I just heard a rumor. Tell me it is not true. - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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Someone just told me that a CM at GS told them that the DAS is going to be discontinued by the end of the year. That it was just a patch while they were getting the FP+ in place and, eventually, everyone will only be allowed 3 FPs a day regardless of disability.
I am so confused by so many changes happening so fast. Please explain things to me slowly and simply. I am planning a trip in May/June.
__________________
Sandi
mom of 6: dd25, ds22, dd17, ds13, dd12, and dd9
mawmaw to 3 beautiful granddaughters: 5, 3, 1 and #4 due in February
16 trips to WDW
It may or may not be true, but rumors form so quickly and CMs do not always have correct information. My advice is not to worry about it unless it gets announced in an official way.
As others posted, I would not worry about this rumor unless I heard anything official.
I don't personally think it is likely to be true. Some of the reasons include:
- The DAS program Disney came up with is basically the same program other parks all over the US are using. That alone would make it unlikely for Disney to end it.
- Disney's written information indicates DAS was designed to be used [i]along with[/I ] Fastpass/Fastpass Plus.
- Fastpass Plus is just being rolled out at WDW. I have not heard any good information about when it will start at Disneyland.
- There would still be people who need more assistance than the average guest; Fastpass a Plus alone would not provide that.
I have heard 2 rumors about the DAS card that are fairly likely to be true and may be where this rumor started.
I have been told by several CMs that when Fastpass Plus is totally rolled out at WDW, the DAS card will be discontinued and the DAS information will be added to the guest's Magicband, park pass or annual pass. So, according to that rumor, the DAS card would go away, but the program would not.
The other rumor is that once Fastpass Plus is totally rolled out, guests using DAS at WDW would be able to make use of the Fastpass Plus kiosks to set up their DAS return times. If DAS information was added to the guest's Magicband, park pass or AP, that would make sense.
Those 2 rumors are only just rumors unless Disney officially announces them, but I think they are much more likely to be true than the rumor about DAS ending.
Last edited by SueM loves WDW; 01-11-2014 at 10:04 PM..
Thank you so much!!! I went back and reread what this person was actually told. The CM told her the CARDS were going away. She ASSUMED he meant the entire program. Semantics can make a big difference.
One other rumor, not directly related to special needs but one you may answer for me. I am so confused on the FP+ thing. Another person said that the FP+ will only allow you 3 FPs TOTAL. I thought it was just in advance but then worked just as the old system did in the past. Once in the park, you can go to a kiosk and get as many as you could before based on times (like only 1 out at a time and such like before). Are they maxing out the number FPs guests can get?
Back on the DAS with the magicband. Will it be only one out at a time as it is now or is it too early to speculate?
I know I have lots of questions but these changes have me thrown for a loop trying to keep up.
__________________
Sandi
mom of 6: dd25, ds22, dd17, ds13, dd12, and dd9
mawmaw to 3 beautiful granddaughters: 5, 3, 1 and #4 due in February
16 trips to WDW
Thank you so much!!! I went back and reread what this person was actually told. The CM told her the CARDS were going away. She ASSUMED he meant the entire program. Semantics can make a big difference.
One other rumor, not directly related to special needs but one you may answer for me. I am so confused on the FP+ thing. Another person said that the FP+ will only allow you 3 FPs TOTAL. I thought it was just in advance but then worked just as the old system did in the past. Once in the park, you can go to a kiosk and get as many as you could before based on times (like only 1 out at a time and such like before). Are they maxing out the number FPs guests can get?
Back on the DAS with the magicband. Will it be only one out at a time as it is now or is it too early to speculate?
I know I have lots of questions but these changes have me thrown for a loop trying to keep up.
As it stands right now with Fastpass+, you are allowed 3 fastpass+ attractions per day. Even if you use all your fast passes up, you cannot get anymore. We tried when we were there in December for New Year's and we could not get a 4th fast pass. This may change as the entire "MyDisneyExperience" program is rolled out over the next few months but as it stands right now, it's 3 fastpass+ attractions regardless of if you do them in advance or at the park.
Thank you. When they do away with the paper fastpass, do you think they will allow more once you use them up? Seems rough to have ONLY 3 each day. It is going to make the stand by lines worse. It will seem that the fastpass lines will be mainly for those using DAS. Better for those using DAS but bad for everyone else.
I would so hate to be those in charge of creating all of these systems. It must be a nightmare to try to balance it out for everyone's benefit and keep everyone happy. You couldn't pay me enough to have that job.
__________________
Sandi
mom of 6: dd25, ds22, dd17, ds13, dd12, and dd9
mawmaw to 3 beautiful granddaughters: 5, 3, 1 and #4 due in February
16 trips to WDW
Thank you. When they do away with the paper fastpass, do you think they will allow more once you use them up? Seems rough to have ONLY 3 each day. It is going to make the stand by lines worse. It will seem that the fastpass lines will be mainly for those using DAS. Better for those using DAS but bad for everyone else.
I would so hate to be those in charge of creating all of these systems. It must be a nightmare to try to balance it out for everyone's benefit and keep everyone happy. You couldn't pay me enough to have that job.
I agree.... I really hope they increase the number and make them available in more than one park per day. If they don't do that, I think they'll discourage hopping, which would mean less revenue from hopper tickets.
Thank you so much!!! I went back and reread what this person was actually told. The CM told her the CARDS were going away. She ASSUMED he meant the entire program. Semantics can make a big difference.
One other rumor, not directly related to special needs but one you may answer for me. I am so confused on the FP+ thing. Another person said that the FP+ will only allow you 3 FPs TOTAL. I thought it was just in advance but then worked just as the old system did in the past. Once in the park, you can go to a kiosk and get as many as you could before based on times (like only 1 out at a time and such like before). Are they maxing out the number FPs guests can get?
as Mystic wrote, it is 3 Fastpass Plus, regardless of whether done ahead of time or the day or visit.
And, I agree with Mystic that it may change. It won't be less than 3, but could be more.
We were at WDW from October 25 thru November 9, 2013, using DAS and Fastpass Plus.
We used our Fastpass Plus selections to kind of make a 'framework' plan for our day.
We used to DAS return times and attractions with short waits to fill in the times between Fastpass Plus.
The Disney app - My Disney Experience - is very helpful because you can look at wait times for attractions around you. We used it to figure out which attractions to get a DAS Return Time for and which nearby ones we could see while we waited for the Return Time.
Quote:
Back on the DAS with the magicband. Will it be only one out at a time as it is now or is it too early to speculate?
I know I have lots of questions but these changes have me thrown for a loop trying to keep up.
Magicbands don't actually have any information on them. They just have links to that guest's information in the Disney computer.
The old GAC cards were just a card- they didn't have a number or a computer file to link to.
The DAS has both - a number on the card and a computer file that number links to.
If Disney uses the Magicbands, those are what the Magicband will link to.
We were staying at Old Key West and have annual passports, which were linked to our Magicbands. We were told the annual passes should stay linked to the Magicbands and, theoretically, holders of annual passes could use the same Magicband for up to 2 years (until the batteries ran down). But, because we stay at a Disney resort, we would probably be getting new bands each time and would just re-link our appeal passes to the new Magicbands.
The same should be true of DAS information if it goes on Magicbands. It will just be re-linked as needed.
I haven't heard anything new that is close to an official or informed "rumor." I think there are some accommodations that just couldn't be managed with a Fastpass, such as physical access if an attraction has stairs, such as Toy Story.
I'd wait for something official before anticipating anything else. PLEASE keep your "ears" on and keep us informed.
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