Disney's new CEO, Josh D'Amaro, presented his vision for the company at The Walt Disney Company shareholder meeting. A Disney shareholder asked the new CEO about the current policies surrounding Disney's Disability Access Service, or DAS.
This came after a shareholder proposal to review the disability access service was not passed. Keep reading to see D'Amaro's full statement on this topic. The CEO also commented on Lightning Lanes. Mickey Visit brings you the latest Disney news and planning resources, including Disney World hotel refurbishments in 2026 and 2027 and menu changes at Disney World restaurants.
READ MORE – Disney World Dates to Avoid If You Hate Crowds! – 2026 WORST Times to Visit
Proposal to Change Disney's DAS Disability Service
The Disability Access Service, or DAS, is a program theme park visitors can utilize for accommodations at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World.
Disney World Ride Closure ALERTS, Major Park Changes, Secrets Revealed
Get alerts on closures, park changes, exclusive discounts, and free printables. Trusted by 100,000+ Disney fans & planners.
Disney significantly restructured DAS in 2024 in an effort to curb overuse, misuse, and other issues that had begun to weaken the program’s effectiveness. As a result, many guests who were previously eligible for these accommodations became ineligible after the changes.
A proposal to evaluate Disney's DAS policies was one of the items on the agenda for The Walt Disney Company's annual shareholders meeting on March 18, 2026, the same day D'Amaro began his new role as CEO.
If approved, the proposal would have required Disney to commission an independent third-party review of its accessibility and disability inclusion practices, evaluate risks, compare them against standards and competitors, and share the findings publicly. The proposal did not pass.
Later in the same shareholders meeting, new Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro spoke about DAS directly after being asked by a shareholder during the Q&A section of the call.
READ MORE – Most Disneyland Guests Don’t Know About This Super Secret Dining Room Open to All
D'Amaro Addresses Guest Concerns
Josh D'Amaro is new to the CEO role, but not new to Disney. He's been with the company for almost three decades, and was most recently Chairman of Disney Experiences, where he oversaw the theme park sector of Disney's business during the time of the 2024 changes to DAS. Due to the high-level impact of the service, which impacts both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, we are confident that Josh was the key final decision maker for how to move forward with changes to the service.
D'Amaro answered questions from shareholders during the March 18 annual meeting. One shareholder voiced concerns about the current policies of DAS and its affect on guests who used to eligible for it, but no longer are.
D'Amaro said the current procedures of Disney's DAS program are a result of both “extensive work that we've done with accessibility experts and medical professionals” and “individual conversations with families.”
As for the future of the program, D'Amaro didn't mention any changes, but said, “Of course, as we look ahead, as we always do, we'll continue to listen. We'll learn and apply expert guidance as we evaluate these accommodations over time. We'll always be focused on providing great experiences and designing these services to support our guests.”
D'Amaro's full quote about DAS is below.
“I'll start with the fact that we know that accessibility is deeply personal for many families. Our services for guests with disabilities— they make it possible to enjoy our parks together. Creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for all guests, especially those with disabilities, it's foundational to who we are.
“The current approach that we have with our Disability Access Service, it reflects really extensive work that we've done with accessibility experts and medical professionals, all in an effort to better understand individual needs and then really thoughtfully match guests with the right levels of support.
“It's important to us that we have individual conversations with families and that we have a broad range of accommodations that our cast members can recommend through these individual conversations.
“Of course, as we look ahead, as we always do, we'll continue to listen. We'll learn and apply expert guidance as we evaluate these accommodations over time. We'll always be focused on providing great experiences and designing these services to support our guests.”
Will We See any DAS Changes?
So what does all of this mean for the future of the disability access service at Disneyland and Disney World? Based on what we have heard from Disney and the comments around the vote, it doesn't seem like any big changes to the DAS offering are being planned. Josh D'Amaro helped to approval and usher in the changes to the service while Disney Experiences chairman. Now that he has been elevated to CEO, I don't anticipate that will signal any change.
We’ve seen a few small tweaks to the disability program since the changes were introduced, but nothing has indicated a broader rollback of the service. The opposition is organized and vocal, though, so we will likely continue to see a spotlight on the impact of the disability program restrictions. We've already received hundreds of comments on our sharing of the news about the DAS shareholder proposal.
We continually hear from an advocacy group, the DAS Defenders, about their frustration with the current version of the program. They are organized and focused. Their mission statement describes them as “a grassroots group dedicated to promoting accessibility for individuals with disabilities, established in reaction to exclusionary changes to Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS).”
This group has been actively pushing back on Disney’s changes to the disability access program since the changes were first introduced. We imagine people will continue to discuss this even though there is not likely change on the horizon.
We will continue to cover any changes to the Disney DAS offering to keep you up to date. What do you think of the current version of the program and Josh's comments?
For a full explanation of Disney's current policies about DAS, refer to our DAS qualifications and questions guides for Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Don't Miss the Latest Disney News
Don't miss the latest Disneyland and Disney World news from Mickey Visit. Join the FREE Mickey Visit newsletter that over 100k readers receive every single week. Mickey Visit is here to help you save money and experience more during your Disney and Universal vacation. See the Mickey Visit guide to Disneyland and the Mickey Visit guide to Disney World for tips.
