DAS is getting an Upgrade!

[Lilsia]

For clarification, from what has been released, you don’t need to use either of the DAS Advanced selections before getting a DAS Return Time.

Good to know. I thought that I read that you can get more return times after those are used. So are we understanding this to mean that you can get those for later in the day, but set up your own return times before that?

 

[lanejudy]

So are we understanding this to mean that you can get those for later in the day, but set up your own return times before that?

They haven’t released any details about that other than once you do the video conference you are eligible for 2 Advsnced DAS. I would think they could be scheduled for a time of your choosing because it doesn’t specifically state “next available” and some folks with DAS need to start their day later. I do believe I read that once scheduled, the Advanced DAS cannot be modified - I assume that to mean time, date, ride or park. You do have the option of allowing them to expire unused if it ends up to not fit your day.

 

[jlundeen]

OK, yet another question:

Not sure anyone yet knows, or there is any difference from current and new DAS, but does anyone see anything about how long you can take to use a DAS return time in the new process?

What I mean is currently, if you requested a return time, you could use it at the return time given, OR anytime after that up until park closing. So if you got a return time that conflicted with say a dining reservation, you didn't have to worry about when you got back there to use it. But of course, you couldn't get another one until you either used or canceled.

Now I keep hearing about DAS return times "expiring".... do they now fall in the same kind of time frame as the old FPs, which was an hour + grace time?

 

[Lilsia]

OK, yet another question:

Not sure anyone yet knows, or there is any difference from current and new DAS, but does anyone see anything about how long you can take to use a DAS return time in the new process?

What I mean is currently, if you requested a return time, you could use it at the return time given, OR anytime after that up until park closing. So if you got a return time that conflicted with say a dining reservation, you didn't have to worry about when you got back there to use it. But of course, you couldn't get another one until you either used or canceled.

Now I keep hearing about DAS return times "expiring".... do they now fall in the same kind of time frame as the old FPs, which was an hour + grace time?

Other then the 2 that you pre-set up, where you only have that hour, they have not said that they will be changing the original way that DAS works. I would imagine if they were going to change that, that they would have said. So we are optimistic that it will be exactly the same.

 

[SueM in MN]

Good to know. I thought that I read that you can get more return times after those are used. So are we understanding this to mean that you can get those for later in the day, but set up your own return times before that?

Everything I’ve read indicates DAS Advance Selections and DAS Return Times are separate and don’t affect each other. Depending on what a guest chooses for the DAS Advance selections, they may be many hours away from when the guest enters the park.

as lanejudy wrote, there is not a lot of specific information about the DAS Advance selections yet (I.e. the attractions that are available or how times for those will be chosen.
What it does say in the various things on the Disney website includes:

“During your chat with a Cast Member, you’ll also have the opportunity to select up to 2 experiences per day (subject to availability) using our new DAS Advance planning option. Please keep in mind that DAS Advance selections must be booked at least 2 days prior to the day you plan to redeem them, and you will not be able to make selections on the day of your visit.
If the experience you want is available, you’ll be given a one-hour return window to redeem during the day of your visit.”

“[DAS Adance] Selections are valid for use only on the date and during the one-hour time period chosen and cannot be transferred. Guests who do not pre-register for DAS will not be eligible to receive the DAS Advance selections.”

lanejudy thought she had read that the DAS Advance selections can’t be modified. I remember reading that too, but can’t find

 

[lanejudy]

does anyone see anything about how long you can take to use a DAS return time in the new process?

My understanding is that this has not changed for the regular DAS return times obtained day-of 1 at a time.

what expires is the Advanced DAS selections made 2-30 days out when registering for DAS during video chat. These are a set 1-hour window, cannot be changed, and will expire if unused.

 

[SueM in MN]

OK, yet another question:

Not sure anyone yet knows, or there is any difference from current and new DAS, but does anyone see anything about how long you can take to use a DAS return time in the new process?

