Kardashians Go On Disneyland Rides Alone While Customers Fume!

[TP2000]

Mobility issues. Some people would think it was unfair of me to kick everyone out of the queue and close the ride for two people, mobility issues or not. Can’t please everyone.

Why would you kick everyone out of the queue to load a handicapped person?

A woman needs extra time to load/unload because she is clearly mobility impaired. You did the right thing by cycling out the 3 minute ride, creating a gap in the load/unload time, then loaded them in and got them off safely. I imagine just an extra 20 seconds can make all the difference for a slow handicapped person. The risk is that they couldn't load/unload normally and quickly, and the ride would back up and break down for 30 minutes as you evacuated everyone off, reset it, and reopened.

That's just efficient and smart operation of a classic dark ride. And anyone in the queue watching that play out could understand what was going on, and once the handicapped lady had been sent into the ride just a smile and a quick "We need to give this lady some extra time to prevent a longer breakdown, thanks so much for your patience folks!" would give you a few minutes of goodwill for those in the queue watching it happen.

I can’t stand the Kardashians, but they did nothing out of the ordinary.

In decades of visiting Disneyland, I have never seen or heard of them sending the Teacups or Dumbo or Mater's entirely empty for an A List celeb, or B List celeb, or whiny doctor's wife from Chicago.

This is something new. And it's incredibly tacky for Disney to allow like this. Hence the viral outrage on Social Media over this trashy stunt.

 

[mickEblu]

Why would you kick everyone out of the queue to load a handicapped person?

A woman needs extra time to load/unload because she is clearly mobility impaired. You did the right thing by cycling out the 3 minute ride, creating a gap in the load/unload time, then loaded them in and got them off safely. I imagine just an extra 20 seconds can make all the difference for a slow handicapped person. The risk is that they couldn't load/unload normally and quickly, and the ride would back up and break down for 30 minutes as you evacuated everyone off, reset it, and reopened.

That's just efficient and smart operation of a classic dark ride. And anyone in the queue watching that play out could understand what was going on, and once they'd been sent into the ride just a smile and a quick "We need to give this lady some extra time to prevent a longer breakdown, thanks so much for your patience folks!" would give you a few minutes of goodwill for those in the queue watching it happen.



In decades of visiting Disneyland, I have never seen or heard of them sending the Teacups or Dumbo or Mater's entirely empty for an A List celeb, or B List celeb, or whiny doctor's wife from Chicago.

This is something new. And it's incredibly tacky for Disney to allow like this. Hence the viral outrage on Social Media over this trashy stunt.

Especially on a ride like Dumbo where it’s in plain sight for everyone to see. I can understand on something like POTC where maybe you don’t load the boat in front or in back of Queen Kim.

 

[TP2000]

Curious why you’d have to close the ride and empty the queue?

That's the part that baffles me. Surely we're missing a big part of the equation here.

A handicapped woman needs extra time to load/unload. So the ride op tells the entire queue to leave and come back later? After they'd already waited 10+ minutes to ride? That just makes no sense.

Something is missing there. Hopefully @raven24 can fill in the missing pieces.

I love how accommodating Disney is but that seems like an extreme and unnecessary action to take, I’ve stood in line a few times for several minutes watching a family and CMs get someone with a physical disability in or out of a ride vehicle, they didn’t have to close the whole ride to do it. Sure it caused a short delay but I honestly don’t think anyone in the queue cared, had they evacuated the whole ride that would have been very annoying though.

Exactly. Anyone at the front of the queue who could see what was going on would understand. But just to be told "The ride is now closed, please exit the queue and come back later" while they give a handicapped person some extra time and do some operational tricks to make it work better is bafflingly bizarre.

 

[TP2000]

Especially on a ride like Dumbo where it’s in plain sight for everyone to see. I can understand on something like POTC where maybe you don’t load the boat in front or in back of Queen Kim.

Exactly. On most rides you can easily leave the vehicle ahead or behind them empty, to prevent some kid from shooting spitwads at them or to prevent paparazzi from taking their pictures.

