DAS and Character M&G with FP lines - still not allowed? - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
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DAS and Character M&G with FP lines - still not allowed?
I expect the answer to be no but for those that have used the new DAS so far, has anyone tried to use them at a M&G that has a FP line? I know last year, we were denied entrance using the GAC. We were also denied admittance to Enchanted Tales with Belle and Disney Junior - both of which have FP lines - with it. The Little Mermaid (at DHS) we were allowed to use the GAC however (but that could have been due to the CM understanding Autism and seeing how Abby was acting due to the crowds/lines). Anyone have experiences with this? I just want to have a heads up in case we cannot get a FP for some of the M&G. And if anyone knows why they can't be used, it will be great for when Abby asks why we can use her DAS at other attractions that have FP lines but not the M&G's. TIA
The way it was explained to us, Darlene, is that these are currently the most popular attractions, so they are just not allowing the DAS at those at this time. I didn't really think that was really the greatest explanation, but I already knew the restrictions and had explained it to Joel ahead of time, so we were okay with it. Frankly, it's the same rationale that Universal uses to exclude Harry Potter from its Express Pass holders. It's the most popular attraction, so everyone waits. However, they do allow use of their version of the DAS. If I had paid for an Express Pass, it would irk me to not be able to use it on the most popular attraction.
Anyway, that's how it was explained to us. Hopefully, Abby will be okay with it.
I expect the answer to be no but for those that have used the new DAS so far, has anyone tried to use them at a M&G that has a FP line? I know last year, we were denied entrance using the GAC. We were also denied admittance to Enchanted Tales with Belle and Disney Junior - both of which have FP lines - with it.
We have never been to Disney Junior, so I can't answer for that.
I do know that GAC was sometime allowed and sometimes not for Enchanted Tales with Belle,made pending on how busy it was.
We were able to use DAS for Enchanted Tales with Belle during our trip in October 2013 and this Spring.
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The Little Mermaid (at DHS) we were allowed to use the GAC however (but that could have been due to the CM understanding Autism and seeing how Abby was acting due to the crowds/lines). Anyone have experiences with this?
If you are talking about the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at Disney's Hollywood Studio, we did use the GAC there many times in the past.
We also used DAS at it this Spring. If you are asking about DAS for the Little Mermaid meet and greet at Magic Kingdom, we got a DAS REturn Time for that last fall.
I have not heard of anyone using DAS for the Frozen meet and greet.
That one is for sure extremely busy.
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I just want to have a heads up in case we cannot get a FP for some of the M&G. And if anyone knows why they can't be used, it will be great for when Abby asks why we can use her DAS at other attractions that have FP lines but not the M&G's. TIA
The explanation I have heard for not using GAC for meet and greets was how busy they were.
I think that DAS is more likely to be valid for meet and greets with Fastpass than GAC was because there is still a wait when using DAS.
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Based on what Sue said, it must depend upon your CM. At MK, the guest relations CM was the one who told us that Enchanted Tales and the princess greetings were not included, and we were also there in October, so go figure.
Based on what Sue said, it must depend upon your CM. At MK, the guest relations CM was the one who told us that Enchanted Tales and the princess greetings were not included, and we were also there in October, so go figure.
Were you there before or after the DAS came into use?
We were at WDW from October 23 thru November 9, 2013 and from March 28 thru April 11, 2014.
We were there using DAS and it was not particularly busy. I think the Standby wait was around 30 minutes each time we used our daughter's DAS there.
Spoiler alert...............
The times we were there, we could tell from where people were coming out that they were using both library greeting rooms.
I think that there are specific guidelines for whether DAS can be used there and that it is not just the particular CM.
From our experience and from hearing from other people who did use DAS there, I think the criteria for whether or not DAS can be used is a combination of the current Standby wait time and whether both meeting rooms are in use.
Because the attraction is a relatively long one and because each show only holds a relatively small number of people, it doesn't really handle that many per hour.
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I do know that GAC was sometime allowed and sometimes not for Enchanted Tales with Belle,made pending on how busy it was.
We were able to use DAS for Enchanted Tales with Belle during our trip in October 2013 and this Spring.
For Belle, we were flat out told no, our GAC could not be used there. If we wanted to experience it, we had to wait in the normal queue - and that would be only after Lenny found a wheelchair to transfer into.
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If you are talking about the Voyage of the Little Mermaid show at Disney's Hollywood Studio, we did use the GAC there many times in the past.
We also used DAS at it this Spring. .
Yes, it was at Voyage of the Little Mermaid at the Studios. The CM at first told us no we couldn't use the GAC but then she changed her mind.
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If you are asking about DAS for the Little Mermaid meet and greet at Magic Kingdom, we got a DAS REturn Time for that last fall.
I have not heard of anyone using DAS for the Frozen meet and greet.
That one is for sure extremely busy. The explanation I have heard for not using GAC for meet and greets was how busy they were
I was wondering if with all the M&G that have FP now if Disney was now allowing you to use the DAS for those. Apparently the answer is Disney will pick and choose if you can or if you can't (as evidenced by you using the DAS at Ariel but being told you can't use it at a M&G because of it being busy). "Ar iel's no longer popular so you can do DAS but Anna and Elsa are popular so if you want to see them, you have to wait 5 hours in line, we don't care you have a DAS because you can't wait in a line that long." If you can't use the DAS, that's fine - I plan on trying for FP anyway for the M&G (and really hoping I can get them) - but Disney needs to decide on one set of rules and stick with them. Not change them according to the characters.
