yet another DAS question...

[cornflkgrl]

I understand the purpose of the DAS is for people that are not capable of waiting in line, and we plan to get one for our older son, but do the CMs ever take into consideration a person's impact on other people while waiting in lines as a reason for giving a DAS?

We were thinking our younger son would not need one and we are traveling with my parents and may be splitting up at some point and having them take him and we are now reconsidering as his issues (OCD/ADHD/SPD) and tics are kind of having a flare up as of late and I am concerned about how his random swearing and yelling and lack of personal space boundaries will be received in lines. I am not sure other parents with small children will take kindly to a small kid randomly screaming profanity and jumping up and down. We can try to keep him contained as much as possible, but -- because of his issues -- he needs to stay constantly in motion and the tics are literally uncontrollable. I know that is hard to explain and I'm super concerned about having to explain it to a CM, but it isn't a matter of saying, "you stop saying that word." That will actually make the words come out MORE so we have to ignore the tics if they start up and keep him as calm as possible. Is that a good enough reason to ask for another DAS so my folks won't be stuck in line for Peter Pan or something with him jumping around yelling &%*! over and over while people stare at them?!

I am not even sure how much of a wait it is with the DAS if you go to the fastpass line, so I'm not sure the benefit of waiting elsewhere, other than it would get him away from close proximity to others so they wouldn't be subjected to his tics for long.

 

[lanejudy]

If you have a FP+, you won't use the DAS. DAS allows the user to avoid waiting in the standby line; when you return at/after the designated time you will enter the FP+ line. Depending on time of year and crowd levels at the moment, you could be in the FP+ line as much as 15-20 minutes, though generally it is 5-10 min. or less.

DAS is given as accommodation as per the ADA. The ADA allows individuals to receive accommodations needed. The rest of that guest's party or others are not necessarily taken into consideration (not directly). However, if you feel your son's behavior might be disruptive or unacceptable in line, I suggest you speak with Guest Relations about a DAS. If you family plans to stay together in the parks, it's a moot point since you'll likely use your older son's DAS anyways. But if the boys have different ride interests, or you may split for any reason, that might help.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[cornflkgrl]

I didn't mean his impact on my parents. I meant his impact on other guests. He can physically wait in a line. My point was: his coping mechanisms for being able to do so will disturb other people waiting in line and have a negative impact on their enjoyment of the park.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I didn't mean his impact on my parents. I meant his impact on other guests. He can physically wait in a line. My point was: his coping mechanisms for being able to do so will disturb other people waiting in line and have a negative impact on their enjoyment of the park.

My guess would be no, but I don't know for certain.

 

[SMD]

If he has issues with personal space, it's your responsibility to mitigate that, not Disney's. It would be nice if everyone who might annoy other guests with tics or odd vocalizations could skip the line, but it's not feasible. You can ask about a DAS, but what is your contingency going to be if the answer is no? And how are you going to keep him out of other guests personal space between rides? It seems like from what you're saying if you stress out about it he will pick up on it and it will be worse. You might have to put him between members of your group and let him do his thing, but at least any physical contact will be with your group. Can he be distracted? Like if he listens to music on headphones will the vocalizations tend to be the words in the songs. Growing up my friend's younger brother had Tourette's with a frequent facial tic and ADD and I don't remember him cursing very much. Maybe it wasn't in his vocabulary. Even now 20 years later I see him at work sometimes and he vocalizes sometimes but it's not bad words. I don't understand the excuse that the words he needs to say due to his disability are profanity, that seems like something that is somewhat in your control as well.

 

[redberyl]

They give das to autistic kids to prevent meltdowns that would disturb others waiting all the time. Dont see how this is any different.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I don't understand the excuse that the words he needs to say due to his disability are profanity, that seems like something that is somewhat in your control as well.

No, you certainly don't understand because you used the word 'excuse' in that sentence. He has verbal tics. It is not ALWAYS profanity, but a lot of the time it is. I'm sure he wishes as much as anyone that he didn't feel compelled to repeat certain things over and over. Believe it or not, every person with mental illness is not the same. So chances are, he is not like "your friend's younger brother."

As far as our plan if they say no, he will spend a lot less time over at the park and/or just go on whatever his brother goes on that he wants to go on or can tolerate too that we have fp+ or DAS for. We aren't planning on staying very long per day anyhow because my older son can't tolerate the crowds either and has heat sensitivity.

We were trying to make the best plan for both kids so they can enjoy the short days at the parks and still feel like they got to do something. We aren't out to bother other people.

 

[OurBigTrip]

They give das to autistic kids to prevent meltdowns that would disturb others waiting all the time. Dont see how this is any different.

They give the DAS to prevent meltdowns for the benefit of the autistic child, not because the meltdowns might disturb others.

Big difference.

 

[cornflkgrl]

They give the DAS to prevent meltdowns for the benefit of the autistic child, not because the meltdowns might disturb others.

Big difference.

meltdowns = coping mechanisms and self regulation for a child with autism who is uncomfortable or stressed or overstimulated
tics = coping mechanisms and self regulation for a child with mental illness who is uncomfortable or stressed or overstimulated

 

[SirDuff]

They give the DAS to prevent meltdowns for the benefit of the autistic child, not because the meltdowns might disturb others.

