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

[Evita_W]

So you are abusing DAS . And don't really need it.

That was well within the rules, we never did, as Genie+ has too many issues for us and our needs, but it isn't abuse to do it.

 

[StarGirl11]

That was well within the rules, we never did, as Genie+ has too many issues for us and our needs, but it isn't abuse to do it.

Agreeing with you here just wanted to add. Cause like with certain rides if you want any chance to ride them you have to do the lightning lane. Unless you’re incredibly lucky with their VQ system.

Anything that’s VQ you can’t just pick up a return time for the way things are. You either have to hope you get in quick enough to get a spot and that doesn’t always happen sometimes. Or you have to go through the ILL.

And with like Tron if your for any reason can’t just hope that the random group you get assigned work with your plans. You have to use the ILL.

If Disney doesn’t want us using the genie at all with DAS. They have to allow for the VQ rides to be DASed without the VQ arguably (meaning having a DAS forgoes your ability to use the VQ which would be a whole other mess). Which I understand why they don’t.

 

[Disneychick75]

Am I missing something with all the "useless trips", or "totally non refundable" trips? I mean, G+ isn't free, but if it is "lose a $5000 dollar trip" , or pay a few hundred for G+, or some ILLs to salvage the trip, isn't that an obvious choice?

Or are everyone who are depending on DAS just perfectly able to barely pay for their trip, with not a penny to spare?

Talk about coincidences.

It's about people feeling that Disney is extorting "guests" to now buy Genie+ in an effort to have a semblance of a good trip. Most of us who go to Disney don't care about the few hundred dollars Genie+ will cost.

It would have been nice if the company had said, "Look in 6 months we will have a major crackdown on DAS blah, blah, blah...". Instead, they sprung it out of nowhere. It was very poorly handled and I think this has played a part in people's anger. I think too that many have felt like Disney has played a large part in their family's lives through their vacations and they feel letdown.

Think of it this way. You're going to the most exclusive restaurant in the city. You get there and find that you have to pay $950 in advance for your meal + gratuity. Then you find out that because you're disabled you get a glass of tap water and a buttered dinner roll. Some would say, "Don't complain. You're lucky to soak in the ambiance of this restaurant and you had better be grateful for the privilege!" All around you most diners have having escargot, Dom Perignon, and Wagyu tenderloin filet mignon or lobster. You're paying the same amount for your meal but you're getting less value and less enjoyment.

​

 

[notatallmagic]

It's about people feeling that Disney is extorting "guests" to now buy Genie+ in an effort to have a semblance of a good trip. Most of us who go to Disney don't care about the few hundred dollars Genie+ will cost.

It would have been nice if the company had said, "Look in 6 months we will have a major crackdown on DAS blah, blah, blah...". Instead, they sprung it out of nowhere. It was very poorly handled and I think this has played a part in people's anger. I think too that many have felt like Disney has played a large part in their family's lives through their vacations and they feel letdown.

Totally agree. If we had received an email from Disney, or were told when we reapplied for DAS that the rules would be changing but that they were grandfathering the old DAS rules during the last two months of our passes I would have understood.

But we invested with one set of rules, and then the game changed. We don't know how the other options might work, and the roll out has been a disaster. We have tried other options over the years, and they haven't worked. Just terrible implementation.

 

[Disneychick75]

Totally agree. If we had received an email from Disney, or were told when we reapplied for DAS that the rules would be changing but that they were grandfathering the old DAS rules during the last two months of our passes I would have understood.

But we invested with one set of rules, and then the game changed. We don't know how the other options might work, and the roll out has been a disaster. We have tried other options over the years, and they haven't worked. Just terrible implementation.

Exactly!

 

[BingoJoe]

I am in the camp of those people who think that DAS had gotten out of control and that offering such a massive park upgrade for free to people regardless of their actual level of need was madness. It had grown to the point where it was impacting the park going experience for everyone, including disabled customers, and clearly needed to be stopped. I am greatly encouraged by many of the stories being posted of people being denied DAS and told to make use of other arrangements and strategies.

However I do have great sympathy with those people so will no longer be able to make use DAS and who are unable to get a refund. Its a massive change to their park experience and Disney should just let these people have their money back. Aside from being the fair thing to do, it would stop disgruntled and aggravated people giving their CMs hassle in the parks for the rest of the summer. It seems like a no brainer.

