What You Need to Know about DAS Advance
DAS Advance is an additional policy to help Disney make vacations easier for guests visiting with disabilities. In this article we’ll cover everything you need to know, from what it is, to how to use it, to some special situations.
Last updated/republished August 9, 2023
First Things First
- What is DAS? DAS is the Disability Access Service. It is designed to allow guests that cannot tolerate queues well to wait for the attractions in a more comfortable setting.
- Who qualifies for DAS? Any guest that has a disability that prevents them from waiting in the traditional queue. I will not list reasons or diagnoses here because that promotes abuse of the system. If you need it, you know.
- Does a mobility challenge qualify for a DAS? No, most of the queues are large enough to hold a wheelchair or ECV. The couple of attractions that do not fit a wheelchair or ECV have a system that will give you a return time to enter their alternative entrance.
- The Cast Members in Guest Services are asking very direct questions about how a DAS will help you. There is no longer wiggle room. I’m hearing of guests that used to get it “just this time” that have been turned down.
What is DAS Advance?
DAS Advance is a tool that will help you be ready to enjoy the parks the moment you arrive. There are two different parts to the program. The first is a way to set up your DAS before you arrive at the parks. The second is to allow you to make two DAS Advance Selections each day that you have a Park Pass (theme park reservation).
DAS Advance Registration
- The DAS Advance registration will be done on video chat. Think Zoom call or FaceTime.
- The guest that needs the DAS must be on the video chat.
- Link all guests that will be at the parks with you to your My Disney Experience account.
- Link all valid theme park admission for each member of your party.
- If you will also be choosing DAS Advance Selections (which I highly recommend you do) make sure every member of your party has valid entry to the parks and a theme park reservation.
DAS Advance Selections
- These are made by a Cast Member while registering your DAS or using a live chat link if your DAS is current.
- These are attractions that can be reserved 2 to 30 days before your visit. You may choose 2 for each day you have valid theme park admission and a theme park reservation.
- Selections are subject to availability.
- The attractions available are the Genie+ attractions, not the Individual Lightning Lane or virtual queue attractions.
- The Individual Lightning Lane attractions (Rise of the Resistance, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, etc.) can still be scheduled through DAS the traditional way, unless there is a virtual queue (like Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy).
- A DAS Advance Selection is a one-hour return window. This is different than a return time, which is open-ended.
- You can use traditional DAS return times (even after Genie+ begins) in addition to your DAS Advance Selections. THIS IS HUGE!!
- If your DAS is still active and you have more Park Passes reserved, you can join a chat link to request more DAS Advance Selections. You will not need the video chat or your guest using the DAS to be with you for this.
Details for Both.
- You must register no later than 2 days or up to 30 days before you arrive.
- If you do not use DAS Advance, Do Not Panic–you can still register or renew upon arrival at the parks and get return times in person.
How to Access DAS Advance?
If you are not signed in to your My Disney Experience account, it’s easiest to do that now. If you don’t have an account, you will need it to proceed.
You must have a valid theme park entry and a theme park reservation for each member of your traveling party.
For Registering and Renewing a DAS through the Disney Web Site
- Visit disneyworld.disney.go.com, hover over Help and Rules, then scroll down and click on Guests with Disabilities.
- Look for the section called Disability Access Service, then click the blue Learn More link.
- Scroll down until you see purple circles with the three steps shown (Register, Request a Return Time, Enjoy the park).
- Click the blue Read More link under the registration circle.
- Scroll down and click pre-register virtually with a Cast Member via live video chat.
- Scroll Down to the Terms and Conditions blue button. If your DAS is not current, click that button, then read the terms, click that you understand, and click the next button.
- Scroll down to the Request Live Video Call button.
- You will be asked a series of questions about the dates you plan to visit the parks and your travel party.
- After you answer those questions, you will be entered into a chat window to wait for your video call.
- Once your agent connects the video, they will ask how a DAS will help you and other questions that help them know the best way to help you–including letting you know if you need a stroller to wheelchair tag etc.
- If they decide a DAS is your best tool, they will talk you through the DAS Advance Selections. Knowing what you would like to do is all you need to know; they get it all in the system.
- A DAS is current for 60 days. Then you must renew using the same process or in person.
- The DAS Advance Selection will show in your plans on the My Disney Experience App.
