Florida Resident Disney Vloggers on YouTube

[Prince-1]

Agreed. Also, we (and Disney) have no idea how many of these unauthorized tours actually are poaching customers away from the VIP Tours. People who feel lime they need a tour guide might not know that Disney offers that service. Obviously not everyone can afford that service, but there's a reason why Disney offers it at the price they do. And when Disney is learning of DAS abuse by some of these unauthorized guides then they can't waste time investigating every single one to figure out if they're one of the abusers. It's much quicker and easier to drop the hammer on everyone the catch offering those types of tours, especially since they are breaking Disney's rules either way.

The only issue I have is the way Disney handled it by giving zero notice to these people and then proceeding to ban them from entering the parks but it is totally in their right to do so and I agree that these people shouldn’t be allowed to run a tour inside of any park.

 

[castlecake2.0]

Disney charges like 7k and includes unlimited lightning lane. They do not offer tours that are merely a personal guide and planning for much less.

Resort Concierge and/or Guest Relations are free planning resources for any guest

 

[Colonel Angus]

The only issue I have is the way Disney handled it by giving zero notice to these people and then proceeding to ban them from entering the parks but it is totally in their right to do so and I agree that these people shouldn’t be allowed to run a tour inside of any park.

I don’t think they deserve any notice for blatantly violating policy and profiting from it. They knew what they were doing.

 

[Prince-1]

I don’t think they deserve any notice for blatantly violating policy and profiting from it. They knew what they were doing.

That Disney knew this was going on for many years and did nothing is the reason why they should have handled it differently but like I said I do think it was a good idea that Disney stopped it.

 

[Colonel Angus]

That Disney knew this was going on for many years and did nothing is the reason why they should have handled it differently but like I said I do think it was a good idea that Disney stopped it.

How should it have been handled? I’m not trying to disagree with you I’m genuinely curious.

I’d like to see them overhaul the vlogger policies now that so many of them exist and have monetized it. Something they’ve also let go on for years

 

[Doberge]

they can't waste time investigating every single one to figure out if they're one of the abusers. It's much quicker and easier to drop the hammer on everyone the catch offering those types of tours, especially since they are breaking Disney's rules either way.

This is the part that many either don't understand or refuse to acknowledge. It's not Disney's responsibility to run individual investigations. I'm sure there were good nonDisney guides that gave great, accurate information and avoided abusing DAS, but there were bad apples that spoiled the bunch. Good apple ire should be directed at the bad apples.

 

[Prince-1]

How should it have been handled? I’m not trying to disagree with you I’m genuinely curious.

I’d like to see them overhaul the vlogger policies now that so many of them exist and have monetized it. Something they’ve also let go on for years

It seems like everyone who did these tours had the same issue, which was when they tried to enter the park their ticket wouldn’t work, so they went to guest relations and then got met by a whole bunch of people telling them that they were indefinitely banned from entering the park and that they would be considered to be trespassing if they tried to enter again. My opinion is that since Disney knew this was going on for many years and allowed it, that instead of being banned right then, that they are told they have to immediately cease and desist from running a business inside the parks or they will be banned for life and will have to have a conversation with a Sheriff’s deputy about trespassing.

Again, in my eyes, since Disney knowingly allowed this to happen they should have given a very stern warning before just banning and threatening someone. But at the end of the day I’m good with them being banned and would be fine if all vloggers get the same treatment.

 

[DisneyHead123]

It seems like everyone who did these tours had the same issue, which was when they tried to enter the park their ticket wouldn’t work, so they went to guest relations and then got met by a whole bunch of people telling them that they were indefinitely banned from entering the park and that they would be considered to be trespassing if they tried to enter again. My opinion is that since Disney knew this was going on for many years and allowed it, that instead of being banned right then, that they are told they have to immediately cease and desist from running a business inside the parks or they will be banned for life and will have to have a conversation with a Sheriff’s deputy about trespassing.

Again, in my eyes, since Disney knowingly allowed this to happen they should have given a very stern warning before just banning and threatening someone. But at the end of the day I’m good with them being banned and would be fine if all vloggers get the same treatment.

In another thread I read that the tour guides used to be invited to events the same way that vloggers are now, which makes the sudden trespassing move seem particularly harsh. It even merited a mention in WaPo. (I also read on these boards that a lawsuit was involved, which makes the most sense to me… letting any known guide back in at all might be a sudden legal liability for them. My guess is that Disney was taken by surprise at the amount of coverage this ended up getting though, and if they’d realized that in advance they might have finessed it a little better.)

 

[Chip Chipperson]

In another thread I read that the tour guides used to be invited to events the same way that vloggers are now, which makes the sudden trespassing move seem particularly harsh. It even merited a mention in WaPo. (I also read on these boards that a lawsuit was involved, which makes the most sense to me… letting any known guide back in at all might be a sudden legal liability for them. My guess is that Disney was taken by surprise at the amount of coverage this ended up getting though, and if they’d realized that in advance they might have finessed it a little better.)

Many of those tour guides also operated as travel agents or vloggers. That's why they were invited to those types of events.

 

[DisneyHead123]

Many of those tour guides also operated as travel agents or vloggers. That's why they were invited to those types of events.

Interesting… that wasn’t the impression I got regarding why they were invited but anything I know about it is entirely second hand from these boards, so I can only go by what others report.

 

[gitchard]

No you don't get it. These people are filling a demand for something that disney does not offer. Banning people for this as long as they are not abusing DAS doesn't make sense as those people at that price point aren't going to buy a VIP tour instead for way more money. There is no service disney offers that is just a guide and planning without priority access or backstage transport.

