I was asked to stop taking photos at Pleasure Island

[Grumpwurst]

A Disney Security Officer came up to me and Michael from ExploreTheMagic.com (modemmike on these boards) and told us that it's against Disney policy to allow guests to take pictures with tripods anywhere on Disney property.

We could hear alot of loud chatter through his ear bud and knew someone was really letting him have it about us. I told him that I have been taking pictures the whole time I've been here and even talked to Cast Members and nobody said anything to me.

I was told that it's the policy and he's just been asked to deliver it and they asked us to either stop using the tripod or leave Disney property.

 

[Tim]

lame, dude. never heard that one before. hope that isn't something new...
you should ask sometime if that "policy" is posted anywhere.

 

[Grumpwurst]

Me too. I just spent all this money on the camera to take night shots. If I cannot use my tripod, what's the point?

 

[Tim]

i bet it was an isolated incident. obviously they know you are taking tripods into the parks, because you have to go past the bag search to get in. hopefully this was the one over-aggressive security official. mike and i took tons of night photos at the magic kingdom in june and the security people never said a word to us, even though they were standing 15 feet away watching us take pics.

 

[Grumpwurst]

Mike was good. We were separated at the time and he kept the Security Guard distracted so that I could get some shots off before I was told to quit.

He was very nice, but we could very clearly hear the chatter in his ear piece. They were so loud he had to pull the piece out of his ear.

 

[zackiedawg]

Wow...I do hope that isn't another change in policy...I've shot with my tripod all over Disney property for years - a big, full-size tripod that can't be missed. Never had even a second glance from a Disney employee. But they are getting fairly aggressive in their 'rules' lately, since the smoking crackdown and the costume crackdown during the Halloween season. Could a camera/tripod crackdown be in the works - only shooting in designated areas next? I hope not!

Maybe it was specific to Pleasure Island? I've certainly never seen such a 'rule' listed anywhere, and as Tim said, they are more than aware you are entering all the parks with one since you have to walk through security.

Harra - in a pinch, you can still get by without a tripod - if indeed they really do begin cracking down on this as a new rule. I've taken lots of nightshots without one - just find various walls, ledges, poles, benches, etc to steady the camera on. It's limiting sometimes, as you are stuck with coming up with a composition from a fixed point, but at least you can still get the shot. And I wonder if you couldn't still use a tabletop tripod, that would allow you a little flexibility but still be small enough to pass muster with security.

I will send an e-mail to my aunt at Disney/MGM - ask her to check with her friends and coworkers if they have any stated rules now on tripods.

 

[Scott]

I also use a tripod at WDW, though never at Pleasure Island. Maybe the guard had misunderstood his "orders", and the no-tripod ban only applies there. In any case, we need to get this clarified by Disney's upper management.

 

[Grumpwurst]

Well I asked if it was a Pleasure Island/Downtown Disney rule and they said no. It was a policy for ALL of Disney property.

The security guard said they were trying to crack down on people taking pictures that they turn around and sell so they are now just banning tripods instead of specific cameras

I accidentally left that detail out in my original post because I was running off my second day of only 4 hours of sleep.

 

[Roger]

The security guard said they were trying to crack down on people taking pictures that they turn around and sell so they are now just banning tripods instead of specific cameras

Ahh now it comes out. I figured as much. Tripod=professional, so that's that. Actually I thought they were going to use the "tripods cause guest hazards because people set them up in the middle of the walkways" - John Smith, Disney spokesperson, discussing the new rule banning tripods at Walt Disney World, as he had to avoid the tripod setup by a PhotoPass photographer in the middle of Main Street.

That is actually something that seems plausible.

