Disney has once again made changes to its websites, adding step-by-step rules & tips for guests with disabilities to access rides in the Walt Disney World and Disneyland theme parks as an alternative to DAS. This covers details of the expanded policies, which is a needed and overdue clarification of how to use the Disability Access Service substitutes in the event of DAS denial, supplementation, etc.
As quick background, Disney overhauled DAS at Walt Disney World and Disneyland back in May 2024. According to the company, the changes were due in large part to abuse, misuse, and proliferation of the program’s use–with issuances of DAS tripling from 2019 to the time of the reforms. For more about the specifics of the overhauled DAS, see Disability Access Service (DAS) Changes at Walt Disney World FAQ.
Although there have been no major policy changes since then, it’s been a veritable roller coaster of rule rollbacks, tweaks, and other more minor–but often meaningful–updates. Some of this has likely been in response to a class action lawsuit filed last year. There’s also a proxy proposal backed by the DAS Defenders seeking an “Independent Review and Report on Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Practices” that will be voted on during the Walt Disney Company’s 2026 Annual Meeting of Shareholders on March 18, 2026.
It’s worth mentioning this shareholder proposal that’s on the proxy ballot because it’s been making headlines for the last month-plus, and especially the last week when it was finally added to the agenda for the annual meeting. The timing with that and the attraction queue re-entry rule revisions (clarifications?) could be entirely coincidental. But it is worth noting that in the time around the aforementioned class action lawsuit being filed, Walt Disney World and Disneyland likewise also made a number of rule relaxations, changes and clarifications.
Accordingly, it wouldn’t surprise us in the least if Disney is preparing for the shareholder vote by bolstering its rules and resources about and related to DAS. Not necessarily to influence the vote itself; as we’ve covered, it’s all but certain that the shareholder proposal will fail.
It’s nevertheless possible that Disney is bracing itself for a new wave of media coverage as a result of the DAS vote, is identifying deficiencies in its accessibility literature, and improving them to present as positive of an appearance as possible. If that’s the case, we might see further updates to the Walt Disney World and Disneyland websites, rule changes, clarifications, etc.
Or not! Again, this expanded explainer for Attraction Queue Re-Entry is overdue and could just be an ordinary update, totally unrelated to the shareholder vote. It just is curious that there were several changes coinciding with the class action lawsuit, and now again with the shareholder vote.
With that said, it’s not as if these are major substantive rule changes to Attraction Queue Re-Entry. This seems more about transparency, and clearly conveying how this feature works. Some of this was previously published, but there was also a lot of confusion around this feature and how to use it as a DAS alternative or supplement. (Thanks to internationally-renowned Disney font expert Hastin for bringing these Attraction Queue Re-Entry changes to my attention–I would’ve missed them otherwise.)
Anyway, here’s the new/revised/updated/expanded verbiage that now appears on both Walt Disney World and Disneyland’s pages for Accessing Attraction Queues:
Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up
Guests with specific needs that may arise while waiting in an attraction queue may exit the queue while the rest of their party waits in the queue. The Guest may then re-enter the queue prior to boarding the ride. A Guest may also wait outside the queue and meet up with their party before boarding the ride if needed based on the nature or condition of the queue at a particular attraction and the Guest’s specific needs. Every attraction has a defined process to support these options.
How to Use Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up:
To leave and Re-Enter a queue…
- 1) At the entrance of the attraction, talk with a Cast Member to learn about exit options should you need to leave the queue.
- HELPFUL HINT: If you already know how to exit the queue, then you don’t need to speak with a Cast Member prior – just join the queue.
- 2) In the event your specific need requires you to leave the queue, simply exit while the remainder of your party stays in the queue.
- HELPFUL HINT: If you need someone to help you – they can leave with you while the remainder of your party waits in the queue.
- HELPFUL HINT: If you are traveling alone or with party members who can’t be left alone in the queue, please contact Accessibility Services prior to your visit.
- 3) When you are ready to return, go to the front of the attraction and let a Cast Member know that you are using the Attraction Queue Re-Entry accommodation and need to regroup with your party in the queue.
- HELPFUL HINT: You don’t need to discuss your reason for needing to leave the queue.
- 4) The Cast Member will help you meet your group to ride together.
To Meet Up with your party that has been waiting in the queue…
- 1) At the entrance of the attraction, the members of your party joining the queue should ask a Cast Member at what point they should let you know it’s time to join them.
- HELPFUL HINT: Other members of your party must join the queue, and you should make sure your party can call or text you to meet up.
- 2) When your party lets you know that it’s time for you to join them, go to the front of the attraction and tell the Cast Member you are using the Attraction Queue Meet-Up accommodation and need to meet up with your party in the queue.
- HELPFUL HINT: You don’t need to discuss your reason for waiting outside the queue with the Cast Member at the attraction.
- 3) The Cast Member will help you meet your group to ride together.
Note that some of this had been explained previously, so it’s not entirely new material. It’s been expanded and clarified with the above steps and ‘helpful hints’ added.
Our Commentary
The Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up feature was one that was anxiously awaited by many Walt Disney World fans prior to the launch of the overhauled DAS. Details were minimal at first, but Disney has slowly offered more and more about the mechanics of using Attraction Queue Re-Entry.
