WTF Disney! DAS | Disability Access Service Pass | Updates Disneyland | Disney's Fault - Greg Rants

[@timwhite477]

We have to talk! We returned from our WDW vacation just over a week ago. The new promised accommodations were almost non-existent. Cast members were completely unprepared! It was degrading and embarrassing so I let them know. Then, on the morning of our last day, my wife broke her arm on a ride and had to be taken by ambulance to Celebration Hospital. Now it’s like we don’t exist. The magic is officially GONE!

[@fantasylandnews]

I am sorry to hear about your wife! The accommodation they promised are almost non existing! I have seen the return to queue work at maybe 2 rides. Cm's have not been trained and they should not be put in this position to begin with, in the parks. This is an epic failure on Disney's part! Not the CM's, not the DAS community.

[@jthavorn]

I think a simple solution to crackdown on abusers is to require documentation to be provided. I realize that there are lots of privacy laws at play here but from what I’ve seen, anyone with a legit disability is more than willing to show proof of their disability. I have PTSD and DAS was very helpful and I’ve always kept a digital copy of my letter from the department of veteran affairs that states that I suffer from PTSD.

[@il100374]

THIS. And THIS is why Universal rn is superior.

[@theGingerAutist]

Disney refuses to use IBCCES. I’m convinced it’s a pride issue, because Universal did it first. 💀

[@vintagecologneman481]

Just canceled our vacation because of daughter with disabilities and getting denied. We switched to universal and she got it. So disney you can go suck it.

[@ALXM1]

Add me to the list

[@charlesravert8781]

The abuse of LL can be tracked to Eiger forcing Genie+ to record high prices. Yes there was always some abuse, but it got waaaaaaay worse recently. Not to mention making all but a few disabled people pay for Genie+ helps line their pockets too. Disney also says attendance will be down this summer. Since they have nothing to answer Epic Universe, the simple solution for now is to bring back Fast Pass for free (same booking methods as before). That would increase attendance, lower abuse and increase retail and concession sales. THAT is how you fix this mess!

[@sararubinstein5384]

It's happening elsewhere too! I'm able-bodied, but I have disabled family members. My disabled mom and I go to comic cons and this year, one we've been to before took away our accommodations and were actively belligerent to us. We got the same excuses of people abusing it/people complaining that we were getting "free privileges, which is such BS anyway because it's not privileges and disabled folks pay for so much on a daily basis. They want us to pay for VIP passes, which feels just like Disney pushing former DAS users in Genie+. It just makes me so angry!!

[@ALXM1]

2 trips cancelled because of the new rules. DAS doesn't skip lines and people don't get it. We just (used to in my case) wait in a place that doesn't trigger symptoms. We could save more and buy Genie+ but Genie+ is not DAS comparable. After so many years of going and it being the one place we felt normal, this has been taken away.. for nothing... Thank you for expressing all my thoughts so well in one video. Every other Disney 'news' channel are ignoring the issue. Everyone made more noise when there were threats of shutting down Country Bear but disabled people? who cares right because Disney PR told them to look the other way

[@fantasylandnews]

The lack of empathy for the disability community is crazy. It really is driving me mad atm. Hence the need to say something... I am so sorry yall had to cancel

[@DF-lz2jw]

I'm very, truly sorry that you and many deserving people are being adversely affected. This new policy is so wrong on every level! I will be trying to get a DAS pass myself but realize this may be an exercise in complete futility. I wanted to offer a little hope. There are other Disney news channels covering this issue. Please, try viewing WDW Pro, That Park Place and Clownfish TV and some other smaller channels that I can't remember right now. They have handled this topic in a sensitive and respectful manner. I've left comments urging the able community to speak up. We know this isn't completely about DAS Pass abusers. This is about selling Lightning Lanes. I wish you the best of luck in your health and future.

[@ALXM1]

@@DF-lz2jw thank you so much for your response,. As you said it is disappointing that our 'safe place' seems to be taken away for money. To make matters worse, we're not US residents and were told this week that the new lighting lane can't be purchased until we land in the US despite staying on property. It feels like we get a new punch from Disney week after week so now even their option to 'force' disabled people to purchase lighting lane isn't even viable as it put us again at disadvantage. Honestly, I am puzzled how so many executives all approved these types of decisions...

[@DF-lz2jw]

You’re very welcome. I live an hour away from Orlando and don’t get to purchase Lightning Lanes until I get to Disney unless I stay on property then they’ll allow a 7 day advance opportunity. I don’t know your itinerary but maybe you can at least have that advantage? I did change my traveling plans to stay at a hotel on property partly to try to score any kind of advantage regarding lines. I wish you the best and most enjoyable trip possible.

