What To Know About Changes To Disney Parks’ Disability Policies

Changes that Disney made to a popular program that lets qualifying disabled people skip long lines at its California and Florida theme parks are too restrictive, disabled fans contend in a federal lawsuit and shareholder proposal that seek to expand eligibility.

Guests arrive at Disney’s Magic Kingdom theme park in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., June 15, 2016. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

The battle over who can skip long lines on popular rides because of their disabilities marks the latest struggle by Disney to accommodate disabled visitors while cracking down on past abuses. But some Disney fans say the company has gone too far and has no right to determine who is disabled.

“This isn’t right. This isn’t what Walt and Roy would have wanted,” said Shannon Bonadurer, referring to the Disney brothers who founded the entertainment empire. Despite being unable to wait for long periods of time in the heat because she uses an ileostomy bag, Bonadurer was denied a pass for the disability program.

In a statement, Disney said it was committed to providing a great experience to all visitors, particularly those with disabilities who may require special accommodations.

Here’s a look at changes to Disney parks’ policies for disabled visitors.

The Disability Access Service, or DAS, program allows pass-holders and their immediate family members to make an online reservation for a ride while in the park and then get into an expedited line that typically takes about 10 minutes when it’s their time to go on the ride. DAS guests never have to wait in normal standby lines, which on the most popular attractions can be two hours or more.

The DAS program started in 2013 in response to past abuses by disabled “tour guides” who charged money, sometimes hundreds of dollars, to accompany able-bodied guests, enabling such guests to go to the front of lines. Disney says the DAS program needed changing because it had grown fourfold. Before last year’s changes, the percentage of guests having DAS passes jumped from around 5% to 20% over the past dozen years “and showed no signs of slowing,” the company said in court papers.

Disney parks make other accommodations for disabled visitors, including maps in Braille, a device that helps transfer visitors from wheelchairs to ride seats, quiet break locations and American Sign Language interpreters for some live shows. The parks permit some service animals on rides and allow some disabled guests to leave a line and rejoin their party before boarding a ride.

Disney narrowed the scope from people with a wider range of disabilities to mostly guests who “due to a developmental disability such as autism or similar” have difficulties waiting in a long line. Under the changes, guests seeking a DAS pass must be interviewed via video chat by a Disney worker and a contracted medical professional who determine if the person is eligible. Visitors found to have lied can be barred from the parks.

Some people with disabilities who have been denied say the new policy is too restrictive. Not only was Bonadurer denied a pass, but so was her 25-year-old son, who is blind and has cerebral palsy and autism.

“They are making a determination about whether you’re disabled enough,” said Bonadurer, a professional travel adviser from Michigan. “I would love to wait in line with everyone else, and so would my son, since that would mean he has a normal life. But we don’t, and unfortunately for us, we need adaptations to how we wait.”

Disney says the Americans with Disabilities Act doesn’t require equal treatment of people with varying disabilities. The company accommodates those visitors who don’t meet the new DAS criteria with alternatives, Disney said in court filings responding to a federal lawsuit in California.

“For example, in a crowded movie theater, a person using a wheelchair may be entitled to priority seating even if they arrive shortly before the movie starts, while a deaf person may only be entitled to a seat with closed captioning,” the company said.

At Disney’s main theme park rival, Universal, disabled visitors can get shorter lines if they have a card issued by an international board that certifies venues for their accessibility.

A shareholder proposal submitted on behalf of DAS Defenders, an advocacy group of Disney fans opposed to the DAS changes, calls on the company next year to commission an independent review of its disability policies and publicly release the findings. The shareholder proposal claims the change to the DAS program has contributed to lower park attendance.

