Disney Gives Update on Accessibility Changes During Shareholders Meeting

Disney recently held its Annual Shareholders Meeting, which is where we often hear lots of information about what Disney has coming in the future.

Cosmic Rewind Lightning Lane and Disability Access Service line in EPCOT

Sometimes that means new attractions, new films, new Disney Cruise Line ships, and everything in between, but in this case, it also meant an update regarding Disney’s stance on changing its Disability Access Service, which has been a hot topic for debate for months. Now, we’ve got an update, but it may not be what some of you were hoping for.

During today’s shareholder meeting, one of the proposals brought up was titled Independent Review and Report on Accessibility and Disability Inclusion Practices. Erik Paul, a shareholder, spoke on the matter, stating that “These are not fringe guests, these are families planning multi-generational vacations.” He continued, and was quoted as saying, “It is not charity, it is not politics,” but that 85% of guests say they are unlikely to return because of accessibility changes. He closed out his proposal, stating, “Protecting that magic means protecting the people who believe in it.”

However, Disney’s response to this was to encourage shareholders to reject this proposal.

Some of their reasons for suggesting so are that the Walt Disney Company is committed to the services that accommodate those with disabilities and reviews its practices on an ongoing basis. Additionally, the company provides plenty of public information on how those with disabilities can experience the park. The company has already taken a look at its risk management in this regard, and the proposal’s request would “not enhance shareholder value.”

The proposal was indeed not approved and was voted against. However, that wasn’t the end of the DAS questioning during the shareholder meeting, because it was later asked if Disney would ever consider restructuring DAS. Josh D’Amaro’s answer to this was that the company knows that accessibility is deeply personal, and stated that Disney’s services make it possible to enjoy the parks together. He continued on, saying that the current approach the company has with DAS is that it “reflects the extensive work that we’ve done with experts and medical professionals in an effort to understand individual needs.” He concluded by saying that the company will continue to listen, learn, and apply expert guidance as they evaluate these accommodations over time. He highlighted that the company will always be focused on providing great experiences.

There is still a class action lawsuit against Disney about the DAS changes, and it remains to be seen how that will end up. We’ll be sure to continue to bring you all the latest Disney news, so stay tuned to AllEars.