Disney Taking Away Line-Skipping For Disabled Guests Because Some People Are Jerks

After it was revealed that some impatient but well-heeled visitors to Disney parks were hiring disabled “tour guides” just to avoid long wait times for rides and other attractions, park operators have revised this straight-to-the-front policy with the hope of making it less attractive to opportunistic jerks.

Starting Oct. 9, guests with disabilities will still have shorter wait times than many park visitors, reports the AP, but rather than go directly to the front of the line or be ushered in through a back door, they will receive tickets printed with a time to come back and get directly on the ride. This is like the parks’ existing FastPass system that does not require the guest to be disabled.

Calling the old system “problematic,” a rep for Disneyland recently explained, “we wanted to curb some of the abuse… Given the increasing volume of requests we receive for special access to our attractions, we are changing our process to create a more consistent experience for all our guests while providing accommodations for guests with disabilities.”

In addition to the people who were paying a premium to have a disabled person tour the park with them — the New York Post reported that one service charged $130/hour — some unscrupulous visitors have been taking a less expensive route to the front of the line. Taking advantage of the fact that park employees can not require proof of disability, these guests have simply lied to park staff and falsely claimed a disability in order to score line-jumping rights.

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