Court Rules Amusement Parks Must Continue Exemptions for Escorts of Disabled Visitors
Jerusalem District Court ruled that Superland and Luna Park must continue honoring fee exemptions for escorts of visitors with disabilities until March 2027.
The Jerusalem District Court, sitting as an administrative court, has ruled that the Ir HaShaashuim company, which operates the Superland and Luna Park amusement parks, must continue to honor exemptions from entry fees for accompanying persons of eligible individuals with disabilities. Meanwhile, the Commission for Equal Rights of Persons with Disabilities at the Ministry of Justice has been instructed to re-evaluate its policy and issue a comprehensive decision on the matter by March 31, 2027.
Interim Ruling and Legal Proceedings
The verdict, handed down by Judge Anat Singer following an agreement between the parties, does not make a final determination on the core legal question of whether amusement parks are universally permitted to charge fees from legally exempt escorts. The dispute has been returned to the Commission for further review, and its upcoming decision is expected to apply to similar entertainment venues across the country. Until then, visitors whose disability certificates state eligibility for an escort exemption will continue to enter both parks free of charge.
The controversy initially came to light in May following an investigative report by the Shavim website, which revealed that Superland and Luna Park had stopped honoring the exemption and began charging escorts. Following the public exposure, the Commission launched an investigation, concluding that the charges violated statutory provisions and issuing an accessibility enforcement order against the operating company. The company subsequently petitioned the court against the order, arguing that fees are charged for utilizing the rides rather than merely entering the premises, and since escorts also use the rides, charging them is justified.
Arguments from the Commission
Conversely, the Commission maintained that the exemption is not a mere consumer perk, but a mandatory accessibility accommodation designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities can enjoy public services on an equal basis. The agency argued that an escort riding an attraction does not nullify the exemption, as their primary role is to assist the visitor with a disability. Furthermore, the Commission noted that the company had altered a long-standing policy without any concurrent changes in the law or regulations, noting that over 50 public complaints had been lodged regarding the two parks.
"Both parties accepted my proposal that the respondent's policy shall return for renewed discussion before it—both regarding the petitioner and regarding similar parks," Judge Singer wrote in her ruling.
The court dismissed the company's initial request to stay the accessibility order back in July, compelling the parks to immediately halt fee collections from eligible escorts and ordering the company to pay 3,000 shekels in legal costs. Under the new judicial directive, the Commission has until March 31, 2027, to formulate a structured, nationwide regulatory framework, during which time the interim arrangement preserving the exemptions will remain fully operational.