But to cycle out Dumbo, Teacups, Astro Orbiter, Carousel, Luigi's, Mater's, Emotional Whirlwind, Symphony Swings, Jumpin' Jellyfish, Golden Zephyr, etc., etc. seems not just wildly inefficient, but blatantly tacky and rude to everyone else.

 

[TP2000]

Sitting in the shade here in Rancho Mirage drinking a Mimosa, I have a sneaky idea....

Give me a few minutes gang!

 

[Disney Irish]

That's the part that baffles me. Surely we're missing a big part of the equation here.

A handicapped woman needs extra time to load/unload. So the ride op tells the entire queue to leave and come back later? After they'd already waited 10+ minutes to ride? That just makes no sense.

Something is missing there. Hopefully @raven24 can fill in the missing pieces.



Exactly. Anyone at the front of the queue who could see what was going on would understand. But just to be told "The ride is now closed, please exit the queue and come back later" while they give a handicapped person some extra time and do some operational tricks to make it work better is bafflingly bizarre.

Just an FYI, this is not the first time this has happened.

In an article back in November on InsidetheMagic, Kylie Jenner (also a Kardashian if you didn't know) had the same thing done for Small World at WDW.

Here is the article:

https:///2021/11/kylie-jenner-disney-ride-mc1/

And it was explained why:

"Yesterday I shared that when Kylie Jenner visited Disney they cleared out the entire Small World ride for her. And some of you explained that this doesn’t always happen but at the very least they’ll usually have their own ride vehicle. What you guys said was this reason is for safety.

They don’t want Guests doing anything unsafe to try to access the celebrity on a ride. And that’s one of the reasons they’ll walk around with a V.I.P. tour guide as well. It keeps people from crowding around them and they can bring them backstage if needed. And yes this might seem a little over the top for a celebrity but the point is to not have the celebrity impact your day at Disney."

And so there really is a good reason for it to happen. Imagine someone trying to get that random picture of a celebrity on Small World or other attraction just so they can sell it to some tabloid or site, paparazzi already go to great lengths to get shots of celebrities, I can only image what they would do at Disneyland. So its all done in the name of safety.

Also as now mentioned multiple times by an actual former CM, @raven24, regular everyday guests can sometimes get the same service. So its not just celebrities.

 

[Sailor310]

Just an FYI, this is not the first time this has happened.

In an article back in November on InsidetheMagic, Kylie Jenner (also a Kardashian if you didn't know) had the same thing done for Small World at WDW.

Here is the article:

https:///2021/11/kylie-jenner-disney-ride-mc1/

And it was explained why:

"Yesterday I shared that when Kylie Jenner visited Disney they cleared out the entire Small World ride for her. And some of you explained that this doesn’t always happen but at the very least they’ll usually have their own ride vehicle. What you guys said was this reason is for safety.

They don’t want Guests doing anything unsafe to try to access the celebrity on a ride. And that’s one of the reasons they’ll walk around with a V.I.P. tour guide as well. It keeps people from crowding around them and they can bring them backstage if needed. And yes this might seem a little over the top for a celebrity but the point is to not have the celebrity impact your day at Disney."

And so there really is a good reason for it to happen. Imagine someone trying to get that random picture of a celebrity on Small World or other attraction just so they can sell it to some tabloid or site, paparazzi already go to great lengths to get shots of celebrities, I can only image what they would do at Disneyland. So its all done in the name of safety.

Also as now mentioned multiple times by an actual former CM, @raven24, regular everyday guests can sometimes get the same service. So its not just celebrities.

The next paragraph said:

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

In the past, however, some celebrities have been known to stand in line and queue just like any other Guest. Princess Diana made her sons Princes William and Harry wait in line on a visit to Walt Disney World back in 1993, while Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) actor Johnny Depp has been known to wait in the normal line at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Princess/Lady Di had class!

 

[Disney Irish]

The next paragraph said:

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

In the past, however, some celebrities have been known to stand in line and queue just like any other Guest. Princess Diana made her sons Princes William and Harry wait in line on a visit to Walt Disney World back in 1993, while Pirates of the Caribbean (2003) actor Johnny Depp has been known to wait in the normal line at Disneyland in Anaheim.

Princess/Lady Di had class!

