Disney Reportedly Altering Special Needs Access At Parks
Big changes may be in store for a Disney program that has allowed theme-park guests with disabilities to skip to the front of the line for many rides.
Disney is doing away with its current Guest Assistance Card program, according to a report on the website MiceChat. Instead, the company’s parks will reportedly implement a new program known as the Disabled Assistance System.
Rather than bypass wait times, under the new system guests with disabilities will be able to request access to a ride at special kiosks at the company’s Florida and California parks and then return to the ride at a specified time. While individuals would not be required to wait in a line, they could only request access to one ride at a time, the website reports.
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Word of the possible change comes just months after reports that wealthy families were paying people with disabilities $130 per hour to serve as “guides” so that they could avoid long lines during visits to Disney World.
The new system will officially roll out on Oct. 9, according to MiceChat. At that point, passes issued to individuals with disabilities will reportedly include a photo in an effort to prevent abuse.
A Disney spokeswoman, who did not want to be named, declined to comment on the record and would only tell Disability Scoop that the company is “looking at” its current program.
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