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

[merryweather20]

I've read the whole thread and NOBODY ever made fun of abused children. They were making fun of you overreacting to the situation.

Where is the overreacting exactly, my post state simple facts... I'm not the one who overreacted and claimed I said that no one could take wide crowd shots, or claimed that simple things (such as wearing a hat a sunglasses and avoiding being on stage) that a family faced with such problems were "hysterics", or liken them to disguises, or the witness protection program. I'm not the one who started making fun of abused children and calling them vampires.

Nope simple facts, you should ask before you take a picture of someone (such as when they ore posed with a character). To do so is simple and curteous. To refuse? At best its rude at worst, there is a very scary, and unfortunate reason to why they cannot have their picture taken.

 

[mickeyluv'r]

okay....well...I'm just going to say that maye some posters on this thread are not distinguishing between TAKING a picture for personal use and PUBLISHING a picture. Those two things are very different. Taking a picture of a minor in a public place (aside from bathrooms and the like) is perfectly legal. PUBLISHING those photos is not.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Lets reverse this 180º. This is a LONG shot, this is about you being told by a CM not being able to take photos of someone elses kids at Disney but I'll bet there are ADULTS out there who don't like being photograghed either. I just wonder what a CM would do if you told them "hey,tell that person not to take a picture if I'm gonna be in the backround". I guarantee you the CM will say "tough luck buddy". ºOº

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Where is the overreacting exactly, my post state simple facts... I'm not the one who overreacted and claimed I said that no one could take wide crowd shots, or claimed that simple things (such as wearing a hat a sunglasses and avoiding being on stage) that a family faced with such problems were "hysterics", or liken them to disguises, or the witness protection program. I'm not the one who started making fun of abused children and calling them vampires.

Nope simple facts, you should ask before you take a picture of someone (such as when they ore posed with a character). To do so is simple and curteous. To refuse? At best its rude at worst, there is a very scary, and unfortunate reason to why they cannot have their picture taken.

Some people think that telling a CM to turn off a camera which takes riders photos on certain attractions is overreacting. You don't have to agree.

Once again, nobody is making fun of abused children. THEY ARE MAKING FUN OF YOU!!

Just because you think people should ask to take photos doesn't make it fact. That's a matter of opinion. I don't think I should have to ask to take anyone's photo in public from a distance and I wouldn't expect other people to ask me either.

 

[zefyr]

Some people think that telling a CM to turn off a camera which takes riders photos on certain attractions is overreacting. You don't have to agree.

I read this whole thread and the 'turn of the ride's photo' is really odd and I do think overreacting. I can't imagine CMs turning off the ride photo for someone who says 'sorry my foster kids can't have their picture taken.' Why should that one group mean that everyone else riding with them loses out on a photo opportunity? The only alternative would be to have the foster family ride in their own vehicle, but I can't see this happening either (especially during the busy season). Imagine RnRC having one huge limo with one family in it...that would look sooooo out of place.

Anyway, to get back to the OP, I think you weren't allowed to photograph Donald for crowd control reasons. Last year I waited in line to take photos of the characters by themselves and had a little kid run up to the character before I could take the shot. The mother was about to take the photo of her kid (even though neither waited in line). Another experience was that I went on the opposite side of where Mater and Lightning McQueen were (didn't even see the lines) and took a photo of just the cars. A CM told me I couldn't because the cars were getting ready to move. So sometimes it's for crowd control and sometimes for your own 'safety.'

 

[all4disney98]

Also, it seems based on this thread that a lot of people ARE concerned about strangers getting pictures of their children. So I wonder: how many of those concerned have posted "cute" pictures of their children on Disboards or somewhere else? Just because someone didn't snap the photo themselves doesn't mean they can't do weird creepy things with images they saved to their desktop off a website.

You are absolutely right and I for one can say that I have never posted ANY pictures on my family, or anyone else for that matter, anywhere for that exact reason. If we don't protect our children, who will? Some people might think that is extreme, however, who I want to see or have pictures of my children will see them. You never know what people are going to do to the images etc. and I am not comfortable with just anybody having access to the kids pics.

 

[all4disney98]

According to some people, yes, you arent supposed to. Now, I know what I would do if I saw a cool picture at WDW.. I would take it. Be it some middle aged fat dude (looks in the mirror.. woops) with a magical look on his face, or a 4 year old girl meeting a real live princess for the first time. Pictures are stories that show emotion. I think that gets overlooked a LOT.

I have read a few people on this thread that have said that they do this because they enjoy photography etc. and this is where I have a problem. It is one thing to be in a picture by mistake - crowds in the background, someone walking through etc. But to specifically take a picture of a stranger, a child especially, is not right. I truly feel you do not have the right to do that without first asking permission. I am sure you love photography and take wonderful pictures, but it creeps me out that there are strangers out there are watching my daughter's first moments with Cinderella and feel that they should take a picture to capture the moment for themselves.

No flames or being mean please. This is just my opinion, which everyone is allowed to have.

 

[all4disney98]

Unless they are vampire children. Then we want them all on a stake.

But can vampires be photographed???

 

[kayla87]

I wondered why this thread had gotten so long. I almost regret looking to find out!

DH and I also have a policy of no personal photos on things like Dis. We do have a personal website, but we can monitor who visits that. I have had the misfortune of working with someone who became a convicted sex offender, and I KNOW that people will save pictures they find on the internet. I would never post a picture of my child at the pool on these boards as I've seen others do.

