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New Rules: Today Marks Day One of Disney Park’s Stricter Entry Procedures

Shanghai Disneyland
Credit: Disney

One Disney park has made an amendment to its entry rules, effective today.

Guest behavior has been a contentious issue at Disney’s theme parks lately. In recent years, it feels like we’ve heard of more cases where Disney parkgoers have pushed the limits when it comes to interacting with fellow guests, listening to cast members, and just generally following the Mouse’s rules.

A woman and a young girl, both smiling, stand in front of a castle with towers. The girl is holding a pink balloon. The woman has long brown hair and wears a denim jacket, while the girl has blonde hair and is wearing pink mouse ears. A street lamp is in the background.

Credit: Disney

After multiple reports of fights at Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, 2022 saw The Walt Disney Company add a new courtesy notice in the official rules for both resorts. “We ask all who come to this happy place to treat others with respect, kindness and compassion,” this notice reads on Disneyland’s website.

Disney World’s rules go into even more detail. “Please show common courtesy to fellow Guests and our Cast Members by not using profanity or engaging in unsafe, illegal, disruptive or offensive behavior, jumping lines or saving places in lines for others,” the website says. “For your safety and the safety of others, please refrain from running except in designated areas.”

Two smiling women, one wearing Minnie Mouse ears, take a selfie with Goofy, who is dressed in his signature outfit with an orange shirt and green hat. The background features colorful, cartoonish trees and flowers, adding a playful atmosphere to the scene.

Credit: Disney

Of course, this hasn’t necessarily had an impact on the number of incidents occurring on Disney property. In 2024 alone, guests have reported cases of physical violence between guests during showings of Fantasmic! at Disneyland Park, plus brawls in Magic Kingdom Park, Toontown, and even the courtyard at Disney’s All-Star Movies Resort.

More Rules To Crack Down on Disney Park Guest Behavior

Further afield, Shanghai Disneyland has been dealing with a recent wave of poor behavior from young guests allegedly renting electric wheelchairs for the sole purpose of speeding through the park and even playing bumper cars.

A group of Disney characters, including Goofy, Daisy Duck, Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Chip, and Dale, stand together in colorful clothing under an archway in a theme park, smiling and posing for the camera.

Credit: Shanghai Disneyland

According to the Yangtse Evening Post, the issue stemmed from the fact that businesses near the park are providing electric wheelchair rental services and, in order to deal with the inspection when entering Shanghai Disneyland, they can provide an “inspection form” that will ensure they’re given access.

Not long after reports of this behavior first made headlines, Shanghai Disneyland revealed plans to address the misuse of electric wheelchair rentals by guests who do not require them for mobility purposes.

Last week, the park released a statement yesterday stating that it would soon only permit guests to enter the park with electric wheelchairs if they’re required due to limited mobility.

The image shows a Dumbo the Flying Elephant ride at a theme park. People are seated in flying elephant-shaped carriages as they spin around. A castle-like building is visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

Credit: Shanghai Disneyland

These rules officially come into effect today (December 10). From now on, only guests who are disabled or elderly, have lower limb mobility impairments, or have certain health conditions and limited mobility may bring electric wheelchairs into the park. Guests must register through the Shanghai Disney Resort Reservation Center before 8 p.m. two days before their visit. Once in the park, guests must also travel at walking speed, with a maximum speed of no more than 6 km/h.

Even More Rule Changes To Come

These aren’t the only entry rules changing at Shanghai Disneyland. The theme park – which is home to iconic attractions such as TRON Lightcycle Power Run (which you can now also find at Disney World), Pirates of the Caribbean: Battle for the Sunken Treasure, Fantasia Carousel, Roaring Rapids, and the freshly opened Zootopia area – will also switch up its ticket rules from December 23.

Mickey meets two guests at a restaurant

Credit: Shanghai Disneyland

Guests will now be required to use an ID to book their ticket. This ID must match their name and be presented at entry. Each ID can only be used to purchase one ticket, with the restriction introduced to battle the increasing issue of ticket scalpers at Shanghai Disneyland.

Children’s tickets will now also be sold based on age rather than height. Previously, kids under three years old—or shorter than one meter tall—on the day of their visit received free park admission. Meanwhile, those aged between three and eleven, or between one meter and 1.4 meters tall, received a 25% discount on their ticket.

Once the new rules kick in, guests under the age of three will continue to gain free access. Those aged between three and 11 – regardless of height – will now be eligible for child’s tickets, which will be priced lower than adult tickets.

What additional park rules should Disney consider to curb inappropriate guest behavior?

About Chloe James

Chloë is a theme park addict and self-proclaimed novelty hunter. She's obsessed with all things Star Wars, loves roller coasters (but hates Pixar Pal-A-Round), and lives for Disney's next Muppets project.

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