I was told I couldn't take a picture of Donald Duck!

[LadyDuchess]

If someone wanted a picture of your child, they wouldn't need to wait until the child's posed next to Cinderella -- it's just as easy (and more opportune) to take their picture as they're walking through Adventureland or boarding Dumbo. The idea that some creepy pedophile specifically wants a picture of your child WITH a character is a little silly to me (although I'm certainly not saying it isn't possible... there are indeed some weirdos out there).

I'm just saying that keeping people from snapping pictures without waiting in line does NOT seem like an effort to keep strangers from taking pictures of your children. Maybe it will prevent someone from getting a pic of your kid next to Mickey, but once the child walks three feet away, there's nothing to prevent hundreds of people from taking Little Johnny's picture.

I'd be curious to know if anyone has ever been told not to take pictures of the character while waiting in line to meet that character (as in, you're still standing in an orderly line, you just happen to take a picture while you're waiting).

 

[TDC Nala]

indeed - anyone who was after photos of children could just take lots of random pictures of children all over the parks without being observed - why would they specifically wait around and be really obvious about taking photos of children with characters?

I think it's just what was theorized earlier - taking photos of a character from outside the line holds up the line, because when the people in the line see you they try not to get into your photo.

 

[all4disney98]

What HARM could come to a person from having a photo taken of them?

Perhaps because there are sick people out there that post things on the internet. They could photoshop some crazy stuff.

I am not saying that there is a law about taking these pictures, I am leaning more towards Disney trying to keep the lines in order etc. However, if there is a law, Disney probably doesn't care what you do on your own time in terms of strangers in your pictures, but these character greetings are a "Disney sponsored event" and perhaps they need to to do their due diligence in trying to keep kids out of the pictures of strangers.

I have no idea, just trying to figure out why this would happen...

 

[bennyb98]

I can tell you that the CM in the situation was trying to prevent you from taking pictures not of Donald but of the other guests with Donald at the time. I'm sure your intentions were harmless but look at it from the perspective of the other person with the character.

For example, this happened to me one time, I was visiting Peter Pan and having a good conversation with him and he took and put his hat on my head and was joking around with me when out of the blue a woman came up to the side just about three feet from us and starting taking pictures. Not only did it creep me out a bit but it ruined the rest of the moment as the CM had to cross over to ask her to stop taking photos. So not only did it creep me out but it ruined the rest of the experience for me. So please take that into consideration the next time. And I have also seen lots of people wait in line to get pictures of characters by them selves, which is never a problem.

 

[Robo]

For example, this happened to me one time, I was visiting Peter Pan and having a good conversation with him and he took and put his hat on my head and was joking around with me when out of the blue a woman came up to the side just about three feet from us and starting taking pictures. Not only did it creep me out a bit but it ruined the rest of the moment as the CM had to cross over to ask her to stop taking photos. So not only did it creep me out but it ruined the rest of the experience for me.

Just goes to show you...

 

[livndisney]

I can tell you that the CM in the situation was trying to prevent you from taking pictures not of Donald but of the other guests with Donald at the time. I'm sure your intentions were harmless but look at it from the perspective of the other person with the character.

For example, this happened to me one time, I was visiting Peter Pan and having a good conversation with him and he took and put his hat on my head and was joking around with me when out of the blue a woman came up to the side just about three feet from us and starting taking pictures. Not only did it creep me out a bit but it ruined the rest of the moment as the CM had to cross over to ask her to stop taking photos. So not only did it creep me out but it ruined the rest of the experience for me. So please take that into consideration the next time. And I have also seen lots of people wait in line to get pictures of characters by them selves, which is never a problem.

We had an issue with someone INSISTING they could take a picture of my child. The CM called security. Security told me there is a policy in place for these matters (I have no idea how often it is enforced, much the same as lots of WDW policies). The person taking the pictures flipped out when security asked to look at the camera.

I don't know if anyone watched the Steve Wilkos show last week . He had a guy on that has a website to watch and "rate" young girls. His site tells people where to go to see young girls and how to get their pictures and "get close to them". I guess this guy has been banned from the entire state of California and various other places. So as disgusting as it is to think about-freaks are out there. (Not suggesting that is what the OP was doing)

 

[TDC Nala]

Yes, but the freaks will get the pictures anyway, they aren't going to give a darn whether or not there is a character in the photo, so I can't think this is entirely about photos of children.

 

[Chipmunk89]

I think it has something to do with taking pictures of the characters while they are with other families. A lot of times when you are taking your pictures of a character, they are with a child, and you don't have permission to take that child's picture.

This happened with us this past June. We were with Alice, Winnie, Eeyore, and Tigger at Epcot, and the CM announced we were the last family. We were having a great time with Alice. (I think DS8 was ) Then another family came up and wanted pictures. The CM explained we were the last family. They got hot! Started getting loud saying they were in line in front of us. They weren't even in the store, when we were in line. Well, we are getting our pictures with Alice, and the one guy started snapping pictures. He even told the CMs to move out of his way! Well, the CM explained they are not allowed to take pictures of other families with the characters. Then theyasked him to leave and said they were going to call security. He was awfully loud and rude.

It did put a damper on the moment. But I think the CMs did a wonderful job at handling the situation.

 

[imthatgirl]

i get what everyone is saying about the sickos, but it if that were really the case and DW was really concerned about that, wouldnt there be rules about cameras at pools? or at least have people watching for that at the pools?

 

[connie1042]

I was reading the thread about the pictures and characters. Someone said you can't take pictures of your kids in the pools at Disney, because you might get other kids in the pictures. Is that really true?

