IRVINE, CA – A class action lawsuit filed Monday in Orange County Superior Court alleges Disneyland discriminates against physically disabled visitors by excluding them from the park’s Disability Access Service (DAS), The Orange County Register reported.
According to the lawsuit, Disneyland updated its DAS program last summer to limit access to visitors with developmental disabilities like autism and other neurodivergent disorders, while excluding those with physical disabilities who are also unable to endure long waits in conventional attraction queues.
The lawsuit alleges Disneyland’s updated screening process “effectively excluded and tended to screen out individuals with physical disabilities.”
It asks the court to require Disneyland to modify its DAS policies to include all individuals with disabilities and seeks at least $4,000 per violation in statutory damages, along with attorneys’ fees, The Orange County Register wrote that Disney officials have denied the allegations, calling the claims in the lawsuit “without merit,” adding, “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,” a Disney spokesperson said in a statement reported in the Orange County Register.
The changes to Disneyland’s DAS program were introduced in June 2024, aiming at reducing misuse and abuse of the service, the Register wrote, explaining DAS usage had tripled in recent years, partly due to increased awareness and social media hacks that promoted the service as a way to avoid paying for the Lighting Lane line-cutting option.
Disneyland partnered with Lake Forest-based Inspire Health Alliance to conduct pre-visit screenings, reads the lawsuit, that alleges, the Register reports, these screenings took place in public settings and involved Disney employees and nurse practitioners gathering sensitive medical information in violation of privacy and confidentiality laws.
Visitors who failed to qualify for DAS were offered alternatives such as Rider Switch passes, Location Return Time passes for older non-ADA compliant queues, handheld devices for the visually impaired, and sign language interpreters. However, the lawsuit claims these alternatives failed to provide equitable access, imposing logistical challenges, emotional distress, and safety risks on physically disabled visitors, the Orange County Register stated.
Filed by Irvine-based McCune Law Group, the class action lawsuit represents Trisha Malone, a physically disabled San Diego resident denied access to the Disneyland DAS program. The lawsuit also alleges some Disneyland visitors were coerced into signing class action lawsuit waivers before they could be interviewed for DAS accommodations, The Orange County Register stated.
