tend not go to Disney rather than have to deal with getting a DAS pass. Although it was a pain to get, I do appreciate Universal's new system since I could send in my medical records and have someone confirm that I have a legitimate issue. I would send a letter to Disney (although I get the impression that Disney doesn't care anymore) and consider Universal in the future. They have been much more accommodating and kind to my family and regarding disabilities than Disney. Hang in there. You're not alone.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

The above-described experience makes a lot more sense now that the new changes have been announced. They really must just think we're all fakers trying to abuse the system.

Some of the cast members in Magic Kingdom certainly seemed to have a nasty attitude about it on Saturday. On Tron, in the locker rooms where you must use either a physical card or a Magic Band to open a locker, my annual pass was not scanning. I keep it in a plastic case in my lanyard, as I will drop/lose it if I take it out, and have had no trouble getting it to scan at any other turnstiles. I picked a case on purpose that is almost impossible to open, so that I couldn't lose the card, and taking it out to hope it scans better wasn't an option. I approached a female cast member and asked her for a card, please. She refused to give me one, told me to "use my pass," and waved me away. I told her it wasn't working, and she told me, contempt plain in her voice, that IT'LL WORK!!!

I returned to the locker I was trying to open and continued to try to open the locker, with it continually not registering the card. Instead of helping, the cast member continued to yell at me to KEEP SCANNING IT!! and TAKE IT OUT OF THE CASE!! I was the last person in the room at this point. I was tearing up from the humiliation of it at this point because all the virtual queue people waiting to come into the locker room were staring at me. I started hitting myself in the head, which made them stare more, which made it worse. My mother approached and told the woman to give her a card or she was going to have that cast member's job for bullying an Autistic guest (which I don't agree with, but I can't control her).

We got the card, got the locker open, and I was able to calm myself down with one of my stimming devices. I was able to ride, and the lady actually manning the ride was very patient in showing me how to get on the bike, and let me keep ear defenders on. She was very nice when she asked me to please put my lanyard in the bike's cubby and it was explained it was just so that my pins didn't poke me.

All in all, it was a great ride, but I don't understand why the locker room cast member felt the need to be so nasty. I just wanted a plastic card. I was going to give it back, you return them at the end of the ride anyway.

 

[OurBigTrip]

The above-described experience makes a lot more sense now that the new changes have been announced. They really must just think we're all fakers trying to abuse the system.

Some of the cast members in Magic Kingdom certainly seemed to have a nasty attitude about it on Saturday. On Tron, in the locker rooms where you must use either a physical card or a Magic Band to open a locker, my annual pass was not scanning. I keep it in a plastic case in my lanyard, as I will drop/lose it if I take it out, and have had no trouble getting it to scan at any other turnstiles. I picked a case on purpose that is almost impossible to open, so that I couldn't lose the card, and taking it out to hope it scans better wasn't an option. I approached a female cast member and asked her for a card, please. She refused to give me one, told me to "use my pass," and waved me away. I told her it wasn't working, and she told me, contempt plain in her voice, that IT'LL WORK!!!

I returned to the locker I was trying to open and continued to try to open the locker, with it continually not registering the card. Instead of helping, the cast member continued to yell at me to KEEP SCANNING IT!! and TAKE IT OUT OF THE CASE!! I was the last person in the room at this point. I was tearing up from the humiliation of it at this point because all the virtual queue people waiting to come into the locker room were staring at me. I started hitting myself in the head, which made them stare more, which made it worse. My mother approached and told the woman to give her a card or she was going to have that cast member's job for bullying an Autistic guest (which I don't agree with, but I can't control her).

We got the card, got the locker open, and I was able to calm myself down with one of my stimming devices. I was able to ride, and the lady actually manning the ride was very patient in showing me how to get on the bike, and let me keep ear defenders on. She was very nice when she asked me to please put my lanyard in the bike's cubby and it was explained it was just so that my pins didn't poke me.

All in all, it was a great ride, but I don't understand why the locker room cast member felt the need to be so nasty. I just wanted a plastic card. I was going to give it back, you return them at the end of the ride anyway.

I’m sorry you went through that experience, I’m sure it was upsetting.

But I only see one bully in the story and it wasn’t the CM.

 

[VandVsmama]

For context, I am a thirty-year-old woman with Autism and ADHD.

