Disney shareholders have voted against investigating changes to Disney’s Disability Access Service.
Only 5% of shareholders voted to approve the proposal.
Disney DAS Proposal
The vote took place during the Annual Meeting on March 18, 2026.
Proposal 7, introduced by shareholder Erik Paul, was called “Review and Report on Disability Inclusion and Accessibility.”
It asked Disney Parks to retain an independent third party to evaluate disability access policies from a legal, financial, reputational, and enterprise risk perspective, with summary findings reported to shareholders.
Accessibility policies influence brand trust, customer loyalty, regulatory exposure, guest safety, and repeat visitation. When policies are misaligned or inconsistently implemented, the resulting impact extends beyond guest experience to operational and reputational risk.
Proposal 7 website
Proposal 7 did not mandate operational changes or prescribe specific outcomes.
DAS Changes
Disney updated their Disability Access Service requirements for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort in early 2024. Eligibility was significantly limited and rather than giving guests DAS, Disney has suggested guests practice waiting in line at home or ask for a return time at an attraction, despite many attractions cast members not being trained for this.
Late last year, disabled shareholder Erik Paul asked Disney to hire an independent expert to review the risks associated with the DAS changes.
Disney asked the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) to allow them to exclude the resolution because it is “materially false and misleading”, “relates to the Company’s ordinary business operations,” and “the Company has substantially implemented the Proposal.” An SEC policy change just two weeks later meant Disney no longer needed the SEC’s approval.
Paul still urged Disney to accept his proposal, saying in a statement, “Disney has long told stories where the powerless rise, villains fall, and wrongs are made right. Its brand is built on magic, inclusion, and the belief that every voice deserves to be heard. Yet now, in a twist worthy of its darkest tales, the company risks becoming the villain of its own story—using newfound power to silence the very shareholders it should be listening to. Disney now faces a clear choice: live up to the values it sells to the world, or step into the role of villain silencing the disabled community.”
Disney then agreed to include the proposal and withdrew their no-action request. However, they recommended shareholders vote against the proposal.
Disney has continued to tweak elements of DAS and its guidelines, including adding information about the required video call and extending the service’s validity period.
A class-action lawsuit against Disneyland alleging disability discrimination was filed in February 2025. The case is ongoing.
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