DAS - Getting return times

[rexmism]

Hi all,
I had a couple questions about using DAS. I haven't been able to find much detail about how you get a return time once you have the DAS connected to your bands. Really the only thing I could find was the pinned thread from this forum, which mentions that it's usually done by a CM at the entrance to the standby line, and they use something like an iPhone or iPad, and they must scan the bands of everyone who will enter the ride. Is this correct? Does anyone have an experience with this? Is it consistently done this way for each attraction?
Also, since they apparently subtract 10 minutes from the expected wait, if you get a return time when the expected wait is 10 minutes or under, do you have to enter the ride right then, or does it just allow you to enter the FP line whenever you're ready? I assume the latter, since you might not be with your whole party yet.
Thanks!

 

[gap2368]

When you go to the ride you would like to ride ask the CM for a DAS return time the cM will direct you to the right CM ( most of the time it is the FP line but sometimes it is not ( RNR is one that it is at the standby) It really is not that hard. everyone on the DAS does not need to be there when you get a return time you just have to tell the CM who is riding but you all must be there at GR to get it ( or at least this has been my experience). it the wait is under 10 minutes you will enter the standby line they normally will not give you a return time.

 

[danielocha30]

The person who gets the DAS needs to be there at the moment you request a return time, Cast members will ask who in the list is going to get a return time in case not everyone is riding, when your time is up, DAS holder will scan their MB first at the fast past qeue and then everyone else. I have never pay attention how they calculate the return time. I personally overlap my fastpasses with DAS return time, and always plan for them in the same area.

 

[gap2368]

The person who gets the DAS needs to be there at the moment you request a return time,

No the person with the DAS does not need to be at the ride to get a return time anyone on the guest with the DAS can get a return time.

 

[SueM in MN]

No the person with the DAS does not need to be at the ride to get a return time anyone on the guest with the DAS can get a return time.

This is correct.

The person DAS was issued to must ride/go on the attraction, but that person doesn’t need to be present to get a Return Time.

Hi all,
I had a couple questions about using DAS. I haven't been able to find much detail about how you get a return time once you have the DAS connected to your bands. Really the only thing I could find was the pinned thread from this forum, which mentions that it's usually done by a CM at the entrance to the standby line, and they use something like an iPhone or iPad, and they must scan the bands of everyone who will enter the ride. Is this correct? Does anyone have an experience with this? Is it consistently done this way for each attraction?

Many of us have experience with it.
It works just like the pinned thread says.
anyone in your group can get a Return Time. The person DAS was issued to does NOT have to be there.

• the CM issuing DAS Return Times will be near the entrance to the Fastpass or Standby line. Just tell a CM at the attraction that you want to get a Return Time. If that CM is not the one who is giving out Return Times, he/she will tell you which CM to go to.
• the CM will scan the Magicband of the person who is requesting the DAS Return Time. Only that person needs to be there. The CM will be able to look at the iPad or iPhone and see a LIST of ALL the people who are linked to that DAS.
• the CM will ask which people on the list should be added to that Return Time.
• the CM will tell you when you can return. It will usually be 10 minutes less than the current Standby Wait time. So, if it’s 1pm and the current wait is one hour, you would be able to come back anytime after 1:50 pm up until the park closes for the day.
• your DAS Return Time should show up on My Disney Experience app with your Fastpasses.
• when you come back to use the Return Time, the person DAS was issued to needs to scan their Magicband first. The reader will glow blue, a CM will see a message on their screen and will tell you when the other members of your party can scan their Magicbands.

Also, since they apparently subtract 10 minutes from the expected wait, if you get a return time when the expected wait is 10 minutes or under, do you have to enter the ride right then, or does it just allow you to enter the FP line whenever you're ready? I assume the latter, since you might not be with your whole party yet.
Thanks!

Our experience is that the CM will ask if you want to enter the ride right then.
Sometimes, the CM will suggest you have the rest of your group come to the attraction and go in right away since the wait is short.
They don’t seem to like to issue a DAS Return Time if the wait is 10minutes or less (the program for the iPad isn’t really set up to do that).
I have been able to get a Return Time in those situations by explaining why the rest of the group can’t come right away (usually it’s been because they are far away or we have a Fastpass that we need to go to right away.

 

[rexmism]

Thanks for the great info!

 

[Hoodie]

I will say, the first time you get a return time, try one of the bands that is NOT the DAS holder, but bring them all with you. We have had a couple of issues with the bands not linking correctly. For instance, for some reason my husband nor I could get return times, but both our sons (the DAS holder and a non-DAS holder) were able to. All 4 of us were linked and could be selected to return, but for some reason my husband and I couldn't actually get the return time. This can be fixed at Guest Services. We found it was just easier to take my son's band with us when we got a return.

The technology SHOULD be:
-anyone linked to the DAS can get a return time. When returning, the DAS hold MUST scan his/her magic band first before the rest of the party.
-You should be able to hold a FP+ return time and get a DAS return for the same period.
-Waits under 10 minutes should be just entrance to the FP line (although you can ask for a return if you don't really want to do it then)

We've had issues with all of these at some time or another. As noted above, we had issues with the non-DAS holder getting a return. We also had DAS return denied because it fell into a FP+ window(not the same attraction). We received a paper return instead, but we did have to ask because the CM didn't know you could have both. The wait part is tricky. We have found that the wait times on the iPad the CMs use don't always match up with the posted wait time. We have found that if it's *posted* 10 minutes or under, they will wave you through, but do not be surprised if the posted time says 20 minutes but your return time is 30 minutes out.

