What if Disney banned all cameras and phones in the park?

[halltd]

I'd be cool if the screens, flashes. and ringers could be remotely disabled by some technology embedded in show and ride buildings that are dark. I don't care if people use them outside, but they horribly distract from any type of experience Disney tries to create inside a dark building...which is almost every attraction.

 

[SyracuseDisneyFan]

I don't know.

 

[epcotisbest]

Would not affect us at all. We don't carry phones inside the parks. That is one of the things we go to WDW to get away from. Also sometimes don't take a camera. Got hundreds of WDW pics and there a a zillion more a Google search away. We do sometimes take a small point and shoot, but would not miss it. Going hands free and unconnected, for us, is the way to go.

 

[thomas998]

It sounds nice in theory but policing it would probably be next to impossible.

I would think it would be very easy to do. You simply get rid of the bag checks, nothing allowed in the parks but the visitor and their magic bands, walk through a metal detector and any phone or small camera you tried to sneak in would get caught... For Disney it would also increase sales of food and drink with no one being able to bring in their own.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I would think it would be very easy to do. You simply get rid of the bag checks, nothing allowed in the parks but the visitor and their magic bands, walk through a metal detector and any phone or small camera you tried to sneak in would get caught... For Disney it would also increase sales of food and drink with no one being able to bring in their own.

Russia is waiting for you.

 

[thomas998]

Russia is waiting for you.

funny you say that since they don't run everyone through xray machine in Russia like they do in the US airports... I guess you mean its a better than the way it is now right?

 

[BuddyThomas]

funny you say that since they don't run everyone through xray machine in Russia like they do in the US airports... I guess you mean its a better than the way it is now right?

As usual, I have no idea what the hell you are talking about, so just carry on, and make sure you say a lot more blah blah blah blah blah, and if possible, try to throw in a sentence about how you are so proud that you don't tip.

 

[dizda]

I would think it would be very easy to do. You simply get rid of the bag checks, nothing allowed in the parks but the visitor and their magic bands, walk through a metal detector and any phone or small camera you tried to sneak in would get caught... For Disney it would also increase sales of food and drink with no one being able to bring in their own.

I probably should have said that policing the ban would be next to impossible with the current (and any likely) security at park entrances. They could add metal detectors, but from experience they will not catch everything with just metal detectors. Also, I do not think Disney would really prohibit bags (imagine no diaper bags), and what about strollers and scooters and wheelchairs? They would still need bag searches, but those are not 100%, so X-ray machines would be needed, too. Of course, Disney probably would never go that far because it would turn off too many guests (and would probably cost too much). Personally, while I agree with you that it could be nice to have "no tech" days, I still think from a practical perspective, policing this would probably be next to impossible.

 

[MICKEYEARSFL]

This will happen the same day that electric shooters and strollers are banned. What are you supposed to do have a Photopass cast member follow you everywhere you go? On top of that some of my favorite pictures were from my childhood at the Disney parks taken by my mother or father. People just need to police themselves and be mindful of where they are and refrain from running over other guests. It goes both ways, watch for people taking photos. Ill admit there are times dodging cameras on Main Street is a pain.... but it comes with the territory.

 

[copcarguyp71]

I personally leave my phone in the room safe...I have no need of it and really do not care to carry ties to the outside world into the park. It is a personal decision and one that I make to increase my own enjoyment. I do typically take a small point and shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo shorts usually though just to capture memories. Although it is annoying when people around you allow technology to entrance them so much that they themselves become a distraction to other guests I do think that banning is a bit over the top.

I was once standing in the queue for Enchanted Tales with Belle and a young couple in front of us (late 20's-ish) were on their phones texting...then the guy pulls a tablet out of his bag and begins playing a game on it...then goes on his phone for a walkthrough of the game. They never really said two words to each other and I thought to myself how sad that people would travel to WDW to experience the parks and then isolate themselves from one another like that. I personally have met some very nice people while in queue and while they can be lengthy and tedious I see queues as part of the experience and not something to "get through". I truly think that the technology thing is really more a problem based in lack of consideration for others and sadly is the way our society is leaning where there are no repercussions for such things because we get offended at everything, sue for anything and get an unearned sense of entitlement towards everything.

 

[networkpro]

Was thinking after the last trip how nice it might be if you could go to Disney on a day when all technology like cameras, camcorder and phones were simply banned from the park... No more having people run over your because they were texting or bump into you because their eyes were focused on a viewfinder instead of where they were backing up....

There are several amusement parks in North Korea that you could go to instead of Florida. As a participant in an open society your individual preferences and your ability to influence others to share in them is quite limited.

 

[epcotisbest]

I personally leave my phone in the room safe...I have no need of it and really do not care to carry ties to the outside world into the park. It is a personal decision and one that I make to increase my own enjoyment. I do typically take a small point and shoot camera in the pocket of my cargo shorts usually though just to capture memories. Although it is annoying when people around you allow technology to entrance them so much that they themselves become a distraction to other guests I do think that banning is a bit over the top.

