Disability Access Service FAQ

Disney offers a Disability Access Service (DAS) pass to assist people with disabilities that make waiting in long lines or in crowded spaces difficult. Learn all about the DAS pass, if you might qualify, and how to use it to make a Disney trip with a neuro-divergent individual in your group.

***Updated June 10, 2024

Changes have been recently implemented to Disney's Disability Access Service. To read more about what has changed and how that might affect your Disney vacation plans click here. You can read our thoughts on these changes and how they are being implimented here.

Disney’s Disability Access Service (or DAS) is in place to aid people who might otherwise have trouble in a theme park setting. It doesn’t magically do away with every challenge someone who might need the DAS will likely face at a Disney park. Crowds will still be prevalent, there are still a million miles to walk, and the days are long, but some careful planning and a touch of flexibility (sometimes more than a touch) will help manage that. DAS is a wonderful tool that Disney offers for families who would struggle without it. It is not for everyone, and people have unfortunately abused the system in the past. This has caused the pass to change over time, to limiting some of the advantages and hopefully make it less appealing to people looking to work the system. If someone in your family qualifies for the pass, you should definitely use it, but otherwise please leave it for those who truly need it.

What is DAS?

DAS stands for Disability Access Service. According to the Walt Disney World website it supports guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time. A DAS pass essentially holds your place in a line, allowing you and your family to wait somewhere else for the same amount of time someone would wait in the standby line. Then you are able to scan in, enter through the lightning lane, have a short wait, and experiene the attraction.

So DAS is a line-skipping service, like buying an Lighting Lane Multi Pass or Express Pass at Universal Studios?

No. It is essentially a virtual queue, but one you can get for almost every attraction. The idea being that you are still “waiting in line” you just are not actually in line but somewhere else. With DAS you use your MDE app to pick an experience and are given a come-back time equivalent to the current wait time of the ride. Another experience may be selected 10 minutes after you have scanned in for the current choice.

Who Qualifies for DAS?

With changes implemented on May 20, 2024, Disney has narrowed the scope of who qualifies for DAS. According to Disney this was to help curtail abuse of the system.

Now, according to the Walt Disney World website, DAS is intended to accommodate only those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar disorder, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.

What about if you have limited mobility?

DAS is designed to help people who struggle with WAITING in line, rather than standing in it. People who have limited mobility including those in a wheelchair or using an Electric Conveyance Vehicle (ECV) do not qualify for DAS. Almost all of WDW lines are accessible to both wheelchairs and ECVs. For those few that are not, such as Thunder Mountain, you will be given an individual comeback time for that attraction and enter through an alternative entrance.

What if you have a medical disability?

Medical disabilities do not qualify a guest for a DAS pass under Disney's new more rigorous criteria. Disney is suggesting other accommodations. We are writing a post to try to detail those and how they work. We will post it here as soon as we are able.

How do you get DAS?

You must preregister for DAS online.

How do you preregister for a DAS?

Guests who are eligible for DAS register in advance virtually with a Cast Member on the Walt Disney World official website here. The person in need of the DAS must be present for the virtual call even if they are a minor. Wait times can be very long when registering virtually. We have found it better to do it first thing in the morning rather than waiting until later in the day. Read our FAQ on preregistering here.

What do I need to say in order to get approved?

We cannot tell you the answer to that. In fact, if we could, we still would not. Too many people over the years have lied and cheated in order to qualify for it. What we can tell you is to plan out how to articulate why you or your loved one needs DAS. Be clear in your answers and explain what their struggles with standing in line for extended periods of time are. But be aware they are using a third party service to do the majority of the approvals and they are inflexible about the criteria. Many people who qualified before are not currently being accepted.

If I do not qualify for DAS are there other accommodations available for me?

Disney is offering alternative accommodations to guests with a disability, but who do not qualify for DAS under the current criteria. You can read about them here.

Do I still get two pre-selected attractions per day if I qualify for DAS?

No, with the new changes in policy Disney has done away with the pre-selection process.

Can I register for DAS in the parks?

No, not at Walt Disney World. Guest Services can no longer help you with any part of the Disability Access Service. If you need to register in the parks, or need help with an issue you must use the chat feature on the web site. Guest services may be able to provide an iPad for you to use if you do not have a cell phone capable of getting online.

Which attractions can be DAS selections?

All attractions that have a lightning lane option. This will include all the attractions available for selection through Lightning Lane Multi Pass and l Lightning Lane Single Pass attractions. Lines with a virtual que have a different process. See below.

What about rides with a virtual queue?

You cannot currently select a DAS come back time for attractions with a virtual queue. You will need to attempt to get a virtual queue time at 7AM or 1PM like everyone else. For these attractions, if you manage to get a spot in the virtual queue, you will need to see a cast member, after your group is called, so that they can make this adjustment in your reservation.  You can then enter through the Lightning Lane instead of joining the standard queue.