 

[BingoJoe]

It would have been nice if the company had said, "Look in 6 months we will have a major crackdown on DAS blah, blah, blah...". Instead, they sprung it out of nowhere. It was very poorly handled and I think this has played a part in people's anger. I think too that many have felt like Disney has played a large part in their family's lives through their vacations and they feel letdown.

It is my understanding that Disney looked at the massive increase in DAS and calculated that the entire capacity of the new Splash Mountain opening would be used up by DAS users, with zero places left for any boarding groups or ILLs. As such they were forced to confront the monster they had created before the ride reopened.

This is from the podcast with Len Testa who had been speaking to people at Disney.

 

[StarGirl11]

It is my understanding that Disney looked at the massive increase in DAS and calculated that the entire capacity of the new Splash Mountain opening would be used up by DAS users, with zero places left for any boarding groups or ILLs. As such they were forced to confront the monster they had created before the ride reopened.

This is from the podcast with Len Testa who had been speaking to people at Disney.

That doesn’t entirely make sense to me though with how the VQ and DAS have historically interacted. I’m having a hard time articulating here what I’m thinking honestly. But it’s always been you can have a VQ and a DAS at the same time which looking at the webpage that doesn’t seem to have been changed

Where as what it seems like your or they’re inferring here is that you would no longer be able to request a spot for the VQs without locking yourself out of your DAS entirely. Because it’s now your one DAS slot.

Like I would be surprised if TBB has something to do with this to be clear. Them expecting an increase in demand wouldn’t be a surprise

But what’s being said here only works if the DAS user is only using the DAS for the ride not the VQ. Because you only get the DAS after you approach the ride after the VQ group comes up. So DAS wouldn’t be a factor unless their planning something that’s nowhere I can find

 

[Unity]

I am in the camp of those people who think that DAS had gotten out of control and that offering such a massive park upgrade for free to people regardless of their actual level of need was madness. It had grown to the point where it was impacting the park going experience for everyone, including disabled customers, and clearly needed to be stopped. I am greatly encouraged by many of the stories being posted of people being denied DAS and told to make use of other arrangements and strategies.

Definitely think having different levels for different needs was a good choice. But I am not so much encouraged by people being denied when those with legit conditions that would need DAS / or would utilize it with a five year old are being told to leave that in line. [The fact that this was reported twice from different sources, despite wanting to take such stories with a grain of salt, upped the believability. Seeing it once made it feel like something was misunderstood. Seeing it twice in as many days makes it appear to be more than that.] That's one of the cases where I 100% believe that DAS should have been given for that specific need, but was instead told to deal with it at the parks and hope a cast member would give a return to queue pass [which as reported, is even supposed to be given out very very rarely and at a cast member's discretion.]

There's also the fact people aren't informed about more return to queue versus telling a cast member they need a break which is supposedly also different. While I am sure different rides will handle it differently, it doesn't give much confidence especially for those who would need one of those accommodations after no longer getting DAS.

I think while it is 100% understandable to offer things based on need, from what I've seen it's mostly hurting actually disabled people.

There's also the fact that those with needs are being told ''have you practiced waiting in lines, how do you handle grocery shopping, etc. etc." (again, I've seen it reported here and elsewhere. This is not just one stray report but multiple reporting similiar language acting like a lot of these conditions have an off-switch. (I really wish they did. )

 

[BingoJoe]

That doesn’t entirely make sense to me though with how the VQ and DAS have historically interacted. I’m having a hard time articulating here what I’m thinking honestly. But it’s always been you can have a VQ and a DAS at the same time which looking at the webpage that doesn’t seem to have been changed

Where as what it seems like your or they’re inferring here is that you would no longer be able to request a spot for the VQs without locking yourself out of your DAS entirely. Because it’s now your one DAS slot.

Like I would be surprised if TBB has something to do with this to be clear. Them expecting an increase in demand wouldn’t be a surprise

But what’s being said here only works if the DAS user is only using the DAS for the ride not the VQ. Because you only get the DAS after you approach the ride after the VQ group comes up. So DAS wouldn’t be a factor unless their planning something that’s nowhere I can find

The podcast was saying that so much of the capacity of the ride would have been taken up by people with a DAS that there would be no space for anyone else.

