WDW -Disability Access Service (DAS) - ARCHIVED THREAD; no longer vslid

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I understand! My hip and knee lock on occasion. I don't need a wheelchair, I need to be able to move! I also have arthritis and when I can't move, sometimes I can't make the FP time window. Because they put the restriction back on the FP where you absolutely have to be there within your time frame, I need the DAS to accommodate me if I can't be where I am suppose to be timely. The DAS is the 'least restrictive alternative.' I got one in October and I pray I have no trouble getting one this spring. If the CM give us grief over getting one, his will be my last annual pass renewal.

I think you are confusing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is the IDEA which requires PUBLIC SCHOOLS to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the "least restrictive environment" appropriate to their individual needs.

No where does the ADA refer to "least restrictive" accommodations.

I assume you put this in quotations as a key phrase for a reason but it doesn't apply to a theme park in any way.
 
I see people with those foldable stools often.

Like this:
mjGV4BBkIcZ9f2xBCOXcJeQ.jpg


However... I think it is technically not supposed to be allowed.

Then again... I see rolling luggage and coolers often too... and those are not supposed to be there.

Point is ~ you never know when they will crack down.
These are technically not allowed and would be an issue in lines. I also think it would be a pain to lug around all the time.

The kind that is a cane with a small fold down seat is allowed. It is a cane, first of all, which does make it a mobility device.
http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Chair-The-Stadium-Company/dp/B0026RSREQ

Whatever type you have, there are situations where attractions have a 'built in' standing wait. DAS would do nothing to assist with the standing there.
(Page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of those attractions where unless a guest has a seat with them, they will need to stand.
I understand! My hip and knee lock on occasion. I don't need a wheelchair, I need to be able to move! I also have arthritis and when I can't move, sometimes I can't make the FP time window. Because they put the restriction back on the FP where you absolutely have to be there within your time frame, I need the DAS to accommodate me if I can't be where I am suppose to be timely. The DAS is the 'least restrictive alternative.' I got one in October and I pray I have no trouble getting one this spring. If the CM give us grief over getting one, his will be my last annual pass renewal.
If you got a DAS in October, bring it back with you for your next trip.
Also, be prepared to explain your needs related to waiting in line.

Disney's Disability Service has 2 'arms'.
The only one most people think of is the DAS card, which is related to issues waiting in lines. Since many of those issues are related to cognitive issues or things like Autism, that is what most people think of. From what I have personally seen, CMs may give Autism as an example, which people hear as/leads people to think Autism is the only reason for a DAS.

The other 'arms' are non-line related and include things like closer seating for people with visual disabilities, captioning for people with hearing disabilities and accessible lines for people with mobility disabilities.
The ADA doesn't address 'least restrictive environment'. The language in the ADA is'reasonable accommodations' and some reasonable accommodations are lines that are accessible and providing wheelchairs at attractions for people who can't walk/stand in the lines. Most attractions do have them. Some are visible, like Pirates and some are more hidden. At the very least, all the attractions with wheelchair accessible ride cars or lines that are not ECV accessible have them.

Not being able to get to from place to place quickly is a mobility problem, not a line issue, so the CMs in Guest Relations will suggest a mobility device.

People tend to think of just wheelchairs and ECVs and to think that they need to use it all the time. A lot of people use them to get from place to place and then park them ( after all, a day at WDW usually involves at least 3 and as many as 9 miles per day - much of it outside of lines).
With a wheelchair, guests can sit in it,park it so they can walk or push it. Another device that is being used more often is a rollator - a wheeled walker with a fold down seat. They are very popular because the user can park it and walk without it, use it to provide support and take some weight off the legs while walking and either sit on it or use it to shift weight when the line is stopped.

Even if you do get a DAS card, I would still recommend a mobility device; with getting DAS Return Times, many guests walk more than when not using DAS and it would provide a place to sit when needed.
 
