Hi!! I’m wondering if any of you have used the DAS pass. I am considering getting one. I have 2 children that are Autistic. One of them has fairly significant delays. I’m not sure how much I would need it since I don’t know how they will react to long lines. My concern is dealing with rude people. Autism is an invisible disability and I really don’t want to deal with rude comments from people assuming we are cheating. I’ve heard horror stories from others. It’s not like you get to jump the life. You have to wait to ride. You can just wait somewhere else. Have any of you had problems?
I used DAS a few years ago post foot surgery. Didn’t experience any rudeness from anyone and you couldn’t tell by looking at me that I needed the DAS.
I think you’ll be okay and just remember, YOU know why you have it, that’s all that matters. Making sure your littles enjoy WDW is most important and if having DAS makes things better for everyone, then that’s what you do!
We used a DAS pass last November our grandson has OI (brittle bone) We had no problems with cast members or about 98% of the other guests. One thing to keep in mind you don’t ride right away sometimes you get a time like fastpass to return. Or if the ride is out of fast passes for the day you may not be able to get on. Just some things to keep in mind. The only other thing is of the few jerks out there the size of the group will get them. You may hear a lot of the "person in the chair I understand " but why do all 10 of them also get to go ahead of us.
Interesting…we never experienced issues with getting a DAS return time if all FP+ were gone for the day. Is this something new? We didn’t walk right on to every ride but, we did always receive a return time and we’re able to come back and ride without issue.
I am worried about the comments. “She doesn’t look disabled”. “Why do all of them get to go”. I’m possibly being over-sensitive. I’m still dealing with the diagnoses of both my children. They were only diagnosed this year. I just can’t deal with nasty comments. I don’t want it to ruin this trip. This is something we are looking forward to after a really crappy year.
I’m sorry you are dealing with this…trust me, I understand. I would go with the DAS and on the outside chance you do get rude comments, try your best to ignore (not easy, I know)
It’s not a FP so FP availability isn’t relevant.
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This is difficult, I know, but you really do have to just ignore the comments. They will come, but just chalk it up to one of many things, ranging from ignorance, idiocy, or perhaps even a justifiable concern of justice. Remember that it wasn’t long ago that people were posting on-line how to claim a need for a disabled pass just to bypass the lines. It was being abused so much that Disney ultimately had to change their policy entirely.
So, people who are saying such things don’t care two hoots about you, your children, or anything. Humans are kind of programmed to want things to be just, and anything we may observe that LOOKS unjust, even if it isn’t, can set people off. I feel the need to offer people grace just as much as I hope people might offer me grace in some other situation.
Perhaps they are idiots. Perhaps they aren’t. Just shrug if off and know you’re doing what is best for everyone.
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I said like fast pass and it is relevant just trying help katmcdonald37. I can see why people get upset with people picking one word or half sentence and jumping on it. This is what WE experienced at Disney.
We used the DAS last summer for our DS8 and DS6. Both have autism. We obtained the DAS at Hollywood Studios before going to a PPO breakfast at Hollywood and Vine. It was very easy to obtain and the CM was wonderful. My boys display a lot of behaviors normally associated with autism (flapping, scripting, not looking at the camera for the picture) and my youngest is nonverbal. This all may have helped to make the decision easy for the CM. : )
We asked for a wheelchair tag for our younger DS’s stroller which was a god-sent. He doesn’t like crowds or loud noises, so he enjoyed having a “safe space” to pull down the sun protector and block it all out. Throughout the trip, CMs were polite and helpful and never once questioned us. We were able to have 7 of us on DS8’s DAS (me, DH, DS9, DS8, DS6, DM, and DD) as my parents came along. We could have gotten a DAS for each of my younger two, but weren’t planning on splitting up much. Just remember each person can only be linked to one DAS.
I remember hearing only one comment regarding us pushing the stroller through the line. I think the comment was made more out of jealousy than anything else because when I looked over it was a completely fried-looking set of grandparents holding an excited 2-year-old. If the comments had continued, I probably would have just shown them the wheelchair tag. If anyone should say something, I would just try your best to ignore - you’ll never see those people again anyway. Just try to give your kiddos the best trip possible.
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I felt that it was misleading. You shouldn’t have been stopped from getting a DAS return time if there were no FP left to be distributed - that’s not the process. So I wanted the OP to know that. If someone hasn’t used it before, they need to know the way it works.
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We used the DAS in July and in November. My wife’s disability isn’t visible. We didn’t have any issues once we established that my wife’s disability was in fact cognitive with the CM. As for actually using it, I never heard anyone say anything. As @missoverexcited stated, FP has nothing to do with it. However, it does work similarly to the FP system in that you are given a return time. I was in the parks on CL 10 days and we were never refused a return time. I would highly recommend going ahead and getting it. You don’t have to use it, but it’s good to have it just in case. We tried to convince a friend of ours who went at Christmas to get it for her son who has a sensory disorder. She was being stubborn when we were suggesting it knowing how he doesn’t do well in large crowds, lots of noise, or standing in line. Day one for them went fine. Day two, he was agitated most of the day. By day three, he had a full on meltdown in the middle of Animal Kingdom. She messaged us and asked again what to do to get the pass. It’s not about what others think or say. It’s about making sure the experience for your children and yourself is the best possible. Set the kids up for success and get the pass. I know it’s hard to ignore rude people, but ultimately what matters is the kids’ experience.
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My advice is get the DAS and use if when you need to. If anyone says anything (and I doubt they will), ignore, ignore, ignore. I have an invisible disability when I wear pants (I have these horrible leg braces to help walk that you only see when I wear shorts) and I get the occasional comment when I park in the handicapped spots with my placard. It is clearly my picture on the placard and my gait isn’t the best but I still get the occasional snide comment from folks about the handicapped spots being for the truly handicapped. Trust me, if they had to walk a mile in my very uncomfortable body with broken tendons and atrophied muscles, they wouldn’t be so quick to judge. But people do and it is unfortunate. But you still need to do what is best for you and your family. If you get any of those folks, they will be in the minority.
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Thank you everyone! I was thinking of having a sign made for my daughter’s stroller. There are other safety issues I need to worry about, as well. I think I will get the pass. If they are doing well, we won’t need to use it. There are certain rides the little one can’t ride anyway. It will just depend on how the older one handles it all. Thanks again!!
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