Disney Discriminates Against Photographers

[fhirleighinn]

Many sporting events and shows ban "professional" cameras even though they would not know pro from amateur even on their best days. The standard definition is usually if the lens comes off it is a pro camera, pretty stupid..

Went to an NFL game last year, and the requirement for cameras was that the lens had to be less that 6 inches long. I only brought a point and shoot so it was not an issue.

I can't imagine Disney banning any sort of handheld still camera. They might try to stop tripods on some sort of safety issue but as mentioned before, tripods are a lot smaller and less dangerous than the SUV strollers!
Overall, I don't expect any changes from today.

What about a camera like the D90, the line between SLR and video cameras is getting blurred.
I thought it was interesting that disneyland had that posted in thier FAQ, but I could not find it at DisneyWorld.

 

[jann1033]

Did they ultimately let you bring the equipment into (California Adventure)?

Have there been problems with large camera equipment getting in other peoples' way, for example long zoom lenses blocking others' view at parades and shows?

Digital camera hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/digicam.htm

you mean more of a problem than the goofball who stakes a seat curbside than decides to stand up for the entire parade with his 10 yr old kid on his shoulders and blocks everyone's view?

 

[ukcatfan]

That sounds completely like someone thinking their power is more important than it really is. Think about the McD shift supervisor that thinks he/she can give you a hard time about your $1 double cheese being messed up and you can understand how an unimportant person can get bigger than their britches. Unfortunately, it happens all the time with many organizations.

 

[Swmhc]

you mean more of a problem than the goofball who stakes a seat curbside than decides to stand up for the entire parade with his 10 yr old kid on his shoulders and blocks everyone's view?

I personally LOATHE the people that use the umbrellas to block the sun because they don't want to tan in Florida (what the heck, you are in Florida in July...it's gonna be sunny!). Last year there was a whole crowd of them, front row at the stage show and then the parade. Yep, standing up, with their umbrellas. We even asked a CM if they could ask them to sit down or not use their umbrellas and we were told "no". Talk about ticked off !!!

 

[YouJustBideYourTime!]

Wow! I have never actually heard of this rule. I find that really strange to be completely honest, but then again they have some odd rules in general anyways. Definitely not fair. I've been a victim of a weird interpretation of rules myself as well....

 

[Pea-n-Me]

That sounds completely like someone thinking their power is more important than it really is.

 

[Quicklabs]

Good one, Pea!

 

[InsertWittyNameHere]

Too funny

 

[KimAshton]

Someone on the DL board said maybe it cause of paparazzi.

 

[Uncle Servo]

I think you nailed it there, Pea... NICE!

 

[Michele]

Someone on the DL board said maybe it cause of paparazzi.

I was just going to mention this. Being in California and given that celebrities visit. I bet it is to keep the paparazzi celebrity chasers out.

 

[jann1033]

Someone on the DL board said maybe it cause of paparazzi.

maybe that could be, maybe some of the famous types are complaining edited cause i didn't see michle's basically same thought before i posted

 

[thomas998]

I was just going to mention this. Being in California and given that celebrities visit. I bet it is to keep the paparazzi celebrity chasers out.

Considering the paparazzi don't camp out at most celebrities homes and then follow them all day... the fact that most paparazzi that do show up somewhere to photograph a celebrity only do so because the celebrities assistant gave them a "hot tip"... I don't buy this rationale.... even a few celebrities were complaining it would ruffle fewer feather to just tell the celebrities to blow it out their ear than to upset countless camera owners that just happen to be trying to take photos of their trip to Disney.

I have to believe its a bunch of barney fifes... frankly I am cringe everytime I have to pass through those silly security lines... I keep thinking how many things could someone easily bring in that would result in countless deaths and they are trying to make everyone feel safe by creating a pointless line.

 

[Code]

frankly I am cringe everytime I have to pass through those silly security lines... I keep thinking how many things could someone easily bring in that would result in countless deaths and they are trying to make everyone feel safe by creating a pointless line.

Especially since some of the guards do a glance-and-go while others insist on being extremely thorough. On our recent trip I had the most ridiculously thorough search yet, and in the process of man-handling my camera bag, the guard managed to put his fingers on the front elements of 4 of the 5 lenses I was carrying (I store with hoods on but no lens caps while at WDW for fast/easy switching, except telephoto where lens+hood is too big for the bag). I was pretty steamed.

