Disneyland Disability Access Service (DAS)
Review
I’ve been to the
park twice since the new DAS system was instituted. The first was with a friend
with mobility issues and physical issues that make long lines hard. She is in a
wheelchair. The second visit was with my husband who has disabilities that make
long lines impossible. He has ADHD and other issues. His limitations are not visible
or noticeable. My friend was also with us on the second visit.
Let me start off
with the explanation of how the system works. Be aware that things may change
as Disney gets feedback from guests. Also, I am talking about Disneyland Resort
not Walt Disney World. I will make a comment at the end of this post on what
Disney Parks says is different between DLR and WDW DAS.
How to get and use
a DAS:
1. Go to Guest Relations (City Hall in DL or
Chamber of Commerce in DCA) and ask for a DAS. They will ask what your need is.
You will tell them if you can’t walk at all, can only stand for a limited
amount of time, can’t do stairs or if you have a non-visible issue (ADHD/Autism,
PTSD, or other issue in this category) that makes large crowds and lines hard, etc.
. . If you are in a wheelchair you do not need a DAS as you will wait in the
regular lines and make use of regular Fastpasses as you wish. (All lines at DCA
are wheelchair accessible. Not all lines at DL are wheelchair accessible. If
they are not you can go to a designated wheelchair/handicapped entrance. If the
line is not wheelchair accessible your wheelchair acts as your DAS. No card
needed.) You will pick your first attraction while in Guest Relations and get a
return time. You will be given a card to show Cast Members at the attractions.
2. They will take your picture to put on your
card.
3. You will tell the Cast Member how many
people are in your party. They will usually give you up to 4 people on your
card without seeing them but more than 4 they will want to see your entire
party. The maximum allowed on the card is 8. All members of your party (up to
the number of people listed on your card) can ride the attraction with you but
you must ride with them. If your group splits up and fewer than the stated
number on the card are going with you on an attraction that is no problem. The
Cast Member at the attraction will ask the number of people going with you.
4. Your card will be issued for one day or for
the length of your stay at the resort for a maximum of 2 weeks. If your stay is
longer than 2 weeks or you are an Annual Passholder you will just go back to
Guest Relations and get a new card after 2 weeks. Your DAS will work at both
DLR parks. One card for both parks.
5. Return Time: your return time for an attraction
is the current length of time for the standby line for your chosen attraction minus
10-15 minutes. (If the line for Haunted Mansion is 60 minutes you will return
to enter the Fastpass or Handicapped access line in 50-45 minutes.)
6. When your return time comes just go to the
attraction and enjoy! Don’t worry if you miss your return time! Your return
time does not “expire” as a Fastpass does. You may only have ONE return time chosen at
a time and cannot get another until the current one is crossed off by a Cast
Member. Just go to the Fastpass or handicapped entrance. Do not hesitate
to ask a Cast Member for help if you can’t find the proper line. It can be a
little confusing trying to find the correct entrance at some attractions. You
will show them your DAS and be granted appropriate access.
7. There are 10 locations in the DLR to get
return times for the DAS. You can go to either Guest Relations where you get
your DAS cards or to any of the 8 kiosks set up throughout the parks. There are
4 kiosks in each park. ANY member of your party can take your DAS and go to the
kiosk to get a return time! The person with the DAS does not have to go get the
return time. This is a plus for parents with children with ADHD, Autism and
similar issues. (Please see the picture below for locations.)
8. You can get return times for either park at
any DAS kiosk. You can be in DL and ask for a return time for Radiator Springs
Racers in DCA if you wish. Usually by the time you leave one park and cross
into the other your return time has come.
9. You can also use the standard Fastpass system
to add more line saving options to your time in the park. You will have to
follow the Fastpass system rules, such as having a one hour window on the
return time.
10. Please do not abuse this system!!! Do not use it to give tours or cut to the
front of the line!! Most important DO NOT get a DAS if you do not need
it!! (this message is from your Pranking Pixie)
I have found that with
the new DAS in place at the Disneyland Resort (DLR) the wheelchair lines are
shorter than with the old system. There were times, with the old Guest Assistance
Card system that the wheelchair line was actually longer than the standby line
for the attraction! There are fewer able-bodied people renting wheelchairs in
an attempt to cut lines. Those with ADHD, Autism and similar issues are sent to
the Fastpass line when available, helping to shorten the wheelchair lines and actually
making the wait shorter for everybody.
Those with ADHD,
Autism and similar issues are being served well using the Fastpass system along
with the DAS. If they can wait the standard wait time of 15-20 minutes (sometimes
shorter) of a Fastpass line this is great! If even that is too long a wait talk
to Guest Relations about other options. They do have them available when
needed.
It is a hassle to
have to go and get return times for rides and does take some of the spontaneity
out of your visit. The payback of shorter lines does make up for the inconvenience
of having to keep going to the kiosk to get a return time.
There were very
short lines at the return time kiosks. I had thought this would be a problem
when I heard about the new program but actually it seems to be working well.
Most times there was no line and when there was a line it was only a 2-4 people
ahead of us. The short line moved quickly and efficiently.
Our last visit we had
2 members of our party with DAS cards. As a group we decided what attractions
we wanted to go to and those with DAS cards would get return times for
different attractions. It worked well for us.
Now for the differences
between DLR and WDW. The system is the same except for one major difference. Just
like the DLR DAS the WDW is one DAS card for all parks. Unlike DLR at WDW you
can only get a return time for an attraction at the park you are in. The only difference
is in how you get a return time. At WDW to get a return time for an attraction
you must go to that attraction and ask there. It is like the old Fastpass
system in that way. WDW does not have kiosks set up around the parks to issues
return times.
Here are a couple
of suggestions I have for Disney Parks on the new system.
·
Change
the name of the system! People with limitations are still guests. They don’t want
to be called disabled. It feels demeaning.
·
Make WDW
DAS work more like DLR by adding kiosks where guests can get return times. It
is hard to push a wheelchair back and forth across a huge amusement park. I can
see how a guest would have to “roll” over to Splash Mountain and get a return
time for 2 hours away. Then “roll” over to someplace else to find something
they can do while they wait. It would allow the guest to get a return time at
other resort parks as well.
·
At
both DLR and WDW, get “Smart” Fastpass machines and have them set up in central
locations, like the kiosks at DLR for the DAS return times. Many times I’ve
gone to Splash Mountain at DL to find that my return time is 3-5 hours later.
This is hard if you are pushing someone in a wheelchair. It means 2 trips back
there instead of one.
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