I was once standing in the queue for Enchanted Tales with Belle and a young couple in front of us (late 20's-ish) were on their phones texting...then the guy pulls a tablet out of his bag and begins playing a game on it...then goes on his phone for a walkthrough of the game. They never really said two words to each other and I thought to myself how sad that people would travel to WDW to experience the parks and then isolate themselves from one another like that. I personally have met some very nice people while in queue and while they can be lengthy and tedious I see queues as part of the experience and not something to "get through". I truly think that the technology thing is really more a problem based in lack of consideration for others and sadly is the way our society is leaning where there are no repercussions for such things because we get offended at everything, sue for anything and get an unearned sense of entitlement towards everything.

Any sadly more and more people will never know how much the no phone experience actually does increase enjoyment of the parks. We saw kids nose down in thier iPads during the parade not long ago. Makes me wonder about the parents.

 

[Mickey5150]

Well, the 10 people who would have the Magic Kingdom to themselves would be happy with the ban. However as soon as the electric scooter bumps into the double wide stroller a fight would break out and those 10 people would be banned. Magic Kingdom closes at 9:05am because of lack of guests.

 

[JIMINYCR]

(How often are you really going to look at those 479 pictures?)

I have multiple old photo albums of years ago, when cameras were non- tech and you paid for film developing that I still pull out and reminisce of the first trips when DS was young. Now the computer has downloaded photos at my fingertips that I scan through even more often. So my more than 479 photos are looked at even more now than the albums because they are more easily accessible.

 

[fireworksandfairytales]

I need my phone when I'm in the parks, not only as a camera and a resource for MDE, but because if not it would be nearly impossible to find my party again when we get separated/split up. Someone in my party always seems to have to use the restroom after we're already in line for Fantasmic or seated on Main Street for Wishes; if we couldn't have our phones in the park, I don't think we'd ever find each other in the crowd, especially not before showtime.

 

[wdwjmp239]

Think about this....

I remember a day when the guests at Disney weren't tied to their smartphones texting, taking pictures, Facebooking, and Twittering. I remember a day when My Disney Experience (Disney's app) didn't exist. I also remember when apps didn't even exist! Now, you all may be wondering, "When the hell was this?!?!?" Well, it would be a time back in the 1970s and 1980s when Polaroid Cameras were all the rave (take one photo and the camera developed the film. Remember having to wave the photo to develop?). Back then we were a group of "click and shoot" type people. We were also treated to a world of VHS and BetaMax "cam-corders" (video cameras). I'm sure the youngins on this board are running to their parents or even grandparents asking, "What's VHS? What's BetaMax?"

The "technology" back then is probably no different than what it is today. It's just smaller and less expensive! My parents carried around a Panasonic VHS CamCorder (approx $1500) along with the accessories and tapes. Nowadays, the phones are a few hundred bucks, smaller than their technological ancestors, and can store hours of pictures and video.

I'm not that old - but thinking about 30 years ago definitely threw me back into my childhood to where I remember a different type of Disney. Though, as I said before, it's not that different. We just advanced the technology (and made some changes to Disney along the way).

 

[Retroman40]

This may be a little off topic but the people who say they "need" their mobile devices are saying half a sentence - the other half is "to be able to experience WDW". One poster said their employment required them to be available. Without their mobile device they would essentially be shut out of Disney. The same goes with the poster who needs it for medical reasons. Technology has allowed these people to experience WDW. The same goes with ECV's - while there are certainly some who abuse the "disabled" aspect, most users couldn't experience the WDW without one. Perhaps this has contributed to increased crowds. I do feel bad for people so addicted to their devices that they miss out on experiences that quite frankly they are paying a lot in this case not to have.

As far as MDE, like any tool if used properly it can be very useful. Why walk across a park to find an attraction is temporarily closed?

Yes, there will always be a small percentage of people who act rudely with these devices. Even if they were banned (let me check the weather forecast for hell freezing over on that one) these same people would still find a way to be rude. The key is not to let a very small fraction of guests spoil your experience.

As for looking at old pictures I often look back at old pictures to see changes both to people - especially my kids as they grew up and to attractions - anyone remember "Smart One" or Communicore?

 

[wdwjmp239]

As for looking at old pictures I often look back at old pictures to see changes both to people - especially my kids as they grew up and to attractions - anyone remember "Smart One" or Communicore?

Yes! I very much remember "Smart One" and "Communicore" ! I used to cry a little inside when I walked in "Innoventions" and remember that building just crammed with a whole bunch of different hands-on exhibits.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I remember a day when the guests at Disney weren't tied to their smartphones texting, taking pictures, Facebooking, and Twittering. I remember a day when My Disney Experience (Disney's app) didn't exist. I also remember when apps didn't even exist! Now, you all may be wondering, "When the hell was this?!?!?"

In the mid to late 90's, all we had were phones that could send text messages, cameras that used film, and we took a large video camera on our first trip in 1997; it used a VHS tape.

People still bumped into each other.

 

[wdwjmp239]

In the mid to late 90's, all we had were phones that could send text messages, cameras that used film, and we took a large video camera on our first trip in 1997; it used a VHS tape.

People still bumped into each other.

Probably not as much as they do now. It's much quicker to pull out a phone on a moment's notice, stop short, and cause a 20 Disney Guest Pile-Up on Main Street.

At least with a camcorder....you had some warning... LOL!