These are technically not allowed and would be an issue in lines. I also think it would be a pain to lug around all the time. The kind that is a cane with a small fold down seat is allowed. It is a cane, first of all, which does make it a mobility device. http://www.amazon.com/Portable-Chair-The-Stadium-Company/dp/B0026RSREQ Whatever type you have, there are situations where attractions have a 'built in' standing wait. DAS would do nothing to assist with the standing there. (Page 2 of the disABILITIES FAQs thread has a list of those attractions where unless a guest has a seat with them, they will need to stand. If you got a DAS in October, bring it back with you for your next trip. Also, be prepared to explain your needs related to waiting in line. Disney's Disability Service has 2 'arms'. The only one most people think of is the DAS card, which is related to issues waiting in lines. Since many of those issues are related to cognitive issues or things like Autism, that is what most people think of. From what I have personally seen, CMs may give Autism as an example, which people hear as/leads people to think Autism is the only reason for a DAS. The other 'arms' are non-line related and include things like closer seating for people with visual disabilities, captioning for people with hearing disabilities and accessible lines for people with mobility disabilities. The ADA doesn't address 'least restrictive environment'. The language in the ADA is'reasonable accommodations' and some reasonable accommodations are lines that are accessible and providing wheelchairs at attractions for people who can't walk/stand in the lines. Most attractions do have them. Some are visible, like Pirates and some are more hidden. At the very least, all the attractions with wheelchair accessible ride cars or lines that are not ECV accessible have them. Not being able to get to from place to place quickly is a mobility problem, not a line issue, so the CMs in Guest Relations will suggest a mobility device. People tend to think of just wheelchairs and ECVs and to think that they need to use it all the time. A lot of people use them to get from place to place and then park them ( after all, a day at WDW usually involves at least 3 and as many as 9 miles per day - much of it outside of lines). With a wheelchair, guests can sit in it,park it so they can walk or push it. Another device that is being used more often is a rollator - a wheeled walker with a fold down seat. They are very popular because the user can park it and walk without it, use it to provide support and take some weight off the legs while walking and either sit on it or use it to shift weight when the line is stopped. Even if you do get a DAS card, I would still recommend a mobility device; with getting DAS Return Times, many guests walk more than when not using DAS and it would provide a place to sit when needed.

A wheelchair or rollator is not something that I want or desire and w/the w/c , sitting in those soft seats does something to my lower back which is what causes my hip to go out and makes me hunched over in pain, hip locked and unable to walk! ( the RA in my feet is what slows me down when my hip and knee aren't locked.) I do have a fold up cane for use as necessary; but having to push around and be responsible for either the w/c or rollator when it won't help is not a headache that I need. I simply need to be able not to have to rush to meet FP timely and to have some unrestricted space so I can move to prevent the hip and knee locks- and not to be climbed on all over by kids in line whose parents don't control or monitor them! I am definitely bringing my old DAS on the next trip, as well as a typed listing and explanation of why the regular line w/o the DAS won't work.
If they would just go back to the old system of 1) unlimited FP and 2) not enforcing the 1 hr limit, I wouldn't need the DAS. I didn't need a GAC until they enforced the 1 hr limit and I was 5 minutes late for an attraction on a day I couldn't walk fast! Maybe WDW could just have a separate category for the many of us in this situation.
 
A wheelchair or rollator is not something that I want or desire and w/the w/c , sitting in those soft seats does something to my lower back which is what causes my hip to go out and makes me hunched over in pain, hip locked and unable to walk! ( the RA in my feet is what slows me down when my hip and knee aren't locked.) I do have a fold up cane for use as necessary; but having to push around and be responsible for either the w/c or rollator when it won't help is not a headache that I need. I simply need to be able not to have to rush to meet FP timely and to have some unrestricted space so I can move to prevent the hip and knee locks- and not to be climbed on all over by kids in line whose parents don't control or monitor them! I am definitely bringing my old DAS on the next trip, as well as a typed listing and explanation of why the regular line w/o the DAS won't work. If they would just go back to the old system of 1) unlimited FP and 2) not enforcing the 1 hr limit, I wouldn't need the DAS. I didn't need a GAC until they enforced the 1 hr limit and I was 5 minutes late for an attraction on a day I couldn't walk fast! Maybe WDW could just have a separate category for the many of us in this situation.

