What’s New With DAS at Walt Disney World
Along with the Genie system, there are changes, dare we say upgrades, to the DAS (Disability Access Service) policies. The new system saves a lot of time and energy and works exceptionally well if combined with DAS Advance Selections
Let me start by saying if you are not comfortable using the technology, you may still use the DAS in person.
Here is how it works for guests who would like to make return times using their smartphones instead of going all the way to the attraction or a blue umbrella.
- Before coming to the park, ensure your iOS system is current. (Check the night before because this update can take a long time.) Also, make sure you have a My Disney Experience account, and that your app is updated.
- If you have a current DAS (either because of pre-registering or yours is still current) after you enter a park, the more My Disney Experience App page will have an added box with the DAS logo. (To find more pages, click the three lines at the bottom of your screen.)
- When you click the DAS button, a list of all attractions with their current wait times will appear. Click your choice.
- The next screen will show a return time. If that works for you, click the button. If you also have the Genie+ you will see a return time and a LL button; click the DAS.
- Then a screen will confirm your party.
- Then you go to the attraction and typically tap in at the Lightning Lane and again at the second touchpoint. (The Jungle Cruise is an exception, head to the cast members with iPads near the handicapped sign.)
Questions and Answers
Q: I’m at home trying this and don’t see the DAS button. What am I doing wrong?
The DAS button will not appear unless you are currently in the park AND have a current DAS.
Q: I made a DAS Advance Selection before our visit. Do I have to wait to use them before I can get a DAS return time in the park?
No, DAS Advance and DAS return times are two different things. You can have two DAS Advance Selections, a DAS Return Time, and a Lightning Lane, all at the same time.
Q: I’m in the park for early resort times, and it won’t let me make a DAS. Is this an error?
The park must be open to make a DAS–this was usually true with the in-person way too.
Q: I made a DAS Advance Selection, but I didn’t know my sister would be joining us. She’s on our DAS party; can she join us anyway?
Unfortunately, only the pre-selected members can join. But they are welcome on any return times throughout the day.
Q: Can I use the DAS on attractions that have Individual Lightning Lanes, such as Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Rise of the Resistance?
Yes, all attractions with a standby line are available with DAS.
Tron and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind currently has a virtual queue, and you need a boarding pass or Lightning Lane.
Q: Genie+ won’t let you use a Lightning Lane for the same attraction more than once a day. Can you ride a ride multiple times with DAS?
Yes, there is no limit on how often you can ride with DAS.
Q: Can I use Genie+ with the DAS?
Yes, Genie+ and the DAS system work together. For guests that use DAS and are more comfortable with structure, Genie+ will be a struggle. Obviously, there is no need to spend on the Individual Lightning Lane attractions.
Q: Genie + has a defined return time. Does the DAS have a strict return time?
The DAS Advance Selection has a one-hour time period. Be careful with that when you are chatting with the cast member and setting those up.
A DAS return time has no end time.
Q: Can anyone in the DAS party schedule a return time?
Yes, anyone in the party will have the DAS button on the More page.
Q: Can I make a DAS for another park if we are park hopping?
No, you must be in the park to make a DAS.
Q: My sister is about to join us but isn’t in the park yet, can I make a DAS for her?
Yes, we were able to make a return time for my daughter before she arrived. We were not able to do that with a Genie+ Lightning Lane.
Q: I’m in the park, I already have a current DAS, and it isn’t showing on the app.
Try closing the app completely, then look again. Sometimes it needs a reboot to recognize you.
Do you have any thoughts or questions about the DAS procedures? Let us know in the comments.
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Great info!
Is the Genie + service still needed if you have the DAS?
Ok so I’ll use DAS for Rise instead of paying.
Yes, I was able to get a DAS Advanced for Slinky Dog Dash. I just did my video chat/ride booking tonight. Joined the online chat queue at 10am and someone finally answered at 5:45pm. Today is 11/6 and our first park day is 11/25.
