DAS is getting an Upgrade!

[DisneyElite4]

For everyone worried about abuse - I believe they are going to make getting a DAS much harder.

 

[SueM in MN]

You can do your advance DAS bookings as early as 30 days and up until 2 days in advance, and the bookings are done through MDE, not Genie+, it says so right on the Disney website. We will still have to pay for Genie+.

Agree. There are a couple of places on the new Disney DAS pages where it says guests registered for DAS can also purchase Genie+
Guests registered for DAS on the virtual video chat can get 2 DAS Advanced selections, but only 2 and only if they register thru the video chat.

Guests paying for Genie+ are to make new “next available time“ arrivals one at a time all day. Return Times obtained using DAS are based on the Standby wait times, as they have been in the past.
There are also other features that are part of Genie+ that are only available to people paying for it. Individual guests may or may not think those extra features are important, but they are part of the ‘worth’ that Disney is promoting as exciting new features.

• Disney Genie+ service (available for purchase): For the price of $15 per ticket per day at Walt Disney World Resort and $20 per ticket per day at Disneyland Resort, choose the next available time to arrive at a variety of attractions and experiences using the Lightning Lane entrance. You can make one selection at a time, throughout the day – from classics like Haunted Mansion to thrill rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and newer favorites like Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (attractions subject to limited availability). This convenient option is the next evolution of the fan-favorite Disney MaxPass service from Disneyland Resort. Disney Genie+ will also include Disney parks-themed audio experiences and photo features to capture your memories – augmented reality lenses for those visiting Walt Disney World Resort and unlimited Disney PhotoPass downloads from your day if you are visiting Disneyland Resort.

 

[mshanson3121]

Yes, I have a feeling that Disney is going to have some sort of verification process. You can't prove someone made something up, unless there is something Disney is verifying. Curious, to see what it will be.I have a feeling this prebooking is going to allow them to validate whatever information they may need.

Exactly. The way they word it, I strongly suspect there will be a verification process of some kind. Which honestly, there should be. I have no problem with that.

Agree. There are a couple of places on the new Disney DAS pages where it says guests registered for DAS can also purchase Genie+
Guests registered for DAS on the virtual video chat can get 2 DAS Advanced selections, but only 2 and only if they register thru the video chat.

Yes, and not only that but the advanced selections you get will be a) subject to limited availability (so there's no guarantee you'll get the ride you want/time you want) b ) have a one hour window and that's it - if you miss it, too bad, so sad, you've lost the booking and c) will be completely unmodifiable (if that's a word lol) d) even with doing the pre-registration you still have to confirm your identity at Disney before you can use your DAS/DAS Advanced Pass.

So it's a perk, but a restrictive one. So for the fact that it's restrictive AND you have to do a video conference AND by the sounds of things, there'll be a verification process that results in you getting a permanent ban from Disney if you lie... I don't think it'll be as subject to abuse as some might think.

 

[SueM in MN]

I am curious to see what the line of questioning will be to get a DAS pass? I have a feeling it will not be as easy to get DAS, as it has been in the past. Especially since, they are rolling out this dedicated pre approval team. I bet it is easier to tell someone no, when they are not standing in front of you at guest sevices.

I think the CMs doing the virtual video chats and the CMs at Guest Relations will have a standard process they actually need to follow.
We’ve all seen posts where some people report they just went to Guest Relations and obtained DAS just by asking for it, with no questions asked at all. There was not
consistency in every CM actually following the process for issuing DAS.
In the past, renewing a DAS was usually an easy process and few questions were usually asked. The new information says guests will need to re-register for DAS every 60 days. That implies following a re-registration process.

As far as being more prone to abuse, possibly so. However, I also suspect that the process for getting one (as in the information you have to provide) may be changing, given their new explicit warning:

If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.

Yes, I have a feeling that Disney is going to have some sort of verification process. You can't prove someone made something up, unless there is something Disney is verifying. Curious, to see what it will be.I have a feeling this prebooking is going to allow them to validate whatever information they may need.

I don’t think there will be a verification process for any ‘medical‘ type information or even like some people have suggested in other threads. One of the reasons is the ADA says people can’t be required to produce proof of disability as a condition to get accommodation they need related to their disabilities. Another reason is that DAS registration is still going to available at Guest Relations at the parks.

