So we got up and headed out to Magic Kingdom this morning so we could trade in our Guest Assistance Card for the Disability Access Service Card (DAS). We videoed several parts of the day in order to show everyone how it works.

After arriving inside the the gates, we immediately headed over to Guest Relations, inside of City Hall. The line was really no different than most days at guest relations. I would say it was a 5 to 10 minute wait.

When it was our turn, we found the cast member assisting us to be VERY helpful and pleasant. She offered loads of information and was going out of her way to make sure we knew of all the accommodations for our specific needs. I wasn’t prepared to have to answer what our needs would be in the park though, that was new for me. Instead of asking what was wrong with our child, they word it with, “what accommodations does your child need?” – which is good and bad. I like the respect and kindness she showed, but it took me by surprise as I felt that I had disclose his diagnosis, even though she didn’t ask. (Truth be told, I don’t think I have ever had to mention his diagnosis as much as I did today. Seemed like every ride required some sort of explanation for something. I felt like I had to keep telling CM’s my son is on the spectrum….). My recommendation to others would be to come prepared to explain what your specific needs are. Once I explained our situation, she even offered additional assistance. In the video you will hear that I said yes he like to ride rides multiple times, but that we don’t encourage it. But there is something in place for children who do need to ride a ride multiple times in a row, they are called “reAds” the guest services person will give you as many of these as you need in order for your child to not have a meltdown. We did receive the start off Fastpasses to help get our day going. But we didn’t end up using them this morning.

As for taking his picture, Carson was not going to get out of his stroller, period. He also had us pulling the stroller umbrella down so he was in his “cocoon”, so I was nervous how the picture would work. But, it ended up being fine! She walked around the counter and with her iPad, took a photo of Carson while he was still in his safe spot.

Here is the exact experience we had with obtaining the DAS:

Now of note, we also use our Stroller as a Wheelchair and we weren’t sure how this was going to work any more. But it was fine. She issued us a new Stroller Tag and we were still able to use our stroller as a wheelchair for Carson today.

Next we headed out to Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin to get a return time. While the Standby time read only 20 minutes, the line looked like a 40 minute line. So I am not sure what was up with that, but because the standby time was only 20 minutes, we got a 10 minute return time. (WARNING for some reason I am REALLY loud in this video!!!!! turn the speakers down)

Carson had all ready selected the “car ride” to drive as what he wanted to do. So I knew our first stop to ride was going to be the Speedway. So we headed over there with our stroller and walked up to the CM who standing near the wheelchair entrance and asked how it was going to work. He asked for my DAS card to write a time on it, but I told him we can’t do that as we all ready have Buzz Lightyear on there. So I pulled out the 4 fastpasses that guest relations gave me, as there was no way we could walk away from this ride, Carson would have melted down and he was all ready on thin ice. The CM manager that was standing there beside the CM we were speaking with, spoke up and said on no, you don’t want to use those here. There will be worse lines in the park today. I told him we don’t have a choice, that our son is on the spectrum and he chose to drive cars as his ride, so walking away from it would be disastrous for us. He then told me to put away the fastpasses and had the other CM use a different white card (which we learned more about later) and fill it out for a return time of then. So he handed it to us and told us to go ahead and continue on in.

Of note, when we got off the Speedway, the standby line was out into the “walkway” but the standby time was still listed as 20 minutes, when I know for a fact that was a 40 minute line. Again, I just thought that was weird. That was the second line that I noticed was “miss-timed” but again by less time than what it was really going to be.

Next we headed back to Space Ranger Spin and showed them our DAS card with the return time on it. The CM grabbed a pen and crossed off the times and sent us through the Fastpass line. Again the same procedure took place at the next CM, we showed him our DAS and then were lead through the line. (of note, because we use the stroller as a wheelchair, we were then moved into the wheelchair line and lead to the exit of the ride, where we get on).

After leaving Buzz Lightyear, we headed over towards the Tea Cups, We had been in the park now for just over an hour and a half and Carson was starting to melt down. When we got to the tea cups, the same thing happened there, a 20 minute wait (we were noticing a theme). We went to the CM at the Fastpass line and asked her what we needed to do as we usually use the Wheelchair entrance for this ride. She pulled out those little white cards (same one as from the speedway) and filled it out. She told us that it would be for immediate access as the wait time was short right now. But that rides that have a seperate wheelchair entrance use these little white cards. Which in some ways makes sense. So no more just showing up at the wheelchair entrance and waiting there, you go to the first line, get a card and then go wait at the wheelchair line for rides that have a separate entrance.

We didn’t end up doing the Tea Cups because by the time I was done getting our little card and talking to the CM, Carson was done. So we decided to go look for Katelyn and Becca and say hi!

We found Katelyn working at Poohs Corner and said hi to her and then contemplated using our 4 fastpasses to ride the Pooh ride, but the fastpass line was going to be at least 20 minutes and he was all ready on edge. We decided it was better to not push our luck.

The one really positive thing I learned today; After walking away from Pooh’s Corner we headed into the Courtyard of Fantasyland to look for Becca, someone had said that the DAS would work for Character Meet and Greets, so I wanted to test that. As the old GACs didn’t, I was a little apprehensive. I walked up to Princess Fairytale Hall and the cast member wrote a return time down for us come back and meet Rapunzel and Snow White! That is a HUGE positive for this new system.

Sadly, at this time, it was roughly 12:30pm, we had been in the park 2 hours and Carson was done with a capital “D”. So we said goodbye to Kathy, Scarlet and John and headed out with a return to Princess Fairytale Hall, 4 fastpasses and a Wheelchair return time for Tea Cups. I am hoping things go well enough today that we can head back over there this evening and see the Princesses and ride the tea cups. But this was normal for us. Two to Three hours, one to two rides and we are done.

I am holding off on stating my personal opinions until I have thoroughly tested the system.

Things I noticed or my takeaways from today:

ALL cast members were very attentive and willing to provide personalized assistance to meet my sons needs

It is a learning curve, but the CMs are all ready doing a great job

I don’t think today worked as a true test, as every ride was at 20 minutes for standby…. so we will let everyone know as we test this system with “real” wait times

For those in Wheelchairs – you will not need a DAS if you don’t have any other issues other than mobility. You will go to the alternate entrances and receive the white cards with a time to return or be let in immediately, based upon stand by time.