A brand new shareholder proposal made on behalf of DAS Defenders is asking at the corporate to fee an unbiased and public evaluate of its Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider coverage adjustments. The crowd contends that restrictions to this system have contributed to decrease theme park attendance at Walt Disney Global and Disneyland. This covers the shareholder proposal, alongside a recap of DAS adjustments this yr, and our remark.
As fast background, Disney overhauled DAS at Walt Disney Global final Would possibly. In step with the corporate, the adjustments have been due largely to abuse, misuse, and proliferation of this system’s use–with issuances of DAS tripling from 2019 to final yr. For extra concerning the specifics of the overhauled DAS, see Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider (DAS) Adjustments at Walt Disney Global FAQ.
The brand new gadget has now been in position for smartly over a yr, and there were direct affects for disabled visitors in addition to oblique ones for all visitors. To the latter level, we’ve written so much concerning the affect of the DAS adjustments on wait occasions at Walt Disney Global. Maximum just lately, in Is Lightning Lane Multi Move Nonetheless “Price It” at Disney Global? Suffice to mention, standby traces are shorter and sooner transferring, with wait occasions being decrease year-over-year on account of the DAS crackdown.
We’ve additionally lined the studies from readers and different visitors making use of for lodging at Walt Disney Global, a lot of whom have had damaging stories with the brand new procedure. We proceed to obtain common reader feedback to this impact, which comes as no wonder given there are likewise viral social media posts about DAS, none of which can be certain.
Suffice to mention, even over 18 months later, the DAS overhaul stays arguable. It’s additionally a delicate matter this is private because it’s make or ruin for some visitors looking to revel in Walt Disney Global. There were studies of visitors who prior to now had DAS being denied and recommended to make use of choice lodging, a few of which can be new–or are revised and highlighted extra prominently.
The newest construction isn’t simply the shareholder proposal made on behalf of the DAS Defenders, but additionally the traction it’s beginning to achieve with the mainstream media. With background out of the way in which, right here’s the total textual content of the shareholder proposal:
Shareholder Proposal Supporting Remark
Disney’s logo and fiscal steadiness are beneath pressure from underperforming movies, emerging park prices, shopper boycotts, and waning believe. At the February 2025 quarterly name, Disney reported that the Parks and Reviews department skilled “decrease volumes” tied to attendance (Newsweek, 2025).
A vital contributor is the corporate’s fresh overhaul of incapacity lodging at its parks. The adjustments have triggered damaging press protection, social media critique, a pending class-action lawsuit, and studies of shoppers canceling holidays and passes. Mishandling incapacity get right of entry to dangers eroding visitor loyalty, shopper spending, and in the long run shareholder self belief.
The disabled neighborhood is among the fastest-growing world demographics. In the USA, 1.2 million extra other folks reported figuring out as disabled in 2021 in comparison to prior years, with numbers projected to upward thrust additional (Burgess-Lefebvre, 2024).
A survey introduced on the 2024 Global Affiliation of Amusement Parks and Sights Conference discovered that over 85 p.c of disabled Disney visitors reported being not likely or refusing to go back to Disney Parks because of the Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider (DAS) adjustments (Burgess-Lefebvre, 2024).
Without reference to the result of the present class-action lawsuit, Disney stays uncovered to further felony claims, regulatory scrutiny, and logo injury. Different corporations have confronted multimillion-dollar settlements beneath accessibility-related movements.
Long term liabilities may come with expensive settlements, operational disruption, and weakened marketplace positioning. Fresh corporate selections aren’t best straining Disney’s final analysis, they’re exposing the emblem to escalating shopper backlash, together with boycotts.
With world tourism to the USA in decline, pageant for global vacationers has intensified. Disney’s popularity for accessibility has been a differentiator in attracting guests who plan journeys interested by dependable lodging. Erosion of that popularity reduces competitiveness in a tightening marketplace.
Commissioning an unbiased evaluate of accessibility requirements throughout all Disney operations would exhibit management, validate easiest practices, and spotlight spaces to handle gaps and mitigate chance. Clear analysis assures shareholders that Disney is actively managing compliance, pageant, and fiduciary accountability—protective the “magic” that sustains its logo.
Shareholder Solution
Shareholders request that Disney fee an unbiased evaluate, carried out by way of a certified 3rd birthday party, of the corporate’s accessibility and incapacity inclusion practices.
This evaluate will have to assess felony, monetary, and reputational dangers; review Disney’s insurance policies in opposition to global accessibility requirements and competition; and determine alternatives for management growth.
Shareholders additional request that the Board supply a public abstract and inside briefing at the findings to verify duty and transparency.
Disney Intends to Exclude Shareholder Proposal
In a reaction letter, the Walt Disney Corporate wrote that it intends to exclude from its proxy fabrics for its 2026 annual assembly of shareholders, the aforementioned shareholder proposal.