 

[keishashadow]

They quite specifically stated that doing so I optional, you can still go in person like it has always been.

Yes but, you wouldn’t be able to book the two advance selections either.

 

[SueM in MN]

As far as being more prone to abuse, possibly so. However, I also suspect that the process for getting one (as in the information you have to provide) may be changing, given their new explicit warning:

If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.

Yes, I have a feeling that Disney is going to have some sort of verification process. You can't prove someone made something up, unless there is something Disney is verifying. Curious, to see what it will be.I have a feeling this prebooking is going to allow them to validate whatever information they may need.

Disney has a lot of information about individual guests that most guests are not aware of.
I wrote in another post why Disney is unlikely to require medical or other information that would be verified. Under the ADA, they can ask guests what needs a person has related to their disability. The registration process could involve asking about needs, which could be verified by information Disney has about guest behavior in the parks.

Some people are aware and others may not be aware of lawsuits filed after GAC (Guest Assistance Cards) were discontinued in 2013 and replaced with DAS. The lawsuit was basically saying the group of people who sued were used to using GAC to immediately enter the Fastpass or alternate entry point and ‘required’ that type of access to be given to them by providing multiple anytime Fastpasses under DAS. They lost their case.
I read their statements and also the testimony, which contained some pretty interesting data Disney had that often contradicted their statements.
I don’t remember all the specifics, but Disney was able to show thing like:
- family reported the DAS user could only be in the park several hours at a time, but pass entry and exit showed they were in the park from open to close on multiple occasions

- child needed to do attractions every visit in a specific order that could not be changed, but Disney could show with attraction entry data that the family did not follow that order on multiple visits.

I’m not sure if this was in the testimony or not, but people who were posting on social media that they could only go to the parks during the quietest times, but also posted their family traditions included visits On Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and other really busy days when they used their GAC to go immediately on multiple headline rides without waiting.

 

[rick1zoo2]

I like that a person with DAS can now access it through the app instead of having to trek all the way to the ride. Will have to see how the advance selections work.

 

[keishashadow]

Yes, I have a feeling that Disney is going to have some sort of verification process. You can't prove someone made something up, unless there is something Disney is verifying. Curious, to see what it will be.I have a feeling this prebooking is going to allow them to validate whatever information they may need.

My understanding is Disney won’t risk an ADA violation in any way by asking/reviewing any sort of medical records. Everything has been verbal in the past, it’s not going to change.

i do think they may be tightening up the individual eligibility criteria though…

not based upon ‘having’ whatever disability/medical condition…

But, upon a person’s stated need ‘why’ they actually need a DAS

i am thinking they will start to possibly restrict the # of people permitted on the pass, restricting it to likely 4 + 1 or the number of people in an onsite room/reservation unless are are immediate family.

 

[Branderson610]

I think the CMs doing the virtual video chats and the CMs at Guest Relations will have a standard process they actually need to follow.
We’ve all seen posts where some people report they just went to Guest Relations and obtained DAS just by asking for it, with no questions asked at all. There was not
consistency in every CM actually following the process for issuing DAS.
In the past, renewing a DAS was usually an easy process and few questions were usually asked. The new information says guests will need to re-register for DAS every 60 days. That implies following a re-registration process.


I don’t think there will be a verification process for any ‘medical‘ type information or even like some people have suggested in other threads. One of the reasons is the ADA says people can’t be required to produce proof of disability as a condition to get accommodation they need related to their disabilities. Another reason is that DAS registration is still going to available at Guest Relations at the parks.

The reason why I think there will be some sort of verification is because of their statement,"If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort." I think Disney can validate accommodations with your provider. Otherwise how else can they determine who is being fraudulent? Thus issues is just stating what your medical issue is, which they don't have to do to just verify accommodations. I think at the park they will still review your information, and give you a DAS, however once the information they need gets back to them and they determined said individual lied, then your DAS gets barred. This is just me speculating. Also didn't mean to make the whole post bold. Typing from my phone

My understanding is Disney won’t risk an ADA violation in any way by asking/reviewing any sort of medical records. Everything has been verbal in the past, it’s not going to change.

i do think they may be tightening up the individual eligibility criteria though…

not based upon ‘having’ whatever disability/medical condition…

But, upon a person’s stated need ‘why’ they actually need a DAS

i am thinking they will start to possibly restrict the # of people permitted on the pass, restricting it to likely 4 + 1 or the number of people in an onsite room/reservation unless are are immediate family.

