Disney’s Disability Pass: Everything You Need to Know!

One of the great things about Disney theme parks is that they are so inclusive. Everything from the rides and attractions to the food, merchandise, and more, Disney does its best to make sure no one feels left out. There are plenty of rides that have almost no size restrictions and, if you have special dietary needs, Disney chefs will make a dish just for you!

Related: Disney Park Unveils New Accessibility Features For Disabled Guests

Disney is also incredibly accommodating when it comes to guests with different types of disabilities. Whether a guest needs to use a wheelchair or electric scooter, if they have a different physical disability, or if they have a cognitive disability, Disney cast members are there to make your day as easy and memorable as possible.

Disney has an incredible program, its Disability Access Service. Here is everything you need to know about it!

What Is Disney’s Disability Access Service?

First and foremost, let’s talk about exactly what Disney’s DAS program is.

Disney’s DAS program is designed to help those who –for whatever reason — cannot wait in a traditional ride queue for an extended period. As many guests know, especially when the theme parks are crowded, popular rides can frequently see wait times of an hour or more.

Disney does not want anyone to feel like they cannot enjoy a ride or attraction simply because they, or someone in their party, is unable to wait in a long line. That’s where the DAS pass comes in.

What Is a DAS Pass?

Before the age of technology, Disney used to give out a physical pass that disabled guests could use. The guests would take their DAS card to the attraction they wanted to ride, and they would be able to use a different line, which was shorter.

Sadly, there was a large scandal at Disney not too long ago, where it was revealed that wealthy visitors were paying people with disabilities to go on vacation with them. They would then have that person get a disability pass, then, the wealthy visitors wouldn’t have to wait to get on the more popular attractions.

After that, Disney changed the way they did things. Guests with a disability pass would no longer be granted automatic entry to the front of the ride queue. Instead, much like a FastPass (RIP), they would be given a return time. Then, they would be able to come back and get the front-of-the-line access that they need.

Now, guests who qualify for the DAS pass can do everything from their phones! Once you are approved for the DAS pass, you will be able to access all the rides and attractions and make a selection right from your smartphone.

How Do I Get a DAS Pass?

Disney tries to make it as easy as possible for guests to get a DAS pass for their Disney vacation. There are actually two different ways that a guest can try to obtain a Disability Pass.

First, is pre-registration through the Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort website. Guests can log onto the website, agree to Disney’s terms and conditions that go along with the DAS pass, and then have a virtual video chat with a cast member. It is important to note that a video chat is required. Disney will not issue a DAS pass via its traditional virtual chat.

If you are approved to get a DAS pass, that Disney cast member can then help you book some attractions before you even get to the theme parks! Guests can register for a DAS pass as close as 2 days before their vacation and as far out as 30 days before their trip.

If you prefer to skip the virtual chat, guests can register for a DAS pass at the theme parks. They simply need to visit a Guest Relations booth at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, the Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom. They can then talk to a cast member face to face and see if they qualify for a pass.

If you are approved while at one of the theme parks, the cast member can then make you a DAS reservation then and there.

What Qualifies a Guest For a DAS Pass?

It is important to note that not every guest with a disability qualifies for a DAS pass — mainly guests in wheelchairs and electric scooters. Many of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort’s rides and attractions are handicap accessible. So, guests in wheelchairs and EVs are able to go through the traditional queue.

Related: Former Disney Park Performer Becomes Voice for Kids With Disabilities

Now, there are some attractions that are not fully wheelchair accessible via the traditional queue. For those attractions, a cast member will direct the guests on where they can enter the ride. In some cases, like with a DAS pass, the wheelchair user may be given a return time.

DAS access is given to guests who cannot wait in regular queues, whether the guest has a cognitive disability or a medical condition.

Related: Disney Debuts Out of My Mind Film About a Non-Verbal Sixth Grader With Special Needs

It is important to note that a Disney cast member MAY NOT ask you what your disability is when seeing if you qualify for a DAS pass. HIPAA (medical privacy) laws prevent them from doing so. The cast member will ask you what prevents you from waiting in the traditional queue. Guests can tell the cast member what their disability is, or they can simply say why they cannot wait in line.

What Happens Once You Have a DAS Pass

Once the guest in need has been approved for a DAS pass, things become very easy. Everyone in the party has their ticket scanned and is added to the guest’s party. From there, the Disneyland Resort Mobile app or the My Disney Experience app becomes your best friend.

Once you close and refresh the app, you’ll see that DAS (Disability Access Service) has been added to your main menu. The guest can click on that, and they will get a list of rides that are DAS accessible. They can click on the ride and they will be told when the next DAS return time is. They choose the ride they want, add the members of their party, confirm their choice, and that’s it!

Disney makes it incredibly easy to make ride reservations. Guests can enjoy their day without having to walk to each and every ride to be given a return time.

