Disney changes service for people with disabilities that some misused to avoid lines

According to Disney, disabled access has become the most requested service at the parks, with usage more than tripling over the past five years.

The system has always seen some level of questionable, even abusive, use, according to Len Testa, president of the planning site. Tour plans and co-author of the Unofficial Guides to Walt Disney World And Disneylandsaid in an email.

The changes to Florida And California theme parks include updates on who is allowed to use DAS, how many people can join them to receive benefits, how to apply for it and how they can use it.

The free service allows customers to reserve a time to show up for a ride with a wait comparable to queuing in person at the time they request it. For example, if someone wants to ride Space Mountain and the wait is 45 minutes, they can request a slot 45 minutes later. They don't need to wait in line while they wait and can use an expedited lane when they show up.

According to new guidelines posted online this week, the Disability Access Program is intended to accommodate a small percentage of guests who, due to an intellectual disability such as autism or similar, are unable to waiting in a conventional queue for an extended period or duration. The changes will take effect May 20 at Walt Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland.

The service was always intended for guests described in the new policy, Disney told the Washington Post, but the program did not use such specific language in the past and was given to users with other needs.

Disney did not respond to specific questions about what options would be available to people with disabilities other than those outlined in the new policy. The company said visitors should check the updated websites to explore the suite of services for customers with disabilities that meet their needs and follow up with employees for a one-on-one conversation if necessary.

Disney is also adding options for people who may have difficulty with queues, including a return-to-queue process that has not yet been fully detailed for those needing access frequent use of the toilet. Disney will have more workers, called Cast Members, available and trained to help direct guests to the options they need; Inspire Health Alliance healthcare professionals will assist Disney employees in determining eligibility, as needed. They will not require documentation, unlike services from other theme park companies including Universal And Six flags.

This recent growth in DAS users coincides with the 2021 introduction of Genie Plus, a paid service that allows people to avoid long lines. As of Thursday, the additional cost was between $17 and $27 per person at Walt Disney World, depending on which park guests visited.

We knew the system was under more stress than it could handle, Testa said.

On forums For Disney fans, social media and blogs, people who said they or their family members had used the service in the past for conditions including multiple sclerosis, anxiety, respiratory problems and Crohn's disease expressed concern about what the changes would mean for them. Some said they viewed the update as a way to force people to buy Genie Plus if they wanted to avoid long lines. Many said they were disappointed that a once safe and welcoming vacation spot suddenly seemed more difficult to navigate.

At Disneyland, guests will be able to use a virtual video chat before a trip or talk to someone in person at the parks. In Florida, visitors will only have the option to participate in a virtual video chat, but this will be available in advance or onsite.

Disney is committed to providing an exceptional experience for all guests, including those with disabilities. That's why we are committed to providing a wide range of innovative support services aimed at helping our visitors with disabilities have a wonderful time when visiting our theme parks. the company said in a statement.

Stacey Crane, a frequent Disney visitor from Kentucky who posts Disney content on Youtube, said she qualified for disability service due to stomach problems. She doesn't know how her next trip in July will go and wonders how the back-in-the-queue system would work.

Many other health conditions could be affected by this, she said. I'm just nervous to see how it goes.

She said that on a recent trip, even with the disability service, she had to move off a fast track quickly and found it difficult.

If I have to leave, I have to leave; I don't need to take my time, I have to go, she said. This makes it a lot easier for us right now.

The current system has been in place since 2013, when it replaced a previous version that granted disabled visitors a pass allowing them to skip lines for rides. The New York Post reported that year, some wealthy New York City families hired disabled guides to lead them to the front row.

In recent years, some have called social media users for allegedly encouraging misuse of the disability access service. When Disney abruptly banned third-party tour guides from operating in its parks last year, the company said it was partly due to inappropriate use of the program for guests with disabilities.

Testa said he was recently at Epcot in Florida with family members and heard one man recommend the DAS program to another, explaining that it allowed his family to maximize the number of rides they they could perform. When the other man said his child didn't really have a disability, the first assured him that no one asked him many questions.

I look at it like, this is why we don't have nice things, Testa said. It took every fiber of my being not to jump into the conversation and say, “Don’t do that.” When park guests tell other guests how to circumvent the system, something has to change.

The company said that in part because of misuse, the program had become cumbersome and changes were needed to preserve it for the people it was intended for. The new policy says the service will be available only to the person who needs it and their immediate family, or no more than four people in total if they are not immediate family members. Depending on the changing program, it's good for a group of six people.

Disney warns, as it has before, that making false claims to obtain disability service carries serious consequences.

Guest will be permanently barred from entering Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, and all previously purchased Annual Passes, Magic Key Passes, tickets and other park products and services will be forfeited and not refunded. the website says.