Disney Tips Your Guide To A Great Disney Vacation
Although The Walt Disney Company has made leaps and bounds in the name of inclusion and representation, some of the practices at the theme parks leave much to be desired. The DAS system at places like Disneyland and the Walt Disney World Resort has undergone a massive shift that is proving to do more harm than good.
Credit: Inside the Magic
After a major restructuring earlier this year, the DAS system has become much more limited to guests with other conditions, such as developmental and neurological disorders. Although this might aid many guests visiting the parks, it has proven to hinder the experience of others whose conditions might not be as prevalent or obvious.
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TikTok creator and Disney influencer Rylie Shaw is a Disney fan who suffers from narcolepsy, a condition where individuals are prone to fatigue, fainting, and sleeping disorders. In the footage below, she displays how the DAS system failed her and likely others with similar neurological disorders that greatly hinder one’s day at the parks.
Disney DAS: Disappointing and Shameful
@rylie_shaw The aftermath of a long day like this was not pretty 😬- it sucks that Disney chose to get rid of the DAS pass and it definitely made my day much less fun and a lot more draining :/ #disney #disneyland #daspass #narcolepsy #sleepdisorder #narcolepsyawareness
As described by the creator above, her condition severely limits her ability to stand or remain upright for a long time. Because of the current DAS system’s lack of accessibility, Shaw was at a severe disadvantage when it came to experiencing all the magic Disney has to offer.
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The influencer is one of thousands who suffer from this condition, and she is likely not the only one who is also a Disney fan. Additionally, she is likely not the only Disney fan who will likely reconsider their next trip to the parks, given the treatment of those with disabilities outside the new coverage.
According to Disney’s official rules, the DAS system only adheres to the following conditions.
“DAS is intended to accommodate only those 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.”
“DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.”
“The Guest for which DAS is being requested must be present during registration and must experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at the Disneyland theme parks.”
For a system meant to ensure the enjoyment of all guests, the DAS is severely limited compared to the one that came before. Guests with disabilities not outrightly mentioned in the DAS information will be accommodated differently, but they also might not get the aid they need, as Shaw displayed in her coverage.
Not a Good Look
Credit: Inside the Magic
It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that instances like these do not paint Disney in a good light. For a brand that so feverishly pushes the idea of fun for everyone, these reports don’t represent that maxim.
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With Disney already in a scandalous legal battle involving accommodating guests with allergies, it might not be long before those in need of the DAS system also find themselves on the wrong end of the spear. Hopefully, someone at the House of Mouse will get the message before it’s too late
Has the DAS system affected your trip to the parks? Tell us in the comments down below.
My daughter no longer qualifies for the DAS pass. We are supposed to request accommodations if necessary. This required splitting our family so that my daughter could rest, while the others continued to queue. Then we had to call our daughter to join us in line when we reached the lightning lane merge area. This was problematic when it was just me and my two girls. I did not want to leave either one alone in order to queue. I never bothered finding out what other options they had because they always asked that my daughter queue until she couldn’t. They refused to understand that she could not queue in the first place. We do not plan to return to Disney.
I have chronic kidney disease and as such have to use the restroom quickly and unforeseen times. I do solo trips and as such ques don’t work for me as I have no one to stand in the line for me. I also have additional medical issues that make ques had for me. I attempted a que last month and had to leave due to a diabetic attack (I was taken to the First Aid station). Logic has left the brains of those running WDW now. Seems as if they only care about those that sue them!
I have a diagnosis of cyclical vomiting syndrome and I also have a spastic colon. I need to be able to use the rest room immediately when either occurs. My diagnosis has dismissed me from jury duty. Yet I can’t visit Disney for fear of what would happen in line or not being able to return in the designated time of 20 minutes. Always before I was able to use the disability system and enjoy my day. I was a frequent park visitor to Disneyland as week as Disney World but now I’m not sure I can visit.