Disney World and Disneyland Resort recently announced that they would soon make changes to the Disability Access Service (DAS) system.
These changes will impact parkgoers who have disabilities, and how rides are accessed through a line-skipping option. There’s been some confusion among fans on just how these changes are going to work, garnering a bit of a reaction online. And now, a group has started a petition to fight these changes.
Disability Access Service is a system that accommodates visitors who have difficulty in the parks due to a disability. Disney World visitors who are eligible are those who have a developmental disability and are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period.
The service does not provide immediate access to all rides, however, visitors can request a return time for a specific attraction that reflects the standby wait. Instead of physically waiting in line, that person can experience other things in the park until their DAS window is called. It’s very similar to a Virtual Queue, except that it’s only used by people with disabilities.
Over the past five years, DAS usage has tripled and is the most requested service. The goal with the new updates is to preserve DAS for those it is designed to accommodate and make sure these services are going to appropriate visitors.
But, some in the disabled community aren’t too happy with the changes and have banded together to try and fight it. A growing group of over 140 members — known as the “DAS Defenders” — has been created to “address the exclusions created by the program’s new updates and advocate for a more inclusive and accessible experience for all visitors.”
The DAS Defenders state that these updated changes now primarily focus on developmental disabilities, “…leaving out a diverse range of individuals with disabilities beyond developmental ones such as cancer patients, veterans with PTSD, Parkinson’s, Multiple Sclerosis, those with rare diseases, and many more, both visible and invisible.” They shared their concerns for fairness and inclusivity with these changes.
As a result, the group has written a letter to the Walt Disney Company and has also created a petition urging Disney to revise the changes “to include a diverse range of disabilities” and not just “developmental” ones.
“We believe that Disney, as a global leader in entertainment and hospitality with a value exceeding 200 billion dollars, should uphold its reputation as a beacon of inclusivity and joy for everyone,” the DAS Defenders state in their petition. “By excluding many disabled individuals from these cherished experiences, Disney not only perpetuates discrimination but also sends a clear message that the rights and needs of the disabled community can be overlooked.”
In addition, the group is requesting devices and programs Disney offers as “accommodations” to be free or low-cost, abundantly available, and provided to those who only truly need them.
The DAS Defenders are also calling for “…anti-ableism training for cast members, flexible party size considerations, reduced prices on Genie+, and more disability-friendly accommodations within the parks and resorts.”
Disney recently updated the rules on party sizes (among other things). The program used to allow six people to be part of your party, but now it will be limited to immediate family members or a limit of four people (if you’re traveling with friends).
Currently, DAS comes with two pre-entitlements. However, when the new system goes into effect, pre-entitlements and DAS will not be coupled together but will be used as separate options depending on the person’s needs. For the most part, people who are eligible for DAS will not receive those entitlements. Pre-entitlements mean that you get two rides per day you could pre-book.
Another change coming to the DAS system is that enrollment will extend to 120 days instead of 60 days. In addition, Disney is partnering with Inspire Health Alliance to help with enrollment — the same company that handled COVID-19 vaccination confirmation for Disney Cruise Line (when cruisers had to be vaccinated to sail).
The DAS Defenders stated that they’re “committed to working collaboratively with Disney to find a better solution that upholds the company’s values of inclusivity and accessibility.” It’s unclear whether or not Disney will respond to the petition, which now has over 5,000 signatures.
As of now, Disney has not publicly responded to any letters or made any further statements on the DAS changes since the initial announcement. We’ll let you know if that changes.
Stay tuned to AllEars as we continue to keep an eye on the latest changes around the Disney parks and more.
5 CHANGES Coming to Disney World’s Disability Access Services
Join the AllEars.net Newsletter to stay on top of ALL the breaking Disney News! You'll also get access to AllEars tips, reviews, trivia, and MORE! Click here to Subscribe!
When are you heading to the Disney parks next? Tell us in the comments.
I’m going to Disneyland this weekend. I have a disabling, debilitating illness. I’ve been disabled for over 30 years. Disney is now telling me that I can wait in line because I use a wheelchair. They fail to tell how exactly I can do that given my disability. I cannot walk, stand or sit for very long. Seriously, my day ends early afternoon everyday. That essentially limits me to being at Disneyland for about 4-6 hours if I wake up able to move that day.
Per the DAS person, I can wait, either in line or going shopping. So, if an attraction makes me wait 2 hours, that’s the end of my day. My one attraction costs me a full ticket. Yet, those who are not disabled can spend 17 hours at the park.
Sounds fair right? I pay the same amount yet because of an illness I acquired, I get 4 hours at the park where a nondisabled person gets 17 hours. I’ve gone to Disneyland as a disable person at least 20 times. I never felt cheated because I have always been allowed immediate access. Now because Disney says I can sit and wait I may get only 1 attraction everyday. Who is Disney to make this statement on my health. The person I spoke with has no clue what a disability is and had no problem decreeing that I can wait.
Luckily, I am going as a chaperone for a high school group. This appears to be my last time ever going to Disney Parks as they do not accommodate the disable.
I like the new plan. As someone with a disabled parent, Disney has done the best by her than any other establishment I have visited. It truly sticks in my craw when I have a person who needs to hold on to a wheelchair or walker to walk and I see people getting up because a someone else is tired, or walking freely to a food/drink stand. I think there should be physician approval of some sort. Also the limitation is fair. I have seen people with a party of 12 try to claim disability. We went down with 14 of us and never subjected anyone to this. Two of us went on the back door and the rest stood on line for buses also.
Victoria, you mom won’t qualify in the future. Old, frail, in a w/c doesn’t matter. If she’s autistic she will. BTW: you cannot see all disabilities and you don’t know why someone may be standing or walking when they have a w/c or ECV. Are you thoroughly familiar with all disorders, diseases, disabilities that you can properly diagnose and write a treatment plan for everyone?
Yes, Disney has decided that if you sit in a wheelchair, you can wait in long lines. Nevermind that my illness prevents me from being able to sit for more than a couple of hours. Invisible illnesses no long matter at Disney.
I would like to see amusement parks implement a rule where guests of the disabled person have to stand in line and when they get to the front of the line then the disabled person and their plus one can join the groups members to ride all together. Reason is only the disabled person and their plus one should not have to stand in line, it’s not fair the entire group gets to bypass the line.
That is a great idea! Would be nice to have something similar for bus travel. Recently had a group of 15 get on a bus with their person on a scooter. They all (several teenagers) proceeded to take seats away from parents holding small children and older guests who had been waiting for more than 20 minutes. It would be nice to have a more equitable system for transportation also.
So you’re saying that it’s fine for a family to be split up while waiting in line because they have a disabled person with them? You do understand that DAS groups aren’t getting onto the ride any faster, right? This isn’t a fun bonus for families with disabled people. This is an accomodation so they can ALL join in on the fun and the magic. Together.
If the disabled person can sit that long in a wheelchair, your suggest might work. Problem is, I have an invisible illness that you don’t see, most likely do not know about it and are not in the medical profession so saying it’s not fair is hard for me to understand. As a disabled person, I have gone to Disneyland with my young kids. So, you are saying that my kids would need to wait in line, unsupervised and I would have to wait somewhere else? My family would not be able to go together. The rule limitation was 6 in a group. Not 15. Now it is 4.