Autistic Visitors Given Green Light for Lawsuits Against Disney

August 21, 2018

A federal appeals court has ruled that visitors with autism can proceed with lawsuits against Disney theme parks that claimed not enough was being done to accommodate them.

The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled that plaintiffs in 30 lawsuits could proceed in a lower court with their lawsuits alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The lawsuits claimed Disney’s program to accommodate guests with autism didn’t do enough to avoid waits or allow the autistic guests to keep to a scheduled routine in the parks.

A district court in Florida had ruled Disney was accommodating the autistic visitors and dismissed the claims in 2016.

In a statement, a Disney spokeswoman says the company is committed to providing an inclusive environment for all guests.

According to the Disney website, Walt Disney World Resort offers a host of services to help Guests with cognitive disabilities—including those on the Autism Spectrum—maximize their Resort experience. Services include:

• Advanced Ticket Purchase
• Stroller and Wheelchair Rental
• Strollers as Wheelchairs
• Rider Switch
• Accessing Attractions
• Break Areas
• Companion Restrooms
• Helpful Guides for Attractions and your General Resort Experience
• Dietary Accommodations

Living with autism can present serious challenges. If you have a child or other loved one living with autism, you are quite familiar these issues. The challenges of watching someone you love struggle to interact with the outside world can be daunting.

If you have a loved one living with autism, you want to make sure that they have access to every available resource to help with any challenges that may present themselves. When certain places fail to provide promised accomodations, it can create unnecessary issues. Autism can subtly affect a person’s life in ways that have quite a large impact overall.

To schedule a free initial consultation with our Florida Disability Discrimination Attorneys at Whittel & Melton, call us toll free at 866-608-5529 or simply contact us online. We work on a contingency fee basis, which means we charge no money up front and no hourly fees.