It should also be noted that, unlike Disney Genie+, guests with a DAS pass can get a return time for the same attraction as many times as they want per day. However, they can only make a new DAS reservation once their old one is either used or canceled. They can also only make reservations for attractions in the park they are currently in.

Related: Disney Genie+: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

What Rides and Attractions Are DAS Eligible?

One of the greatest things about Disney’s DAS system is that it doesn’t limit the rides and attractions that a guest experiences. Nearly every single attraction at both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort is DAS eligible!

When pre-registering for a Disney DAS pass with a cast member, guests can select the following attractions for advanced booking at the Walt Disney World Resort.

Magic Kingdom

• The Barnstormer
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Enchanted Tales with Belle
• Haunted Mansion
• “it’s a small world”
• Jungle Cruise
• Mad Tea Party
• The Magic Carpets of Aladdin
• The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Meet Ariel at Her Grotto
• Meet Cinderella and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Meet Mickey at Town Square Theater
• Meet Princess Tiana and a Visiting Princess at Princess Fairytale Hall
• Mickey’s PhilharMagic
• Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Tomorrowland Speedway
• Under the Sea ~ Journey of The Little Mermaid

EPCOT

• Disney and Pixar Short Film Festival
• Journey Into Imagination With Figment
• Living with the Land
• Mission: SPACE
• The Seas with Nemo & Friends
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Spaceship Earth
• Test Track
• Turtle Talk With Crush

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Beauty & The Beast Live on Stage
• Disney Junior Play and Dance!
• For the First Time in Forever: A Frozen Sing-Along Celebration
• Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular
• Meet Olaf at Celebrity Spotlight
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Muppet*Vision 3D
• Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
• Toy Story Mania!

Animal Kingdom

• The Animation Experience at Conservation Station
• Festival of the Lion King
• DINOSAUR
• Feathered Friends in Flight!
• Finding Nemo: The Big Blue…and Beyond!
• It’s Tough to be a Bug!
• Kali River Rapids
• Kilimanjaro Safaris
• Meet Favorite Disney Pals at Adventurers Outpost
• Na’vi River Journey

It should be noted that not every Disneyland and Disney World attraction can be pre-booked when you register for Disney’s disability service through the resort’s website. The following attractions can only be booked once you are in the theme parks.

Magic Kingdom

• Astro Orbiter
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover

EPCOT

• Frozen Ever After
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Meet Disney Stars at Red Carpet Dreams
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Animal Kingdom

• Avatar: Flight of Passage
• Expedition Everest: Legend of the Forbidden Mountain

The following attractions are available for pre-booking at Disneyland Resort:

Disneyland Park

• Autopia
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters
• Haunted Mansion
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• “it’s a small world”
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin
• Space Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue

Disney California Adventure

• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Monsters, Inc. Mike & Sulley to the Rescue!
• Soarin’ Around the World
• Toy Story Midway Mania

The following attractions can only be booked once inside Disneyland or Disney California Adventure:

Disneyland Park

• Alice In Wonderland
• Astro Orbiter
• Casey Jr. Circus Train
• Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster
• Dumbo the Flying Elephant
• Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage
• Jungle Cruise
• King Arthur Carrousel
• Mad Tea Party
• Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
• Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
• Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Pinocchio’s Daring Journey
• Pirates of the Caribbean
• Snow White’s Enchanted Wish
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• Storybook Land Canal Boats

Disney California Adventure

• Golden Zephyr
• Inside Out Emotional Whirlwind
• Jessie’s Critter Carousel
• Jumpin’ Jellyfish
• The Little Mermaid – Ariel’s Undersea Adventure
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Mater’s Junkyard Jamboree
• Pixar Pal-A-Round
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Silly Symphony Swings
• WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure

Related: Disney Pledges Millions to Brand-New Disneyland Project!

Using DAS With a Virtual Queue

As many guests who visit Disneyland and Disney World are aware, Disney has been utilizing a virtual queue for some of its newest rides. The virtual queue is used instead of a traditional standby queue. The virtual queue will open twice per day — at 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.. Guests can only join the virtual queue once and cannot join another virtual queue if they are already in one.

Right now, no Disneyland Resort attractions are using a virtual queue. Over at Disney World, guests must join a virtual queue if they want to ride TRON Lightcycle/Run at the Magic Kingdom or Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at EPCOT.

If you have a DAS pass, you still need to join the virtual queue. However, when your boarding group is called, go to a cast member at the attraction and tell them that you have DAS. They will then convert your virtual queue ticket into a Lightning Lane pass, so you can board the ride through the shorter line.

Related: The WORST Part About Using Disney’s Virtual Queue

If you are unable to secure a spot in the virtual queue, your only other option if you want to ride the attraction is to pay for and book a Lightning Lane.

What If I Have a Service Animal?

As we have said, Disney works very hard to be inclusive, and that includes being very accommodating to guests who need a service animal because of their disability. It is important to note that service animals are restricted to dogs and miniature ponies. it is also extremely important to remember that emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals at Disney parks.