Disney additional asked that SEC advise the corporate that it might now not counsel any enforcement motion if it excludes the proposal, at the foundation that the shareholder proposal is materially false and deceptive in violation of Rule 14a-9, (ii) Rule 14a-8(i)(7) of the Trade Act at the foundation that the shareholder proposal pertains to the Corporate’s strange trade operations, or (iii) Rule 14a-8(i)(10) of the Trade Act at the foundation that the Corporate has considerably applied the Proposal.
Disney additionally argues that the proposal is materially false and deceptive in violation of Rule 14a-9. We’re now not going to recap the total reaction, because it incorporates numerous legalese and redundancies, however in a nutshell, Disney argues that any attendance lower was once as a consequence of hurricanes. Additionally, park operations are strange trade and now not matter to shareholder micromanagement; that they’ve already carried out their due diligence in this, and there’s no responsibility to expose any nonpublic data.
You’ll learn Disney’s complete reaction (which comprises the unique proposal) right here.
DAS Adjustments in 2025
There were 4 adjustments to Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider this yr. The newest of those was once that Walt Disney Global Added New Laws for DAS Name Eligibility.
Particularly, that the visitor for whom DAS is being asked will have to be provide all the way through the video chat. Moreover, that the recording of this video chat is precisely prohibited. There have been different tweaks, however not anything specifically consequential.
Previous to that, each Walt Disney Global and Disneyland prolonged the validity duration for Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider upon a visitor being permitted into this system to 1 yr or the period of the price ticket (whichever is shorter). Previous to this as much as 365 day window, DAS was once legitimate for as much as 240 days sooner than re-registration.
That made DAS extra handy for Annual Passholders and different regulars, whilst additionally including a layer of predictability. It got here proper as the primary wave of DAS Annual Passholders would’ve been up for renewal, so it additionally eased the load on Disney’s processing of requests.
Some other main exchange was once the extension of the DAS registration window to 60 days previous to their park talk over with, which additionally passed off on each coasts. Prior to now, the method may start no faster than 30 days prior on your talk over with. That passed off again in early February.
That extension was once geared toward making it more straightforward for visitors to plot round DAS and doubtlessly cancel or regulate their holidays if they don’t obtain DAS as an lodging.
Going from 30 to 60 days led to a negligible building up in DAS programs, but it surely doesn’t materially exchange the equation on approvals. It was once all about lowering friction for visitors who follow and are denied DAS, because it put the earlier-applicants out of doors of the penalty-free cancellation duration.
Disney additionally revised its coverage language to take away “best” from the Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider eligibility standards to doubtlessly expand the qualifying visitors.
As we identified on the time, that most probably concerned involvement from a military of legal professionals, or even then, its motivations and results are open to interpretation and debate. My easiest wager is that Disney desires to melt the perceived barriers within the coverage amongst potential candidates.
To make it seem much less harsh or stringent, to inspire visitors rather than the ones with developmental disabilities to use for DAS. It can be a approach of unofficially increasing the scope of eligibility with out making any substantive adjustments to the coverage or overhauling this system over again.
Whilst we’ll by no means know evidently what triggered the “best” exchange or what consequence it’ll have at the ratio of approvals to denials, our view is that it’s relatively consequential within the amount of DAS issued in spite of being just a unmarried phrase.
The incentive for the “best” exchange may’ve been the Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider Magnificence Motion Lawsuit Filed In opposition to Disney Parks. The grievance is predicated closely at the presence of “best” in Disney’s earlier DAS coverage, and a requirement letter from final December that preceded the lawsuit.
I’d additionally upload that there the entire earlier adjustments in 2025 got here proper across the time of that lawsuit. Differently, Walt Disney Global has been beautiful quiet as to the Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider program. Each time DAS does make headlines, the corporate provides a superficial remark about their dedication to offering a really perfect visitor revel in to all, and their sturdy monitor report with accommodating disabled visitors. There’s been little or no past that–the entirety else has been quiet coverage tweaks at the legitimate web sites.
Our Remark
From our viewpoint, the large ‘tale’ stays the non-news and loss of subject matter adjustments over the past 7+ months. Between DAS now being over a yr previous and the loss of significant adjustments since its anniversary, it might appear Disney has settled right into a comfy coverage place with this system.
The scoop cycle has in large part moved on, which isn’t to mention that there isn’t nonetheless outrage or heartbroken visitors, however that they’re now not garnering as a lot consideration or damaging protection. The newest AP headline about adjustments to DAS at Walt Disney Global and Disneyland may exchange that, however our wager is that it is going to now not. Much more likely, it’ll carry consciousness of the adjustments to a brand new, extra informal target market.
As for the shareholder proposal, it’s a captivating perspective to get the DAS adjustments again into the newscycle and succeed in a brand new extra mainstream target market. However truthfully, I will’t see it going any place past that.
