LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — DAS Defenders, which describes itself as a grassroots alliance of "the disabled community and their allies," has started a petition against Disney's changes to its DAS pass system.
DAS stands for Disability Access Service and was designed to provide options for those with medically legitimate reasons that make it too difficult to wait in traditional lines. But now, Disney has tightened its criteria for who is eligible for DAS passes.
DAS Defenders claimed in a press release that the system now "primarily caters to developmental disabilities" but excludes people with cancer, PTSD, Parkinson's and more.
"Families with disabled members, including children with chronic or serious acute illnesses such as cancer, now face the daunting reality of exclusion from one of the most popular vacation destinations in the world, a place they once viewed as an accessible sanctuary," the release said.
An online petition started by DAS Defenders has already garnered nearly 16,000 signatures. The group said park-goers with disabilities are now experiencing "significant" challenges due to the new program, which they deemed unorganized.
Disney said the passes are only for “guests who, due to a developmental disability like autism or similar, are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time.”
Jamie Santillo of Adventures By Jamie specializes in planning trips for people with disabilities. Santillo, who has muscular dystrophy, was denied a pass under the new guidelines.
She said she agrees that just being in a wheelchair isn’t reason enough to get the pass, but she also has a heart condition. She’s never been denied the DAS pass before.
“I feel like they are trying to generate a happy medium between people who have abused DAS pass in the past and people who really truly need it,” said Santillo.
Those with the DAS pass don’t go straight to the front of the line.
They are given a time to return to rides, then put in the Lighting Lane, which others can pay to have access to.
Disney said requests for DAS passes have tripled over the past five years, and those found trying to cheat the system could face a lifetime ban from the park.
