Class Action Lawsuit Filed Over Disney’s DAS Program Overhaul

A class action complaint has been filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts and Inspire Health Alliance. The class action lawsuit has to do with the changes to the Disability Access Service (DAS) that were made at Disneyland and Disney World.

EPCOT

The plaintiff in the lawsuit is challenging the Disability Access Service (DAS) “policies and practices that systematically discriminate against individuals with physical disabilities and violate their rights to equal access, privacy, and dignity.”

The class action complaint was filed in Orange County, CA, and challenges DAS’s accommodation, privilege, and advantage. The complaint alleges that DAS’s ” screening eligibility criteria violates the rights of individuals with physical disabilities under the California Unruh Civil Rights Act, infringes upon Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPPA) guidelines, state privacy rights under the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act (CMIA), and contains deceptive terms and conditions that contravenes the Consumer Legal Remedies Act (CLRA) as well as California Business and Professions Code § 17200.”

Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lane and Disability Access Service line in EPCOT

The Disability Acess Service is a system that accommodates visitors who are unable to wait in a conventional queue for an extended period of time due to a disability. A guest with DAS will request a return time for a specific attraction that reflects the standby wait. They will then wait outside the attraction and return to Lightning Lane once their window has arrived.

Sleeping Beauty Castle in Disneyland

The Disability Access Service (DAS) underwent significant changes in Disney World on May 20th, 2024, and Disneyland on June 18th, 2024. Disney began working with Inspire Health Alliance to screen guests who are requesting DAS. Guests who are looking to utilize the DAS service can complete a video call ahead of their trip or via video call at the parks.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom

The changes limited the number of people who qualified for the program and they have been frustrating for many guests. Disney has made some changes since the overhaul, and even recently changed the wording for DAS eligibility slightly. However, now a class action lawsuit has been filed against Disney and Inspire Health Alliance.

Disney California Adventure

The class action complaint alleges that Disney imposed discriminatory and arbitrary legibility criteria and required the unnecessary public disclosure of sensitive medical information. It also argues that Disney forced those seeking DAS to sign deceptive terms and conditions before they could even interview for DAS.