WDW rules and guidelines more clearly spelled out

[ZOOMAMA]

I wonder how many ECV-pulled trailers they were dealing with that they had to put wording about that in!?

I was wondering the same thing! Probably because I have pumpkin patches on the brain but I was picturing an ECV hayride.

I think they addressed it. They had info on what's appropriate to wear, which now does not include costumes. It used to include them. They have specifically, over the last couple of years, taken OUT the wording about costumes for adults, lightening up that old rule. Now it's not even in there.

Then they go back to address it by saying you cannot engage with other guests or impede operation while portraying or posing as any character in costume.

I think they covered exactly what they wanted to cover!

No more national news headlines about old-enough-to-read-the-rules-and-know-better teenaged Tinkerbells being booted out of WDW.

-Tess

 

[bumbershoot]

Well, how are you gonna go all day in the park WITHOUT engaging ANY other Guests?

I posted more later. ..."engage with other guests or impede operation while portraying or posing as any character in costume"

Just chatting with people probably isn't "engaging with", but if you're taking pictures with people AND you're in costume (and I bet the underlying rule would be "and if your costume is GOOD") then you can be stopped. So if I'm 44 and dressed as Rapunzel with my brownish hair and chatting, I'm fine. If my son, in a couple years when he's a little taller, dresses as Peter Pan with his copper colored hair and a costume and his pointy chin, and he's taking pictures with people, he's going to get into trouble.

Seems fair. Question though-my DD who will be 11, doesn't like some rides. Can she sit somewhere if the rest of us go on? She's mature enough to wait but, I can see her bailing last minute on BTMRR. Would that be frowned upon or is it more about wandering 9 year olds? She looks younger BTW.

She's fine. Under 14 can't enter a park by themselves. Under 7 need someone 14+ with them to ride rides. Those in between, 7 through the end of 13, cannot enter alone, and probably can't roam for the whole day without getting the attention of some CMs, but they can sit on benches and go into lines and onto rides by themselves.

No more national news headlines about old-enough-to-read-the-rules-and-know-better teenaged Tinkerbells being booted out of WDW.

-Tess

And thank goodness. The reality is, that that incident really kind of shined a light on how relatively silly the rule was. There are plenty of people who want to wear a costume but who will never look like an actual character. It's just fun for them.

Kids might think they are real, but kids think a lot of things. As a kid I swore that if I pulled my nightshirt over my head in sort of a veil position, that I was...wait for it...Winnie the Pooh. I have NO idea why I thought that made me Pooh bear, but...I was a kid. I thought weird things. Hopefully if some child thinks 44 year old me wearing my hair in a braid = Real Rapunzel (note: I'm not going to do this, I don't even disneybound), hopefully their parents will step in quickly!

 

[Bluegrrl]

I'm with the pp regarding the EVC and hayrides!! Hysterical!

I do wonder how the chanting rule will work re:Brazillians and cheerleaders/sports kids. That will be interesting in the future.

 

[Jessica14]

I believe the rule is that you must be accompanied by someone 14 or over to *enter* the park.

That clears it up! The question was for a PP-I was asking if it is permitted to leave a child under 14 unaccompanied anywhere in the park. For example, can she wait by herself on a bench somewhere in Fantasyland if she doesn't want to go on 7DMT? I see the answer is just about entering the park, which is not an issue for us.

 

[cigar95]

Hmmm. I wonder what this means (under prohibited activities) with regards to guide books like The Unofficial Guide:

f. Photography, videotaping, or recording of any kind except for personal use.

We know Disney goes after anyone selling handmade Disney stuff on Etsy. I wonder if they're going to go after anyone that writes Disney guide books that have Disney photos?

In years past, the UG did not have any park photos for exactly that reason. Since that has obviously changed, either they've secured the necessary permissions, or the rules have changed. (The guide is certainly high profile enough that "flying under the radar" was not an option.)

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

Hmmm. I wonder what this means (under prohibited activities) with regards to guide books like The Unofficial Guide:

f. Photography, videotaping, or recording of any kind except for personal use.

We know Disney goes after anyone selling handmade Disney stuff on Etsy. I wonder if they're going to go after anyone that writes Disney guide books that have Disney photos?

Just because it's the "unofficial" guide does not mean its an "unauthorized" guide. I'm sure that their lawyers have cleared everything with Disney's lawyers.

 

[Princess Stitch]

Hmmm. I wonder what this means (under prohibited activities) with regards to guide books like The Unofficial Guide:

f. Photography, videotaping, or recording of any kind except for personal use.

We know Disney goes after anyone selling handmade Disney stuff on Etsy. I wonder if they're going to go after anyone that writes Disney guide books that have Disney photos?

I *think* this is to prevent you from hiring a professional photographer to come take pics of you in the magic kingdom.

 

[Travelgrrl]

The new wording on costumes is a relief to me because on our October trip (all girls, between age 2 and age 88), my crazy sister has some of the younger ones signed up for the Pirates League and we're ALL wearing pirate costumes.

We're women, and none of us look like Jack Sparrow, and only a few of us are as comely as Elizabeth Swann. On the other hand, I have a stuffed parrot sewn to the shoulder of my shirt.

I'll make sure none of us pose for photos, and that we 'engage' only with each other, but I was a bit worried we wouldn't even get in the gates.

