I totally get that.
I was meaning in a broader sense that with the 30 day cancellation policy, the timing of the new system means that if someone is declined and chooses not to go they’ve missed the full refund date.
We have a room only reservation. Canceled the Dining Plan when the May 20th date was announced because I was worried we’d have to cancel. This way I have 5 days before our trip to cancel, so that means I will have May 20th-21st to cancel if I do. not get the DAS.
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Really? Is that an update? I recall my guest doing it sooner than that.
But yes, cancellation for a package is 30 days (it’s 5 days for room only). I suppose if you really can’t apply for DAS until not more than 30 days from arrival, you could always rebook for a further out date and then cancel.
I mean, true. But he’s autistic which is specifically called out in the new language, and has always been granted is over the last 6 years. If there ever was a test guest to see if the new plan is faulty he would probably be it.
And I’ll say again that I would be very surprised if Disney said, “No you can’t have DAS” and you said, “well then I can’t really actually visit because of my situation” that they would then say also, “By the way you’re stuck in the penalty phase of booking so we decline DAS and also keep some of your money.” Not only would that be completely diabolical by Disney but it would hit the press so hard and fast.
But on the off chance that did play out that way, the vacation can be rebooked for a more-than-30-days away date and then canceled.
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Oh yeah.
My feelings are all over the board with this one, particularly my overwhelming sense of justice, not excluding the events in this thread this morning.
Back to general.
Which was why I bowed out of the conversation days ago. Though I feel calm right now, I don’t think I can remain so ruminating on discussions here. Particularly when endlessly talking about things can in its very nature be giving scripts to ill intentioned people.
I thank Mathhound because I know she thought she was helping me, and others like me, not realizing I had already bowed out of the conversation acknowledging that nothing could be done until the changes are rolled out regardless.
There is literally nothing that can be done, other than piss people off. I have faith in Len’s original post, that Disney has a purpose and that we will carry on carrying on regardless.
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Hasn’t the 30 day cancellation policy and 30 days out application always been the case? Unless you’re an AP and can hold it for longer if you have another trip…I almost posted about that a couple weeks ago, but ultimately decided Disney was doing that intentionally to prevent people from taking advantage of the system.
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Honestly I don’t know the timeframes.
In a sense the process hasn’t really changed for the majority of international guests, they have to apply when they get to the parks (bar a few who have managed to use a vpn). So the timeframe doesn’t matter.
The cancellation policy is also different, we don’t get a full refund for cancellation at any time. We did during Covid but not any more.
And I hope it would work like that.
It would be great if it worked like that for us. But we don’t even get that opportunity. Can’t register in advance (unless we’re very lucky) and can’t cancel without a penalty.
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There has been a 5 day cancelation policy for room only reservations for years.
Yeah you’re dealing with a different animal and that is concerning
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For packages yes.
But not room only. That’s 5 days.
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Just noticed Disney changed their DAS page. Yesterday there was a paragraph dealing with those arriving before May 20th and another paragraph for those arriving after.
The 2nd paragraph has gone bye bye.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/disability-access-service/
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“For guests visiting after May 19th… you know what? Don’t bother. We’re just going to close down the parks again. Here’s a ‘reasonable accomodation’ for you: go to Gatorland.”
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A very regrettable consequences of all this big reaction is people are evidently clogging the DAS online registration process. I wish I had registered last week. We have a trip next weekend, and I’m having trouble getting through. I waited 2.5 hours last night, then they closed and just booted me. I got in the queue this morning, and I did get through after about 1.5 hours, but it happened just as I was driving home, so they booted me. The queue gives you no indication of time frame or where you are in line, so you have no idea. And it requires you to refresh every so often. It’s quite stressful. In the past year, I could normally get right through. . . Really wish I had done this a week ago! Just venting.
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How frustrating! Hope you can get through soon!
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Thanks for reporting. I’ve been wondering if this were the case. Today we are 29 days out. Think I’ll just wait and try Wednesday morning hoping things have died down.
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There’s a person on chat this morning who did this today. You can read about their experience.
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That’s awful 
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I hope it does die down! I waited a few days and thought maybe Friday night would be quieter. Nope! I can’t imagine so many people are actually registering, but that’s a way to get a conversation with a DAS cast member. . .
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Here’s the thing though. If you’ve met one person with autism you’ve met one person. If you’ve met one person with T1D you’ve met one person. One of the reasons they don’t ask for a diagnosis is because every person’s needs are different. Your T1D may be more controlled than someone else’s. You may have better awareness of your drops and rises than say, a 3 year old who does not feel them whatsoever. Your low symptoms may be a headache, while someone else’s is fainting and throwing up. You may rarely go under 100 while another person may not take insulin all day long for their food while in the parks and can barely even stay over 70 because of the heat and all the walking. Everyone’s disability is different.
T1D is a recognized disability under the ADA and given the vast array of symptoms of lows and highs and the often rapid onset of those, it absolutely qualifies for accommodations, whether that’s the current system or a new one. It’s been approved for years and years because it does qualify.
Like you, I have a medical condition that I have seen others receive the DAS for. But I rarely if ever have symptoms that would preclude me from waiting in line or riding, so I’ve never applied for myself. That does not mean that someone else may not have more severe and regular symptoms/effects from it.
The decision is left up to the CMs. You give them your concerns and they approve you based on your individual situation. That’s what has me just as frustrated about this as I am about the scammers that abuse it. If the intention was to only include developmental disabilities, then why have CMs been approving the DAS for 5+ years based on medical conditions/symptoms? So no, I don’t believe that’s the case. I think they’re just trying to use wording to steer people away from applying, and/or have a new system in place for those with medical conditions that can be accommodated in other ways.
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