[@ALXM1]

@@DF-lz2jw We live in Europe and were meant to come for 2 full weeks and stay on property but I was told the 7 days advantage doesn't apply to us and if we want to use it we need to come to the US a whole week before our WDW holidays. Basically it's a US and Canada only benefit for people staying on property. The rest of the world, even if staying on property are not allowed to benefit from it. Go figure....

[@brianmonahan6838]

People with a disability live with it 24 hours a day. I was born with Cerebral Palsy. For most of my life, after loads of physical therapy, I could walk and run (slowly). Balance was my biggest issue. I couldn't ride a bike, skateboard, or go down stairs that didn't have a railing. As I aged, Ilost almost all of my balance and my legs have become weaker. In my teens ang up to my 40s, standing in line and boarding rides was easy. But now, in my 70s, I can no longer ride: the Bob sleds, Space Mountain, Jungle Boat Cruise, Pirates of the Caribbean and other rides because they are too difficult to get on and off of. And now with the new resrictions put on disabled people. what's the point of even going? For the most part the Disney staff have been very accommodating. But we have had a few disappointing events. On one of our last visits, we wanted to see World of Color. In order to get a good seat, my wife and I bought an expensive dinner package, that came with a ticket for seating. When we arrived for the show, we were taken to a seating area reserved for people with disabilities. We were in a section, that had only one section in front of us. Most people in our section had wheel chairs and a few had small scooters. After we were seated, the section in front of us filled with regular men, woman and children. When the show began, the people in front of us all stood up, and those in in the back of the section, put their children up on their shoulders, so they could see better. As a result, the viewing in our section was severely blocked. And those people in low wheel chairs, were lucky to see anything.After the show, I approached a cast member and asked where I could file a complaint. She directed me to City Hall, where I could get an email address to write. We were headed home the next day. After getting home, I wrote a detailed email to "Disney Guest Relations. In addition, I looked up the Disney Corporate office, and wrote a letter to Bob Igar. After waing a few days, guess what I got back. I heard NOTHING! And it's from that day on, I realized that Disney's priority is customer money, and NOT customer service.

[@toddcribbs6844]

This basically makes Bob Iger the worst of the worst CEOs and the Walt Disney Company history

[@theGingerAutist]

Bob Chapek 🤝 Bob Iger

[@lgcarroll2275]

We are from Scotland and have used the DAS system in the pasted to assist us with our daughter during our park visits and it’s been very helpful. Can I also add we are DVC members. So, Disney has had a fair amount of our hard earned cash. When traveling with a child with a disability you like to plan as much as possible. We contacted Disney customer service several times as we couldn’t get access to the video chat. To cut a long story short and a lot of wasted time, we have been told international visitors can’t register in advance. You have to wait till you get there. We can’t make any plans. We have no idea if we will get the DAS pass. This update to the DAS system is discriminating against disabled people and in our case intentional guests.

[@fantasylandnews]

@lgcarroll2275 I did not know this about international guests. This needs to be talked about louder! I truly hope it all works out for your family and daughter. Traveling with kids is hard enough, then to add a disability on top means you need to have it all planned well ahead.

[@lgcarroll2275]

@@fantasylandnews I have made comments about this in several sites as it’s not well known. Some people are telling me to just “ pay for genie+ and stop crying about the DAS pass” When we travel to the US we have to take out travel insurance. When you travel with a pre existing medical condition, it costs a lot more, never mind if your child has disabilities. To travel from the UK to Disney is expensive enough. But we do it because it really is my daughter’s happy place. Her face just lights up and for a couple of weeks the challenges, stress and worries are lifted from our shoulders. The DAS pass just takes away another of those worries and bumps out of the e road. I know some have abused the system but for genuine people it’s a God send.

[@missylangdon6957]

I understand disney cracking down as so many people cheated the system. When there was no questioning or proof required, people were just asking for DAS pass. I used it once, I had documentation from my doctor, and I was shamed so bad about asking for it that I never asked for it again. Last trip, I was in so much pain from standing in cues without it.

[@VeggieCecilia]

Thank you so much for always being there for us. A big hug from Argentina❣

[@jimeagle1155]

We have a vacation planned in August and this is stressing me out. We have an 8 year old autistic daughter who has a good chance of meltdown and running off if waiting in a line for long times. If she has a meltdown, the day is shot. I dont know what to do.

[@louisearellano5427]

🤷

[@jimeagle1155]

Update, We were approved. Everything was fine except it was hit as heck.

