Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort have doubled the period that their Disability Access Service (DAS) passes are valid.
Disability Access Service Validity Period Doubled
According to DAS pages on both the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort websites, Disability Access Service is now valid for 240 days or the length of the guest’s ticket, whichever is shorter.
When Disney updated DAS earlier this year, they extended the validity period from 60 days to 120.
The update also made the service exclusive to 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,” and limited the number of guests that can enter a line with a DAS pass.
The changes have proven controversial, as many guests with disabilities are no longer eligible. Cast Members have suggested guests practice waiting in line at home, leave a line and rejoin it later (which is only possible if the guest is traveling with able-bodied guests who can hold their place), or ask for callback times at each attraction. A guest with terminal cancer was recently denied DAS at Disneyland Resort.
The DAS Defenders group sent a mobile billboard protesting the changes around Anaheim during D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event. Their Change.org petition titled “Stop excluding disabled people from Disneyland and Disney World with new policy” has over 32,000 signatures as of the time of publication.
Universal Orlando Resort recently changed its disability access policy, no longer requiring an IBCCES Accessibility Card. Universal’s Attractions Assistance Pass is valid for one year.
What do you think of this change to Disney’s DAS program? Does a longer validity period make seeking accommodations more enticing to you? Have you had a hard time getting DAS? Share your story with us in the comments.
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