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I see people in Facebook groups and on Instagram asking questions about the disability policies and procedures for Disney all the time. So I decided to write a post about disability and going to Disney. My personal experience is Disneyland but I am including things I gave through research at Walt Disney World as well. This does include info on DAS.
The first thing that I know is there is a difference between just being in a wheelchair or mobility scooter and the DAS (Disability Access Service)Pass. I am going to describe both. Most of Disneyland Park in Anaheim, CA, is not ADA compliant because it was built prior to the laws. So they have had to figure out how to make it accessible. Since most of the attractions exits are ramps, they just have you go in through the exit. Some attractions are ADA compliant and you just wait in the normal queue line. Some are partially accessible and you wait in the normal line until you are sent a different way.
For example: Most of the attractions in Fantasyland have stairs so the normal queue is not ADA compliant. So you will access the attraction from the exit. Star Tours The Adventure Continues is partially compliant. They start the queue line outside the attraction and then when you get to the interior where the stairs are you are sent to the elevator and Millennium Falcon Smuggler's Run is completely ADA compliant.
So if you just have a mobility disability and utilize a wheelchair or mobility scooter (Disney called these ECV) then you do not get the DAS pass and just use this map to tell you the access. They also have a guide for Guests With Disabilities.
Now the DAS is for non-mobility disabilities so they don't have to stand in the standard queue line. You go to customer service AKA City Hall on Main Street U.S.A. and tell them what accommodations you need. Or why you cant stand in line. They will issue the DAS and you can either go to the attractions themselves to get a return time or they have new Customer Service Kiosks around the Park to get return times. The DAS is only good for a certain amount of time and if your trip is longer then the DAS period you will have to go back and get it again. Annual Pass Holder's can get DAS 30 days at a time.
Then you wait somewhere until your attraction return time which is fairly accurate to the standby wait time!
You can have a party size of up to 6 people for the DAS or wheelchair. Anymore then that and part of your party needs to go through the regular queue line.
Disney is doing their best to cut down on any "fakers" or people who take advantage of these services. I do believe that they are doing their best but there are still people out there who do it. Even with that said please don't judge anyone you see utilizing these services. Not all disabilities are visible. With someone like me, I can stand and walk, but not for very long so I use a wheelchair or mobility scooter when I'm in the Parks. But you may see me standing to transfer or walking for a few steps. But if I push myself too far my knee gives out and I'll fall because of how severe my arthritis which you can't see.
In Disney's California Adventure Park all of the queue lines are wheelchair accessible so just for being in a wheelchair there is no special access. If you have the DAS Pass you can still get return times so you cant wait somewhere other then the standby queue line. If you are in a wheelchair but have a non-mobility need to to wait outside the standard queue you can go to Chamber Of Commerce when you enter the Park and they can assess and grant you the DAS for Disney California Adventure Park.
You can also utilize FastPasses and Disney's MaxPass with all of these services!
In Walt Disney World they have different accessibility then Disneyland. But the DAS works pretty much the same. You go to Guest Services and get your DAS. The DAS is only good for a certain amount of time and if your trip is longer then the DAS period you will have to go back and get it again. Annual Pass Holder's can get DAS 30 days at a time.
Here are resources for Walt Disney World. Guide for Guest With Disabilities
I am going to be researching non-mobility services some more like they have listening devices and sign language interpreters and a braille map! So I will be doing a post on all of this once I get the research done.
So after reading this do you want to go to Disneyland? Or Walt Disney World? Click on this link for Get Away Today. If you book a hotel and ticket package you can get $10 off with promo code DD2019. They are an authorized Disney 3rd Party Retailer and the tickets are a few dollars less then going through Disney. You can get just tickets also!
Questions? Ask them in the comments and I will try to answer or find them!
Hi Nikki! It can be hard. But we take frequent breaks and I even recommend going back to your hotel for a nap or break if you start early. We don’t normally get into the Parks until the afternoon. So we aren’t there all day. And yes I won’t lie. I have to rest for days when we come home. And my family is great about if I’m not feeling well, we leave! Planning and preparation is key. But don’t let being disabled stop you!!! Thank you for reading and comments!!!
Hoping to make it to Disney one day, unfortunately I am disabled too and worried it may all be a bit too much for my body. It is a long way off, or probably impossible, so no point worrying about it! 😂😂