 

[imthatgirl]

I was reading the thread about the pictures and characters. Someone said you can't take pictures of your kids in the pools at Disney, because you might get other kids in the pictures. Is that really true?

weve always taken pictures of our kids at the pools.

 

[Chipmunk89]

I was reading the thread about the pictures and characters. Someone said you can't take pictures of your kids in the pools at Disney, because you might get other kids in the pictures. Is that really true?

No one ever said anything to us. I took pictures of my family at POP's pool, as well as the WP.

 

[Robo]

If we can't take pictures of Donald, the terrorists win.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

As someone said, WDW is private property.

I could see a situation where a kid could be abducted by a sicko and killed and Disney would then be open for 1) really bad press, and 2) a really expensive lawsuit.

By implementing this policy, Disney is creating a paper trail that shows they are are sensitive to issues of this nature, and does everything possible to protect guest.

My sister is a bit more mindful of her kids while at Disney because she understands that pedophiles try to be in places where there are a lot of kids. Please no flames, I know Disney does everything it can to protect kids.

 

[Chipmunk89]

If we can't take pictures of Donald, the terrorists win.

 

[TDC Nala]

As someone said, WDW is private property.

I could see a situation where a kid could be abducted by a sicko and killed and Disney would then be open for 1) really bad press, and 2) a really expensive lawsuit.

By implementing this policy, Disney is creating a paper trail that shows they are are sensitive to issues of this nature, and does everything possible to protect guest.

My sister is a bit more mindful of her kids while at Disney because she understands that pedophiles try to be in places where there are a lot of kids. Please no flames, I know Disney does everything it can to protect kids.

This makes no sense legally. How would WDW be at fault because some pervert took a picture of a child there? There's no way to genuinely protect the guests from other guests with cameras except by banning all photography that isn't specifically posed and taken in areas situated away from other guests...in other words, if they had a real policy that was meant to protect children from pedophiles with cameras, you couldn't bring a camera, a video camera, or a cellphone with photographic capability onto Walt Disney World property.

There was in fact a case where a series of child pornography photos were recognized as having been taken at a WDW resort (the photographer was the girl's adoptive father, so it wasn't a case involving an abduction, and as far as I know there is no liability on the part of Disney). Would they not allow cameras in the resort rooms either?

If they do have a rule that no one outside the character line may take photographs of characters for which a meet/greet line has been established, whether or not there are people with the character, it's most likely a matter of trying to control the line. The child photography reason makes absolutely no genuine sense.

 

[PixieDust32]

I was in Epcot On Sunday July 13th. We just seen The Hansen Brothers in Norway and my son and I was running to meet my DH near Mexico. As we were running by we seen Donald Duck. My DS says mommy look it Donald. I say lets get a picture, he says I am only showing you I don't want to get a picture He so weird. So I said OK but I want to get a pic of him because my DB loves Donald. So I walked off to the side of the line and snapped a picture of Donald. No one else I just got his face so I can show my Brother.
The cast memeber there told me I couldn't take a picture and stood with her arms opened in front of Donald so I couldn't get it. WHAT was up with that? {but I had already taken the picture}.
I said what, you can't tell me I can't take a picture, I didn't yell or be mean about it. She said get in line or move.

Honestly, I was not blocking anyone, I didn't step in front of anyone. actually there was no one near me I was way off to the side. I snapped the picture and turned to leave when she made the remark.
When did this start? What is up with that? I found it confusing and upsetting that I was told I couldn't take a picture, and I was outside.

OMG!! The same thing happened to us with the same character around the same date.

The lady was so rude to my poor mom and I got angry, I even went into the mexican pavillion and talked to the manager because my DD was crying.

OK, we were in line to see Donald Duck, then when it was my DD's turn, my Mom was standing on the side waiting for DD's turn and when DD was ready for the pic the lady yelled at my Mom, "excuse me, that IS NOT YOUR FAMILY so stop taking pictures" and everybody turned to see my poor Mom, she was so embarrased and said, "She's my grandaugther". OMG!

I told CM, she's my Mom why would she be taking a picture of a stranger kid, the CM lady didn't apologized or nothing, the photopass guy told me that many people just snapped pics of the characters without getting in line, I told him that they way the CM talked to my Mom was rude and that never happened to us with any other character then DD had a small card for the characters to sign for her scrapbook and Donald Duck refused to sign the card.
I guess he heard me talking to the photopass guy about the CM lady and got angry, he told the photopass guy that he already signed the book and that was it! then DD wanted to give him a hug as she does with all the characters and he refused. Every other character hugged her and signed the little cards except for him.

DD was crying because she felt rejected by a character, the manager told me to write a letter to disney and that she was going to take care of it but that was it, Donald Duck ruined my DD's day, she was sad the rest of the day.

 

[PixieDust32]

I understand their policy but CM didn't even ask my Mom if she was with us, she does not look like a person from "to catch a predator" and then Donald Duck took it personal and refuse to sign the card!

 

[MonicaInFlorida]

Wow, sounds like Donald and his handler were being total jerks.

Note to self... don't piss off The Donald!

 

[PixieDust32]

Wow, sounds like Donald and his handler were being total jerks.

Note to self... don't piss off The Donald!

Indeed!
He was the only one that refused to sign the little cards and refused to hug my DD. I felt so terrible when I saw my DD's face when he pushed her away and said "no" with his hand.

Needless to say that I saw many people taking pictures of the characters 'on the side' and the handler didn't say anything, just with 'that' Donald.

We told DD that maybe Donald didn't know he could sign the cards and that maybe he didn't know she wanted a hug.