What I mean is currently, if you requested a return time, you could use it at the return time given, OR anytime after that up until park closing. So if you got a return time that conflicted with say a dining reservation, you didn't have to worry about when you got back there to use it. But of course, you couldn't get another one until you either used or canceled.

Now I keep hearing about DAS return times "expiring".... do they now fall in the same kind of time frame as the old FPs, which was an hour + grace time?

The information on the Disney website actually does clarify. What seems to be confusing people is that there are 2 separate ways people registered for DAS may be accessing a time to come to an attraction.
DAS Advance selections have a 1 hour window to use.
DAS Return Times are the same as previously; based on the current wait time for the attraction and don’t have an expiration time.

What it says about DAS Advance selections:
“During the DAS Advance video conference, [to register for DAS] Guests will be able to select and book up to 2 DAS Advance selections for each day of their visit (subject to availability).
If a selection is available, the Guest will be given a one-hour time period during the day of the visit to redeem the selection. Selections are valid for use only on the date and during the one-hour time period chosen and cannot be transferred. Guests who do not pre-register for DAS will not be eligible to receive the DAS Advance selections.

What it says about DAS Return Times:
“Does a Guest utilizing DAS have to ride the attraction at the exact return time listed?
No. DAS return times are not limited to a specific window and are valid until the park closes.”
“Please keep in mind that DAS return times are valid until the park closes or an attraction closes for the day. And a party can only hold one active DAS return time at once.”

 

[lanejudy]

lanejudy thought she had read that the DAS Advance selections can’t be modified. I remember reading that too, but can’t find

I found it… but the WDW website wording has changed:
Original (thanks to @prettypatchesmsu who copied it from the website on Wed. afternoon):

Selections are valid for use only on the date and during the one-hour time period chosen and cannot be transferred, modified or cancelled.

And the current (8/22/2021) website wording:
Selections are valid for use only on the date and during the one-hour time period chosen and cannot be transferred.

So... I’m not sure if that means the Advanced DAS selections can be modified or cancelled, just not transferred, or if Disney isn’t clarifying that point. Stay tuned as details come out…

 

[SueM in MN]

I found it… but the WDW website wording has changed:
Original (thanks to @prettypatchesmsu who copied it from the website on Wed. afternoon):

And the current (8/22/2021) website wording:
Selections are valid for use only on the date and during the one-hour time period chosen and cannot be transferred.

So... I’m not sure if that means the Advanced DAS selections can be modified or cancelled, just not transferred, or if Disney isn’t clarifying that point. Stay tuned as details come out…

Thanks to both of you. I was sure I had seen it. Glad to know I hadn’t imagined it

 

[Branderson610]

I bet Disney doesn't want advanced DAS changes due to the genie system. Disney probably wants to know the set number of slots they have available for each ride when the genie rolls out for the day. I bet they close DAS advance passes 2 days before to get the analytics for said day a few days before. With the genie you choose one ride at a time. I bet not changing the advanced DAS selections tie into genie somehow. Which, also may be why you don't get 2 passes day of.

 

[Kbrb]

I bet Disney doesn't want advanced DAS changes due to the genie system. Disney probably wants to know the set number of slots they have available for each ride when the genie rolls out for the day. I bet they close DAS advance passes 2 days before to get the analytics for said day a few days before. With the genie you choose one ride at a time. I bet not changing the advanced DAS selections tie into genie somehow. Which, also may be why you don't get 2 passes day of.

This was my guess they want to know numbers before hand then feed that genie

 

[Branderson610]

This was my guess they want to know numbers before hand then feed that genie

Yup!!!!!!!

 

[LilyWDW]

Let me just say (1) thank you for everyone that does the deep digging to help people stay informed and (2) I am so glad I am not going until NEXT December so there is plenty of time for me to figure this all out. So many changes and I am actually having trouble keeping up with everything.

I do like the idea of the video sign up for the DAS. Explaining my condition can be embarrassing and saying why I needed the pass was not fun if there were a number of people around. So this would be nice for that reason.

