Selfie Sticks Banned

[Brocktoon]

I know San Diego Comic-Con International recently announced a ban of selfie sticks for this year's convention. I've seen mostly positive responses and kudos for the decision. Hopefully there will be an ongoing trend to ban selfie sticks in many other crowded areas ... (obviously I'm not a fan of them)

I wonder what constitutes a selfie stick? We have a GoPro and have a very small handle that attaches to the bottom of it (it's no longer than the palm of your hand) would that be considered a "selfie stick"? It's just so that you can hold the camera and it has a loop at the bottom to go around your wrist.

Comic-Con is listing any device that "extends your camera or phone away from your hand". What that means exactly may get interesting

 

[Quellman]

I wonder what constitutes a selfie stick? We have a GoPro and have a very small handle that attaches to the bottom of it (it's no longer than the palm of your hand) would that be considered a "selfie stick"? It's just so that you can hold the camera and it has a loop at the bottom to go around your wrist.

I wonder if Gimbals will be allowed any more? I've been watching too much disney #periscope and one of the guys uses one of those to provide very steady camera views.

 

[Simba's Mom]

So if selfie sticks are being banned from the parks, not just the rides, does that mean that security may actually have to confiscate something more than glass bottles? In about 50 visits to the parks since bag checks began, I've seen security only confiscate something once-a glass bottle of water. Boy, would I like to see the interaction when security tries to take away a selfie stick! I'll bet security will lobby to allow them into parks, but not on rides.

 

[Brocktoon]

So if selfie sticks are being banned from the parks, not just the rides, does that mean that security may actually have to confiscate something more than glass bottles? In about 50 visits to the parks since bag checks began, I've seen security only confiscate something once-a glass bottle of water. Boy, would I like to see the interaction when security tries to take away a selfie stick! I'll bet security will lobby to allow them into parks, but not on rides.

I think many of the locations and events banning selfie sticks have a 'soft' policy and don't confiscate at the entrance. It's basically if we see the selfie stick in use we will ask you to kindly put it away. If you are asked repeatedly then we will either confiscate or ask you to leave. It may be a problem to enforce if park guest decide to play cat and mouse with the sticks.

 

[ChimCher-ee]

I'm glad selfie sticks have been banned from rides and now parks.

I was afraid that someone in a car at the front of a ride, for example, would use a stick that would be yanked out of that person's hands and fly back onto others behind them (on, say, Space Mountain where you wouldn't see low framework).

And it was annoying enough when I was trying to watch fireworks or a parade or anything NOT through someone else's phone held up above their head while filming. Selfie sticks would just make it all the more difficult to see the real thing instead of others recording the real thing...

 

[Jing]

Well get ready for slew of YouTube videos of people boasting about sneaking these into the park for incredible shots of themselves. Lame.

ETA: I hope the ban is true. People were using them in the freaking airport last week. I guess a selfie in front of Auntie Ann's Pretzels and the family bathroom just has to be documented.

 

[englanddg]

Ask someone if they think it would be a good idea to walk around the park swinging a 9 iron, much less waving it around on a ride.

 

[vandy]

I wasn't aware of the lockers at Epcot and DHS. They are before the security check? I need to look for them.

AK must have lockers as well. Security found a pocket knife in a bag ahead of us and they told the lady they would walk her over to the lockers to verify she secured it. Think it was over by the gift shop outside the gate, in the area by the Rainforest Café.

 

[vandy]

Glad to hear of this policy and hope it is enforced. A couple weeks ago at the MK we witnessed two people busy looking at their phone on their selfie stick and walked right into a stroller with a baby in it, nearly knocking it over. The baby was shook up and cried, but was strapped in and not hurt. The people around there were quick to let them know what they thought of their stick, and where it should be placed!!!

 

[Tinkerbell8956]

I wonder if Gimbals will be allowed any more? I've been watching too much disney #periscope and one of the guys uses one of those to provide very steady camera views.

That is very similar to what we have, but what we have is even smaller. I will be pretty sad if they say that we can't have them. I was really looking forward to making a video of our trip. I don't hold it out in front of me, I've just held it in front of my chest while I'm walking.

I can see where the large selfie sticks would be a problem though, and would create a hazard.

