Visitors to Disney World, Disneyland, DisneyQuest and all of the theme parks operated by Walt Disney World is imposing a blanket ban on selfie sticks, a spokeswoman from the company announced Friday, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
The ban will officially take effect by Tuesday in Disney's Florida site, and will follow through in theme parks in California, Paris and Hong Kong by July 1. Bags will be strictly checked at the visitor's entrance and those carrying the poles will not be allowed to enter. Guests can either surrender their selfie sticks and retrieve this after their park visit, or simply leave the device in their hotel room.
The management said that they are imposing the ban for safety reasons. "We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie sticks have become a growing safety concern for both our guests and cast," said Kim Prunty, the spokeswoman for Disney.
In the past, Disney has already imposed selfie sticks bans on some of their rides, such as the Magic Kingdom and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, but some visitors just won't heed to the rule. Staff and park personnel have often been heard telling guests not to use their selfie sticks to take photos since it can lead to accidents, the report said.
Setting the policy to cover all of Disney's sites however, was trigged when a passenger riding the Adventure's California Screamin' roller coaster in Disney California pulled a selfie stick out mid-ride on Wednesday. The roller coaster was stopped and the rest of the guests had to be evacuated. The incident delayed the operations for over an hour, according to USA Today.
But that incident is not the first time it happened. On several occasions, passengers riding the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad in Disney World usually pull out their selfie sticks while the ride is moving. This happens despite signs posted all across Disney World that it is not allowed.
Selfie sticks are attached to smartphones to extend the camera's functionality, enabling it to take photos with a larger coverage of the background. In some stadiums, museums and music festival, the device has also been banned as it is considered obtrusive and unsafe.
Disney has already banned bringing skateboards, skating shoes, folding chairs and glass containers from entering its premises. On its website, their rules state that the management has the option to ban "other items that we determine may be harmful or disruptive."
