Guests who use Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) at Disneyland and Walt Disney World experienced a change to the service’s qualifications and offerings earlier this year. While you likely won’t see any blog posts or official announcements from Disney, their web pages were updated with the new information on April 9 and took effect on May 20 at Walt Disney World & June 18 at Disneyland. We have a summary for you below.
Tougher DAS Requirements
There’s no doubt that the number of guests using Disney’s Disability Access Service has grown dramatically in recent years. And while many of them likely need the service, not all of them do. The growth of the service is unsustainable as DAS/Lightning Lane lines continue to swell. So, to get things under control, but also make sure that guests know what all of their options are, big enhancements and updates have been made to staffing, websites, and resources available to help guests prepare for their trip.
Disney is refining its focus on who can use DAS. DAS is now primarily for guests with developmental disabilities like autism, who find traditional queuing a challenge. Other guests are offered a variety of alternate accommodations, such as a new “return to queue” process for those who need bathroom access, rider switch for those who can’t wait long in line, the suggestion to use a wheelchair for those who have trouble standing for long periods, purchase Genie+ for those who want a faster line experience, ASL interpreting services for the hearing impaired, service animal resources, etc.
According to officials at the company, “Disney is dedicated to providing a great experience for all Guests, including those with disabilities, which is why we are so committed to delivering a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our Guests with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks.”
Disney’s New Accessibility Websites
On April 9, 2024, Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World updated their Accessibility Services websites with all the new information. These digital gateways offer an assortment of tools and guides to help guests with disabilities. From navigating parking to traversing the wide range of attraction queues, these websites are your guide to avoiding pitfalls and planning your access needs.
We strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself with the new policies for the resort you are visiting:
- Disneyland Resort Accessibility Services Information
- Walt Disney World Accessibility Services Information
Accessibility Services Team
Rather than going to Guest Relations on Main Street at Disneyland, you’ll find the Accessibility Services Team in a new location in the Esplanade.
Disney teamed up with the medical experts at Inspire Health Alliance to provide Disney cast with new resources to assess guests’ needs.
Advance Planning – vs – In Person
So you don’t have any last-minute surprises after arriving at the park, it’s highly advised that you speak with the Accessibility Services Team PRIOR to your trip to see what services you qualify for, and so you can ask any questions you may have about your personal needs. Guests can make a virtual video chat with Accessibility Services via the Disneyland or Walt Disney World Disability Access pages.
Disneyland guests still have the option to visit Disability Access Services (in the Esplanade) on the day of their visit, but Walt Disney World guests are requested to conduct a video chat BEFORE their visit. If they forget and enquire at the park, they’ll be directed to conduct the virtual live chat with Disability Access Team while they are in the park.
For those who qualify for DAS, party sizes are being adjusted to include immediate family members only, up to four people (there’s some flexibility there if your family is larger than 4). And the DAS enrollment period is being extended from 60 to 240 days (initially extended to 120 days).
There are additional DAS and disability resources in the Disneyland and My Disney Experience (for WDW) apps.
Don’t Cheat the System
While it’s very hard to know if someone really needs special access in the parks or not, as many disabilities are not obvious, it isn’t worth trying to cheat the system. Disney is cracking down and will bar those from the parks who they find to be lying or misleading the Disability Access Teams. According to the Disney website:
Let’s Hear From You
While the updates to DAS may feel like a step too far for some, many have been complaining for quite some time that the previous system was rife with abuse. Do you think Disney’s new plans work? What do you think the best solutions are?