If you’re using the MyDisneyExperience app, the steps are similar.
- Click the magnifying glass at the bottom of the screen and search for DAS.
- Click on the link for Disability Access Service.
- Scroll down and click pre-register virtually with a Cast Member via live video chat.
- Once you click this link, you’ll be directed to the website where you can follow steps 6 through 13 above.
For DAS Advance Selections–If Your DAS Is Current
- Because of a form that will need to be filled out during this process, I suggest using the website instead of the MyDisneyExperience app.
- If using the website, hover over Help and Rules, then scroll down and click on Guests with Disabilities.
- Look for Disability Access Service, then click the blue Learn More link.
- Scroll past the terms and conditions until you see Next Step: Planning the DAS, then click the blue DAS Advance planning options link.
- Scroll down to the Request Live Chat button.
- You will be entered in a chat box.
- When you are chatting with an agent, they will send you a form for your contact information. On that form there is a space for a reservation number. They do not need that; feel free to leave it blank.
- After the form is filled out (this form allows them to get into your MDE account), they will ask which attractions you would like at the first park you have a registration for.
- They will give you up to 3 times to choose from, based on availability. Then they repeat the process with the second attraction.
- After they have finished, the DAS Advance Selections will show in your plans on the My Disney Experience App.
- It’s quick and easy once you get in. They do all the work.
Questions
I don’t have time and my family member that needs the DAS definitely doesn’t have patience for a long wait time; what if I can’t get through before my 2 day window closes?
Unfortunately, you would not be able to use DAS Advance. I completely understand how frustrating that would be, but don’t panic. The DAS system can still be accessed in person at the parks, just like before the DAS Advance upgrade.
Is there a difference between a return time and a DAS Advance Selection?
Yes, The DAS Advance Selection is the attraction you pre-register for. It has a one-hour window and is based on availability.
A return time is a virtual wait in line based on the current standby wait. You may have one at a time, in addition to the DAS Advance Selection.
Can I use DAS with Genie+?
Yes, Genie+ and DAS work well together. If much of your party likes attractions that the DAS holder doesn’t, looking into Genie+ and Individual Lightning Lanes is even better. However, Genie+ is a service that costs $15 or more per person per day. The DAS is separate and does not mean you get Genie+ for free.
Can I get a return time for an attraction with a virtual queue?
No, you can’t get a return time or DAS Advance for a virtual queue. You can use the Lightning Lane after your boarding pass is called.
The wait times to get to the chats and video calls are long, I waited 6 hours and 37 minutes to get set up.
Please feel free to ask any questions in the comments!
First published October 15, 2021
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This makes me incredibly angry that some people “fake” a disability in order to get DAS. I read somewhere (think it was a Tom Bricker article) that some touring companies were telling their clients to say they had IBS in order to get DAS. So now I am guessing that I will have to be very specific and disclose very personal information about my bladder and bowel functions if I want to be assured of getting DAS. I hope karma gets those unscrupulous lying people.
Hi….I have 8 people on my vacation in April 2024……..Will Disney allow the 8 people on my DAS? WIll they allow me to book all 8 with my advanced selections?
ty
The DAS holder + 5 (3 and older). Children under 3 do not count in the party of 6 total. I was a CM for DAS and Disney is strict about the amount of people allowed with the DAS.
I found the process of registering and renewing a DAS through the Disney website to be user-friendly and streamlined. The instructions were clear, making it easy for guests with disabilities to access the service without any hitches. Disney’s commitment to inclusivity and accessibility shines through in this digital experience. It’s reassuring to know that they prioritize the needs of all their guests.
“The wait times to get to the chats and video calls are long, I waited 6 hours and 37 minutes”
That’s astonishing… unbelievable.
I agree; in the beginning, it was truly ridiculous. I’ve been hearing that the wait times are much improved. I’ll be testing it when my son’s DAS needs to be renewed in 56 days.
We are going to Dianeyland and have a package of room and tickets at the Grand Californian. tjey won’t acually have the tickets until 4 days prior to arrival so we can’t link tickets before then. Can we do our interview for advance DAS at an earlier date and if approved call later when we actually have the tickets available? Thanks
Hi Jim, Definitely do your interview now. Once you have the DAS and your tickets are linked, it’s easy to schedule the DAS advance on the computer. Have a great time!
