Selfie sticks - is this a thing at WDW yet? Disney clarifies policy

[G00fyDad]

something as inherently harmless as a selfie stick

All I have to say is get smacked in the face with one of these things and you'll feel differently.

 

[Arthur Wellesley]

All I have to say is get smacked in the face with one of these things and you'll feel differently.

Just FYI, consider the source of whom you're replying to, and don't feed into it too heavily.

He has a deep history of defending to the death some of WDW guests' most obnoxious behavior, and it has resulted in threads being locked. Case in point:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/should-disney-enforce-the-flash-photography-policy.835941/

 

[G00fyDad]

Just FYI, consider the source of whom you're replying to, and don't feed into it too heavily.

He has a deep history of defending to the death some of WDW guests' most obnoxious behavior, and it has resulted in threads being locked. Case in point:
http://forums.wdwmagic.com/threads/should-disney-enforce-the-flash-photography-policy.835941/

Oh, I know what he/she is like. Been there, done that with them. Very closed minded and one track thinking.

 

[GrumpyFan]

"New" selfie stick!

 

[GetAPaperBag]

There's a lot of discussion advocating a "ban." Realistically, though, something needs to be defined if it's going to be banned, particularly if it is to be banned on a park-wide level (versus used in specific attractions). So what exactly constitutes a "selfie stick" could be a bit murky. For example, is a mono-pod a selfie stick? How about a tripod? There are pocket tripods that about the size of 3 pens when closed, but can extend to a couple of feet. Would that be banned? How about a "handle" (like those made for GoPros) for steady videography that does not extend? Is something a selfie stick just because it is 'intended' for photography and it extends?

The defining features of a selfie stick seem to be that it can extend and remote-trigger the camera feature on a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera while held at a short distance. Guests could accomplish the same thing by attaching their phone/camera to literally anything and using a timer or dedicated remote trigger. Heck, I could outfit my travel-size umbrella to mount a phone/camera... perhaps I'll patent that. Umbrellas extend, and while it's unlikely that someone would be dumb enough open their umbrella on Big Thunder, anyone who has experienced rain has also experienced being poked in the eye by another person's umbrella. That doesn't mean a theme park should ban umbrellas. Maybe we'll eventually see tour group leader flags with camera mounts at their tips, then we can all rejoice in the technological evolution of our international guests.

An attempt to "ban" something as inherently harmless as a selfie stick is as futile as an attempt to ban inconsiderate mentalities. It's a so-called solution that completely misses the core problem. Plenty of people would probably like to ban tour groups, teenagers, people with long arms, etc. As others have pointed out in this discussion, there are countless other devices and instrumentalities that cause far more injury and inconvenience to other guests than selfie sticks. And as a CM previously pointed out here, there are rules on any given attraction (like keeping everything inside the vehicle) that already encompass any devices that someone might try to use for picture-taking on an attraction. So, the rules are already there - they just need to be enforced. As the author of a tech news article wrote, "Thus, if Disney World has banned the use of selfie sticks [on attractions] then it has simply complied with its already present policy and terms."

Any kind of "broader" ban of these devices by any area theme park would not only endanger the use of other "legitimate" or otherwise permissible devices, but also send mixed signals because - if I recall correctly - selfie sticks are currently being sold at locations at both Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk.

Thanks for a great post. An actual thoughtful post in this thread instead of just calling anyone that wants a picture of themself a narcissist and making self sticks seem like some huge epidemic of a problem when people are constantly reporting that they barely see them and almost no one has seen anyone get hurt by one.

 

[G00fyDad]

Thanks for a great post. An actual thoughtful post in this thread instead of just calling anyone that wants a picture of themself a narcissist and making self sticks seem like some huge epidemic of a problem when people are constantly reporting that they barely see them and almost no one has seen anyone get hurt by one.

You know what? You're right. The few people in this forum haven't been hit by a stick, and they barely see them in the parks. You're right. They must not be a problem at all. The thousands of people that go to the parks everyday don't count. It only matters what we see here.

Yes. We all know your position on the matter. No one on the face of the planet has ever been hit with one. Selfie sticks are no problem. They should be allowed everywhere. we are all just making this up. Yes, yes, yes we get it.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I had been asking my mother for suggestions for my father for father's day. Today she suggested one idea she had was a selfie stick... After a few minutes of cursing her out, I told her that if I saw him with a selfie stick I would grab it from him, hit him over the head with it, hit him again on the way down, then snap it in half before throwing it at him. I think she got the message.