The fact that you think either of those two options are reasonable is kind of sad.

Best of luck to you on your trip. I hope it all works out for you. Unfortunately, there is nothing in the ADA that calls for gets be allowed to choose what kind of accommodation they prefer.
 
A wheelchair or rollator is not something that I want or desire and w/the w/c , sitting in those soft seats does something to my lower back which is what causes my hip to go out and makes me hunched over in pain, hip locked and unable to walk! ( the RA in my feet is what slows me down when my hip and knee aren't locked.) I do have a fold up cane for use as necessary; but having to push around and be responsible for either the w/c or rollator when it won't help is not a headache that I need. I simply need to be able not to have to rush to meet FP timely and to have some unrestricted space so I can move to prevent the hip and knee locks- and not to be climbed on all over by kids in line whose parents don't control or monitor them! I am definitely bringing my old DAS on the next trip, as well as a typed listing and explanation of why the regular line w/o the DAS won't work.
If they would just go back to the old system of 1) unlimited FP and 2) not enforcing the 1 hr limit, I wouldn't need the DAS. I didn't need a GAC until they enforced the 1 hr limit and I was 5 minutes late for an attraction on a day I couldn't walk fast! Maybe WDW could just have a separate category for the many of us in this situation.

but I really feel you just need to be on time with your fastpass window of your ride time. Get a schedule that works for you. I would time everything on your worse scenario to get to the fastpass attraction on time. Get there early even and if you wait a few minutes at least you are on time for your fastpass. If you run into a situation where you know you can't make it on time then change your fastpass. You have that ability now. I don't even see what the big deal is to pass the fastpass time and skip it. How important the fastpass time is to you will dictate how much time you should give yourself to make sure you are there on time.

I really don't believe this will change back to the old way; so, you need to adjust to the new procedures.

We were very disappointed on how few rides we were able to do on our last December 2013 trip. We did not lose any sleep over it. We know there will be better trips and yes, on occasion, there may be less than desirable trips. You have to go with the flow sometimes.
 
mmbl said:
A wheelchair or rollator is not something that I want or desire and w/the w/c , sitting in those soft seats does something to my lower back which is what causes my hip to go out and makes me hunched over in pain, hip locked and unable to walk! ( the RA in my feet is what slows me down when my hip and knee aren't locked.) I do have a fold up cane for use as necessary; but having to push around and be responsible for either the w/c or rollator when it won't help is not a headache that I need. I simply need to be able not to have to rush to meet FP timely and to have some unrestricted space so I can move to prevent the hip and knee locks- and not to be climbed on all over by kids in line whose parents don't control or monitor them! I am definitely bringing my old DAS on the next trip, as well as a typed listing and explanation of why the regular line w/o the DAS won't work.
If they would just go back to the old system of 1) unlimited FP and 2) not enforcing the 1 hr limit, I wouldn't need the DAS. I didn't need a GAC until they enforced the 1 hr limit and I was 5 minutes late for an attraction on a day I couldn't walk fast! Maybe WDW could just have a separate category for the many of us in this situation.

I TOTALLY agree with you. However voicing your opinion here is going to do nothing but fall on deaf ears and cause you to get even more frustrated. I think at this point your best bet is to do like you plan and take your old DAS back with you and plead your case for a replacement. BEST OF LUCK to You in getting a new DAS!! :)
 
Hi
I just wanted to post a really positive experience with the DAS. I was so nervous that it would be a nightmare and my spouse (who has a disability ) had already started to say we're not going to WDW since they got rid of the GAC.

We'll, I'm happy to say that's all changed. We are here now (Feb 16-23), during a surprisingly very busy time.
We wrote down her needs before getting to the park, and handed the note along with a smile and a "Thank you for reading this". The CM at Guest Relations just said, "Sure! We can help you " and not ten minutes later we had the DAS.
They didn't need our whole family there to get it & it lasts for our entire stay

Using it has been easy & most return times have been only about a 10-15 min wait. Pretty much enough time for people watching while snacking the kids or letting them run their legs around.

