Disney has announced big changes coming to its Disability Access Service. The changes will take place May 20th at Walt Disney World and June 18th at Disneyland. In this article, we’ll take a look at the changes, starting with Disney’s official statement:
Today, we updated our Accessibility Services websites for the Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, which showcase a variety of tools guests can use to plan their visit, make their time with us more enjoyable and help identify the services they require.
Along with the updates to the websites, we are also taking steps to preserve our existing accessibility services to ensure that the guests who truly need these services continue to receive them. Here are the five things you need to know about these updates:
- We’re adding more Cast Members and investing in specialized training on each coast to help guests identify and better understand the recommended tools and options, based on their needs.
- The Accessibility Services teams at the Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort are here to assist guests with questions they have about our services. We encourage guests visiting to engage with us pre-arrival through our website and virtual video chats.
- We are teaming with Inspire Health Alliance’s health professionals, to help our Cast Members, as needed, determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations and ensure that these accommodations are provided only for the guests for whom they are intended.
- We will be making efforts to preserve the Disability Access Service (DAS) for those it’s intended to accommodate — only those 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. To help with this, we are also extending DAS enrollment for eligible guests from 60 days to 120 days and adjusting DAS party size to include no more than four, except for immediate family members.
- These updates take effect on May 20 at the Walt Disney World Resort and on June 18 at the Disneyland Resort.
DAS | Now Through May 19th
For Guests visiting from April 9 through May 19, 2024 at Walt Disney World, please note:
- Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS are available 2-30 days prior to your park visit.
- In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will continue to be at Guest Relations locations.
- You can book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences using our DAS Advance planning option.
- DAS is valid for up to 30 days from the start of the registration. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relation location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
DAS Moving Forward
Registration
Registration is available via live video chat.
Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 30 days in advance of a park visit. Please note: at this time, live chat is offered in English only.
Guests visiting now through May 19 may visit a theme park Guest Relation location to speak with a Cast Member. In-person registration will no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024.
If DAS is provided after a conversation with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, the Guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will participate in the registration process. This requires having a photo taken of the DAS-registered Guest. DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.
DAS is valid for up to 120 days. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.
Please note: Guests visiting now through May 19, 2024, DAS is valid for up to 30 days.
Ride Requests
After you’ve registered and entered the theme park, you can request your first return time.
On the Day of Your Park Visit
Guests registered in DAS can make return time selections right in the My Disney Experience mobile app on the day of their visit. Any member of a DAS party can obtain a return time for the whole party, but the Guest registered for DAS must be present and experience the attraction when the DAS return time is redeemed.
If additional assistance is required, Guests can also obtain return times directly from a Cast Member at any Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location. The return time will be comparable to the current standby wait.
Please keep in mind that DAS return times are valid until the park closes or an attraction closes for the day. A party can only hold one active DAS return time at once.
After a return time has been redeemed, your party can request another one by using the My Disney Experience mobile app or returning to a Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location.
More information about the new system will be available closer to launch.
Disney World did not respond to a request for comment from BlogMickey.com.
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