 

[AEfx]

Any kind of "broader" ban of these devices by any area theme park would not only endanger the use of other "legitimate" or otherwise permissible devices, but also send mixed signals because - if I recall correctly - selfie sticks are currently being sold at locations at both Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk.

Considering that tripods and the like are not allowed in many shows already, I think they are fine.

How about they just ban all "external camera attachments which protrude more than 6" away from the camera".

Would be good since people watch too much of their vacations through a viewfinder anyway.

 

[AEfx]

Thanks for a great post. An actual thoughtful post in this thread instead of just calling anyone that wants a picture of themself a narcissist

My rule is always, if you don't want to be called something...don't act like one.

WDW is the last place in the world you need a selfie-stick. There are plenty of people, including CM's Disney pays just for the purpose of taking pictures, though any CM will do it for you, to assist you in your picture taking.

Everyone that does use them should be laughed at, because the entire concept of "selfie stick" was actually a joke, a "what the world may come to", and someone latched on to it and made it a real device. Every person who uses one is the victim of a joke making fun of people who cannot live their lives off camera.

Warren Beatty was prescient - it's all Madonna's fault...

 

[AEfx]

"New" selfie stick!

I don't get it. My friends are all on Facebook and Instagram. How do I get one of those to be in the same physical place as me?

 

[englanddg]

Not Disneyworld...but...

I think the ride ban is perfectly reasonable and necessary, and this video shows why.



That said, selfie sticks (or more accurately, gopro extenders) can create some unique video shots and angles. I have no issue with them as long as people aren't using them in crowded places (like to get a better shot of the fireworks or parade) or waving them around without paying attention to their surroundings.

 

[unkadug]

I don't get it. My friends are all on Facebook and Instagram. How do I get one of those to be in the same physical place as me?

Meet them in real life.

 

[AEfx]

Meet them in real life.

I don't understand. That's what I said - Facebook friends are real life, I mean how do I find people to physically be in the same place with me? How do I find people to be in physical proximity to me in my fake life I live offline. It's only real life if it's on Facebook or Instagram.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

Glad I have a mini tripod that doesn't extend it's just for steady imagery or video taking..

 

[cooleo]

I just returned from DL / DCA where for the first time in my life I used a Selfie Stick. Yes, I know I am behind the time but I decided to not carry my DSLR for this trip and opted for this method of family photos instead. I only used it sparingly and was conscious not to use it where it would impede on or infringe upon the personal space of other guests around me. I do want to point out that both parks had actual signs posted at the entrance to the rides depicting that Selfie Sticks were banned from being used on the rides. The cast members were very cordial about it and simply asked me to Please not use it on the ride which I had no problem with as I didn't plan to anyway. Now I know that I am in the minority in this since not everyone is as understanding of how much of a nuisance these can be when you don't respect other guests, but I just wanted to state that this worked out well for me and advise that Disney is definitely trying to be proactive regarding the use of them. Hopefully others will get the message and be respectful. The signs posted by the rides at Disneyland looked like the one here:

View media item 474

 

[cooleo]

My rule is always, if you don't want to be called something...don't act like one.

WDW is the last place in the world you need a selfie-stick. There are plenty of people, including CM's Disney pays just for the purpose of taking pictures, though any CM will do it for you, to assist you in your picture taking.

Everyone that does use them should be laughed at, because the entire concept of "selfie stick" was actually a joke, a "what the world may come to", and someone latched on to it and made it a real device. Every person who uses one is the victim of a joke making fun of people who cannot live their lives off camera.

To say that someone should be laughed at or made fun of just because they are doing something you don't agree with or dislike is a bit out of line. Certainly you are entitled to your opinion and I respect that but that's a bit much. I agree they are over used and as I said in my previous post that most people don't respect others when using them but there is no need to lump everyone that does into one category and act like they are stupid or something. Your comments on this, While you are entitled to them, are as disrespectful as those who use selfie sticks in a manner that disregards the personal space of others.

 

[Animaniac93-98]

So what exactly constitutes a "selfie stick" could be a bit murky.

Actually, it's not. Selfie Stick is the proper name for the item under discussion. A tripod is not a selfie stick anymore than an ipod is an ipad.

 

[LuvtheGoof]

I just returned from DL / DCA where for the first time in my life I used a Selfie Stick. Yes, I know I am behind the time but I decided to not carry my DSLR for this trip and opted for this method of family photos instead. I only used it sparingly and was conscious not to use it where it would impede on or infringe upon the personal space of other guests around me. I do want to point out that both parks had actual signs posted at the entrance to the rides depicting that Selfie Sticks were banned from being used on the rides. The cast members were very cordial about it and simply asked me to Please not use it on the ride which I had no problem with as I didn't plan to anyway. Now I know that I am in the minority in this since not everyone is as understanding of how much of a nuisance these can be when you don't respect other guests, but I just wanted to state that this worked out well for me and advise that Disney is definitely trying to be proactive regarding the use of them. Hopefully others will get the message and be respectful.

