Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability waiver at a booth outside Disneyland and California Adventure Theme Park.
The Disability Access Service (DAS) she wants will allow her to avoid waiting in time-consuming Disney rides.
Malone met with the person who applied for interviews on behalf of Disney’s DAS. In such public places, they solicit private medical information from women with disabilities.
After a brief exchange, Malone was rejected because her disability did not meet the new, more stringent DAS standards.
A 32-page class action complaint against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, and partner Inspire Health Alliance, filed a denial Monday in Orange County Superior Court.
Malone’s complaint claims Disney violated confidentiality and violated her privacy, as well as violating the Unruh Civil Rights Act and several California civil rights regulations.
The woman’s lawyer claimed in the complaint that the new DAS passed the standard “illegal exclusion of other persons with disabilities.” The complaint provided no details about the plaintiff’s disability.
She asked Disney to restore it to a less restrictive version of previous DAS PASS enforcement. She is also looking for statutory compensation, compensation and authorized fees.
Her attorney did not respond to a call requesting comment.
A Disney spokesman said the park strives to provide a rich experience for visitors with disabilities.
“Disney offers a wide range of effective disability accommodation and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that the individual needs of our guests are properly matched with the accommodation they need, and we believe there is no claim in this complaint.” according to.”
Disney’s DAS pass is not a license to skip waiting. Instead, it provides a holder’s return time through the attraction, which will be consistent with those who pay for Express or Lightning Alley.
In April, Disney announced that it would change its DAS qualification. New wording points out The most popular DAS program in the park at the time was “to accommodate guests who were unable to wait for a long time in the regular cohort due to autism or similar developmental disability.”
These changes will take effect at Disney World on May 20 and at Disneyland on June 18.
Older standards More extensiveFor guests who are “unable tolerate extended waiting in a regular cohort environment due to disability.”
Disney said the program’s use rate was twice as fast as the language between 2019 and 2024.
But what Malone asked for were these older standards.
Malone sued on behalf of several unnamed disability clients and has denied DAS passes since June 18.
Malone’s attorney noted in the complaint that requiring guests to undergo a screening process, whose eligibility criteria disproportionately affect people with physical disabilities, violates California’s Unruh Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act or the ADA.
Unruh prohibits discrimination California businesses are based on age, ancestors, color, disability, nationality, and a variety of other factors.
Disney kept it in previous interviews with the era it offers Many accommodations are available for disabled guests.
These include a sensory experience guide to which parts of the park have loud noise, darkness and bumps, fast riding, and which are lifted from the ground. Disney also offers sign language interpreters, wheelchair and scooter rentals, assistant handheld subtitles and video subtitles, as well as scripted dialogue and narratives to others.
As for waiting on a bike, Disney offers a “return queue” process, which allows parties to take a seat for disabled people in line. There are some other similar options, including the “position return time” accommodation for wheelchairs.
Malone’s lawyers said the accommodation “failed to provide fair access and impose undue burdens, logistical challenges, emotional distress and security risks.”
