Walt Disney World Extends DAS Registration Window - Here's What's Changed

Feb 02, 2025 in "Disability Access Service Card - DAS"

Posted: Sunday February 2, 2025 7:35am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

Walt Disney World has made further updates to its Disability Access Service (DAS) policy, giving guests more time to register.

Expanded Registration Window

Guests can now determine DAS eligibility up to 60 days before their park visit, doubling the previous 30-day registration window. The updated policy now states:

"Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 60 days in advance of a park visit."

This gives guests more flexibility in planning their trips and may help reduce congestion in the video chat system, which has faced high demand when many guests tried to register close to their travel dates.

Wording Change on Eligibility

This update follows a January 28 policy change in which Disney removed the word "only" from its DAS eligibility statement. The revised wording now reads:

"DAS is intended to accommodate those Guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time."

Previously, the phrase "only those Guests" was used, which some viewed as a stricter limitation. While Disney has not provided clarification on whether this signals a broader interpretation of eligibility, the change leaves room for more flexibility in how the policy is applied.

What Hasn't Changed?

  • DAS eligibility still applies to guests with a developmental disability like autism or similar that prevents them from waiting in a conventional queue.
  • DAS is valid for 240 days once approved.
  • The party size remains limited to the registered guest and up to three additional people (total of four).

How to Register for DAS at Walt Disney World

  • Registration is available via live video chat.
  • Speak with a Cast Member via live video chat to determine eligibility as soon as 60 days in advance of a park visit.
  • At this time, live chat is offered in English only.
  • In-person registration is no longer be available at theme park Guest Relations locations.
  • If DAS is provided after a conversation with a Cast Member to determine eligibility, the Guest with a disability (or a parent/guardian) will participate in the registration process. This requires having a photo taken of the DAS-registered Guest.
  • DAS registration maximum party size is the registered DAS Guest and up to 3 additional party members, for a total of 4 people.
  • DAS is valid for up to 240 days. Once the service has elapsed, Guests will need to re-register.

DAS FAQs

How long is DAS valid?
DAS is valid for the length of the ticket or up to 120 days, whichever is shorter. Once the service has elapsed, Guests need to re-register for the program.

Is DAS issued at the Walt Disney World Resort valid at the Disneyland Resort?
DAS is valid only throughout the Resort at which it was issued. DAS issued at Walt Disney World Resort, for example, is not valid at the Disneyland Resort, and vice versa.

What happens if any of the statements made by a Guest in the process of registering for DAS are found to be not true?
If it is determined that any of the statements a Guest made in the process of obtaining DAS are not true, the Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and the Disneyland Resort, and any previously purchased Annual Passes , Magic Key passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded.

Where do Guests utilizing DAS go to receive return times?
Guests utilizing DAS (and their party members) to make return time selections right from the My Disney Experience app during the day of their park visit. Registered Guests using DAS and members of their party will be able to book, redeem, change or cancel DAS return times using the My Disney Experience app via a smart phone or other smart device. If additional assistance is required, Guests can also obtain return times directly from a Cast Member at any Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location.

What can Guests do during their DAS virtual wait?
Guests utilizing DAS can enjoy many other experiences throughout Walt Disney World Resort during a DAS virtual wait, such as other rides, shows, concerts, parades and Character Greetings. They can also take a rest in a break area, get something to eat or go shopping.

Does the Guest utilizing DAS have to be present to obtain a return time at a Guest Relations or Guest Experience Team location?
No. Any member of the DAS-eligible Guest’s travel party may obtain a return time, but the Guest registered for DAS must be present and experience the attraction with their party.

Does a Guest utilizing DAS have to ride the attraction at the exact return time listed?
No. DAS return times are not limited to a specific window and are valid until the park closes or an attraction closes for the day.

Can a Guest have more than one active DAS return time at one time?
No. A Guest may only have one DAS return time at a time. The Guest may obtain another return time for the same or different attraction 10 minutes after they redeem a return time.

Can a Guest with an active DAS return time receive a boarding group for one of the virtual queue attractions?
Yes. A Guest can hold one active DAS return time and one virtual queue boarding group at the same time. When a Guest utilizing DAS goes to the attraction with a virtual queue, they, along with their party, will speak to a Cast Member at the attraction about accessing the queue.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

    View all comments →

    puppawuppa14 days ago

    Thank you

    Tigger&Pooh14 days ago

    No, it's on a go-forward basis. The expiration date of the DAS you received back in March likely was 240 days. Once that expires and you re-apply for DAS, then it will be valid for a year.

    puppawuppa14 days ago

    If I read correctly the DAS i got in March will be valid until March 2026? I have an Annual Pass. TIA

    Tigger&Pooh15 days ago

    I've seen that reported as well -- and not just with this new extension to one year but it has been happening already with the 240 days. If someone already has tickets for a 2nd/3rd/etc. visit further in the future, the DAS will be set with the longer expiration. But the tickets have to already be purchased and in MDE.

    JAN J15 days ago

    In the FB DAS group they said that some people who already had tickets for future trips were able to get an extended validity. Not sure how long though.

    nickys15 days ago

    I’d be interested to see what happens if someone already has another ticket already booked within a year when they apply for it.

    jennab5516 days ago

    Valid through the length of your ticket is how it reads.

    muteki16 days ago

    Dated tickets/day guests still 14 days or whatever it was I assume?

    jennab5517 days ago

    Smart ad now APs will be approved through the length of their ticket, which makes sense. Then they can reapply for DAS and if denies make the choice to renew or not.

    JAN JApr 09, 2025

    Makes sense, I hadn't considered it from that perspective.

    Tigger&PoohApr 08, 2025

    Agree that is the assumed reason for not limiting DAS. I also believe re-rides are simply not the problem that some posters here claim it is. If Disney felt DAS re-rides were causing a considerable backlog at certain attractions they could probably tweak DAS to include some limits (likely X number of attractions per day rather than "no re-rides"), but since it's apparently not a particularly high volume of riders Disney isn't interested in creating such limits.

    JAN JApr 08, 2025

    Probably was easier to just say "set it at 10 minutes" rather than "estimate each ride's running time". My solution would be a scanner at the exit but then it would cost them money to buy and maintain.

    DisneyHead123Apr 08, 2025

    I think this is a largely uncharted topic, because in the past, disabilities often involved physical differences, with an assumption that people still wanted to do the same things in general. Now, with the huge increase we’re seeing in the ND population, it’s a bit different because the desire to do things differently is itself the disability, at least in part (note - I’m using disability in the sense that it qualifies people for DAS. I know some people use the term disability, some use difference, and I am open to both, depending on a person‘s unique situation and self perception.) I don’t know if wanting to go on a ride over and over would be considered something that needs to be accommodated if it were ever brought up in a legal sense. I actually think this is one of the few areas where a difference in ND thinking styles might be granted legal protection. If a person wants Disney to turn on all the lights in the dark rides and lower the volume on everything, that’s changing the experience for everyone else. If a person wants to go on a ride over and over? I feel like that’s similar to a person who goes to a zoo or museum and stands at one exhibit the whole time. It’s well within the choices they are allowed to make for themselves to have an enjoyable day. Now if the entrance to said exhibit is small and they are blocking it for other people? That’s a bit different. Again, I think this is one that would have to be discussed in detail in court as there is little that has been said about it thus far, that I’m aware of. I could see it going either way. My guess is that if Disney ever does limit DAS rides, it will be for a handful of attractions with the highest number of riders, the argument being that re-rides prevent other park guests from experiencing the ride (but more likely they’ll just sidestep the issue entirely with virtual queues.)