When the first Disneyland theme park opened in California in 1955, the public coming in to spend a day going on rides and seeing their favorite cartoon characters was very different from the Disney customers of today.
Most U.S. families lived on a single income and came in from nearby while cell phones and other portable communications technology that we now use daily were non-existent.
With the massive technological advancements that the next seven decades have brought, what would eventually grow into a theme park empire has also had to adjust its rules to a changing culture.
Disney workers instructed to not start high-motion rides if phones are out
For the last 20 years, Disney has relied on the “Stow It, Don’t Show It” policy for cell phones on fast-moving rides. At the Disneyland and California Adventure parks, signs at roller coasters like the “Radiator Springs Racers,” the “Incredicoaster” and “Big Thunder Mountain Railroad” reminded guests to put any phones or other loose items out of sight during the ride.
But amid a spike in guests hiding them in a pocket and pulling them out to take a picture once the ride takes off, Disneyland has taken a tougher stance on phones and other technology.
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As first reported by the “Mickey Visit” blog, the guest code of conduct was quietly updated earlier in April in order to explicitly state that filming is not allowed on high-motion rides.
An internal staff memo now instructs Disney workers at the rides to come up to guests waiting in line to remind them of the phone ban and conduct a last visual check for phones before setting it in motion. If they see a phone, they will tell the rider to put it away and not start the ride until they do.
While phones are the most common offending item, the same policy will also apply to other loose items such as water bottles, hats, backpacks and ears. Some parkgoers have already nicknamed the new policy the “Stanley ban” due to the the popular brand of oversize drinking cups that have become a common sight in the parks in recent years.
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What else to know about phones and the new Disney ride rules
Disney cited statistics showing that 13% of ride shutdowns in the 2025 fiscal year were caused by incidents of guest behavior.
This number, which is an increase from 10% in the previous year, includes above all incidents of riders dropping an item while the ride is in motion.
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New “Stow It, Don’t Show It” signs have also been put up at several slow-motion and younger child-friendly rides like the “Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway” dark ride.
But the filming rules do not apply to most popular slow-motion rides like “Mad Hatter’s Tea Cups” and “It’s A Small World.”
A common criticism made online by those who already had a chance to experience the new phone rules over the last few weeks is that guests, particularly those who have the Lightning Lane and Premier passes, need to produce their phone before boarding the ride and then quickly put it away — for those who did not happen to wear clothing with pockets or a bag that also needs to be put away, this can end up being an unexpected last-minute challenge.
A phone hidden in a pocket also does not address the issue of guests pulling it out halfway through the ride.
Related: Disney World shut down four classic rides, attractions
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