 

[zackiedawg]

Wow...if that's true, that's like banning sneakers because pickpockets wear them! Or banning sunglasses because hitmen wear them. A professional photog or person intent on selling their Disney photos isn't dependent on a tripod! A professional photog can stroll in with a Hassy H3 and a Zeiss lens and rattle off a bunch of pics to sell at an art fair all because he didn't have a tripod with him, but the poor dad from Ohio can't take pics of his family standing in front of the castle at night with his $300 P&S because he wasn't allowed to bring a tripod. Good plan!
Not to mention the argument that the LESS professional the camera, the MORE you need a tripod! The bigger the sensor the better the camera can handle high ISO shooting with low noise, so the tripod isn't necessary - but to get good low light shots with a small-sensor compact, slow shutters are a must. They should take tripods as a sign of a hobbyist rather than as a sign of a professional!
I hope we can find out if this is an actual policy...I've put the e-mail to my aunt so she can fish around from the inside. I was worried that the smoking ban might be a sign of a too-totalitarian stance beginning to pervade the parks - dress codes are tightening too - and now possibly tripods, with maybe cameras next (starting with a ban on DSLRs or cameras bigger than a certain dimension). I hope they don't start telling me what portion of food I can order for lunch based on my body type (I'd only be allowed a glass of water)! :-\
Let's hope they don't start serving Soylent Green next.

 

[Roger]

Not to mention the argument that the LESS professional the camera, the MORE you need a tripod! The bigger the sensor the better the camera can handle high ISO shooting with low noise, so the tripod isn't necessary - but to get good low light shots with a small-sensor compact, slow shutters are a must. They should take tripods as a sign of a hobbyist rather than as a sign of a professional!

The problem would be that the ones who write the policy usually don't understand that.

I hope we can find out if this is an actual policy...I've put the e-mail to my aunt so she can fish around from the inside. I was worried that the smoking ban might be a sign of a too-totalitarian stance beginning to pervade the parks - dress codes are tightening too - and now possibly tripods, with maybe cameras next (starting with a ban on DSLRs or cameras bigger than a certain dimension). I hope they don't start telling me what portion of food I can order for lunch based on my body type (I'd only be allowed a glass of water)! :-\
Let's hope they don't start serving Soylent Green next.

Many places are now banning "cameras with professional or removable lenses" which I could see Disney floating a trial balloon for, but I doubt it would fly....

I've seen more "bricks" at the Disney parks this year than I have ever before. (Mostly Nikons to tell you the truth) Disney Legal seems to have a knee-jerk reaction to EVERYTHING now. Which is why I'm surprised the Haunted Mansion isn't getting full body restraints, or why POTC doesn't have seatbelts yet.

 

[Scott]

The security guard said they were trying to crack down on people taking pictures that they turn around and sell so they are now just banning tripods instead of specific cameras

I would still like confirmation from someone very high up, not just a security guard.

 

[nrose101]

This one is stumping me too....I will have to do some poking around and see what I can find...very odd

 

[mSummers]

Any policy along those lines is just stupid. I would like to hear a confirmation from upper management on that too.

I ran into a similar problem in Washington D.C. about a month ago, when the security guards (not the park rangers) at the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials made me stop using a tripod. At the Lincoln, they wouldn't give me a reason when I pressed them for it, but at the Jefferson, they were kind enough to tell me why. It was because someone tripped over the legs of a tripod once, and made a big deal about it. So, the government stepped in to prevent people from their own stupidity and took away our (all photographers) right to take great shots at those two memorials after dark.

 

[Craig]

I have googled this a couple of times this morning and have come up with nothing.

Lets just hope its another badly/un trained, mis-informed castmember.

 

[Roger]

Any policy along those lines is just stupid. I would like to hear a confirmation from upper management on that too.

I ran into a similar problem in Washington D.C. about a month ago, when the security guards (not the park rangers) at the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials made me stop using a tripod. At the Lincoln, they wouldn't give me a reason when I pressed them for it, but at the Jefferson, they were kind enough to tell me why. It was because someone tripped over the legs of a tripod once, and made a big deal about it. So, the government stepped in to prevent people from their own stupidity and took away our (all photographers) right to take great shots at those two memorials after dark.

