By Perhaps no subject matters more to us in this guide than Disability Access Service (DAS). A member of our (technically David’s) family has utilized DAS many times over the years, and it’s one of the many reasons why he loves Disney so dearly.
The reality is that the world asks too much of those with disabilities. For parents in this situation, the last thing you need is for a vacation to be needlessly more difficult. You’re there to unwind.
Thankfully, we can say with complete sincerity that Disney has proven itself the gold standard for creating a comfortable environment.
In fact, Disney has been so considerate over the years that systemic abuse has forced the occasional crackdown. So, you may have heard that DAS was hard to get.
That’s simply not true. Disney will happily provide DAS to anyone who qualifies for it. The measures the company has added are designed to discourage abuse.
So, what’s different now is that Disney theme parks require proof. Yes, it’s an aggravating step, an extra hurdle to clear. Its benefits are tangible, though.
Before Disney’s latest measures were introduced, abuse had tripled from 2020 to 2024. That inexcusable behavior caused additional problems for authentic DAS users.
The time spent standing in line for DAS tripled as well. It was a critical problem, and something had to give.
While Disney overcorrected at first, the company has since readjusted. Now, DAS works as intended.
So, let’s discuss what DAS means and what you need to know about using the service. Also, on a personal note, we want to add that a member of our immediate family was at Disney World using DAS when we wrote this. It’s a deeply personal topic to us.
What Is DAS?
On Disney World’s official site, the company describes Disability Access Service as a method to support “guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.”
Parents in this situation know all too well that their kids struggle when forced to stand in place for a long time. In addition, the loud noises at the parks can prove disruptive.
Disney proudly states that it holds “an unwavering commitment to providing a welcoming, inclusive environment and accessible experiences for our Guests.”
The company practices what it preaches by providing a way for families to avoid prolonged waits in line.
According to Disney, “DAS doesn’t provide immediate access to experiences, but rather allows Guests to request a return time for a specific experience that is comparable to the current standby wait.”
To prevent systemic abuse, DAS does feature one essential requirement. “The guest for which DAS is being requested must be present during registration and must experience the attraction when redeeming a DAS return time at Walt Disney World theme parks.”
We won’t detail some of the inexcusable ways people abused the system in the past. Suffice it to say that the current guidelines enforce the intended spirit of DAS.
The Registration Process
You’ll notice that we are varying our style in this section from others. We’re quoting Disney frequently to avoid confusion and maintain precision. This isn’t something we want to get wrong.
So, we’ll lean heavily on Disney’s stated terms here, starting with step one of the process, a video interview. That’s Disney’s way of assuring that nobody fakes a disability claim.
You may think that such a thing wouldn’t happen, but we’re depressed to tell you that some people are shameless about it. Thus, Disney has introduced this screening process.
For families in need of DAS, it’s an extra step and a frustrating one at that. However, we’ve been told that the Cast Members who perform the interview demonstrate kindness and consideration.
According to Disney, all interviews must be performed via live video chat. The company refers to the process as “registration.”
Note that you won’t need to show medical proof during this chat. Still, you must “speak with a Cast Member…to determine eligibility as soon as 60 days prior to a park visit.”
We realize that this wording is a bit vague. It means you should do this within the two-month window of your trip, not any point before then. So, if you’re visiting at Christmas, the soonest you can perform the interview would be October 26th. Mid-October wouldn’t work.
A refrain we hear is that this tightens the window for families. They must wait until the final weeks before their trip to confirm that they qualify for DAS.
While that’s fair, there’s a secondary aspect to this conversation. If you know, you know. If you’re not sure, you may be trying to qualify for DAS when you shouldn’t.
That’s a harsh but fair assessment. We’d suggest that you speak with Disney customer service to clarify if needed. Everyone’s situation is different, and we realize we’re painting with broad strokes here.
Every Disney visit should be joyous, and the last thing we want to do is cause you stress. However, we also feel it’s imperative to calibrate your expectations about the process.
Thankfully, Disney Cast Members are among the kindest people in the world. They’ll do everything they can to find optimal solutions for your vacation.
As for the interview itself, we’ve been told firsthand that it’s painless and straightforward. The Cast Members do this all day. So, they can quickly identify who legitimately qualifies.
If that’s you, the Disney worker will do everything possible to streamline the process for you. Nobody wants DAS registration to be adversarial. You can be sure of that.
Here is Disney’s specific outline of the process. Reading this information ahead of the interview will help you prepare for the conversation. We’re quoting the website verbatim for clarity:
When you’re ready to chat with a Cast Member to determine eligibility for DAS, you can engage in a live video chat using the “Request Live Video Chat” button below.
Make sure the device has a working camera and a microphone. You must review and accept the Terms & Conditions before requesting a live video chat.
Important things to note:
- Live video chat is available from 7:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time.
- The recording of this video chat is strictly prohibited.
- The Guest requesting DAS either for themself or for someone else (e.g. a minor child) must be 18 years of age or older to register
- The Guest for whom DAS is being requested must be present during the video chat.
- If you’re not logged in to the Walt Disney World website, you’ll be prompted to log in.
- If you don’t have an account, you’ll need to create one before continuing.
- If you don’t have valid theme park admission, you’ll need to link valid theme park admission for each member of your party.
- Guests using a mobile device or tablet will need to download the Zoom application to connect to the video chat.
- Video chat is screen reader-friendly for Guests with visual disabilities and available with text chat for Guests with hearing disabilities.
- At this time, live chat is offered in English only.
You should be aware that there is NOT an on-site option to request DAS registration.
Here’s everything else you need to know about DAS and registration.
DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 1 year, whichever is shorter. Once the service has elapsed, Guests need to re-register.
You should also download Zoom if you don’t have it, whether you are using a computer, tablet, or mobile device. That’s the app used for the interview.