Disney World announces new measures to address abuse of Disability Access Service

Apr 09, 2024 in "Magic Kingdom"

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Posted: Tuesday April 9, 2024 12:00pm ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Disney is making changes to Walt Disney World's Disability Access Service (DAS) to address the misuse of this widely used benefit, which skips conventional queue environments at the parks. The new system aims to ensure that DAS is used fairly and only by those who truly need it, improving the park experience for all guests.

A major change is in the works for Walt Disney World's Disability Access Service (DAS)

DAS is intended for guests with difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability. DAS offers return times for attractions, similar to standby waits, allowing guests and their party to enjoy other park experiences instead of waiting in line. Notably, Disney has dramatically narrowed the scope of eligibility and now says that DAS is for guests with a "developmental disability like autism or similar." The new DAS also extends the enrollment period from 60 days to 120 days, and reduces the DAS party size to four guests.

Disney is facing increasing abuse of the system, which, according to sources who spoke with WDWMAGIC, is the primary cause for extended wait times in the Genie+ Lightning Lanes and occupies a significant quantity of available Lightning Lane inventory.

Disney plans to introduce the new DAS system on May 20, 2024 at Walt Disney World, and June 18, 2024 at Disneyland Resort in California. Disney is teaming up with Inspire Health Alliance to help Cast Members determine eligibility.

How to Register for DAS at Walt Disney World

Registration is available via live video chat.
Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit.
At this time, live chat is offered in English only.
Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relation location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
If DAS is provided after a conversation with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, the Guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will participate in the registration process. This requires having a photo taken of the DAS-registered Guest.
DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.
DAS is valid for up to 120 days. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
Guests visiting now through May 19, 2024, DAS is valid for up to 30 days.

Disney says that, "If it is determined that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased Annual Passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded."

DAS Information for Guests visiting from April 9 through May 19, 2024

Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS are available 2-30 days prior to your park visit.
In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will continue to be at Guest Relations locations.
You can book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences using our DAS Advance planning option.
DAS is valid for up to 30 days from the start of the registration. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.

Discuss on the Forums

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Jenn Finan23 days ago

I had that experience too about a week ago when I went down to the Parks. It is surprising how much removing those little steps reduced stress and wait times.

Ayla24 days ago

MCO was the only reason I got Pre Check. LOL Too bad I never fly through there, anymore.

jennab5524 days ago

I find at my home airport precheck doesn’t save much time, but it has always in MCO! Normally because I’m traveling with my child I don’t have to go through the body machine and follow him through the metal detector 😊. I always found it stressful to try to take stuff out of my bag then put it all back in which people behind me. Always felt rushed, which is why I preferred pre-check. Glad to hear they aren’t making everyone take everything out of their bags now though!

TrainsOfDisney24 days ago

I think it’s the newer machines - my home airport has them and everything can stay in the bag but larger airports I’ve been through it’s still laptops out for now.

Ayla24 days ago

Depending on the TSA agent you get, if you go through the regular line but have Pre Check on your boarding pass, they may give you a card to bypass the body scan and use the metal detector, as well as leaving things in your bag and shoes on. :)

Angel Ariel24 days ago

I did have to take off shoes, but both airports were telling the regular line to keep everything in bags - no removing of electronics or liquids required! I don't know if it's new machines or standard across the country, but it worked well!

jennab5524 days ago

Sometimes the regular line is shorter! I still prefer not to have to take off my shoes or take out my bag of liquids and electronics!

Angel Ariel24 days ago

Games, videos, phones are not things that help my child on any kind of consistent basis. 🤷‍♀️

Angel Ariel24 days ago

I chuckled a little today - I was flying from the west coast back east today, and I used normal security while my mom used pre check. I was through in 5 mins. I was waiting for her - had enough time to go to the restroom, and come back and wait a few more minutes, before she was through. I had a little Syndrome running through my head..

DisneyHead12324 days ago

I think that waiting in a vehicle and waiting in a line are vastly different experiences. First and foremost, in the US at least, most children start riding around in car seats quite regularly from pretty much two days after birth onward. In terms of desensitization practices, that is pretty much like the triple platinum standard. Start doing something constantly, literally from a day or two after the child is born and be totally consistent through every step of their development by doing it almost daily (And it’s one area where you just can’t make an exception. No matter how bad you feel for a crying baby, even the most sympathetic parents can’t just take them out of a car seat when the vehicle is moving.) Planes are fairly similar in terms of experience, and you can use a car seat on a plane as well. (Planes being a bit different, I’m sure there are some kids who are ok with cars but struggle with planes though.) By contrast, standing in a Disney World style line is not something the average child is going to encounter regularly. Grocery store lines are typically a fraction of that length. Maybe if your local park has a merry-go-round or train, you might encounter a 15 minute line. But a 30-40-ish minute experience of just standing in place while being walled in by people on all sides is just not something that comes up a lot in most people’s lives (thankfully.) Also, a degree of low muscle tone is common in children with developmental delays, which makes standing in place even more difficult.

Ayla24 days ago

I'm talking about every guest. No one gets a pass from bad behavior.

TrainsOfDisney24 days ago

If they are regularly having bad days because of guests they need to be re trained or be looking for new jobs. Even if a guest is out of line - it’s the CM’s job to understand and de-escalate the situation. We are talking about guests who are frustrated about accessibility accommodations here - not drunks at Epcot.

Purduevian25 days ago

How about no one be rude to each other at Disney World? Sorry if you've had bad integrations in the past, but that doesn't give anyone a right to be rude back to the CMs. An eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind and all that.

JMcMahonEsq25 days ago

I don't want to make it seem like I was diminishing the real hardship some could have in lines. I guess my question was would methods that you would see/use for long plane/drives for kids such as games, video, phones, ect., not work while in a line to help alleviate problems. Mainly based around the idea of kids and waiting in line, ect.