Three weeks after Disney won a court ruling that declared the company had not discriminated against guests with autism, the ruling is being appealed by the plaintiff’s attorney. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Tampa-based lawyer Andy Dogali has submitted an appeal of the ruling U.S. District Judge Anne Conway gave last month that found that Disney’s Disability Access Service (DAS) was not in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). At this time, it is unclear what the basis of the appeal will be. A spokesperson for Disney responded to the appeal saying, “Disney Parks have an unwavering commitment to providing an inclusive and accessible environment for all our guests, and we fully comply with all ADA requirements.”
The lawsuits in question stem from Disney’s change from the longstanding Guest Assistance Card (GAC) program to the DAS system as a way to combat alleged abuses of the old system. However, some families of those with autism reported that the new system did not meet their needs and even led to “meltdown” behaviors that forced families to leave the parks. Despite these allegations, the DAS program remains in effect at Disneyland in Anaheim as well as Walt Disney World and has since 2013. Dogali also has related cases pending in the state of California.