Days after announcing updates to its policies for guests with disabilities, Disney now warns people that it’s willing to issue lifetime bans from the parks to people who lie about having a disability. One of the main reasons Disney updated its policy in the first place was that it saw people taking advantage of it. Simply put, park guests would lie just to get quick-ride access.
Under the new policy, people with disabilities must apply to enter a special Disney program. This application will be reviewed by cast members, who will then determine the type of benefits that each person can be entitled to under the program. The application process can be completed online or in person at the parks for people on one-day visits. With this new warning from Disney, guests may want to think twice about even applying for the disabilities program.
This warning was met with mixed views. On the one hand, some people celebrated the policy update, saying that over the years, people have misused the program, and therefore, these updates were necessary. The numbers back these views up. According to Disney, the number of people who benefited from the former disabilities program has tripled over the last five years. The company is using those numbers to justify its decision.
On the other hand, people who qualified for the program under “non-traditional” conditions are now worried about applying. A park guest who recently spoke to the Washington Post mentioned she had previously qualified for the program due to a stomach condition. Now, she could be risking a park ban if she applied.
The way that these lifetime bans will be issued remains to be seen. At this point, Disney is potentially going public with the threat of these bans to limit the number of applications to the program. There isn’t exactly a framework for how the lifetime bans would work, particularly if people are allowed to appeal or go through multiple infractions that would ultimately see them banned from the parks.
If the bans handed down to third-party tour guides are any indication, people who violate the terms of the disability program could be in for some real trouble. Back in November, Business Insider published a story about a tour guide getting kicked out of Disney World with the help of local police. According to that story, the guide was in line to enter the park with some of his clients when a park manager and a pair of police officers escorted him out and handed him a trespassing notice. In this case, the tour guide was told he could appeal the ban after one year.
One reason these third-party tours are banned from Disney is their misuse of the disability policy. However, these guides are fighting back, saying they’re getting bans because of their lower prices. A third-party guide could charge around $185 per hour, while an official Disney guide costs around $400. These new policies will likely continue to impact both guides and regular guests.