As an adult, I don't wait in long lines at all (to me, anything over 15-20 minutes is too long), and mostly enjoy the parks by walking around with my headphones on. I usually put a good 16 miles in during park days because I don't like to stop moving / don't like to be surrounded by people / bumped into by strangers. I don't like being perceived and will hide if a costumed character tries to interact with me.

All that being said, I have an annual pass and like to visit Disney whenever I can. I don't do many rides anymore because the lines are now always over 30 minutes. I will purchase individual lightning lanes for rides occasionally, but this gets expensive quickly when done every trip. My psychiatrist recently recommended I try getting the DAS pass for future visits, which allows you to walk around instead of waiting in the physical queue, and to return to ride during a given time slot (similar to how the lightning lane operates).

I have a planned upcoming visit to Disney on April 13 and 14, and joined the web chat queue to see if I could register for the DAS pass via video call. After two hours, a cast member joined, and asked why I felt I needed the DAS pass / why I felt I couldn't wait in long lines.

I started off by explaining that I have Autism and ADHD, and she cut me off to angrily tell me that THEY DON'T DO DIAGNOSES HERE and to just tell her my symptoms. I don't do well with skipping ahead or with conversations deviating from how I scripted them to be, so I was at a loss for words and began to rock back and forth and flicking my fingers against my teeth to calm myself. It's the most common stress response for me. My visible stimming is partly the reason why I am allowed to work from home permanently at my job.

Anyway, she rolled her eyes like she thought I was hamming it up for attention and told me she would have to move on to the next person if I wasn't prepared. I tried to explain my issues ... and she sighed and said: "Okay, let's get you registered, then."

I was shuffled back to the chat window to do my preselects, but there was a sour taste in my mouth for the rest of the night. I felt like a criminal for asking to be allowed to enjoy the parks like others do without having to drop tons of money just to unlock accessible lines.

I wish they would just allow you to submit medical documentation and be done with it so you could get your accommodations without being treated like a liar/faker/cheat. I hope the cast members/guests at the park aren't just as cruel about it. I'd rather continue not riding anything at all if so.

We don't deserve to be treated like we're bad people just because others have tried to cheat the system. Some of us really do need it.

NOTE: posted edited by moderator to remove personal information and scripted information​

How that CM treated you was pretty bad! Wish I could give you a big hug.

 

[Grim Grinning Ghostie]

I’m sorry you went through that experience, I’m sure it was upsetting.

But I only see one bully in the story and it wasn’t the CM.

Yeah, my mom has always been overprotective. I prefer to go with my husband instead for that reason.

I didn't think the CM was being very nice, but it's also my fault for not having a lanyard that would easily release my card. She might deal with people who don't pay attention all day long and I was just the last straw.

 

[prettypatchesmsu]

Thanks for the response! She did register me eventually, but even still seemed like she didn't really believe me. I know a lot of people think Autism and ADHD are things you grow out of, since so much of the material surrounding both focuses on Autistic/ADHD children and their caregivers, but we are still disabled even when our bodies are bigger and our social ineptitude isn't endearing anymore. Not to imply that's necessarily what she thought, of course.

The whole process just seemed needlessly aggressive. I've heard horror stories about people making nasty comments when they notice your LL turnstile flashes blue instead of green, or even that they have gotten dirty looks from the cast members themselves for not "looking" disabled enough go warrant having DAS.

I'm considering just skipping the rides as I normally do, since using the DAS pass appears to bring on so much scrutiny and negativity from those who don't understand invisible disabilities.

Sorry to be negative, I'm just anxious over the whole thing.

Just seeing this. I am also autistic and I have had to write down my issues with being able to stand in line. I just tell them I have wrote some things down as I have problems with verbal communication. I used this on my video chat this past Friday and it went good. Maybe also write things down and run through it a few times yourself to get it weeded down to just the facts for you etc.

I have had a similar hard experience before where I could tell the lady cm did not believe me and was very dismissive of my issues. It has made other times doing the video chat harder for me as I’m anticipating an issue and it makes me even more anxious. So the my previous last time I had a very kind CM would kind of broke the questions down to help me get to my issues and let me kind of ramble. But I finally got there. She was the one who suggested I write down my thoughts ahead of time to make it easier. And it was.

Sorry you experienced that.