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The Walt Disney Company is tightening its restrictions and heightening scrutiny of individuals claiming disabilities astatine their parks owed to a surge of fraudulent claims seeking to utilization nan service.
The institution announced Tuesday that guests recovered to person made mendacious statements successful bid to get Disability Access Services will beryllium permanently banned from its parks.
"If it is wished that immoderate of nan statements a Guest made successful nan process of obtaining DAS are not true, nan Guest will beryllium permanently barred from entering nan Walt Disney World Resort and nan Disneyland Resort," nan Disney website now warns.
DISNEY ANNOUNCES CHANGES TO DISABILITY ACCESS FOR GUESTS AT ITS THEME PARKS
A motion adjacent an entranceway to Walt Disney World successful Orlando, Florida. (Joe Raedle/Getty Images / Getty Images)
It adds that "any antecedently purchased Annual Passes, Magic Key passes, tickets and different parkland products and services" belonging to customers recovered to person lied astir disabilities "will beryllium forfeited and not refunded."
DSA, which is free, allows those pinch disabilities to get a return clip for attractions alternatively than hold successful a modular line.
Previously, DAS was indicated arsenic for "guests who person trouble tolerating extended waits successful a accepted queue situation owed to a disability."
Now, nan Disneyland and Walt Disney Resort websites state, "DAS is intended to accommodate a mini percent of Guests who, owed to a developmental disablement for illustration autism aliases similar, are incapable to hold successful a accepted queue for an extended play aliases time."
MAN USES 46-YEAR-OLD DISNEY WORLD PASS TO BE ADMITTED INTO PARK: 'GOLDEN TICKET'
Cinderella Castle astatine nan Magic Kingdom astatine Walt Disney World, successful Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel/Tribune News Service via Getty Images / Getty Images)
The caller changes will spell into effect connected May 20 astatine Walt Disney World successful Florida and June 18 astatine Disneyland successful California, nan institution said. The existing "DAS" process will proceed until then.
In summation to nan specification for those who suffice for DAS, Disney besides changed nan process for requesting nan service.
At Walt Disney World arsenic of May 20, each DAS registrations must hap via virtual video chat, and "in-person registration will nary longer beryllium disposable astatine theme park Guest Relations locations starting May 20, 2024," says nan Walt Disney World website. At Disneyland, aft June 18, guests applying for DAS tin either usage a virtual chat aliases a dedicated "accessibility services" model for same-day requests.
Those who presently person DAS will person to re-apply for nan service, nan institution indicated. DAS is besides now constricted to a guest's "immediate family," aliases a group of nary much than 4 unrelated people, opportunity nan websites.
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People watch nan evening Wonderous Journeys ray show connected nan Sleeping Beauty Castle astatine nan Disneyland taxable parkland successful Anaheim, California. (Gary Hershorn/Getty Images / Getty Images)
In caller years, Disney has struggled to bring down hold times and amended shape entree to parkland attractions arsenic ever-increasing attendance and group-sourced exploits person compromised parkland planners.
Fox Business's Christine Rousselle contributed to this report.
