Credit: DisneyGuests disregarding the Walt Disney World rules are putting the safety of fan-favorite rides at risk, according to a recent discussion among Disney cast members.
Each Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom attraction has its own written rules. They include minimum height requirements, medical warnings, and prohibited items. You can wear your Mickey Mouse ears on “it’s a small world,” but you’ll want to take them off before a ride on the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror!
Walt Disney World Resort’s Property Rules state that “access to attractions depends on the safety rules for each attraction.” However, the Central Florida Disney Park added a “courtesy” policy in 2022 amid an outbreak of guest-on-guest violence.
“Please show common courtesy to fellow Guests and our Cast Members by not using profanity or engaging in unsafe, illegal, disruptive or offensive behavior, jumping lines or saving places in lines for others,” the Walt Disney World rules read. “For your safety and the safety of others, please refrain from running except in designated areas.”
Two years on, Disney cast members allege that the new policy hasn’t made a difference. When Disney Park guests asked about attractions breaking down more frequently, Walt Disney World Resort employees explained that technical failures don’t cause most temporary closures–many could be avoided by guests following the rules.
“Rides shutting down, fully or partially, or evacuating is not always a ride malfunction,” said Redditor u/omglia. “When I worked at Soarin, a few reasons why the theatres’ shut down’ included: pee or poop (on the rides and in line), code v (vomit), a guy tripping off the Land escalator and injuring himself, kids moving around in their seats too much (e stop for trying to bust out of the seatbelts), bags not placed in the right spot, [and] VIP guests who didn’t want to ride with the commoners.”
“Never once did the ride itself actually malfunction,” the Disney Resort employee explained. “It was all about keeping the space clean, sanitary, safe, and avoiding unpleasant situations or onlookers.”
Not every mishap is avoidable, but Disney cast members say Walt Disney World Resort attractions would run more smoothly if guests followed the rules.
“If we all took our sunglasses, hats and ears off and put our phones away, this would happen WAY less,” u/thethurstonhowell wrote.
“A lot of the rides would go down less if people took off their loose items and didn’t try to stand up or lean out of a ride vehicle,” u/WhatWouldLoisLaneDo added.
For some Disney cast members, worsening guest behavior is taking its toll.
“I was a security cast member and I can tell you how exhausting it is constantly reminding guests to behave,” said u/keithpotz. “And then you have guests who are rude they don’t want to follow the clearly posted rules because ‘it’s their vacation and you’re here to cater to ME.’ It just gets old and post-COVID seriously didn’t help. It just drains you especially at the end of a 10 hr shift in the heat.”
What’s the worst thing you’ve seen another Walt Disney World Resort guest do? Share your experience with Inside the Magic in the comments.