If we get through to DAS advance 30 days ahead of our first park day and are approved, can we make the advance selections for all of our park days or just the first day that is 30-days out? Will the CM book all of our days or do we need to join the online chat each day to book them one day at a time? I want to book as soon as possible for optimal time selections. Thanks.
Hi Michelle! The cast member will set you up for your whole vacation.
If for some reason you don’t get through, when you set up your DAS in person ask for DAS advance for your 3rd day through the rest of your vacation. Have a great time!!
How do we add the DAS prebooked passes to our Touring Plans itinerary so it can be factored in to optimizing the plan?
Wondering this as well.
How do you make selections day of when you do the advanced DAS?
Hi Gabriela, The advance DAS Selections and the day of DAS act seperately. The DAS Advance will show up on the MDE app in your plans as soon as you make them. Day of uses the app in the park only, and will not interfere with the times of your Advance DAS Selections. I hope this helps!
i have a DAS with 2 pre registered ride selections when can i make another one DAS ride selection, once we are in the park?
I I believe that I read that we can hold our 2 pre registered ride selections + 1 additional DAS but when can I book that additional one, once we are in the park? At park opening? Or two hours after park opening?
Also, my grandson holds an existing DAS pass that is still active since his last trip was just 35 days ago. Since he is showing on my friends and family with My DAS pass, would he also be able to schedule a DAS ride selection or since he is already on mine does that count as he is right selection to? I hope this makes sense I just can’t find these answers anywhere. Thank you so much in advance.
How do the two return times for the DAS pass now fit in with touringplans itineraries? Is there an option on there to add what return times or even the lighting Lane times we get?
Also any idea how people like me from the U.K. do the video chat. Unfortunately we are taken always to the .co.uk Disney pages whenever we try
I was “lucky” enough to pre-register last night after a 2+ hour chat. I just started the chat, turned off hibernation on my computer, and checked back every 15-20 minutes or so. However, I’m curious how to incorporate this into my touring plan. I don’t see a good way to do this. Seems like it could be added like the old fast passes were. Please advise.
Hi have registered for DAS and have made my 2 advance ride selections already. Our arrival window for most of those rides are later in the day. So do I have to wait until I ride those attractions before I can make another DAS reservation? Or will I be able to make selections as soon as I arrive in the park? Do I need to to purchase Genie plus as well? What are the benefits and how would that work? Thanks
Sadly, I have been trying since my 30 day point (I am a planner with the disability aspect of all vacations) I continuously get kicked out/logged out and have spent every day for the last 15 days from 7 am to 10 pm trying to get a call. I keep getting told they are busy…. This would be a lot better if they allowed for interview times as well to choose from.
Hi
On the day will Das be, as before, 1 at a time, or if there is a 2 hr period in between, you can book another? We will be going at Christmas so there could be big delays on return times
Where can I find more information on how the same-day self-selection tool in MDE will work? Is it already in effect? I was wondering if there are any particular tips, so I don’t get overwhelmed in the parks. Thanks
Amy-How are you successful at securing the advanced registration? Did you do it on an iPhone? Desktop computer? Or iPad? I wonder if it’s because I have been trying on my iPhone, and my desktop at the same time. Thus, logged in on two different devices. Wonder if that’s messing it up
Thanks for the reply Aimee’! Would you try on multiple devices?
Also, if you do the genie plus, is it true that you can only ride for example splash Mountain one time in the lightning Lane?
I tried all weekend to no avail to schedule video chat with a CM. Sunday, finally made it to the initial pre registered form, then to you be told hold for a CM TO do the video chat. I was on my phone & iPad from 8am -10pm. No Castmember ever came on to do the video chat. Complete failure of DAS SYSTEM!!! I understand it just launched, but, we arrive the 1st and really need to set it up. We get it for our daughter, and have since it began. That’s not going to be a problem. Getting told by agent to just set up das at the park is infuriating after this weekend. Shame on Disney for not staffing or being more helpful. No person has the time to be tethered to their phone all day, only to not be successful at setting the advance pass up.
Any advice Amy? I’m exhausted
I really wish I had advice!
I agree the roll out is a mess. The good news is the DAS will still work as it currently is, but I completely understand that that doesn’t make up for a day of waiting with no results.
