What started as a typical summer morning at Disneyland in Anaheim quickly morphed into a security orchestration fit for a president—just because Vice President JD Vance reportedly arrived with his family for a surprise visit. With heightened safety measures in place and ICE protesters clashing with Secret Service, rides like Big Thunder Mountain Railroad have reportedly been temporarily shut and thoroughly swept before the VP gets his turn.
Big Thunder Secured Ahead of Vance’s Arrival
A recent Reddit post in the Disneyland subreddit captured the moment:
“BTMRR was cycled out. Holding queue at merge. Station is covered in security. K9 sniffing down load area. Couch man must be close….”
Translation: Once the security team got the signal, the line stopped at the merge, trains were cleared, and a canine unit inspected the ride area—leaving parkgoers stranded while the VP’s team moves in.
What Guests Are Asking
Unsurprisingly, guests aren’t thrilled:
“So how does this work—him and his family get to ride rides while everyone else has to wait?”
One attendee summed it up:
“Pretty much. Same thing happened with Beyoncé and other higher noted celebrities.”
Behind-the-Scenes: VP vs Celebrity Treatment
Another Redditor tried to explain how this process differs:
“Does it happen exactly the same? I imagine for celebrities like Beyoncé, they have an escort and just skip lines. I imagine that for VD, he has an armed security detail and they’re clearing paths throughout the park for him and essentially are shutting down rides in advance of his arrival. Now, I don’t know this. This is just how I imagine how this happens.”
Someone else added clarity:
“Yes, but regular celebrities are kind of more discreet about it… I imagine they need to stop a lot more things for the presidential escort and extra security.”
Again, another chimed in:
“Security sweeps for celebs, no, but cycling the rides so they are the only ones on and stopping the queue at the merge, absolutely… guests were upset because she [Beyoncé] was ‘shutting down’ the rides so her and her family could ride it by themselves.”
An example from Halloween Horror Nights:
“This happened at HHN. The Weeknd was there and every maze we went to was ‘closed down’… we talked to an associate… ‘yeah the Weeknd is in the mazes when they’re closed down.’ ”
Public Outrage: “Wasteful Government Spending”
Not everyone is focused just on the rides:
“It honestly must suck to be there today—and the amount of wasteful government spending going on for a vacation…”
Some asked if public backlash was allowed:
“Are guests allowed to boo him?”
One Redditor spoke for disappointed vacationers:
“So many once-a-year… trips being ruined by this.”
That user continued:
“This guy can go anytime he wants… Yet some family saved for months or years to do a once-in-a-lifetime trip… Then after all the planning they show up only to find rides closed off seemingly at random because another human requires an army… I would rather see them go with multiple security guards forced to ride with them… you shouldn’t have to bow down to your celebrity… A full shutdown and sweep of every ride is asinine…”
Why the Restriction? Vice Presidential Security & Protest Risks
This isn’t Disneyland’s first high-security event. In fact, ICE protesters clashed with police and Secret Service on July 11, when the VP allegedly checked into the Grand Californian Hotel & Spa—triggering Temporary Flight Restrictions over Anaheim and SWAT-like readiness across the resort. Motorcades, helicopters, additional bag checks, and uniformed security disrupted the park experience—for guests and protesters alike.
What Guests Should Expect This Weekend
If you’re visiting through July 13:
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Expect ride holds, frequent station shutdowns, and K9 sweeps.
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Security presence is heavier and more visible than usual.
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Hosts may reroute guests around blocked areas and pause ride queues at unpredictable times.
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Transportation to/from hotels, rideshare, and Downtown Disney may also be affected.
A Disneyland Visit Caught Between Politics and Entertainment
Between crowd control, VIP privileges, and protests at the gate, what was supposed to be a magical family day has become something else entirely. Guests saved up for years—only to find their dream Disneyland experience hijacked by political theater disguised as heightened security.
While many understand the precautions, others argue: once you step into the public sphere—even at the “Happiest Place on Earth”—your reality includes queues, crowds, and yes, normal vacation scheduling. Treating Disneyland as if it’s Camp David may be essential for safety—but it’s also deeply disruptive for the countless families hoping to make memories in the shadow of a vice-presidential visit.
So frustrating! Anaheim’s tourism business is already getting hammered by international travelers cancelling their vacations and conventions. Make no mistake, these people CALL the hotels to tell them exactly why they are cancelling, and they cite the Trump administration that Vance serves! Check the reservations system for Disney, there are openings available through the entire month of July, which is unheard of for “high season” in Anaheim! Visit Anaheim’s marketing team should do an international outreach campaign titled “we hate him too.”
So first the Trump/Vance policies destroy tourism, then they terrorize the workforce that tourism depends upon (don’t come at me about employing “illegals” because we know ICE is scooping up ANYONE who is brown and letting them go after they prove they are citizens, and after they have been traumatized for no good reason) and now those who do come to Anaheim are having their trip ruined for Vance’s “family time.” How about the family time of those separated from loved ones by this administration’s deliberate cruelty?
I am a middle-age white woman, used to be a Republican, and I was in that crowd of protestors last night. I can tell you that NONE of the tourists I encountered objected to the protests, they were high-fiving protestors, and cheering them on. I was born in Anaheim, I’ve seen many Resort protests for many reasons (some outright stupid) but never before have I seen such a reaction. Usually tourists resent protests, they don’t want reality to intrude on the fantasy they have saved for years to provide for their kids, but this time I saw ordinary white folk in Mickey t-shirts joining the protestors in their cheers. It was not intimidation to get through the crowds (which I have also seen in the past) this was genuine participation. Vance is NOT liked. I feel sorry for those who are having their vacation ruined by this pampered, privileged Princeling.
In hindsight I think Disney might want to rethink who they make concessions for. I would suggest telling his advance team that we are terribly sorry but we cannot provide the experience that the Vance family is seeking today. Perhaps the Florida parks might be more to their liking. Vance’s visit could easily hurt Disney’s reputation. Accommodating him certainly does not tell their largely Latino and/or LGBTQ workforce that the company stands with them. Too late now, I guess. The one upside to Vance coming here for vacation is putting the lie to the fictional narrative that California is in a state of rebellion against the Federal government and in need of military occupation. I assume Vance does not take his kids into active war zones for “family time.” But I don’t know the man, so maybe he does.
All you do is hate trump and vance. They do it for other celebrities. Educate yourself, and get a real job, your a moron.
Exactly
I hope they booed him
They did. There’s a TikTok video going around. He deserved it.
The crazy left has made it especially risky for our leadership to freely roam. Does that mean he should not have a break with his children? Grow up people. I am glad he got a day off.
“Got a day off?” At our expense.
He trash talks California all the time: “Crime is so bad, place is full of garbage, government is terrible” THEN he wants to come to OUR park, cause huge disruptions for people who may be having a once-in-a-lifetime trip, and WE get to pay for it. Go to Florida’s park, JD. Then you can take your kids on a side trip to show them the concentration camp you built.
Did you ever think its the riots and protesters? Maybe if your Representatives cleaned up the city, and stopped these your city would be better. CA is a mess. No tourist wants to see all that crap.
Did you forget Bidens. They were all in cages 100 degrees. OH wait you did. At least Fl they have beds, AC. Boo hoo, they came here illegally and the people voted for him to do his job. Get over it.
Did everyone forget years ago when Princess Diana visited. Rides were shut down. What about Beyonce’ when she comes goes to DL. How about Kim K and her clan. The man is aloud to enjoy his time with kids like they were. For those who are saying they should of booed him, SIT DOWN!!! Try doing his job, oh wait you can’t.