9 things you should never do in DC

While making this Disney “no-nos” list, I asked my 9-year-old son what he would add to the list. The main tip is not to eat churros before riding the roller coaster.

While this is certainly strong advice for those of us not born with iron stomachs, if you want to have a good time, it’s far from the only thing you shouldn’t do at a Disney park. And Remember your Disney citizens.

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These tips will not only save you money at Disney, but they can also save you from getting kicked out of the park and prevented from visiting again in the future – it happens.

Here are nine things you should never do at Disney:

Take photos or videos on the go – especially with the flash on

The Disney parks are some of the most photographed places in the world…and some of the most photographed as well. In addition to pastel-painted castles, there are colorful murals, themed grounds, adorable characters, and larger-than-life props that serve as picture-perfect backdrops for your picnic photos.

With life-like animatronics and stunning scenery, it’s hard to resist snapping a few photos or even sharing a video on social media on Disney rides. What many visitors don’t realize, however, is that taking photos or videos with a flash can draw the attention of guests around them and take them out of the moment.

If you drop your device in the middle of nowhere, there’s also a very good chance you’ll never see it again. Disney World has gone so far as to ban phones, cameras and other loose items on some of its rides, including Space Mountain.

If you want to take a quick photo, go for generation (where you ride where it’s allowed), but it’s always a good policy to make sure the flash is off first.

Get out of the trip when you don’t deserve it

You might think this goes without saying, but jumping from the center of the vehicle has become something of a trend of late. In the year In 2021, a guest jumped off a boat at Epcot’s Living with the Land and grabbed a pumpkin from one of the gardens on the ride. Recently, an alien left their spaceship on Spaceship Earth and settled in among the ride’s animatronic characters.

Abandoning your ride vehicle is not only a huge safety risk, it can get you kicked out of the park and potentially banned for life. This includes climbing things that aren’t meant to be climbed (ie, the Mayan Pyramid at Epcot’s Mexico Pavilion), jumping in fountains, and sticking your feet or hands in the water to climb Pirates of the Caribbean or Splash Mountain. By the way, these are all real things that happened.

If your safety — and your ability to visit Disney again in the future — is important to you, stay seated and keep your hands, arms, legs, and feet inside the ride at all times.

Get into fights with participating members or other guests

Another bad (and potentially dangerous) behavior that has recently increased is verbal and physical altercations with Disney cast members and other guests.

When you combine the sweltering Florida heat with screaming kids and the pressure to execute a perfectly planned vacation, it doesn’t take much to send you over the edge. It could be a Mickey balloon popping up your nose, a wheel running over your toes, or any of the above violations that instantly turn you into a Disney villain.

Before you let your bad side take over, however, take a deep breath and consider the consequences – at the very least, you might be asked to leave and your vacation may be cut short. At worst, there could be legal implications.

In fact, the lack of respect and kindness has led Disney World and Disneyland to add courtesy notices to their websites. A Disney World ad says: “Be the magic you want to see in the world. You must always remember to treat others with respect, kindness and compassion. Those who cannot meet this simple wish may be asked to leave the Walt Disney World Resort.” Disneyland advertising has similar wording and directs guests to the full rules and regulations.

Break the dress code to get a free shirt

Most Tik Tok trends involve dancing or dressing up as Green and knocking over your own family’s Christmas tree, but there’s one trend that’s catching on because guests are hoping to get some Disney swag from it.

Like other theme parks, Disney has a dress code that requires guests to wear “appropriate” attire and “reserves the right to deny or remove anyone wearing clothing that is inappropriate or detracts from the experience of others.” guests”

Exactly what “appropriate” means isn’t exactly defined, but after the guest posted a viral TikTok video in 2021 in which she shared how she was given a free shirt by Disney after she was seen wearing a very revealing shirt, others have similar “hacks,” with varying degrees of success.

If you meet the “dress code,” Disney is not required to provide you with a complimentary shirt. They can’t take you back and let you in until you change into something else, for lack of a better word, ideal.

Leave valuables in your cart.

