This gets very very murky in the rules of the ADA, where they clearly state that any equal accommodations must be given without a doctor’s note.
That’s not the case for many, many things such as handicapped parking, 504 accommodations at schools, audiobooks for the dyslexic and the blind, and other legitimate accommodations. Even work accommodations require some type of documentation. I’m not talking about diagnoses, but documentation about what accommodations are needed.
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But those accommodations are not “equal access” Handicapped parking usually gives those people (of whom I am one) the closest spaces to the building. 504 plans give students some extra leverage for things, like additional time during a test. So those accommodations can be considered advantageous, and hence why they need a doctor’s note.
DAS was supposed to be Disney moving closer to “equal” rather than giving people a pure advantage like GAC was.
But it obviously gives people advantages, though, and has been abused by just enough people that they want to make it that much harder to get. The only way to get rid of the abusers is to require documentation that lists what accommodations are needed.
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Don’t count on return to queue. We took our last Disney trip 2 weeks ago. Soarin broke down, I was in line for 20-25 minutes and in pain so I had to leave. At the exit, I asked the male CM about RTQ or a return time. He threw up his hands and said, “Ask her”. By the time I reached her, I could barely stand. 20 something CM had a - NO SOUP FOR YOU! - attitude. She refused to give us a return time and offered rider switch. Hello? That would have in no way helped. Oh and I’m guessing since I was using my rollator, the CMs assumed I had booked Soarin through DAS. I booked it with Genie+. She did not care at all about why I couldn’t stand in line. By the time I reached her, I could barely stand. I had to take a taxi back to our resort. My husband and grandchildren continued in the park because I asked them to do that. Did not want them to miss out.
This was not a good day and only 1 ride. CMs will have to asked at every ride if someone needs RTQ.
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I’m so sorry. This is terrible.
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I doubt she assumed that; DAS hasn’t been for mobility issues for years. She just didn’t care.
I’m sorry that happened to you. Not a very magical experience.
Just curious, couldn’t you sit in your rollator? The two trips I used one were because I couldn’t stand in one place for too long. I used it to have a ready place to sit.
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I hope you will respond back to the e-mail with the info that you are not renewing. If more families write to say why they’ve cancelled trips or are not renewing it will bring more awareness of how their “accommodations” are nothing of the sort and mean a loss of revenue for their parks.
I renewed my daughter’s pass after the announcement of changes had been made. She does have developmental disabilities but even though she is a minor, she is over the “adult” age they seem to be arbitrarily using for ability to wait alone. She also has multiple other qualifiers under the old rules. I was also renewing based on Len’s statements of anyone who legitimately qualified before should still qualify because they are primarily trying to weed out the young adult crowd of fakers. (something to that effect as I’m not going searching for his post to quote him) Now I’m downright scared of how little park time we will have on our upcoming trip. We already spend time out of the parks or sitting on the sidelines to deescalate even with DAS.
Guests who are encountering CMs in the park who are not on the same page as the CMs in the DAS chat also need to contact disability services to let them know the promised in park accommodations don’t exist. Perhaps everyone should request their accommodations be given via e-mail.
100% this. I haven’t even told my daughter that there’s a possibility she won’t have accommodations because I probably wouldn’t even be able to get her on the plane. But thinking about it, I’d prefer skipping the trip altogether than dealing with this multiple times a day with hours of recovery needed. Really wish I hadn’t renewed for her.
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Here it is, if anyone cares to read it
my whiny response
While I appreciate the e-mail reminder that my annual pass has expired, unfortunately the decision to not renew came down to my family’s inability to secure DAS renewal for my husband’s severe anxiety.
I’m sad that Disney has decided that a one-size-fits-all approach to accessibility is the appropriate solution. It is not. In addition, a catch-22 exists in regards to future DAS eligibility: a guest cannot have a conversation to determine DAS eligibility without having nonrefundable admission to the parks. At the same time, it is not feasible to commit to tickets without knowing if an afflicted individual will be eligible for DAS services.
While I understand the need to overhaul the previous system to eliminate those who abused it, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction and left too many differently-abled individuals out in the cold without reasonable accommodations.
I really hope Disney decides to do better for their potential guests who are already marginalized in their daily lives.
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This right here. The CMs are already overworked and juggling so much stuff for people coming in. Now they also have to juggle a lot of stuff for people who need to come out, as well. It’s just piling more work onto these poor kids
This could be alleviated with a CM at every ride whose only job is to deal with these issues, but that also means more labor costs…
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Beautifully written letter! I only wish I believed that it would get the response it deserves.
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I got on a roll and responded to disability services as well
whiny response to DAS
I appreciate the response, even if it did not address the specific question I asked.
I’m sad that Disney has decided that a one-size-fits-all approach to accessibility is the appropriate solution. It is not. While I understand the need to overhaul the previous system to eliminate those who abused it, the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction and left too many differently-abled individuals out in the cold without reasonable accommodations.
In addition, a catch-22 exists in regards to future DAS eligibility: a guest cannot have a conversation to determine DAS eligibility without having nonrefundable admission to the parks. At the same time, it is not feasible to commit to tickets without knowing if an afflicted individual will be eligible for DAS services.
I really hope Disney decides to do better for their potential guests who are already marginalized in their daily lives.
I cannot express my level of disappointment when we realized that our only decision was to not renew our annual passes which began expiring June 11. We have been annual passholders since 2014. Until it was stripped from park admission, we did not realize how much Fastpass Plus was the tool that enabled my husband to enjoy a day at a Disney theme park. When Disney made the decision to charge separately for Genie Plus was where his issues began. He just cannot handle long waits in compact spaces with hordes of people. It was actually a cast member that recommended we inquire about DAS for him after witnessing his distress. DAS made the difference in being able to again enjoy the parks. We just cannot justify traveling 2 hours each way for him to spend 60-90 minutes in the parks before becoming overwhelmed. I’m really sad about that.
Again, I will ask: What process exists to have someone take a second look at his eligibility for DAS accommodations.
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Thanks for posting this.
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I don’t know a lot about it. How would having long covid make it difficult to stand in line?
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Thanks
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So I talked with them again today. The person I talked to said that they had no record of my tall earlier. Ok whatever.
But from what she pretty much said to me, you need to be a petulant 7 year old brat who is going to punch everyone in line to pretty much get DAS. Everyone else will be told to use the alternate methods.
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That isn’t the case though, based on people who have been given it.
Edit: wanted to add that I realise it will feel like that to you, and I am so sad (and angry) for you and others who have been denied.
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I mean, that’s sort of the gist of what I was told at Disneyland last month. LOL.
I have a friend with severe documented health issues who applied for WDW and they told her to find somewhere else to go. She goes to the parks to walk and ride things like people mover and Peter Pan (slow stuff, like me!). They said she could buy Genie+, and she asked about the people mover and they said “well there’s never a line for the people mover so I don’t know why you need accommodations, but if it’s THAT bad you can ask for a return time. But you won’t need it”
Ummmm. In March one day the people mover line was like 30-45 minutes. But okay. 
I GET there was RAMPANT abuse. I personally know of more people who faked a disability to get DAS than I want to know about. A whole travel agency taught their agents to coach clients to get “free genie+”. Things HAD to change.
I still think once it goes fully live out here in Ca this week all hell is going to break loose.
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