Credit: Shanghai DisneylandA recent investigation at one Disney park has led to the arrest of 33 people.
Disney theme parks may vary from one country to the next, but certain things remain constant, such as Mickey Mouse, pricey merchandise, thrilling rides, and more carbs than you can count. Alongside the fun, however, comes a firm set of rules designed to keep everything running smoothly.
At every Disney park, guests are expected to dress appropriately — a rule that’s sparked plenty of social media outrage from those who’ve been dress-coded – as well as to avoid wearing a costume that may lead to them being mistaken for a Disney character or cast member. Visitors are also required to treat others with respect and follow basic standards of conduct. And while it may seem obvious, it’s worth noting: anything illegal outside the park is just as illegal inside it.
In recent years, we’ve seen guests get into trouble with both the Mouse and law enforcement over everything from attempting to bring illegal substances into Magic Kingdom to bringing a concealed weapon into Disney Springs. Bringing any kind of prohibited item – whether that’s knives, dry ice, or self-defense tools like pepper spray or mace – into the parks can also land you in trouble.
Earlier this month, a totally different kind of criminal offense was reported at one Disney resort, leading to the arrest of 33 people.
Two Criminal Rings Uncovered at Disney Park
According to local news reports, a criminal ring was uncovered at Shanghai Disneyland, where room keys to Shanghai Disneyland Hotel and Toy Story Hotel have allegedly been replicated and sold en masse to allow more guests early entry to the theme park.
In March, local authorities discovered that suspicious individuals in Disneytown – the resort’s shopping and dining district, similar to Disney Springs and Downtown Disney – were buying Disney theme hotel room cards from tourists. Shanghai Disneyland had also noted a recent surge in the number of tourists entering the park before official opening hours with the aid of hotel room keys, with this number outpacing the number of actual residents at its two hotels.
Having concluded that criminals were replicating room cards to defraud naive guests, authorities set up a special task force and identified not one but two criminal gangs. On July 7, the task force arrested 33 suspects. It also seized printers thought to have been used to alter hotel room cards, plus over 500 unused fake room cards and other devices.
At Shanghai Disneyland, guests staying at Disney resort hotels can enjoy the complimentary perk of using the park’s priority entrance. Guests not staying on property can also purchase early access, known as the Early Park Entry Pass, via the Shanghai Disney Resort app.
Presumably, some guests who purchased the counterfeit passes were under the assumption that they were purchasing legitimate Early Park Entry Passes.
While there’s no guarantee that all rides will open during this period, some of those frequently available for guests with early access include Soaring Over the Horizon, TRON Lightcycle Power Run, Jet Packs, Peter Pan’s Flight, Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Hunny Pot Spin, Pirates of the Caribbean – Battle for the Sunken Treasure (often considered the definitive take on the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction), Roaring Rapids, and Woody’s Roundup.
Members of the two gangs in question reportedly admitted to purchasing hotel door cards from guests who didn’t plan on using the benefit, then reselling them on social media for 120 to 150 yuan ($17 to $21) apiece. As demand grew, they turned to creating counterfeit room cards for more people to enter the park early. It’s thought they made a collective 300,000 yuan ($41,900) through their efforts.
As park security measures continue to tighten, counterfeiters apparently have adapted with increasingly sophisticated tactics. According to investigators, criminals acquired legitimate hotel room cards, obtained the daily verification codes printed on the back, and used software tools to forge both the codes and the accommodation details. Fraudsters even coached buyers on how to respond to security checks to improve their chances.
To combat this, park security has introduced NFC verification, though high guest volume sometimes limits enforcement. Authorities confirmed that the scheme had resulted in more than 300,000 yuan in losses by the time of discovery. Ren Mou and several others have been placed under criminal detention, and the case remains under investigation.
Disney Parks Continue To Crack Down On Illegal Behavior
Shanghai Disneyland has faced similar issues with scalpers and unethical behavior in the past.
In late 2024, the park – which is the newest in Disney’s international lineup, at least until the opening of Disneyland Abu Dhabi – confirmed that it would require guests to present the same ID declared when purchasing their park tickets upon arrival. Each ID can only be used to purchase one ticket, and international guests can use a valid foreign passport or PRC Foreign Permanent Resident ID card.
This measure was introduced to eliminate the ticket scalpers that often gathered around the park entrance, attempting to sell ‘cheaper’ versions of Shanghai Disneyland tickets.
Children’s tickets are now also sold based on age rather than height. Until Shanghai Disneyland made the change, kids under three years old – or shorter than one meter tall – on the day of their visit received free park admission. Meanwhile, those aged between three and eleven, or between one meter and 1.4 meters tall, received a 25% discount on their ticket.
Around the same time, Shanghai Disneyland announced that it would crack down on guests entering the park with electric wheelchairs. After reports emerged that businesses near the park were providing electric wheelchair rental services, and, in order to deal with the inspection when entering Shanghai Disneyland, an “inspection form” to ensure access, it released a statement stating that it would only permit guests to enter the park with electric wheelchairs if required due to limited mobility.
These came into effect in early December 2024, restricting electric wheelchair usage to guests who are disabled or elderly, have lower limb mobility impairments, or have certain health conditions and limited mobility. Guests must register through the Shanghai Disney Resort Reservation Center before 8 p.m., two days before their visit. Once in the park, guests must also travel at walking speed, with a maximum speed of no more than 6 km/h.
Have you ever noticed similar behavior in action at a Disney park?