Big difference.

I cannot imagine that uncontrollably "screaming profanity and jumping up and down" is much fun for the OP's son. If being in an enclosed space with crowds makes this more likely, I don't see why asking for a DAS (to help avoid this) would be considered "wrong" or all that different from the DAS being used by an autistic child to prevent meltdowns.

 

[gap2368]

I understand the purpose of the DAS is for people that are not capable of waiting in line, and we plan to get one for our older son, but do the CMs ever take into consideration a person's impact on other people while waiting in lines as a reason for giving a DAS?

We were thinking our younger son would not need one and we are traveling with my parents and may be splitting up at some point and having them take him and we are now reconsidering as his issues (OCD/ADHD/SPD) and tics are kind of having a flare up as of late and I am concerned about how his random swearing and yelling and lack of personal space boundaries will be received in lines. I am not sure other parents with small children will take kindly to a small kid randomly screaming profanity and jumping up and down. We can try to keep him contained as much as possible, but -- because of his issues -- he needs to stay constantly in motion and the tics are literally uncontrollable. I know that is hard to explain and I'm super concerned about having to explain it to a CM, but it isn't a matter of saying, "you stop saying that word." That will actually make the words come out MORE so we have to ignore the tics if they start up and keep him as calm as possible. Is that a good enough reason to ask for another DAS so my folks won't be stuck in line for Peter Pan or something with him jumping around yelling &%*! over and over while people stare at them?!

I am not even sure how much of a wait it is with the DAS if you go to the fastpass line, so I'm not sure the benefit of waiting elsewhere, other than it would get him away from close proximity to others so they wouldn't be subjected to his tics for long.

I think a DAS could help your son if waiting some where quiet will help him the CM at GR do not care about DX just why he can wait in line I think that if you can tell them that then he would get one

 

[lanejudy]

I didn't mean his impact on my parents. I meant his impact on other guests. He can physically wait in a line. My point was: his coping mechanisms for being able to do so will disturb other people waiting in line and have a negative impact on their enjoyment of the park.

DAS is not given specifically to prevent discomfort of other guests. It is given based on the needs of the individual -- your son. If your son would be better served waiting in a different area, I suggest you discuss this with Guest Relations. Nobody online can guarantee whether he will qualify or not, but I certainly believe it's worth having that discussion. I suggest you think about how his condition is heightened when he is in tight quarters with many other people, how HE then reacts in such situations, and focus on that aspect with your request.

Enjoy your vacation!

 

[cornflkgrl]

I think a DAS could help your son if waiting some where quiet will help him the CM at GR do not care about DX just why he can wait in line I think that if you can tell them that then he would get one

That is helpful. Waiting somewhere quieter would keep him calmer and less likely to tic and allow him to move without hurting/running into anyone while he waits, so I will approach it that way. I appreciate the answer.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I cannot imagine that uncontrollably "screaming profanity and jumping up and down" is much fun for the OP's son. If being in an enclosed space with crowds makes this more likely, I don't see why asking for a DAS (to help avoid this) would be considered "wrong" or all that different from the DAS being used by an autistic child to prevent meltdowns.

I didn't say it would be wrong. But the way the OP mentioned it wasn't as an accommodation for her son, but for others in the line.

 

[OurBigTrip]

meltdowns = coping mechanisms and self regulation for a child with autism who is uncomfortable or stressed or overstimulated
tics = coping mechanisms and self regulation for a child with mental illness who is uncomfortable or stressed or overstimulated

So if it's an accommodation for him, why didn't you say that in the first place instead of saying it was to make it more enjoyable for other guests?

 

[lanejudy]

As stated, DAS is an accommodation available to the guest with a disability. It is not available to help others in any fashion -- be that others within the same party or strangers in line at the same time.

Requests for DAS should be based on needs of the guest with the disability. The actual diagnosis is not important, it is the needs of the guest as related to being in a standard queue environment.

The same diagnosis may manifest differently in different individuals. Needs of one may not be the same as needs of another.

 

[lanejudy]

People need to use their own words to explain their needs. Please do not post "scripts" of what to say when requesting a DAS.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I didn't say it was to make it more enjoyable for other guests. .

Trying to avoid having "a negative impact on their enjoyment of the park" is really the same as making it more enjoyable.

Mental illness is covered under the ADA.

Of course it is, which is why I think it struck some of us as so odd that you would ask about getting a DAS to make it easier for other guests rather than in the context of helping your son. You know he has a disability the DAS is a possible accommodation for that disability, so bringing up the idea of asking for it in order to not bother other guests just seems strange.

 

[tiggergal15]

Obviously some of you have not encountered a family in this situation before.. Kids /adults cant control how they manifest their outbursts....I have and it not pleasant for the child, their family or those surrounding them in the same area. I totally understand what the OP is trying to say/ ask and she should be thanked for thinking of others as well as her son. People do not understand this kind of uniqueness of her son and can be very judgemental. I would feel the same way she does and have the same concerns. I would absolutely discuss getting the DAS for both sons. Discuss this with Disney and ask for any tips they might have as well to help both boys and your family have a great vacation!

 

[aaarcher86]

I don't understand the defensiveness.

OP asked a question and people offered their opinions, which is all we can give since we aren't GR CMs. No one is being unsupportive.