Sure , it's very different from the GAC & we greatly miss the flexibility and spontaneity that the GAC allowed. However, the DAS hasn't been as horrible as we feared & in combination with FP+, it's been fine.
 


I am hoping now that the system has been in place for a little while someone can let me know how it is working for certain issues.

Last we were there was right before the new system started and we will be heading back this September.

My mother has hip problems that can get pretty painful after all the walking all day at Disney but she avoids the wheelchair and scooter as much as possible as just sitting in those for a long time can be painful too so she would rather walk. The GAC has worked perfect for her in the past because she has trouble with stairs (Splash, TSMM, some shows, etc.) and the continuous moving belts or getting in and out of the seats quickly (i.e Jungle Cruise where you step on and immediately step down). I have a couple concerns and hoping people who have had similar issues can help.

One concern is that this new system is going to add even more walking since now we have to walk to the attraction, get a wait time, go walk to do something else, then walk back. I don't know if it was because of her particular stamp before bc I don't know what they all mean but as soon as she showed it (only on the rides where it was needed), a CM would take her aside and either go in through the wheelchair entrance, exit, FP entrance or something of the sort so she could avoid stairs or they could slow down the belt. Sometimes they would have us wait at those areas but they never made her wait a long time (that could be because we go in slower times...not sure). Like I said, she handles the walking as much as possible which was already a lot in a given day at WDW but it seems like this is going to just add more. Has anyone used the new system for stairs/belts/etc.? How did it work for you?

My other concern is that before, again maybe bc of the stamp, they seemed to know just what to do without her having to explain every time and as soon as she got to the loading area they would ask her if she needed the belt slowed down. I am worried that now it will be a situation of her getting a return time and them sticking her in the regular line then when it is time to load it is too late to have the belt slowed down. Once you are in the regular line on a continuous loading ride, they don't stop to listen once you are to the front. That happened to her on HM and she basically fell into the doombuggy bc they told her there was no alternate entrance and wouldn't let her go through the back and load as they previously did. She told 4 different CMs along the way and not one person helped. I am worried about that type of situation happening again.

Just looking to learn how to navigate this new system.

Thanks!

Any advice would be helpful!
 
Someone may not need a WC in their daily life, but that doesn't mean that it isn't the best recommendation at WDW.
 
One other piece of good news re: getting the DAS. We are a family of 4, so we originally got a DAS for 4. A couple days into our trip, 2 friends surprised us with a visit. With some trepidation, my wife went to GR to see if we could add our friends. It was so easy! The CM just took my wife's original DAS, typed the new number into their IPad & printed out a new one. Took less than 5 minutes and only my wife had to be there.

We've had no problems using the DAS & generally our wait time has been about 10-20 min for attractions, even though it's super crowded at the parks. Our longest wait was 45 min for Toy Story, so we just saw the Belle Show and came back to ride Toy Story later. No problem using the DAS well after the scheduled return time.

The DAS works very well in combo with FP+ and we've actually done more this trip than we have in years past due to being able to plan ahead.
 
One other piece of good news re: getting the DAS. We are a family of 4, so we originally got a DAS for 4. A couple days into our trip, 2 friends surprised us with a visit. With some trepidation, my wife went to GR to see if we could add our friends. It was so easy! The CM just took my wife's original DAS, typed the new number into their IPad & printed out a new one. Took less than 5 minutes and only my wife had to be there.

We've had no problems using the DAS & generally our wait time has been about 10-20 min for attractions, even though it's super crowded at the parks. Our longest wait was 45 min for Toy Story, so we just saw the Belle Show and came back to ride Toy Story later. No problem using the DAS well after the scheduled return time.

The DAS works very well in combo with FP+ and we've actually done more this trip than we have in years past due to being able to plan ahead.

Thank you for the positive report:)
 
This thread was closed for a while because of argumentative posts from some posters..
My youngest DD just got out of the hospital recently, and after 7 weeks of recovery, we went on vacation to WDW.

