Disney sets new age restrictions at theme parks

Visitors enter Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. / WKMG

ANAHEIM, Calif. Parents who drop off their young kids to spend the day at a Disney theme park will have to pass through the Magic Kingdom's gates themselves, under a new policy covering the company's destination properties nationwide.

Beginning on Saturday, March 23, children under 14 must have an older person with them to enter Disneyland in Anaheim, Calif., Disney World in Orlando, Fla., and other Disney parks.

The policy change is going into effect across Disney's American resorts, which previously had varying age policies.

Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown told the Orange County Register that people who have annual family passes will be notified of the new policy.

Brown told the Register the new policy was not adopted due to a specific issue involving unaccompanied children in the park.

Other properties include Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim; and its Florida attractions: Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, and DisneyQuest.

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[rykatspop]

It's a good call and should be made tougher. Our family went to Knott's Berry Farm a decade ago and we will never go back in a million years for a million dollars. It was a scary place. I had never seen so many thugs, babies dressed like thugs, gang members and none of them were the "wannabe" white kids. No it was the real McCoy gangsters that day and they were everywhere. My wife and I have some professional knowledge about the LA gang culture and we didn't like what we could see and figure out on so many of these people all over the theme park. If anything went sideways you didn't want to make an issue of it because we knew it would have not gone well for us and our little kids. But I remember fondly when Knott's was a genuine kid and family theme park like Disney still is--overall.

What has happened to Knott's Berry Farm is what Disney is afraid of--it will ruin their business. And I will never understand how many of the families I saw that day could afford the park entry. We do okay and it was pricey for our family--Knott's and Disney.

[gargantuan99]

"Entitled generation". Give me a break. If you are seeing bad behavior by kids, it's because they are on their own, on vacation and/or their parents are letting them. Guess what? Kids have been doing this for decades. Your generation was not better, or better-behaved or less "entitled" when allowed to run amok.

[mollydtt]

I've only visited Disney World during the "off season", and even then there were bizarre things that kids did (with their parents' permission) that were true headaches for the other guests and cast members.
Sure, it will be possible for parents to avoid chaperoning the kids, but I guess it will take a bit more effort.

[twmat311]

Hopefully Disney has caught on and is starting to head it off. We already had the plan to spend our travel dollars elsewhere, with what's been going on.

[HM8432]

They should have the age to be 18...however, I'm sure this policy won't sit well with the Participation Trophy Generation teens who mistakenly think themselves as mature 'adults', and are thus entitled to the perks associated with being one.

[Esus927]

So when you were a teen you never wanted to get away from your parents and just hang out with your friends?

[twmat311]

If they want to "get away and hang out," fine, but it doesn't have to be at the expense of everyone else. This has to do with unrestrained "I can do what I want, I'm entitled" conduct. Visit any Disney resort pool in September after 10PM ("open swim," no life guards). It makes the movie "Animal House" look tame.

This new rule won't fix that - but at least you might find relief in the parks. And this isn't a 29.95 bargain motel; I think Disney knows if it gets much worse, people will start to look elsewhere.

[twmat311]

Interesting policy - so you have to pass through the gates (all-day, all-park passes) with them. Then you wave good bye and go back though the exit gate and hit the golf course.

There are some days when Disney looks like any suburban shopping mall - young kids running unaccompanied, cannonballing in the pools, cutting lines and driving the park workers crazy (and this was September, school in session). Remember, this is the entitled generation, not the innocent kids depicted on the Disney TV ads. Disney plays a welcome-video on the airport shuttle; I wondered when all THOSE well behaved kids go - I'd reschedule my vacation plans for then.

[1notrub11]

Agreed. This this is largely a season pass problem.

Think this is stage 1: see if the parents are willing to pay for the adult ticket as well and go back out or see if the season pass folks are at least willing to park and get out of the car to let the kid in, and then leave.

If that doesn't work, stage 2: not sure, but violations could be subject to revocation of the season pass. May create a strain but .... too bad