 

[Sandisw]

For the two advance DAS per day will you get to pick the return time or will they pick for you? Bit confused on how that will work.

I have a feeling it will be 2 advanced for the trip and not each day. Because once you are there, and the ability to schedule on the app,, not sure people need to do advanced more than day 1 of the trip.

To me, it’s to allow people to not have to stop at GR to activate it. Sometimes at opening, those lines, especially at MK are long.

 

[Sandisw]

It doesn't really matter which method they use - it's still an advantage that non-DAS holders have to pay for.

Except, now, on the first day of your visit, you must set up your DAS and cant Do that until the park opens,

By encouraging people to video chat ahead of time and setting up a few, they allow those of us to be able to not have to stop at GR on the way in.

Now, does it mean we get one extra to start? Yes. But not enough, IMO, to make it so that many people will all of a sudden try to abuse the system.

 

[SirDuff]

I have a feeling it will be 2 advanced for the trip and not each day. Because once you are there, and the ability to schedule on the app,, not sure people need to do advanced more than day 1 of the trip.

Except it says that it is per day.

Except, now, on the first day of your visit, you must set up your DAS and cant Do that until the park opens,

By encouraging people to video chat ahead of time and setting up a few, they allow those of us to be able to not have to stop at GR on the way in.

Now, does it mean we get one extra to start? Yes. But not enough, IMO, to make it so that many people will all of a sudden try to abuse the system.

It’s an extra two to start and those are for free. There is no way for people without a DAS to get any for free.

And can be booked in advance instead of having to wait until 7am of the day of the visit (though DAS users can also get the Genie+ and get another booking at 7am the day of).

 

[DVCkidsMOM]

FWIW, I used to worry about abuse of DAS before we became a family who found ourselves needing DAS. If you aren't in a situation where DAS makes a large difference to your day, you just can't immagine why all the "advantages" are "fair" to people who don't need DAS.

We have not yet used any DAS old or new, but I can tell you that without it on our upcoming trip, we expect to average only a few hours in parks a day before we have to leave. If DAS allows us to spend closer to the amount of time enjoying the park as a "typical" family, I feel that is "fair." The only way it allows for more "rides" or other "advantages" is if we could still tour a park like a "typical" family. If we were still that "typical" family we wouldn't need DAS - given the choice of being able to tour like "before" when we were "typcial," or having DAS; I would chose "typical," but I don't have that choice. So thanks for helping me feel the anger about this instead of defeat - I can at least work with that!

 

[Sandisw]

That's what I'm talking about.

If there are 2 DAS given during the video call, then other members of the party could be added to each DAS, which is how it works now. However, currently although a guest can be on more than one DAS, they can't have more than one return time at a time. I don't see why it would be any different for the pre-picks.

When we were there in June and setting up DAS for my cousin, the other two guests with us had to be attached to her or me, but not both.

Since the three of them would be together more than with me, we had the girls listed as part of her party.

 

[SirDuff]

When we were there in June and setting up DAS for my cousin, the other two guests with us had to be attached to her or me, but not both.

Since the three of them would be together more than with me, we had the girls listed as part of her party.

Interesting. We’ve been able to add people to both - but they could only have one waiting time at a time. And people with a DAS couldn’t be added to someone else’s DAS.

 

[Sandisw]

Except it says that it is per day.


It’s an extra two to start and those are for free. There is no way for people without a DAS to get any for free.

And can be booked in advance instead of having to wait until 7am of the day of the visit (though DAS users can also get the Genie+ and get another booking at 7am the day of).

I had not seen the wording about two per day. I was simply pointing out why they will allow people who need DAS to get a head start because waiting until a park opens to register can, in itself, put people behind those who don’t need DAS and didn’t need to do that step every trip. I have waited over 20 minutes at GR to get it going while all those other park goers got togo straight to a ride and get in line.

Personally, I will do the video chat to set up my pass with my guests but won’t do advanced because we wont know what we’d want until that day to see which ones can be done without using it and which ones I’d need it for