Selfie Sticks Not Allowed on Disney Attractions
You’ve seen them everywhere…the prolific elongated rod where people attach a camera or a phone to a clamp to help them take a selfie. Ah…the good old selfie stick. Many have strong opinions either loving them or hating them. So, while the rule has always been in place that all personal items need to be stored prior to riding an attraction, it would seem, that with the number of these sticks you now see in the parks, that guests would need a reminder.
As the announcements go when boarding attractions, guests are to keep their hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the attraction vehicles at all time; this includes selfie sticks. (Or really anything that would stick up out of the moving attraction vehicle.) All guests’ personal belongings are to be properly stored when onboard an attraction, tram, or other moving vehicle. If a Cast Member sees a selfie stick while boarding an attraction, the guest will be asked to put it away.
On another note, if you are in a congested area, you should also consider refraining from utilizing your selfie stick.
Keep in mind, this is not a full on ban of selfie sticks at Walt Disney World or Disneyland; the best tip is to just be mindful of the guests around you.
While I am clearly going to be opening a can of worms asking this question: what are your thoughts on selfie sticks?
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Safety. Courtesy. Show. Efficiency.
That’s the Cast Members’ code, in that order, and for excellent reasons.
A selfie stick violates the first 3 rules and therefore is only appropriate in specific, limited circumstances.
I love my selfie stick. When in WDW I used it to take pictures of me when my husband was on the rides I don’t like to go on. I then send them to my family at home and they have to guess exactly where I am!! Sometimes I take pictures where its obvious where I am and sometimes they have to do a bit of thinking about where I am. I then store the stick in my bag until I want to take another picture. There is so much to see at WDW and I want to see it all first hand – not through my phone screen! Would never try using it on any attractions because a) it would be annoying to others, b) I might break of lose my phone (and stick) and c) I might miss something on the ride while messing about with the stick.
I don’t mind selfie sticks if their users stop, take a photo, and then store the thing somewhere until they want to take another photo. The folks you see walking along looking at the mobile phone at the end of the stick instead of watching where they’re going are a safety hazard and should be told to stash the stick until they’re stationary.
My thought on them is as follows: use a selfie stick if you choose, but know that you are branding yourself as a spectacular douchebag. It’s the 2015 version of the Ed Hardy t-shirt.
Regardless, glad to see them banned on attractions, just because of the potential that you could inadvertently hit something that was supposed to be outside of the envelope of protection or inadvertently block someone else’s view.
“Spectacular douchebag”, and Ed Hardy t-shirt of 2015; I absolutely agree with your hilarious sentiments.
I am aware of an incident recently where a selfie stick was used on Big Thunder Mountain activatim motion detectors meant to detect someoneeavinf the ride while it is moving. It caused the ride to be shut down for over an hour.
I have friends who have had what we affectionately called the “steeeeek”. It was great for group shots and both of them had monitors so they could see what they were taking a picture of and what was behind them. We did not use on rides…. well maybe once on It’s a small world to get a picture of all of us on the boat.
We did learn that if you are horsing around and you use the “steeeek” to look up the shorts of one of your friends, Disney security will appear very quickly. Only use your stick for good. 🙂
I think Walt always wanted to “plus” his rides and attractions. I’ve been on many rides that have been “lessened” by people taking flash pictures, videoing the entire ride with external lighting, having bright cell phones out so that they can keep a memory of THEIR perfect day. When I hear the word “selphie”, I have to fight back the need to regurgitate in my mouth. It’s all about self centered people engaging in self centered activities at the expense of others who don’t happen to think that their, uh, poop doesn’t stink. Walt would be pleased to see that things like this are banned, but he would only see it as a SMALL step in the right direction.
More like SELFISH sticks. Ruin the illusion for everyone else, for the sake of a crappy photo.
The worst is when you see groups of people taking turns taking selfies. As if they’ve forgotten how to take turns taking pictures of each other! Not to mention that ANY of us would be more than happy to take a quick group shot of your family.
That being said, I’m not sure if this is any more rude than people who hold up full-sized tablets during Wishes or Illuminations. Just a general lack of consideration, blocking everyone’s view when there are MUCH better, tripod-recorded versions in HD and 5.1 surround on YouTube!
Remember when we used to ask other people to take our picture? Part of what I love about WDW is that I never feel strange asking someone else to take my picture, creating no need for a selfie stick.
A. It’s a safety hazard on some rides. A fast stop or turn could make you lose it under the ride track. You might also hit yourself or a neighbor in the process.
B. Your phone and camera should not be out on rides anyway. The bright screen ruins the ride for those around you.
C. People preoccupied with their equipment slow the boarding process by not paying attention to their lap bars or signals from the staff. This lowers throughput and everyone is inconvenienced by a longer wait time.
