DAS for RA

[SteveMouse]

I went back and looked at some earlier postings by the OP.

Disney doesn't , and won't, require you to use a wheelchair or scooter. A wheelchair or scooter is what they will suggest as a resolution to a mobility or stamina issue. You can choose not to use one.

Disney doesn't hide information about the amount of walking needed at its parks and ride wait times are readily available to help you in planning. You have all the information necessary to determine if you are capable of handling both the distance and the wait time with or without a mobility device. The distances covered in a day are typically longer than what most people walk, and the amount of time standing is also greater than most people experience.

If you cannot wait in line due to reasons other than mobility or stamina, Disney can allow you to wait somewhere else. But you are still going to wait the same amount of time. And the alternative waiting area may or may not have Disney-provided seating (there is no requirement that Disney provides a chair).

As others have said, mobility equipment is a tool, and you have the option of using the tool to improve your experience. It's up to you to make that choice. If you choose not to start your day with one, you are welcome to change your mind.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

Thanks for the suggestion! This is a very short trip to the parks pre-cruise, and I was purposely going to avoid any rides that require a step down. I have to go up and down two flights of stairs where I live so one step down shouldn't be too horrible if unavoidable.

unlike flights of steps I find the one step down or up harder. I find the cane helpful to steady myself before going up or down because there is nothing to hold on to with the rides. and yes i use stairs every day

 

[Selket]

Based on the fact that the OP has mentioned no issues other than mobility, hopefully she won't be given a DAS.

She has yet to explain how a DAS could help her, and I'm not sure she even knows what it does...seems to me that she is basing her "want" on what the GAC did rather than what the DAS does.

Yes I agree her desire seems based somewhat on the old GAC. I just think it may take her getting a DAS to realize that it won't work - and so if she gets one she may come to terms with that and be able to move on to the good solutions suggested here...and be able to enjoy Disney again with her family... which is what I hope will happen for her in the long run.

 

[treemi01]

I’m not sure what you’re getting at here. I do have RA. I have never used a DAS, so I can’t help there. Would it help you to know that lines are the exact same length with or without a DAS, and that you’re not being discriminated against (nor are certain types of disabilities “preferred” over others)? Without a DAS, you wait in a line. You can have a mobility device and rotate walking with it/using it if you want to. When you make it through the line, you go in the ride. With DAS, you wait the exact same amount of time but can wait in an alternate location. I’m not sure how one is giving preferential treatment to the other. The line is the line no matter where you wait the way I see it.

If you think waiting one place vs waiting another would make a big difference, explain that to the cast member. No diagnoses, just why you need it. No one is defending anything. Then, they will decide. However, their policy states that if the disability is mobility related, then a mobility device is the solution and not an alternate waiting location. I hope that makes sense.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

One of my 20something realtives was diagnosed with mixed connective tissue disease (mostly presenting as Lupus and Raynaud's, but also with some RA) in 2017. We went to Disney in 2018 and while she was mostly able to get around, by the last day of the trip she needed a wheelchair. That worked for us instead of asking for a DAS. YMMV, obviously.

 

[Bobb_o]

Last time I went to WDW with my mom they didn't even ask her a single question, I just said "I'd like to get a DAS for my mom" and I guess because she looks like a 60 year old the CM just said ok and gave it to her. Same thing happened in 2015 when I was undergoing chemo and I guess because I looked white as a sheet with zero hair (no eyebrows, eye lashes, nothing) the CM just gave me a DAS no questions asked. I don't know if this matter but both times these were foreign CMs.

So my advice is always going to be just go and ask.

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have RA and a number of other medical conditions. The only way I can do WDW is using an ECV. I do NOT need or use an ECV anywhere else except when visiting a large zoo.

At WDW I also use a DAS but I wualify for it not because of the RA, but because of (1) issues related to the side effects of one of my RA medications, and (2) issues other medical conditions. The RA issues themselves, as noted by previous posters, are mobility/stamina issues and are addressed by the ECV and careful planning.