Disney’s attorneys told the Securities and Exchange Commission in a November letter that it intends to block the proposal ahead of the company’s 2026 shareholder meeting, saying it was false and misleading about the reasons for an attendance decline, which the company attributed to hurricanes. The company also argued the shareholder proposal amounts to micromanaging day-to-day operations.

https://apnews.com/author/mike-schneider

Viva Launches New Nonstop Service Between New York And Monterrey

Viva announced today that beginning December 13, it will operate seven weekly seasonal nonstop flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Monterrey, Mexico (MTY), offering travelers a convenient option for visiting family and friends during the upcoming holiday season.

Photo credit: IG: lovi.blossom_ Vianey Molina

The new service marks Viva’s official debut in New York, complementing its existing nonstop routes to Mexico City (MEX) and Monterrey (MTY). Additionally, the airline’s extensive domestic network allows passengers to connect seamlessly to destinations throughout Mexico. For example, travelers can easily reach Puebla (PBC) with a simple connection in Monterrey, enhancing both flexibility and convenience.

“Viva is committed to providing competitive fares, comfort, and excellent onboard service,” said Carlos Molina, International Sales. “This new service reinforces our dedication to connecting people and strengthening ties between the United States and Mexico, making travel easier and more enjoyable for our passengers.”

Viva Air remains focused on delivering an exceptional travel experience, ensuring that every flight offers both value and comfort.

Flight Schedule

Operates Monday through Sunday

New York (JFK) → Monterrey (MTY)

12:45 a.m. ✈️ 4:30 a.m.

Monterrey (MTY) → New York (JFK)

6:40 p.m. ✈️ 11:45 p.m.

Service available from December 13, 2025, to January 12, 2026.

EasyJet To Resume Flights To And From Tel Aviv On March 29

British low-cost carrier easyJet announces that it will resume flight operations to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport starting March 29 next year.

An easyJet flight seen taking off from Ben Gurion International Airport, on March 24, 2018. (Moshe Shai/FLASH90)

“We are pleased to be resuming flights between London Luton, Amsterdam and Milan Malpensa and Tel Aviv,” an easyJet spokesperson says in an e-mailed statement. “We plan to resume flying to Tel Aviv from additional European bases next winter season at the end of October instead of next March.”

“We continually review all of our routes and remain committed to resuming more flying to and from Tel Aviv,” the easyJet spokesperson adds.

In July, the UK carrier, which had been expected to restart its flight operations at the end of October, announced that it would extend the suspension of all routes to and from Tel Aviv through March 28, 2026.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/writers/sharon-wrobel/

Canada's Tallest Skyscraper Becomes First In Country Above 100 Storeys

The SkyTower supertall skyscraper in Toronto, designed by Hariri Pontarini Architects, has become the first building in Canada to surpass 100 storeys.

The residential skyscraper for developer Pinnacle International reached a milestone today on its path to becoming the tallest building in Canada and one of the tallest residential towers on the continent.

Designed by Canadian studio Hariri Pontarini Architects, the supertall skyscraper will reach an estimated 351.85 metres (1,154 feet) tall.

In May, Dezeen showed images of the tower at 71 storeys with some of the exterior cladding complete. Now, it appears that much more of the cladding on the base of the structure has been completed.

When completed, the building will have a slightly sloping facade with balconies on one side that resemble vents.

"We are pleased to celebrate Pinnacle SkyTower reaching 100 storeys," said Pinnacle International president and CEO Michael De Cotiis

"We have created a landmark, one that is making history not only for Toronto, but for all of Canada."

Hariri Pontarini Architects has described Skytower as a "12-sided jewel" with "glazed and tapered form with chamfered corners".

"The design of the Pinnacle Sky Tower is inspired by its urban context and by our goal of establishing a strong sculptural presence on the skyline," said Hariri Pontarini Architects founding partner David Pontarini.

"Its prominent site location at the start of one of Toronto’s main arterial roads called for an architectural expression that would become a landmark on the skyline."

"From the outside, this geometry reflects light in different ways and results in a distinctive silhouette that shifts depending on the angle you view it from," he continued.

"The building amenities on the upper floors will sit at the same general elevation as the CN Tower’s main observation level, creating a visual alignment and relationship on the skyline."

