Just last month, Disney announced a major change to its Disability Access Service program. For years, guests with certain medical, cognitive, and physical disabilities could get a DAS pass and wait in a shorter line.
However, beginning May 20 at Walt Disney World Resort and June 18 at Disneyland Resort, the DAS Program will only be available for guests who have a developmental disability, like autism. That will severely impact the thousands of guests who rely on the DAS pass.
Related: Guests Seethe as Disney Makes Highly Controversial Change to Disability Services
The backlash against Disney has been swift and unrelenting. Petitions have been circulating, hoping to convince Disney to change their new rules. Others have said that they will sue Disney for violating the Americans With Disabilities Act. Disney has said that there will be some sort of system for those who no longer qualify for DAS, but they have not given any details.
However, one guest is claiming that Disney is not just limiting its DAS program to those with disabilities. According to X (formerly Twitter) user @ladysparkleshoe, Disney is also only allowing children under 14 to qualify under the new system.
The X user said that they recently visited Disneyland and was told that the new program was already in place and only children 14 and under could use it. She claims that a cast member said adults with autism DO NOT qualify.
Well this is wild. I was told this morning at Disneyland that DAS is for autistic kids under 14 only. Effective today.
Now.
Yes I am an adult and I can buy Genie+. But I don’t ride most of the Genie+ attractions. I know my limits with my situation…
And we did figure out how to navigate the parks today in a way that should be OK.
But being told “you don’t look like you have any problems” is WILD.
No, I get it. I don’t look sick. I wish I wasn’t.
But the reality is? I have some serious issues that can pop up QUICK
And we did figure out how to navigate the parks today in a way that should be OK.
But being told “you don’t look like you have any problems” is WILD.
No, I get it. I don’t look sick. I wish I wasn’t.
But the reality is? I have some serious issues that can pop up QUICK
Cont…
— ✨Sparkle Shoes is HOME✨ (@ladysparkleshoe) May 13, 2024
Related: Disney Just Told Thousands of People With Disabilities That They Don’t Count
LadySparkleShoe said that the cast member said other things and seemed happy about the changes. She posted to X to make sure that everyone heading to Disneyland knew about the big changes and some unexpected twists.
Also I posted this mainly to bring awareness that the changes are going to be WILD and first time visitors or once every few years visitors until the advance thing starts might run into this.
Other things were also said. This CM was confident and joyful about the whole thing
Also I posted this mainly to bring awareness that the changes are going to be WILD and first time visitors or once every few years visitors until the advance thing starts might run into this.
Other things were also said. This CM was confident and joyful about the whole thing
— ✨Sparkle Shoes is HOME✨ (@ladysparkleshoe) May 13, 2024
Commenters were stunned that a Disney cast member would act so callous about someone’s disabilities. They also thought that maybe the cast member was not being truthful, since Disney said the DAS changes will not be enacted at Disneyland Resort until mid-June. She also said that she had reported the cast member for their behavior.
This was with a CM?? Because the DAS changes aren’t supposed to happen at DL for another month, and I don’t think I’ve seen ANYWHERE that it’s only going to apply to those 14 or younger.
My goodness I am sorry you had this happen, because it is so wrong on multiple levels
Yes with a guest relations CM. Yes I did report it with the name and time and more details that I did not share here.
— ✨Sparkle Shoes is HOME✨ (@ladysparkleshoe) May 13, 2024
Many doubted what LadySparkleShoe had to say. She admitted that the information was wrong, but she was merely repeating what she had been told by a cast member at Guest Relations.
I am aware the info is not correct. Or shouldn’t be. But it’s what I was told today, and I heard others told the same thing, and I wanted to share so people aren’t blindsided if/when they take a hard line on this. It’s possible they will.
No one really knows until it goes live
I am aware the info is not correct. Or shouldn’t be. But it’s what I was told today, and I heard others told the same thing, and I wanted to share so people aren’t blindsided if/when they take a hard line on this. It’s possible they will.
No one really knows until it goes live
— ✨Sparkle Shoes is HOME✨ (@ladysparkleshoe) May 13, 2024
Related: DAS Defenders Challenge Disney’s Controversial Disability Changes
The huge change Disney is making to its Disability Program is not something that many people will easily transition to. Disney still refuses to ask for a note from a guest’s doctor, as Universal Studios does. Many are begging Disney to follow in Universal’s footsteps, since those with a legitimate disability would not have an issue proving it to Disney.
What do you think of the changes Disney has made to its Disability Program? Let us know in the comments!
This post originally appeared on Disney Dining.
