Earlier this year, in 2025, we saw Disney get into some legal trouble regarding some changes they made that helped guests or visitors with disabilities at their theme parks. And yes, here, we’re referring to the Disney Inspire DAS Lawsuit that was brought up by a woman from California, whose name is Trisha Malone. She isn’t just suing Disney, though; she is going after a company called Inspire Health Alliance, too, regarding these new rules at Disney theme parks. So, let’s get down to it and understand it all in a better way.
What Even Is DAS and Why Did Disney Change It?
Well, first of all, let’s get it out of the way, you see, DAS is actually short for something like Disability Access Service. And just so you know, it is a system or program of some sort created by Disney to help out guests or visitors who cannot wait in long lines because of certain disability problems. To put it simply, instead of standing in a long, crowded line, DAS lets you wait somewhere else and then come back when it is your turn. Plain and simple!
Though all this backlash that Disney is getting now is actually regarding some changes that they made to this DAS thing. Now, with new rules in place, this DAS thing is mostly for guests with developmental disabilities, like autism. So, if you have a physical disability, this benefit is not for you anymore, and this is precisely what a lot of people are complaining about.
What the Lawsuit Says Disney Did Wrong
See, it is not just one thing that Disney is being accused of in this Disney Inspire DAS Lawsuit, there are quite a few things here to go over, like:
Discrimination: First of all, by saying that people with physical disabilities cannot use the DAS as per the new rules, it is just a straight-up violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Privacy Problems: Other than that, there is one more complaint that Disney and Inspire Health even went to ask for private health information from the guests at spots where others could hear it, too. Once again, this is a violation of laws like HIPAA and CMIA (California’s health privacy law).
Unfair Screening: See, it is actually Disney that decides who gets the benefit from DAS, so that’s purely unfair stuff right there.
Tricking People: There is one more allegation, which is that they’re making guests agree not to sue before they even know if they’re approved for the service.
Similar to the Denver Public Schools Immigration Policy Lawsuit, where a public institution challenged federal enforcement policies, this case highlights growing tensions between administrative rules and the rights of vulnerable groups.
Is Disney Trying to Cover Its Tracks?
From the looks of it, this appears like Disney trying to cover its tracks. How? Well, when this lawsuit was filed, there were some changes made to the wording on its DAS policy, and that was made really quietly, actually.
Like, just to give you perspective on what we’re talking about, you see, before, it said DAS was “only” for guests with developmental disabilities. Now it just says it’s “for” those guests, you know, without the word “only.”
Read related cases in our Celebrity & Media Lawsuits section.