Were you there before or after the DAS came into use?
We were at WDW from October 23 thru November 9, 2013 and from March 28 thru April 11, 2014.
We were there using DAS and it was not particularly busy. I think the Standby wait was around 30 minutes each time we used our daughter's DAS there.
Spoiler alert...............
The times we were there, we could tell from where people were coming out that they were using both library greeting rooms.
I think that there are specific guidelines for whether DAS can be used there and that it is not just the particular CM.
From our experience and from hearing from other people who did use DAS there, I think the criteria for whether or not DAS can be used is a combination of the current Standby wait time and whether both meeting rooms are in use.
Because the attraction is a relatively long one and because each show only holds a relatively small number of people, it doesn't really handle that many per hour.
We were there in October and had a DAS. We were told explicitly by guest relations that the DAS could be used for any attractions at MK (where we got it) except princess greetings and Enchanted Tales. I didn't question it. We just went with it and said thank you.
For Belle, we were flat out told no, our GAC could not be used there. If we wanted to experience it, we had to wait in the normal queue - and that would be only after Lenny found a wheelchair to transfer into.
Yes, it was at Voyage of the Little Mermaid at the Studios. The CM at first told us no we couldn't use the GAC but then she changed her mind.
I was wondering if with all the M&G that have FP now if Disney was now allowing you to use the DAS for those. Apparently the answer is Disney will pick and choose if you can or if you can't (as evidenced by you using the DAS at Ariel but being told you can't use it at a M&G because of it being busy). "Ar iel's no longer popular so you can do DAS but Anna and Elsa are popular so if you want to see them, you have to wait 5 hours in line, we don't care you have a DAS because you can't wait in a line that long." If you can't use the DAS, that's fine - I plan on trying for FP anyway for the M&G (and really hoping I can get them) - but Disney needs to decide on one set of rules and stick with them. Not change them according to the characters.
I agree, Darlene. Consistency would be appreciated, as would DAS access for the long-wait attractions. It is, after all, generally for a lot of people who have issues with waits or crowds. But, as I often tell Joel, it is what it is. I figure it's good for him to have to deal with life's inconsistencies.
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My understanding is that character greets that have a FP+ do currently allow DAS return times. However, at the most popular ones (such as Anna & Elsa) that could leave your DAS "unusable" for a good 3 or 4 hours since the lines get that long and DAS return time is equal to the standby wait. I'd plan FP+ for such greets rather than plan on DAS.
Just a little FYI, I am also looking into the possible use of a DAS at Disneyland, and preliminarily I have been told that Anna and Elsa are excluded. I know DLR is a somewhat different animal than WDW, but right now I am planning on having to wait in that line with my son. It is his #1 request on his birthday/graduation celebration trip, so I will make it happen, even if it takes us half a day...and yes, he's prepared for that...at least he says he is.
I wish you luck with using yours to maximum benefit on your trip in August, Darlene. Maybe you can get at least one of those special, sometimes excluded, experiences with it.
Just a little FYI, I am also looking into the possible use of a DAS at Disneyland, and preliminarily I have been told that Anna and Elsa are excluded. I know DLR is a somewhat different animal than WDW, but right now I am planning on having to wait in that line with my son. It is his #1 request on his birthday/graduation celebration trip, so I will make it happen, even if it takes us half a day...and yes, he's prepared for that...at least he says he is.
I wish you luck with using yours to maximum benefit on your trip in August, Darlene. Maybe you can get at least one of those special, sometimes excluded, experiences with it.
I know that currently Anna & Elsa at DL are only greeting from something like 9 am to 3pm and don't have Fastpass.
That is the same situation as they were in at WDW before they moved from Norway to MK. They did not use DAS in Norway.
Your son may surprise you and be able to hold everything together for the wait because he wants it so very much. If he can't, I'd suggest checking if you can be allowed to have one person from your group wait in the line while he waits with someone else outside and joins you closer to the time you will actually get to the princesses.
They had done that in the past at WDW with characters in Toontown.
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Your idea would be fine, Sue, except that it's just the two of us going, so if they don't allow us to use the DAS for a return time, then he either waits it out or he doesn't. He is insistent that he wants to see these characters, so I think he'll do it. I've been PMing someone in that area, and we've got a strategy, which I hope keeps our wait to somewhere around an hour.
Your idea would be fine, Sue, except that it's just the two of us going, so if they don't allow us to use the DAS for a return time, then he either waits it out or he doesn't. He is insistent that he wants to see these characters, so I think he'll do it. I've been PMing someone in that area, and we've got a strategy, which I hope keeps our wait to somewhere around an hour.
He is insistent that he wants to see these characters, so I think he'll do it. I've been PMing someone in that area, and we've got a strategy, which I hope keeps our wait to somewhere around an hour.
.
I think your approach is perfect. Help create the setting that could work with strategies and planning. Maybe this will be the motivator to learn some new skills! Good luck, and I hope it works out.
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