Walt Disney World Florida

What is Disney’s Disability Access Service and who is it for?

The Disability Access Service (DAS) at Walt Disney World® is designed to assist guests who, “due to a developmental disability like autism, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time” (as stated on the official Disney World website).

It is important to note that DAS does not allow Guests to skip to the front of the queue. Instead, it enables Guests to reserve a specific time to ride and then join the Lightning Lane at the designated time, minimising the amount of time actually spent queueing. When selecting a ride or attraction, Guests will receive what Disney refer to as a ‘return time’, which is the time you should aim to arrive at the attraction to join the Lightning Lane queue (you may want to call it an ‘arrival time’ if that works better for your group). You return time is equivalent to the Standby time minus 10-15 minutes.

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What are the exceptions to the Disability Access Service?

Mobility: Walt Disney World® (WDW) actively supports Guests with physical disabilities and offers a range of services. Guests requiring a wheelchair, scooter or pram (to be used as a wheelchair) who have no additional needs that would prevent them from waiting in line would not qualify for DAS as all ride lines are fully accessible.

Leaving the Line for a Medical Reason: If a family member needs to leave the queue to attend to a personal need, they can use the Attraction Queue Re-entry (AQR) scheme. The Guest leaving the line should inform a Cast Member at the attraction. The rest of the party remains in the queue and when the Guest returns, they will be directed to the Lightning Lane to reunite with their party at the merge point. If the Guest is alone or with small children, the Cast Member may provide a ‘return to queue’ time.

Each attraction has a defined process to support a Guest needing to leave the queue, so talk to a Cast Member at the entrance to understand what the exit options are. You do not need to discuss your reasons for leaving the queue; just state that you are using AQR.

Here is more information on accessing attraction queues and some suggestions on how to prepare for them:

Accessing attraction queues

Visit the Disney World website to read more about the full range of support options available to Guests with disabilities and additional needs. Here, you will find some excellent resources aimed at helping Guests understand their options before arrival:

Guests with disabilities services

Please also read our blog post on the services WDW provides for disabled Guests, along with some other hints and tips. 

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How do you apply for the Disability Access Service at Walt Disney World from the UK & Ireland?

1. You must register for DAS via Live Chat with a Cast Member via the Walt Disney World website. You can do this up to 60 days before you are due to arrive in the Parks or on the day of your arrival inside the Park at Guest Relations, where you can request an iPad to use to connect to the Live Chat service. *Please refer to the Top Tip below for important information about this.
2. The benefits of successful DAS registration can be enjoyed by the DAS Guest and their immediate family (parents and siblings) or a maximum of four people (including the applicant).

3. If the Guest applying has their own MDE account, they should be signed in on their account when applying for the DAS Pass (with Family and Friends linked). If the DAS applicant has a managed profile, sign in as the account that manages the profile. 
4. Have the Zoom app downloaded to your computer or phone as you need to be able to launch the app for the interview with the Cast Member.
5. DAS is valid for the length of your ticket up or up to one year.
6. Disney does not require medical paperwork or ‘proof’ of a diagnosis.
7. To request the Live Chat, you must have a Disney account and need to have purchased admission tickets before applying.
8. Live Chat is available between 7am and 8pm Eastern US Time.
9. You must accept the Terms & Conditions before requesting a Live Video Chat.
10. The Guest requesting DAS must be 18 years or older to register. A parent or guardian must register on behalf of minors.
11. The Guest requiring DAS must be present during the video call. The Cast Member may need to speak to them and will need to take a photograph (if a minor, they will ask your permission).
12. The Chat is screen reader-friendly and currently only available in English. 
13. The recording of the video is strictly prohibited.

14. Alternatively, as soon as you arrive in the US and are at your accommodation, you can try requesting a Live Chat by logging onto www.disneyworld.com and scrolling down to the link for a Live Video Chat. Or, go to Guest Relations at Disney Springs and apply there.

15. If you are unable to register on your own device or haven’t been able to visit Disney Springs, you will need to visit Guest Relations on your first day at the Parks. There, you can use an iPad to request the Live Chat. You may still have to wait in a queue to speak to a Cast Member, though clicking the ‘I’m in the Parks’ button should prioritise your call.
16. Once connected, the Cast Member will ask who the user is, if you are currently in the Parks or when you are going to the Parks next and who will be joining you. After you answer these questions, you will be asked for permission to send a link connecting you to a Zoom call. That link will appear in the chat box.
17. Enter the meeting once you are linked to the Zoom Call, and the Cast Member will ask what special accommodations you require and why it would be difficult for you or your family member to wait in a conventional queue.

18. Eligibility is based on a Guest’s needs, not their diagnosis. Disney determines who qualifies for DAS at Disney World based on a Guest’s ability to wait in line, not their ability to stand in line.   
19. Guests who are eligible for the DAS scheme will then have their photograph taken (if they are a minor and you are applying as their guardian, and you do not wish to have their picture taken, they will take your picture instead), and up to three additional Guests can be linked to their pass (who do not need to be present).
20. The DAS pass will be added to your My Disney Experience (MDE) account, and you can access it through the app, just as you would for Mobile Order and dinner reservations.
21. If Disney determines that anyone has made a false statement to gain a DAS pass, the Guest will be permanently barred from Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort®. Any purchased tickets, Park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded. Disney takes any abuse of the system very seriously!