Beyond the stylistic aspects, the architecture studio claims this formal scheme will help the skyscraper bear the heavy winds that blow across Lake Ontario.

Pinnacle SkyTower is part of the larger Pinnacle One development located in Toronto's rapidly developing Harbourfront neighbourhood. It will contain apartments and a hotel as well as amenities, including a restaurant on its 106th floor, its highest.

An adjacent skyscraper in the development will reach 95 storeys.

After a March 2025 variance request, its height was extended to 106 storeys, with its original design only having 95.

The skyscraper will beat out Foster + Partners One Bloor in the city, which became Canada's first supertall skyscraper at 85 storeys and 308.6 metres (1,012 feet) earlier this year.

According to the developer, the tower will top out and begin welcoming residents in 2026.

The project is indicative of the rapid heightening of Toronto's urban landscape. Earlier this year, Dezeen showcased a photo series underlining this rapid development through a juxtaposition of charming older buildings with sparkling new developments.

Elsewhere in the city, Frank Gehry, who died last week, designed the 84-storey Forma skyscraper, one of his tallest and his first skyscraper in his birth city.

https://www.dezeen.com/author/ben-dreith/

Copenhagen Invites Destinations Worldwide To Join Copenpay

CopenPay began in Copenhagen as an initiative that rewarded tourists with free perks for simple responsible actions, from picking up litter in the canals to arriving at museums by bike.

Building on its success — and interest from more than 100 destinations worldwide — Copenhagen will launch DestinationPay on December 3.

Developed by the official tourism organisation of Copenhagen, WonderfulCopenhagen, DestinationPay is a global, ready-to-use framework that allows cities and regions to create their own version of CopenPay and reward visitors for actions that benefit local communities. It marks a shift toward a new tourism economy where value is measured not only by spending but by contribution. Several international destinations have already signed on.

To learn more, please visit: https://www.visitcopenhagen.com/copenpay

The World’s Tallest Hotel Has Just Opened In Dubai

Dubai has a new record-breaker on its skyline — almost by accident. The world’s tallest hotel, Ciel Tower, has officially opened, stacking 377 meters of glass and ambition above Dubai Marina. Its height was never planned — it grew unexpectedly as blueprints were torn up and redrawn.

The building features a large void known as the "eye of the needle," which helps it cope with high winds. Ciel Dubai

“We knew we wanted to build something spectacular,” says Rob Burns, CEO of project developer The First Group. “But we certainly didn’t plan on building the tallest hotel in the world.”

Despite its record proportions, Ciel’s creators were still forced to think small. The whole structure rises from a footprint of about 3,600 square meters, or about 40,000 square feet —a little smaller than a professional soccer pitch. Not exactly tiny, but a tiny sliver in Dubai terms.

That meant the tower’s architect, Yahya Jan, needed to show constraint and rely on some clever tricks.

It’s a tower built for spectacle that keeps having to remember the size of its own footprint. Almost everything inside ends up shaped by the tiny plot that launched this accidental record.

The entrance, for example, is luxurious but not quite what you’d expect from a Dubai record-breaker. You walk in anticipating something grand — large enough to host a convention or festooned with statues and water features. Instead you get soft lighting, curved lines and the sense of a space designed by someone who appreciates how little there is of it.

“It was a very challenging project for us,” Jan says. “It’s an irregularly shaped property. For a tower of this size the property could have been bigger. But I always say, you do your best work when you are challenged the most.”

The lobby, in other words, is compact because it has to be. The grandeur is deferred upward, unveiled floor by floor, until the moment when the building finally has enough altitude to get dramatic.

The rooms stick to this theme. They’re clean-lined, with neutral tones and smooth textures — modest compared to Dubai’s typically sprawling resort suites, but the floor-to-ceiling views of the Marina, Palm Jumeirah, and the Gulf do some heavy lifting. With 1,004 rooms across its 82 floors, however, the hotel enters a market already bursting with beds.