I would give them a week before trying again. Just make sure you don’t go past the 29th if your trip is the first. Also, start at exactly 7:00 am ET. Good Luck!!
I tried all weekend to no avail to schedule video chat with a CM. Sunday, finally made it to the initial pre registered form, then to you be told hold for a CM TO do the video chat. I was on my phone & iPad from 8am -10pm. No Vm ever came on to do the video chat. Complete failure of DAS SYSTEM!!! I understand it just launched, but, we arrive the 1st and really need to set it up. We get it for our daughter, and have since it began. That’s not going to be a problem. Getting told by agent to just set up das at the park is infuriating after this weekend. Shame on Disney for not staffing or being more helpful. No person has the time to be tethered to their phone all day, only to not be successful at setting the advance pass up.
Amy, I was wondering if you’d be able to share how the questions have changed for eligibility? I am trying to make plans based on my health challenges but I wasn’t able to pre-register before they changed the date to Nov 1 (my trip is next week). It would be wonderful to have an idea of what to expect so I can make the appropriate plans. Thank you!
Hi Angela,
Unfortunately, many guests try to cheat the system and do not really qualify for the DAS. This is why they needed to change the questions, and I’m going to respect that and not share that part of the process.
I will say, if you have used one in the past you should either pre-register or go to guest relations in person. You do not need any “proof” like a doctor’s note, so there isn’t anything to prepare for.
If your disability is strictly mobility or standing, or from an injury like knee surgery, etc. you will not qualify and there will not be much or any flexibility anymore.
Thank you for understanding.
I totally understand! It’s really too bad that so many people try to cheat the system, but I guess it is what it is. Thank you for this helpful article! I hope you have a great trip next week
Thank you so much for this amazing explanation of the system. My husband has been logged in for 5 hours and 30 minutes as of right now and we still haven’t gotten to the person to choose advance selections. But I do want to stress – the questions are NOT what they used to be in the park. I anticipate many people being denied DAS now but I’m also welcoming the change so people (like my husband) can utilize the system. Thanks again for this informative post!
Thank you Amy for a great article. Can’t wait to hear about your experience after going.
Thanks for sharing these tips. I found these tips very helpful. I believe that every mother like me who is reading this article now is truly happy about this very informative article.
We’re you able to request the hour window to best fit your plan or were the options generic and/or very limited? We have a very tight touring plan to avoid as much direct sunlight as possible, limit crisscrossing the park, never be too far from AC, food or toilets, etc. They used to give us unlimited fast passes to optimize the few early and late hours we had in the park each day before my son needed recovery time. Selecting return times in the app will streamline things so much better (and save my husband’s legs) but the advance selections will only help if I can pretty much dictate the hour window to fall during long waits for popular attractions.
Hi Tricia,
All of the Selections are based on availability, so nothing is certain. On mine, they gave me 3 times to choose from one early, one mid day and the third in the evening. The second selection times were each 30 minutes after the first times offered.
The Selection process whether on the video call or the live chat is done with a cast member. Hopefully they can customize it for you.
Great information! Now hopefully it works like it should. It’s not costing Disney anything to allow guests who need it to be comfortable and enjoy themselves. I’m hearing from various places that a lot of people are being turned down and told to rent a wheelchair or ECV. Does Disney have medical professionals making these decisions? Not that it should matter because I’ve always been told they don’t need details due to HIPAA. I always freely offer them though because I have nothing to hide. When I first heard about this service, it sounded great to not start out my day standing in a long line that I’m trying to avoid. So far I’m having my doubts and considering waiting it out. We’ll see what happens in four months when it’s my time to try it out. Touring Plans, please continue to provide updates on this new option if you can.
There is definitely a different set of questions with the new DAS.
We have DAS Advance Selections for Tuesday the 19th when it all goes live. We’ll let everyone know how it goes.
Hopefully the hold times get under control soon. Thanks for the comments!
I’ve tried a handful of times and can’t even get through. Do you have any idea about the best time to make contact?
Can you provide a link for how your DAS selections worked?
I have worked so very hard for this trip. If I get declined after debasing myself and asking for a DAS, I assure you my first trip will also be my last.
Thank you so much for this thorough run-down!
Thank you! I hope it helps!!