They don't have to review medical records, but they can verify accommodations. However, I am just speculating with the wording Disney used, with barring people from the Parks if they lied to get a DAS.

 

[Branderson610]

Disney has a lot of information about individual guests that most guests are not aware of.
I wrote in another post why Disney is unlikely to require medical or other information that would be verified. Under the ADA, they can ask guests what needs a person has related to their disability. The registration process could involve asking about needs, which could be verified by information Disney has about guest behavior in the parks.

Some people are aware and others may not be aware of lawsuits filed after GAC (Guest Assistance Cards) were discontinued in 2013 and replaced with DAS. The lawsuit was basically saying the group of people who sued were used to using GAC to immediately enter the Fastpass or alternate entry point and ‘required’ that type of access to be given to them by providing multiple anytime Fastpasses under DAS. They lost their case.
I read their statements and also the testimony, which contained some pretty interesting data Disney had that often contradicted their statements.
I don’t remember all the specifics, but Disney was able to show thing like:
- family reported the DAS user could only be in the park several hours at a time, but pass entry and exit showed they were in the park from open to close on multiple occasions

- child needed to do attractions every visit in a specific order that could not be changed, but Disney could show with attraction entry data that the family did not follow that order on multiple visits.

I’m not sure if this was in the testimony or not, but people who were posting on social media that they could only go to the parks during the quietest times, but also posted their family traditions included visits On Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and other really busy days when they used their GAC to go immediately on multiple headline rides without waiting.

This is extremely interesting, thanks for the info!

 

[Belle1962]

I like the idea of the video chat-it was too nerve wracking in GS with all those people there to listen in on your personal business.

 

[keishashadow]

However, I am just speculating with the wording Disney used, with barring people from the Parks if they lied to get a DAS.

I, too, was mulling that over last night after re-reading the announcement

it strikes me as it’s deliberately vague verbiage “…that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true…”

more of a legal ’out’ that they can fall back upon if egregious behavior is discovered after the DAS has been issued. Do I think they will have fact checkers & enforcement department to review every DAS issued? absolutely not.

As stated earlier, if you are a repeat visitor with past contact with GS, they are readily able to access ’your permanent record’. Anyone on the up & up should have little to worried about other than the remote possibility of them tightening up eligibility IMO.

“What happens if any of the statements made by a Guest in the process of registering for DAS are found to be not true?
If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.”

 

[Branderson610]

I, too, was mulling that over last night after re-reading the announcement

it strikes me as it’s deliberately vague verbiage “…that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true…”

more of a legal ’out’ that they can fall back upon if egregious behavior is discovered after the DAS has been issued. Do I think they will have fact checkers & enforcement department to review every DAS issued? absolutely not.

As stated earlier, if you are a repeat visitor with past contact with GS, they are readily able to access ’your permanent record’. Anyone on the up & up should have little to worried about other than the remote possibility of them tightening up eligibility IMO.

“What happens if any of the statements made by a Guest in the process of registering for DAS are found to be not true?
If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.”

Yes, it will be interesting to see how they are going determine the abuse. I am happy they are going to attempt to try to put a stop to it and offer consequences.

 

[rick1zoo2]

As far as being more prone to abuse, possibly so. However, I also suspect that the process for getting one (as in the information you have to provide) may be changing, given their new explicit warning:

If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.

So my thought on the harsh warning: I think a lot of people didn't know that DAS even existed, we didn't until a year ago on a trip and without FP being available, noticed a lot of people going through a FP lane and asked about it, and the CM explained that it was either ride recovery (when the ride shuts down and everyone in the line gets a FP to return when the ide is back up), club 33, VIP, or DAS. And we asked what DAS was. So putting the announcement out yesterday to the world about the changes to DAS, I think a lot more people will now know about it and may try to get access to it, so putting that harsh warning there will make people think twice about it if they really don't have a situation that would need it.