Disney sells guided tours in their parks so no outside guided tours. It competes with a product they sell in their parks.

It is like me setting up a stand and selling Mickey Ears in the MK and selling them at a discount.

 

[gitchard]

I would think banning Vloggers would be a little harder than tour guides.

I am not a vlogger but if I was in the park and recorded a lot of stuff and making comments as I was recording, what would Disney do? I go home like some of the stuff in my video and edited and added my personnel opinions could they stop me. Is there any rules in place when I purchased my ticket that says I cannot do this.

That is what a vlogger is doing. If they have a channel and You Tube pays them for the number of hits they get, that would still not be violating the rules.

Now if that vlogger was trying to make factual statements in the video and they were false and negative in nature, then Disney would maybe have some legal stance for defamation. As long as they are just offering opinions, I think it would be hard to stop them or they would need to start questioning anyone with a camera recording and commenting.

 

[Colonel Angus]

I would think banning Vloggers would be a little harder than tour guides.

I am not a vlogger but if I was in the park and recorded a lot of stuff and making comments as I was recording, what would Disney do? I go home like some of the stuff in my video and edited and added my personnel opinions could they stop me. Is there any rules in place when I purchased my ticket that says I cannot do this.

That is what a vlogger is doing. If they have a channel and You Tube pays them for the number of hits they get, that would still not be violating the rules.

Now if that vlogger was trying to make factual statements in the video and they were false and negative in nature, then Disney would maybe have some legal stance for defamation. As long as they are just offering opinions, I think it would be hard to stop them or they would need to start questioning anyone with a camera recording and commenting.

The issue with vloggers is when they've monetized the channel they become a commercial filming entity and that goes against Disney policy. So many of them carry around giant $4k cameras and use gimbals etc... which sit on the border of tourist and pro equipment.

Like I said though, if they're making money off the videos they post with footage from inside the parks Disney can shut them down if they choose. It wouldn't necessarily be for their views/opinions/speech but moreso due to unauthorized revenue. You're presenting their copyrighted IP and making money off of it.

From: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

• Photography, videotaping or recording of any kind, or otherwise engaging in any activity, for unapproved commercial purposes.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

The issue with vloggers is when they've monetized the channel they become a commercial filming entity and that goes against Disney policy. So many of them carry around giant $4k cameras and use gimbals etc... which sit on the border of tourist and pro equipment.

Like I said though, if they're making money off the videos they post with footage from inside the parks Disney can shut them down if they choose. It wouldn't necessarily be for their views/opinions/speech but moreso due to unauthorized revenue. You're presenting their copyrighted IP and making money off of it.

From: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/park-rules/

• Photography, videotaping or recording of any kind, or otherwise engaging in any activity, for unapproved commercial purposes.

At this point, I think Disney probably views them as a combination of media and free advertising. The free advertising is the part they love and the media is the part they tolerate (in my opinion). And since Disney invites many vloggers to media events, it would be difficult foe the company to argue that they are "unapproved."

 

[Colonel Angus]

At this point, I think Disney probably views them as a combination of media and free advertising. The free advertising is the part they love and the media is the part they tolerate (in my opinion). And since Disney invites many vloggers to media events, it would be difficult foe the company to argue that they are "unapproved."

They 100% do but as the market becomes saturated and some folks break rules, spew misinformation, aren't the best representatives... I think they should start charging a fee and have vloggers apply for an annual permit to do what they do. I'm sure they'll still get the occasional media invite or "hosted" by Disney. But I think to make it fair, and to weed out the bad apples they should do that.

 

[Chip Chipperson]

They 100% do but as the market becomes saturated and some folks break rules, spew misinformation, aren't the best representatives... I think they should start charging a fee and have vloggers apply for an annual permit to do what they do. I'm sure they'll still get the occasional media invite or "hosted" by Disney. But I think to make it fair, and to weed out the bad apples they should do that.

I think the simplest solution in management's eyes seems to be to ban vloggers who break the rules. They did that to Adam the Woo the same way they did to Here With the Ears - when he tried to tap into a park they had a Sheriff's Officer bring him to a security office and present him with a trespass notice. I think the fact that they've shown a willingness to do that sent a clear message to other vloggers (at least the ones who are smart) that they need to follow the rules. The precedent was set but some (like Here With the Ears) didn't get the message.

 

[Doberge]

FWIW, with Here with the Ears it appears only Robert was issued the trespass. Their social media shared that their community did its Christmas gifts for CMs and Alyssa was in a MK photo.

 

[Disstevefan1]

I think the simplest solution in management's eyes seems to be to ban vloggers who break the rules. They did that to Adam the Woo the same way they did to Here With the Ears - when he tried to tap into a park they had a Sheriff's Officer bring him to a security office and present him with a trespass notice. I think the fact that they've shown a willingness to do that sent a clear message to other vloggers (at least the ones who are smart) that they need to follow the rules. The precedent was set but some (like Here With the Ears) didn't get the message.

A lawyer volunteered to help the Woo get his trespass removed. I am sure This vlogger will eventually will get it removed, but it will probably require a lawyer to do it.

 

[Disstevefan1]

FWIW, with Here with the Ears it appears only Robert was issued the trespass. Their social media shared that their community did its Christmas gifts for CMs and Alyssa was in a MK photo.

WAIT! Is this the couple who gives out thousands of Christmas gifts out to CMs every year?

 

[Doberge]

WAIT! Is this the couple who gives out thousands of Christmas gifts out to CMs every year?

They wrote it was 2,750 this year. I'm unsure if there's another that does similar.