As you pass through the Disneyland entrance, there is a poster emblazoned with a famous Walt Disney quote. “Look, you left today and entered the world of yesterday, tomorrow and nightmares,” he says. And, while the Disney parks are relatively crime-free, you can’t let yourself get so carried away that you forget about your personal safety.

Unfortunately, this is my own fault. There have been many times where I have parked the cart to go to an attraction and left my wallet, phone or other such items behind. I knew my things – or my entire cart – might be gone when I got back, but it felt like a very slim chance I’d let my guard down.

It only took reading a few stories and social media posts of other guests who had valuables and Disney memorabilia stolen from their carts for me to be extra careful.

On Disneyland’s own website, a PlanDisney panelist responded to a question about stroller safety by recommending that guests try a tracker like Apple’s Air Tag or remove the wheel from your stroller and keep it with you. That’s not something I’ve had to do yet, but I’m sure I’ll lose something I don’t want left in my cart…like a box of eaten popcorn.

Treat the actors with courtesy

Having spent many years of my life working in customer service, I know all too well that staff facing strangers often find themselves in a state of anger and frustration over situations they did not and cannot handle. About anything.

Unfortunately, I’ve seen this happen all too often at Disney. It can be frustrating when things don’t go as planned on your Disney vacation, especially when you spent a lot of money getting there and spent a lot of time planning your trip.

Cast members spend their time trying to make your trip as magical and memorable as possible, and when things go wrong, kindness goes beyond anger – for everyone involved.

Spend money on things you can find outside of the parks for less

As much as I love Disney, I don’t drive there to stock up on essentials like sunscreen, ponchos, and bottled water. Those items are certainly available at Disney if you find yourself wanting them, but you can find them much cheaper outside of the parks.

On most Disney trips, I schedule a grocery delivery via Shipt or Instacart for drinks and snacks to be delivered to my Disney hotel room. You can store sunscreen, over-the-counter medications, and other items you forgot on your order and save space in your luggage or buy these items before you leave home.

You can find ponchos for less than $2 at Target and other mass retailers. The Mickey Mouse ponchos you can find at Disney may be more fashionable, but they run more than $10 each. The same goes for things like flip-flops, swimwear, bubble wands (or other toys to distract bored kids) and bottled water. You can buy most of these items cheaply outside the parks. Pack a reusable water bottle that you can refill at water fountains around the park.

That leaves money for the souvenirs and snacks you really want and can’t find anywhere else.

Put your child on your shoulder during fireworks or a parade

They’ve found the perfect fireworks spot, only to have someone swoop in at the last second and hoist their child onto their shoulders. It can be a real drag, especially if you have kids of your own who have been waiting patiently to see the fireworks.

I think that this is usually done with good intentions, and the person does not realize that he is rude to the people around him. They want to help their child get a better view, but in doing so, they spoil the view of the guests behind them. But when you’re in a Disney-sized crowd, you always have to know who’s around you.

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If I want to help my kids have a better view, I sometimes carry them so they are at eye level or choose a crowded area away from the house castle. If you want to make sure you get a prime spot, you can book a dinner or dessert party that includes a private fireworks display.

If you are over 14 years old, dress in character

No matter how many times you turn it off, Disney won’t let you into the parks if you’re wearing the perfect Crolla de Ville costume, complete with wig and faux fur coat. This applies to all guests aged 14 or over with or without masks.

This is for safety and to make sure no one looks like a Disney character in the parks. The only exceptions to this rule are at special events such as Mickey’s Scariest Halloween Party, Disney events, and Star Wars: The Galactic Starcruiser.

There is still a way to include your favorite Disney characters while visiting a Disney park and it’s called “DisneyBounding.” We visited one year during Halloween. My husband and I were “decided” like Robin Hood and Maid Marian. We wore the same colors as the characters and threw on some fox ears, but the difference between our costumes and the characters’ costumes was such that no one would recognize us as the “real” Robin Hood and Maid Marian.

There are plenty of ways to get creative with your Disney collections while staying within park guidelines, so have fun with it.

at last

There is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into a Disney vacation, but one of the easiest things you can do on your trip is to follow the rules and be kind and courteous to those around you.

It will make your vacation even more magical and you may be making someone else’s Disney trip even more magical.