DAS, or Disability Access Service, is a complimentary service for guests with disabilities at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort. Wondering how to register for & use DAS at Disney? You’ve come to the right place! My son is a DAS user, as he has an intellectual disability that makes waiting in traditional lines challenging for him. We have experience with it at both Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Let’s dive into what it is, what it isn’t, and how to register for DAS as well as use it!
What is DAS?
DAS is designed for guests with disabilities who have trouble waiting in a traditional queue. Simply put, DAS allows users to select an attraction and obtain a return time. When the return time is reached, they can enter through the Lightning Lane queue (if applicable) or an alternate entry if there is no Lightning Lane queue, bypassing the traditional queue set up. The return time is based upon the current wait time. While waiting for your return time, you may experience other attractions, eat, or enjoy the park however you wish. You may hold one DAS selection at a time, and request another one once you redeem your first selection. There is no limit to how many DAS selections you can make in a day. It can also be used in conjunction with Genie+.
What Disabilities Qualify for DAS? What Disabilities Don’t Qualify for DAS?
Who qualifies for DAS is entirely up to the Cast Members’ discretion! The below information is what generally does and doesn’t qualify for DAS, but please remember it is ultimately up to the Cast Members. Do not argue with Cast Members if you are declined DAS.
Those who have trouble waiting in traditional queues typically qualify for DAS. For example, guests with autism, anxiety, etc. where waiting in a queue is difficult may qualify. I have also heard of guests with IBS, ulcerative colitis, etc. being granted DAS due to needing to step out to use a restroom at a moment’s notice. Conditions that are worsened by prolonged sun exposure may also qualify. Keep in mind that all this is dependent upon the Cast Member you speak with when registering.
Disabilities that don’t qualify for DAS include mobility-related disabilities, as queues are generally designed to handle wheelchairs and ECVs. If a queue cannot handle a wheelchair or ECV, you’ll be issued a return time. Inquire with a Cast Member at each attraction for further info.
How Do I Register for DAS?
If you think you or someone in your party qualifies for DAS, you have two options to register! First, you can pre-register prior to your arrival online! The second option involves speaking to a Cast Member in person.
DAS Pre-Registration
DAS pre-registration can be time consuming, especially as this service is not available 24/7 and the DAS user must be available for a video chat – double check the hours on the Disney website! This means if the DAS user is school aged and a parent/guardian is setting it up on their behalf, the minor must be home and able to show their face for a brief moment! If the DAS user is an adult and needs to make the call during work hours, make sure to try to do the call first thing in the morning as wait times are generally shorter then.
For both Disneyland Resort & Walt Disney World Resort, between 2-30 days of your arrival, log on to Disney’s site and make sure everyone in your party is linked with valid park admission. Navigate to the DAS section of the website and request a live video chat. Double check the hours this service is available, and make sure to carve out a good chunk of your day because wait times can be long! The Cast Member will ask a series of questions to determine your eligibility, and ask to see the guest who will be using DAS. They will snap a quick picture of the user. You will then be able to select up to 2 return times for attractions for each day you’ll be visiting a park. In my experience, you tell them what attractions you’re interested in, and they’ll present you with a list of return times to choose from.
Once you’ve started your vacation and you’ve scanned into the first park, you’ll be able to use the My Disney Experience app (at Walt Disney World) or the Disneyland app to navigate to the DAS section, and select a return time for any listed attraction. Attractions that are temporarily closed due to a breakdown are unavailable to be selected. I also have noticed that some character meet & greets are not included – for example, characters that are around World Showcase like Belle near France, Jasmine in Morocco, and Alice or Mary Poppins in the UK are not available as DAS selections. Character meet & greets with permanent meet & greet locations, like Mickey on Main Street, U.S.A., or Anna & Elsa in Norway, are available as DAS selections!
DAS Registration in the Parks
DAS Registration in the theme parks is pretty simple. Just walk up to Guest Relations at one of the parks, or one of the Guest Experience locations located under the blue umbrellas, and inquire about registering for DAS. This route typically won’t get you the two Lightning Lane experiences that pre-registering does, but this route definitely has less of a wait time! Just keep in mind that just like with pre-registration, granting DAS registration is still up to Cast Members’ discretion, and the DAS user must be present. This option is also handy if you need to get a stroller red tagged as a wheelchair, as that cannot be done online or in advance.
Renewing DAS
DAS is valid for up to 60 days, and once that 60 days is up you’ll need to re-register. Re-registering can be done online or in person on your next visit. The process is the same as outlined above, whichever way you choose to do it, and is again up to Cast Members’ discretion.
Using A Stroller as A Wheelchair
If your child needs to use their stroller as a wheelchair, you can request to have it red tagged. The red tag goes around the stroller frame and lets other Cast Members throughout the parks know that the stroller is being used as a wheelchair. This allows you to take the stroller throughout any queue, into any restaurant, theater, and any location where a wheelchair would go. It also means that you don’t need to fold it in situations where you’d normally be asked to fold it (unless it doesn’t fit, like a double stroller on a Skyliner, for example).
In addition to guests with physical disabilities needing to red tag their stroller, those with intellectual disabilities may find it helpful to red tag their stroller. My son has several sensory sensitivities and finds his stroller a nice escape from the noise and crowds of other guests in lines. He also has a tendency to run or drop to the floor when he’s overstimulated, so keeping him contained is important from a safety perspective.
Some queues, especially at Disneyland, are older and physically cannot accommodate a stroller/wheelchair. In this case, you’ll be directed to wait in an alternate area. At Epcot, a good example of this is Spaceship Earth. The queue & boarding area are tiny. Guests using a wheelchair or stroller as a wheelchair will enter through the exit. Double check with a Cast Member as you’ll often need a return time. At Disneyland, Space Mountain is a ride where those in wheelchairs or strollers as wheelchairs will need to visit the exit. Double check with a Cast Member as you may need a return time.
Selecting and Redeeming DAS Selections
Selecting and redeeming DAS selections is now super easy as it is done entirely through the My Disney Experience app or Disneyland app! First, enter the park. Once you’re registered for DAS (either by pre-registering or by visiting Guest Relations or the Guest Experience team), scroll down to the Disability Access Service section. Then, select the attraction you’d like to get a return time for. Select the members of your party who will be experiencing the attraction. Confirm, and you’re all set!
You can go to the attraction anytime beginning with the return time showing in the app. There is no “must return by” time – you can use it at any time after the return time! The only exception to this is if you’ve pre-registered and you have those two Lightning Lane selections from the pre-registration process – those count as Lightning Lane selections, not as DAS selections. Make sure to pay attention to the specific return times so you don’t miss those! Of course, if you are using DAS for a show, you’ll want to make sure you make it to the show on time as well.
To redeem your DAS selection, simply scan in at the attraction, either at the Lightning Lane entry, or with a Cast Member if there is no Lightning Lane entrance. The DAS user must scan first, then everyone else will scan afterwards. Once everyone is scanned, you’ll be able to select another DAS selection from the app! Sometimes there are two scanning checkpoints (Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is one that requires two scans, for example), so you may have to wait to make an additional selection until you scan twice.
Sometimes there are glitches where the system hasn’t registered that you’ve scanned and it won’t allow you to make an additional selection. If this happens, just ask a Cast Member! They’re more than happy to help you out.
Another special consideration is for any attractions that are using a virtual queue only and do not offer standby (at publication, this is just Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind). DAS users must still join the virtual queue. When the virtual queue is called, just head to the Lightning Lane entry instead of the standby entry. If there are any issues, speak with a Cast Member at the attraction!
