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

[all4disney98]

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".

Yup, this is fine because the people in this photo, and their parents, put them into a group photo situation and are therefore consenting to their picture being taken. Just like when you go to school and your parents sign a form at the beginning of the year acknowledging that your childs picture may be taken while at school and may be published in newspapers or school materials etc. I don't see anything wrong with people taking pics of the characters - and someone happens to be in the way. We are out in public and all. I just don't want to ever see a photo of just my child taken by a stranger posted anywhere on the internet, even Dis. I know some see this as strange, but in this day and age, there are people out there that take advantage of innocent situations and can do creepy things.

And I agree that this is more of Disney handling crowd issues and annoyances disrupting their lines moving along rather than a new law in place prohibiting picture taking. I would think that would be very hard to enforce.

 

[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?

And who knows what kind of evil can be done?

Someone might take a tiny underexposed image and run it through Gil Grissom's CSI computer and turn it into an enlarged color-corrected detail-enhanced photo.

But, not-to-worry, Grissom is likely leaving the CSI force, and he may just take his computer with him.

 

[dburg30]

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.

Yes it is your opinion, and I respect that, but I also disagree. I do have the right to take a picture of anything that I want (barring privacy issues, like in a bathroom, thru a window of a house etc etc). Plus, there is a chance the moment would be lost. Now, if I took a picture, would I, after I took the picture approach the folks and tell them that it was just too neat of shot to miss, show it to them, and inquire if they wanted a copy of it? Probably. Do I have to? No. Do I do this frequently, no not at all, and usually dont get lucky enough to catch anything that cool, but I can and would if it presents itself..

 

[ortholablady]

Wow, this has gotten crazy. I just have to say that I do what the OP did all the time. I stand out of anyone's way and snap a pic in between people posing. It's not always easy to do. If there isn't a spot to do it out of the way, I don't do it. Here's a couple examples.

 

[jillyb]

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.

I'm not calling severely abused children names.

And thanks for singling my post out from several others that also referred to Michael Jackson's children.

I believe the original poster stated that she wasn't talking about the foster children but peopel in general wearing "disguises" such as hats and sunglasses so they won't be recognized in photos.

 

[bytheblood]

My pictures have tons of others people's children in it. Guess I am breaking the law.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

My pictures have tons of others people's children in it. Guess I am breaking the law.

1) Me too.
2) I know the FBI is looking for me because of this.
3) Of course, the FBI has been looking for me for a while
. . . I tore off the "do not remove under penalty of law" mattress tag
. . . I used football descriptions without permission of the NFL

 

[LilGMom]

1) . . . I tore off the "do not remove under penalty of law" mattress tag

Oh..... no..... you..... didn't!!! They now have your IP and are bringing the Serta police with them!

 

[DizBelle]

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.

"Excuese me!!!! EVERYBODY on Main Street!!!! Would you please form a line down the left and sign these releases allowing me to take your picture since you will undoubtedly be in the photos I take of Cinderella's Castle. Otherwise, plese leave Main Street while I take the picture."

THAT would go over well I'm sure....

 

[SurfinTX]

1) Me too.
2) I know the FBI is looking for me because of this.
3) Of course, the FBI has been looking for me for a while
. . . I tore off the "do not remove under penalty of law" mattress tag
. . . I used football descriptions without permission of the NFL

Now that you said FBI there are now 3 agents watching this thread, as well as the NSA and Dept. of Homeland Security.

I'm glad no one has said bomb yet...oops.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

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.

Actually, I do have the right to take anyone's photo without permission in a public place where a reasonable right to privacy cannot be expected (aka a theme park). I don't have the right to stalk you or harass you but I can take a photo of little Jimmy chasing a butterfly if I want to. If that creeps you out, well, I guess you'll just have to be creeped out. It's called freedoms. Sometimes they can be offensive.