Sometimes you have to improvise down there at the Mall. NPS actually has a permit system for photography kind of like LA. Not even driving around in this was enough to get a photo of it in front of the Lincoln Memorial.
<img src="http://www.themeparkphotos.us/cpg140/albums/uploads/052307/A/CNMCTransport9803a.jpg" />

This was before 9/11 mind you.

 

[mSummers]

Sometimes you have to improvise down there at the Mall. NPS actually has a permit system for photography kind of like LA.

The problem I have with any permit system regarding photography, is that you shouldn't have to pay a daily fee to pursue your hobbies. NPS's system is designed for commercial photography, and charges $50 per day for the permit and you have to have liability insurance. To me that's a bit much to pay to take a picture. LA, New York and any other city or park that has or is thinking about putting rules against photography in place shouldn't have the right to restrict our hobbies.

 

[AUBandPilot]

I just got back from the World yesterday. I had no problems what so ever with my camera equiment (multiple lenses including the 70-200 2.8 IS & tripod). Gary and Tim both can attest to what I carry. I'm going with the overly zelous security dude in need of an ego boost theory.

 

[gary]

i can attest to that, byron looks like a pro, he gots that black camera , supported by the big tripod, and that great big honkin f2.8 that just screams out "i've got many $ invested in my equipment"

the thing that i don't get is why all these ballparks, concerts, theme parks are even trying to stop it, the genie's out the bottle already, they can't turn back the clock to film days when only a pro had the good equipment and lenses, if nothing else digital has made it possible for many to be reasonably technically proficient, esp in daylight, and some of the kit lenses are better than the pro grade of 25 years ago, and it seems to me that as more and more people learn a little from chimping, many of them are getting their interest fired up to actually learn a little about photography, couple that with the availablility of learning courses from books, dvd, local adult ed centers, comm colleges, etc, and it's an information explosion.
the camera companies are competing like crazy to bring us better and better gear at lower and lower prices, hell, todays p&s with IS is better than my first d30 dslr, so these people are trying to stick a finger in the crack in the dam, and don't realize the whole thing is collapsing,
i see only 2 positions left for them to end up adopting, either a total ban on all cameras, imagine trying to tell some dad, who just bought a $700 dslr kit to take pics of his princess at wdw for her first ever time, PUBLIC RELATIONS NIGHTMARE, or just a ban on tripods in certain areas for safety, which means they end up assigning a traffic controller to each photo passer using a tripod, so as not be exposed to litigation from their own safety rules not being followed

thanks for the rant space if anyone has read this far, you may now resume your normal programing

 

[Roger]

i can attest to that, byron looks like a pro, he gots that black camera , supported by the big tripod, and that great big honkin f2.8 that just screams out "i've got many $ invested in my equipment"

C'mon! the 70-200/2.8 IS isn't that big. Not after you've used the 300/2.8. ;-)

the camera companies are competing like crazy to bring us better and better gear at lower and lower prices, hell, todays p&s with IS is better than my first d30 dslr,

I'm finding that the p&S with IS of 2 years ago is better than the current ones. The problem is EVERY manufacturer is following the consumer megapixel war and the image quality is suffering. But I still think the D30 takes better pictures because of that - in fact the noise at 1600 is similar to the current P&S at 400. But not against the same # of MP from 2 years ago.

imagine trying to tell some dad, who just bought a $700 dslr kit to take pics of his princess at wdw for her first ever time, PUBLIC RELATIONS NIGHTMARE,

Excuse me sir, we have plenty of PhotoPassâ„¢ photographers using the ultimate in Nikonâ„¢ lenses with Kodakâ„¢ digital cards for the highest quality pictures that will take better pictures [sub]than you can[/sub], plus you can be in the picture!!! And you'll be able to get all of your pictures on a DVD for one low price! As a special this month, we have included the cost of PhotoPassâ„¢ with your hotel stay!

(meanwhile, Disney has raised the rates at all of their hotels by $10 a night)