Latest news with #TrishaMalone
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Class-action lawsuit filed over changes to Disney's Disability Access Service (DAS)
Hear this story AI-assisted summary A California woman is suing Disney Parks and Resorts over claims that its Disability Access Service discriminates against guests with physical disabilities. Disney maintains that its DAS program and other accessibility offerings are designed to provide a positive experience for all guests, including those with disabilities. A California woman is suing Disney Parks and Resorts over its accommodations for guests with disabilities, specifically its Disability Access Service (DAS). Despite its all-encompassing name, DAS is just one of many accommodations available at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Last year, Disney overhauled DAS to clarify its intended audience and change the way guests register for it. In so doing, it eliminated eligibility for some people who may have previously qualified for DAS. A class-action lawsuit filed this week alleges the new practices 'systematically discriminate against individuals with physical disabilities and violate their rights to equal access, privacy, and dignity,' but Disney says the claims are 'without merit.' Here's what to know. What is DAS? Disney's Disability Access Service allows users to spend less time waiting in a traditional queue for attractions. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Guests approved for DAS wait just as long as guests in the standby line, sometimes a little longer, but they don't have to physically stay in the queue. Instead, they can join the line virtually, wait out the designated time elsewhere in the park, and then return to the attraction for a shorter in-person wait. Story continues below. What qualifies you for Disney DAS? Disneyland and Disney World's websites state that DAS is designed 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.' The developmental disability wording was added last year. Prior to that, it was simply for guests 'who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability.' At the time of the change last May at Disney World and last June at Disneyland, Disney noted DAS had become the most requested service at its parks and its user volume had far eclipsed its intended audience, making it harder on guests who needed it. Who filed the lawsuit? The plaintiff is identified as Trisha Malone of San Diego. The lawsuit describes her as having 'a physical disability as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Unruh Civil Rights Act.' Unruh is a California law that 'provides protection from discrimination by all business establishments in California, including housing and public accommodations, because of age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin, race, religion, sex and sexual orientation,' according to the state's Department of Rehabilitation. According to the lawsuit, Malone applied for DAS based on her physical disability and was 'denied on the grounds that she did not meet Disney's newly imposed eligibility criteria, despite her willingness and ability to present evidence that her disability prevented her from safely waiting in extended waiting queues.' In a statement to USA TODAY, McCune Law Group, which is representing Malone, said: 'Disney has arbitrarily determined that a wide range of disabilities do not qualify as such under the 'Disability Access Service' program.' Who's being sued? The lawsuit names both Disney Parks and Resorts and Inspire Health Alliance, LLC as defendants. Disney Parks and Resorts encompasses all Disney parks, but the lawsuit filed with the Superior Court of California, County of Orange, primarily addresses Orange County-based Disneyland and repeatedly cites California laws. Inspire is identified as a California-based health care provider contracted to help screen guests seeking DAS accommodations. As part of the registration process, guests are interviewed about why they need the service. Why are they being sued? The lawsuit claims Disney 'imposed discriminatory and arbitrary eligibility criteria, that required unnecessary public disclosures of sensitive medical information.' It says Malone and fellow guests had to share private medical information within earshot of other cast members and guests, claiming that violated the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and HIPAA, as medical details were collected in non-private settings. Disneyland guests can register for DAS online or in person at an Accessibility Services Kiosk in the esplanade between Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Disney World's DAS registration is all online. The lawsuit also claims that by ruling out guests with physical disabilities, Disney denies them 'the accommodation required to enjoy full access' to its properties. It says, 'Disney must provide an equal opportunity for all individuals whose disabilities prevent them from using conventional queues, regardless of whether their disabilities are developmental, physical, or otherwise.' The lawsuit further claims Disney coerced registrants to sign 'deceptive terms and conditions,' including a class action waiver, before being able to interview for DAS. What is the goal? The lawsuit asks, among other things, for "certification' for people with physical disabilities who were denied DAS after the eligibility changes. A letter included in the legal complaint also requests that language limiting DAS qualifications to developmental disabilities be removed. A separate petition by a grassroots advocacy group DAS Defenders also calls on Disney to revert to its former DAS policies. It has over 33,000 signatures. 'I'm disappointed in Disney':Advocates urge Disney to restore former DAS policies What's Disney's response? In a statement to USA TODAY, Disney said: 'Disney is committed to providing a great experience for all who visit our theme parks, and particularly our guests with disabilities who may require special accommodations. Disney offers a broad range of effective disability accommodations and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that our guests' individual needs are properly matched with the accommodation they require, and we believe the claims in this complaint are without merit.' Other queue-related options include Attraction Queue Re-entry or Meet-Up, Rider Switch and Location Return Times for guests with mobility devices or other physical needs that can't be accommodated in older, non-wheelchair-accessible attraction queues. (The lawsuit calls these inadequate.) Additional accommodations for guests with varying disabilities include but are not limited to American Sign Language interpretation, handheld devices for guests with vision or hearing-related disabilities, braille guidebooks and maps, and sensory guides for attractions.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Disneyland visitor launches class-action suit over new, stricter disability passes
Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability exemption at a booth just outside the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. The Disability Access Service, or DAS, pass she wanted would have allowed her to avoid waiting in time-consuming lines for popular Disney rides. Malone met with personnel representing Disney for her DAS application interview. In that public setting, they solicited private medical information from the disabled woman. After a short exchange, Malone was rejected, as her disability did not meet new, stricter DAS standards. That denial was detailed in a 32-page class-action complaint Malone filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts along with partner Inspire Health Alliance in Orange County Superior Court on Monday. Malone's complaint claims Disney breached confidentiality and invaded her privacy, and violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act and several California civil rights codes. The woman's attorneys claim in the complaint the new DAS pass standard 'unlawfully excludes individuals with other disabilities.' The complaint did not provide any details on the plaintiff's disability. Read more: Disneyland touts a lifetime ban for disability cheats. That's not what's worrying some park-goers She is asking Disney to revert to a previous, less restrictive version of DAS pass enforcement. She is also looking for statutory damages, restitution and the cost of attorney's fees. Her attorneys did not respond to a phone call requesting comment. A Disney spokesperson who asked not to be named said the park strives to provide a great experience for its disabled visitors. 'Disney offers a broad range of effective disability accommodations and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that our guests' individual needs are properly matched with the accommodation they require, and we believe the claims in this complaint are without merit,' the spokesperson said. Disney's DAS pass is not a license to skip waiting. Rather, it provides a pass holder a return time for an attraction, where they'll be placed in line with those who have paid for express, or Lightning Lane, access. In April, Disney announced it was changing the DAS qualifications. The new wording noted that the DAS program, then the most popular at the park, was 'intended to accommodate those 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.' Read more: Disneyland fans with disabilities enraged by changes: 'We had the worst day ever there' The changes went into effect May 20 at Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland. Older standards were much broader, for guests 'who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability.' Disney said that as a result of that language, the program's usage tripled between 2019 and 2024. It's these older standards, however, that Malone is requesting. Malone is suing on behalf of several unnamed disabled clients denied a DAS pass since June 18. She included Inspire Health Alliance, which the lawsuit claims provided nurse practitioners who collaborated with Disney staff to determine DAS pass worthiness. Malone's attorneys argue in the complaint that requiring guests to undergo a screening process with eligibility criteria that disproportionately affect individuals with physical disabilities is contrary to California's Unruh Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. Read more: Disney no longer magical to guests denied Disability Access Service Unruh bans discrimination by California businesses based on age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin and a variety of other factors. Disney has maintained in previous interviews with The Times that it offers many accommodations for its disabled guests. Those include a sensory experience guide to indicate which parts of the park have loud noises, darkness and bumpiness, which rides are fast and which lift off the ground. Disney also offers sign language interpreters, wheelchair and scooter rentals, assistive handheld captioning and video captioning on some rides, and dialogue and narration of scripts on others. As for ride waiting, Disney offers a 'return to queue' process, which allows a party to hold a place in line for a guest with disabilities. There are a few other similar options, including a 'location return time' accommodation offered to those in wheelchairs. Malone's attorneys said those accommodations 'failed to provide equitable access and imposed undue burdens, logistical challenges, emotional distress and safety risks." Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
12-02-2025
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Disneyland visitor launches class-action suit over new, stricter disability passes
Last July, San Diego resident Trisha Malone applied for a disability exemption at a booth just outside the Disneyland and California Adventure theme parks. The Disability Access Service, or DAS, pass she wanted would have allowed her to avoid waiting in time-consuming lines for popular Disney rides. Malone met with personnel representing Disney for her DAS application interview. In that public setting, they solicited private medical information from the disabled woman. After a short exchange, Malone was rejected, as her disability did not meet new, stricter DAS standards. That denial was detailed in a 32-page class-action complaint Malone filed against Walt Disney Parks and Resorts along with partner Inspire Health Alliance in Orange County Superior Court on Monday. Malone's complaint claims Disney breached confidentiality and invaded her privacy, and violated the Unruh Civil Rights Act and several California civil rights codes. The woman's attorneys claim in the complaint the new DAS pass standard 'unlawfully excludes individuals with other disabilities.' The complaint did not provide any details on the plaintiff's disability. She is asking Disney to revert to a previous, less restrictive version of DAS pass enforcement. She is also looking for statutory damages, restitution and the cost of attorney's fees. Her attorneys did not respond to a phone call requesting comment. A Disney spokesperson who asked not to be named said the park strives to provide a great experience for its disabled visitors. 