3 Major Disability-Focused Changes Coming Soon That We Love

There’s some really amazing news coming out of the disability community, so today we thought we’d put them all together to share them with you!

Globally, there are 1.2 billion individuals who have some kind of disability. That totals 15% of the entire world’s population. Still, there are a great deal of barriers—sometimes even physical ones—that disabled individuals have to tackle just to see, do or experience the same as their able-bodied peers.

These three major changes could help eliminate some of those barriers.

First up, Walt Disney World has announced a major change to their Disney Accessibility Service or DAS pass system. Originally, the DAS would allow ticket holders with disabilities to coordinate with cast members at various park and ride attractions when to return to the ride lines in order to receive disabled access rather than wait long lines.

This new change called DAS Advance will allow disabled park guests to register with a cast member through a live video chat as early as 30 days prior to coming into the parks in order to set up two experiences per day using the new planning option. Guests with the DAS Advance will have a one-hour long window of time to redeem their chosen option during their visit into the parks.

DAS Advance holders and the rest of their party will also now be able to make return time selections on various attractions and shows from their My Disney Experience app during their park visit as well.

Next, Tréxo Robotics is a company dedicated to “get your child upright and walking” in order to promote disabled children’s mobility and health.

Their robotic mobility aid acts as a kind of loose harness inside of which the child can be suspended and supported in such a way to allow them to walk. Their website lists the following conditions that some of their customers have had: cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, hemiplegia, paraplegia, muscular dystrophy, neuromuscular conditions, stroke, Rett syndrome or other conditions impacting lower body mobility.

The company makes each aid custom to each customer’s needs through a reservation and application process. To see the finished project, watch this video!

The company is now taking reservations for Fall 2021!

Finally, Venice, Italy is in the initial stages to make one of the world’s most beautiful and iconic cities completely wheelchair accessible for the residents who live in the area as well as visitors.

Venice, a town completely surrounded by water, is full of 403 bridges and cobbled streets, two typically complicated access points for those with disabilities. For years, disabled residents have had to cope with limited routes by the waterbus service and only certain access points to major locations being completely step free.

However, Venetian officials have promised that the main sights within the city will now be accessible for everyone with a design plan of various bridges connecting a main entry point to St. Mark’s Square.

Six ramps will be installed in the region—four toward St. Mark’s and another two at locally populated areas. The project is set to cost the city $1.6 billion.

Five bridges will be fitted with appropriate ramps with the one in Ponte de la Croze being the first, linking locals and other visitors through Santa Croce and San Polo areas to the vaporetto stop at San Toma.

What new disability-centered accessibility tools or experiences have you smiling this week?