A mother in Orlando, Florida, claimed that Disney World had refused to provide a disability pass for her autistic son. The internet, however, picked on her relentlessly, calling her a Karen, and the pass a luxury.
The mother in question is TikTok user meandt6697. She took her son, Tristan, who has autism, to Orlando to visit multiple parks, including SeaWorld and, of course, Disney World. However, things got tense as soon as she walked into what appears to be Hollywood Studios, as Tristan’s disability pass was refused.
“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. “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 the Disney World website, a Disability Access Service (DAS) pass allows park attendees with autism to register an attraction return time in advance. This means that those in possession of a DAS pass can skip standing in line, meaning they can enjoy the park while waiting for their turn to arrive.
In a follow-up clip, the mother explained that she had taken all the appropriate steps to request the DAS pass. She even mentioned that she had been granted the pass in both Disney World in Florida and Disneyland in California. However, for whatever reason, things were different this time.
“I go online, I set up an appointment, I did the interview with the guy, and he still turned us down,” the woman explained, saying that her previous DAS pass was valid for a year.
Internet Does What It Does Best
Her initial clip went viral, amassing 64,000 likes and more than 3,300 comments. Instead of support, the internet chose to bully her, saying she was exaggerating. Users labeled her a Karen, calling her out in her first TikTok and in the ones that followed.
“Did you guys survive? Please update us,” one user said. Another one commented, “As a dad of a child who uses a wheelchair full-time. Good job, Disney.” A third one added, “The hairstyle fits you.”
Other users, parents to autistic children, or users with autism, also commented, saying that they never needed a DAS pass and that it was unnecessary. The “Karen,” however, explained that there are different “degrees of autism,” and that not every autistic person is the same as the other.
After all the drama, Tristan and his mother ended up spending a wonderful time at the various Florida parks, such as Hollywood Studios and Animal Kingdom. Users were also sympathetic to them, so it looks like they didn’t pay much attention to the internet being the internet, again.
