When did they start allowing flash photography on rides?

[tiggergirlinMI]

As long as I have remembered, there has not been flash photography allowed on rides, but the past 3 trips to Disney, people rudely do it, blinding everyone else in the ride with them or on the boat with them and we all get to see spots for the rest of the ride.
They used to come over the PA and remind these rude people that flash photography is not allowed, not anymore I guess.
I have always kept quiet but after many ruined Pirates rides and Haunted Mansion rides, I think next time if the CMs don't want to remind these folks, I may have to, lol.
Unless they changed it and permit it now? Did I miss that announcement?

 

[Tamdude]

I think that's still their policy - and I totally agree with you! It ruins the ride for the rest of us! God, just sit back and enjoy the ride - i can't imagine enjoying the ride that much if all you are doing is looking through a cameRA!

 

[larryz]

Perhaps a water pistol...?

 

[3floridarays]

We have been multiple times over the last 6 months and I remember hearing the "no flash photography" announcement on many of the indoor rides.

And i love the water pistol idea...

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

Pirates has been horrible lately and Ive been in the back and these people turn around to take pics, blinding me....um hello???? lol...
I've made little comments,like "thanks" but to no avail....
And they are taking pics of EVERYTHING IN THERE....and these are people who seem to be from the USA, so not like they are at a national monument here....
Im laughing as they are, thinking , "don't forget that scene over there, ok now turn back to the right, there's a building you forgot...." geezzzz
Love your thought Larry, it's dark enough in there, and water splashing....if it got just close enough to their camera, hmmmmm they might worry the next time it might hit it, lol

 

[steph73]

Flash photography on attractions is my major PEEVE. Grrrrrr.

 

[tiggergirlinMI]

Whew, when noone was posting I thought maybe I was the only one....ok I feel better now....

 

[Melpuff]

I actually did randomly yell out "NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY" on Pirates once at Disneyland. It got very awkwardly hushed and they stopped. I thought it was hysterical.

 

[BLTLDZ]

Some dimwit was taking pictures on the seas with memo ride last theWHOLE time! Very annoying and distracting.

 

[ukcatfan]

The worst part is that their pics are going to be awful! The flash ruins and effect the designers were trying to create. I am never hesitant to tell the people bothering me.

 

[Sandy Fisher]

Usually I don't reply to threads about flash photography. I think the people doing it are ignorant or just like to be annoying. I can't think of any excuse. If you weren't listening to the announcements, then shame on you. If you think you're going to get a good picture, in most cases you aren't. If the scenes were meant to be lit up, they'd be lit up.
Our last visit to Epcot, we rode Spaceship Earth as usual. There seemed to be a lot of people using electric scooters, etc. and I'm guessing that the ride stopped to let someone load or unload that needed more time than the moving belt would allow. We were at the top of the ride, already turned around to start back down and the people in the two cars ahead of us had been snapping the entire ride.
One of them took a flash picture of the scene at the top -- the earth. Naturally it lit up all the things you aren't supposed to see. That must have set them off because then they started flashing one time after another -- I'm guessing so that they could see what was supposed to be dark. It was ridiculous. And we sat there longer than I've ever sat still on Spaceship Earth.
It is getting worse and it's getting more and more annoying in spite of announcements. What a shame that a few people with no common sense spoil things for everyone else. And no, I don't buy the excuse that it was someone's first time at Disney and they didn't know or that they didn't understand or that they only took one or two. If DH hadn't been beside me, I'd have gotten very vocal and probably upset the people doing the flashing. He'd have really been peeved at me for being "mouthy".
Sorry to rant, but it's become a real sore spot for me and we don't go when the parks are very very crowded since we can go at pretty much any time. Doesn't seem to matter any more.

 

[Mamu]

Sadly there will always be people who do not follow the rules.

I try to ignore these people, I'm sure there have been times when I've annoyed others. It's my vacation and I will not, refuse to let others ruin or annoy me.

I do have to agree flash photography can be very distracting though. Especially when they are continually taking pictures.

 

[LoriABil]

Maybe next time, I'll try "You know, you can get great pictures without the flash, plus, you won't be breaking the rules and annoying everybody." I would say this very nicely of course. Nah, just don't have it in me. I'm way too non-confrotational to do that.

 

[Rainwater]

This is the new breed of Disney visitors. The rules do not apply to me, just everyone else. Sad, but true.

 

[goofy4tink]

I actually did randomly yell out "NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY" on Pirates once at Disneyland. It got very awkwardly hushed and they stopped. I thought it was hysterical.

I do the exact same thing. Of course, there was the time I was on Pirates and the people in the row in front of me repeatedly took flash photos. So...when they turned around, to take a shot of Johnny Depp as he came out of the barrel, I had my camera ready...flashed right in their faces. They were completely shocked. They started with a comment, but I quickly told them that flash photography is NOT allowed on rides because it ruins the effects for everyone else and blinds people!!! The camera got put away quickly. No, it wasn't nice of me..I admit that. But these people had to have taken so many photos that if they put them together, they could have made a flip-photo book out of all the shots and it would have been almost as good as a video!!!!

 

[ancestry]

I am here right now and can tell you that many people don't listen to the CMs about anything -- not just flash photographty. In Ellen's Energy Adventure people were sitting on the floor and the CM asked several times that everyone please stand up for safety reasons. People just completely ignored the CM, continued to sit on the floor, and one even shouted out I am not standing up I'm tired.

Then in line waiting on the monorail the CMs were guiding the crowds into certain sections of the monorail waiting area. Some people did what they wanted and the CM asked several times for the people to please step down instead of waiting in the section area they were standing in. The people REFUSED to moved and actually told the CM no.

Then there is the flash photography issues which you noted.......

I could never be a CM because I would really unleash some "magic" on these obnoxious people....loll!

 

[Carl Fredricksen]

I hope someone who is planning on using a flash the second week of August is reading this, because I am not shy about calling someone out, and "I WILL MAKE YOU FAMOUS WITH EVERYONE ON THE RIDE!" So if you will be there then and have these plans for your camera, move your reservation or there will be conflict.

With that said, I think I am heading out today for a water pistol...

 

[Hobbitmomma]

What is so stupid about people taking flash photography on rides and for that matter at entertainment events, is that a flash only reaches about 30 feet. So they are going to have a lot of heads that are close in front of them lit up and everything else further out will be hazy and dark. I got beautiful pictures last time of Spectromagic and Fantasmic with no flash and it was a little point and shoot camera. So it can be done. I always want to tell people taking flash pictures that they aren't going to come out. In any case, I personally don't see why people need pictures of rides. To me, that's just silly. There are plenty of postcards available if you want pictures of the rides. Whatever.

 

[shellybaxter]

I have tried to pay very close attention to the instructions at the beginning of rides. Some (like pirates) ALWAYS announce that flash photography is not allowed, but others (like IASW) do not announce this. Does that make it okay to flash on IASW? If not, how is a guest supposed to know. It used to annoy me but now it doesn't unless the announcement is made, because if its not made then the rule might not be known by the picture taker

 

[JESW]

During our last trip there was a Dad and his teenager daughter taking a picture of every.last.thing on the Pirates ride. So annoying!! We said several times "no flash photography" and they either didn't hear or didn't choose to hear. I don't know what got into me but I saw him in the store after the ride, went up to him and said - "You know, there is no flash photography on that ride and you ruined it for everyone." He just looked at me and didn't say a word. It didn't make the ride better, but maybe next time he'll be more considerate.....but probably not.