DAS holder numbers had been increasing at a fast rate. Not just by fakers, but also by people who believe they are disabled but fundamentally don’t require the level of accommodation under the law that they are asking for.

Low ball estimates already calculated that DAS users were taking upto 70 percent of existing ride spaces over a day.

Even for people with significant needs, something most DAS users didn’t have, there is a difference between ensuring fair access and giving a level of additional and privileged access that crowds everyone else out.

 

[BingoJoe]

There's also the fact that those with needs are being told ''have you practiced waiting in lines, how do you handle grocery shopping, etc. etc." (again, I've seen it reported here and elsewhere. This is not just one stray report but multiple reporting similiar language acting like a lot of these conditions have an off-switch. (I really wish they did. )

I think this is a good example of something I find encouraging. A fundamental part of going to a theme park is lining up. I certainly know people without any disabilities who don’t go because they don’t like that aspect.

I think it’s good practice to explore how an applicant navigates everyday life and suggest other ways of building resilience to park-like scenarios to make sure DAS is only granted where it is absolutely necessary.

 

[lanejudy]

This isn’t about genie+. Many of us who use DAS also buy genie+ and ILLs.

So you are abusing DAS . And don't really need it.

No. Stop. DAS-holders have always been encouraged to use whatever other tools are available, including FP/FP+ and now Genie+ or ILL$. That has never been considered abuse of DAS.

I feel for those who find their style of touring the parks may need to change. Whether that is by buying G+ or ILL$ or however they adjust. Especially so many who make regular visits -- be that several times a year or once a year or even every-other-year. Change is hard. Some will embrace it and find a new "normal" that works for them. Others may try but decide it's too different. Others may not even try again, which is sad. Change is hard.

If Disney doesn’t want us using the genie at all with DAS. They have to allow for the VQ rides to be DASed without the VQ arguably

I'm not sure what you mean because DAS can be used with VQ attractions, the DAS-holder/party must obtain a VQ just like anyone else. Then it gets converted to a DAS to use the Lightning Lane. Except for Tron, there has been no problem returning to the attraction well after your boarding group was called.

It is my understanding that Disney looked at the massive increase in DAS and calculated that the entire capacity of the new Splash Mountain opening would be used up by DAS users, with zero places left for any boarding groups or ILLs.

That doesn’t entirely make sense to me though with how the VQ and DAS have historically interacted.

As of yet we do not know how WDW plans to handle Tiana's Bayou Adventure. Many have speculated it will open as VQ and ILL$ which is highly possible. We also do not know if that attraction fed into Disney's decision to revamp DAS. This is all speculation.

 

[AJA]

Why is that abusing DAS? What does one have to do with the other? DAS was meant to level the playing field for people who can't wait in a traditional line for any number of valid reasons. Genie plus is meant to create a top tier experience. You can have both.

This is exactly where Disneys problem with DAS happened. What the original IT creators of the LL system thought would be a minute minority of people that would meet the criteria for DAS so the Genie+ LL’s could handle it, and the massive amount of diverse needs that Disney ended up issuing it for. It is so overloaded it doesn’t work for the minute minority or paying Genie+ customers.

 

[wiihoo888]

Disney is indeed throwing the baby out with the bath water. What a mess

DAS has allowed people, park lovers who have gone their whole lives, to enjoy the parks again. I am one of them. I do not take advantage of the system. I am rarely in the parks past 2:00 in the afternoon due to my health conditions. They are progressive, they are incredibly painful, and they do get triggered. I manage in my daily life the same way as DAS allows me to at the parks. I do those things I can do in the time when my symptoms are manageable

I see where this is becoming a point of contention for some. There are those who believe that people like me need to find something else to bring them joy. That the parks weren’t meant for people like me. Okay. Ouch, but fine. I can see that side. And maybe that is where Disney is going with this. This certainly hasn’t been their attitude towards disabilities in the past, and this is a huge change for some of us. Quite a financial investment (DVC, AP) as well to have this rug pulled out. Was DAS a huge reason in me investing? Absolutely! Disney was always the place I could go and not feel like I could not be accommodated. Can I see where there are people taking advantage of the system? Absolutely…but dang, us disabled folks have been receiving the blows from others’ perceptions there for a long time. I sometimes receive stinging comments from passersby that can’t see my condition. I have had a father point at me, on my scooter and in spasm, telling his son, “See that? Disgusting. Don’t get lazy and end up like her”. Yes, it hurts, but at least Disney has always been on my side

Let the buyer (and investor) beware, but a slap in the face to those of us who already live incredibly limited lives stings a lot. Especially when coming from the Mouse

 

[Unity]

I think this is a good example of something I find encouraging. A fundamental part of going to a theme park is lining up. I certainly know people without any disabilities who don’t go because they don’t like that aspect.

