The Disability Access Service (also known as DAS) program at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort will soon be changing in an effort to prevent individuals from misusing the widely used program, which has resulted in longer attraction queues and backed-up Genie+ lanes for guests. If you’re unfamiliar with this program, DAS was introduced in 2013 and was an update of the “Guest Assistance Card,” a previous policy that enabled park guests with disabilities to skip most attraction lines. According to KTLA News, the popularity of DAS has increased over the years, and it is likely due to the social media “hack” videos that show guests how they can use the program to skip the line without paying for the Genie+ service.
The Disneyland and Walt Disney Resort websites have already been updated and state, “DAS is intended to accommodate a small percentage of Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.” The change will go into effect on June 18 at Disneyland and May 20 at Walt Disney World.
Here’s everything you need to know about the changes being made on both coasts:
- Guests applying for DAS at Disneyland car use a virtual chat or a dedicated “accessibility services” window for same-day requests.
- Once the change goes into effect at Walt Disney World, all DAS registrations must occur via virtual video chat. The Walt Disney World website states, “In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.”
- DAS Advance pre-arrival attraction selection will no longer be the default offering for all DAS guests
- DAS parties can only have a max of 4 people (unless it’s a family)
- DAS enrollment eligibility will increase from 60 to 120 days
- Current DAS guests will need to re-apply
If you plan to visit Disneyland Resort between now and June 17 and use the Disability Access Service program, here is what you need to know.
- Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will be available 2-30 days before your visit
- In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will be at Guest Relations locations
- You will be able to book up to two one-hour return windows for select experiences using the DAS Advance planning option
For both theme parks, once DAS is granted, it will be valid for either the length of the guest’s theme park ticket or for up to 120 days.
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