Disability Access Service at Disney World

Post Reply New Topic

Has anyone here ever utilized the Disability Access Service at Disney World? We are headed there in two weeks and I was just recently reading about this service where you can go to the attraction and register to return at a later time...forgoing the longer lines.

I think this would be fantastic to utilize for my 7 year old daughter who has a very rough time with waiting and will absolutely need to take sensory breaks during our time there. My 9 year old son also has Asperger's but tends to tolerate these environments better. However, the stress of the input will wear on him and we could be looking at meltdowns if we aren't careful.

I am just wondering if anyone else has used it... had any problems getting Disney to accomodate in this way... And/OR wondering if I am breaking any kind of ethical rules to utilize it for my son who DOES hold it together quite well.... His issues would be more about a cumulative effect of the input rather than having problems on the spot (if that makes sense) whereas I can see long lines just getting ugly for my daughter real fast. She'll be wearing her headphones, thus being obviously on the spectrum to anyone who knows anything... my son won't seem as obvious to the observer.

So, any thoughts would be welcome.

Tips on using the service and thoughts on utilizing service for my older one... as an ethical issue.

No personal experience of this, but it does say that 'The guest’s party is also covered under the DAS Card.', so your son would automatically be covered under his sister's card.

Even if he weren't, I don't think anyone would begrudge you getting one of these cards for your son. You need to state your case to employees but that shouldn't be too hard if you explain that the issues will be slower to come to a head with him but will still exist. Particularly if his sister is already getting the accommodations required, I doubt they would act to stop your son from enjoying a comfortable experience as well.

This is the page I found mention of, on Undercover Tourist.

https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/ ... -das-card/

Close to the top is the point about the guest's travel party being covered by their card (end of the paragraph underneath the Pinocchio statue).

Towards the end, there's also this:

How many guests in one party can be covered under the DAS Card?

The maximum is 6 guests per card. If you have special circumstances or any concerns, talk to Guest Relations.

My only experience with Disney parks is Disneyland in California, but I don't see why they wouldn't be accommodating to your son as well as your daughter, as from what I understand, those cards allow the person and others in their party to get on rides faster. It's almost like the Fast Pass system, but you don't have to reserve a time from the kiosks by some rides.

Better check with Disney directly. Their policies and procedures have changed in the last year -- the autism community in Southern California is in an uproar about it. Reportedly some people were abusing the system, selling the ability to jump lines to non-disabled folks, and so they've really clamped down. I don't know what the new policy is (we never used the old one because my son is fine with lines) but it recently survived an ADA court challenge.

This family used DAS and their experience using it. The blog is 2014, so I don't know if the policy changed again.

http://atypicalfamilia.com/our-experien ... ty-access/

Does anyone know if a diagnosis from a school district is sufficient for a DAS pass?

Thanks everyone who responded! I talked with my son and he doesn't want a DAS card anyway, but his sister definitely needs it. so, if we are alll riding together, we'll use her pass,but if it is something he wants to do that she doesn't, he'll wait. He will be fine with the line... I think he has a high probability of a meltdown during the trip, but I don't know if skipping lines will help him anyway.

From what I can tell, her DAS will not be a problem to get.

Thanks for the info. I always figured you needed a note from a doctor, like a DAS prescription.

I'm here to update on how it all worked out for us! We went to Disney for 5 days and Universal Studios for 2 days. Both places were AMAZING in their response to our need. We just went to guest services right as we entered the park and they provided the Disability Access passes to us with no questions asked. I didn't carry proof of anything. My son felt strongly that he didn't need one, so we just got one for his sister. She definitely needed it. And our enjoyment of the parks was absolutely dependent on these passes for her. The way it works at both places is that if the line is long, you can receive a return time (you may only check in for one return time at a time) and when you come back after the return time, they just send you through the express line.

I never know how to expect to get treated when taking advantage of a disability accommodation when the disability is not obvious to the onlooker, but we were treated only with absolute respect. And there was one point at Universal Studios where a person working there spotted my daughter's headphones and whisked us away into a back stairwell to get away from the crowds.

overall, we had a great experience! <3 It made me fall in love with those parks!

Wow, this is exciting! WE leave for Disneyland in a few weeks. WE will have to try and get one of these passes. Thanks OP for the question.