Disney World may be the most magical place on Earth, but it takes a certain amount of structure to keep the magic alive for everyone. We might not always like rules, but the Walt Disney Company understands that some rules are absolutely crucial to ensure the health, safety, and happiness of all its guests. In this article, I unveil 10 surprising rules that guests must follow during their enchanting journey through the world of Walt Disney World. From unexpected dining etiquette to whimsical wardrobe regulations, these rules provide a unique glimpse into the meticulous attention to detail that shapes the unforgettable Disney experience for all who enter its gates.
1. Dressing Up's for the Kids
Disney has a policy in place that states that guests over 14 years of age may not wear costumes into the theme parks. They do not want any guest coming into the park to be performing meet and greets as if they were a Disney character. The reasoning for this is twofold--to help keep the magic alive for younger guests and to keep guests safe. Disney does not know the background of all of its guests, so it may not be safe for a child to run up to a random adult wearing a character costume to ask for a hug. A Disney employee, however, has been through training in how to act around the guests to ensure everyone's safety.
There are two exceptions to this rule. One is during the Halloween party. Adults are allowed to dress up to attend Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, with certain rules prohibiting full masks, replica weapons, and materials (like capes) that drag on the ground. The second is during RunDisney races, which allows costumes that follow the same rules regarding masking, weapons, and length.
In neither instance is a Guest allowed to perform meet and greets with other Guests as if they are the character they are dressed as. You may have the best Belle costume, but if someone comes up to you to ask for your autograph or to take a picture with you, you are supposed to say no. Disney's specific rule for this states, "Engaging with other Guests or impeding operations while posing as or portraying any character in costume is prohibited."
Pro Tip: If you really want to pay tribute to your favorite characters in the parks, look into DisneyBounding! This refers to when people find regular, everyday clothes that resemble the look of a particular character. Someone DisneyBounding as Winnie the Pooh, for example, may wear a yellow top, red shorts, and Winnie the Pooh ears.
2. Disney's Definition of Proper Attire
While we're discussing clothing, let's talk about what constitutes "proper attire" in Walt Disney World. A guest must wear shirts and shoes at all times, per park rules. This does not seem to apply to the water parks or pool areas of the hotels, so feel free to walk around barefoot at Blizzard Beach, if you want. Just note: the pavement can get really, really hot. Your feet may feel good in the water, but it might be painful or downright dangerous to walk from area to area without something on your feet, so I would highly recommend some sort of shoe for the waterpark. Flip-flops or Crocs are always a good option. Water shoes are allowed both in and out of the water.
Clothing must not drag on the ground. This is simply for guest safety. Consider this: you're going to get on the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover in the Magic Kingdom, which has a continuously moving walkway up to its platform. You're wearing a dress that has a train. It could be catastrophic for that train to get caught in the walkway--it could ruin the dress, it could cause you to fall, or it could break the walkway. So for everyone's safety, leave the capes and ballgowns at home.
This one you've probably heard a little bit about: Disney reserves the right to deny admission to or remove any person wearing attire that they consider inappropriate or attire that could detract from the experience of other Guests. This frequently means clothing with swear words, discriminatory insignia, or depictions of violence are not allowed. Disney may give you some tape to cover the offending imagery or deny you entry into the park. They used to give you a voucher to get a different clothing item from one of their shops however, this was exploited by a number of guests and is therefore much less frequent now.
3. Age Matters to Ride Attractions Alone
Children are required to be supervised at all times. In Walt Disney World, a guest is considered an adult for the purposes of supervision at age 14. Guests under 14 must be accompanied a Guest age 14 or older to enter a theme park or water park. Guests ages 7-14 can ride an attraction alone. Guests under age 7 must be accompanied by a Guest age 14 or older. Disney isn't going to check birth certificates, they're going to ask the children how old they are, but that doesn't mean you should tell your children to fudge their ages.
While working at Test Track in Epcot, I turned away plenty of children who were younger than 7 attempting to ride alone or with a sibling younger than 14. I recall one 7 year old who was attempting this extremely fast, thrilling attraction on their own. When they got up to the cars to load in, they panicked and started crying. Cast members helped them off and back to find their parents and they were given a pass to try the ride again later with a parent.
Younger kids may be disappointed that they can't go on attraction on their own, but this rule is crucial to everyone's safety and comfort. If a child isn't old enough or tall enough to go on an attraction on their own, certain attractions offer special passes so they can come back and ride when they are old enough or tall enough. Feel free to ask a cast member if this is the case for your child, but note that not every attraction offers this and the attractions that do may not be able to accommodate the request.
4. Stroller Size: When Bigger Isn't Always Better
As you approach security at the Disney parks, you may notice a large rectangle taped to the ground. This is the stroller box. Your stroller must entirely fit into this box. Strollers that are greater than 31" (79 cm) in width and 52" (132 cm) in length are prohibited. Stroller wagons are also prohibited. If your stroller is exactly 31 inches at it's widest point and 52 inches at it's longest point (including any attachments, handles, riding boards, etc.), you should be okay. This rule was made a few years ago. It is likely in place to aid in traffic flow, as larger strollers can contribute to congestion.
As a note, it is specifically noted that wagons are not allowed in theme parks, water parks, or indoor venues at ESPN Wide World of Sports.
