During Disney’s Annual Meet of Shareholders on March 18, new CEO Josh D’Amaro spoke about Disability Access Service (DAS) at Disney Parks, which has faced controversy since it was changed in 2024.
Josh D’Amaro Addresses DAS Changes
A question near the end of the meeting asked, “Would Disney consider restructuring the Disability Access Service program to ensure it benefits everyone who needs it?”
D’Amaro did not say that Disney would or would not consider restructuring the program. He acknowledged that “accessibility is deeply personal and for many families, our services for guests with disabilities, they make it possible to enjoy our parks together.”
He added, “Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all guests, especially those with disabilities — it’s foundational to who we are.”
Regarding the current DAS program, D’Amaro said, “It reflects really extensive work that we’ve done with accessibility experts and medical professionals, all in an effort to better understand individual needs and then really thoughtfully match guests with the right levels of support.”
“It’s important to us that we have individual conversations with families,” he went on, “and that we have a broad range of accommodations that our cast members can recommend through these individual conversations.”
D’Amaro did leave some room for potential change. He finished his statement by saying, “As we look ahead, as we always do, we’ll continue to listen, we’ll learn and apply expert guidance as we evaluate these accommodations over time, and we’ll always be focused on providing great experiences and designing these services to support our guests. Thanks for asking the question.”
Shareholders voted against a proposal that would have required Disney have an independent investigator look into the legal, financial, and reputational risks of the DAS changes.
Disney updated their Disability Access Service requirements for Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resort in 2024. Eligibility was limited to guests with a “developmental disability like autism or similar” who “are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.” This cuts out many guests with physical disabilities.
In some cases, cast members have denied guests DAS and controversially suggested they instead practice waiting in line at home or ask for a return time at an attraction.
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.
The change was implemented under D’Amaro’s leadership as Chairperson of Disney Experiences.
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