Yes, and guests had class back then too. But we're in a different era now and with social media and a camera in every pocket everyone wants to take that selfie with a celebrity and post it immediately whether the celebrity wants it or not.

 

[TP2000]

I'm back. I called the VIP tour office at (714) 300-7710 to ask a few questions.

I had to wait on hold for 10 minutes, but I got to hear The Ballad of Davy Crockett (racist!) and did a little Frug in my lounge chair to The Monkey's Uncle. So at least the hold music wasn't too bad. Then I got to talk to a very professional "coordinator" named Steve.

Here's what Steve told me, as I asked about reserving a VIP Tour Guide for Saturday, May 14th:

The cost for that day is $600 per hour, with a 7 hour minimum, and a maximum of 10 people in the group. That's $4,200 for the 7 hours on an off-peak weekend, not including tickets. But Steve said we'd have confirmed tickets and park reservations for that day if we reserve the tour. He said there was still plenty of availability that weekend, and reminded me that Fantasmic! doesn't start until two weeks later, just so I understood that it was still the off-season in mid May.

We'd get reserved seating for the Electrical parade, and can make reservations at Carthay or any other restaurants that day. Also valet parking at the Grand Californian, where our guide will meet us.

The tour includes "expedited" access to attractions (I lost track of how many times he said the word "expedited") via the Lightning Lane entrance or via an "alternate entrance with a shorter wait". I asked if "alternate entrance" meant "exit" in Disneyspeak and Steve laughed and said "Well, that's often the case, depending on how the attraction is set up."

Then I went in for the kill... "Do we get to do the thing the Kardashians did on the Teacups and ride them all alone? We'd like a family photo of us riding the Teacups all by ourselves, please. That's included, right?" Steve paused and you could just hear his brain clicking into scripted speech mode. "Oh, I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir." I re-explained the Kardashian thing and noted how much media attention it's gotten the last couple days. Steve said, paraphrasing but went much like "Oh, that was actually not a correct use of the VIP tour and is not something we can offer. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression about our service, but that's something that is being corrected with the park Cast who made that mistake."

Steve was the consummate professional, and handled it all very well. I didn't push it, and even felt a little guilty for luring him into that conversation. I'm naughty when I have a Mimosa in my hand. Bravo, Steve!

 

[Disney Irish]

I'm back. I called the VIP tour office at (714) 300-7710 to ask a few questions.

I had to wait on hold for 10 minutes, but I got to hear The Ballad of Davy Crockett (racist!) and did a little Frug in my lounge chair to The Monkey's Uncle. So at least the hold music wasn't too bad. Then I got to talk to a very professional "coordinator" named Steve.

Here's what Steve told me, as I asked about reserving a VIP Tour Guide for Saturday, May 14th:

The cost for that day is $600 per hour, with a 7 hour minimum, and a maximum of 10 people in the group. That's $4,200 for the 7 hours on an off-peak weekend, not including tickets. But Steve said we'd have confirmed tickets and park reservations for that day if we reserve the tour. He said there was still plenty of availability that weekend, and reminded me that Fantasmic! doesn't start until two weeks later, just so I understood that it was still the off-season in mid May.

We'd get reserved seating for the Electrical parade, and can make reservations at Carthay or any other restaurants that day. Also valet parking at the Grand Californian, where our guide will meet us.

The tour includes "expedited" access to attractions (I lost track of how many times he said the word "expedited") via the Lightning Lane entrance or via an "alternate entrance with a shorter wait". I asked if "alternate entrance" meant "exit" in Disneyspeak and Steve laughed and said "Well, that's often the case, depending on how the attraction is set up."

Then I went in for the kill... "Do we get to do the thing the Kardashians did on the Teacups and ride them all alone? We'd like a family photo of us riding the Teacups all by ourselves, please. That's included, right?" Steve paused and you could just hear his brain clicking into scripted speech mode. "Oh, I'm not quite sure what you mean, sir." I re-explained the Kardashian thing and noted how much media attention it's gotten the last couple days. Steve said, paraphrasing but went much like "Oh, that was actually not a correct use of the VIP tour and is not something we can offer. I'm sorry if you got the wrong impression about our service, but that's something that is being corrected with the park Cast who made that mistake."