Hi! This is SO helpful, thank you! So much has changed since we went in August 2019. We are going over Thanksgiving week this year with our son’s theater group (he’s performing on the stage at Disney Springs!) and are so excited. We got the DAS pass back in 2019 and it was great, but the changes seem SO much nicer. I finally got through to the video chat today (signed on at 10am and they finally answered at 5:45pm) and registered and got our 2 DAS Advance passes. I was also told I can still book them the regular way, one at a time BEFORE using the 2 advanced ones (thought we had to use those first) so that’s good news. And I LOVE that you can do it from the app now….running around like a chicken with my head cut off back in 2019 going up to each ride to get a DAS pass was a nightmare. So….my question is….can you book your first DAS at 7am like you can with a LL one? Or not until the park actually opens? We are staying ON property. And are you saying we DON’T need to use an a-la-carte purchase for Rise of the Resistance? We can just get a DAS that day? What are your thoughts on the regular LL ones? The $15 per day per person deal? Are they necessary with this new DAS system? I’m thinking we might be able to just get by with the DAS! Between our 2 advanced picks and then doing the rest one at a time and maybe paying for 1 or 2 each day with the a-la-carte method. What do you think?
Hey Kelly, you have to do DAS in the park, and I’m virtually certain it has to be after the park is officially open (ie not during early admission). I did an online chat the other day and was told you can only make DAS in the park you’re in, unlike Genie+, where you can be in Hollywood but make a reservation for Epcot. And yes, you can get DAS for Rise and the other ILL rides.
Curious- did you try/were you able to get an advance DAS for Slinky Dog Dash? I’m wondering if they only have a limited number they give out for DAS, and how fast those go. Was the selection pretty good when you finally got through? Did you do it at exactly 30 days out, or were you closer to your park date?
Have a blast!
This is so helpful, thank you! We are new to DAS since my daughter just became ill in May, and thinking about doing Disney and managing her illness was overwhelming. Discovering that Disney has DAS and that now she won’t have to exhaust herself waiting in lines (and essentially getting to do nothing at Disney) … what a relief! Your blog post really helped me figure out my questions about DAS vs. Genie+. I think I will still get Genie+ for our first day and get my butt out of bed at 7am and reserve Rise of the Resistance. Because of my kid’s illness we won’t be early arrivers at the parks, so I think anything I can reserve in advance is key.
Also, for everyone who has been waiting online for hours to register for DAS: I did the same yesterday. Waited for 6 hours starting at 4pm and never got connected. Today I hopped online at 6:45am and connected immediately with a rep, who pre-qualified me, then by 7:15am my daughter and I were video chatting with a Cast Member and were registered. Then I was transferred to another (not video) chat and booked my two DAS Advance experiences for each day, which took a while. So my advice is to get online at 6:45am!
I am assuming 6:45 am Eastern time. Is that correct? I am trying to register for advance DAS from Nevada for our upcoming trip.
Oops, got that last bit backwards, book a DAS for Runaway Railway (which you can do after park open, even though it is an ILL ride, without buying ILL) and got to whichever of the top 4 we didn’t get Genie+ for.
I was told I couldn’t register with a DAS pass for the paid LL rides (ex. I couldn’t apply my DAS request to Rise of the Resistance or Remy’s). If registered with DAS, can a person still utilize the booking of LL within Genie+ (when a paid subscription for Genie+ is being used)? As in I can have a DAS pass for Peter Pan’s and Haunted Mansion and still be able to book LL experiences for Splash Mountain and other rides, on the same day? Or will the DAS registration cancel out any other requests for LL passes?
DAS Advance only applies to the same rides as Genie+, not the individual lightning lane rides like Rise. HOWEVER, once you are in the park, you can use DAS for those rides just as you used to be able to- you do not need to buy either Genie+, or an individual lightning lane, and just as previously, the return time will be in keeping with the posted wait time. Just as before, you can only have 1 DAS (in addition to the 2 Advance DAS reservations, which are treated as something completely separate) at a time, and if the wait is less than 15 minutes for a ride, you are admitted to the lightning lane right away, even if you are waiting for a return time on another ride. You CAN utilize Genie+ and/or individual lightning lane in addition to DAS; they do not cancel out. So for example, my plan is to try to get Advance DAS for Slinky & Falcon (though I know those go fast), then because we are staying in a Disney resort hotel, at 7 that morning book a Genie+ for Tower or Rock N Roller Coaster as well as buy an evening ILL for Ratatouille (since we aren’t starting in Epcot, its my understanding that’s the only way to ride that), be there at rope drop and go to Rise (assuming the lines at early entrance continue to be manageable), and when the park opens, book a DAS for whichever of our top 4 we didn’t get advance or Genie+ for, and go to Runaway Railway. It’s a lot of managing/juggling, but it will make the day much better for my son.
