Disney’s Disability Access System (DAS)
Disney provides a service to assist guests who cannot wait in traditional ride queues, due to an established disability, accommodations to assist with experiencing the attractions. This service is called Disability Access Service or DAS.
DAS recently changed, and if you have used this service in the past, or feel you may need to use it, here is some more information to clarify who it is for, what it is, and who it is not intended for. Please keep in mind that Disney’s accommodations for those with disabilities and/or medical conditions has evolved over the years and is likely not same as when you may have needed it in the past.
Who Is Eligible for DAS
DAS is intended for 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.
Who DAS Is Not Intended For
DAS is not intended for guests with mobility issues that would prevent them from STANDING in a long queue or WALKING in a long queue. As someone who has recently experienced a condition that has limited my ability to stand or walk for long, this hurts! But, this doesn’t mean that Disney doesn’t care about those with mobility issues.
Disney offers both wheelchairs and Electric Conveyance Vehicles (ECV) which are sometimes known as scooters. There are even attractions that allow you to remain in these modes of transportation. Disney also has a list of attractions where you may not be able to take an ECV through the queue, but you can be transferred to a wheelchair or from an ECV to a wheelchair and then to a ride vehicle.
There are some less accessible rides that require you to transfer to a ride vehicle and finally, some that will require you to walk on your own, such as the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse.
You can learn more about other identified medical conditions and how Disney assists with experiencing the parks:
Guests who are neurodivergent
Guests with service animals (Only trained service animals are included. Emotional support animals, comfort animals, or pets are only allowed at pet-friendly Disney resorts.)
Guests who are hearing-impaired or deaf
Guests who are blind or have low vision
How to Register
Even as your travel agent, I cannot register for you. If you or someone in your party may be eligible for DAS, you and/or the eligible guest must register via a live video chat. You can do this as early as 30 days before your trip. There is NO IN-PERSON OPTION at the parks. Guests who wish to apply for DAS during their trip -must do so via a live video chat - even if it’s day of.
The DAS-eligible guest and their immediate family (parents and siblings) or up to 3 additional party members who are not immediate family (4 total) may accompany the guest using the DAS return time for attractions. For example, if your immediate family is 2 parents and 4 children, then 6 guests total can be registered with the DAS eligible guest (the guest and 5 immediate family members). If you also brought along 2 friends, they could not be part of the group. If you just brough the 2 friends and no immediate family, then they could be part of your group. These guests are set up in the registration and cannot change per attraction, per day, or per park.
DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days. Guests will need to re-register once one of these limits is reached.
What DAS Does for Guests
DAS does not provide immediate access to attractions. Guests eligible for DAS are given a return time for a specific attraction that is comparable to the current standby wait, but the guest doesn’t need to wait in the standby queue. They can do something else in the park, rest somewhere, take a walk, or whatever works the best for them. The DAS party returns after the appointed time and taps into the Lightning Lane queue to use the shorter queue.
The guest eligible for DAS must be present when registering for the service and must be present when returning to experience the attraction.
Once guests are registered, they can make return time selections in the My Disney Experience app on the day of the park visit. This can be done as soon as the guests enter the park. Any member of the registered DAS party can make the return times for the whole party, but the DAS-eligible guest must be present to redeem the return time for the attraction.
The DAS party can only have one DAS return time at once. Guests can request another return time for the same or a different attraction 10 minutes after they’ve redeemed their last one. DAS will no longer provide guests two selections a day in advance of the trip.
Why Did DAS Change?
Disney hasn’t officially comment on why, but Disney has said that DAS use has tripled over the last 5 years. The Lightning Lanes have become overflowing which affects DAS guests, guests who purchased Lightning Lane or Genie+, and the standby queues. There have also been many stories about guests sharing how to “beat the system” and qualify for DAS, faking conditions, or even reading verbatim scripts from Reddit to qualify when they showed up at the park.
There are many invisible disabilities and those who have these or have family who have these invisible disabilities and/or developmental disabilities that do create problems to waiting in traditional queues, will still qualify for DAS. Disney is not trying to limit your child with disabilities from accommodations. We suspect that Disney is unfortunately responding to an increased level of abuse that is preventing qualifying guests from receiving the intended benefits of the service.
Who to Contact
You can email a Disney Cast Member who specializes in working with guests who have disabilities here if you have questions. You can also speak with a Cast Member during the registration process.
Genie+, Individual Lightning Lane, & Virtual Queues
While using DAS, you can also opt to purchase Genie+ and/or Individual Lightning Lane to further cut down on your wait times as well as increase the number of attractions you get to experience each day. Since you can only have one DAS selection at a time, adding Genie+ or Individual Lightning Lane can help you to maximize your day.
The Virtual Queues are also still available - though the waits can become lengthy. They are currently being offered for Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind and Tron at Disney World.
Check out my Genie Guide to help you master Genie+ and Lightning Lanes and my Virtual Queue guide to help you get a return time.
