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

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Also,.this was a way to diffuse a melt down

Pixie dust is great (I've had one such time myself).

The meltdown part we might not want to position talks on how a CM is hedging off a potential meltdown, that will make it very easy for someone to pick up ideas and run with it

 

[mommy2paisley]

Yeah, I definitely see these sorts of situations as 'pixie dusting' - and I'll point out it's not necessarily something that just happens to DAS users / those in wheelchairs or ECVS.

When I was four years old [my first trip when everything and all was magical!] my parents happened to catch on recording a CM letting me 'steer' the Jungle Cruise ship. And they let us ride it twice because the CM was sweet. Now, I didn't really think my neurodivergence behavior was on display [or was even known in the least] at the time and didn't seem to affect the situation.

That was obviously a long time ago now. And I'm not sure how many can report of such pixie-dusting in the present day. But it at least says that it isn't a disabled thing only.

I agree! When my now 18 yo was around 5-6, she was pixie dusted extremely unexpectedly at Tower of Terror! The girls working seemed to love her (you know that age when they are just so super cute and sweet and adorable? Lol), and they kept letting her ride over and over, and even took her through a back part that just looked like offices or something, so she could get right back on and ride. That was a very magical trip, as that was her favorite ride at that time!

 

[gottalovepluto]

WHAT WE KNOW AT THIS POINT/ POSTED ON DISNEY WEBSITES

Guests registering thru May 19 at WDW and June 17 at DL:

• Advance Video Registration currently 30 to 2 days before the visit (link on website)
• DAS registration at the parks still available at Guest Relations
• Guests can book 2 DAS Advance Selections per park day (there are limited attractions and number of slots available)
• DAS is valid for up to 30 days from the START of registration. Once the 30 days have elapsed, you will need to re-register

Some guests registering now report they were told:

• There is a 10 minute waiting period after scanning into an attraction using DAS before they can make another DAS Return Time
• There is a 4 person limit for DAS (guest registered for DAS plus 3 linked guests). People who were told this were linking friends to DAS, not family

The first dates ALL people doing Advance Video Registration would be under NEW RULES would be May 20 for WDW and June 18 for DL.
CURRENTLY CONFIRMED INFORMATION

• updated process for Accessibility Services conversations will begin May 20 for WDW and June 18 for DL - websites will be updated on those dates
• Registration will be WITHIN 30 days before visit.
• Registration will be by video call with Disney CMs either in advance or in park
• 'traditional DAS' (including DAS Return Times) will be "limited to guests who, due to developmental disabilities like autism or similar, are unable to wait in conventional lines for an extended period of time."
• Guests on Wish trips will continue to be covered under their current program which is separate from DAS

CURRENT INFORMATION, EXPECTED, BUT NOT CONFIRMED:

• Need to wait 10 minutes after scanning into current DAS Return attraction to make another
• Party size limited to 4 total for non-related persons. Exceptions will reportedly made for 'immediate family', but not clear exactly what this means
• Other accommodations will be offered on an individual basis, based on needs.
• The websites suggest using Rider Switch, planning with the FREE Genie service
• DAS Advance Selections will not be offered; may possibly be offered as an additional accommodation for a small number of guests with extensive needs

The WDW website added some additional information about using the free Genie service:
"Disney Genie service is a program available to all Guests.
Our complimentary Disney Genie service helps you enjoy more of the magic during your theme park visit with 2 easy-to-use features.
The My Day feature lets you see your booked theme park plans for the day in one place. Plus, get personalized recommendations customized to your preferences.
The Tip Board lets you view estimated wait times, order food, make dining reservations and request to join an available virtual queue."

The Disneyland website also added more information about the free Genie program:
"Disney Genie Service is a program available to all Guests.
Our complimentary Disney Genie service creates your best Disney day inspired by your top interests. It also grants you planning features, including a personalized itinerary creator. It will save you time by seamlessly mapping out your day, with updates that continue from morning to night—just like a favorite navigation app. You’ll receive attraction and dining recommendations inspired by what you told Disney Genie service you’re most interested in doing and seeing.