[@GonzoIsCool]

My mom needed a disability pass on the last day of our trip in 2001 because her asthma started acting up. They immediately gave her a wheelchair to use, because she was too weak to walk, and the pass. we only used it for a few rides so she could use the wheelchair and we wouldn't have to cut the trip short. They didn't make her send documentation. These changes are disgusting.

[@OCKev]

We spent $3500 on Magic Keys in March for me and my very visibly disabled daughter. We renewed her DAS pass a week ago, so we've only got 3 more weeks of it left before we have to try to renew under their new policy. Sounds like she will now be denied - don't know what we're gonna do with the remaining 8 months on our passes if she's not gonna be able to go much anymore...

[@Marr-in-Memphis]

You’re correct about the leprechaun. There is a Little Man of Disney who is the size of a leprechaun. The door to his house is near the Swiss Family Treehouse in Disneyland. You’re wound up & rightly so 👍🏼. It’s definitely a rotten turn of events. I’ve listened to a testimony from the Mom & Dad trying to obtain a DAS for their autistic son. They were extremely frustrated with the 5 hour interview process & the cast member repeatedly asking the same questions to see if they were seriously truthful. You’re correct about this being a money grab for Disney selling their Genie Plus & Lightning Lanes. Disney is pricing itself out of the financial budget of many of the guests for whom Walt built the park. The next California earthquake may be Walt rumbling the ground as he rolls over in his grave .

[@brendakilburn8842]

I’ve had a pass at Disneyland the past 8 years straight and became disabled back in 2018 and having DAS enabled me to go on rides with the virtual que. I have gone to the park and just walked around and was able to go on 2 rides. The lines to talk to a cast member have been so long that I haven’t been able to even talk to someone. My trips to Disney are now less and now Disney isn’t getting my money for all the merchandise I bought every time! Wish they would realize this: Was a great way to get away from my every day troubles. Now it’s just stressful.

[@cocorunny6597]

thankyou for standing up for this.

[@toddcribbs6844]

What's really bad in California there's a lawsuit against Six Flags slash Cedar Fair for using a third party vendor which is against the Ada no Disneyland's going to have to follow the the rules or face the facts a huge lawsuit is going to happen

[@tvandbeermakehomergo]

Todays announcment is going to make Disney clamp down more i suspect. I qualify for DAS as I have AS (diagnosed as a child and have reams of paperwork and proof), and as with everyone I have good days where I can manage in medium queues, but bad days with I can have sensory overload and can only manage a few mintues in a queue. I have no one who can queue for me as my best friend who travels with me can't ride all the rides due to major back surgery (and struggles standing or sitting for long periods). Last time she qualified for DAS, but will struggle to now. Its hard to get that over on a video call so I recon they will push me to LL+ which will suck, but at least now I will be able to plan ahead of my trip as we are staying at coronado, so can book 3 rides a day in advance. It will at least mean at least we know in adavnce we won't be fighting for passes on the day which was giving me major anexiety as we have spent thousands on our holiday as we wan't to do Disney in style and wan't as little stress and worry as possible given this is mean't to be an escape from relaity for 2 weeks.

[@fantasylandnews]

Ya, I am digesting this news of LLMP and LLSP now. Today's news was not shocking, but it kind of makes perfect sense why the DAS changes really happened.

[@TheLionsDen72]

I am ambulatory wheelchair user. I can stand and walk very short ddistances but I cant stand or walk for a long time. I have FND(Functional Neurological Disorder), PTSD, anxiety, depression, and neuropathy. My body doesnt r3gulate heat well and due to FND, I am prone to sizures. Its sad that this is not a friendly, family experience for families anymore. As far as having to show "proof", here in the U.S., it is actually against the law for them to make a person prove a disability, unless you have witness that person blatantly being completely capable. If this doesn't change, not only will I not return to any of thier locations, I will no longer support them in merchandise or streaming app(s).

[@foxie5502]

I have a invisible disability, and a disabled daughter. And the new DAS is awful. People has ruined Disney for us. We use to go all the time. We were one of the regulars to bring my Service Dog with us. Iver the next year we saw more and more "service dogs" in the park. To the point to were i didnt feel safe to bring mine. We even got kicked out one night because another family with their "service" dog started barking at my SD and lounged at him. Because we notified the cast member the family retailiated and claim my SDattacked them. (As he was laying on my feet per usual and their were 3 feet in front of them. But cause they made the claim we had to go. People dont understand what they are doing for convenience is truly effecting those of us with disability. But you know Disney, any time they can make money thats what they are doing.

