Changes to Disability Access at Disney
Parks
Due to some people
abusing the system and actually using it to earn money by offering services to
help people cut lines Disney has been forced to rethink how they handle
handicap access to rides and attractions at Disney Parks. Changes will be made at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort.
We all know Disney
has been kind to those with disabilities at the forefront of giving as much
access as possible to as many rides and attractions as possible. With that said
this kindness made it easy for a very few unscrupulous people to take
advantage. Now Disney is but in the unenvious position of trying to give access
to those with true need and yet stop the abuse. The biggest changes will have
to happen at Disneyland Resort and in fact in Disneyland itself.
The way it worked
before is you got a GAC (Guest Assistance Card) with one of several markings
giving the Cast Members the information they need to give the guest the help
they need. These cards were good for as long as 2 months if the guest was an Annual
Passholder. But that was reduced to 2 weeks after the abuse came to light.
Guests with minor disabilities or with disabilities that limited the amount of
time they could stay in a line often were able to just walk up the Fastpass
line without getting a Fastpass. Those in wheelchairs that could sit in line
stayed in the regular lines for the rides that have lines that can accommodate the
wheelchair or used an alternative entrance for those rides that the lines did
not accommodate the wheelchair. (Disneyland has many rides with lines that cannot
accommodate wheelchairs due to the fact it was built before the ADA laws. They
have always accommodated when possible, even before the laws. WDW and DCA were
built after the laws so the majority of lines can accommodate a wheelchair.)
RUMORS
(MiceAge/MiceChat) have been saying that the new system will be called DAS
(Disability Assistance System). Here are some things rumors are saying. BTW I’m
one that does not like rumors I life facts. These are UNCONFIRMED!! I was
informed that no formal changes have been announced but they are coming! The people
I spoke to also said MiceAge/MiceChat has been known to be wrong in the past. I
don’t know if they are wrong or right at this time.
Disabled guests
will no longer be able to get an assistance pass just because they are in a
wheelchair. Wheelchairs will have to stay in the regular line until they turn
to go to the handicapped loading area if needed.
All disabled will
have to use the Fastpass system and/or a DAS equivalent of a Fastpass. No
longer would the disabled person just “walk up the Fastpass line”. There would
be several locations throughout the parks where holders of the DAS could go to
get special issued Fastpasses for rides they wish to go on. They would have to
wait the equivalent of the standby line length of time minutes 10-15 minutes.
If the standby wait for Space Mountain is 60 minutes the DAS holder would be
given a return time of 45-50 minutes. When they returned they would go up the
normal Fastpass line to enter the ride. The exception to this FP type policy
would be rides that cannot accommodate wheelchairs. Guests in wheelchairs would
still be able to use the alternative entrance without a return time card.
Also suggested in
the article is the fact Disney will put your picture on your DAS card and if
the DAS holder is not riding the group with them cannot ride. At this time it
is said the cards will be issued for one day at a time unless you can prove you
are staying at a Disney or local hotel. This will be a minor inconvenience to
Annual Passholders with disabilities. Instead of getting a pass for 2 week or 2
months at a time they will have to go to Guest Relations every visit to get a
new card.
MiceAge/MiceChat
said the roll out date for the new DAS is October 9th, 2013. When I
asked I was informed there is no actually date. When I have more information I
will post an updated article.
Here is a link to the article on MiceChat/MiceAge
No comments:
Post a Comment