First the DAS Pass, Now Your Dog: The New War on Disney’s Disabled Guests. The dust hasn’t even settled on the DAS pass disaster. Disney already gutted its disability access program, leaving thousands of people with chronic illnesses stranded. But apparently, that wasn’t enough for the internet. Now, people are coming for service animals. A new thread on the Walt Disney World subreddit is blowing up, and it’s a mess. The title? “Are service animals getting out of hand?“
I have two dogs, one being 100lbs of all sorts of stupid. She is my personal service animal; she comforts and lends support, especially when the PTSD gets bad. But, because she is an idiot, I cannot bring her to the Parks with me. That’s on me, the owner, for not training her properly or making her go to obedience or service animal school. But that doesn’t mean others who have dogs in the Park should be questioned by me, and it is none of my business, nor is it yours. Let Disney police itself.
Here we go again.
“I never really noticed many service animals at disney in the past, but having just been there over Christmas, Wow, they were everywhere. But are people gaming the system here? I’ve never heard of a service chihuahua before…” is how it started!
The Armchair Doctors are Back! Lately, everyone at Disney thinks they have a medical degree or a law license. People are sitting on their phones in line, snapping photos of dogs, and playing “spot the fake.” They see a small dog in a stroller and lose their minds. They see a dog sniff the ground and claim it’s “untrained.” They see a breed they don’t like and decide it’s a “fake.”
And look, let’s be real. People do fake service animals. It happens. It’s annoying, it’s disrespectful, and it makes life harder for everyone. Nobody wants a random pet lunging at people in the Magic Kingdom.
But here’s the thing: who the hell are you to decide which dog is real?
Mind Your Own Business! Since when did a Disney vacation turn into an interrogation? People with disabilities are already struggling to navigate the parks after the DAS changes. Now they have to deal with dirty looks and “Karens” questioning why their dog is there.
A Chihuahua can alert a person to a seizure. A Pitbull can be a mobility dog. A dog in a stroller might be off the hot pavement so its paws don’t burn. You don’t know their life, and you don’t know their medical history.
But because some guests are obsessed with “fairness,” they treat every disabled person like a scammer. They see someone getting what they perceive as “special treatment,” and they get bitter.
The “Special Treatment” Myth: Let’s get one thing straight: having a disability at Disney isn’t a “perk.” Bringing a service dog to a theme park is exhausting. You have to manage the heat, the crowds, the water bowls, and the bathroom breaks. It’s not a “hack” to skip lines or get attention. It’s a necessity. But the ignorance is spreading. It’s an ongoing trend where guests feel entitled to police each other. They’re so worried someone else might be getting a “shortcut” that they’ve turned into a mob of amateur detectives.
Disney is already making it harder for disabled people to exist in the parks. The last thing we need is a bunch of keyboard warriors on Reddit fueling the fire.
If a dog isn’t biting you or barking its head off, shut up and look at the castle. You aren’t the ADA police. You aren’t a doctor. You’re just a person in a pair of Mickey ears being a jerk to someone who’s already having a harder day than you. If you’re more worried about a dog in a vest than the $18 burger you just bought, you’re focusing on the wrong thing.
Let people live.
First the DAS Pass, Now Your Dog: The New War on Disney’s Disabled Guests
Services for Guests with Service Animals
We welcome Guests with their service animals throughout Walt Disney World Resort. Please explore the details below for information regarding relief areas throughout the theme parks, as well as attraction boarding information.
At Walt Disney World Resort, we have specific guidelines to ensure all Guests with service animals are supported throughout their visit. Please note that:
- A service animal is a dog or miniature horse that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.
- Service animals must be under the control of the owner at all times and should remain on a leash or in a harness. Cast Members are not able to take control of service animals.
- Only trained service animals are permitted inside Walt Disney World theme parks, water parks or Disney Springs. Emotional support animals, comfort animals and pets are only permitted at designated, pet-friendly Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
- Service animals must be housebroken. Service animals are required to behave and not bark, growl, jump up on or lunge at other Guests or Cast Members. Corrective action must be taken if the service animal is not behaving appropriately.
- Due to the nature of some attractions, service animals may not be permitted to ride. Please ask a Cast Member at these locations about available options, including Rider Switch with a member of your party or a portable kennel.
- Service animals must remain on the floor and not on dining chairs or tables in food and beverage locations.
- Service animals are not allowed in water—including water features and fountains—or closer than 4 feet to the water on pool or wet decks.