Steve was the consummate professional, and handled it all very well. I didn't push it, and even felt a little guilty for luring him into that conversation. I'm naughty when I have a Mimosa in my hand. Bravo, Steve!

Before you start patting yourself on the back.

1. You do realize that this is probably the 100th call they've had on the same question just today (mostly by media outlets), so shouldn't expect any other answer.
2. As outlined in this thread previously, its not something they advertise.
3. Its at the CMs running the attractions discretion. Even the Kardashian's don't get this all the time, there are plenty of pics out there on social media of them riding attractions with other guests seen in other ride vehicles in-front and behind them.

So just because Steve said no its not what they offer as part of the standard VIP experience, its obviously something they offer.

 

[TP2000]

Before you start patting yourself on the back.

Too late!

 

[Disney Irish]

Too late!

Figured....

But my points are still the same.

 

[Sailor310]

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

I COULD see some knucklehead climbing out of their boat at IASW in order to wait for the Kardashians to come by, get an exclusive picture and try to sell it to TMZ for $500....or Pirates, TMRR would be harder, or hide behind the scenery on Alice...or...

 

[Disney Irish]

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

I COULD see some knucklehead climbing out of their boat at IASW in order to wait for the Kardashians to come by, get an exclusive picture and try to sell it to TMZ for $500.

Yep, which explains why CMs would do this for celebrities, even if its not "officially" offered as part of the VIP experience.

Its all at the CMs discretion, so it doesn't happen every time. And as @raven24 pointed out it happens for regular guest too.

 

[TP2000]

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

I COULD see some knucklehead climbing out of their boat at IASW in order to wait for the Kardashians to come by, get an exclusive picture and try to sell it to TMZ for $500....or Pirates, TMRR would be harder, or hide behind the scenery on Alice...or...

Sure. But then we'd have scenarios where any time a celebrity is at Disneyland (also known as "every weekend"), you'd have to shut down and cycle out every single ride they went on. Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World, Splash Mountain, Little Mermaid, Mr. Toad, Soarin', etc., etc.

It would be a logistical and operational nightmare.

I think the common practice is to give high profile celebs some buffer space, a few empty boats or cars, but not to shut down rides for 30+ minutes so the annoying kid from The Goldbergs can go on Small World.

 

[Sailor310]

Sure. But then we'd have scenarios where any time a celebrity is at Disneyland (also known as "every weekend"), you'd have to shut down and cycle out every single ride they went on. Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Small World, Splash Mountain, Little Mermaid, Mr. Toad, Soarin', etc., etc.

It would be a logistical and operational nightmare.

I think the common practice is to give high profile celebs some buffer space, a few empty boats or cars, but not to shut down rides for 30+ minutes so the annoying kid from The Goldbergs can go on Small World.

True.

 

[mickEblu]

Essentially, celebrities who want to enjoy the magic need some kind of safety buffer around them in case of Guests that are too eager to get near them.

I COULD see some knucklehead climbing out of their boat at IASW in order to wait for the Kardashians to come by, get an exclusive picture and try to sell it to TMZ for $500....or Pirates, TMRR would be harder, or hide behind the scenery on Alice...or...

I’m sorry then they shouldn’t go to Disneyland if they re worried about that. In addition I’d think that a boat ride with water separating you between boats is much more of a buffer than say when the Kardashians are walking down Main Street and can get bum rushed at any time. The safety thing is a crock of $hit sorry.

 

[Disney Irish]

You know its a slow Disney news day when we're going on 3+ pages discussing a celebrity getting what is perceived as "special treatment" in a Disney Park.

 

[WDWJoeG]

I’m sorry then they shouldn’t go to Disneyland if they re worried about that. In addition I’d think that a boat ride with water separating you between boats is much more of a buffer than say when the Kardashians are walking down Main Street and can get bum rushed at any time. The safety thing is a crock of $hit sorry.

Exactly. They are fully exposed (so to speak) in all of the public pathways and settings.

There is never a legitimate reason to cycle out a queue for a VIP - that CM and any manager that approved it should be immediately fired.

 

[GimpYancIent]

What is the official Disney position on handling Paparazzi? Paparazzi are more of a common problem for A list and High profiles than any other threat.