How many friends and family can join on the DAS?

Up to three additional guest may be included in the DAS once it is approved - four in total. Anyone in your party must be linked to the DAS. Theoretically exceptions are made for minor children in larger families. Grandparents and adult children are not added under the exception.

How do I add friends and family to my DAS?

They must be linked to your planning party before the virtual call for approval, read how to do that here. They can no longer be added in the parks, only online using the chat function.

If my party is too large for them all to be included in DAS, is it possible to purchase Lighting Lane Multi Pass for some of my party so that we can still all ride together?

If your party is too large for everyone to be added to DAS, you can absolutely use Lighting Lane Multi Pass in conjunction with DAS. You will need to use LLMP selections guide your DAS selection.  When you have a Lightning Lane Pass schedueled for an attraction, try to keep and eye on the wait times for the attraction so you can schedule your DAS come back time for the same window as the LLMP come back time.  Keep in mind that the DAS window does not expire, but the Lightning Lane return time will only be open for an hour.

How long is the DAS valid?

DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. Once the DAS period has elapsed, guests need to re-register for the program. ***We have read that they are changing this to be 120 days regardless, but that is not indicated on the Disney web site. We have also read that if you are approved for one coast, Walt Disney World or Disneyland, the approval is transferable to the other park. Again, this is not indicated anywhere on the Disney web site.

How do I make a DAS attraction selection in the parks?

You will access your DAS within the MDE app. Navigate over to the icon on the bottom right (the three horizontal lines). Then scroll down. You should have an option to select Disability Access Service. From there you can view attractions and their wait times. By selecting an individual attraction you will be taken to the screen for that attraction and from there you can select to make a DAS selection (should be next to where you would make a LL selection). You cannot make DAS selections for attractions that do not have a lightning lane available. You will then select the members of your party who will be riding the attraction and hit confirm to finalize the reservation. Read more details here on using DAS in the parks.

How do I use DAS in the parks?

You access your DAS within the MDE app. Tap the Disability Access Service button to access the area of the app with rides and comeback times. After picking an experience, such a Space Mountain, you can then go and sit or browse a store until the come back time. You typically scan in with your magicband or ticket through the lighting lane entrance. The DAS holder will need to scan in first and be approved by a cast member. Then other members of the party will scan in. If someone has been selected to ride the attraction on the DAS, but does not, you will need to have that selection cleared from them before you can add them to another selection. You may still have a short wait time before boarding the ride. You can schedule your next DAS time ten minutes after you have scanned in. Note some attractions have two areas to scan, you will not be able to make another selection until ten minutes after you are past the second scanning place. Anyone in the planning party may make the DAS selections, but the person who is registered for the DAS must be present for each attraction and must scan in first.

Read more in our post here.

Is there anywhere in the parks I can schedule a return time with my DAS pass?

We have been able to schedule it directly with cast members at the beginning of each ride queue when we have had an issue in the past.

You can also still schedule them at guest relation stops throughout the park. l post details on this as soon as we have them.

What happens if I am late for a DAS come-back time?

Once a DAS return time has been scheduled, can scan in any time after the indicated come back time. It does not expire as long as it is the same day. You cannot, however, schedule another DAS come back time until 10 minutes after you have scanned in for the current one.

What if we decide not to ride something we have a DAS reservation for?

You can cancel your DAS selection either in the app by navigating to your DAS reservation and scrolling down until you see an option to cancel this reservation, or by going to one of the guest relation stops where they will be able to help you. Remember, you cannot make another DAS attraction selection while you have an existing reservation.

What about evening shows?

There is no way to reserve viewing through DAS for the evening shows. There are however choices you can make to avoid some of the crowds. For the Epcot fireworks we recommend choosing a spot to watch early and avoiding the “prime” viewing locations like in the plaza, or on the bridges near Italy and France. We found a place to watch to the left of Japan that didn’t have too many people around us. For Hollywood Studio’s Fantasmic! we recommend heading over to the amphitheater early and asking a cast member if you can sit toward or at the back. In the past we've also been able to sit in the handicap viewing area. If you explain your situation they are generally accommodating. At Magic Kingdom there is a wheel chair viewing area that cast members will sometimes let guests with the DAS pass use. We recommend checking if this is an option, and going ahead and waiting in that area early as it fills up quickly. If this is not an option, we’ve found watching the fireworks from in front of the Crystal Palace is a less crowded area, though the view is obstructed, or at the end of Main Street from the train station, be aware you will need to claim this spot early. We have also watched the fire works from behind the castle in Fantasyland. The area near Gaston's Tavern is one we have found to be less crowded.

What about character meet and greets without a lightning lane?

There is no accommodation for these experiences at present. In general, if you time it right, you can manage only waiting a short time to see most of these characters. The notable exception is the Anna and Elsa meet and greet in Epcot, which has no lightning lane and often has a lengthy queue.