Argumentative posts and posts quoting them were removed and the thread is now opened again as of 4/7/14
 
This thread was closed for a while because of argumentative posts from some posters..
My youngest DD just got out of the hospital recently, and after 7 weeks of recovery, we went on vacation to WDW.

Argumentative posts and posts quoting them were removed and the thread is now opened again as of 4/7/14

Sue, Thanks for reopening this thread. I hope you will post a report on your trip when you get home.
 
Sue, Thanks for reopening this thread. I hope you will post a report on your trip when you get home.
Thanks.
I start out every trip I intending to do a full trip report, but somehow never get to it.
I do have lots of notes and lots of pictures though.

It is one of the busier parts of Spring break - usually the closer you get to Easter, the busier it is.
We generally avoid Spring break, but because of youngest DD's surgery, we could not go any earlier. Because if a big computerized medical record changeover at work, I have to be back by April 11.
So, here we are at Spring break.
Standby lines were long today at MK, but having Fastpass Plus has been making things work quite well.
Some of the Fastpass Return lines look really long, but are moving really quickly.
For example, the Fastpass Plus line for Buzz Lightyear stretched almost all the way to Laugh Floor entrance and snaked around by the old Fastpass machines ( they are now Fastpass Plus kiosks). But, on my watch, it was 15 minutes from when I entered the Fastpass Plus line until I was on the wheelchair car.
 
The fact that you think either of those two options are reasonable is kind of sad.
The poster was saying that, if Disney went back to FP- system that did not have a limit of 3 FP or a time limit on the return, they would be able to tour without a GAC or a DAS.

They were saying how close they were to needing no accommodation at all under the old system of paper FPs. I can't see how that is unreasonable or sad in the least.
 
I'm pretty sure I've posted about this before but we've been back a few times now and each trip it gets easier to navigate the DAS and FP+. I have found that I rely more heavily on FP+ than the DAS. Our last trip I only had a few times filled out and we used it a couple more times with rides with short waits where the CM's allows us to enter the FP+ line w/o a return time.

What has changed for us is that we don't go on as many rides anymore and very rarely ride back to back anymore, as FL residents, that is okay but still disappointing for my ASD son. We also has to start carrying a bag again. As the kids are now a little older (8 & 10) we were able to carry just basics with us into the park without the need for any type of tote/backpack, etc. but now that there is more waiting we have allowed my son to have his DS and iPod with him, which means more for mommy to carry ;)

But overall we have kept an open mind and positive attitude to the changes and are doing the best we can to make the DAS work for us.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards
 
I have a question regarding this card. I have a titanium rod in my leg and on the first day its fine but it swells and hurts as the days progress. What is the policy on this?
 
mrsmomo said:
I have a question regarding this card. I have a titanium rod in my leg and on the first day its fine but it swells and hurts as the days progress. What is the policy on this?

If you check out the first few posts of thus sticky, the basic details are outlined there.
WDW's policy on mobility or stamina issues is to suggest the guest use a wheelchair or ECV. Unless you have other needs specifically impacting your ability to wait within a queue, you will not qualify for a DAS. You might want to consider an off-site rental.
Enjoy your vacation!
 
I wrote on here with questions before so I wanted to give a report about our experience with the card. We just finished 5 days in 3 of the parks with our DD who has CP and is in a wheelchair. I was super worried before we went about how things were going to go with the changes to the pass. We decided to take our first day and make it a more leisurely late afternoon day so that there wouldn't be pressure with everyone excited to get moving and needing to stop at, what could be, a lengthy experience at Guest Relations. The CM at guest relations was really nice and explained that FP+ and Stand-by lines should accommodate us. I explained issues with waiting in really long lines. Cognitively, the ability to wait 15-20 minutes without a complete meltdown is about her limit. Based on the information I read here, I really thought about why we would need the card. It was a good thing for me to understand going into it. I knew that she'd have problems but couldn't articulate why until I really thought it through and even talked to her therapists and teachers. As I read here, it's about the needs, not the diagnosis.

