Is guest behavior at Disney’s theme parks changing?
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Called “The Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland is home to some of the most popular and cherished theme park experiences in the world.
From classic dark rides like Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan’s Flight, two rides that recently received some much-needed TLC, to thrilling roller coasters like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and the jerky-yet-iconic Matterhorn Bobsleds, guests will find a near-endless selection of fun and magical experiences at Disneyland.
Part of what makes the Disney theme parks so great is their family-friendly atmosphere, with both Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts enacting certain rules that help maintain a fun, magical environment for both guests and employees alike.
However, these rules are not always followed, with one guest recently breaking the cardinal rule of any theme park.
Disney Guest Dunks Body in Pirate Water
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Earlier this week, a guest was caught plunging their arm deep into the waters of Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean. The original video was taken and shared by jerendelle_official on Instagram, with the incident quickly spreading across all of social media.
The entire video from jerendelle_official was shared by Twitter/X user DisneyScoopGuy.
A man was spotted dunking his head into the water on Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland this week. Don’t be like this guy.
A man was spotted dunking his head into the water on Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland this week. Don’t be like this guy.
🎥: @ItsJerendelle pic.twitter.com/AgZpZKlTKN
— Matt Desmond (@DisneyScoopGuy) September 5, 2024
The guest dunks almost their entire arm into the water right before the lift hill. At one point, the guest almost puts their face in the water. It’s unknown what the guest was trying to do, but this action is strictly prohibited by Disney.
Even if the guest dropped one of their belongings in the water, Disney instructs guests to keep their hands arms feet, and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times, a common warning for all theme parks.
While it’s unspecified what happened once the guest exited the ride, actions such as these have resulted in guests getting ejected from the parks.
Is Guest Behavior Changing?
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Over the last several months, there have been multiple instances of guests getting kicked from both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, with an incident unfolding recently involving a cryptocurrency scheme.
A now-viral video taken several weeks ago revealed the moment a guest was caught placing up their own banner at the entrance to Disneyland. The banner reportedly advertised a form of cryptocurrency. The guest was quickly approached by a Disneyland cast member and asked to leave the premises.
That’s not all. Earlier this year, notorious content creator Jack Doherty posted a video showing him getting banned from the Walt Disney World Resort. That same week, Doherty was also issued a ban from the Universal Orlando Resort.
Last year, a guest exposed themselves while inside Disneyland’s “it’s a small world.”
While Disney tends to take it easy on guests, it’s always best to follow the rules the theme parks employ, not only for the safety of guests but for employees as well.
While the large majority of guests do follow the rules, there will always be one (or multiple) outliers, especially in the age of social media. It’s possible social media is responsible for some of this bad behavior, not just at the Disney theme parks but in general, with wild YouTube and TikTok videos being created every single day.
Last year, a guest jumped off one of the bridges at Disney World’s EPCOT theme park, landing straight into the manmade body of water called World Showcase Lagoon.
The guest reportedly jumped off the bridge as a bet, though it’s possible social media fame was also a reason for doing something so bold and brash.
What do you think about guest behavior at the Disney theme parks?