Disney Must-Know: The DAS Pass
Have You Heard About the DAS Pass?
Well, you’re about to learn all about it! Follow along as Samantha Tomlin, one of our amazing Disney Specialists, walks you through everything you need to know about this unique Disney accommodation. After you read Samantha’s story, be sure to reach out to her to start planning your Disney adventure!
The Magical World of Disney
We all know Disney World! It’s loud, it’s fun, it’s hectic, and amazing. Everything that surrounds the madness of Disney World is appealing to children (and adults) of any age. To some children the excitement of it all causes distress, craziness, hyperactivity, and overstimulation. As a mother of a child who has ADHD, I know this all too well.
Meet My Son
Meet my son—the child who is easily overstimulated and gets hyper when he can’t control his environment. In these moments, my well mannered little boy appears to be ‘bad’ to the public. In Disney, a place of many distractions and lots of excitement, he is especially overwhelmed and acts out. Before we discovered and mastered the DAS Pass, we thought trips to Disney would be few and far between until he was older and grew out of this.
As a parent, you want your child to seem like the ‘normal kids.’ You want your child to enjoy Disney World like the other children who are waiting patiently in line for 20-40 minutes, quiet and patient as can be. But your child has this hidden disability that he or she can’t control, and the world just doesn’t understand…unless they too face some of these challenges. We powered through Disney World for four years avoiding longer wait times when we didn’t have a fast pass and skipped anything that would trigger our son to act out. I had no idea that something was right under our noses that could potentially help him AND ourselves enjoy Disney World like the rest of the families.
DAS = Disability Access Service
Cue the DAS pass! Four years too long, my son’s developmental doctor suggested the DAS pass finally. DAS = Disability Access Service. It’s a complementary pass that will assist anyone (of any age) to make their wait for rides comfortable, manageable, and of course, fun. The pass lets your family choose a time to ride any Disney World attraction, allowing you to arrive back in line for minimal wait. Essentially, you’re in a virtual queue—this way you can do other things while you wait. DAS is not about skipping lines – because you still do wait, just in a different way. DAS is about making things easier for the DAS holder so the experience is more magical and less stressful for all involved.
Recent Updates to DAS & The App
Recently, DAS has been updated to be more user friendly! In October 2021, Disney began allowing DAS holders to register for the pass on the ‘My Disney Experience’’ app. On the app, you will chat with a cast member face to face via video chat. A parent must be present to anyone under the age of 18. The parent (or adult registering) will answer a few short questions via chat messaging, then video chat with the cast member. You’ll give a brief explanation as to why the DAS pass will be useful for the child (or yourself) and if the cast member feels the need is met under the DAS requirements, they will assign a pass to that person.
The cast member will also take a photo of the DAS holder. This is to prove who the person is each time they use the pass. NOT EVERYONE WILL QUALIFY. So, please be prepared and don’t be upset if you aren’t eligible. If you don’t feel the desire to register via chat and video, you can also register at any park guest relations stand at the parks. The assigned guest pass can be used for up to 5 people accompanying the holder to ride any attraction—6 in total.
DAS Makes Disney Easy
DAS is for children or adults with physical and/or hidden disabilities. If you see someone (like my son) who doesn’t look like they should have a DAS pass, try to remember not everyone’s disability is visible. Sometimes disabilities are hidden and that “bad child” you see acting out sometimes can’t help it. Those are the people that DAS is geared towards, and I don’t know how my family survived at Disney without it!
I am so grateful Disney has thought of this pass. It’s become an invaluable tool and key to making trips to Disney a success for not only my son, but for many others who face challenges. Remember that this pass is designed only for people with unique needs. Please do NOT try to cheat the system for a ‘free pass’ to expedite the waiting process. DAS is for families with challenges, some desperately needing it to survive the trip and make it an enjoyable experience for their kiddos. This pass is what makes my son wait ‘like the rest’ and that makes time spent at Disney so much more magical for us.
Ready for Disney?
Planning a trip to Disney World can be overwhelming—there is so much information out there between blogs, Facebook groups, Google, and other digital resources. Reach out to one of our Vacation Designers for personalized service to make the process stress free from start to finish. Not ready for the parks? Ask us about Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Disney’s Aulani Resort in Hawaii. Connect with our team of experts who travel often to gain first-hand knowledge to help create a once-in-a lifetime vacation to remember!
Connect with Samantha Tomlin, Disney Specialist