The “My Day” tab is where you’ll find Disney Genie recommendations and plans you’ve made, including dining reservations and Disneyland Resort hotel reservations. It will begin populating at 7:00 AM on the day of your visit.

The “Tip Board” lets you view estimated wait times, order food, make dining reservations and request to join an available virtual queue.

Genie+ Service and Individual Lightening Lanes are available for purchase to enhance the complimentary tools."

If you are doing advance video registration and want to report here, please include:

• Which park?
• Does your trip start before or after the 'new rules' date? If before, are all the days of your trip before?
• What kind of tickets? Did your ticket type require park reservations? Only date based tickets don't require reservations
• Does the person you did registration for fit into the category of developmental disability (autism or similar) that is listed on the website or some other issues/concerns with waiting in the regular lines? REMINDER: don't post specific diagnosis, symptoms or conditions, just 'yes' or 'other'
• Did the person end up registered for DAS or other accommodations? If other accommodations, do they sound like they will meet the needs?

Disney has indicated they will be doing individual assessments and accommodations based on needs/concerns related to waiting in the regular lines. Pretty much every condition/diagnosis has a spectrum - some have many needs. Some have very few needs.

This means MAY NOT give everyone with the same condition/concern the same accommodations.

Disney MAY NOT publish exactly how other accommodations will work or what exact accommodations will be given for which needs. They MAY (hopefully will) have kind of a 'cookbook' of accommodations they can pull additional from to meet individual needs.

Could a mod close this thread and start a fresh one where a mod is in control of post 1 and could leave this there, add any updates, and post the thread specific rules that have been made so it’s all easy to find?

ETA- the mods kindly put a sticky on the board with the above info so this has been addressed

 

[Just_another_figment]

Could a mod close this thread and start a fresh one where a mod is in control of post 1 and could leave this there, add any updates, and post the thread specific rules that have been made so it’s all easy to find?

This is a really good idea. It will be especially helpful once things begin to switch over later in May. I appreciate all the dialogue, but I’m going to be checking for just the factual info as my window opens to see if my kid still qualifies for DAS. It’d be nice to have that in post 1 or 2.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Saw the new info sticky! THANK YOU @SueM in MN

 

[sprem96]

Could a mod close this thread and start a fresh one where a mod is in control of post 1 and could leave this there, add any updates, and post the thread specific rules that have been made so it’s all easy to find?

this might a good idea starting May 19th, just before the change, because too many people have been posting their results currently and it doesn't really count as they are still under the old system

Plus it could put more emphasis on wiping out all the speculation posts, and arguments and what not, and so it will be easier to fish through a few pages for info, rather than the novel that this thread has become lol

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Could a mod close this thread and start a fresh one where a mod is in control of post 1 and could leave this there, add any updates, and post the thread specific rules that have been made so it’s all easy to find?

The mods have been clear multiple times over several weeks that they intend to do that when the time comes and as their own time allows for.

 

[nalababybear]

The mods have been clear multiple times over several weeks that they intend to do that when the time comes and as their own time allows for.

Exactly. They have a plan.

 

[Just_another_figment]

The mods have been clear multiple times over several weeks that they intend to do that when the time comes and as their own time allows for.

And yet reading here daily I’ve not seen them say that, so I’m happy it was asked.

 

[Unity]

While a lot of us have been reading the thread every page, I don't think it's discounting the mods at all to have missed where they said something and asking about it, especially in such a long thread.

Regardless: thank you mods for the new sticky and for your work as always!

 

[SueM in MN]

I will open the sticky thread about DAS changes up for comments and close this one AFTER May 20.
That way, comments on that one should not be a lot of speculation.
The first post on that thread will continue to be updated even before it’s open for comments as we find out things

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

And yet reading here daily I’ve not seen them say that, so I’m happy it was asked.