I think it’s good practice to explore how an applicant navigates everyday life and suggest other ways of building resilience to park-like scenarios to make sure DAS is only granted where it is absolutely necessary.

Gonna be honest, if you can't see the fault in 'just find a way to cope I'm sure there is one', then I do not think you understand different level of disabilities [grocery shopping and standing in line for five minutes does not compare to Disney, and people cannot control their triggers and more.], then that is an opinion that doesn't understand disabilities aren't about just trying harder.

Many have speculated it will open as VQ and ILL$ which is highly possible.

Tiana's has actually been confirmed on the Disney Parks blog here that it will open with a VQ! Nothing mentioned about ILL, but I know it was rumored that VQ will only be for a few months before moving to standby.

 

[lanejudy]

ANY FUTHER POSTS POINTING FINGERS AND ACCUSING DAS USERS OF ABUSE WILL BE SUBJECT TO MODERATION.

Yes, there has been abuse. Disney says there has been "overuse." But using DAS as it was intended and allowed is not abuse.

 

[lanejudy]

Tiana's has actually been confirmed on the Disney Parks blog here that it will open with a VQ! Nothing mentioned about ILL, but I know it was rumored that VQ will only be for a few months before moving to standby.

Thank you, I missed that!

 

[mamaofsix]

The podcast was saying that so much of the capacity of the ride would have been taken up by people with a DAS that there would be no space for anyone else.

DAS holder numbers had been increasing at a fast rate. Not just by fakers, but also by people who believe they are disabled but fundamentally don’t require the level of accommodation under the law that they are asking for.

Low ball estimates already calculated that DAS users were taking upto 70 percent of existing ride spaces over a day.

Even for people with significant needs, something most DAS users didn’t have, there is a difference between ensuring fair access and giving a level of additional and privileged access that crowds everyone else out.

It's already been covered multiple times on these boards, but there are flaws in how those numbers were calculated. They used one ride and one convenient piece of evidence in a previous court case by Disney. Those families who use DAS can tell you with certainty that they see almost no one else around them scanning in with DAS. The majority of those in the LL are Genie+, $LL or Rider Swap users. It's easy to tell by the color of scan in for LL. DAS users do not take up 70 percent of existing ride spaces over a day. That's completely false.

 

[wiihoo888]

Gonna be honest, if you can't see the fault in 'just find a way to cope I'm sure there is one', then I do not think you understand different level of disabilities [grocery shopping and standing in line for five minutes does not compare to Disney, and people cannot control their triggers and more.], then that is an opinion that doesn't understand disabilities aren't about just trying harder.



Tiana's has actually been confirmed on the Disney Parks blog here that it will open with a VQ! Nothing mentioned about ILL, but I know it was rumored that VQ will only be for a few months before moving to standby.

Indeed. “Trying harder” is what made me stop going to the parks many years back. Ended up spending the majority of my time in Disney in spasm and in my room. Two trips like that and I was done.

I eventually ventured back when I was told about DAS. I spoke with a castmember who explained it to me in such a way that I figured be it was worth a try. It was life changing. Tears of joy happen every dang trip back now. I don’t know how to express that feeling of relief I get with “normalcy” to someone who hasn’t experienced a complete life changing event (my condition…not the lack of Disney). It is a smile for the soul in times that can be more than bleak

 

[mamaofsix]

My Mom, who has both Autism and ADHD and has certainly been helped by DAS since we discovered it a year ago, was just denied today. She often gets twitchy in lines and often has panic attacks in certain places (think Guardians Pre-Show hallway of doom), and DAS has helped these symptoms and she overall is a happier person at the parks. The suggestion by the CM she spoke to over video chat was to buy and use Genie+. No certain accommodations like RTQ or anything like that, just spend money to use Genie+.

I'm really sorry this happened. I think I speak for many of us when I say reports like yours are making us lose faith in Disney. This is so discouraging and wrong.