Disney faces Segway lawsuit

Three disabled people sue over the theme park's ban on devices that give them mobility.

By Assocaited Press
Published November 11, 2007

ORLANDO - Three disabled people have sued Walt Disney World for not allowing them to use Segways to move around its theme parks.

The three plaintiffs - a man and woman from Illinois and a woman from Iowa - also asked a federal judge to allow their complaint to continue as a class-action suit.

Mahala Ault and Dan Wallace of Illinois and Stacie Rhea of Iowa are each able to stand but cannot walk far, according to the lawsuit. They use Segways to get around but say they've been denied permission to use the vehicles at Disney World.

Ault, 33, has multiple sclerosis. Rhea has Lou Gehrig's disease. Wallace lost his left foot in an accident.

According to their filing Friday, they're among an estimated 4,000 to 7,000 similarly disabled people who have turned to Segways as mobility tools.

A group called Disability Rights Advocates for Technology, which raises money to donate Segways to disabled military veterans and pushes for their acceptance, previously asked theme parks to lift bans on the devices. Group co-founder Jerry Karr said Segways offer more mobility and dignity than wheelchairs.

But Disney has said it fears Segways, able to go more than 12 mph, could endanger other guests. "We've made our position very clear on these Segways in our parks," Disney spokeswoman Jacquee Polak told the Orlando Sentinel. "Our primary concern is the safety of all our guests and our cast members. We have a long history of being a leader in creating accessible experiences for our guests with disabilities."

[Last modified November 11, 2007, 00:28:11]