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

[SueM in MN]

I'm definitely curious what answers we might start learning tomorrow, but I'm also not holding my breath for much clarity. Any new process has kinks to work out and, even if we do learn about new accommodations being offered we may not see those in action until people go on their trips. I'm curious how they will mix those approved under old rules and new rules over the next 30 days.

So I'm going to take these first few days with a grain of salt and mostly trust what is see here over on social media. Hopefully the training on the the new system has been thorough and it will all go smoothly.

I agree there may be very little in terms of new information on the website tomorrow. It may be mostly removing the information about registration before May 20. They may not actually publish any details about new accommodations.

Since a lot of people knew things would be changing as of May 20, many people are already registered for trips starting 30 days from now. People will be starting to report about registration experiences, but the actual in park experiences might not be coming until after mid June

I’ll be in the parks on Wednesday-Friday and have DAS but plan fo ask the umbrella CMs about this type of issue. If you want to message me I’m happy to report back what o find.

The Guest Experience CMs at the umbrellas may not have a lot to tell. They would be able to explain general 'leave the line' and Rider Swap, but may not have specific information if there are different procedures as accommodations

 

[Calee]

I did my interview for my son yesterday. First of all it looked like my CM was sitting on her couch at home.

I felt a little like I was having to over explain but maybe I was just nervous. My sons reasons are some that fit what they have said would be covered even after the change but I still felt like it seemed weird.

I explained everything and then she said “so would he have to leave and be unable to return to the line”? Well yes for all the reasons I just explained so then I felt like I just completely repeated myself.

She did not indicate one way or the other if she could see he had had it before. She did not indicate if he would qualify in the future.

Before I was connected she made me drop dining reservations. We have 4 day tickets but when I originally made our dining reservations we had not decided for sure which days we were going to parks and which day was our rest day, so I had made dining reservations for 5 days (intending to drop the one as soon as we decided which day to not go to a park) She would not allow me to interview for DAS until I only had dining for the same number of days as my park ticket which I thought was really weird as anyone can make a dining reservation for any day or place and I had no idea it would be in any way related to DAS. So that kind of got me started off a little flustered bc I felt from the start that she thought I was trying to pull something (though I don’t know what).

She did not offer me pre selects and I didn’t ask bc the whole thing already felt weird.
I went back in the next day to the chat and asked about pre selects and the woman that time did them with me quickly and easily over chat.

Both for the approval and the pre selects I was connected quickly. About 15 minutes once and almost immediately the second time.

So all in all we got it but it felt weird but I may have just gotten a weird CM.

 

[SarahC97]

I did my interview for my son yesterday. First of all it looked like my CM was sitting on her couch at home.

I felt a little like I was having to over explain but maybe I was just nervous. My sons reasons are some that fit what they have said would be covered even after the change but I still felt like it seemed weird.

I explained everything and then she said “so would he have to leave and be unable to return to the line”? Well yes for all the reasons I just explained so then I felt like I just completely repeated myself.

She did not indicate one way or the other if she could see he had had it before. She did not indicate if he would qualify in the future.

Before I was connected she made me drop dining reservations. We have 4 day tickets but when I originally made our dining reservations we had not decided for sure which days we were going to parks and which day was our rest day, so I had made dining reservations for 5 days (intending to drop the one as soon as we decided which day to not go to a park) She would not allow me to interview for DAS until I only had dining for the same number of days as my park ticket which I thought was really weird as anyone can make a dining reservation for any day or place and I had no idea it would be in any way related to DAS. So that kind of got me started off a little flustered bc I felt from the start that she thought I was trying to pull something (though I don’t know what).

She did not offer me pre selects and I didn’t ask bc the whole thing already felt weird.
I went back in the next day to the chat and asked about pre selects and the woman that time did them with me quickly and easily over chat.

Both for the approval and the pre selects I was connected quickly. About 15 minutes once and almost immediately the second time.

So all in all we got it but it felt weird but I may have just gotten a weird CM.

That does sound weird. I've never had that happen with dining reservations and never heard of it happening either. Super strange.

 

[Disneychick75]

Guess we'll see how other disabilities are dealt with over the coming days.


Disney's new verbiage on the DAS page:

What to Know About DAS

• DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
• DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.
• The Guest for which DAS is being requested must be present during registration and must experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks.

 

[DarthChurro]

do you still need to register 30 days before your 1st day of your trip if the new das is good for 100 days?

We have a trip in august, i emailed the disability team and got a cut and paste back of the website but wasnt clear.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

Additional new verbiage:

Attraction Queue Re-Entry
There may be times when a Guest must briefly step out of the standby line and then rejoin their party in the line. Every location has a defined process to support this option based on a person’s disability while the rest of the party remains in line.

How to Use Queue Re-entry
Speak to a Cast member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue.

