DAS and guest relations kiosks - policy change?

[fiasco32]

Just got a DAS return time at the guest relations kiosk in Fantasyland. The CM who helped me said they just changed the policy to where they won't give our return times at the kiosks anymore. Have to now go the attraction to get a return time.

Anyone else heard about this change? We've been here for a week and this is the first I've heard of this.

Will try at another kiosk and see if I get a similar response.

 

[gap2368]

I was just there for 11 days and talked to a number of CM and they all ( but one) said that one of main reason why they were there was because of guest with disabilities that could not go to the ride ( like someone with ASD someone alone and so on) I did have one man that told me he could only give a return time if the wait was 30 minutes or longer ( I have on a number of times gotten a return time for rides with a 15 minute wait ) so I knew this was not true. At AK I was told to go to the ride for a return time for FOP during EMH but I just can not see them keeping the Both and not accommodation guest with disabilities that truly can not go to the ride to get a return time.

 

[fiasco32]

Just got a Splash Mt return time at the kiosk next to Pecos Bill. That CM didn't say a peep about any new policy.

 

[fiasco32]

Spent all of today in HS and got several return times at several different guest services kiosks. Must have been a fluke/rumor.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I thought you had to go to the ride to get a return time - which is why they deduct 10 minutes from the standby queue time. I wasn't aware you could even book return times from Guest Services! After all, how are GS supposed to know the true waiting times for the rides? The indicator boards are often wrong.

And we have found anything less than a 20-minute queue and they've let us go straight on. If we didn't want to (eg if my daughter went and got a return time while we ordered lunch, so we could go on after eating), then it didn't matter.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

I thought you had to go to the ride to get a return time - which is why they deduct 10 minutes from the standby queue time. I wasn't aware you could even book return times from Guest Services! After all, how are GS supposed to know the true waiting times for the rides? The indicator boards are often wrong.

And we have found anything less than a 20-minute queue and they've let us go straight on. If we didn't want to (eg if my daughter went and got a return time while we ordered lunch, so we could go on after eating), then it didn't matter.

It’s a new programme that they started in around May or June. It’s not always easy for guests to have to go to the ride for a return time, so I think it’s brilliabt. They have their iPads and do it exactly the same way as they do at the ride entrance. As to how long, presumably they are running MDE or an internal programme that tells them how long the queue is.

 

[gap2368]

I thought you had to go to the ride to get a return time - which is why they deduct 10 minutes from the standby queue time. I wasn't aware you could even book return times from Guest Services! After all, how are GS supposed to know the true waiting times for the rides? The indicator boards are often wrong.

And we have found anything less than a 20-minute queue and they've let us go straight on. If we didn't want to (eg if my daughter went and got a return time while we ordered lunch, so we could go on after eating), then it didn't matter.

You can use the guest experience booth to also get a return time. I find the wait time they have quite accurate ( but since I do not do the standby there is no way to know for sure). I find them so helpful then going to rides like 7 DMT where they have a lot of people seeing if a child is too short to ride. Getting a rider swap not having a FP Amd trying to use the FP line and so on since I go alone I have to get all the return times. There used to be rides I did not do now o can do them

 

[DisneyOma]

It’s a new programme that they started in around May or June. It’s not always easy for guests to have to go to the ride for a return time, so I think it’s brilliabt. They have their iPads and do it exactly the same way as they do at the ride entrance. As to how long, presumably they are running MDE or an internal programme that tells them how long the queue is.

"Not so easy" - well, is it easy for anyone else to wait in a two hour queue? I believe the DAS is starting to head the way of the GAC. If you don't have to go to the actual ride, it's basically an additional FP+, which others have to pay for (concierge thing). Be prepared for it to be reconfigured/abandoned in about a year, IMO.

 

[gap2368]

"Not so easy" - well, is it easy for anyone else to wait in a two hour queue? I believe the DAS is starting to head the way of the GAC. If you don't have to go to the actual ride, it's basically an additional FP+, which others have to pay for (concierge thing). Be prepared for it to be reconfigured/abandoned in about a year, IMO.

Disneyland has the same thing but there you can get a return time for either park here only the park you are in. There really is no big advantage to going to the booths. I have gone out of my way ( I got off Pooh wanted to 7DMT and it was too crowded )! to get to the both to get a return time

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

"Not so easy" - well, is it easy for anyone else to wait in a two hour queue? I believe the DAS is starting to head the way of the GAC. If you don't have to go to the actual ride, it's basically an additional FP+, which others have to pay for (concierge thing). Be prepared for it to be reconfigured/abandoned in about a year, IMO.

It’s easier for people who don’t have the disabilities that require a DAS, yes. You do realise I don’t make Disney’s policies, right?

 

[fiasco32]

"Not so easy" - well, is it easy for anyone else to wait in a two hour queue? I believe the DAS is starting to head the way of the GAC. If you don't have to go to the actual ride, it's basically an additional FP+, which others have to pay for (concierge thing). Be prepared for it to be reconfigured/abandoned in about a year, IMO.

Comparing the inconvenience of waiting in line for 2 hours to having a disability is callous and shallow. If you don't have experience navigating Disney with a disability (physical or intellectual) then I'd recommend you sitting this discussion out.