 

[BamaFan121s]

On our last trip while waiting in line in Toontown to see the Princesses, my daughter and a girl behind her started playing in line. Her mother was the only one with her and just seemed really bothered by this and ill tempered in general. Hubby had been taking pics of our kiddo in line to pass the time and snapped a pic of the two together--without bothering to ask the mom if it was OK first. She didn't say anything to him but gave him a look that would have melted ice. I, however, was upset with him--putting myself in her shoes, I would have been really mad too if some random stranger was taking pics of my child. (It wasn't as if the child was in the background somewhere of a pic, it was a picture taken OF this child purposely.) I was really upset at his momentary lack of common sense and embarassed. I looked at the pic as he showed me and reached up to hit the delete button making sure the mom saw and knew I was doing it. He got really mad (tired and suffering from the occasional don't-tell-me-what-to-do blues) took the camera and walked out of line. (his loss) I apologized to the mother who was furious and ensured her that the picture WOULD be deleted. Sure enough, when I got home, first thing I did while unpacking was load the pictures on the PC and deleted the one of the mystery child. All the while laying into my hubby (now that we were back in the privacy of our home) for taking it--I think I might have scarred him a bit...he may NEVER take another pic in WDW again.
IMO, blatant pics of someone else's child just shouldn't be taken. Of course you are going to get the random person in your photos, that's one thing, but to outright take a full on pic of someone else's kid....not right.

 

[Laurabearz]

Well this has been a fun thread to read

 

[arielchickenofthesea]

How in the world is a person to get ANY pictures at all if they have some sort of law about not taking pictures of other people's kids? I take pictures of the pool and resorts and the buildings and all over the Parks and there are always other people in them. In fact it is nearly impossible to get pictures WITHOUT other people in them. Cameras are ubiquitous in the Parks, who doesn't bring one to capture those moments?

I have always taken pics of the characters, trying to click away when they are between people. Sometimes we stand in line and get our pic taken, sometimes the line is too long and we just get a shot from a distance. I have never been told not to do it. I think if I were told that, I would seek out Guest Services and ask how in the world thay can enforce that when thousands of other people at the resort can't move out of your pictures. This sounds like a harebrained idea.

I understand the need to protect children and I always honor that or try to honor that by not taking pics with the characters with other people's kids or try to wait for kids to move away from a particular scene I want to shoot. That being said, it can be impossibe to achieve taking a shot with NO one in the background, unless for some reason they want to let me in at 6AM before anyone else and I take all my photos then. Right, like that's gonna happen! And when you are standing on Main Street and trying to get a shot of the castle, you ARE going to get many, many people in your shots. Pretty much the same all over the Park...I don't get why the CM told the OP to not take a picture. What, now *certain* picture taking is forbidden in the Parks? What will they think of next?

Come to think of it, I am probably in a LOT of other people's vacation shots. If you all would be so kind as to send me copies of any of them that I am in, I can add them to my scrapbooks too!


ariel

 

[MonicaInFlorida]

On our last trip while waiting in line in Toontown to see the Princesses, my daughter and a girl behind her started playing in line. Her mother was the only one with her and just seemed really bothered by this and ill tempered in general. Hubby had been taking pics of our kiddo in line to pass the time and snapped a pic of the two together--without bothering to ask the mom if it was OK first. She didn't say anything to him but gave him a look that would have melted ice. I, however, was upset with him--putting myself in her shoes, I would have been really mad too if some random stranger was taking pics of my child. (It wasn't as if the child was in the background somewhere of a pic, it was a picture taken OF this child purposely.) I was really upset at his momentary lack of common sense and embarassed. I looked at the pic as he showed me and reached up to hit the delete button making sure the mom saw and knew I was doing it. He got really mad (tired and suffering from the occasional don't-tell-me-what-to-do blues) took the camera and walked out of line. (his loss) I apologized to the mother who was furious and ensured her that the picture WOULD be deleted. Sure enough, when I got home, first thing I did while unpacking was load the pictures on the PC and deleted the one of the mystery child. All the while laying into my hubby (now that we were back in the privacy of our home) for taking it--I think I might have scarred him a bit...he may NEVER take another pic in WDW again.
IMO, blatant pics of someone else's child just shouldn't be taken. Of course you are going to get the random person in your photos, that's one thing, but to outright take a full on pic of someone else's kid....not right.