 

[Disneylover99]

So my thought on the harsh warning: I think a lot of people didn't know that DAS even existed, we didn't until a year ago on a trip and without FP being available, noticed a lot of people going through a FP lane and asked about it, and the CM explained that it was either ride recovery (when the ride shuts down and everyone in the line gets a FP to return when the ide is back up), club 33, VIP, or DAS. And we asked what DAS was. So putting the announcement out yesterday to the world about the changes to DAS, I think a lot more people will now know about it and may try to get access to it, so putting that harsh warning there will make people think twice about it if they really don't have a situation that would need it.

I agree and I also think there are many people who always knew about it and qualified for it based on criteria, but never asked for it/used it because they relied on fp and that was enough for them. But that’s about to change.

 

[Branderson610]

I agree and I also think there are many people who always knew about it and qualified for it based on criteria, but never asked for it/used it because they relied on fp and that was enough for them. But that’s about to change.

This is true, my family mainly relied on fast passes, or After Hour parties for my daughter. Now, I will make sure to get a DAS every trip. Plus we will be purchasing this new service now too since fastpasses are gone.

 

[Evita_W]

I, too, was mulling that over last night after re-reading the announcement

it strikes me as it’s deliberately vague verbiage “…that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true…”

more of a legal ’out’ that they can fall back upon if egregious behavior is discovered after the DAS has been issued. Do I think they will have fact checkers & enforcement department to review every DAS issued? absolutely not.

As stated earlier, if you are a repeat visitor with past contact with GS, they are readily able to access ’your permanent record’. Anyone on the up & up should have little to worried about other than the remote possibility of them tightening up eligibility IMO.

“What happens if any of the statements made by a Guest in the process of registering for DAS are found to be not true?
If Disney determines that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased annual passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.”

Exactly, I think that is there for the YouTubers and toctocers of the world that clearly don't need a DAS and get one and show people how to do so.

I also think it is there to scare people who are thinking about fraudulently getting one from doing so.

 

[bookgirl]

So what I want to know is... when they say (using advance booking) you can't make selections the day off... are they just saying the bookings have to be made in ADVANCE, not day of? Or are they saying that if you book those 2 advance passes, you won't be able to make any more same day?

If I understand the wording (plus watching a Disney Travel Agent talk about it)


You can ADVANCE book two rides up to 48 hours before your park reservation when you do the online registration. After that you can make additional DAY OF selections, while you are in the parks.

If you do not preregister you can only do the Day Of reservation.

Using the preregistration is the only time you can have two DAS entries at once.

All other reservations are made one at a time.

I think getting to start with the two DAS entries is the incentive to do the online registrations.


Also it does look like you can hold a DAS entry and a Online Queue postion at one time. So you could get a Boarding Group for RotR, while you also held a DAS entry for MMRR.

 

[4Hawks]

Also it does look like you can hold a DAS entry and a Online Queue postion at one time. So you could get a Boarding Group for RotR, while you also held a DAS entry for MMRR.

Yeah, it sound like the 2 entries will work like FastPasses used to work. You could hold FPs and one DAS return time at the same time.

 

[Selket]

Exactly, I think that is there for the YouTubers and toctocers of the world that clearly don't need a DAS and get one and show people how to do so.

I also think it is there to scare people who are thinking about fraudulently getting one from doing so.

I watch a couple of YouTube streamers who use a DAS and from what I know of their conditions it's legit but I'm sure there are others where it's not. I agree I think Disney put that language there to be very obvious about what could happen if you try to get the pass and lie about it. Perhaps there are others who figured out a way to use it to conduct paid tours for non-family members? (I think that had happened with the old GAC).

I also agree that many people who have relied on the old FP system to meet their needs will now consider a DAS.

I'm also maybe somewhat ok with the paid "tier 1" pass. I can imagine if I could use it for something like RoTR or the new Remy ride if I missed getting a boarding pass since both are going to be open when I go to WDW next time and I've never ridden them. So I guess at least a person has a way to ride something like that if they haven't lucked out with the boarding pass system.