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

[lanejudy]

If someone who has been approved today can update us:
Were you able to add your party to your DAS without any problems at the time of registration?

I wonder if this new rule about adding parties is for people added AFTER the initial registration.

If I’ve misinterpreted it, I apologise. But that’s surely the only way they’re gonna do it, otherwise what’s the point of even having the party option; everyone might as well apply for themselves.

I've only seen that 1 post about adding guests to DAS, and I don't think it was even a first-hand experience. Plus the DAS was approved before today.

I have not seen any posts today about anybody approved who requested an exception -- or was denied -- how many guests in their party. Actually, DISboards has been rather quiet today with first-hand reports of DAS pre-registration; I guess most on here registered early to get approved under the old rules if their trip was anywhere close to starting by June 18th. I could be a few days before we start getting first-hand reports here. (Which is kind of surprising that so many are posting experiences on other social media... makes me wonder if those folks really just wanted to test the system.)

I'm not sure I understand your comment about everyone applying for their own DAS...?

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

With respect to Genie+ times expiring, I would *hope* that CMs would be understanding if you explained that you are a former DAS family and that you had a disability-related incident. They are great about transportation issues, dining reservations, bathroom issues for kids, and many MANY other things. As long as you aren’t trying to come back to Tron at night there really is no advantage of Genie+ during the day vs later. Personally I wouldn’t stress about that nearly as much as people seem to be.

The bigger issue with Genie+ is that it runs out, particularly for popular attractions (I’m looking at you Slinky!), but if Disney is “budgeting” fewer DAS parties going through the LLs perhaps the capacity might be able to be increased? Genie+ rides also aren't repeatable, but I don’t think it is so unreasonable to limit people to better access only once/day in order for more guests to be able to use it.

 

[StarLime]

Is it still the 30 day window to pre register under the new rules?

I am skeptical about booking a trip later this year. I find the parks nearly impossible to do without DAS due to several heart problems. I wish I was able to talk to a CM before even planning to trip to see if I’d even qualify anymore.

 

[bambialways4ever]

My understanding is that someone with a DAS could potentially sell access for a group vacationing.

A mom in my local moms facebook group got caught doing this like 2 months ago. So it happens and is real

 

[lanejudy]

Is it still the 30 day window to pre register under the new rules?

Yes, "as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit" is the wording on the website.

 

[bambialways4ever]

With respect to Genie+ times expiring, I would *hope* that CMs would be understanding if you explained that you are a former DAS family and that you had a disability-related incident. They are great about transportation issues, dining reservations, bathroom issues for kids, and many MANY other things. As long as you aren’t trying to come back to Tron at night there really is no advantage of Genie+ during the day vs later. Personally I wouldn’t stress about that nearly as much as people seem to be.

The bigger issue with Genie+ is that it runs out, particularly for popular attractions (I’m looking at you Slinky!), but if Disney is “budgeting” fewer DAS parties going through the LLs perhaps the capacity might be able to be increased? Genie+ rides also aren't repeatable, but I don’t think it is so unreasonable to limit people to better access only once/day in order for more guests to be able to use it.

Genie+ times disappear from the app outside the window.

So it's very stressful because you have no way to "prove" to the CM you had a genie+ time for this ride.

 

[traveler9]

A mom in my local moms facebook group got caught doing this like 2 months ago. So it happens and is real

Hopefully she was served a yellow trespass warning from Orange County’s finest.

 

[SueM in MN]

The forced ADR cancellation sounds like a power tripping CM or a CM who doesn’t get how stuff works. I hope you went back in to pick it up after.

I think it had to do with DAS now being valid for the length of the ticket.
"DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. Once the service has elapsed, Guests need to re-register for the program."

The original poster had 4 day tickets, but had 5 days of dining reservations. They intended to cancel one after deciding which would be their rest day.
Which one they cancelled could have an impact on either the DAS start or end date. If it was one of the middle days, it wouldn't matter. But the first or last day would.

Interesting, did not realize previously they did not officially endorse this - as I have used Rider Switch in the past for a child that was too scared to ride (was capable of riding, but just did not want to) and was too young to wait outside of the queue. CM did not hesitate when I asked for Rider Switch because one child did not want to ride. But it was all done manually at the entrance to the queue, so it will be nice if it is now available fully digital without needing to speak to a CM.

Rider Switch was originally just written as 'too short children', but it changed at least 5 years ago. We have done it multiple times with our daughter, who is old enough and tall enough to ride, but can't for other reasons.
I don't think it will be fully digital without speaking to a CM at the attraction since it isn't that way now.

Boy, after reading some of the replies and additional comments to that Reddit post, I am even more grateful for our moderators here... wow, what a mess over there.

That is ONE of the reasons we don't want links to either Reddit or TikTok.
Both of them have also been sources of how to scam the system in the past.

I appreciate what you're saying but I completely disagree. Even if I'm approved under the new rules, just knowing that I have to basically beg and plead my case again in four months gives me immense anxiety. Not to mention that I could still be denied depending on the CM who deals with me.
The extended time is nice, yes. But it doesn't make the situation any better for those worrying.

The old process was obviously more lenient (hence the change) but it never worried me whether I was going to be approved or denied every time I went to renew.

There was always the possibility of being denied.
I know some people reported they 'renewed' each time and often sometimes 'renewed' with few or no questions.
But, it was never supposed to be a renewal. The CMs were always supposed to be asking the qualification questions each time.

 

[Liquidice]

Genie+ times disappear from the app outside the window.

So it's very stressful because you have no way to "prove" to the CM you had a genie+ time for this ride.

