A discrimination complaint over Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) has moved into the investigation phase after a missed mediation deadline, according to a commentary published by the Orlando Sentinel. The filing comes from a guest who states recent policy changes made safe park access “impossible” for their family.

A longtime Walt Disney World Disney Vacation Club family says recent changes to the Disability Access Service (DAS) program have fundamentally altered their ability to safely navigate the parks.

According to my Feb. 24 declaration, Disney’s operational changes to the Disability Access Service program and related transportation policies have materially impaired my family’s ability to use that ownership interest safely and predictably.

The guest, a full-time medically necessary power wheelchair user, describes the new system and suggested alternatives, like queue re-entry or party separation, as “technically and medically unworkable and, in many cases, dangerous.”

After years of successfully using Disney’s prior accommodations, they argue this is not a casual complaint but evidence of a meaningful shift in access, stating “what Disney presents as flexibility” has become “a risk multiplier” for their family. “Once committed to certain queue geometries, I can become physically locked in.”

So when Disney points to queue re-entry, return-time systems, or some version of ‘attempt the queue first’ when DAS is denied, it’s not offering my family a fallback. For a guest in a chair like mine, that alternative is physically impossible.

The family’s concern has now moved to a formal legal process. The guest states, “I used the process. I documented. I preserved evidence,” and filed a discrimination complaint with the Florida Commission on Human Relations.

According to the complainant, the case (FCHR No. 2026119734), filed on February 20, with the State of Florida Commission on Human Relations, has proceeded to investigation after mediation did not occur before the March 18 deadline.

Disney Shareholders’ Recent Vote Against Proposal to Investigate DAS Changes

Disney shareholders voted against investigating changes to Disney’s Disability Access Service in a vote that 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.

Proposal 7 did not mandate operational changes or prescribe specific outcomes. Only 5% of shareholders voted to approve the proposal.

Annual Meeting DAS Comments by Josh D’Amaro

During Disney’s Annual Meeting 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.

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.”

2024 DAS Update

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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