There are plenty of unique items that are NOT allowed in Disney World. Selfie sticks and large strollers are some common items that have over the years been banned from being brought into the parks.
No Selfie Sticks!
However, there are a few surprising items that absolutely ARE allowed in the parks! Service dogs are a common sight throughout the theme parks, but there’s another service animal that you may even know is allowed to enter Disney World. According to Disney, service animals include not only dogs, but MINIATURE HORSES as well!
Disney’s official statement on service animals reads, “At Walt Disney World Resort, a service animal is a dog or miniature horse that is trained to do work or perform tasks for, and to assist, an individual with a disability.”
Wait. Back up a sec. MINIATURE HORSES?! And no, we aren’t talking about those horses you see along Main Street, U.S.A.. Miniature horses are considered a legitimate service animal, and they are allowed inside Disney World! Let us repeat: (if you require a service animal) YOU CAN HAVE A TINY HORSE IN DISNEY WORLD.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Ok, did everyone fully process that? Yes, it’s unique and still kind of crazy-awesome at the same time.
While these aren’t nearly as common a sight as service dogs, if you happen to spot a miniature (service!) horse in the parks, they are, surprisingly, A-OK! Imagine enjoying that Dole Whip, skipping around Magic Kingdom and you spot a Li’l Sebastian neighing around Adventureland!! We would drop our Dole Whips and start squealing. We don’t often see mini horses at ALL — service animal or not — so the idea of spotting one at the parks is intriguing to us.
Walt Disney World Resort entrance
Turns out, service miniature horses are much less common than dogs, but live a lot longer — up to 35 years — and can handle a lot more weight than a dog, making them ideal for certain mobility impaired individuals.
Keep in mind that with any service animal, there are certain areas and attractions in the park that are off-limits. Make sure you take off-limit areas into account (it’s probably not ideal to attempt to take your mini horse on Splash Mountain!). Be sure to talk to a Cast Member if you wish to ride an attraction; they will either offer Rider Switch or have accommodations in place for your service animal such as a portable kennel.
Read more about 10 items that are BANNED from Disney World!
Service animals (including miniature horses 😂) may NOT ride the following:
Magic Kingdom Park
The Barnstormer
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
Peter Pan’s Flight
Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
Space Mountain
Splash Mountain
Space Mountain
EPCOT
Mission: SPACE
Soarin’
Test Track
Test Track
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Alien Swirling Saucers
Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run
Rock ’n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith
Slinky Dog Dash
Star Tours – The Adventure Continues
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance
The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror™
Rise of the Resistance at Hollywood Studios
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Affection Section at Rafiki’s Planet Watch
Avatar Flight of Passage
Expedition Everest – Legend of the Forbidden Mountain®
DINOSAUR
Kali River Rapids
Maharajah Jungle Trek: Aviary Area
Primeval Whirl
Flight of Passage Ride Vehicle
Service Animals Permitted with Caution
There are some attractions, however, in which animals may be able to board on a case-by-case basis. Guests with service animals should check with a host for attraction and boarding information at the following attractions:
Magic Kingdom Park
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (You could RIDE a horse WITH your horse!!)
Prince Charming Regal Carrousel
EPCOT
Disney & Pixar Short Film Festival
Spaceship Earth
Omnimovers in Action on Spaceship Earth
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
Toy Story Mania!
Toy Story Mania
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail
It’s Tough To Be A Bug!
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Kilimanjaro Safaris
Attractions not listed as limited of off-limits should be FINE to ride with your li’l mini horse.
Keep in mind you will have to let your service mini horse (or dog) relieve itself when in the parks and Disney provides a detailed list of locations where this is permitted:
Magic Kingdom Park
- Adventureland: adjacent to the Pirates of the Caribbean
- Frontierland: near the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
- Liberty Square: behind the Liberty Tree Tavern
- Fantasyland: near the Walt Disney World Railroad
- Tomorrowland: By Space Mountain Restrooms
Epcot
- Future World East: next to the restrooms behind MouseGear
- Future World West: next to the Imagination! restrooms
- United Kingdom: right of restrooms
- The space between the Outpost and Germany Pavilion
Disney’s Hollywood Studios
- In the courtyard of First Aid
- Across from Baseline Tap House
- Toy Story Land: near Alien Swirling Saucers
- At the entrance to Toy Story Land
Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park
- Discovery Island: near First Aid
- DinoLand U.S.A.: next to the planter at the Restaurantosarus restrooms
- Asia: right of the planter at Maharajah Jungle Trek restrooms
- Rafiki’s Planet Watch: right of the planter at Conservation Station entrance
- Pandora: on path near the Satuʻli Canteen
This may seem like a small detail to share but man, did it make our day to know this unique option existed. Disney World is happy to welcome service animals when required by guests and now we just so happen to have noticed that you have MORE than just canine options that qualify! Keep in mind you should never approach a service animal at work. So if you DO spot one, don’t try to pet it or take a photo with it. But if you’re in need of a medically required service animal, maybe consider the regal, majestic, petite world of miniature horses.
Bringing a PET to Disney World? Here’s all the information you need to know!
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The only two animals recognized as service pets that can go anywhere are dogs and miniature horses. Being a hotel manager that miniature horse in my hotel has been a fear of having to clean behind. However, they are protected by the ADA laws and can go anywhere their owners go.
I saw a miniature horse getting on a safari truck a few years ago. I didn’t get a picture, but I’ll never forget it!
What Lori said, miniature horses are defined under federal law.
In fact, federal law restricts service animals to ONLY dogs and miniature horses. If you see someone trying to claim that another kind of animal is a service animal they are lying (or badly misinformed). In some places you will tragically see a lot of people passing off emotional support animals as service animals, and worse, getting away with it. ESAs are not allowed legal public access.
I’d be really fascinated in seeing a miniature horse on Spaceship Earth…if anyone ever sees that PLEASE post a video!!!
Saw a miniature pony queuing up on flight of passage a few years ago. Was very strange to see. No photo but even the cast members seemed surprised.
I brought my emotional support cat into epcot less than 2 years ago. I made it through security. No problem. They didn’t know about the rule. When I got to germany to eat they manager looked into the cat carriage and told us we had to leave. The situation was handled ok. I got $100 to come back and eat without my cat.
Miniature Horse as a service animal, give me a break. It’s an attention getter period.
Lady took into a park a whole lasagna on one of our trips. I know you can bring in your own food but a whole lasagna? Who does that?!
Ashley, I’m thinking someone who loves lasagna and keeping her money in her own pocket. 🤣
This is hysterical! I love it!
But no way a miniature horse can live 35 years.
Regular horses can hardly ever live that long.
And where can you stay at WDW to even KEEP a horse? Fort Wilderness? I don’t think so.
Hi Ira! Disney allows miniature horses in the parks/resort if they are service animals. It’s actually on their service animal information page right here. We also researched the life-span of a miniature horse and according to Town & Country Magazine they can live between 25-35 years.
I cannot imagine that a service animal could safely ride TRON either.
Thank you for bringing this to your readers’ attention. I’m currently spending two weeks on property as a person with a prosthetic leg. I am 6’ 4” tall and I am having difficulty getting in and out of some rides. I’m traveling solo and cast members cannot physically help me, and I understand the liability issues of that. But it would be helpful if you could publish an article about the attractions that would be difficult for persons with similar physical disabilities to ride if on a solo trip to Disney.