I tried using Genie+ recently and I found being able to modify the time without cancelling was very useful if I couldn't make a time. Before the time expires, you can go in and modify it and choose a future time. Modifying does not impact the 120 minutes before you can book another Lightning Lane either.

It doesn't fully solve the issue because the future times available is subject to availability. So for a ride like Slinky Dog Dash, there may not be any times left. Or the next time might not be until 4 or 5 hours later.

You could also screenshot the time, to show a CM if you later have an issue. Or try talking to a blue umbrella, who when scanning your ticket media (magicband, card, phone, etc) can see all of your history, such as you having an expired Genie+ Lightning Lane.

Genie+ still does not allow re-rides of any ride using the Lightning Lane, even if there is plenty of availability and it also excludes rides using Individual Lightning Lane (ILL)

For ILL, you could pay more to buy one, but you cannot cancel or modify the return time, meaning if you had an issue and miss your window, you're now at the mercy of a CM to help you and if they can't or won't (or you had to leave the park) you've now lost the money spent on that ILL. Some ILL rides have a Virtual Queue but the VQ line can be up to an hour wait.

 

[tinkerbelllacey]

I am going to try to get DAS tomorrow for My DD who has severe disabilities including both severe intellectual and severe physical and medical.
I will post back tomorrow.

NOTE FROM MODERATOR - I removed the specific medical information and reasons for DAS you posted

 

[Hippomom]

Genie+ times disappear from the app outside the window.

So it's very stressful because you have no way to "prove" to the CM you had a genie+ time for this ride.

id screen shot it before it disappeared, its not guaranteed to work but worth a shot

 

[Chuckdlc]

Is it still the 30 day window to pre register under the new rules?

I am skeptical about booking a trip later this year. I find the parks nearly impossible to do without DAS due to several heart problems. I wish I was able to talk to a CM before even planning to trip to see if I’d even qualify anymore.

So not exactly the same but I'm a DVC member and a long time DAS person with a similar concern. I cannot cancel a room reservation within 30 days without the points going into holding. Obviously with DVC you want to book as soon as your booking window opens. If for some reason I were not to get DAS there is no way I would be able to handle a trip in July as is presently scheduled.

 

[Angel Ariel]

id screen shot it before it disappeared, its not guaranteed to work but worth a shot

It didn't when they were doing DAS preselects - those expired after an hour no matter what. There's no history on which to assume Disney will allow after expiration returns for genie+

 

[GoingSince1990]

If for some reason I were not to get DAS there is no way I would be able to handle a trip in July as is presently scheduled.

Wouldn’t you have a good time by just sticking to the rides with shorter lines? For example, right now in MK, 16 of the rides have lines of 30 minutes or less, with only 6 having longer waits. I always have a good time in a Disney park even if I don’t ride the super headliners.

 

[AJA]

I am going to try to get DAS tomorrow for My DD who has severe disabilities including both severe intellectual and severe physical and medical will post back tomorrow.

It’s a stressful day for anyone who does/has used DAS but for your daughter’s situation it seems like Disney is making these changes for visitors like your family/DD.

The LL’s ability to serve those with more severe needs (like you just described) is being diminished because they were not offering alternatives to help guests manage the regular lines.

It will take time for Disney to figure out how to best help some more mild to moderate needs but that doesn’t sound like it would affect your daughter.

 

[jo-jo]

Wouldn’t you have a good time by just sticking to the rides with shorter lines? For example, right now in MK, 16 of the rides have lines of 30 minutes or less, with only 6 having longer waits. I always have a good time in a Disney park even if I don’t ride the super headliners.

If that was us, I'd say probably no, we only go on 5 rides. Mobility issues prevents from most rides and the DAS helped with the ones we could go on.

 

[notatallmagic]

Wouldn’t you have a good time by just sticking to the rides with shorter lines? For example, right now in MK, 16 of the rides have lines of 30 minutes or less, with only 6 having longer waits. I always have a good time in a Disney park even if I don’t ride the super headliners.

With all respect..
No. Not at all.

We've paid for Annual Passes, resorts, and airfare. And now at best will likely be limited to a small subset of attractions, none of which are our favorites, and most of which are not appealing to teens (my DAS Holder and sibling).

Not at all a solution. Fly across the country and don't get to ride the things they love most? Hard pass.

 

[jo-jo]

So not exactly the same but I'm a DVC member and a long time DAS person with a similar concern. I cannot cancel a room reservation within 30 days without the points going into holding. Obviously with DVC you want to book as soon as your booking window opens. If for some reason I were not to get DAS there is no way I would be able to handle a trip in July as is presently scheduled.

We don't have a trip for months, but I feel the same way. We've only used DAS a few times when DH health changed. We had to cancel a trip two days out and I was given a one time points were returned. It was due to that health issue that we had to asked for DAS .

 

[theMoreDisneytheBetter]

It didn't when they were doing DAS preselects - those expired after an hour no matter what. There's no history on which to assume Disney will allow after expiration returns for genie+

DAS pre-selects and Genie+ are totally different. Disney absolutely has a record of expired Genie+ rides. And as someone else suggested, just take a screenshot if needs be.

I totally get that people want what they had (DAS). But that’s not an option anymore for reasons that have been discussed ad nauseam. I’m just trying to provide a little bit of hope about why a Genie+ solution may not be as catastrophic as some here have made it out to be, especially if the alternative is no Disney at all.

 

[AnnaKristoff2013]

I guess so, but the DAS holder still has to be there to scan in and go through the queue with them. Would be a pretty big commitment to sell this access

A few months back a whole mess of third party "tour guides" were trespassed from WDW and there was some speculation that some (many) of them were doing exactly that.