Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort have doubled the period that their Disability Access Service (DAS) passes are valid.
Disability Access Service Validity Period Doubled
According to DAS pages on both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort websites, Disability Access Service is now valid for 240 days or the length of the guest’s ticket, whichever is shorter.
When Disney updated DAS earlier this year, they extended the validity period from 60 days to 120. However, those who already have DAS will not be grandfathered into the new validity period length, and will need to reapply to get the full 240 days.
The update also made the service exclusive to guests who “due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time,” and limited the number of guests that can enter a line with a DAS pass.
The changes have proven controversial, as many guests with disabilities are no longer eligible. Cast Members have suggested guests practice waiting in line at home, leave a line and rejoin it later (which is only possible if the guest is traveling with able-bodied guests who can hold their place), or ask for callback times at each attraction. A guest with terminal cancer was recently denied DAS at Disneyland Resort.
The DAS Defenders group sent a mobile billboard protesting the changes around Anaheim during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Their Change.org petition titled “Stop excluding disabled people from Disneyland and Disney World with new policy” has over 32,000 signatures as of the time of publication.
Universal Orlando Resort recently changed its disability access policy, no longer requiring an IBCCES Accessibility Card. Universal’s Attractions Assistance Pass is valid for one year.
What do you think of this change to Disney’s DAS program? Does a longer validity period make seeking accommodations more enticing to you? Have you had a hard time getting DAS? Share your story with us in the comments.
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The DAS pass program was habitually abused at Disneyland where whole herds of people where coming into lines as part of the “family party”. There needed to be changes – and that came from a younger family friend (under 25) who needed and used it.
It was out of control. Families need to take responsibility for themselves and rent a wheelchair or EVC to accommodate their member who needs help as we did for my dad years ago. That way he could wait in the exit line with a family member as the rest of the group got up to the load area. I still see that every week when we go to Disneyland so I know it still works and they will accommodate you!!!!
Don’t expect Disney to take care of you first! Get a LL pass if needed like everyone else!
After many years of using the Das system at Disney World we were told we can no longer qualify. We were also using the free fast pass system which helped us greatly. But now they are charging to use that fast pass system and I refuse to pay extra on top of everything else. Shame on Disney. I will no longer be renewing my annual pass which is up in January.
Same result for me; I, too, am not renewing my annual pass.
The extended time does nothing for people that are disabled, but not disabled enough to get the pass. I believe the only reason for the change is money. I’m 52 a disabled veteran I have literally gone to Disney 2 to 3 times every year for the past 20 years. If I had to guess anywhere between $80-$100,000, I have spent . I will not be back until they fix this. I don’t wanna get on a soapbox, but I’m not a big fan of Disney’s direction in multiple areas.
“Rent an ECV?” Those don’t work for every disability. And they can’t offer “accommodations ” that have to be paid for. They have the ability to put policies in place to counter the (not as great as they made it out to be) abuse.
This is just a response to the lawsuit by parents of children on the spectrum who were angry over the changes made when they scrapped the GAC, which was actually abused. So now, ONLY people with autism, not the thousands with physical disabilities that can’t be helped by renting an overpriced ECV are getting help.
This is just another cash grab. They scrapped the free FastPass which helped many disabled people in favor of Genie+, which was expensive and limited. And Disney, changing the name of Genie+ doesn’t make it any less crappy.