Everything you need to know about DAS Pass

Genie, Individual Lightning Lane, DAS Pass, Mobility access – there are a million things to know about navigating in a Disney Park. When it comes to specific needs and trying to make the Parks as smooth and stress-free as possible, there are many questions that need answers in advance.

Disney has had a long time program known as the DAS Pass to help those with cognitive challenges navigate lines at the Disney Parks. Yesterday, April 9th, 2024 – we learned that Disney is changing the way that they do this program. Update: On April 12th, I called DAS and had an amazing chat with one of their Cast Members. She said that they were not given advance warning – BUT that she feels very confident that every need (including medical) that DAS has been for – will be addressed in some way under the new plan. The biggest difference is it will no longer be a “one size fits all” situation. Disney wants guest satisfaction – and this is no exception.

Look – there are a million opinions about this. Some say – it’s about time. Some say – it’s going to make it so stressful to get this pass. And some say – I’m so confused. ALL feelings are valid – but I can say with confidence that I believe this is going to be a beneficial change for everyone attending a Disney Park in the future!

So firstly, let’s break down what DAS is, and what it isn’t.
DAS stands for Disability Access Service.

What ISN’T DAS?

DAS is NOT a pass for physical concerns like being in a wheelchair, or a broken foot, or things like that. Disney has worked very hard at becoming ADA compliant with all things! If you are looking for a pass to assist you for a mobility issue – this is not that. In our blog post “Wheelchair Accessibility” we talk specifically about navigating a Disney Park (in this case, particularly Disneyland) with a wheelchair.

DAS is also NOT a way to cheat the system and skip the lines. Unfortunately many of the changes that will now be implemented at the Parks are because there has been abuse in getting a DAS Pass. Either being coached and lying through the interview, or charging to use your DAS and escorting through the Park. Disney takes these things extremely seriously and there is a penalty of a lifetime ban in some cases.

What IS DAS?

DAS, at it’s core, is a system that is meant to be for those with a developmental disability, who cannot wait in traditional line ups. Disney has changed their site to read that “this service supports 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”.

Who is eligible?

This, herein, lies the issue with how things have been up til now. Things like Autism and ADHD are clearly allowed. Then there are other things, still unseen, that are covered. Up until this change, many medical issues were also included. Things like Crones, Diabetes, Autoimmune diseases. We want to be extremely careful to 1) Not ever say exactly what’s included, approved, etc and 2) Not get ahead of anything Disney is saying. One of the biggest pieces of advice that I have is to wait for Disney to give more info, and then plan accordingly. At this time, Disney has given minimal info – and the rest is all widely opinions.

We are committed to keeping up to date on info, as well as up to date on processes – and we will update here as much as needed.

How to apply

For guests visiting from April 9th to May 19th, 2024 (WDW) and April 9th to June 17th, 2024 (Disneyland) 
– Pre-arrival conversations to determine eligibility for DAS are available 2-30 days prior to your park visit (note – this is 30 days from the first park day not the day of arrival).
– In-person conversations to determine eligibility for DAS will continue to be at Guest Relations Locations (located in all 6 Disney Parks).
– 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 registration. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.

After May 19th/June 17th

Check back here when we have more info!

The process

Step One: Register. 
Currently you can do this in advance or in person at the Park.

In advance:
Search for “DAS” on the app. This happens on a browser or through the app, that then directs you to a browser. At this time, it is very common to have long wait times AND it is very common to have the call dropped. This can be frustrating, especially when you are coordinating times with a child or someone else. My suggestion is go on mid morning, or right after opening (7am (EST) WDW and 9am (PST) Disneyland. Plan for it to take a few hours. Leave the browser open, put the sound on, and go about your day. You will hear a sound when it’s your turn. They will ask you why you believe you are eligible. Be honest with your reasons.
If you are approved, they will take a photo of the person that needs DAS.
(note – in many cases, parents don’t want their kids to be around for the interview questions for various reasons (the trip is a surprise, or you don’t want them to hear you talk about their disability, for example).  It should be ok to explain that to the Cast Member, do the questions, and have them come in for a photo at the end.