We appreciate that you were respectfully using yours, but people have already posted on this board that many were very rude while using theirs, even to the point of sticking it over another person's table in a restaurant! While you may not be that rude, there are people that couldn't care less about anyone but themselves, and they will ruin it for you. All that has to happen is one rude selfie stick user to hit someone in the head, causing bleeding, and Disney will be sued. They will be banned the next day, and thank goodness for that.

My biggest wonder is that there are literally thousands of CMs that are happy to take your picture (whether you use a phone or DSLR), so why in the heck do you even need one? Please don't say that you don't want to "bother" a CM. It isn't any bother to the many, many CMs that we have asked to take ours, and they have ALL been pleased to do so for us. And the vast majority were not Photopass people, but regular CMs. We just set up the DSLR for them, and they snapped the picture. Easy peesy.

 

[golden james]

I was in fl for two weeks this January and used a selfie stick during our stay. The only ride we used it on was the carousel in mk and all other photos were taken in photo spots ie Main Street. We never once came any where near contact with another person whilst using our xmas gift off a friend.

As for people suing disney, how??? It is the stick user you would sue not disney. If someone punched you at mk it's not Disneys fault.

So it appears a small minority ruins it for everyone

 

[thomas998]

There's a lot of discussion advocating a "ban." Realistically, though, something needs to be defined if it's going to be banned, particularly if it is to be banned on a park-wide level (versus used in specific attractions). So what exactly constitutes a "selfie stick" could be a bit murky. For example, is a mono-pod a selfie stick? How about a tripod? There are pocket tripods that about the size of 3 pens when closed, but can extend to a couple of feet. Would that be banned? How about a "handle" (like those made for GoPros) for steady videography that does not extend? Is something a selfie stick just because it is 'intended' for photography and it extends?

The defining features of a selfie stick seem to be that it can extend and remote-trigger the camera feature on a smartphone or point-and-shoot camera while held at a short distance. Guests could accomplish the same thing by attaching their phone/camera to literally anything and using a timer or dedicated remote trigger. Heck, I could outfit my travel-size umbrella to mount a phone/camera... perhaps I'll patent that. Umbrellas extend, and while it's unlikely that someone would be dumb enough open their umbrella on Big Thunder, anyone who has experienced rain has also experienced being poked in the eye by another person's umbrella. That doesn't mean a theme park should ban umbrellas. Maybe we'll eventually see tour group leader flags with camera mounts at their tips, then we can all rejoice in the technological evolution of our international guests.

An attempt to "ban" something as inherently harmless as a selfie stick is as futile as an attempt to ban inconsiderate mentalities. It's a so-called solution that completely misses the core problem. Plenty of people would probably like to ban tour groups, teenagers, people with long arms, etc. As others have pointed out in this discussion, there are countless other devices and instrumentalities that cause far more injury and inconvenience to other guests than selfie sticks. And as a CM previously pointed out here, there are rules on any given attraction (like keeping everything inside the vehicle) that already encompass any devices that someone might try to use for picture-taking on an attraction. So, the rules are already there - they just need to be enforced. As the author of a tech news article wrote, "Thus, if Disney World has banned the use of selfie sticks [on attractions] then it has simply complied with its already present policy and terms."

Any kind of "broader" ban of these devices by any area theme park would not only endanger the use of other "legitimate" or otherwise permissible devices, but also send mixed signals because - if I recall correctly - selfie sticks are currently being sold at locations at both Downtown Disney and Universal CityWalk.

These things and the gopros are not harmless they a potential death or disfigurement. Now I doubt anyone is going to be killed because some idiot uses one to capture himself eating food, but I've seen idiots using them on rides, not just slow rides like small world, rather seen them on fast rides. People have lost an eye because some idiot tried to simply video their ride on a rollercoaster - camera slips out of the idiots hands and because the rollercoaster is moving over 50mph it hit someone else in a car behind with terrible consequences. These things are an accident waiting to happen... No one should be allowed to have them on any of the rides for the safety of other visitors.

Of rides let them have them, but then turn a blind eye when someone gets annoyed with it being jammed in their space and yanks it down and flings it onto the nearest sidewalk.