Elderly Couple Tragically Denied Entrance To Disney Park

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Mickey and Friends

Credit: Disney

Crossing the gates to Disneyland Resort is a magical experience for most Guests, whether it is for a first visit, a family vacation, or just a trip to the Happiest Place on Earth.

disneyland entrance
Credit: Disney

However, Guests can be denied entrance or removed from the Park for a number of reasons, such as a violation of Disney Parks’ dress code, trying to carry restricted items into the Park, or engaging in prohibited activities, such as trying to access areas designated only for Cast Members.

Related: Guest Violates Disney’s Rules With Bikini-Style Shirt

Recently, and because of Covid-19, Disney Parks around the world have instated and maintained several other measures, mainly regarding social distancing, the use of facemasks, and Park reservations. This last one has been particularly complicated for some Guests, as it has been a new addition to the Disney Parks.

disneyland tickets
Credit: Inside the Magic

Related: Disney Park Reservations Selling Out for the Rest of the Month

A few days ago, Hastin (@hastin) shared on Twitter how he witnessed a 70-year-old couple get turned away from the gates at Disneyland, as they had bought tickets to the Park, but had not made a reservation for that day. This quickly sparked controversy among other Twitter users, who had mixed opinions about this situation.

While most responses were concerned about the elderly Guests’ experience and asked if the problem had had a solution, some users, like Just Some Guy Man (@Teach_2_Win), took Disney’s side, stating:

It’s not hard to make a reservation. They plaster it all over the website when you buy tickets. Old folks like to complain about kids today not being able to read. I am fine holding them to the same standard.

Related: Disney Family Left Horribly Rejected From Parks After Purchasing Tickets

Other users had similar opinions, stating that there is a high level of communication and promotion towards Park reservations and that the official Disneyland site prompts users to make a reservation as they are completing their purchase.

Although Disney Park reservations have been around since Disneyland reopened in April 2021 and are widely promoted on the Disneyland website, some users think Disney should be more empathic with Guests, making an exception in certain situations such as this.

On the other hand, many users commented on how their relatives, or even themselves, have had problems making Park reservations, saying that the online purchasing experience is not well-designed and that Park reservations are an overly complicated system. Bri (@Blerc26), for example, commented on how she’s had trouble with reservations at Walt Disney World as well, stating:

For everyone saying it’s easy to make reservations, it’s not. I’m tech savvy and it still takes the system like 4 tries to figure out if I’m an AP or resort guest to make a reservation for WDW.

Mandy (@Mandy_Yes_That1) made this incident even more emotional by saying, “We’re all picturing the couple from Up, right?” and now Married Life won’t stop playing in our heads.

While there is no information on whether or not a Cast Member or Manager ultimately addressed this situation, we certainly hope this story had a happy ending for that elderly couple trying to visit the Happiest Place on Earth.

More on Disneyland

Plus, there is so much to see and do at Disney California Adventure Park! Guests can enjoy Buena Vista Street as they walk the roads Walt had in Hollywood, enjoy a hand-dipped corn dog at Award Wieners, Head to Cars Land to enjoy the neon signage and Radiator Springs Racers, check out the new Marvel-themed land in Avengers Campus, where they can meet Spider-Man, Loki, Ant-Man, Black Widow, Doctor Strange, and so many more characters. And of course, you have to ride WEB SLINGERS: A Spider-Man Adventure and Guardians of the Galaxy: MISSION BREAKOUT. Rock on the Silly Symphony Swings as well, and go catch Jack Jack on Incredicoaster! The list of rides and attractions never ends!

disneyland cast member with sleeping beauty castle
Credit: Disney

At Disneyland, there is so much for Guests to enjoy! Now that the mask mandate has dropped for fully vaccinated Guests, Guests can enter buildings without a face covering if they so choose. Walking up to Sleeping Beauty Castle is always a dream, especially when you get to go inside and relive the story of Aurora and Maleficent. Riding classics like “it’s a small world”, Pirates of the Caribbean, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, The Haunted Mansion, Matterhorn Bobsleds, Splash Mountain, and more will have you feeling the magic, and craving a churro! Toontown is currently gearing up for a massive change which will be revealed in 2023 with the reopening of the land, and the debut of Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway. Plus, now at Disneyland, Guests can enjoy Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge for some blue milk, or green milk, and ride Rise of the Resistance and Smuggler’s Run.

How do you feel about this incident? Should Disney change the Park reservation system? Or get rid of it entirely? Let us know in the comments!

Let the expert team at Academy Travel help you plan your next magical vacation to Disneyland Resort, including Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure, and the Downtown Disney District. Or what about Walt Disney World Resort’s four theme parks — Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios — and the Disney Springs shopping and dining district!

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