Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resort will no longer allow visitors with disabilities instant access to rides , starting next month , in an attempt to reduce abuse of the policy . Under the current policy , Disney visitors can get a guest assistance card that grants quicker access to rides , often entering through exit doors to bypass the main lines . There were widespread reports of able-bodied people abusing the policy . Some wealthy park visitors were hiring disabled people to pretend to be family members so they could skip lines , the New York Post reported in May . Social researcher Wednesday Martin learned about the practice while researching a book about New York 's Park Avenue elite , the Post reported . `` It really is happening , '' Martin told CNN 's `` Starting Point '' in May . Starting October 9 , guests with a new disability access card will be issued a ticket with a time to enter an attraction , based on the current wait time , so they do n't have to stay in line . Disney fan site Miceage.com broke the news of the policy change last week . Disney World vows action after report of wealthy hiring disabled to skip lines . No proof of disability is required under either the current or new policies . Asked why Disney could n't keep the current system and require disabled guests to provide proof of disability , Disney spokeswoman Suzi Brown said , `` Due to confidentiality laws , we 're limited in the information we can ask . '' `` We have an unwavering commitment to making our parks accessible to all guests , '' Brown said in a statement . `` 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 . We engaged disability groups , such as Autism Speaks , to develop this new process , which is in line with the rest of our industry . '' Brown stressed that the program is different from the parks ' FastPass program , which issues a limited number of FastPasses per hour for certain attractions . A guest using the new disability card would get a return time based on the actual wait time for the ride . Erin Moya , whose 4-year-old son has spina bifida , agreed that there needed to be a change to stop the abuse . But she worried that the new system makes things more complicated for families that really need help . To Disney , or not to Disney ? `` For example , my son , similar to many others living with disabilities , has special medical procedures that have to be done at a specific frequency throughout the day , '' Moya , of Jacksonville Beach , Florida , wrote in an e-mail . `` To then have to worry about 'scheduling ' rides is just one more complication to add to a visit that is probably already more complex than most people realize . '' Disney , which is starting to train its employees on the new policy this week , will release more details of the program closer to the October 9 rollout date , Brown said . Guests who still have concerns about the policy can talk to guest relations about their assistance needs , she added . Annual passholder Sheryl Gangano of San Jose , California , says the policy change may cause her to drop her annual pass and reduce her seven to 10 annual trips to Disneyland . Gangano , who has complex regional pain syndrome , can walk but experiences `` excruciating pain '' from the lightest of touches or when she stands or sits in one position for too long . `` It makes it a challenge to be able to go and enjoy the park , '' she said . `` I will need to figure out how to structure my visits differently and become more aware of my pain . This is unfortunate , as one of the things Disneyland has given me is that escape . '' Ellen Seidman , whose family is heading to Disneyland for the first time in December , is willing to give Disney the benefit of the doubt during the rollout . `` Disney has an admirable history of accommodating guests with special needs , '' she wrote on her `` Love that Max '' blog about kids with special needs . `` There are wheelchairs and Electric Convenience Vehicles available for rent , special dietary offerings at most restaurants , designated relief areas for service animals , plus options for guests with hearing and visual impairment . I ca n't imagine that Disney would ever leave kids with special needs in the ( pixie ) dust . `` Parents of kids with special needs sure are n't shy about speaking up when something is n't working . If the realities of the new program prove too hard to handle , the parks will hear about it -- and hopefully make adjustments accordingly . '' What do you think of Disney 's new program ? Please share in the comments section below .
Able-bodied people were reportedly using Disney 's disability policy . Comment: The new policy wo n't allow almost immediate access to the rides .