Hold onto your Mickey ears — and stow that Stanley cup.
Disneyland is banning the bougie reusable water bottles from a top ride following a surge in shutdowns — revealing that attached-at-the-lip tourists are creating operational headaches at the happiest place on earth.
At a recent briefing, park officials said that a growing number of temporary closures triggered by “guest behavior” could be linked to dropped items — with the grown-up sippy cups, a favorite among hydration-happy Gen Z, reportedly among the lead culprits.
Historically, the average of “incident”-related shutdowns has been 10%. The number has now shot up to 13%. The data was initially reported by Mickey Visit.
Also on the no-ride list in some cases: smartphones. So, if you’re planning to livestream your ride on Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, think again.
Cast members at the popular Anaheim attraction are now under orders not to start the ride if they spot a guest with a phone on their lap or in hand.
While the ride may look like a whimsical cartoon romp, the tech behind it is no joke — and sensitive to debris.
Because the ride uses high-tech, trackless vehicles, a single dropped iPhone can trigger a “sensor hit” that shuts the entire (and expensive) attraction down for hours, triggering a long delay for everyone else in line.
Across the plaza at Disney’s California Adventure, the emotional support water bottle trend has officially hit a wall.
Disney engineers noted that high-speed, high-thrill rides like the Incredicoaster—which hits 55 mph and goes upside down—don’t mix well with 40-ounce metal tumblers.
In the eyes of safety experts, at high speeds and inversions, the cup becomes a “dangerous projectile” the moment it leaves a rider’s hand.
To solve the problem, Disney has installed dedicated shelves at the loading station. Guests are now required to leave their loose water bottles before the ride starts.
“Definitely not a bad thing,” one Redditor wrote of the new rule. “I remember being brained by somebody’s sunglasses while in line for a hot dog years ago, and that hurt enough…I got lucky. A hydroflask would have had me on the floor.”
So, if you’re heading to the parks anytime soon, you might want to leave your influencer kit at home. Disney is making it clear that the only thing they want flying through the air on their coasters is you.
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