Disneyland DAS: Almost All Are Denied, Except This One Reason

Now that our family has gone through the process of trying to get a DAS pass from Disneyland, we know that 99 percent of people will be denied, and here's why.

Disneyland DAS Pass is Not for the Disabled Anymore

Disneyland has always been a special place for my wife and I. Now that our son is 10 and old enough, we have been planning to take him to Disneyland and getting him ready for the last 365 days. My son was diagnosed with autism at the age of three, and his journey has been filled with both joyous adventures and daunting challenges we try to navigate with patience and determination. A theme park like Disneyland was once a far-off thought, but recently we thought he was old enough to try it.

Our Disneyland trips are more than just vacations; they are carefully orchestrated adventures tailored to our son's needs. The Disney Disability Access Service (DAS) we thought would help on our upcoming trip, allowing us to manage his sensory sensitivities and anxieties in the busy park environment. It's not about skipping lines; it's about finding a way for our son to experience the magic at his own pace, away from overwhelming crowds and unpredictable waits.

The Disneyland DAS Interview Process is a Nightmare

However, recent changes to the DAS program have left us reeling. Disney's recent efforts to prevent misuse of the service have created daunting barriers for families like ours. The process to qualify for DAS has become an exhausting ordeal, with hours spent in virtual queues that often end in frustration and disappointment.

I waited patiently in the digital queue, hoping to secure an interview 3 different times before it timed out when they closed at 8 pm. Hours passed, the clock ticking relentlessly towards bedtime for our son, who had just returned from camp. Despite our best efforts, the system timed out at 8 pm every time we tried, leaving us empty-handed once again.

After Waiting Over 16 Hours  in Cue, We Get an Interview

Finally, after several failed attempts, my wife started early and went with my son to his summer camp so he could do the interview during the day. She explained his challenges with waiting and social situations, and that he was diagnosed, but they only wanted him to answer one question. Did he understand what waiting in line was? I thought, are they really serious?

Yes, of course, my son “knows” what it is even if he has a hard time with it. He was immediately denied. The interviewer said he didn't qualify because he simply understood the concept of waiting. He understands because we spent the last year teaching it to him. It felt like they didn't see the hours we spent preparing him for these trips, teaching him coping strategies, and guiding him through the social interactions he might encounter. They were dismissing and confusing his genuine struggles with our family's daily efforts to make his world a little easier.

Unless Your Child Doesn't Understand Waiting, Skip Trying for DAS

As we face the reality of our upcoming Disneyland visit, we are exploring the options recommended for families who are denied. We were left with the difficult choice of either braving the overwhelming lines or resorting to buying Disney's Genie+ service. The other options presented are not practiced in the park according to recent reports from other denied families. It might make the lines somewhat shorter but really doesn't address our son's specific needs for a quieter, less stimulating wait environment. Not to mention the greater added expense we were not planning for.

Our story is just one of many, and we hope that by sharing it, we can raise awareness about the real impact of policy changes on families with disabled children trying to get approved for DAS services. We believe in a Disneyland where every child, including our son, can experience the magic in their own way, with the support and understanding they deserve. It is sad to say that “Disneyland” probably doesn't exist anymore.