I hope this is helpful.
Just an FYI-it is 30 days from your last reservation day if you want to do the advance FP for every day of your trip at once. I recommend doing that considering the long (or impossible) rate of connection with a DAS advanced agent via chat.
I have been trying to get through the pre registration for 5 days. Friday I actually stayed on the open chat for more than 7 hours. What s the secret to get through? Any advice would be much appreciated…first day this trip is November 1sr. Thanks to anyone with recommendations!
I have literally spent over 40 hrs waiting on hold the last week. I have filled out the form 6 times . I have been transferred 6 times, but I never get to video chat. I have a visit on 11/1. If I wait will I still get advance spots or just the 1 normal Das? I am pretty sure the advance may be full. This part doesn’t seem fair yet. Going from 3 fast passes + Das to possibly just 1 Das may cause a lot of issues on this trip. In therapy it will be ok, if they find a better system than video chat with these wait times. I was told by the disability dept that they didn’t know, if everyone was getting through to wait when transferred to video chat que.
In your answer to my question above, you replied “You can go to guest relations or directly to the attractions. It won’t erase anything, return times and DAS Advance Selections are different.”
I had asked in a reply if I can go directly to attractions on 10/30 and 31? Even though my pre-registration begins 11/1? Can you clarify, please. I have done the preregistration and Advanced Selections for 11/1-9, but we arrive 10/29 with first day in the parks being 10/30 – which is prior to the date that preregistering is open for.
Hi, thank you so much for this article, it answered several of my questions, and I’m so happy to see you can use DAS Advance, DAS, AND Genie+! I do have one question, though. We were in parks 9/19 so my son’s DAS is still active, and will be active 11/8, 30 days ahead of our next visit 12/8. However, on 12/8 itself, it will no longer be active, so I have to renew it before then. I’ve heard the Advance DAS reservations for the most popular attractions go fast (cough cough SDD), so I want to make the Advance DAS reservations on the first day I can, but my son is going to his dad’s for a week beginning the day before that. Do you know if I can make the Advance DAS reservations via regular (not video) chat 11/8 without him since his pass will still be active then, even though I’ll have to renew the pass via videochat after that date and before we actually go?? Thanks so much for any info!
Hi Amy!
Yes!
To make the DAS Advance you do a live chat, your son will not need to be there.
To renew the DAS you do a video chat that the person the DAS is for must be present. Have a fun time!
We got through on the chat, but did not have our son with us and they would not let us continue. We have tried for the last week to get through and could not connect with an agent again. It’s been frustrating.
My wife and I had a DAS for our trip last June. Do we a new DAS for a trip this June?
Hi Carlene!
Yes, a DAS lasts 60 days.
If you’ve had a DAS pass in the past, how do you go about getting it for your next trip? We go every few years so I’m assuming we still have to go in person like usual?
You can go in person or do a video chat 2-30 days before your visit.
The article that is linked in this one has details.
We where told by a cast member that DAS no longer is available for the lightening lane a-la cart attractions. A person with a DAS pass must pay the a-la cart price to access those attractions. This was on 10/22.
Hi Shon! That Cast member was incorrect. I was able to get 2 DAS Return Times for Seven Dwarves and one for Space Mountain on October 19. What you can’t do is get a DAS Advance Selection for any attraction that has an Individual Lightning Lane.
But you ARA ABLE to get return times either on the app or the traditional way in person.
My family is coming mid November. It took me 4 days and 10+ hours of trying, but once we finally got a video chat (waited 4 hours on Thursday alone) it was easy to get it set up and they were more than happy to answer all my questions.
