Disney Parks recently adjusted their line policy so that people with disabilities will no longer be privileged with cutting lines. Last year, Disney World visitors were angered with the unfair rules, and their complaints have finally been heard.
According to Yahoo, Disney released a statement, saying, "We have an unwavering commitment to making our parks accessible to all guests. Given the increasing volume of requests we receive for special access to our attractions, we are changing our process to create a more consistent experience for all our guests while providing accommodations for guests with disabilities.”
The Associated Press reports that the policy will be enforced starting October 9 and will issue visitors with disabilities a ticket similar to a FastPass instead of automatically being ushered to the front of the line.
The new system was needed after families started abusing the old process, often hiring guides with disabilities to help them quickly get to the front of any line. One mom even boasted to the New York Post that, “my daughter waited one minute to get on ‘It’s a Small World’ — the other kids had to wait 2 1/2 hours. You can’t go to Disney without a tour concierge...this is how the 1 percent does Disney.”
However, many parents of children with disabilities worry about the effect the new policy will have on their children. Social anthropologist Wednesday Martin said that “the park's 'solution' penalizes disabled children and adults, who were supposed to be served by the policy in the first place, by revoking their ability to go to the front of the line. This 'privilege' is actually a necessity for some kids with disabilities.”
Disney has reportedly been working with Autism Speaks to arrive at a policy that will keep everyone happy. Spokesperson Michael Rosen said, “we worked [Disney] so they would make it as comfortable an experience as possible for our community.”
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
