Court of Appeals orders Disneyland to reconsider Segway ban

Segways are currently banned from Disneyland and Disney California Adventure. Image: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons (license)

Disneyland has been ordered to reconsider its policy not to allow disabled guests to ride Segways in the park by a US Court of Appeals.

The LA Times reports that Disney will now be required to provide evidence on why the two-wheeled devices cannot be safely used in the park. This comes after it refused to allow muscular dystrophy sufferer Tina Baughman to bring a Segway into the park, despite allowing access to wheelchairs and scooters.

Baughman later sued the park under the Americans with Disabilities act, and while an initial ruling was made in favor of Disneyland, an appeal against this has been upheld. Disney will be required to present further evidence to a district court to prove its case for maintaining a Segway ban.

Segways enable riders to balance in a standing position, but are prone to problems on uneven surfaces or steep hills. Areas of Disneyland such as Main Street USA are likely to be easily accessible to a Segway user, although some ride queues may be more problematic. Allowances have already been made on many attractions for the use of wheelchairs and scooters, and Disney is likely to have to explain why similar accommodations could not be made for Segways.