 

[safetymom]

I am in the parks all the time with my D70s and 18-200 VR lens. I haven't been stopped or questioned. Today I had on a shirt that had Got Photos? and I had CM's offering to take my picture.

I have a friend that shot at the Winter Olympics. A guard stopped him with his 18-200 VR lens. It was extended. He told him he was not allowed to take pictures with that lens. It was not a pro area in the stadium. So he reached over in his camera bag, fiddled a bit and collapsed the lens. He brought it back out and asked the security guard if that lens was OK. He was allowed to stay and take pictures. It was the same lens.

 

[tiggr33]

Actually, this is becoming common place.... people being harrassed as pros even when they're not and based solely on their camera equipment. If you're shooting in NYC and you look like a pro even when you're not, you may get stopped (you need a permit).

Disney has left it up to the security guard to decide who's a pro and who isn't. So...what criteria are THEY using?
Just out of curiosity.... what does your gear look like? Can you post a photo of what you tried to bring into the park that day?

Not true about NYC. I live in Northern NJ, and am heavily involved with the NJFCC, and shot often in/around NYC. New rules/clarifications were adopted in August
http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/news/070108_moftb_adopts_rules.shtml

that's a common belief, but is untrue, permits have only been required under certain circumstances, but many police and security people did not understand the rules, so the city clarified the requirements this year..

Luckily it is getting less common.

 

[pxlbarrel]

Not true about NYC. I live in Northern NJ, and am heavily involved with the NJFCC, and shot often in/around NYC. New rules/clarifications were adopted in August
http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/news/070108_moftb_adopts_rules.shtml


Luckily it is getting less common.

Ok, ok...BUT it did happen before (whether or not it was supposed to happen...that was the point of my post.... as it's not supposed to happen at Disneyland either) and not very long ago. As I read both posts commenting on my comments... these rules were only clarified in July and went into effect in August.... one month ago.

Besides, I said you *might* get stopped not that you would always get stopped.... again, akin to the fact that at DL, you might get stopped if you looked like a pro.

 

[pxlbarrel]

I am in the parks all the time with my D70s and 18-200 VR lens. I haven't been stopped or questioned. Today I had on a shirt that had Got Photos? and I had CM's offering to take my picture.

I have a friend that shot at the Winter Olympics. A guard stopped him with his 18-200 VR lens. It was extended. He told him he was not allowed to take pictures with that lens. It was not a pro area in the stadium. So he reached over in his camera bag, fiddled a bit and collapsed the lens. He brought it back out and asked the security guard if that lens was OK. He was allowed to stay and take pictures. It was the same lens.

Oh, that's too funny. I like that. hahahaha

 

[MICKEY88]

Ok, ok...BUT it did happen before (whether or not it was supposed to happen...that was the point of my post.... as it's not supposed to happen at Disneyland either) and not very long ago. As I read both posts commenting on my comments... these rules were only clarified in July and went into effect in August.... one month ago.

Besides, I said you *might* get stopped not that you would always get stopped.... again, akin to the fact that at DL, you might get stopped if you looked like a pro.

you also stated that you need a permit, which was never the case for most situations, pros only needed/need a permit when taking over a sidewalk/street or using large amounts of equipment such as a film crew....NYC didn't make new rules, they just clarified them to remove confusion

 

[pxlbarrel]

you also stated that you need a permit, which was never the case for most situations, pros only needed/need a permit when taking over a sidewalk/street or using large amopunts of equipmnet such as a film crew....NYC didn't make new rules, they just clarified them to remove confusion

Whatever...

(The fact that NYC had to make this clarification to remove the CONFUSION obviously means that I'm not the only one who thought that. The fact that it was mentioned in the New York newspapers is probably another reason I thought this....)

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/04/nyregion/04filmmakers.html

Now granted, these were proposed and eventually rejected but that's where the original "confusion" started and the last I had heard of New York's proposed permit rules.

So...whatever... I'm not going any further with this since it apparently detracts from the original topic and people delight in telling me that I'm so wrong about this. <sniff, sniff... going back to my hermit cave to do more editing...)