The new changes to Disney's disability pass went into effect on May 20th at Walt Disney World and with it brought stricter rules to the eligibility criteria. DAS (Disability Access Service) is the program offered to qualifying guests with disabilities at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland to manage standard attraction queues.
Disneyland's changes to DAS go into effect on June 18th and many Disneyland guests will be looking to see how the program rollout is being handled at Walt Disney World.
We have been reading the first hand reports of guests applying for DAS after these new changes and are seeing many NEW changes in how the DAS approval process works along with alternative accommodations being offered. These are difficult topics to cover but we believe that they are critical to share here so that anyone considering the disability access pass has the background before their application. You can read more about these DAS policy changes here.
Disney Disability Pass Program Changes
The new changes to DAS go into effect at Disneyland on June 18th and are now in effect at Walt Disney World as of May 20th.
The language for this new criteria specifically states DAS is to “accommodate those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder” that cannot manage standard attraction queues.
These changes are a result of the extensive overuse of the program along with rumored abuse from “unofficial Disney tour guide” groups that may have been taking advantage of the program for profit. The use of DAS has skyrocketed in the last four years which has resulted in long Lightning Lane queues which has negatively impacted the park experience for all guests.
👉Click here for ALL the details and reasoning behind the new DAS changes!
Attraction Queue Re-Entry Offered as DAS Alternative
One common scenario I have seen reported online is that many guests applying for DAS are being offered Attraction Queue Re-Entry as an alternative as opposed to DAS.
The Walt Disney World website has been updated with the details on how Attraction Queue Re-Entry will work:
How to Use Queue Re-entry
Speak to a Cast member at the location for directions on how to re-enter the queue.
- A Cast Member will provide details about how to exit the queue and how to navigate back to your party.
- While the Guest who must leave the line is briefly away, the rest of the party will remain in line.
- The Guest reunites with their party to ride the attraction.
The website states that each ride location will have a defined process to support this option based on a person’s disability while the rest of the party remains in line.” Queue Re-Entry is being described as a solution for guests that need to suddenly leave the attraction queue.
Guests are also being directed to use Rider Switch as an alternative. To use Rider Switch, guests simply tell the Cast Member that you want to use Rider Switch and you will be divided into two parties. Group one will board first and group two will wait until they are done, then group two enter the Lightning Lane to ride the attraction. The person that is applying for DAS is being recommended to be that person to wait in alternative location while the rest of their party waits in the standard queue until it is their turn to ride using the Lightning Lane.
With that context in mind, let's look at some reports at how these alternative accommodations are being heavily pushed as a replacement for DAS for many guests that are applying since the changes have taken effect.
Multiple DAS Applicants Receiving Denials
The first wave of first-hand reports we're reading so far is a high number of guests reporting denials for DAS with many guests being repeat users.
On a popular Walt Disney World Reddit group, we read multiple reports of guests being denied for DAS. Reddit user AlternativeAnt7677 posted their experience applying under the new program which resulted in a denial:
“For the record, I have qualified for DAS for years. I got started with the DAS process bright and early this morning to see exactly how it worked, and while I hoped the wording on the first post was just poor, I could not be more wrong.
I have a tissue disorder that affects muscle tone globally. Without going into too much detail, my heart overcompensates its pulse when exposed to certain triggers like prolonged heat and exertion, causing pain across my body. My doctor has directed for me to recognize the beginnings of these attacks and find a cold place to sit to return to stability.
The representative told me to use ice packs and cooling towels as well as bring a wheelchair into the queue. The towels I can understand, but for someone with muscle issues, carrying around a wheelchair all day when I often visit alone is more likely to accelerate my attacks than prevent them.”
She also brought up the queue reentry system, which, as others have said, seems more complicated than anything. I asked if this is the same solution for conditions like ADHD (which I have), with triggers like sensory overload around crowds. The solution to this was acquiring noise-canceling headphones — for purchase, of course, so not an accommodation by definition — within the park. Other sensory concerns were not addressed.
One interesting change in this user's experience is that Disney is likely working from a tool kit of other accommodations to recommend rather than DAS being the first go to option. So recommending noise-canceling headphones and icepacks to mitigate concerns rather than DAS. The Reddit user followed up in reply stating that the Cast Member told them that “Disney is also offering noise-canceling headphones available for purchase” as an alternative accommodation.
This post generated a number of replies including other users sharing their own denial under the new criteria like Reddit user Hoover889 who shared, “I have terminal stage 4 cancer, and the chemo causes me horrible IBS symptoms. They recommended that I use the queue reentry system, but I go there alone.”