'Disney offers a broad range of effective disability accommodations and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that our guests' individual needs are properly matched with the accommodation they require, and we believe the claims in this complaint are without merit,' the spokesperson said. Disney's DAS pass is not a license to skip waiting. Rather, it provides a pass holder a return time for an attraction, where they'll be placed in line with those who have paid for express, or Lightning Lane, access. In April, Disney announced it was changing the DAS qualifications. The new wording noted that the DAS program, then the most popular at the park, was 'intended to accommodate those 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.' The changes went into effect May 20 at Disney World and June 18 at Disneyland. Older standards were much broader, for guests 'who have difficulty tolerating extended waits in a conventional queue environment due to a disability.' Disney said that as a result of that language, the program's usage tripled between 2019 and 2024. It's these older standards, however, that Malone is requesting. Malone is suing on behalf of several unnamed disabled clients denied a DAS pass since June 18. She included Inspire Health Alliance, which the lawsuit claims provided nurse practitioners who collaborated with Disney staff to determine DAS pass worthiness. Malone's attorneys argue in the complaint that requiring guests to undergo a screening process with eligibility criteria that disproportionately affect individuals with physical disabilities is contrary to California's Unruh Act and the Americans With Disabilities Act, or ADA. Unruh bans discrimination by California businesses based on age, ancestry, color, disability, national origin and a variety of other factors. Disney has maintained in previous interviews with The Times that it offers many accommodations for its disabled guests. Those include a sensory experience guide to indicate which parts of the park have loud noises, darkness and bumpiness, which rides are fast and which lift off the ground. Disney also offers sign language interpreters, wheelchair and scooter rentals, assistive handheld captioning and video captioning on some rides, and dialogue and narration of scripts on others. As for ride waiting, Disney offers a 'return to queue' process, which allows a party to hold a place in line for a guest with disabilities. There are a few other similar options, including a 'location return time' accommodation offered to those in wheelchairs. Malone's attorneys said those accommodations 'failed to provide equitable access and imposed undue burdens, logistical challenges, emotional distress and safety risks.'
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Lawsuit alleges Disneyland excluded physically disabled visitors from using Disability Access Service
LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – A class-action lawsuit is challenging Disneyland's Disability Access Service (DAS), alleging that the resort disproportionately excluded guests with physical disabilities from using the service. Disneyland's DAS program allows eligible guests to skip attraction lines. It does not provide immediate access to attractions; guests must book a return time. The suit, filed on Monday in Orange County Superior Court, focuses on the changes Disneyland made to its DAS program last summer to curb the misuse riddled in the widely used program. According to Disney officials, before the changes, DAS usage tripled over the past five years, The new guidelines aim to limit the DAS program primarily to guests with developmental disabilities, such as autism and other neurodivergent conditions. Guests must also complete in-person conversations to determine eligibility for the program. The lawsuit asks a judge to require Disney to modify its DAS policies to include all people with disabilities. It seeks statutory damages of no less than $4,000 per violation and attorneys' fees. Disneyland guests still frustrated with updated Disability Access Service program 'Disney's screening process effectively excluded and tended to screen out individuals with physical disabilities whose conditions also prevented them from tolerating long waits. By focusing exclusively on developmental disabilities, such as autism, Disney's criteria unlawfully denied accommodations to physically disabled guests, perpetuating systemic barriers to equal access in violation of the Unruh Act and its incorporation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA),' the lawsuit alleges. The class action suit is against Walt Disney Parks, which owns and operates the Anaheim theme park resort, and Inspire Health Alliance, a California-based healthcare provider 'contracted by Disney to conduct medical screenings and assess the eligibility of guests seeking DAS accommodations.' The suit was filed by McCune Law Group on behalf of Trisha Malone, a San Diego resident, who is physically disabled and denied DAS accommodations. In a statement to KTLA, Disneyland officials said claims made in the complaint are without merit. 'Disney is committed to providing a great experience for all who visit our theme parks, particularly our guests with disabilities who may require special accommodations,' Disney officials said in a statement. 'Disney offers a broad range of effective disability accommodations and has worked extensively with experts to ensure that our guests' individual needs are properly matched with the accommodation they require, and we believe the claims in this complaint are without merit.' According to the park's website, DAS isn't the only option for guests with disabilities to enjoy the theme park. Other accessibility options include a sensory experience guide, sign language interpreters, wheelchair and scooter rentals, and video-closed captioning on some rides. Guests with disabilities can also exit and re-enter an attraction queue as needed and rejoin their party before they board the ride or utilize the ride switch option. Disney officials also said that only some visitors require DAS, while other guests with disabilities can be accommodated with their other services. This isn't the first time guests have complained about the park's updated DAS policy. Last April, a group representing guests with disabilities, known as DAS Defenders, wrote a letter to Walt Disney Co. executives, including CEO Bob Iger, and started a petition urging the company to reverse recent updates to the program. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