Step 2: Request a Return time
You can pre-select 2 rides (at this time) for a return window. Pro tip: You can tap in 6 minutes before the hour starts and up to 10 min late without issue.
The times are set – you don’t often get a say. Just pick the times that they have, and don’t worry too much.

A few guidelines:
– Don’t pick a time within the first 2 hours of Park opening, since lines are low any way.
– Be mindful of Advance Dining Reservations and locations of where you are picking.

Some rides to consider:
Magic Kingdom: Big Thunder, Haunted Mansion, Pirates of the Caribbean.
Animal Kingdom: Safari, Na’vi River, Kali River, DINOSAUR.
EPCOT: Soarin’, Test Track.
Hollywood Studios: Slinky Dog, Tower of Terror, Rockin’ Rollercoaster.
Disneyland: Big Thunder, Matterhorn, Space Mountain.
DCA: Guardians, Goofy’s Sky School, Toy Story Mania, Grizzly Rapids and Soarin’.

Other things to consider:
It’s a good idea to be mindful of things that might be of extra concern – lines that are dark (like PIrates) or extra noisy (Indiana Jones) or tight spaces (Space Mountain hallways).
Some of the more popular rides aren’t available as pre-selections but they WILL be available once in the Park. The rides that you pre-plan for are also going to really depend on the person you are getting DAS for!

Exceptions: Anything with a virtual queue (Tron and Guardians at the moment) you must first acquire the virtual queue. Then when your boarding group is called, see a cast member with an ipad and they will have you go through the ILL lane.

Step 3: Using DAS on the day of
DAS will only be able to be used when you are physically IN a Park. Once you scan in, you can select a ride. There are some rides that aren’t available with Genie+ (but are with DAS)- and there are also characters and shows included.  One of the greatest benefits is that you aren’t limited to using it once per day – you can select the same attraction as many times as you please!

Note – if you use regular DAS for a ride you have a pre-selection for later in the day, that will override the pre-selection and be gone. However, if that works best for your day flow, don’t be afraid to change your plans!

You cannot “stack” DAS. You pick a ride – and then that stays as your selection until you use it, at which time you can choose another one. In most cases, the wait time that you will experience is the exact same amount of time as the rest of those in your party. If it’s 9am, and the ride wait time says 45 min – your return time will likely be anytime after 9:45am. You can ride it then, and pick another – or you can go to a show then go to the ride at 1pm!

If you are park hopping, you can’t pre-select a ride over at the other park. If you are taking a break at your hotel, the same rule applies.

Is Genie+ necessary if I have DAS?

This is widely subjective. Some reasons why we suggest considering adding Genie+ to your DAS.
1) If you have a party larger than 4 people.
2) If the person applying for DAS wants to ride back-to-back rides and never have to wait. Remember that if your return time is quite long – you can grab something to eat, explore – but if you want to ride something, it’s nice to have that as an option to shorten the line.

What you need to know about DAS

DAS is intended to accommodate a small percentage of 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.
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 stand by wait.
The Guest who is requesting to use DAS must be present during registration and experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time.

The Changes

Along with updating the accessibility services websites for both Parks, Disney has:
1. Added more Cast Members and invested in specialized training on each coast to help guests identify and better understand the recommended tools and options, based on their needs.

2. The Accessibility Services teams at the Parks are able to assist guests with questions.
3. They are teaming with Inspire Health Alliance’s health professionals, to help Cast Members, as needed, determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations and ensures that these accommodations are provided only for the guests for whom they are intended.
4. We will make efforts to preserve the DAS for those it’s intended to accommodate – They are extending DAS enrollment from 30 days to 60-120 days.
The parties have changed from accommodating 6 guests – to no more than four, except for immediate family members.
5. After June 18th you will no longer be able to set up DAS in person at Disneyland.

There has been a lot of other “info” swirling about. Needing proof of diagnosis, reducing how many pre-selections to be able to choose.

And then with this announcement comes many, many questions – particularly around the needs of those with disabilities that previously was accepted. It sounds like there will be something along the lines of a “return time” pass. We will have more info as it’s rolled out – and we will update here as needed!

What are your thoughts about DAS? As always, we’d love to hear from you!
Have a magical day,
Erica, Heidi, Elisia and Danielle