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How do you use the Disability Access Service at Walt Disney World?

• Once you arrive in a Park, open the ‘My Disney Experience (MDE)’ app, tap the ‘burger stack’ at the bottom of the screen and select the ‘DAS’ button. You can also access the self-selection tool from each attraction’s details and request a return (arrival) time.
• You then select the ride, and a time will be given, which will be the equivalent of the current standby time, plus or minus 10-15 minutes.
• Any member of the party can obtain a return time, but the DAS registered Guest must be present and experience the attraction with their party. It is then up to you how to spend the wait time. You can, for example go on other rides with short wait times, watch a show, enjoy a parade or get something to eat or go shopping, allowing you to be in two places at once.
• When it is time for you to ride, proceed to the Lightning Lane. The person with the DAS pass must scan their ticket first and everyone else must then enter together.
• You will all need to wait in the shortened Lightning Lane, which typically takes 5-20 minutes.
• Don’t worry if you arrive after the DAS return time; timeslots are not limited to a specific window and are valid until the attraction or Park closes.
• However, only one DAS time can be held at a time. A further one can be obtained for the same or a different attraction 10 minutes after the previous one has been redeemed.  
• The DAS pass can only be used for attractions, entertainment or meet-and-greets that offer both a Standby Lane and a Lightning Lane (currently, this excludes all character meet-and-greets!).

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Advice for the Disability Access Service at Walt Disney World:

• If you need additional help obtaining return times, speak to Guest Relations or a Cast Member from the Guest Experience team (the ones wearing the blue shirts under the blue umbrellas dotted around the Parks).

• If you are attending one of the special events, such as a party at Magic Kingdom, you may have to request your return time in person at the attraction. In this instance, you can send a family member to the entrance of the attraction to speak to a Cast Member (typically, they will be the ones holding an iPad) to let them know you need a return time using your DAS Pass.

• If you change your mind and decide not to visit an attraction you had a return time for, you can change or cancel it in the MDE app. Navigate to the ‘Reservations’ or ‘DAS’ section of the app, where you can modify or cancel a return time. If you need additional assistance speak to a Cast Member at any Guest Relations location.

• Be prepared for the unavoidable but shorter waits in the Lightning Lanes with snacks, an iPad, comfort toys, headphones, etc.
• Ensure you bring an external battery pack for your mobile phone.
• Currently, Virtual Queues aren’t being used for any rides or attractions in the Theme Parks but, when these inevitably return, all Guests who want to ride an attraction will need to have successfully joined the Virtual Queue beforehand. When your Boarding Group is called, speak to a Cast Member about accessing the queue using the DAS Pass. A Virtual Queue and DAS time for another attraction can be held at the same time.

• DAS for Fireworks or Parades: there are no specific reserved areas for Guests using the DAS Pass. DAS Guests with concerns should visit Guest Relations to see what accommodations can be made for fireworks/parade viewing. There are special viewing areas on parade routes and some shows for Guests with disabilities. However, those cannot be reserved and are on a first-come, first-served basis.

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Other useful information

Accessibility Planning Guide

All the Parks have Break Areas where Guests who may need some downtime can access a quieter space. This guide includes details of these areas and other helpful planning information:   

Accessibility Planning Guide

Sensory Experience Guide

In addition, Disney has produced a document that details sensory elements for each attraction within the Parks. We have included information from here in our detailed Park Guides to help Guests identify which rides would be most suitable for their families: 

Sensory Experience Guide

If you require any other help or advice, contact Disability Services at 0800 028 0778 (UK) or 1800 812 678 (Eire) or email disability.services@disneyparks.com.

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Additional travel tips when using the Disability Access Service

If you are travelling with a family member who has a developmental disability or cognitive impairment, you will be very aware of their particular needs. Here are a few suggestions that may make travelling to WDW a little easier. Not all may apply to your circumstances:

• Many airports participate in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. If you have not already arranged assistance in advance, simply visit the Special Assistance desk when you arrive at the airport where you will be given a sunflower lanyard (or some other accessory) which discreetly indicates to staff that you are travelling with someone with a hidden disability and may need additional assistance passing through the airport. This typically allows you access to Priority Check-In, Fast Track Security, a quiet seating area to wait in, Priority Boarding and use of assistance lanes at UK Border Control upon return. Airport support can vary, so check what your airport provides – see here for a list of participating airports and airlines:
• https://hdsunflower.com/uk/insights/post/airports-around-the-world    
• Speak to the airline about your family’s needs to see what assistance they can offer. Consider where you would be best seated on the plane (most airlines will allow you to reserve specific seats for a passenger with additional needs and one carer for free, just call or email in advance). You can speak to cabin crew on board to plan your disembarkation.

• Check what food will be served and bring plenty of snacks.
• If possible, visit the airport before your trip so your family member can get used to the sights and sounds.

• Bring comfort items, fidget toys, books, headphones, iPad, etc.
• Prepare a social story.

Orlando Airport also participates in the Hidden Disability Sunflower program, though it doesn’t guarantee fast-tracking through Security or any preferential treatment. However, it does mean staff are trained to recognise and understand that additional help may be needed.   

More information on the Sunflower Program can be found here: https://hdsunflower.com/

To help us improve this information, please email hello@fabulousparkdays.com with any of your experiences or helpful hints and tips; we’ll be sure to give you a name check!

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