Disney Launches New Disability Access Service Policy at Walt Disney World

May 20, 2024 in "Magic Kingdom"

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Posted: Monday May 20, 2024 6:04am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney World's new Disability Access Service (DAS) is now in effect and is only available to guests with a developmental disability such as autism or a similar disorder.

In-person registration for DAS at the parks has been eliminated, and all applications for the service must be done via live video chat available from 7:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time

The new policy is aimed at addressing the misuse of this widely used benefit, which skips conventional queue environments at the parks, and tries 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 now in effect for the 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. 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 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.
In-person registration is no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations.
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.

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 FAQs

How long is DAS valid?
DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. Once the service has elapsed, Guests need to re-register for the program.

Is DAS issued at the Walt Disney World Resort valid at the Disneyland Resort?
DAS is valid only throughout the Resort at which it was issued. DAS issued at Walt Disney World Resort, for example, is not valid at the Disneyland Resort, and vice versa.

What happens if any of the statements made by a Guest in the process of registering for DAS are found to be not true?
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.

Where do Guests utilizing DAS go to receive return times?
Guests utilizing DAS (and their party members) to make return time selections right from the My Disney Experience app during the day of their park visit. Registered Guests using DAS and members of their party will be able to book, redeem, change or cancel DAS return times using the My Disney Experience app via a smart phone or other smart device. If additional assistance is required, Guests can also obtain return times directly from a Cast Member at any Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location.

What can Guests do during their DAS virtual wait?
Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping.

Does the Guest utilizing DAS have to be present to obtain a return time at a Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location?
No. Any member of the DAS-eligible Guest’s travel party may obtain a return time, but the Guest registered for DAS must be present and experience the attraction with their party.

Does a Guest utilizing DAS have to ride the attraction at the exact return time listed?
No. DAS return times are not limited to a specific window and are valid until the park closes or an attraction closes for the day.

Can a Guest have more than one active DAS return time at one time?
No. A Guest may only have one DAS return time at a time. The Guest may obtain another return time for the same or different attraction 10 minutes after they redeem a return time.

Can a Guest with an active DAS return time receive a boarding group for one of the virtual queue attractions?
Yes. A Guest can hold one active DAS return time and one virtual queue boarding group at the same time. When a Guest utilizing DAS goes to the attraction with a virtual queue, they, along with their party, will speak to a Cast Member at the attraction about accessing the queue.

Discuss on the Forums

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Club Cooloholic1 day ago

This is spot on. Also, if you wanted to just visit the parks for the afternoon, you were going to be out of luck on that FP for good rides. The only benefit was there were many people who had the FP but weren't necessarily cashing them in, as the return time could be too late or whatever, so the standby lines later in the day still benefited.

Kingoglow1 day ago

Legacy (paper) Fastpasses had an entire different issue. Most of the people in this thread discussing disability access for themselves and their families, were at a SEVERE disadvantage when compared to the able-bodied guests that ran to the distribution machines. Disabled guests arrived at the machines later and had to endure other guests running by them which only increases the stress, and frustration of that experience.

nickys2 days ago

They do allow it. Or they did with G+ . FP+ had a 15 minute grace period. G+, certainly recently, allowed you to enter late. The latest I’ve seen confirmed was an hour. It might not have always been like that of course.

Angel Ariel2 days ago

Im not sure why I was quoted as I was referring to Disney's system not universal's? I am not one that would say universal's system is practically perfect - not in the eligibility process or in the actual process of using it in the parks. Neither Disney's nor universal's is..both require our family to still make our own accommodations as well.

DoubleSwitchback2 days ago

From 10 years ago? But we're told that the crowds and the rates of disability have both drastically increased in recent years. Not to mention knowledge of how to "work the system" via social media.

Wendy Pleakley2 days ago

They changed it because it didn't work fine. People would collect Fastpasses and save them all for later in the day when lines were longer, backing up the Fastpass line.

RSoxNo12 days ago

You get 5 minutes early and 15 minutes late as a rule. Depending on the ride, front line CMs will allow a little wiggle room on the 15 minutes, but I'd try not to push it.

ConfettiCupcake2 days ago

Kind of. If memory serves they had to start enforcing the end of the return windows near the end of paper FP’s life in anticipation of the changeover because more people would be using the system and they needed more accuracy with returns. I don’t know that open ended returns could function in todays system with so many people understanding and using it.

TrainsOfDisney2 days ago

Legacy Fastpass used to be anytime after the time - it worked fine.

Chip Chipperson2 days ago

They used to have a 15-minute grace period, I believe. That seems reasonable to me since it keeps the latecomers from building up too much of a backup in the LL line. Allowing return times to mean "any time after ___" is a recipe for disaster. It takes an operational issue that was largely limited to DAS usage and applies it to anyone using the LL. Yes, those users are delaying their ability to select another LL, but when all of the good LLs are gone for the day or someone doesn't want to book any others beyond what they already have, it invites them to set their own return times regardless of what the app said was available (ie, "2:00-3:00 doesn't work for us, but pick it and we'll show up at 4:15 instead.").

NotTheOne2 days ago

Because it needs to be consistent; it can't be that sometimes you can come back as late as you want and sometimes you have to come back on time or you can't enter the LL. I do understand why DAS users have the option of coming back when they're able to after the return time, because in some cases there is a need to do so due to their disability. But I see no value in allowing it for everyone.

Club Cooloholic2 days ago

Maybe someone knows better but what would be the bad of allowing people to head back to the LL late? The whole benefit of checking in within that hour is that you also get to book another ride, so someone not arriving on time is just missing that chance. I suppose there can be times the LL gets backed up if everyone blows off their time and say tries to go right after dinner, in which case I wonder if they could THEN enforce it, and deny riders.

Minnie932 days ago

The return time, the way Universal uses them, requires going to the ride to get the return time placed on the card. This may be difficult for ASD level 3 guests who may have difficulty understanding the concept of going to the ride but then walking away. It seems that their system has been hailed as practically perfect by many though. I can’t help but think it will just add to walking/more pain/problems for those who prefer not to use mobile devices such as amputees, those with chronic back pain, and neuropathy, etc., as well as those who suffer from heat intolerance or who’s conditions are exacerbated by physical and psychological stress, such as IBS, Diabetes, POTS, etc. I’m assuming all of these categories are being approved by Universal. Maybe neither system is perfect but my family has learned to adapt to whatever accommodations are available to supplement the ones we work out on our own.

RSoxNo13 days ago

Thankfully, outside of prioritizing the Jungle Cruise, my brother is generally ok with us telling him we will do something later. For that reason we've been able to keep things largely transparent to him.