Tripods

[spock]

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Disneyland doesn't allow guests to bring tripods into the park. Is that true?

 

[spock]

I take it nobody knows the answer to this question? :shrug:

 

[donsullivan]

I thought I remembered reading somewhere that Disneyland doesn't allow guests to bring tripods into the park. Is that true?

The official Disneyland policy as stated on their website is that tripods that can fit inside of a backpack are allowed in the parks. I know many fantastic Disney photographers who have used tripods extensively throughout the parks without issue and taken some absolutely amazing photographs of the parks.

My experience last summer was completely the opposite of that. A friend and I were taking shots of the sub lagoon one night back in July about 45 minutes before park closure and when we packed up to move to another spot and turned around we were surrounded by 4 security guards. When I got to the new location alongside some rocks on the other side of the lagoon and started to set up my tripod a security guard ran up to me and told me that tripods are not allowed. When pressed on why, he changed his story at least 3 times about why I couldn't use my tripod. We were then followed by security everywhere we went until we left the park. I've never been so offended by an experience in a Disney park in my life. At least one other amazing photographer who regularly posts here has had a similar experience at that park.

The same people I was with that night have been back and shot with tripods countless times since then with no issues at all and created many astonishing shots.

Bottom line, Disney's official documented policy on their website allows tripods. Recent experiences of myself and others suggest you should be prepared for some random security guard to enforce his own version of the policy completely at random and without any reasonably justification.

 

[spock]

The official Disneyland policy as stated on their website is that tripods that can fit inside of a backpack are allowed in the parks. I know many fantastic Disney photographers who have used tripods extensively throughout the parks without issue and taken some absolutely amazing photographs of the parks.

My experience last summer was completely the opposite of that. A friend and I were taking shots of the sub lagoon one night back in July about 45 minutes before park closure and when we packed up to move to another spot and turned around we were surrounded by 4 security guards. When I got to the new location alongside some rocks on the other side of the lagoon and started to set up my tripod a security guard ran up to me and told me that tripods are not allowed. When pressed on why, he changed his story at least 3 times about why I couldn't use my tripod. We were then followed by security everywhere we went until we left the park. I've never been so offended by an experience in a Disney park in my life. At least one other amazing photographer who regularly posts here has had a similar experience at that park.

The same people I was with that night have been back and shot with tripods countless times since then with no issues at all and created many astonishing shots.

Bottom line, Disney's official documented policy on their website allows tripods. Recent experiences of myself and others suggest you should be prepared for some random security guard to enforce his own version of the policy completely at random and without any reasonably justification.

Thanks for the info! Yeah that's really weird. I sent an email to the resort asking specifically if tripods were allowed. The response I got back was about a paragraph and a half long and began with the words, "You'll be pleased to know..." and went on to say that cameras, video cameras, etc were allowed in the park. No mention, though, of whether or not tripods were allowed. So I replied to that email and reiterated my question, "Are tripods allowed?". I got a very short response from the same person this morning stating simply that only monopods were allowed. Strange that she couldn't just say that in the first place. Also, you're correct about what it states on the website about tripods being allowed if they will fit into a backpack. I checked that this morning after getting my email from the resort and also reading your post. It seems they are inconsistent and it depends on who you ask. :shrug:

 

[maxairmike]

The official Disneyland policy as stated on their website is that tripods that can fit inside of a backpack are allowed in the parks. I know many fantastic Disney photographers who have used tripods extensively throughout the parks without issue and taken some absolutely amazing photographs of the parks.

When you say "fit inside of a backpack," do you think that would apply to the way I carry my tripod? I typically use an old Nike sling bag (the kind with the pull strings on both sides), and the tripod head sticks out of the top. Obviously DLR can't get it straight with the policy, but I figure anecdotal evidence should be enough to give me an idea on if I'll have to buy a more compact and collapsible tripod before I make a trip out there.