A mother visiting Orlando, Florida, claimed Disney World denied a disability pass for her autistic son, sparking a wave of backlash online. Rather than sympathizing with her situation, many users accused her of acting entitled, with some dismissing the Disability Access Service (DAS) pass as a luxury rather than a necessity.
The mother, TikTok user @meandt6697, documented the experience during a trip with her son Tristan, who has autism. The pair visited several Florida theme parks, including SeaWorld and Disney World, but according to her, the situation turned sour shortly after arriving at what appeared to be Hollywood Studios.
“Here we are at Disney World. It’s supposed to be the happiest place on Earth. Not so happy today, is it, Tristan?” she said in the viral clip. “We’ve always had a DAS pass, and apparently, we can’t get one today. My son with autism, we can’t get in. So, thank you, Disney, thank you.”
According to Disney World’s official website, the Disability Access Service allows eligible guests to request attraction return times without physically waiting in line. The system is intended to assist visitors who may struggle with traditional queues, including some guests with developmental disabilities such as autism.
In a follow-up video, the mother explained that she had gone through Disney’s standard approval process, including an online interview. She also noted that Tristan had previously received DAS approval at both Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California, making the denial especially confusing for her.
“I go online, I set up an appointment, I did the interview with the guy, and he still turned us down,” she said, adding that their previous DAS approval had remained valid for a year.
The original TikTok quickly gained traction, racking up more than 64,000 likes and thousands of comments. Much of the response, however, was critical rather than supportive. Some users mocked the mother outright, while others argued that Disney was right to deny the request.
“Did you guys survive? Please update us,” one commenter wrote sarcastically. Another added, “As a dad of a child who uses a wheelchair full-time. Good job, Disney.” Others took more personal shots, with one user commenting, “The hairstyle fits you.”
Some users with autism, along with parents of autistic children, also weighed in, saying they had never needed a DAS pass themselves and felt it was unnecessary. The mother, however, pushed back on those claims, pointing out that autism exists on a spectrum and that every person has different needs and challenges.
Despite the controversy, Tristan and his mother still appeared to enjoy the rest of their Florida vacation, including visits to Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Many users eventually came to their defense as well, while the pair largely seemed to ignore the usual cycle of online outrage and focus on their trip instead.