While Disney parks have a ton of family-friendly rides, they are not all pet-friendly. There are some rides and attractions that a guest’s service animal can join them on, like “it’s a small world” and Mickey’s PhilharMagic.

At Walt Disney World, service animals are not allowed on the following attractions:

Magic Kingdom Park

• The Barnstormer
• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Peter Pan’s Flight
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Space Mountain
• TRON Lightcycle/Run

Related: PHOTOS: Meet Sulley, The runDisney Dog Athlete!

EPCOT

• Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind
• Mission: SPACE
• Test Track
• Soarin’ Around the World

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Alien Swirling Saucers
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
• Slinky Dog Dash
• Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• Affection Section at Rafiki’s Planet Watch
• Avatar Flight of Passage
• Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®
• DINOSAUR
• Kali River Rapids
• Maharajah Jungle Trek: Aviary Area

There are also some attractions that will occasionally allow a service animal to ride. The guest must check in with a cast member in order to see if their service animal can ride.

Magic Kingdom Park

• Prince Charming Regal Carrousel

EPCOT

• Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
• Spaceship Earth

Disney’s Hollywood Studios

• Toy Story Mania!

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park

• Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
• It’s Tough To Be A Bug!
• Kilimanjaro Safaris

Over at Disneyland Resort, service animals are not allowed on the following attractions:

Disneyland

• Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
• Chip ‘n’ Dale’s GADGETcoaster
• Indiana Jones Adventure
• Matterhorn Bobsleds
• Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
• Space Mountain
• Star Tours – The Adventures Continue
• Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Disney California Adventure

• Goofy’s Sky School
• Grizzly River Run
• Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!
• Incredicoaster
• Jumpin’ Jellyfish
• Luigi’s Rollickin’ Roadsters
• Radiator Springs Racers
• Silly Symphony Swings
• Soarin’ Around the World

Related: Cast Member & Her Faithful Companion Get Special Choir Robes for Disney’s Candlelight Processional

If a guest’s service dog is unable to ride the attraction, the dog (or miniature pony) will be put in a large crate and kept in a safe area while the guest is on the attraction. When the guest disembarks, they will immediately be taken to their service dog. A cast member will make sure that the service animal is safe and calm while the guest is enjoying the attraction.

Do All Disney Resorts Have a DAS Program?

Disney has a number of fantastic resorts outside of the United States. This includes Disneyland Paris, Shanghai Disney, Tokyo Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disney.

Each one of these four resorts has a Disability Access Service, but it is important to note that they do not operate like the DAS programs at Disneyland and Walt Disney World.

Tokyo Disney, Disneyland Paris, and Shanghai Disney all require guests to provide documentation to prove their disability. This is similar to the system utilized by the Universal Orlando Resort. Hong Kong Disney also has a disability program, but the website does not indicate that proof of a disability is required. However, the Hong Kong Disneyland DAS pass is only valid for the day that it is obtained.

Tokyo Disneyland will give guests a Disability Certificate, which they must present at each attraction. Guests visiting Disneyland Paris will need to obtain a Priority Card, which will be given out at the park when proof of disability is supplied. The Priority Card will be available for seven days.

Over at Shanghai Disneyland, guests will also need to provide proof of their disability in order to get a DAS pass. The website does not say how long the DAS pass will be good for once the guest receives it.

What If Someone Lies About Their Disability?

Nothing seems to be on the rise faster than the use of social media. People use it for everything from sharing recipes and makeup tips to telling outrageous stories about their lives.

There is a HUGE market for Disney-focused content on social media platforms like TikTok. Unfortunately, not all of the content is wholesome. Some TikTokers will tell guests how they can lie to be approved for a DAS pass. It mainly involves making up a disability that you have, and since cast members can’t ask for proof, they’ll never know.

However, Disney takes lying about a disability very seriously.

Related: Reports of DAS Abuse by TikTokers Plague Disney Parks

If a guest is caught lying about a disability, they will be permanently banned from both Disneyland and Disney World. If they are currently visiting the parks, they will be immediately removed. Annual Passholders and Magic Key Holders will also have their passes revoked and their money will not be refunded.

Does Disney’s Disability Access Service Cost Money?

This one will be short and sweet. The answer is NO! Disney’s Disability Access Services are free to all guests with valid theme park admission.

How Often Do I Have to Renew My DAS?

Both Disneyland and Walt Disney World require guests to renew their Disney disability pass every 60 days. That applies to both regular theme park ticket holders, as well as Annual Passholders (Magic Key Holders at Disneyland). Guests can renew their DAS the same way they received it the first time. They can either visit guest services inside the theme park or DAS advance registration through the resort’s website.

We hope that you have found this guide helpful while you plan your Disney vacation. Disney works very hard to ensure that everyone has a magical time on their trip, regardless of any disabilities!

Have you ever used Disney’s DAS program? How was your experience? Let us know in the comments!