I absolutely get not wanting to use an ECV, but at the end of the day it is a TOOL, just like wearing glasses. At WDW, it can be a very necessary tool. On my first trip with the ECV a number of years ago, the first day we were just going to do DHS for a few hours in the evening to see the holiday lights. I figured no big deal, I'll leave the ECV in the hotel room its only a few hours. So we went to DHS. By hour two I was in severe pain. By hour 3 I could barely walk. In the fourth hour we left and I was in more severe pain that I had been in years, could barely walk, and barely made it back to the hotel room. We had to stop freuently. I was crying the whole way. The pain continued for days. We nearly didn't go to the parks the next day [we did, later in the day, using the ECV]. That silly decision, to not use the ECV, nearly ruined the vacation. I used the ECV for the rest of the trip and it made a MASSIVE difference. I have used it all subsequent WDW trips when we visit parks and the difference is light and day, for both myself, and for my family. I have more energy, so much less pain, and we are all able to enjoy the trip so much more.

It is absolutely NOT about marking a progression of the disease. It is about a very unique situation that is unlike ANY other situation you are in. A park day at WDW is MILES of walking a day. 6-8 miles or more easily. It is standing around/on your feet for hours combined with that walking. With RA, that is usually a unique recipe for problems. I'm reasonably sure if you had a conversation with your rhuematologist about visiting Disney World and the amount of walking and standing involved they would be supporting of using an ECV **for that specific unique situation**. I know mine was, he thought it was a great and appropriate solution.

And using the ECV does NOT mean using it 100% of the time. This is how I make use of it:
- I use it if going to the parks
- I may or may not use it around the resort, depending on how I feel at the moment/day -- crappy day, I use it, great day I probably won't unless I am doing a massive amount of walking exploring the resort or doing a "resort tour" of multiple resorts [we like down days where we do no parks and explore other resorts or hang out at ours]
- when going to the parks, if I am having a bad day I will take the ECV into the ride lines that allow it (almost all do) and then transfer to the ride vehicle
- if having a good day, I will park the ECV in an area then walk the ride line(s), I may do more than one ride in an area this way, then go back to the ECV and move it to the next ride or next area depending on how I am feeling
- this gives me flexibility throughout the day to adjust how I use the ECV... have a good hour, park and walk, need to move around, do some walking, need to sit and ride, then ride it.
- if I am in a line and need to get up and move, my sister takes over the ecv and i walk a bit then switch back
- I will often park outside stores or restaurants too and walk inside

Also, an advantage of the ECV is I can wiggle like crazy on it, keeping myself mobile and minimizing the chance that stiffness will set in. I can move pretty much any joint around easily, big movements or small. So I am not technically in any "one" position for any length of time.

So, I control how much I walk versus "ride", and how I make use of the ECV.

Finally, with regard to the DAS. It works differently than the old GAC did. You get a "return time" which allows you to return in a specified amount of time (based on the standby time for the attraction) and then you enter the Fastpass line, which is generally a shorter line than the standby line. But still a line.

The DAS is issued for those who have difficulty with being in the line environment and who would be better being able to spend their time waiting outside the line environment. The issue is related to the line environment itself. DAS is not issued for mobility/stamina issues because the issue is not with the line environment itself, and the issue is felt to be resolvable with the use of a wheelchair or ECV or other mobility device.

Is a person with a mobility/stamina issue uses a mobility device and it still isn't working for them, then they can certainly approach guest services to discuss their continuuing difficulty and see what guest services can offer in way of assistance.

Note that for any discussion of assistance needs with guest services they do NOT need to know your medical issues. They need to know your NEEDS. Whatever the medical issue is, it results in a need/issue/problem that needs a solution. They don't need to know the medical issue (and in fact, knowing won't help that much as they are not medically trained), they need to understand the need/issue/problem that results so they can identify the appropriate solution (be that mobility device, DAS, or something else).

Hope this helps.

SW

This was very considerate and something to think about, thank you.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Yes I agree her desire seems based somewhat on the old GAC. I just think it may take her getting a DAS to realize that it won't work - and so if she gets one she may come to terms with that and be able to move on to the good solutions suggested here...and be able to enjoy Disney again with her family... which is what I hope will happen for her in the long run.

There may be some truth in what you are saying. I guess it's just about feeling pushed into a change as opposed to accepting it myself. Honestly, going to the mall can sometimes be agonizing because of the compression pressure with concrete so there is a good chance I'd get there and need to do a scooter whether I want to or not.

