Differently-abled guests can make their next visit to a Disney theme park less stressful with the help of the Disability Access Service. Find out how to utilize this handy service ahead of your next trip.
Visiting a Disney theme park at Walt Disney World or Disneyland and have a disability? You may be able to enlist the help of Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS), a program designed to help individuals in need of accommodations enjoy their day at the park. It can enable you to avoid waiting in crowds and long lines, as well as navigate the park with ease.
While Disney’s DAS is available for all guests with disabilities, it does require interested participants to register with the resort in order to utilize its benefits. As such, it’s designed specifically for those individuals with disabilities of varying types. Learn more about who can register, how eligibility is determined, and how the Disney DAS differs at Disney World versus Disneyland below.
What is Disney’s Disability Access Service?
Designed to be an assistance program for guests with disabilities and their families, the Disney Disability Access Service, or DAS, can help those who have difficulties waiting in line. Available at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks, DAS allows registered guests and their families to skip the process of physically waiting in a queue; instead, guests can spend time elsewhere in the park, then return to an attraction at a designated time.
DAS is not like Lighting Lanes, though. While guests who use DAS technically get to “skip the line,” they’re merely skipping the act of standing in line. DAS return times are typically equal to whatever an attraction’s current standby wait time is. It simply offers the flexibility to wait away from crowds and allows guests to avoid physically standing in a queue.
When it’s time for a DAS-registered guest to return to an attraction, the Lightning Lane entrance is used, allowing them to spend little to no time in the queue.
What is a DAS Pass?
If you’re familiar with Disney’s DAS in the form of “DAS pass” or “DAS card,” you aren’t alone. These are two common ways guests refer to the DAS program. While there’s no physical card or pass handed out today, it’s some leftover phrasing from years ago when DAS guests did actually receive a physical pass.
So, while some may still call it a “DAS pass,” today DAS is digital and able to be used via the My Disney Experience app, the Disneyland app, or your MagicBand.
Who Can Use Disney’s Disability Access Service?
As the Disney World DAS information page explains, this program is designed to support and accommodate a “small percentage” of guests who have developmental disabilities like autism or similar, who cannot wait in a queue for extended periods of time. According to the Disney World website, “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.”
Any guest with a disability that may make standing in queues or crowds challenging can enlist the help of Disney’s DAS at Disney World or Disneyland. However, it’s important to note that guests do need to register in order to take advantage of the service – and their eligibility will be confirmed during that process.
Guests with both visible and less visible disabilities can register for DAS. If you have a disability that may affect your park experience, it’s worth considering whether DAS would be beneficial or helpful to you in the theme parks.
Wondering whether you should register for Disney DAS if you use a wheelchair? While you certainly can do so, guests in wheelchairs may not need DAS. If your primary worry is how you’ll board attractions or wait in queues in your wheelchair, just check with Cast Members at each attraction. Many queues can accommodate wheelchairs and scooters; if not, Cast Members can offer different accessibility options, such as using an alternate entrance.
Additionally, if you’re planning to register for DAS at either Disney World or Disneyland, you will be able to include others in your party. So, whether it’s a parent/guardian, siblings, or others in your party who will need to use DAS along with the individual with a disability, Disney does allow up to six people total (the registered guest plus five additional people) – though this will drop down to four people total when changes to DAS are implemented in summer 2024.
How Does Disney Determine Who’s Eligible for DAS?
Eligibility for Disney’s DAS will be determined during the registration process. Whether you opt to pre-register ahead of your visit or register in person (more on this below), the Cast Member you speak with will assess your situation on a case-by-case basis.
The guest who is requesting DAS does need to be present, and they will need to describe the accommodations needed in the theme park. For example, you can specify if you need quiet areas to wait versus waiting in crowded, noisy queues; you can also specify if you need to bring a stroller onto the attraction loading area. You (or your family) can get as specific as necessary to explain the types of accommodations that will work best for your needs.
Cast Members do not need to see a doctor’s note or know too many details about their specific disabilities in order to determine their eligibility for DAS. The program can be adapted to suit your situation as long as you can provide details about what you need.
Just keep in mind that in summer 2024, the process of determining guest eligibility for DAS may change. According to reporter Scott Gustin, Disney will begin to partner with Inspire Health Alliance and their health professionals to help Cast Members determine DAS eligibility when necessary. This change will take effect on May 20 at Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland.