 

[jlwhitney]

I hope they get rid of them. Been almost whacked by people with them and seen many others almost whacked and a few actually hit with one. They are obnoxious and most don't seem to realize how much room they are taking up.

Let alone watching a parade with everyone sticking their sticks out and filming and having CM constantly tell them not too.

 

[BlackMagicWoman]

I hate selfie sticks. Dangerous and annoying.

 

[EmilyS90]

I didn't see a single selfie stuck on our May trip. Didn't realize it was becoming an issue!

 

[alievans719]

I'm not really for selfie sticks. My sister bought one in Italy and was posting about it, so I made fun of her. Her payback was to buy me one. She told me I could take it on our trip. Womp womp, not anymore! Someone made the point of doing a one-time photo or something, and in some instances, it's okay. But not at the parks. It's too dangerous and annoying. Glad now I have an excuse not to take the stick with me on vacation.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Selfie stick in the news!

http://www.themeparkinsider.com/flume/201506/4629/index.cfm

 

[Saltywardog]

hip hip hooray. It was like a disease every time i went, more sticks in the air just walking

 

[IamJBo]

I was thrilled Disney banned selfie sticks on rides. Banning them entirely from the park is a bit disappointing to me.

I think the bigger issue is the clueless selfie stick users. I have one for my GoPro. My reasoning behind it is because of my short arms. (Bunch of head at the bottom of the picture photos.)
We did Memory Maker on our last trip so we wouldn't have to constantly ask other people and would even ask a CM to take photos using our cameras / phones. I would find maybe 1/20 photos that actually came out decent. I might just be picky.

Do I feel like an idiot using it? Sure do. Do I walk and use my selfie stick? Nope. I already walk into stuff all the time when I'm not even distracted. I can only imagine what would happen if I was distracted.

Don't get me wrong. I would never use my selfie stick on a ride. I can't get past the whole going 30mph+ and having a stick with my expensive camera on the other end doesn't sound appealing or worth it.

Don't even get me started on the people who put IPad's on selfie sticks.

I think a PP mentioned seeing someone walk into a stroller with it - that can be the case with anything - phones, IPads, food, etc. People are easily distracted and careless but I know I would go off if someone ran into my kid too.

 

[Rampy94]

I like the selfie stick, but I would never think to use it on a ride. Dangerous. I'd rather enjoy the ride then worry about trying to get a good picture.

 

[HopperFan]

I wonder what constitutes a selfie stick? We have a GoPro and have a very small handle that attaches to the bottom of it (it's no longer than the palm of your hand) would that be considered a "selfie stick"? It's just so that you can hold the camera and it has a loop at the bottom to go around your wrist.

I wonder if Gimbals will be allowed any more? I've been watching too much disney #periscope and one of the guys uses one of those to provide very steady camera views.

That is very similar to what we have, but what we have is even smaller. I will be pretty sad if they say that we can't have them. I was really looking forward to making a video of our trip. I don't hold it out in front of me, I've just held it in front of my chest while I'm walking.

I can see where the large selfie sticks would be a problem though, and would create a hazard.

Recently spent a week there arguing many CMs at many rides that this is NOT a selfie stick. It does not telescope out, the handle barely shows outside DS hand, it has a strap that has the camera secure to his arm. No way this is going anywhere. They refused. One also yelled at him after a ride because he saw it on his lap. DS had not used it - the man in front of him had put out a selfie stick and it was spotted. I told my DS you should have absolutely told them it was that man.

I on the other hand had a very large very heavy DSL camera, sometimes with a zoom on it. It was in no way secure to me or my body. I did not have to put it away. It was free to fly out of my hand and clock someone good.

Knee jerk policy that is needed BUT it needs to be clearly defined and all CMs trained. Telescoping stick that you can't hold on to is not the same as a 6" grip for stability on a tiny camera that is tightly attached to the arm. Too vague a rule, too little understanding and minimal training of CMs and there are still too many other objects allowed that are dangerous.

So to answer your questions - a week long trip and repeatedly told all over the world that his GoPro Grip Handle that they could barely see in his hand, and is attached to his arm was not allowed. The told him to take it off and use the camera .... yeah that isn't asking for that thing to go flying.

Constant E-Stops of rides is going to upset people just as much as the selfie sticks.

NOTE: I hate selfie sticks.

 

[Kobey]

All I can think about now is, "You'll put your eye out, kid!"