In 2023, Disney upset thousands of guests when it made some highly controversial changes to its Disability Access Service (DAS). Prior to the changes, guests with a wide variety of physical, medical, and cognitive disabilities could use the DAS system. However, when the changes were enacted, only those guests with specific cognitive disabilities, like autism, could use it.
Disney said it made the changes to reduce abuse of the DAS system, which had gotten out of hand. However, the company has been accused of making such severe changes as a way to try to force more people to buy Lightning Lane passes.

Related: Disney’s Disability Discrimination Overshadows Major Fan Event
It’s been nearly two years since the changes were enacted, and guests are still dealing with the devastation of not being able to use a system that saved many a vacation. And many are wondering if Disney has gone too far in restricting access to its DAS program.
Redditor u/cornstalk99 recently visited The Most Magical Place on Earth, but their experience was pretty far from magical. And what their child had to go through still frustrates them.
According to the Original Poster (OP), their son has Down Syndrome, uses a wheelchair, and is 80% deaf. However, when they explained their child’s disability to a Disney cast member, they were told he was not the right kind of disabled.

Hi all, A few days ago I tried to get my son a DAS pass for our upcoming trip to Disney. I went through the process and had the video chat to be denied. The lady asked to see my son (who is non verbal, 80% deaf, and in a wheelchair) and within a few minutes told me that we do not qualify for DAS. She said that we can technically stand in line since he will be sitting. I explained that he doesn’t understand how long lines work and will end up either screaming or crying ruining the experience for everyone around him or to take it a step further, might use the restroom on himself causing more problems if we are in a long line. The DAS line was perfect in the past because it was shorter and easier to get out if something did happen.
I understand that they have changed their policies to crack down on abuse, but after 20 minutes of talking with the CM, I was told that our best option is to send my wife and other son into the regular line and then when they get to the front, a CM will walk us to them. I explained that this option doesn’t really work either because it splits up our party for every ride he wants to go on and it would upset him when half his family has to come and go. (He loves all of the rides and laughs and smiles). The LL option was the only thing that worked due most lines being less than 10 minutes.
We haven’t been to Disney since the DAS changes, but after reading everything with the terms and conditions, how does this not qualify? Am I missing something? I’m not trying to cheat and have shorter lines, Disney is the one place we could take him because they accommodated him so well that we could actually give him the enjoyment he deserves.

Now, based on Disney’s new requirements, it seems like OP’s son would get a DAS pass without. However, according to the OP, the cast member only seemed to focus on the fact that he was in a wheelchair.
Wheelchair users have not been considered DAS eligible since before the changes were made because almost all of the rides at the Walt Disney World Resort are wheelchair accessible. If the traditional queue is not wheelchair accessible, wheelchair users will be taken to a separate ride entrance.
Sadly, this is not the first time, nor will it be the last, that guests in serious need have not been given the proper accommodations. Many times, guests have shared their DAS denial stories, and they suffer from serious health issues like heart problems and epilepsy.

One guest’s story even went viral. Charisma Lei visits Disneyland on a regular basis. She is a wheelchair user and has a tracheostomy tube that helps her breathe. However, she was also told she was not disabled enough. She suggested that Disney allow guests to pay for front-of-the-line access for a year at a time, which would be very helpful to those who no longer get a DAS Pass.
At one point, Disneyland offered the MaxPass, a low-cost front-of-the-line pass that could be added to an Annual Pass for a yearly flat rate.
While these stories are frustrating, and becoming far too common, they have not been enough to make Disney reconsider its stance on its disability program. Many guests with legitimate disabilities have said they would gladly show proof if it meant they could get a DAS pass.

For guests who struggle to wait in a traditional queue, there are a couple of options. If you need to leave the queue, have your party remain in line, and then you can meet them in line when you get back. Guests can also wait outside the ride until their party is at the front of the line and then meet up with them at the front.
Do you think Disney has gone too far with its disability restrictions? Do changes need to be made so guests who need it can use it? Share your thoughts in the comments!