It wasn't all denials though on this particular Reddit group. A few commenters mentioned they were approved but didn't elaborate on their medical scenarios which I personally think is wise to avoid encouraging abuse. Anyone looking to abuse the program could read these threads for ideas so I applaud those that are keeping their reasons for approval private and we will follow that same line of integrity in our coverage.
On other Disney message board websites like Disboards and WDWMAGIC Forums, other users recounted their experiences.
Over on WDWMagic Forums, user sylasink shared their experience being denied under the new system:
“Well, it's official… I was just denied my DAS. I am a Cast Member and Disney has proof of my disabilities, and they provide me accommodation while I work, but apparently the new system is so restrictive that I do not qualify for accommodations while I come in on my days off. I have POTS, Hashimoto's, a very severe skin condition, and autism. They determined that I can wait in line or that I can utilize the “return to queue” feature.”
So we're seeing a similar trend here, guests are being directed to use the Attraction Queue Re-Entry feature as the most common alternative to DAS.
User Kari2684 on Disboards shared their experience being approved after the new rule changes as a solo traveler:
“I was approved for 120 days- again, I have an AP. I am not on the autism spectrum. I explained why I could not wait in the typical queue. I was told this approval was for me only. If anyone joins me, we would need to utilize the rider swap or return to queue option. I don’t know if this is another “level” of accommodations with a sort of partial approval. I really don’t know what this will look like when a friend joins me. I suppose that’s going to be a “we’ll see how this works” moment.”
This experience provides some insight on how this push towards Queue Re-Entry as an alternative to DAS will work with solo travelers. It seems that DAS may be granted if eligible in some cases unless the party size is two or more then they will be redirected to use these alternative accommodations. This would also likely work in a similar way for parents traveling along with children that cannot wait in the queue alone. This makes sense as Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Rider Swap does not work for solo travelers or those with children unable to be left unattended.
Other DAS Changes to Crack Down on Abuse
I also read some scattered reports that if guests try to change their party size they may be required to reapply for DAS, especially for those that have been approved prior to the new changes going into effect. This is likely in response to the abuse that was taking place with larger than average party sizes and the “unofficial Disney tour guides” that were essentially using their DAS approval for profit. Currently, the new changes state that party sizes are limited to three immediate family members in addition to the DAS user.
There are also now changes to how DAS usage works in the parks. Guests using DAS currently in Walt Disney World can only select a new return time 10 minutes after they redeem a selection. This makes sense since DAS is meant to replicate the experience of a person physically waiting in line.
Keep in mind that all these reports are from the FIRST DAY of this new rollout. Emotions and tensions are running high right now and we most likely will read more about denials than approvals. Disney has continued to reiterate that these conversations are all still on a needs basis, not on a diagnosis. It could be Disney is also hoping news of this crackdown on DAS spreads fast with the new rollout to discourage future scammers.
👉Read about the surprising new language on class action lawsuits in Disney's DAS terms!
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Autism here, and you pretty much just guaranteed I won’t be visiting Disney again. You made these changes because people exploited the system and wanted to stop those people. That I understand.
But when your solution makes things harder on disabled people, you’ve shown your priority is corporate greed. You absolutely must allow one person to be designated an assistant/aid to the disabled person. That would still shut down “groups” taking advantage.
It’s not just a matter of waiting outside of the queue, but where you wait as well. Last time I was there, I needed a “quiet” area to wait in or I would have had to leave the park, and the staff suggested areas that were still loud and triggered sensory overload. I had to find an area that was quiet that was not in their list of suggestions. Having the choice to wait in a place of my choosing and come back at a designated time WITH my aid was the only reason it worked.
How exactly do you plan to coordinate having an aid/assistant wait in the normal line and allow the disabled person to wait in an area that is actually compatible? You’re thinking like corporate bean counters who view people as nothing but statistics on a chart. One Size Does NOT Fit All.
I’ll also add, you could consider accepting the IBCCES Accessibility Card like other Amusement Parks do, which does require a doctor’s note to get. People could still fall through the cracks, but as long as it’s an optional form of “proof” it would help people with lifelong disabilities.
I was denied yesterday. Before my conversation I had to say that I would not file a lawsuit. I was told about line reentry. I stated that I also use A wheelchair and that my husband pushes me. If we We leave the line together, how will they know. Where we reenter? She couldn’t answer that and said it would be determined at each individual ride. I don’t know why a doctors note would not be accepted. We may have to rethink getting annual passes as our enjoyment of the parks will be seriously diminished.