Burns is aware of the numbers. “I think a thousand rooms is definitely a challenge. And we knew that when we started,” he says. Still, he insists they’re “very, very bullish on the hospitality market,” with plenty to set the hotel apart. Like “360-degree views, the wonderful rooms, the amenities, the facilities.”

Higher up, Ciel’s signature flourish appears in the form of a void — something that Jan calls the “eye of the needle” — that’s there for function as much as design.
>br />Super-tall towers like Ciel must make a deal with the elements. The higher the building, the stronger the wind blows. Stand here even on a calm day and you can feel it funneling through the gap. “If you want the height that is great, but how can you shape the building to minimize the wind load? So, by having the cutout we let the wind go through the tower.”

The infinity pool on level 76 vanished into the sky. Ciel Dubai

A dozen atria punctuate the height, spaced six to eight stories apart, filled with trees and plants. They’re both aesthetic and practical, offering daylight, cooling and giving guests a place to gather.

What Jan calls “social community spaces where people can come together,” will be used for yoga and fitness sessions, or as restaurant overspill areas. “We’re vertically creating small parks,” he says — breaking up the tower into “smaller neighborhoods.” They also help with cooling and energy use, using computer-controlled glass louvers to “bring the sea breeze in.”

“Future towers are going to be different than towers of 50 years ago,” Jan says. “They’re going to be porous, you’re going to bring nature into these towers.”

Perhaps the most Dubai thing about Ciel is that they didn’t set out to build a record-breaker, it just sort of happened. They kept adding amenities and the building kept rising because there was nowhere else to put them.

It was Jan that informed them that they were drifting into record territory as the design edged within range of previous title-holder Gevora Hotel, also in Dubai, which stands at just over 356 meters.

“Yahya came to us and notified us, ‘hey guys, you’re close to building the tallest hotel in the world,’” says Burns. “And we said ‘wow, okay. Let’s make that happen.’”

Ciel’s dining and pool spaces follow the same logic as the rest of the tower, making the most of what’s available. The hotel spreads eight restaurants across its upper floors, with the UK-based Tattu brand occupying the most dramatic positions — the House of Dragon on 74, the House of Koi encircling the Skypool on 76, and the House of Phoenix perched in the Skylounge on 81, where the 360-degree views do most of the decorative work.

There are three pools, but the one that matters is the infinity pool on Level 76, placed inside the tower’s wind-channeling void. It isn’t large, but it doesn’t need to be when the visual trick is that the water seems to vanish straight into the sky.

Ciel is not Dubai’s most extravagant hotel. It doesn’t have the epic lobbies or the beachfront sprawl of the Palm resorts. But it shows what can happen when a city, more used to living it large, decides to show some restraint.

The public spaces are elegant without being excessive. The rooms are comfortable. And the views — especially from the upper floors and the sky pool — lend logic to the decision to build a 377-meter hotel such a relatively small patch of earth.

Ciel adds another shape to a skyline that rarely stays the same for long. Whether it holds the world-record title long is unclear. Dubai seems to see even its own superlatives as challenges.

https://www.cnn.com/profiles/bijan-hosseini

American Airlines Adds Flights And Exclusive Access To Tickets For All FIFA World Cup 26 Matches

American Airlines is giving customers the perfect assist ahead of FIFA World Cup 26™. The airline is making it easier than ever to get to every match with additional flight options, more opportunities to redeem AAdvantage® miles for tickets and exclusive Perks that AAdvantage® members can only get through American. In addition, to celebrate the airline’s sponsorship as the Official North American Airline Supplier of FIFA World Cup 26™, American will roll out aircraft decal installations on its domestic fleet and launch a creative marketing campaign leading up to the FIFA World Cup 26™ Final Draw in Washington, D.C. on Dec. 5.

From takeoff to kickoff, getting fans to every match

As soon as soccer fans know where and when their favorite teams will take the pitch, American will have additional flights ready for sale to get them to every match. The airline is adding frequencies and flying larger planes between the 16 host cities across the United States, Canada and Mexico, making it easy for fans to follow their teams from the group stage to the final match.

