Disneyland cracks down on friends with sweeping new restrictions, sparking backlash

Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California, is cracking down with a brand new “visitor code of conduct” focusing on a surge in experience disruptions.

The modifications, outlined in a current operations briefing and detailed by the “Mickey Go to” weblog, are geared toward enhancing reliability throughout more and more advanced points of interest.

Visitor habits accounted for 13% of experience shutdowns in fiscal 12 months 2025 — up from a ten% historic common — prompting new rules, based on Natalie Katzka, director of points of interest engineering companies at Disneyland, who spoke on the briefing.

One of many guidelines getting quite a lot of consideration? It’s a cellphone coverage nicknamed “Stow it, Don’t Present it” — because the “Disney Fanatic” weblog reported.

Forged members conduct visible checks and won’t dispatch experience automobiles if a cellphone is seen, based on the identical supply.

“Handheld filming is now not permitted on these high-motion rides. … Telephones should be absolutely secured in a bag or pocket earlier than boarding,” Katzka stated.

The rule is being enforced on high-motion or technologically delicate points of interest like Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway and the Incredicoaster, the “Contained in the Magic” weblog stated.

Disneyland officers informed Fox Information Digital the corporate is at all times evaluating rules to seek out methods to boost the visitor expertise and create a secure surroundings for all guests.

Choose points of interest could have posted signage with guidelines of their boarding space, and friends are requested to hearken to solid members’ directions, the officers stated.

The crackdown extends to different free gadgets, together with outsized insulated drinkware. 

The so-called “Stanley ban” targets massive steel tumblers, which officers say pose storage and security dangers, based on Contained in the Magic.

Disneyland launched devoted storage options like ride-side cabinets and expanded locker use, whereas additionally including extra water refill stations, based on the “Mickey Go to” weblog.

“Unfastened articles,” stated Katzka, embrace something from telephones and hats to water bottles and backpacks, all of which may set off emergency stops in the event that they fall from a shifting automobile or intrude with sensors.

She additionally famous that behaviors like standing throughout a experience or extending arms past restraints have turn out to be problematic.

Enforcement is tightening at park entry factors, too. 

Disneyland has expanded a ban on selfie sticks to incorporate any telescoping units or gimbals. Safety has been instructed to show friends away reasonably than difficulty warnings, a number of blogs reported.

Bag checks at Disneyland have turn out to be extra intensive, with safety groups conducting deeper inspections for restricted gadgets, based on a number of blogs.

The April replace additionally marks the official rollout of facial recognition entry gates, changing the long-standing picture verification system, Disney officers stated.

The aim is to facilitate re-entry into the parks and assist stop fraud, Disneyland officers stated.

The know-how converts a visitor’s face right into a numerical biometric signature for park entry, which Disney says is deleted inside 30 days until required for fraud investigations.

For the primary time, friends can decide out by way of designated manual-entry lanes, based on the “Mickey Go to” weblog.

Disney followers descended on Reddit to react to the restricted cell-phone ban.

“Their complete ecosystem … requires you to make use of your cellphone for all the things. That is laughable,” a Reddit person stated in regards to the cellphone ban on particular rides.

One other quipped, “Disney makes all the things as app-based as potential … then complains about individuals being glued to their telephones.”

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