5. Icy Etiquette: Loose Ice is a No-Go!
All bags will be checked when entering a Disney World theme park, water park, or Disney Springs in order to maintain a safe environment. This includes coolers. Many people like to bring their own food to the parks, which is perfectly acceptable, but they must follow specific rules about how they're storing that food. According to the Disney World website, suitcases, bags, coolers or backpacks, with or without wheels, larger than 24" long x 15" wide x 18" high (61 cm x 38 cm x 46 cm) are not allowed in any theme park or water park. Loose or dry ice is not permitted in these containers. Re-usable ice packs are recommended.
One sort of work-around for this is to use a sandwich bag. If you can get a cup of loose ice and put that in a sandwich bag, Disney will consider it contained and it will be allowed in the park.
At any indoor venue within ESPN Wide World of Sports, coolers are prohibited, except for team coolers which must remain at the team bench.
6. Saving Our Wildlife: The Ban on Plastic Straws and Balloons at Animal Kingdom
Recently, a post about the "balloon daycare" at Animal Kingdom went viral. As silly as it seems, this is a real thing! Balloons and plastic straws are prohibited at Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge (Kidani Village and Jambo House), and the Disney water parks. Balloons are also prohibited at ESPN Wide World of Sports. This is because of the animals! Balloons and plastic straws pose a danger to animals. Many birds, turtles, and other animals have mistaken a balloon for food and attempted to eat it, harming themselves in the process. The balloon's strings could get tangled around animals' feet. These and other single-use plastics may be banned for their impact on the environment.
7. Feed the Birds--Nothing!
On a similar note, you may see some wildlife roaming freely throughout the entire Walt Disney World resort. Florida is home to a variety of native creatures, and many of them are lucky enough to call Disney their home. You may see White Ibis birds, Mallards, Wild Turkeys, Pied-billed Grebes, a variety of Herons, and perhaps the most likely, the Great Egret, among many others.
These birds, and many of the other Disney animals, will not hesitate to pick up whatever food they find on the ground, but they should. Common foods like popcorn or bread can be bad for them, at best, and harmful or fatal at worst. They can also be unfriendly; they may try to bite Guests who get too near to them. It is for these reasons that Disney has the following rule: Feeding, petting, touching, harassing or harming any wildlife, including birds, is prohibited.
8. Disney Might Enter Your Hotel Room - Even If the "Room Occupied" Sign Is On
Let's say it's your rest day, so you're sleeping in. You've prepared to have a nice lie in by putting out the "Do Not Disturb" or "Room Occupied" sign the night before, so Mousekeeping knows not to disturb you. But noon hits, and a cast member is knocking at your door claiming they have to check the room. What gives?
In about 2018, Disney and other hotels around the United States began implementing a policy of daily room checks in order to ensure Guest safety. Disney's policy states, "We reserve the right to enter any room at a Disney Resort hotel for maintenance, safety, security or any other purpose, even if the Room Occupied sign is displayed on the room door." It might feel annoying or aggravating when it happens, but it is to make sure that everyone is safe and the resort is secure. One staff member (who could be from housekeeping, security, hotel staff, etc.) will just peek in for a moment or two and be on their way.
9. Capturing Memories, Minus the Stick: Selfie Sticks Barred
At one time, selfie sticks were all the rage here in the U.S.. While that may not be the case as much any more, they are still very popular throughout other regions of the world, particularly in Asia. As they're relatively innocuous, Guests are sometimes surprised to find that selfie sticks, hand-held extension poles for cameras or mobile devices, flags and banners are not allowed in any Walt Disney World theme park or water park.
As is common throughout the post, the reason behind this rule is Guest safety. Guests have tried to extend selfie sticks or other extension poles while riding the attractions, which is extremely dangerous for everyone on the attraction, as the pole could get knocked out of the user's hands and hit someone or could break part of the attraction.
10. Disney is Private Property
Something that is sometimes hard to conceptualize, likely due to its massive size, is that Disney is private property. The Walt Disney World website specifically states, "The Walt Disney World Resort, including the water parks, Disney Springs and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex and its designated roadways, walkways, and parking areas, is private property". What exactly does this mean?
Basically, what it boils down to is that Disney is owned by a private company, the Walt Disney Company. They have designated certain spaces as "public spaces" and other spaces as "private spaces". The area of Disney Springs, the grounds of a hotel, or the entrances to the theme parks are technically considered private space that is open to the public on an "invitation basis" that can be extended or terminated at any time. Everything after the ticket scanners inside the theme park is considered open to the public on a paid admission base only. By entering these spaces, you are agreeing to a set of rules, clearly laid out on the Walt Disney World website, here.
In the enchanting world of Walt Disney World, where dreams come alive and magic fills the air, every aspect is meticulously crafted to ensure the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of all guests. Each regulation serves a vital purpose in preserving the immersive experience Disney is renowned for. These rules not only maintain the integrity of the magical atmosphere but also prioritize the well-being of visitors and the protection of the environment. So, while we may encounter rules that initially seem unexpected, they ultimately contribute to the extraordinary journey that awaits within the gates of Disney's realm.
Which of these surprising Disney rules caught you off guard the most? Whether it's the prohibition on adult costumes, the careful specifications for stroller sizes, or perhaps the ban on selfie sticks, I'd love to hear which one left you most amazed!
Excited to experience the wonder of Disney World while staying ahead of those surprising rules? As a knowledgeable travel agent, I will guide you through the intricacies, ensuring your trip is both magical and compliant. From navigating costume guidelines to selecting strollers that fit just right, I'll handle the details, so you can focus on making unforgettable memories. Don't let unexpected rules dampen your Disney adventure—book with me and embark on your enchanting journey worry-free! Email me today at s.mattoon@keytotheworldtravel.com or click the link below to get started.
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