[@VixenLovelove]

I’ve said it before but I’ll say it again, I’ve never had to deal with this much ableism to my face until this change. Every time I kept trying to make noise about it people shut me dad and told me to stay home. It is amazing how brainwashed Disney fans are to the point they’ll attack disabled people to defend their greedy ableist actions. It’s sad though that not even my favorite Disney news channel WDWnews is really saying anything on the matter, I’m guessing cause they’re on the media list again. Even people who hate Disney like clownfish tv make more of a consistent fuss over the new Tiana ride like I get it’s replacing a beloved ride but people Disney is literally putting people’s lives in danger because of this change. Let’s maybe focus on that instead of bickering about wokism and cheep rethemes. Thank you for continuing to yell about this because this is legit a serious issue.

[@Diznebabe]

It makes me sad that i will never get to go to disney again i have one leg and 2 autistic adult sons. We used to love it but now its to many hoops the trust in the mouse to make us forget the stress of our daily lives is so gone

[@toddcribbs6844]

Genie Plus lightning Lane was implemented by Bob Iger

[@Mockingdragon]

I'm going in September and I've been diagnosed with both planar fasciitis and posterior tibial tendonitis. My feet are Fked up. I was so excited to hear that DAS existed - last time I visited (undiagnosed) I spent half my line time on my knees shuffling forward because my feet couldn't take it. I was so relieved to think I could wait outside the line on a bench. I don't mind still waiting for a ride! I don't need to skip the wait! I just need a chair. And now I hear that if I'm not an autistic child, they wont' do anything for me? It sounds like a lot of people are being told to check at each individual ride and ask for a return time. In my specific case, I have big bulky ankle braces and a cane so I'm unlikely to be questioned. But I can't imagine having an invisible disability and having to do this! And being denied! Ugh, it's so sickening. Plus I'm also autistic...I will absolutely play that card if they're willing to give a pass for autism (for which I don't need accommodation) but not my physical disability (for which I do) Is that the problem, do people not see that DAS people have to wait to return, and so they think they're not waiting at all???

[@messas3406]

It was not EVER skipping the lines! And that’s right if you didn’t need then what does it matter to you keyboard warriors !?!?!😭😭😭 Hey but on the bright side loved seeing you in person.

[@gerardosigaran8665]

I don’t think the analogy of the disability parking pass is the best example lol, there’s also a lot of fraud on that end lol , but I WILL say that honestly Disney should perform the DAS pass the same way that Universal does, make it a 3rd party that makes the final say and that it requires DOCUMENTED proof that you need this accommodation , this also takes the heat away from the cast members cause god knows they go though enough already.

[@cherylpalian3254]

We are a family of 7. It’s so nice that I am permanently disabled that my doctors know. I actually have permanent license plates for my disability. I can’t stand in line for an hour for a ride. I would have a major meltdown that would not be good. Disney says I’m not DAS qualified. We are going elsewhere this year for vacation. Disney is losing a lot of their precious money by alienating disabled persons.

[@jesikahwinters]

They should just require medical documentation. My son has a severe heart condition and has 3 open heart surgeries and has spent years of his life in hospital, multiple strokes, he can’t be out on his feet for long periods. His lips get blue and can’t breathe. But under the changes he won’t qualify. His only chance of going is with Make wish. My husband and I are also both disabled. But ours aren’t physical. Yet not one of us would qualify.

[@cmiller415]

I don’t understand why Disney doesn’t just require people to show a disabled parking placard IDENTIFICATION CARD to get a DAS Pass. It would prove the person has a proven disability or mobility problem since each state requires a doctors note to be given one and it has the persons name and birthdate so people couldn’t swipe their grandmothers. I’m not taking about the placard, I’m talking about the ID card that comes with the placard you can show as proof that the placard belongs to you if an official asks for it. Kids have them for their parents cars, people who don’t drive have them for their caretakers cars. It wouldn’t take care of all of the DAS Pass problems but at least it would be a start.

[@toddcribbs6844]

I told Provo Provost park pass bra for doing the same thing you were talking about I saw him doing it at Disneyland weather disabled kid

[@rayray9571]

The reason people complained is because people were abusing the system. If you have a cane, you just bring a cane. And you can go from a line in front of everybody, so the line becomes longer. They stop that now. You have to actually have a reason. 2. Cut the line.

[@brendakilburn8842]

FYI, DAS is a virtual que and then after that you still have to wait in the lightning lane. So if the line is 45 minutes long you can come back after 45 minutes and then you still have to wait in line for say another 20 minutes. So, while you as an able bodied person have after 45 minutes gone on the ride and are off to another one me as a disabled person would still be waiting to get on the ride. The help is not having to wait in a line cramped with people and no way out, for 45 minutes to an hour!