That being said, I guess I have a hard time understanding what could possibly lead a family to walk around in hats and sunglasses and make a huge deal about not being photographed. I agree with PPs; that adds to the paranoia, and if a child was really harmed that badly, reactions like that won't help heal them.

 

[mom2minniemouse]

Once again, nobody is making fun of abused children. THEY ARE MAKING FUN OF YOU!!

 

[jillyb]

Nope I'm taking the position that you don't photograph other people's children without asking first. As I said in my previous post a child that needs to be protected will, be wearing a hat, or sunglasses if necessary and there parents going to let them wander into your photographs either... Pretty simple really, if you want someone else's photograph you ask first and at character meetings you wait your turn.

Not sure why you would leave your camera at home. I'm planning on bringing mine, and it can't be too difficult to avoid having strangers in pics, because as I said I looked through mine and I don't have any, except in some indistinguishable crowd shots. If someone told me to get bent after they took a picture of a child I was with, I'd have no problem letting a CM know so that the situation would resolve appropriately.

I think I've figured this out....they're Michael Jackson's children.

 

[srwarden1928]

Thats horrible. DW did exactly what you wanted to do SEVERAL times in March. Lots of people just want a picture of the character. It is so sad that in these times some people feel that they have to be so protective of their children that they rob innocent people of part of the magic of Disney.

BTW I just want to express my sympathy to the OP re the original post. I will NOT be reading this thread again, so if you dont agree with me, I suggest you just ignore me.

 

[jillyb]

I have known lots of foster children and I have never heard that I wasn't allowed to take photos of them. Is that a Canadian thing?

Actually it's not just a Canadian thing. I live in NC and I have a friend that has a foster child and she is not allowed to take pictures of the child. I don't know the reasoning for it but that's what she has been told.

 

[Jubilee]

Yep, this explains why my sister and brother got in trouble for taking pics of my daughter through the window at character connection... they said "that's my niece" in there after they got yelled at and then the CM said, "ohhh ok!"

 

[snowmouse]

Paparazzi make a living of taking people's photos when they don't want them to, their children too. I'm sure all of those celebrities will be thrilled to find out they just have to tell them to delete the photos or hand over the film! I don't know why this important information wasn't made available sooner! Brad and Angelina rejoice, all you have to do is SAY NO!!!

 

[sunnydoozer]

I think I've figured this out....they're Michael Jackson's children.

Oh yeah! Thats just nuts! I can't imagine someone wearing a hat or sunglasses in sunny Florida. That other poster is a nut, I bet she puts sunscreen on the kiddos too! How awful!

This is a new low for the Dis I think, severely abused children are being called names. Wow guys, just wow.

 

[Marshel]

I can understand that parents could become creeped out about a stranger taking pictures of their children; but there's a certain price you have to pay for living in a free society, people are going to do certain things that you are not going to like. I take pictures of characters all the time, I try to catch them in between guests, but sometimes you just don't time it quite perfectly enough. Some people are a little too eager to take away other's freedoms in the name of their own sense of security, imho. Then again, I could be wrong

 

[Diznygrl]

If Disney prohibits people from taking side photos of characters for the purpose of "protecting children", then why would this streetmosphere show at MGM ENCOURAGE group photos filled with total strangers (children included) such as this one?

My brother took this last December when my mom was one of the "beautiful ladies" pulled out of the audience for the photo op. I can tell you that there were cameras going off like CRAZY for this. Was there anyone around freaking out about people not having "permission" to take their child's picture? No.

I'm more inclined to believe that the no side photos thing is merely a crowd control issue and a matter of "fairness".

 

[Robo]

If Disney prohibits people from taking side photos of characters for the purpose of "protecting children", then why would this streetmosphere show at MGM ENCOURAGE group photos filled with total strangers (children included) such as this one?

My brother took this last December when my mom was one of the "beautiful ladies" pulled out of the audience for the photo op. I can tell you that there were cameras going off like CRAZY for this. Was there anyone around freaking out about people not having "permission" to take their child's picture? No.

I'm more inclined to believe that the no side photos thing is merely a crowd control issue and a matter of "fairness".

AND any kind of audience participation situation at WDW.

Kids pulled into parading around the arena stage in Festival of the Lion King-Photos and Videotaping are encouraged.

The (now closed) Sword in the Stone "Temporary Ruler of the Realm" ceremony in front of the carousel at MK. Kids were chosen to pull out the sword... with guest's cameras snapping away.

Kids chosen to participate on-stage at Hoop Dee Doo Revue (And, as I recall, at the
Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Polynesian Resort.)
Cameras shooting from the audience in full force.

 

[SurfinTX]

This all comes down to being polite I think.

If I happen to walk by and catch a funny moment, whether it is you falling down into some mud or an Ice Cream cone stuck to your kids head, I'm going to snap a pic. I might say Awww or How cute...and then move on.

If I don't know you at all and continue following you snapping pics then that is rude in my opinion. However, there is nothing illegal or against any policy that I am aware of in Disney.

If you tell me to stop. Then I would stop and move along. If I ,as a photographer, am ruining or interfering with your experience at WDW, then a CM can ask me to leave. I have no argument with that.

However, if I wish to take a random photo in a public place then I can do that. I might be taking an "atmosphere" photo of a location. I might catch a Character running along with a bunch of kids skipping behind them up Main Street.

Disney has a right to manage crowds while they are on a property. If disney has found that people sneaking pics of Characters during meet and greets is disruptive, that is fine. I can find a way to get a photo and be unobtrusive at the same time...or even wait until a better time if I think the shot is worth it.