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Credit: Inside the MagicThe influencer industry may be worth $24 billion as of 2024, but it still remains highly divisive. Despite the fact that the vast majority of creators are creating engaging, entertaining content that a) hurts nobody and b) makes for a legitimate career, some people still insist on dunking on those who rely on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube for their income – especially if that income is based on Disney Parks.
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Over the years, we have admittedly witnessed a few incidents that do warrant criticism. While they’re very much the minority, some influencers take it too far for the sake of content. When it comes to Disney Parks, this can mean majorly disrupting the days of their fellow guests or purposefully pushing the boundaries that Disney enforces for the sake of safety and order on the property.
But Disney isn’t afraid to crack down on bad behavior. In the past, several creators have claimed that they’ve been banned from Disney as a result of their OTT actions.
Jacob Markovich
In May 2023, the YouTuber uploaded a video with a strangely proud title: “I got banned from Disneyworld in 5 minutes!” Not only did he misspell Disney World (for the last time, people, it’s two separate words), but the video was actually filmed at Disneyland Resort, where Markovich impersonated park security. Two big no-nos.
The video – which has been viewed 81,000 times – sees Markovich approach a random guest, pretending to admonish them (and, in one case, telling them to “get the f**k out”) as a security guard in Downtown Disney.
He doesn’t get much more footage out of the prank before cast members tell him to stop filming and question the nature of his social media content. “It’s an amendment, I don’t have to speak,” Markovich says, refusing to disclose what exactly they’re filming.
Soon enough, another cast member informs them that Markovich and his friend are being issued “trespass admonishments from the Disneyland Resort.” Markovich apologizes (and invites the cast member to join him for cheese and wine to make up for it, which is, unsurprisingly, rejected), but that doesn’t change the fact that he’s officially kicked out of Disneyland.
Jack Doherty
Earlier this year, YouTuber Jack Doherty – who’s famous for his public pranks and crazy stunts – shared a video in which he accepts his ban from Disney theme parks. Next to him, a Sheriff’s deputy writes up what appears to be a trespassing order.
@jackdoherty I got BANNED from disney…😭 #disney #disneyland #disneyworld #jackdoherty
While it’s never been explained why exactly Doherty (who boasts over 14 million subscribers on YouTube alone) was banned from Disney, Doherty has a track record for disruptive behavior. According to TMZ, the YouTuber was also sued because his bodyguard, Kane Kongg, punched someone, allegedly unprovoked.
Considering he was also banned from Universal Orlando Resort the next day, any future Orlando vacations are going to be pretty dull for the creator.
N3on
Last year, streamer N3on was kicked out of Walt Disney World Resort – and didn’t exactly go quietly.
While visiting Magic Kingdom Park, N3on was told that filming with professional equipment was not allowed at the theme park. Not only did he refuse to leave – noting that there were plenty of others filming at the park – but he was disrespectful to higher management, security, and the cops, who were ultimately called to come and escort him and his girlfriend Sam off the property.
At one point, he even accused the cops of pulling a gun on them in the Magic Kingdom when he tried to run away. At this point, the cameras were not pointed at the cops, so there was no official proof.
The entire incident was live-streamed, with 100,000 people witnessing it unfold. The pair went on to joke about flying to Disneyland (as N3on isn’t banned there), and he even managed to get a hug from one of the cops before hopping into the taxi that Disney called for him, as he is no longer allowed to ride Disney transportation. Of course, he also called Disney “child groomers” as he was escorted out of Walt Disney World Resort, so it wasn’t exactly the smoothest of exits.
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As if a Disney ban wasn’t enough, N3on was also kicked out of Universal Studios Hollywood alongside fellow streamer Mo Deen earlier this year. The duo were approached by security, who told them that they were getting complaints and that they needed to “ease it down a bit.” After promising that they’d be “careful,” security asked to see the vloggers’ park tickets to prove that he’d spoken to them about the complaints.
The group had previously filmed themselves walking through the park while shouting, dressed as iconic characters featured on the property, such as Harry Potter, Mario, and Luigi. Another member of the party also allegedly threw up gang signs in the middle of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.
Banned from Disney World
@n3onclipsirl banned from disney world #n3on #n3onclips #n3onirl #n3onclipsirl #n3onandsam #samandn3on
After the group was removed from the park, the group was pulled over by police and arrested on a Kick live stream. While it was initially thought that this was connected to the incident at Universal Studios Hollywood, it was later revealed that the arrest was made in connection with the group’s rental car, which had previously been reported stolen.
Nik (AKA JudyHoppsLovr69)
This is probably the most unusual case on this list. TikToker JudyHoppsLovr69 claimed in January that he was banned from Walt Disney World Resort. In a TikTok, he explained that he was immediately refunded each time he tried purchasing Disney Park tickets and, days later, allegedly received a letter from Walt Disney World Resort security.
“This letter should be considered formal notification that you are not authorized, licensed, or invited to be on Walt Disney World Resort property as a guest or an employee,” Nik read in the video. “This trespass warning is in effect from this date for an indefinite period of time. Should you return to Walt Disney World prior to the termination of the aforementioned trespass period, you may be arrested in accordance with Florida law.”
Anyone wanna help a fella get a trespass warning lifted?