I waited 9 hours and never got connected! Lost connection! So frustrating! There has to be a better way!
So maybe I’m just not seeing the answer to this question… you only get two for the whole day? Or do you start with two and then can add after they are used?
Thank you
Hi Cheryl! You start with the 2 Advance Select that you have to make 2-10 days before your visit. Then you can add DAS return times one at a time all day. You do not have to use the DAS Advance Selections before starting return times.
I was able to get my DAS Advanced done this week for the part of my trip after 11/1. However, we arrive 10/30. Do I go to Guest Relations for those 2 days, or will it wipe out my reserved times the rest of the trip?
You can go to guest relations or directly to the attractions. It won’t erase anything, return times and DAS Advance Selections are different. Have a great vacation!
I can go directly to attractions on 10/30 and 31? Even though my pre-registration begins 11/1?
Thanks Justin! The wait times have been brutal. I didn’t think they were still giving DAS Advance Selections for visits prior to Nov 1. Maybe they are just not setting up the video calls. Did you renew your DAS or were you current?
We have a current DAS and they cast member on chat said last Tuesday was the first day of advanced return times. I read Nov. 1 as well but thought I’d try the process and was able to get them!
Is this going to be offered at Disneyland? Seems like fantastic service. Thanks for testing it out & offering an excellent scouting report.
Thanks,
-pc
My son Ben and I tested this out as well. Overall, we did like the changes. We visited Hollywood Studios Tuesday and we’re able to get two advanced return times via chat two days prior. Only waited about 10 minutes. However, today I waited several hours for an advanced return time chat for a park visit this coming Tuesday. Had to give up on the chat and never got through. Being able to get our own in-park return times via the app is the big plus!
Also curious if TP is planning on integrating DAS somehow at some point or if it’s just too unpredictable?
Hi K! We love a lot of questions!!
1- The Touring Plans team is working on a system that allows you to enter an attraction specific return time. That will support Lightning Lane, DAS etc.
2. I am not sure about two DAS on one app. In our experience the app did not ask who the DAS was assigned to like they do in person. When you register I would ask (and we would love to know the answer too).
3. When you renew or register for the January trip, the castmember you video chat with will set up the DAS advance. As long as you have a park pass (reservation) for each day you should be good.
Thank you! I actually noticed when checking out my plans today that there’s an option to add in LL or G+ times. I’m assuming I can use that for DAS times, too!
I don’t think #3 answered the question. If I register 30 days from the 1st day of my trip, can I book advanced DAS for the whole trip or do I need to wait until 30 days from last day of my trip to book the whole trip?
Any ideas on how it works if your party has two members with DAS? We have a child on chemo who doesn’t do anything more wild than dumbo and another child who has a disability that affects his ability to wait in line in a crowd but loves roller coasters. So we often split our party into the slow crowd and roller coaster crowd. Would I (as the “party leader” parent scheduling) be able to schedule for both of them in the app?
Another question, I guess I have a lot! We are going for ten days in January. Assuming no changes to when you can register, if we registered 30 days prior to our first day, would we only be able to schedule in advance for that day? Or does it work like dining where we could schedule ahead for all ten days? If it is 30 days ahead no matter how long the trip is, would it be best probably to wait until all of our trip is within 30 days to register?
Just curious if anyone has had luck getting through to the DAS video call. We got hung up on after 5 hours in queue tonight, and between school and bedtime and therapy and such, how do they expect a special needs parent to devote so much time to sitting on a pc on hold. They really need to rework this.
What rides do you recommend choosing for the Advance DAS spots? Which rides are best to use DAS the day of vs. Lightning pass?
Hi Jodi! I recommend choosing the rides you or your family member likes the most that typically have a longer wait time. We chose Peter Pan and Jungle Cruise because they typically have a longer line. At Hollywood we would definately choose Slinky Dog Dash and Toy Story Midway Mania, Epcot would be Test Track and Animal Kingdom the Safari and Navi River Journey.
These choices are completely based on my son’s preferences. Other families might choose Smugglers Run for example.