1. A Cast Member will provide details about how to exit the queue and how to navigate back to your party.
2. While the Guest who must leave the line is briefly away, the rest of the party will remain in line.
3. The Guest reunites with their party to ride the attraction.

Note: Guests must meet boarding requirements to ride.

 

[SarahC97]

Additional new verbiage:

Attraction Queue Re-Entry
There may be times when a Guest must briefly step out of the standby line and then rejoin their party in the line. Every location has a defined process to support this option based on a person’s disability while the rest of the party remains in line.

How to Use Queue Re-entry
Speak to a Cast member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue.

1. A Cast Member will provide details about how to exit the queue and how to navigate back to your party.
2. While the Guest who must leave the line is briefly away, the rest of the party will remain in line.
3. The Guest reunites with their party to ride the attraction.

Note: Guests must meet boarding requirements to ride.

Briefly leave the line? Oy. This is what I'm afraid of. If I have to leave the line, it ain't gonna be brief.

This sounds like a nightmare but I'm trying to remain open minded.

 

[diablodancer]

Guess we'll see how other disabilities are dealt with over the coming days.


Disney's new verbiage on the DAS page:

What to Know About DAS

• DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.
• DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.
• The Guest for which DAS is being requested must be present during registration and must experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks.

That wording around type of condition reads a little more open to me than it has previously been, hopefully a good sign.

 

[jo-jo]

I'm waiting to hear someone say how the CM tell them how to leave for a brief time using a scooter.

 

[tramps’lady]

I'm waiting to hear someone say how the CM tell them how to leave for a brief time using a scooter.

Or if a solo traveler? Wonder how it will work. Luckily I won’t really be going to the park for rides until October when things should be settled down

 

[Philsfan77]

Good luck to everyone today and over the next few weeks (assuming the roll out officially starts).

 

[AJA]

Or if a solo traveler? Wonder how it will work. Luckily I won’t really be going to the park for rides until October when things should be settled down

I really can’t imagine it being as big of a deal as people think even for a solo traveler. I imagine if someone in a red t-shirt is in front of me in line, lets the CM know they need to leave, then returns, I would know they are not cutting line. I hope Disney will have more line attendants in the near future (the employee cost for them has to be cheaper than giving away LL) Surely with all the people needing to use this type of service it will become normal.

 

[tramps’lady]

I really can’t imagine it being as big of a deal as people think even for a solo traveler. I imagine if someone in a red t-shirt is in front of me in line, lets the CM know they need to leave, then returns, I would know they are not cutting line. I hope Disney will have more line attendants in the near future (the employee cost for them has to be cheaper than giving away LL) Surely with all the people needing to use this type of service it will become normal.

Could be, but have you ever tried to get out of line with a rollator? We have and it didn’t work out well. Luckily the ride started back up and we were able to make our dining reservation. I just have a hard time believing people are not going to have a fit when someone is trying to get back to their family in line even with a card or something showing they had “permission” to leave and rejoin. And some of the lines are just not wide enough to maneuver with a mobility device if you have other issues that necessitate leaving the line.

Time will tell how this will all work. The thing that bugs me the most is the pitting of one group of disabled against another that I’ve seen. A very sad day for all.

 

[SarahC97]

Additional new verbiage:

Attraction Queue Re-Entry
There may be times when a Guest must briefly step out of the standby line and then rejoin their party in the line. Every location has a defined process to support this option based on a person’s disability while the rest of the party remains in line.

How to Use Queue Re-entry
Speak to a Cast member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue.

1. A Cast Member will provide details about how to exit the queue and how to navigate back to your party.
2. While the Guest who must leave the line is briefly away, the rest of the party will remain in line.
3. The Guest reunites with their party to ride the attraction.

Note: Guests must meet boarding requirements to ride.

Where is this on the website? I don't see it.

 

[PrincessV]

I'm curious how they will mix those approved under old rules and new rules over the next 30 days.

Same. I also think there will be a decent number of folks who are unaware of the change and will show up at the parks to register/renew DAS in person - we may never hear from them because most DISers are planners, though.

I explained everything and then she said “so would he have to leave and be unable to return to the line”? Well yes for all the reasons I just explained so then I felt like I just completely repeated myself.

This is becoming a theme, I think. My CM wasn’t so direct, and the one specific question they asked seemed strange in the moment, but coupled with your experience and that of a couple others, I think this was what they were getting at: sorting people into “can’t wait in queues at all” vs. “can wait if allowed to leave for short breaks.”

Before I was connected she made me drop dining reservations.

That is simply bizarre - dining has nothing to do with DAS!

• DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

Oh, much better wording, Disney! Commas are important, lol!

Briefly leave the line? Oy. This is what I'm afraid of. If I have to leave the line, it ain't gonna be brief.

This sounds like a nightmare but I'm trying to remain open minded.