It's not like he was taking a picture of just her kid... he was capturing a touching moment when his own daughter had made a little friend. So, you essentially stole a harmless memory from both your daughter and your husband to placate a nasty, paranoid woman who thought your husband was a perv. If I were him, I'd be angry and hurt, too.

 

[lilyv]

It's not like he was taking a picture of just her kid... he was capturing a touching moment when his own daughter had made a little friend. So, you essentially stole a harmless memory from both your daughter and your husband to placate a nasty, paranoid woman who thought your husband was a perv. If I were him, I'd be angry and hurt, too.

ITA. This is so sad. Why couldn't have mom just told the other mom, that's our little girl, and it's so sweet they are visiting with each other. Maybe be kind. I feel so very sorry for the husband. He will now forever have to carefully analyze normal photo situations if he's even willing to take a photo again. So unnecessary.

 

[sunnydoozer]

I'm not calling severely abused children names.

And thanks for singling my post out from several others that also referred to Michael Jackson's children.

I believe the original poster stated that she wasn't talking about the foster children but peopel in general wearing "disguises" such as hats and sunglasses so they won't be recognized in photos.

You are incorrect the original poster said specifically of Foster kids, occasionally they came with a "state mandate" that said they
could not have their picture taken as an example of a good reason why someone should ask before taking a photograph of someone else's child. She also said that they would wear hats and sunglasses, to be less visible in crowd shots. You are one of the many people who made light of this situation, other posters called the kids vampires you called them Michael Jackson's kids, or decided that a simple pair of sunglasses could be blown out of proportion to a disguise, or as one poster said a Burka.

Lovely, just lovely.

I for the record wore a hat and sunglasses to work today and no one called me Michael Jackson.

 

[BamaFan121s]

It's not like he was taking a picture of just her kid... he was capturing a touching moment when his own daughter had made a little friend. So, you essentially stole a harmless memory from both your daughter and your husband to placate a nasty, paranoid woman who thought your husband was a perv. If I were him, I'd be angry and hurt, too.

ITA. This is so sad. Why couldn't have mom just told the other mom, that's our little girl, and it's so sweet they are visiting with each other. Maybe be kind. I feel so very sorry for the husband. He will now forever have to carefully analyze normal photo situations if he's even willing to take a photo again. So unnecessary.

Proving once again that we all have our own opinions of what is considered rude and inconsiderate. How silly of me to think that I could share a relating story without having my position as both a wife and mother attacked. What was I thinking...
Thank goodness I am not in the presence of perfection so that I can learn how to properly handle a situation involving MY family in the future. Next time I'll include every detail down to the blood type of the parties involved so that you will have all of the details before you pass judgment as opposed to just the portion that relevant to the discussion in process.
Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go punish myself for stealing my family's memories. (what a joke)

 

[Cool-Beans]

I cannot believe how long this thing has gone on!!

Though everyone considers their children precious, I don't find stranger's kids all that wonderful. When I snap a pic that includes strangers (and/or their kids) I do it in spite of the people in the pic, not because I want them there. I'd be thrilled if everybody got out of the way. But they don't. So, I have pics of strangers and their children.

People take lots of pictures there. You can't swing a cat without hitting the word KODAK on something. Snap, snap, snap, all day long, every day.

If you're all that worried about your kid ending up photographed by a stranger, keep them out of Disney World.

 

[lilyv]

So is the "new" standard that strangers can demand you not take photos of your child if their child is in range? I get it about people taking random shots, deliberately zooming in on a child that isn't theirs. I don't get it about parents being forbidden to take a photo of their own child, and getting in a lot of trouble if they do.

Does Disney outline the photo policies anywhere? Tickets? Gates? Most visitors would like to know what the rules of conduct are. Or, is this just one visitor demanding something extraordinarily unreasonable of another Disney vacationer?