“American is ready with its game plan for the FIFA World Cup 26™, adding an extra 27,000 seats on 12 routes this summer,” said Brian Znotins, American’s Senior Vice President of Network Planning. “With more flights to all host cities, we’re making sure fans don’t miss the chance to take part in this once-in-a-lifetime moment across North America. “

Along with more flights between Los Angeles and Seattle or Boston and Dallas-Fort Worth, American is introducing nonstop service between Atlanta and Kansas City during the quarterfinal round.

Market Dates Additional flying

Boston (BOS)-Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) June 18-July 11 More flights and upgauged aircraft

Atlanta (ATL)-Miami (MIA) June 16-July 17 More flights and upgauged aircraft

Philadelphia (PHL)-Toronto (YYZ) June 15-June 30 Upgauged aircraft

Kansas City (MCI)-PHL June 15-June 22 Upgauged aircraft

Los Angeles (LAX)-Seattle (SEA) June 13-July 8 Upgauged aircraft

ATL-New York LaGuardia (LGA) July 16-July 17 More flights and upgauged aircraft

LAX-Vancouver (YVR) June 16-June 26 More flights

DFW-San Jose, California (SJC) June 17-June 27 More flights

ATL-PHL June 20-June 21 More flights and upgauged aircraft

LGA-MCI June 21-June 22 New nonstop flights

MIA-YYZ June 28-June 29 Upgauged aircraft

ATL-MCI July 8-July 13 New nonstop flights

Flights are available to purchase now at aa.com/en-us/fwc26 or through American’s mobile app.

As millions of fans prepare for the world’s biggest sporting event, American is giving AAdvantage® members another unique way to join in on the action by redeeming AAdvantage® miles for FIFA World Cup 26™ match tickets. AAdvantage® members will have early access to redeem miles for all match tickets through American based on their status level.

Here’s the game plan

Dec. 17 — AAdvantage Executive Platinum® status and ConciergeKey® members

Dec. 18 — AAdvantage Gold® status, AAdvantage Platinum® status and AAdvantage Platinum Pro® status members

Dec. 19 — All AAdvantage® members

Members can earn miles and Loyalty Points by flying or engaging with the airline’s partners, getting them closer to status for exclusive access to FIFA World Cup 26™ match tickets. AAdvantage® members can also save up to 40% when buying AAdvantage® miles.

American goes the extra mile in rewarding sports enthusiasts with exciting opportunities to experience their favorite teams. To reward their love of travel and sports, American is giving AAdvantage® members daily opportunities to enter sweepstakes throughout the year for a chance to win exciting prizes that get fans closer to the action.

Beginning Dec. 6, fans may visit fwc26perks.com for a chance to win any one of the following AAdvantage® Perks — available only to members of American’s AAdvantage® loyalty program, which offers countless ways for customers to earn and redeem miles:

Opening match tickets to FIFA World Cup 26™ (currently available on Perks)

Group stage match of choice

Watch a U.S. Men’s National Team group stage match

Watch a FIFA World Cup 26™ match with a FIFA Legend

As the Official North American Airline Supplier of FIFA World Cup 26™, American is taking its sponsorship to new heights. Starting this month, every aircraft in the American Airlines fleet — totaling more than 1,550 aircraft — will proudly display a custom FIFA World Cup 26™ decal, in partnership with Qatar Airways, honoring the airlines' commitment to connecting fans, teams and the world’s most celebrated sporting event. The decals will be applied across the domestic fleet by the end of December, allowing travelers to share in the excitement as American counts down to kickoff.

This month, fans will begin seeing American’s new creative content celebrating the upcoming FIFA World Cup 26™ across national television, digital and social platforms. Along with a “Now Boarding: Super Fans” digital-only campaign, American will launch a 30-second broadcast spot, “Fandom Takes Flight.”