This was and is still my concern: have the CMs received adequate training to discern what disabilities can be accommodated by a “brief” leaving of the line vs. those that will need to be one for hours, or even the rest of the day? I assume this is where Guests are going to need to use the “right” words in their interviews.

I’m also intrigued by the notion that every location has magically come up with a means of making this work… overnight. I’m a WDW parks veteran of 30+ years: I know the queues inside and out. And I cannot fathom an easy way for people to navigate this. And as a solo visitor, how exactly do you leave the line and “rejoin your party”??

 

[heyitsmejosh]

Additional new verbiage:

Attraction Queue Re-Entry
There may be times when a Guest must briefly step out of the standby line and then rejoin their party in the line. Every location has a defined process to support this option based on a person’s disability while the rest of the party remains in line.

How to Use Queue Re-entry
Speak to a Cast member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue.

1. A Cast Member will provide details about how to exit the queue and how to navigate back to your party.
2. While the Guest who must leave the line is briefly away, the rest of the party will remain in line.
3. The Guest reunites with their party to ride the attraction.

Note: Guests must meet boarding requirements to ride.

Can’t wait for all the posts all over social media complaining about people “cutting”

Full on brawls have occurred over people rejoining their party in line. I remember one incident occurring over this at philharmagic.

 

[AJA]

Could be, but have you ever tried to get out of line with a rollator? We have and it didn’t work out well. Luckily the ride started back up and we were able to make our dining reservation. I just have a hard time believing people are not going to have a fit when someone is trying to get back to their family in line even with a card or something showing they had “permission” to leave and rejoin. And some of the lines are just not wide enough to maneuver with a mobility device if you have other issues that necessitate leaving the line.

Time will tell how this will all work. The thing that bugs me the most is the pitting of one group of disabled against another that I’ve seen. A very sad day for all.

It will become more normal and in turn easier. There are so many people that need a service like this that theme parks will have to adapt their stand by lines. In turn it will be easier for everyone. As rides are built or refurbished I am sure line access will be something they consider.

 

[jo-jo]

Can’t wait for all the posts all over social media complaining about people “cutting”

Full on brawls have occurred over people rejoining their party in line. I remember one incident occurring over this at philharmagic.

If the option was for my DH to leave and re-enter while I waited in line, he's probably leave the line and never come back. Just becasue of the looks or comments trying to get back in line.

If that was our only option, we'd probably cancel the trip.

 

[Liquidice]

Here is the updated WDW Disability Planning Guide (dated 5/20/24): https://cdn1.parksmedia.wdprapps.disney.com/vision-dam/digital/parks-platform/parks-global-assets/disney-world/guest-services/accessibility/information/WDW_Access_Planning_Guide_5_20_24.pdf?$web_only=true&_branch_match_id=1298392233476057554&utm_source=Web&utm_campaign=Project Ruby&utm_medium=Guests with Disabilities&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXT8kszkutLM8vyknRLU9N0kssKNDLyczL1k/VD3cJj3cPd4kPyEnMy8vMS493L81MSQUAAAGwqTkAAAA=

Notably it does not say that Rider Switch is an option for disabilities like the Disneyland one does.

RIDER SWITCH
Rider Switch is a program available to all which allows Guests to take turns waiting outside the attraction to allow the other to experience the ride before switching without waiting the full length of the queue again. With Rider Switch, Guests can wait with member(s) of their party who aren’t riding due to any of the reasons listed below. These Guests still get their chance to experience the attraction—without waiting the full length of the queue again. You may be able to use Rider Switch if a member of your party 1) Does not meet the boarding requirements; 2) Has a service animal that cannot board the attraction or does not want to use a provided kennel; 3) Meets boarding requirement and does not want to ride but cannot wait outside queue on their ownRider Switch is available at most attractions throughout Walt Disney World® Resort.

It does have an attraction queue re-entry paragraph though:

ATTRACTION QUEUE RE - ENTRY
On occasion, there may be circumstances --such as physical impairments which cause urgent restroom needs--that require a Guest to briefly step out of line with the intent to return. There may be other types of disabilities, depending on the particular facts, that also qualify for this line re-entry accommodation. Every location has a defined process to support individuals who must exit the queue briefly while a majority of the party remains in line. Speak to a Cast Member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue

 

[heyitsmejosh]

If the option was for my DH to leave and re-enter while I waited in line, he's probably leave the line and never come back. Just becasue of the looks or comments trying to get back in line.

If that was our only option, we'd probably cancel the trip.

If the option was for my DH to leave and re-enter while I waited in line, he's probably leave the line and never come back. Just becasue of the looks or comments trying to get back in line.

If that was our only option, we'd probably cancel the trip.

If I have to leave a line because I couldn’t handle it not only would I never go back to the line, I’d probably have to leave the park for the day. Then I’d never attempt to ride that attraction again because I’d be afraid of a reoccurrence of the previous incident.