My son has cognitive disabilities. In order qualify for the disability services and accommodations, do we need to bring anything to verify his disorders (such as a medical letter)?”

Hey there, hi there, ho there, Brittany! You’re as welcome as can be to planDisney! 

Thanks so much for stopping by with your question. I’m so excited for you and your son to visit the Happiest Place on Earth in March! You’re going to make so many magical memories together. 

The Disneyland Resort does an amazing job of making sure all Guests feel comfortable, including Guests with disabilities. To make the experience as stress-free as possible, the Resort offers Disability Access Service (DAS), which is designed to accommodate Guests who aren’t able to wait in a conventional queue due to a disability. It sounds like this service may benefit your son, Brittany.

When speaking with a Cast Member about your son’s cognitive disabilities, you won’t be required to provide a medical letter. Just be prepared to explain how your son’s disabilities make it difficult for him to wait in a standby queue. Your son will need to be present for this as well, so the Cast Member can get him registered for DAS. 

To register for DAS, you have two options. First, you can register at the Disneyland Resort upon arrival at City Hall (in Disneyland Park), Chamber of Commerce (in Disney California Adventure Park), or any Guest Information location. The brand-new second option can be done up to 30 days before your visit, but no less than two days in advance. This new benefit of DAS is called DAS Advance, and it involves a live video chat with a Cast Member. During your registration chat, you’ll have the chance to book up to 2 one-hour return windows for select experiences, subject to availability, using the new DAS Advance planning option. This is in addition to the regular DAS benefits of making return-time selections throughout your Disney day. 

To set up a live chat, you’ll want to make sure you have a Disney account, since you’ll need to be logged into it before your chat. Also, you’ll want to purchase your theme park tickets for each member of your party, and link them to your Disney account. Lastly, make sure that every member of your party has a valid theme-park reservation. Then, you’ll be all set for a chat!

If you have any additional questions before your trip, you can also call Disability Services, or send an email to disability.services@disneyland.com.

I hope this helps as you begin planning your magical getaway, Brittany! Wishing you both a pixie-dusted visit!
Kristin