I find them very sad. As in “look at me all alone taking pictures of myself”.
Last August I saw people actually using selfie sticks for the first time. I thought it looked kind of idiotic as the guy in the flying Dumbo behind mine was holding it out. What I didn’t consider at the time is what would have happened if he had dropped it or otherwise lost control. Someone could really get hurt by those things ricocheting off a moving ride! That said, I think people will continue to use them unless real consequences are enforced.
These restrictions are totally reasonable. I really don’t understand the general ire around selfie sticks — as far as I can tell, they’re just a convenient way to get a better angle on a shot you’d probably be taking anyway. Is it just because they’re new? Or is it that the name contains the word “self”? People who are going to be jerks will find a way to do so, with or without the newest gadget.
The inherent problem is not with the selfie stick. It is with the lack of courtesy from many of the people who use them.
I can relate to being short, beary short, and having very beary short arms! (My selfies are really bad!)
Anybear,…. I don’t mind the selfie sticks when humans are actually taking a selfie. I just don’t like them when they are walking all around the park videoing everyone and everything.
Some people seem to spend more time trying to display that they are having fun, than actually having real fun!
In reality though, the things aren’t generally dangerous, so I tend to be at the ‘live and let live’ phase (for now!)
I know you want to capture every exciting (or un-exciting) minute, but when that desire becomes intrusive into the ability of others to enjoy themselves, then it’s a problem. Step to the side and snap a selfie with a stick (or not) and I don’t give it a second thought. Come to a stop in the middle of a crowded street and then I have a problem. Grab a shot before you board a ride, have at it. Hold up the start of the ride because you are trying to get a selfie-on-a-stick without regard to others waiting to ride, totally not cool. As long as you are respectful of others, I probably won’t even notice. Oh, who am I kidding, if I see a selfie stick, I’m gonna chuckle even if you are out of the way being respectful.
I think the “step to the side” rule should be used more for all situations! Can’t tell you how many times I have been in the flow of traffic and then had to call an emergency all stop because the double stroller parent in front of us decided to check the map or phone RIGHT NOW, or even worse, reverse direction. (we even have a name for it – the Crazy Ivan)
I don’t think they should be allowed in the park at all. Someone is going to poke someone’s eye out…that’s a joke…a bad one. In all seriousness, they can become problematic in crowded areas. I would just ban them in the parks altogether before it becomes too popular to have them.
I can see why people like them to take pictures in the parks, but I can only imagine that it would cause some problems in the future if too many people start using them. I think people holding up their iPads and iPhones during parades and shows are just as big of a problem. Can we outlaw that too? 😉
Ban them everywhere.
In general, I have no issue with a selfie stick- not my cup of tea, but I can definately see why some people want to use them, and as long as people are respectful of everyone around them when using them then no issue. The key, of course, is being respectful of those around them. They definately shouldn’t be out on rides, though (or in super crowded situations such as fireworks/ parade in my opinion). Not only because of the possible safety risk, but because of how easily they fall into the same list of pet peeves like flash photos and holding up an Ipad the entire show/ride to take pictures/ video and distracting or blocking the view of everyone else.
I’m not a fan of selfie sticks . . . they are a sad indication of how narcissistic our society is becoming. And while I am at it (and clearly becoming a cranky old woman) – GET OFF MY LAWN! I can see a use for the sticks if you’re using them to get some photos of what’s happening behind all those construction walls in the parks, though!
I actually want one because I’m extremely short; I can rarely get good photographs anywhere I vacation now because I’m unfortunately boob or ab height relative to the general population. You have to have a good sense of humor about it or it’s endlessly awkward. It would be great to be able to get me and my husband in a photo without having to borrow/bother a stranger and even MORE great to be able to get shots without people’s heads poking up sometimes halfway into the picture! The crowds aren’t getting less, so maybe a selfie stick is in my future for our next WDW trip.
I used one of these but NOT as a selfie. it was a pole bought with my Go Pro, and I used it to take some GREAT video on our last trip. Oh well.. I guess… i’ll get the small hand grip for our next one..
When we were at DL in Jan, there was a guy with the Go Pro head mounted camera riding in the front car of California Screamin’. You could do it that way!
Last month a person tried to mount a GoPro onto the bar of a seat on Big Thunder Mountain RR and a cast member told him that he couldn’t do that for safety reasons. If it comes loose then it’s a very hard projectile for people in the rear cars.
I don’t own one and have only seen one or two of them ever. I don’t even know where you would buy one here. The first time I saw one was in an airport and it made me giggle. I am surprised you are allowed to take them on the plane.
I wouldn’t waste my money, I have long arms.
Hahaha, you are blessed indeed! They’re not for titans, but are perfect for those of us with dinosaur arms. ;D