Disney Guest Upset at Religious “Nonsense” Being Allowed in Downtown Disney

While the Disneyland Resort isn’t nearly as large as the Walt Disney World Resort, there is still a ton to do! The Happiest Place on Earth can fit inside the parking lot of Disney World’s Ticket and Transportation Center, but Disney Imagineers have managed to fill that small area with a lot of amazing options.

Guests heading to the Southern California Resort can visit Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park, and the Downtown Disney District.

Downtown Disney — called Disney Springs in Florida — is full of a ton of great shopping and dining options. Guests can bowl and eat mouthwatering meals at Splitsville, purchase unique Disney art at Wonderground Gallery, taste one-of-a-kind ice cream flavors at Salt & Straw, and so much more.

But guests visiting the resort recently saw something they did not expect — and they were not happy about it.

Reddit user Sp4rt4n423 took to the social media platform to share their frustration at seeing a religious table set up in the Downtown Disney area. They didn’t think that Disney allowed things like that, and they asked guests when Disney began allowing that religious “nonsense” at its theme parks.

Since when do we allow this nonsensein Downtown?
byu/Sp4rt4n423 inDisneyland

Related: Disney Guest Tackled as Chaos Erupts at Downtown Disney!

Commenters were surprised that the OP (Original Poster) had only just noticed that the table was set up in Downtown Disney. Nearly every day, guests can find different tables set up throughout the shopping area, whether Disney wants them there or not.

One commenter pointed out that Disney does not have a choice about allowing different groups to set up tables. In the 1980 court case, Pruneyard Shopping Center v. Robins, the United States Supreme Court determined that individuals are allowed to exercise their right to free speech in private spaces — like Downtown Disney — as long as that area is open to the public.

Related: Downtown Disney Announces Opening Of FOUR New Restaurants!

While the OP might not have liked the fact that a religious table was set up in Downtown Disney, many commenters didn’t see the issue. They told the OP to ignore them and go about their day. Others said that the people sitting at the tables never bothered anyone, so the OP didn’t have anything to worry about.

It is important to note that the people working at the tables are NOT allowed to approach guests visiting Downtown Disney, Disneyland, and California Adventure. They are only allowed to talk to guests when the guests approach them first.

While Disneyland Park opened in 1955, Downtown Disney did not open until 2001, just weeks before Disney California Adventure opened. In the more than two decades since then, Downtown Disney has undergone significant changes, and more are coming.

Several new restaurants recently opened in Downtown Disney — Paseo, Centrico, Tiendita, and Din Tai Fung. Tortilla Jo’s also recently closed, and new steakhouse and barbecue restaurants are coming in the next year or so. Disney is also expanding Marceline’s Confectionery, nearly doubling its size and transforming it into the Wonderful World of Sweets.

What do you think about religious groups setting up in Downtown Disney? Let us know in the comments!