One of the best things about a Disney vacation is the fantastic memories you make and capture in pictures. A selfie stick is a simple device that allows you to take some cool, candid photos at Disney parks. What’s more, a selfie stick allows you to include your whole family in a photo. So, why are selfie sticks banned at Disney World?
The one-word answer is safety. Disney has completely banned selfie sticks from all its theme parks over concerns about injuries and accidents. The fear is that this simple gadget can become a serious threat to guests and cast members.
But the selfie stick ban at Disney doesn’t mean you can’t get great self-portraits of your family. You can get even better photos, because let’s face it, a selfie stick only takes photos with your mobile phone’s front-facing camera.
What are the dangers of using a selfie stick at Disney?
It looks harmless enough, right? It’s just a stick with a grip at one end. But a selfie stick can be dangerous for several reasons, especially when you’re with your family at a theme park.
- While manipulating a selfie stick, guests may extend their hand or arm outside a ride when they’re not supposed to.
- The long arm of the selfie stick can extend outside a carriage and contact the ride’s mechanism, leading to accidents.
- On fast rides, riders can potentially drop a selfie stick, causing injury to another guest.
- Guests can accidentally strike another person with a selfie stick while taking a photo.
- Guests can become distracted or preoccupied while using a selfie stick to get that perfect photo or record that fun video, putting themselves and others in danger (there have been incidents where people have fallen off cliffs while taking photos with a selfie stick).
What does the selfie stick ban at Disney mean?
Disney does not permit selfie sticks or hand-held extension poles of any kind for mobile devices and cameras in any of its theme parks, including the water parks. If you bring a selfie stick to Disney World and it is discovered during the routine bag check, you’ll be asked to leave it in a locker at the park’s entrance and collect it when you’re leaving at the end of the day. Given this rule, it’s simpler to leave your selfie stick in your hotel or car when visiting the Disney parks.
Why not just ban selfie sticks on rides instead of the entire park?
Disney did start by banning selfie sticks on rides but allowing them in the parks themselves. However, they later banned selfie sticks throughout their parks because rides had to be temporarily shut down when guests ignored the “No Selfie Sticks” signs and verbal warnings from cast members. You know how there’s always that one person who will go ahead and break the rules, putting themselves and others at risk!
When someone takes a flash photo on a dark ride, it’s simply an annoyance. But when someone uses a selfie stick on a ride, it is a real danger. Disney found it’s easier to ban all selfie sticks in their parks rather than monitor and control the use of these devices and shut down rides frequently. And Disney is not alone in doing this. Many tourist attractions around the world have banned selfie sticks on their grounds.
Are any other types of camera equipment also banned at Disney?
Tripods or monopods that extend more than 6 feet (182 cm) or do not fit inside a standard backpack are not permitted at Disney parks. Photographic equipment like drones with cameras are similarly banned at Disney World for safety reasons.
What camera equipment can I take into Disney parks?
You are welcome to bring your camera anywhere in Disney World to capture memories. This includes mobile phones, point-and-shoot cameras, and fancier equipment like DSLR and mirrorless cameras. You can also bring small tripods (it should not extend more than 6 feet) if you want more professional (stable) pictures.
What is the Disney PhotoPass service and is it worth it?
If you want to concentrate on having fun and still capture great pictures, consider signing up for the Disney PhotoPass Service. Leave all your photographic equipment at home, forget all the hassle, and allow the professionals to click great shots of your family.
Disney’s PhotoPass is the easiest way to capture all the magical moments and get everyone in the picture. PhotoPass will capture treasured memories with strategically placed cameras, such as your family plummeting down Splash Mountain or screaming on a steep bend on the Seven Dwarf’s Mine Train. Professional photographers are on hand at iconic locations throughout the park to capture one-of-a-kind pictures and unforgettable vacation moments. PhotoPass photographers can even add Disney characters and other fun surprises and special effects to your pictures.
If you register for “My Disney Experience,” the pictures are ready to view in the app or on the website just minutes later. You can pay for the photos and videos you love or you can purchase all your vacation photos for one great price with “Memory Maker.”
If you want to enjoy a hassle-free vacation and leave the photography to the experts, then Disney PhotoPass is a great option, but of course, the convenience comes at a price.
How can I get good photos without a selfie stick at Disney?
If you don’t want to spend extra money on the Disney PhotoPass Service, there’s a simple trick to get great pictures at Disney World even without a selfie stick. Everyone will be in the picture and you’ll get a great shot.
Disney PhotoPass photographers are happy to take a picture of your family with your smartphone or personal camera. (They may also take one with their camera in case you decide to purchase it later.) This is great news because you essentially get the services of a trained photographer at no extra cost. The PhotoPass photographers are familiar with every camera under the sun and will surely know how to work yours.
Simply get your family in line for a meet and greet with your favorite Disney Character, hand over your camera to the Disney photographers, and get creative with poses.
Tips for taking great pictures at Disney World
Here are three simple tips and tricks that can help you capture great shots on your Disney vacation.
- Keep your camera handy – you don’t want to go digging into a backpack every time you decide to take a photo. Special moments happen without warning at Disney. Having your camera hanging by your side will allow you to capture candid shots of your family.
- Don’t be shy to ask someone to take a photo of your family in a picturesque spot. The worst thing is when you get home and discover that the photographer in the family is in hardly any pictures. If you have the patience for it, take a small tripod along and capture photos of the whole family using your camera’s timer function.
- Posed photos are great, but remember to take some candid shots as well. The pure joy on your kid’s face when you buy them an overpriced Mickey balloon or a video of your kid singing along at the parade is what will make your memories extra special.
The selfie ban at Disney World has been put in place for your safety. You can do better than taking close-ups with your mobile phone’s front camera anyway. Forget the selfie stick at home and use these tips to capture unforgettable Disney memories.