Rumors have spread online that Disney has prohibited one bizarre item from its theme parks, but we now have some clarity as to what is (and isn't) banned.
Like any theme park, visiting Disney World or any Disney park worldwide means abiding by the guidelines enforced to ensure the safety of other guests and cast members.
Some of these rules are stricter at Disney than at other theme parks. For example, both Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort do not allow selfie sticks into the parks themselves, while plenty of other parks are willing to turn a blind eye.
More specific rules also include the ban on balloons at Disney's Animal Kingdom, where it's feared that a rogue balloon could pose a possible risk to its hundreds of animal residents.
Disneyland Paris also tightened its rules around professional camera equipment earlier this year, prohibiting guests from bringing the likes of “telescopic poles, tripods, monopods, or any extension accessories for electronic devices” into the parks.
It's also been claimed that one park has an even more specific rule about what you can and can't bring onto the property.
A tourist at Shanghai Disneyland – which first opened to guests in 2016 – posted a video online in which they alleged that they were prohibited from bringing playing cards into the park after being searched at the security checkpoint.
Credit: Shanghai Disneyland
According to local news outlet Guancha, the guest asked security personnel why he could not bring cards into the park, only to be told that “this is Disneyland, not a chess and card room.” He was then requested to pay a fee of 10 yuan ($1.39 USD) to store his items at security.
With the Shanghai Disneyland rules not mentioning anything about cards being banned from the park, the guest soon shared their outrage online and filed a lawsuit against Shanghai Disneyland through the WeChat feature “People's Court” to reimburse this fee.
However, Guancha reports that if an online hearing is denied, the guest – who lives in Tianjin, which is roughly a two-hour flight away from Shanghai – plans on withdrawing the case due to the time and money required to attend court in person.
Are Cards Actually Banned From Shanghai Disneyland?
That brings us to the bigger question: Can you actually not bring playing cards into Shanghai Disneyland?
As it turns out, no, cards are not banned from the park. Shanghai Disneyland issued a response to a local reporter in which they clarified that the situation was a misunderstanding and that the guest was actually stopped because they also had scissors and a flashlight in their bag, both of which are prohibited items.
The park also apologized, adding that it was “actively contacting the tourist and hope to invite him to return to the park” (via The Paper).
So, there you have it – playing cards are allowed into Shanghai Disneyland. However, this isn't the first time we've heard of random items leading to a guest being denied entry to Disney. In the past, political or explicit clothing has also led to security refusing guests.
Guests are also banned from bringing the likes of whistles, horns, Heelys – yes, those sneakers with wheels in the feet are not on Mickey Mouse's good list – and pool noodles. (Technically, the latter is only banned from Walt Disney World Resort's water parks, but we're willing to bet security wouldn't be impressed if you rocked up at Magic Kingdom Park with a pool noodle in hand, either).
It was previously also reported that proposals are banned at Shanghai Disneyland after a guest was told as much by the park's guest services.
The resort also tightened the rules around electric wheelchairs in the park amid reports of young guests abusing the system.
Have you ever been refused entry to Disney for a bizarre reason?