I'm not sure when you started reading daily so it's possible you missed that especially if you jumped to the end of it and just read daily from there. They have said they are volunteers, that they have been attempting to go through a very fast moving thread with limited information to even create a dedicated thread but would do so when they have time and information (which some of that is coming from posters who have done their registrations after the announcement).

While a lot of us have been reading the thread every page, I don't think it's discounting the mods at all to have missed where they said something and asking about it, especially in such a long thread.

Of course it's not discounting the mods! no one said it was, it's just making someone aware that they have advised people multiple times about their intent. They know the desire and am 100% confident they've been trying to work in the background of it, the sticky thread created this morning has information posted in this thread from yesterday I believe. There's still quite a lot of unknowns and information sorta being filtered down from people posting what happened with their registration.

 

[PrincessV]

DAS expiration date calculation question for APs: using the current 30-day period, on which day is the DAS no longer active? Mine was renewed April 19… 30 days would be May 19. So my DAS is still good on May 19? Or May 19 is the first day it’s not active?

Side note: I really hope they add an expiration date in MDE for whatever new system goes into place! I always think I’ll remember mine, but 50ish days go by and POOF! My brain has dumped that info. I guess one upside to doing the calls ahead of time from home is the ability to write it down in the moment and stick it on the fridge lol!

 

[gottalovepluto]

DAS expiration date calculation question for APs: using the current 30-day period, on which day is the DAS no longer active? Mine was renewed April 19… 30 days would be May 19. So my DAS is still good on May 19? Or May 19 is the first day it’s not active?

Side note: I really hope they add an expiration date in MDE for whatever new system goes into place! I always think I’ll remember mine, but 50ish days go by and POOF! My brain has dumped that info. I guess one upside to doing the calls ahead of time from home is the ability to write it down in the moment and stick it on the fridge lol!

If you chat them can they tell you your DAS expiration?

 

[Just_another_figment]

I'm not sure when you started reading daily so it's possible you missed that especially if you jumped to the end of it and just read daily from there. They have said they are volunteers, that they have been attempting to go through a very fast moving thread with limited information to even create a dedicated thread but would do so when they have time and information (which some of that is coming from posters who have done their registrations after the announcement).

Of course it's not discounting the mods! no one said it was, it's just making someone aware that they have advised people multiple times about their intent. They know the desire and am 100% confident they've been trying to work in the background of it, the sticky thread created this morning has information posted in this thread from yesterday I believe. There's still quite a lot of unknowns and information sorta being filtered down from people posting what happened with their registration.

I’ve been here daily since the first post, and I check in several times a day. I’m not knocking the mods, and in the endless speculation and arguing going on it was easy to miss any factual info whether it was posted by mods or anyone else.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I’ve been here daily since the first post, and I check in several times a day. I’m not knocking the mods, and in the endless speculation and arguing going on it was easy to miss any factual info whether it was posted by mods or anyone else.

That's unfortunate that you missed it over the course of the thread reading daily. The mods have def. been working on it

 

[RamblinWreck]

Is there confirmation on the DAS in its current form being good for 30 days from registration? I know it says it on the website (but only about trips taking place before May 20) but based on some posts here I’m not sure it’s been playing out that way in practice for trips that are in this middle zone between May 20 and June 19.

It seemed some posters who started registering for trips later than May 20 were being issued DAS for exactly the length of their tickets (which would be under the new, post May 20 rules) when they called 30 days prior to the start of their trip.

It may be valuable information for anyone with a trip starting in Mid June that extends past June 19.


I’d hate to have people getting the advice to wait until their whole trip is within the 30 day window if that’s not accurate.

 

[PrincessV]

If you chat them can they tell you your DAS expiration?

Probably? IDK - I don’t have time to sit on hold and don’t want to jam up the lines right now when others have more pressing needs so I haven’t tried. I’ll be in the parks and can ask next week, but thought someone here might already know if DAS is still good on the expiration day, or if that’s the first day it’s no longer active. It’s not been something I ever paid attention to before because if I got to a park and noticed DAS was gone in MDE, I just visited a blue umbrella and took care of it then. This whole advance planning thing is new to me!