Disney today (October 4, 2013) announced details about its new Disability Access Service [DAS] program at its U.S. theme parks.
A couple of weeks ago What’s Wrong Wednesday gave an update about Disney’s Access Services. Today, we’re including a post from the “Theme Park Insider” with past article s regarding Disney’s disability access issues, as well a further clarification on guests who use wheelchairs at Disney facilities:
- Use, not abuse, forced Disney to change its disabled access system (46 comments)
- Disney confirms changes to disability access program. But is there a better way? (86 comments)
- As Disney prepares a replacement for Guest Assistance Cards, here’s how we got into this mess (134 comments)
One important point of clarification in Disney’s announcement today: Guests using wheelchairs will not be required to use the DAS program, as they were not required to use the current Guest Assistance Card [GAC] program. They can continue to use wheelchair-accessible queues or to get return times for alternate entry (usually through the exit) from cast members at an attraction entrance.
Obviously, the loss of the GAC is upsetting many Disney visitors who had come to rely on its front-of-line access. And that’s eliciting frustration from many other guests who have felt pushed aside by Disney’s current access procedures. But as theme park fans debate Disney’s actions to provide more equitable access for all, let’s acknowledge that achieving true equality of experience for all guests is impossible. We’re each too different from one another to experience parks in the same ways, whether we have disabilities or not.
On that topic, we’d like to thank the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation for sharing our Daniel Etcheberry’s post on the differences he experienced before and after he became a full-time wheelchair user:
The new system at Disney goes into effect on Wednesday, October 9.
Written by Robert Niles
Published: October 4, 2013 at 9:11 PM