In the last year-plus, we’ve heard a lot of stories about Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up from readers who have used it. While I’d still assess these as being very much a mixed bag, the trajectory is clearly heading in the right direction. It seems like there are fewer horror stories and more success stories.
In fact, several readers have indicated that Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up has served their needs perfectly. Again, this isn’t to say it’s a perfect system. There are still horror stories, and it’s not my intention to gloss over those and paint a picture of rainbow and sunshine perfection for everyone.
As longtime readers might know, my dad previously qualified for DAS under the pre-closure policies. He almost certainly would not qualify for the overhauled DAS, which is fine, because a functioning Attraction Queue Meet-Up is the actual, optimal solution for him. (We haven’t used it, as he hasn’t been to the parks since the DAS changes, so no firsthand experience to share here.)
The key components of a “functioning” system or “optimal solution” are Cast Member assistance and communications at the attraction entrance. That’s what actually makes this an actual system or protocol, and not just a DIY solution. Informally, it has always been possible to leave lines and rejoin them by awkwardly saying “excuse me…” while trying to squeeze past people in the standby line.
The big issue with leaving lines and rejoining them is a matter of ‘guest glares’ (for lack of a better term). It doesn’t take a disability to realize how judgmental other guests can be. If guests are perfectly comfortable being vocally rude to pregnant women or a solo parent with small children–two visible and obvious circumstances for needing to exit and reenter a queue–I can only imagine how much worse it gets for guests with invisible disabilities.
It’s a bit shocking just how comfortable people have become with being nasty. One of the greater thinkers of our time, Mike Tyson, put it eloquently: “Social media made y’all way too comfortable with disrespecting people and not getting punched in the face for it.” It’s disappointing how cruel people can be without giving it a second thought, and that’s really underscored at a happy and magical place like the Disney parks. But I digress.
From the outside looking in, Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up would work best if one of the options for Cast Member help is an actual escort to rejoin the rest of the part. Or if the procedure is something more substantial than the aforementioned weaving back through the standby line while saying “excuse me…” on loop.
Otherwise, guests with disabilities needing to exit and re-enter the queue are at the mercy of other guests being amenable to people passing them–going in the “wrong” direction to leave and then “cutting” them to rejoin the queue.
It’s not hard to imagine this leading to hurt feelings, disabled guests feeling small or humiliated, or even actual confrontations. All of that might seem like hyperbole, but I would honestly dread someone saying something rude to my dad, because he’s at that filterless ‘zero forks given‘ point of his life. Whatever they say is not going to hurt his feelings, but his response will hurt theirs. Probably not something that should be caught on camera and spread on social media.
As with all of the disability and accessibility accommodations, there’s no perfect solution, only compromises. For the Attraction Queue Re-Entry feature to be a good compromise, the process needs to be a clearly-communicated, transparent, and ideally visible to other guests.
If it’s not realistically feasible for a Cast Member escort, what about something as simple as a hall pass from the grade school days. I’m not saying that Disney needs to hand out keys tied to obnoxiously oversized rulers, but something visible might be best.
Disney has already used a similar system in the past–the red FLIK cards with lanyards for tracking actual ride wait times. Something like that might work. The goal with this would be conveying to average guests that those using Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up aren’t trying to cheat the system or cut in front of them.
I’m on record repeatedly saying that we all should err on the side of courtesy and not judge others–that disabled guests would trade places with you in a second and stand in long lines if it meant not being disabled. That you don’t know what someone’s circumstances are, whether they have an invisible disability, etc., so it’s best to just mind your own business.
Even though ‘disproportionate line-jumping’ is one of our Walt Disney World pet peeves, I would never even consider being rude to another guest. And that’s in situations that are pretty blatantly line-cutting, with a ton of people joining a single ‘spot-saver’ at the front of the line.
There’s just no upside. Initiating a confrontation is not going to change anything, and is stressful for all involved, yourself included. It’s better to have a live and let live attitude, rather than sweating stuff that’s pretty inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. Kind of like my attitude towards the Cosmic Rewind pre-show; the stress and discomfort isn’t worth shaving 1-2 minutes off your wait time.
I’m probably preaching to the choir with the above. The problem is that the overwhelming majority of guests are not reading this blog, and the people that most need to read admonishments like that aren’t receptive to them. In other words, I’m also a realist.
If the Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up feature/process/whatever is not done in such a way that other guests know about it and how it works, it’s going to lead to more disdain towards the disabled among other guests. Given all of the other pain points of the DAS overhaul, that’s the last thing these guests need. More importantly, it also wasn’t going to be utilized by those who could use it (but were denied DAS or have opted against applying after hearing horror stories) if what’s published is vague or confusing.
The bottom line is that clarifying how these DAS alternatives or supplments work via a step-by-step policy on the official websites is a step in the right direction. Here’s hoping the on-the-ground implementation of Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up makes the system intuitive and easy to use for those who need it.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Any firsthand experiences being advised to use the Attraction Queue Re-Entry or Meet-Up protocol? Anyone actually use these options yet? Was your experience positive or negative? Were these features easy to use? Was the implementation consistent with what’s on the website? Agree or disagree with our assessment of the changes or policy as a whole? Please try to stay on topic–we’ve noticed some of these DAS comments sections get heated and personal. Discuss the policy itself, not others’ use (or lack thereof) of it.