I guess I just want to know that there is a possibility that on a good day I can be like I was and giving that hope is just rough and not exactly a memory I want of WDW. This is the place my son took his first step and my kids go their first haircuts, I think I'd rather leave it in the past than mix bad memories into the good..

 

[LuvOrlando]

I want to say that in reading today I find it in exceptionally bad taste that a noise canceling device probably used for special needs people was dropped in as a dig towards me not wanting to hear disagreements. That's just deeply messed up - not because I have hurt feelings (cause nope you missed your mark) but because it's not ok to use something like that. WOW

 

[DrunkJam]

I want to say that in reading today I find it in exceptionally bad taste that a noise canceling device probably used for special needs people was dropped in as a dig towards me not wanting to hear disagreements. That's just deeply messed up - not because I have hurt feelings (cause nope you missed your mark) but because it's not ok to use something like that. WOW

I mentioned ear defenders, after the person I was replying to said they had their DAS for sensory issues, including finding some things very loud. My son uses ear defenders in very similar way, and I thought they might help. Nothing to do with hearing disagreements

 

[Selket]

I guess I just want to know that there is a possibility that on a good day I can be like I was and giving that hope is just rough and not exactly a memory I want of WDW. This is the place my son took his first step and my kids go their first haircuts, I think I'd rather leave it in the past than mix bad memories into the good..

My younger son took some of his first steps there too - and also got his first haircut there. I hope you find some solutions that work for you - I've really enjoyed my trips as I've gotten older (and less mobile) with my kids who are both young adults now. Having that scooter really lets me get around like I used to - which is a pretty awesome feeling. Those memories of a long time ago are precious for sure - hoping you can make some great new ones.

 

[lanejudy]

Noise-canceling headphones get mentioned around here frequently. It is a common tool for people with some sensory challenges or who simply find loud places/events to be overwhelming/over-stimulating. Sometimes threads morph a bit when another poster tags along with a related but different issue. Not all responses are directed at the first poster.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[eeyoreandtink]

I want to say that in reading today I find it in exceptionally bad taste that a noise canceling device probably used for special needs people was dropped in as a dig towards me not wanting to hear disagreements. That's just deeply messed up - not because I have hurt feelings (cause nope you missed your mark) but because it's not ok to use something like that. WOW

i think you misinterpreted the post. It was in response to someone else taking about noise being overwhelming.

 

[Pridemom]

There may be some truth in what you are saying. I guess it's just about feeling pushed into a change as opposed to accepting it myself. Honestly, going to the mall can sometimes be agonizing because of the compression pressure with concrete so there is a good chance I'd get there and need to do a scooter whether I want to or not.

I guess I just want to know that there is a possibility that on a good day I can be like I was and giving that hope is just rough and not exactly a memory I want of WDW. This is the place my son took his first step and my kids go their first haircuts, I think I'd rather leave it in the past than mix bad memories into the good..

I completely understand this. I have juvenile arthritis, and I have resisted using a tool like a scooter because I didn’t want to admit to myself it’s time on big trips. We’re planning a trip for my 50th birthday and this thread has helped convince me to arrange to rent a scooter for the trip. I am tired of being miserable at the end of a day spent on my feet. It’s not worth my neck, back, hips, and feet screaming at me. Maybe I can enjoy the trip without needing a prednisone burst to survive.

luvOrlando, I hope your trip goes well. My kids are growing up, too, and I understand wanting to hold onto those memories of their childhood.

 

[Smittolis]

Ahh Prednisone, the nectar of the gods! lol

It can often be a psychological hurdle when looking at utilizing mobility tools, people feel its embarrassing, their issues aren't bad enough etc... But it's a medical tool that helps a particular condition, as soon as people come to terms with that the process is a little easier. But I get it, totally normal reaction to be a little apprehensive about it. We average about 10 miles per day+ when there and its tough! Hence why Pred and Nisone are my best 2 buddies! haha ;o)

 

[HappyDisneyWife]

@LuvOrlando, I’ve been very saddened reading through your posts and I’ve thought about it a lot... a whole lot.

I’ve also got systemic RA, plus a handful of other autoimmune diseases (some which are still unknown), so I go to the Mayo Clinic as well. My doctors always laugh when they hear I’m going back to Disney ... what can I say? I’m a glutton for punishment!!