 

[Tigger in a kilt]

Comparing the inconvenience of waiting in line for 2 hours to having a disability is callous and shallow. If you don't have experience navigating Disney with a disability (physical or intellectual) then I'd recommend you sitting this discussion out.

I agree. Anti-disability sentiments in the Disability forum is a new low.

 

[seashoreCM]

The purpose of the Disability Access Service is to allow someone to wait a little ways away from the claustrophobic atmosphere of or insufficient shade in the ride queue itself or to have easier access to the rest room given a long standby wait time, or to minimize disturbance to others because of hiccups or Tourette's Syndrome or Attention Deficit Disorder. With that in mind there is nothing lost by having to report to the ride first to get a DAS time. After all, one has to be at the ride to finally ride it.

Or, the activation of DAS by so many guests may have started to detract from the other activities of the CM at the Fastpass kiosks. I have observed CMs giving out DAS return times and it seemed that it took having to quit the app already in the iPad to start up the DAS app and then quitting that and going back to what he was doing.

Yes, I have seen the CM who gave out DAS return times instead invite the guest to go into the ride (fastpass entrance) immediately Whether that is improper corner cutting by the CM I don't know.

 

[lanejudy]

Folks, I think pretty much everyone who has posted either has a disability themselves or travels with some who has a disability. Disabilities vary and as much as we think we understand each other, there are different perspectives we may not have considered. There have been differing opinions of kiosks since the DAS began. It doesn’t make one “right” and the other “wrong.”

 

[fiasco32]

Yes, I have seen the CM who gave out DAS return times instead invite the guest to go into the ride (fastpass entrance) immediately Whether that is improper corner cutting by the CM I don't know.

For the record, I'm not opposed to the policy being that you have to go directly to the ride in order to get a DAS return time. In fact, that's the case still at Epcot, but that's because they haven't installed any of the guest relations kiosks there.

Until and unless they change the procedure, though, I don't see anything wrong with utilizing the kiosks to get DAS return times.

Only one single CM I spoke with over the course of 9 park days seemed to think requesting a DAS return time at a kiosk location was an unusual thing to do. If that many CM are offering DAS return times at three out of the four parks, I find it hard to believe that this is a case of CMs "cutting corners."

But we will see, I suppose.

 

[fiasco32]

Folks, I think pretty much everyone who has posted either has a disability themselves or travels with some who has a disability. Disabilities vary and as much as we think we understand each other, there are different perspectives we may not have considered. There have been differing opinions of kiosks since the DAS began. It doesn’t make one “right” and the other “wrong.”

Agreed. I'm more curious about whether the guest relations kiosks are "working" in WDW's mind as it relates to DAS service, or whether we may be seeing changes coming.

 

[seashoreCM]

... seemed to think requesting a DAS return time at a kiosk location was an unusual thing to do ... is a case ... cutting corners ...

I did not see any CMs at kiosks or at blue umbrellas tell DAS guests they could go right on a ride somewhere without a DAS time. I only saw an occasional CM at a ride letting an occasional guest at that respective ride go right on without first getting a DAS time. This last move way back when has reportedly been offered to Guest Assistance Card holders and many negative comments have appeared on this board relative to that.

 

[gap2368]

For the record, I'm not opposed to the policy being that you have to go directly to the ride in order to get a DAS return time. In fact, that's the case still at Epcot, but that's because they haven't installed any of the guest relations kiosks there.

Until and unless they change the procedure, though, I don't see anything wrong with utilizing the kiosks to get DAS return times.

Only one single CM I spoke with over the course of 9 park days seemed to think requesting a DAS return time at a kiosk location was an unusual thing to do. If that many CM are offering DAS return times at three out of the four parks, I find it hard to believe that this is a case of CMs "cutting corners."

But we will see, I suppose.

For the record, I'm not opposed to the policy being that you have to go directly to the ride in order to get a DAS return time. In fact, that's the case still at Epcot, but that's because they haven't installed any of the guest relations kiosks there.

Until and unless they change the procedure, though, I don't see anything wrong with utilizing the kiosks to get DAS return times.

Only one single CM I spoke with over the course of 9 park days seemed to think requesting a DAS return time at a kiosk location was an unusual thing to do. If that many CM are offering DAS return times at three out of the four parks, I find it hard to believe that this is a case of CMs "cutting corners."

But we will see, I suppose.

I was there 7 days back in April and 11 days just a few weekes and I talked to a lot of CM both GE Botha and ride CM the ride CM liked it becuse they could do other things. GE CM liked it because it helped so many guest that needed it ( like those with ASD thst would have meltdown if they saw a ride that they wanted to go on it like people alone that had no runners ) I never found one that did not like it ( one that thought the wait had to be 30 minutes )

 

[smidgy]

I'm eagerly looking forward to the DAS kiosks opening at epcot (hoepfully).. esp at soarin'. not so easy for the family member to get the disabled person up the hill, down to the lower level, and back up again to get the return. for the Land pavillion. they should at least have the DAS return time at the top near the entrance. ( I always thought that about the paper fastpasses. what a pain it was for the FP runner at the land pavillion. PS.I LOVE the new kiosks.!!! so much easier for the caretaker, who has a hard enough time all day.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I believe the DAS is starting to head the way of the GAC.

Yep, and Disney will have no one to blame but themselves.