@judyhoppsl0vr69 Anyone wanna help a fella get a tresspass warning lifted? 🙏🏼 #fyp #viral #disney
Unlike the other creators on this list, Nik hadn’t been caught behaving badly at a Disney theme park. Instead, the cause for his trespass warning was allegedly his extreme love of Zootopia (2016) character Judy Hopps (hence the username). His TikTok is packed with pledges of adoration for the animated rabbit, including some, um, inappropriate illustrations and threats to steal a Judy Hopps animatronic from Disney World. (Worth noting is that there is no Judy Hopps animatronic in the United States, although Walt Disney Imagineering did debut a prototype Judy Hopps animatronic in 2023).
Jason Jeter
Unlike the case of JudyHoppsLovr69, the story of this ban is true.
In 2021, TikToker Jason Jeter (AKA @showmelovejete) was not only banned but fired from Walt Disney World Resort after filming himself doing silly things such as drinking water from various non-drinking-water-sources around the resort (including a Disney Springs fountain), as well as entering a wedding pavilion without permission.
He explained how he got banned in a TikTok. “So, I’m going to Grand Floridian to get food,” he says. “As soon as I get there I’m sitting in the parking lot. For five minutes. Disney security is circling my car. I’m like, ‘This is sus, but what’s the worst that’s gonna happen?’ The worst happened. As soon as I get out of the car, Orange County Police Department pulls up.”
The police then reportedly claimed that they “have a trespass warning for you from Disney. You’re no longer allowed on the property.” Jeter also alleged that security followed him home to make sure he had truly left Disney property.
Since then, Jeter has made several attempts at having his ban rescinded. In 2022, he somehow found the personal email address of then-CEO Bob Chapek and attempted to contact him for his help. The content creator has also managed to visit all of the other Disney parks dotted across the globe – including Disneyland Resort. Disney World, however, remains just out of reach (at least, for now).
Christopher Martin
Last year, Christopher Martin received a lifetime ban from the Walt Disney World Resort after he and his wife, Hannah, sold unauthorized Disney merchandise on their Facebook page and inside Disney Parks.
While they’re definitely not the only ones doing this, the difference between the Martins and other sellers was the fact that they directly tried to associate themselves with Disney, listing their business address as Walt Disney World Resort and hosting giveaways that included their items with official Disney World merchandise.
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In January 2023, the duo received a 700-page cease-and-desist order from The Walt Disney Company – which they ignored. In the order, Disney claimed the Martins “has not only ignored Plaintiffs’ demand to surrender any and all infringing merchandise within its possession but has also used sales promotions to sell as many infringing products as quickly as possible—including as recently as November 2, 22.”
The couple also ran the Facebook group Sparkling Dreamers, which sold Disney World merchandise. Eventually, Disney got the page shut down after a lawsuit, and the Martins were told that they’d need to pay Disney $100,000 if they ever infringed on its copyright again.
Got banned from Disney World & clearing the air on it
@originalchrismartin Replying to @🏰💗Disney pinky 💗 🏰 Got banned from Disney World & clearing the air on it #disney #wdw #fyp #fypシ #foryoupage #foryou #sparklingdreamers #mouseears
While they’re resolutely banned from Disney World, the duo still frequent other Disney theme parks, having filmed themselves at Tokyo Disney Resort.
Pete Z
As far as infringing Disney rules go, fully breaking into the theme parks is up there with the most grounds for a lifetime ban. That didn’t deter YouTuber Pete Z, though, who continued his series of trying to break into various locations with a video at Disneyland in 2023.
Having found a way to walk into a cast member entrance and directly enter Disney California Adventure Park, Pete’s time in Disneyland Resort included rooting through a trash can and eating the remains of a churro to avoid spending money. While he attempted to stay overnight by hiding in a bathroom, security ultimately found him, knocking on the door to inform him that “the park’s closed.”
At the end of the video (which was aptly named “I illegally snuck into Disneyland”), Pete waved what he claimed was a trespass notice. He also posted a picture of the trespass notice on X (formerly known as Twitter). This claims that he has received a “lifetime ban” and that any further attempts to visit the park may “institute criminal proceedings against you” and that he may be “subject to arrest.”
My reaction to Disneyland banning me for LIFE….
My reaction to Disneyland banning me for LIFE…. pic.twitter.com/7x4gzyaPqB
— Pete Z (@PeteZog) May 14, 2023
Needless to say, this kind of behavior is categorically banned at Disney Parks – or any theme park, for that matter. The consequences can be extremely serious and definitely not worth any number of likes or subscribers.
Will TikTok Be Banned at Disney?
As some take the behavior of few to reflect the many, some have called for the total ban of social media platforms like TikTok. This follows moves from the government to ban the app on a national scale. In March 2024, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.7521, a bill to ban TikTok unless its owner, ByteDance, sold it within 180 days.
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In April, the House included a modified version of the bill in a foreign aid package, extending the divestiture period to 270 days, with an optional 90-day extension. The Senate passed this bill, and President Biden signed it into law on April 24, 2024. On May 7, 2024, TikTok and ByteDance, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of Appeals, contesting the legislation over claims it violated the First Amendment.
Whether or not this will result in an actual ban remains to be seen (and ultimately the concerns that led the government to even consider banning TikTok were much bigger than people who create controversial content at locations such as Disney). However, it’ll be interesting to see how (or if) this ban impacts content creation at Disney theme parks.
What are your thoughts on these cases of influencers being banned from Disney?