
Everyone knows the basic rules of visiting Disney parks. Don’t bring in weapons, don’t antagonize or disrespect cast members, and don’t try to get around buying park tickets if you don’t want to end up with a polite trespass notice from The Walt Disney Company.
But behind the standard dos-and-don’ts lie some surprising rules that visitors might not expect. From dress codes to banned items, these guidelines are designed to maintain a specific atmosphere and ensure safety. Yet, for many first-time visitors or unaware regulars, certain policies can easily catch you off guard – and potentially even result in being asked to leave the park altogether.
If you want to keep the magic going without ending up exiled by the Mouse, take note of these Disney park rules before your next trip.
Absolutely NO Selfie Sticks at Disney Parks
Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort banned selfie sticks in June 2015 because they realized that nobody actually enjoys being impaled by a rogue amateur photographer hoping to catch a blurry picture of Cinderella Castle while waiting for the fireworks.
They also pose a pretty significant health and safety risk if someone decides to whip them out mid-Space Mountain.
Guests who try to bring them into the park will either be asked to return their selfie sticks to their hotel room or leave them in lockers at the parks’ entrances and collect them later.
While they are banned at Disneyland Paris, too, you may notice that the rule seems to be less strictly enforced. Wandering around the park, you’d be hard-pressed not to spot a handful of other guests with a selfie stick in hand. They’re also banned at Tokyo Disney Resort, Hong Kong Disneyland, and Shanghai Disneyland.
You Can’t Hang Your Clothes on the Balcony
Disney World strictly forbids hanging clothes on balconies to preserve the resort’s immaculate, picture-perfect vibe.
Again, we’ve definitely seen people trying to do this regardless, but the idea is that a line of drying laundry and a stray towel or shirt flapping in the wind isn’t exactly the most aesthetic thing in the world. We get it – the Central Florida rain is relentless, but if you need to dry something off quickly, you may be better off enlisting the help of your resort’s laundry service.
There’s also a more serious reason why Walt Disney World guests can’t do this. Wind can easily whip loose clothing off balconies, creating potential hazards for guests below or interfering with resort operations.
Forget Dressing up as a Princess (Or Any Other Character) at Disney Parks
This is one of Disney’s better-known rules, and yet we still plenty of guests attempting to sneak into Magic Kingdom Park dressed as their favorite character.
As per the Disney World website, “Costumes and costume masks, which may not be worn by Guests 14 years of age or older.” The only exception is Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party or similar themed events.
This isn’t because Disney wants to put a damper on your day. Instead, it’s more about preserving character integrity. If a grown adult enters a theme park dressed as Snow White, there’s a high chance a child may confuse them for the real thing – and, of course, there’s not much Disney can do to control what said adult may say or do.
Wrapped Gifts Are a No-No
Again, don’t mistake this for Disney being a killjoy. While you’re welcome to bring gifts into the park for your friends or family, these can’t be pre-wrapped. Security needs to know what’s being brought onto property – for your safety and everyone else’s.
Multiple Items Aren’t Allowed Into Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Roughly 2000 animals live at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. To keep them safe, there are a few items that are restricted at the park that aren’t restricted elsewhere. This includes plastic straws (which pose a choking hazard to unknowing animals) and balloons, with the park having a well-advertised, official rule that prohibits guests from bringing in either item.
The risk of the latter lies in the chance that balloons could escape and land in the savanna of Kilimanjaro Safaris, posing a serious threat to the animals. Not only that, but recovering them from the savanna could also be dangerous for cast members.
All is not lost if you are Park Hopping from Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, or Hollywood Studios with a Mickey Mouse balloon in hand. Upon arriving at Animal Kingdom, a cast member will kindly intervene, guiding them to a designated spot where the balloon will be checked into “Balloon Daycare” for safekeeping. The balloon stays there for the day until the guest retrieves it when they leave, ensuring the park remains safe for its animals (and you don’t lose out on your pricy purchase).
Don’t Get Comfy
Okay, you can get comfy – but not totally on your own terms. Helpful though they may be while waiting for the parades or fireworks, folding chairs are strictly prohibited within Disney parks (plus Disney World’s water parks and Disney Springs) due to the obstacles and safety risks they pose to the guests around you. We recommend settling down on the curb instead.
Leave the Explicit T-Shirts at Home
It shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise that the dress code at Disney parks means clothing with explicit phrases or images isn’t welcome. We’ve seen guests rapped over inappropriate clothing choices in the past, including someone who was allegedly denied entry while wearing a t-shirt with a fake gun on it and those featuring profanity.
As a general rule, any overly revealing clothing can also result in guests being denied entry. Tank tops with loose strings aren’t allowed on Disney property because they can easily be untied.
Characters Won’t Sign Everything at Disney Parks
Over the years, guests have become increasingly creative with what they ask characters to sign at Disney beyond the standard autograph books. But they won’t (and can’t) sign everything.
As per Disney, characters cannot sign anything a guest is currently wearing, and any clothing handed to them must be clean. Additionally, they are unable to sign items that are offensive or pose any danger.
Other Disney theme parks also enforce rules about how many items a character can sign at once. At Shanghai Disneyland, for example, you’re restricted to one autograph per meet and greet so as to keep things ticking over quickly for everyone else in line.
What Disney parks rule surprises you most?