(Another day we're all in red and white polka dots in honor of Minnie Mouse, and then there's the actual Halloween parties...!) Let's just say that if the TSA opens my suitcase, they're going to think Ms Travelgrrl is Ms Crazypants.

 

[SueM in MN]

And...they've totally opened up wearing costumes by all ages, as long as you aren't engaging with other guests or impeding anything.



I wonder how many ECV-pulled trailers they were dealing with that they had to put wording about that in!?

The part about not pulling anything with an ECV isn't new.

I've seen things posted in various places on the Internet where people rigged up and ECV to pull wheelchair or a stroller and one that had a standing platform that was pulled on the back (kind of like a motorized sit-and-stand stroller for adults).

 

[JenniBugInPink]

That do nothing but promote Disney. Doubtful.

And you'll still see YouTube videos that get 100,000+ hits of the rides, etc. I'm pretty sure the podcasters, authors, etc. have worked something out, or Disney has decided that those are way more than worth it to their brand. It's the not so georgeous crap they go after.

Wow lots of rules laid out now.
Just wondering does this mean the Brazilian tour groups can no long carry flags and chat? That would seem to be inciting a group.
Also the "disruption of other guests" should make it easier to stop now as well.

I don't think this is going after those tour groups or the chanting. I think you'll see no change in those behaviors.

I'm with the pp regarding the EVC and hayrides!! Hysterical!
I do wonder how the chanting rule will work re:Brazillians and cheerleaders/sports kids. That will be interesting in the future.

Again, I don't think it will change. Those groups are income producers, and I don't think that behavior offends The Powers That Be. It just annoys us, but not to the point that we take our money elsewhere. Their money v. our money. Disney gets both. Therefore, no problem to them. And by the way, I didn't see a no chanting rule, only no speeches or demonstrations, no commercial banners, and not inciting a crowd (read riot - no yelling fire in a crowded theater). jazzed up cheerleaders and tour groups aren't inciting a riot, even if they do make your brain feel that way, LOL.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Hmmm. I wonder what this means (under prohibited activities) with regards to guide books like The Unofficial Guide:

f. Photography, videotaping, or recording of any kind except for personal use.

We know Disney goes after anyone selling handmade Disney stuff on Etsy. I wonder if they're going to go after anyone that writes Disney guide books that have Disney photos?

read a blogger last night who argued that it would prohibit posting photographs taken at WDW on a personal Facebook page. Not sure I buy that. Been a long time since I read any law and they didn't have Facebook then but I think that counts as personal use. and how silly would Disney look going after everybody who put a photo of the castle on their Facebook page.

regarding the costumes, there was a brouhaha one year because they kicked out an old guy with a white beard because he was allowing guests to take photos with him, signing autographs and playing up that he was Santa Claus because I guess people were asking him. Although he wasn't actually wearing a costume and wasn't made up to look like a Disney character I think in the manner he was engaging guests, they could have mistaken him for a Disney employee, which he wasn't.

 

[wilkeliza]

read a blogger last night who argued that it would prohibit posting photographs taken at WDW on a personal Facebook page. Not sure I buy that. Been a long time since I read any law and they didn't have Facebook then but I think that counts as personal use. and how silly would Disney look going after everybody who put a photo of the castle on their Facebook page. regarding the costumes, there was a brouhaha one year because they kicked out an old guy with a white beard because he was allowing guests to take photos with him, signing autographs and playing up that he was Santa Claus because I guess people were asking him. Although he wasn't actually wearing a costume and wasn't made up to look like a Disney character I think in the manner he was engaging guests, they could have mistaken him for a Disney employee, which he wasn't.

Facebook is personal use. I think this is more about the photographers who are taking photos and selling them or taking photos and selling products with those photos on then (DVC central magic band covers come to mind) and hiring third party photographers to take pictures in the park since technically it isn't for the photographers personal use but to be sold.

 

[Mickey28]

The thing I have the biggest problem with is that my 10yr old daughter can't accompany my 5yr old daughter on some rides, but my 10yr old is charged for an adult ticket. So my 10yr old can't ride Peter Pan or Splash Mtn along with a few other rides with her sister because she isn't 14. Yet, they don't have a problem catergorizing her as an adult at the gate.

 

[wilkeliza]

The thing I have the biggest problem with is that my 10yr old daughter can't accompany my 5yr old daughter on some rides, but my 10yr old is charged for an adult ticket. So my 10yr old can't ride Peter Pan or Splash Mtn along with a few other rides with her sister because she isn't 14. Yet, they don't have a problem catergorizing her as an adult at the gate.

At the gate it is because at 10 she is more likely to be able to enjoy everything the park has to offer outside of alcohol. However, at 10 she may not be capable of taking care of someone else in the event of an emergency. She could follow instructions herself but may be unable to help and articulate to another child what needs to be done.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The thing I have the biggest problem with is that my 10yr old daughter can't accompany my 5yr old daughter on some rides, but my 10yr old is charged for an adult ticket. So my 10yr old can't ride Peter Pan or Splash Mtn along with a few other rides with her sister because she isn't 14. Yet, they don't have a problem catergorizing her as an adult at the gate.

What?

The amount they charge for admission has nothing at all to do with whether a person is old enough to enter the park by themselves or be responsible for a younger child in case of an emergency on an attraction.