How to Register for DAS at Walt Disney World Resort
The registration process for DAS at Disney World is pretty quick and straightforward. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and a Cast Member will walk you through each step.
Guests visiting any of Disney World’s four theme parks can pre-register for Disney’s DAS anywhere from two to 30 days in advance of their arrival date. During the pre-registration process, guests will participate in a live video chat with a Cast Member, who will determine eligibility for the program. Guests who require a screen reader or text chat can still participate in these pre-registration calls, as the service is designed for those with visual and hearing disabilities, too.
Once you’re approved and registered, the Cast Member will book two Advance Selections for you and your party for each day of your visit.
If you don’t choose to pre-register, you can register for DAS at a Guest Services location within any of the four theme parks. Just note that if you don’t pre-register, you’ll need to make your DAS attraction return time selections in the My Disney Experience app; no Advance Selections will be made for you. Alternatively, you can also visit an attraction, Guest Relations, or any Guest Experience Team umbrella to get a return time.
Changes for DAS at Disney World
In April 2024, Disney announced changes to the DAS registration process at Disney World. Starting May 20, 2024, Disney World theme parks no longer allow in-person registration for DAS. Guests are instead required to confirm their eligibility before their trip via a virtual pre-registration process.
Here’s how that new pre-registration process works for DAS at Disney World:
- Guests can register via live video chat
- Video chats can be scheduled from two to 30 days in advance of your visit
- The guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will need to participate in registration
When these changes take effect, in-person DAS registration is no longer available at Disney World.
There’s another big change to note, too: With the switch to pre-arrival registration video calls, the opportunity to book two Advance Selections for you and your party is no longer available. You’ll now rely on your My Disney Experience app during your visit to make your selections through DAS.
How to Register for DAS at Disneyland Resort
Like Disney World’s process, the registration process for DAS at Disneyland is relatively simple. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes, and a Cast Member will walk you through each step.
Guests can register for DAS at Disneyland either via a live video chat – the same process used at Disney World –or in-person at Guest Relations in Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park.
If you use the live video chat option to pre-register for DAS at Disneyland, once you’re registered, a Cast Member will help you book two Advance Selections for you and your party.
If you don’t pre-register, you will not get those two Advance Selections. Instead, you’ll need to make your DAS attraction return time selections in the Disneyland app.
Changes for DAS at Disneyland
In April 2024, Disney announced changes to the DAS registration process at Disneyland. Starting June 18, 2024, guests will have two new ways to register and confirm their eligibility for DAS:
- Guests can register via live video chat
- Video chats can be scheduled as soon as 30 days in advance of your visit
- The guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will need to participate in registration
When these changes take effect, in-person DAS registration will no longer be available inside the two theme parks at Disneyland. However, there will be an in-person Accessibility Services window on the esplanade that can be utilized before you enter either park.
There’s another big change to note, too: With the switch to pre-arrival registration video calls, the opportunity to book two Advance Selections for you and your party will no longer be available. You’ll rely on your Disneyland app during your visit to make your selections through DAS.
How Long is DAS Valid for at Disney Theme Parks?
Once you’ve gone through the registration process, you’re eligible to utilize DAS at Disneyland for 60 days – though this is changing to 30 days for those who register between now and June 17.
Once the new DAS changes take effect June 2024 at Disneyland, guests will have 120 days to use Disney’s DAS. At Disney World, that new 120 days to use rule is currently in effect.
Frequently Asked Questions About DAS
With the new changes, there have been quite a few questions about how everything will work. Here are the answers to a few of the most frequently asked questions about the new DAS at Disney World and Disneyland.
Is DAS issued at Disney World valid at Disneyland (and vice versa)?
No, DAS is only valid at the park it was issued for. DAS issued at Disney World is not valid at Disneyland, and vice versa.
What happens if any statements made while registering for DAS are false?
Disney has shared that if any statements made in the process of obtaining DAS are found to not be 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.”
Can you hold more than one active DAS return time at one time?
No, you may only have one DAS return time at a time. A guest can obtain another return time for the same or different attraction 10 minutes after they redeem one selection.
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