 

[rexmism]

Thanks so much for all these details! It's really helpful to know the ways that things can work differently. Especially since there's zero consistency with anything Disney!

 

[rexmism]

We have found that if it's *posted* 10 minutes or under, they will wave you through, but do not be surprised if the posted time says 20 minutes but your return time is 30 minutes out.

Do they not subtract 10 minutes off of their iPads posted time? Or in your example, is their posted time 40 minutes?

 

[Hoodie]

Do they not subtract 10 minutes off of their iPads posted time? Or in your example, is their posted time 40 minutes?

I think the iPads automatically calculate the return time which is the wait time minus 10 minutes. The problem is the iPad time and the posted time don't always sync. Saw it mostly in AK. Not sure why.

 

[gap2368]

I think the iPads automatically calculate the return time which is the wait time minus 10 minutes. The problem is the iPad time and the posted time don't always sync. Saw it mostly in AK. Not sure why.

I think this is what happens most of the time. I have had a few times when the return time was much longer than the wait time and asked the CM about this and they would fix it for me.

 

[rexmism]

Good to know this! I'll make sure to keep an eye on what return times it gives us.

 

[DisneyOma]

I think the iPads automatically calculate the return time which is the wait time minus 10 minutes. The problem is the iPad time and the posted time don't always sync. Saw it mostly in AK. Not sure why.

Do you think they might be staggering the return times for DAS so there isn't a surge of them at some point? Sort of like the # of FP+ available, perhaps they are stretching out the return times?

 

[gap2368]

Do you think they might be staggering the return times for DAS so there isn't a surge of them at some point? Sort of like the # of FP+ available, perhaps they are stretching out the return times?

No they are not doing this since. THE DAS holder can return any time after so there is no way to know when the Das Holder will come back

 

[DisneyOma]

No they are not doing this since. THE DAS holder can return any time after so there is no way to know when the Das Holder will come back

Perhaps they can tell how many outstanding DAS they have for that attraction, and are spacing out returns. Or maybe they are just not refreshing the screen for an accurate return time. Whatever, it shouldn't be that much of a big deal, as it seems people are mentioning a whole 10 minutes extra wait.

 

[gap2368]

Perhaps they can tell how many outstanding DAS they have for that attraction, and are spacing out returns. Or maybe they are just not refreshing the screen for an accurate return time. Whatever, it shouldn't be that much of a big deal, as it seems people are mentioning a whole 10 minutes extra wait.

I think it is most likely there ipad or what every they are using is not refreshing as fast they up dated ours to be more in line with what the parks were. I will say since you have asked this in the past I did ask someone that helped come up with the DAS and she is still involved in it she said no there were not doing this as most DAS holder do not show up right away

 

[Hoodie]

I think it is most likely there ipad or what every they are using is not refreshing as fast they up dated ours to be more in line with what the parks were. I will say since you have asked this in the past I did ask someone that helped come up with the DAS and she is still involved in it she said no there were not doing this as most DAS holder do not show up right away

We were told it was the opposite - that the iPad actually had the more accurate wait time as it updates pretty consistently while the posted time doesn't. We also had a couple of times when we were given a longer return time (42 minutes vs. 20 posted, etc.) and within a few minutes the posted time jumped up. We honestly don't really care as we rarely make it back for exact return time anyway.

 

[gap2368]

We were told it was the opposite - that the iPad actually had the more accurate wait time as it updates pretty consistently while the posted time doesn't. We also had a couple of times when we were given a longer return time (42 minutes vs. 20 posted, etc.) and within a few minutes the posted time jumped up. We honestly don't really care as we rarely make it back for exact return time anyway.

This was like 6 months after it went electronically so I think they have updated it some. I also know the CM can and do change the wait times ( I was sitting next to a CM when she asked another where the end of the line was and then said so the wait time now is.... and went on her iPad to change it. Another resign beside the person that I know is that the FP line for some ride have been very long like 20-30 minutes long i am not going to get into why I think this is.

 

[SueM in MN]

Do you think they might be staggering the return times for DAS so there isn't a surge of them at some point? Sort of like the # of FP+ available, perhaps they are stretching out the return times?

No, I am certain they don’t do that because they don’t know when people will be returning.

From what I have been told, the system/database for DAS is separate from the system that sets the current wait time, but the 2 systems communicate together. The DAS system automatically subtracts 10 minutes from the current wait time it was sent.
The other extenuating factor is that the current wait time posted at the attraction is not always showing exactly the same current wait time as My Disney Experience. So, between all the different systems that are automatically communicating with each other, there can sometimes be lags or discrepancies.
Shows that are not continuous- like Frozen Sing Along or Beauty and the Beast are different too. The Return Time is based on the next show you would be able to get into, which might not be the very next show.

There are minor glitches sometimes, but it’s amazing how well it actually works the majority of the time. It’s a whole lot better then when it started when CMs had to look at the current posted wait time and figure out what time for you to come back based on that.

 

[ttintagel]

it the wait is under 10 minutes you will enter the standby line

What if the reason you need the DAS in the first place is that the standby line is inaccessible to you? (In my case, stairs or low light levels)