Even assuming, arguendo, that the shareholder proposal is incorporated in proxy fabrics (versus being excluded)…there’s no approach it’s being authorized. Somebody who has listened to the yearly conferences is aware of that there are numerous politically-charged and area of interest reasons introduced.
They all are summarily shot down with out a lot in the way in which of additional dialogue. There’s completely no reason why to consider the destiny of this one can be any other. Whilst we strongly consider Disney will have to do a greater task at discovering a center flooring, it’s onerous to look this as one thing with which shareholders–particularly massive institutional ones with essentially the most sway in votes–would fear themselves.
As we’ve lined in income name studies and crowds protection, attendance was once down year-over-year (by way of about 1%), however that was once in large part as a consequence of hurricanes ($120 million disclosed losses). In the meantime, the parks proceed to set earnings information and lodge occupancy continues to upward thrust. Proper or flawed, that’s what issues to shareholders–this proposal can be DOA despite the fact that it weren’t excluded.
With that mentioned, we as soon as once more reiterate our place that Disney will have to discover a center flooring and make the method extra humanizing. If the rest, they will have to do that exactly as a result of DAS adjustments don’t garner the similar roughly consideration, so reform may well be achieved with out inducing as a lot abuse.
The corporate has an exemplary popularity for visitor provider and lodging. The desire for DAS reform was once completely comprehensible, as there was once rampant abuse exacerbated by way of social media, entitlement, and Disney developing an incentive for DAS scammers by way of monetizing line-skipping by means of Lightning Lanes.
There’s no un-ringing that bell and going again to Nineteen Nineties or 2000s variations of lodging. The arena is a distinct position. Disney can’t loosen up its regulations an excessive amount of, or else chance a go back to the gadget being scammed.
On the other hand, there were heartbreaking tales of DAS denials, a lot of that have long gone viral for just right reason why. Those have made transparent {that a} extra versatile and humane means providing better discretion to Solid Contributors is perfect.
This strongly recommended that Disney went too some distance with the DAS overhaul; the pendulum swung from one excessive to some other, and there was numerous collateral injury amongst disabled visitors who wanted DAS and feature been denied beneath the overly-stringent gadget.
Cranking the DAS dial to its most atmosphere hasn’t simply eliminated the scammers, it has harm visitors who’re if truth be told disabled. It’s time to recalibrate from the extremes to the middle.
In the end, we don’t wait for any main adjustments to DAS at Walt Disney Global or Disneyland. Nor will we view there being any probability of good fortune with the shareholder proposal. There isn’t going to be some other overhaul to Incapacity Get right of entry to Provider, absent the aforementioned category motion lawsuit or different litigation prevailing.
That going down is very unsure–Disney has been sued over each unmarried iteration of those lodging, and I’ve but to search out any report of them shedding on any rely. I will’t see the rest other about this lawsuit; if the rest, Disney may be able to higher argue that traces and crowds are inherent to the theme park revel in.
The corporate has already persisted a long PR hit over those adjustments, there’s 0 likelihood they’ll voluntarily undergo that once more with some other overhaul. What, if the rest, does occur might be a sluggish trickle of rule relaxations. However with out a main adjustments within the final 5 months, even this is now taking a look more and more not likely.
The obvious exchange we’d like to look is a “humanizing” of the interview, now not simply expanded regulations and insurance policies for the mechanics of that procedure. We’ve heard from many readers who’ve been denied, and there’s a phrase that has been used many times to explain the method: interrogation.
Whilst we will be able to admire how anxious this procedure is for Solid Contributors and the verbal abuse they take for disgruntled visitors, there’s a greater approach of dealing with the method that feels much less hostile. Even though the letter of the DAS insurance policies isn’t going to modify, the corporate nonetheless will have to are living as much as its popularity by way of discovering a gentler strategy to take care of the method.
Making plans a Walt Disney Global travel? Find out about accommodations on our Walt Disney Global Lodges Critiques web page. For the place to consume, learn our Walt Disney Global Eating place Critiques. To economize on tickets or decide which kind to shop for, learn our Guidelines for Saving Cash on Walt Disney Global Tickets put up. Our What to Pack for Disney Journeys put up takes a singular have a look at artful pieces to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney Global Trip Guides will lend a hand. For complete recommendation, the most efficient position to begin is our Walt Disney Global Commute Making plans Information for the entirety you want to grasp!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Ideas at the shareholder proposal for an unbiased evaluate of DAS adjustments at Walt Disney Global and Disneyland? Hopeful that additional adjustments might be made that lead to higher approvals for individuals who actually want DAS whilst conserving abuse low? Agree or disagree with our evaluate of the adjustments or coverage as an entire? Please attempt to keep on subject–we’ve spotted a few of these DAS feedback sections get heated and private. Speak about the coverage itself, now not others’ use (or lack thereof) of it.
