Guests at Disneyland expecting churros, parades, and childhood magic were instead met with barricades, secret service, and shuttered attractions, as Vice President JD Vance paid a surprise visit to the park—and in doing so, effectively shut down Pirates of the Caribbean for himself.
If that sentence makes you angry, you’re not alone.
They closed the entirety of a pirates and part of New Orleans just so Vance could ride.
byu/heavydutybeardbalm inDisneyland
The closure, confirmed by circulating photos on Reddit showing the front gates of the ride sealed off for security, sparked an avalanche of outrage online. For thousands of guests caught in the middle, it wasn’t just a momentary inconvenience—it felt like a slap in the face.
“This Was a Power Move, Plain and Simple”
Many online weren’t buying the idea that this was just a “normal” day out for Vance and his family. The visit came just days after his appearance sparked protests outside the park, and to some, choosing Disneyland of all places—California’s Disney, not Florida’s—seemed intentional.
“A lot of people in Florida would’ve welcomed [him] with open arms,” one commenter wrote. “However, CA hates him. This was a power move, plain and simple.”
And it wasn’t just the politics. What set guests off was the blatant disruption of everyday park operations—closing off rides that families had waited years to experience, just so one man could cruise past the crowds with a K9 detail.
Redditors didn’t hold back:
“Oh but ruining the experience for others while being treated like royalty at the expense of American tax dollars is the point. They wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“No one would give a flying [expletive] if he dropped dead in the middle of It’s a Small World.”
“I hope every single ride he rode broke down.”
“You Forfeit a Normal Family Day When You Take National Office”
Among the more widely agreed-upon sentiments was this: elected officials don’t get to pretend they’re average guests. Especially not when the safety and disruption burden is pushed onto everyone else in the park.
“I’d say this about anyone regardless of politics,” one guest said. “You kind of forfeit your privileges to have a normal family day at Disneyland if you are elected to a national office.”
The thread continued to dissect what many called the “entitlement” of using a high-ranking government position to disrupt an entire park’s operations—especially on a summer weekend, one of the most high-traffic times of the year.
“People save up for this for years,” one user wrote. “And this guy could go literally any time he wants. But he chose a packed July weekend. That tells you everything.”
Another guest added: “I am so pissed the taxpayers are paying for this.”
Disneyland and the Optics of Political Tourism
The choice of Disneyland wasn’t lost on observers either. With the Walt Disney Company entrenched in political battles against GOP figures like Ron DeSantis, the presence of a Trump-aligned Vice President at Walt’s original park—on a weekend known for high attendance—felt loaded.
“This wasn’t just a vacation,” one person wrote. “This was a message.”
And while celebrity visits to Disneyland are nothing new, most manage to fly under the radar. Some rent out parts of the park after hours. Others enter through back channels. They don’t typically trigger full-on ride shutdowns and security sweeps that halt operations for the rest of the public.
What Could Have Been Done Differently?
Redditors offered up a variety of more considerate alternatives—most centering on this theme: if you need the park to yourself, pay for it.
“Paying for a private night party and going without fanfare almost seems like it would be cheaper to the taxpayer than this nonsense.”
“If you need that level of security, do it outside of park hours and accept that your life cannot be normal anymore.”
The consensus? No politician, regardless of party, should be able to bulldoze the experience of regular guests at America’s most iconic theme park.
In the end, the magic may have still been there for Vice President Vance—but for the people stuck waiting outside a shut-down Pirates of the Caribbean, it was just another reminder that in politics, the rules are different for the powerful.