Card in hand we set out to use our first FP+ which I'd set up in advance since they'd just opened that up to non-resort guests. In 5 days, including 2 at MK, 2 at DHS, and 1 at Epcot, we used the pass 5 times. We rode every ride she wanted and saw every show. We made this happen through three things - strategic use of the FP+, the DAS, and using a touring plan (this is equally important, IMO). The DAS was used on Toy Story and Soarin (2x each) because of the impossible wait times and not being able to get a FP+. We had multiple interactions with CMs who were all incredibly helpful along the way.

The system is absolutely not perfect. Many times the joke in our party was the line from Titanic about them getting a "strongly worded letter" once we get home. We will be doing that, as will one of the care providers who came with us. I addressed one issue on the day of but it was not related to the DAS. I was admonished by a CM at the turnstiles for having my daughter use her finger for admittance. Anyway, not related to DAS. Hopefully it is all growing pains with this new system.

Today is a quiet pool and shopping day before we head home. Thanks everyone for the information before our trip! If you happened to be in the parks this week and saw the goofy group with the matching sweet 16 birthday t-shirts in pink or blue (which Princess Aurora loved for color choices alone), that was us!

princess:princess:princess:
 
I wrote on here with questions before so I wanted to give a report about our experience with the card. We just finished 5 days in 3 of the parks with our DD who has CP and is in a wheelchair. I was super worried before we went about how things were going to go with the changes to the pass. We decided to take our first day and make it a more leisurely late afternoon day so that there wouldn't be pressure with everyone excited to get moving and needing to stop at, what could be, a lengthy experience at Guest Relations. The CM at guest relations was really nice and explained that FP+ and Stand-by lines should accommodate us. I explained issues with waiting in really long lines. Cognitively, the ability to wait 15-20 minutes without a complete meltdown is about her limit. Based on the information I read here, I really thought about why we would need the card. It was a good thing for me to understand going into it. I knew that she'd have problems but couldn't articulate why until I really thought it through and even talked to her therapists and teachers. As I read here, it's about the needs, not the diagnosis.

Card in hand we set out to use our first FP+ which I'd set up in advance since they'd just opened that up to non-resort guests. In 5 days, including 2 at MK, 2 at DHS, and 1 at Epcot, we used the pass 5 times. We rode every ride she wanted and saw every show. We made this happen through three things - strategic use of the FP+, the DAS, and using a touring plan (this is equally important, IMO). The DAS was used on Toy Story and Soarin (2x each) because of the impossible wait times and not being able to get a FP+. We had multiple interactions with CMs who were all incredibly helpful along the way.

The system is absolutely not perfect. Many times the joke in our party was the line from Titanic about them getting a "strongly worded letter" once we get home. We will be doing that, as will one of the care providers who came with us. I addressed one issue on the day of but it was not related to the DAS. I was admonished by a CM at the turnstiles for having my daughter use her finger for admittance. Anyway, not related to DAS. Hopefully it is all growing pains with this new system.

Today is a quiet pool and shopping day before we head home. Thanks everyone for the information before our trip! If you happened to be in the parks this week and saw the goofy group with the matching sweet 16 birthday t-shirts in pink or blue (which Princess Aurora loved for color choices alone), that was us!

princess:princess:princess:
About 4 times when we had issues with using DD's finger for admission, a CM suggested one of us use our finger instead. I would not use the word "admonished" in any of our interactions, but don't know how our interaction were different than yours. Honestly, I think the CMs are trying to be helpful, but have not thought the suggestion through and can come off a bit insistive because they are trying to hurry.

Several years ago, my husband did scan his finger for DD when we entered; it worked well that time and the next time we entered. Then DD and I park hopped without my husband. Since her finger scan didn't match what was in the computer and the pass had already been used to enter a park, we kind of got the third degree. Luckily, I had both our ID, so could prove the pass was hers.

A helpful CM on this trip noticed DD's finger had slid across the reader. He suggested lining her finger up and then placing it straight down on the pad. That worked much better because apparently it starts recording a picture as soon as a finger touches down. A 'sliding' touch produces a blurry picture that won't match.
 
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