I don’t need a wheelchair for everyday life, so I was never recommended one. However, I understand taking 10 minutes to cross a room. I’ve been there. I’ve also felt great and been able to do a lot, so I push harder than ever during those times! (Which, of course, I learned was a big part of that downward cycle, so I've had to scale back those big days... and I’m not even talking Disney big!!!)

Over a few years and several Disney trips, my body had declined quite a bit and my husband (after being in Disney with me and seeing how badly things could go after I pushed through pain all day), was no longer comfortable letting me take our 9-yr-old daughter by myself. I’d been planning that trip for over a year. The only way he’d accept it was if I agreed to renting a chair for myself and taking an older kiddo for my DD (who has her own special needs- inc. some balance issues). That was hard for me to swallow, but I was not going to cancel on my little girl!! I promptly rented a Whill Ci and bought a plane ticket for my teenage son (who is such a sweetheart)! Because of the significant co-issues I was having, I was able to get a DAS pass for myself. However!! I think we were only able to use it once because of all the extra walking it required and my kids would need to hoof it with me. I asked GS for an alternate accommodation & was kindly denied. I get it. People have abused the system in the past & they’ve done all they can now to level the playing field. I again asked them to please consider the DL idea of GS/CM stations throughout the park, instead of making us trek to each attraction (which they’ve finally recently implemented!!!!). Even without the use of the DAS, we all still had a wonderful time together!!!

My next trip to Disney was going to be all ladies. Again, my hubby was concerned for me, and lovingly wanted me to agree to a chair. This time, the Whill Ci was unable to be rented and I can’t use a scooter (arms out= no more blood flow)... so, I had to look into buying my own chair. To rent one is one thing. To own one is a whole ‘nother ball of wax!! I was mortified. I even cried. But I kept moving forward. Through much research, I finally found the perfect chair for me: the Fold ‘n’ Go Magshock. My younger kids thought it was super cool & looked fun, while my older kids were so thankful that I had something to help me do more things again!

I have never and would never use Bessie (it needed a nickname) as an excuse to just sit down and give up. I keep fighting. I keep trying. But I also use all the tools necessary to deal with my unique needs and to enjoy my life to the fullest!!

From the sounds of it, I’m pretty sure I’m younger than you are... and I really do get it. I don’t like acknowledging pain, I don’t like accepting help, and I certainly don’t want to be in a chair. I’ve always been a strong, by-self kinda girl. But this is where I am. My family is loving and supportive, and I am eternally grateful for that. And they are the reason I actually use Bessie. I don’t use it for myself or my pain. I use it to enjoy things with them that I couldn’t before... and to be strong enough to care for their special needs.

So, even though you were willing to listen (after time)... I guess your last thought is what made me the saddest.

I think I'd rather leave it in the past than mix bad memories into the good..

I’ve been forced into changing my entire life... and not in a direction that I ever saw coming! It’s been hard. It’s been humbling... and it’s been good. I’ve had to readjust my expectations drastically, but we’ve continued making wonderful memories as a family!! Now, I’m not saying Disney has to be that place for you... and it’s ok if you’d rather not go back. I just don’t want you to feel like this change means it has to be bad... yes, it’s different and maybe even a little uncomfortable at times... but it can still be just as wonderful, and beautiful, and full of joy!!!

Disney is my happy place & I can’t wait to get back!!! Maybe I’ll see you there someday


p.s. My Mayo doctors were thrilled I found a way to enjoy Disney without further hurting my body!! One even took notes on the modifications we made to it for my special needs! & They said they’re going to keep working with me and my health so that I won’t need to use it anymore. We have kept the same goal.

 

[WantToGoToWDW]

Using a scooter at a theme park is not equal to having to use one all the time. It is to make the trip more doable for you and your family. On a day to day basis, I can walk and get around fine. But if I go somewhere were I have to stand/walk for more than a little while, I have a scooter (I actually own 2 now as the motor is going out on one and overheats). My children think nothing of me using the scooter - I have been for 4 years now when we go places.

Also, just so you're aware the GAC that you were given before the change to the DAS several years back gave you immediate access to the attractions. The DAS does not do that. You go get a return time equal to the standby wait time and then you return to the attraction when it's your turn. You still wait the same amount of time, just not in the line.