You might be surprised by what can get you BANNED from the Disney World theme parks!

No one wants to get kicked out of The Most Magical Place on Earth, so make sure you know about these 3 unexpected rules before your trip!

There are some obvious things that will get you kicked out and potentially banned — for example, you should NOT try to bring in a prohibited item, which includes things like firearms, megaphones, and folding chairs (check out some other banned items here).

You also cannot go into “backstage” areas, so anywhere that’s marked as “Cast Member Only” is not for guests. (The only time you can do that without breaking the rules is during the Keys to the Kingdom tour in Magic Kingdom!)

But there are also a couple of WEIRD things that you might not think could get you banned from the Disney World theme parks.

Dressing Up As a Character

Disney World seems like the perfect place to wear your super realistic and elaborate Cinderella costume, right? Unfortunately, doing so might get you kicked out.

Disney prohibits guests from “posing as or portraying any character in costume.” Anyone visiting the parks who is 14 years old or older may not wear a costume, unless it’s during one of the specially ticketed events like Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, where different costume rules apply. The runDisney races also have different costume rules.

Why is it that you’re not allowed to dress up as your favorite character in the parks? The main problem is that other people might think you’re the actual character (the one Disney hired), and since you don’t actually work for Disney, they can’t control how you portray that character and interact with guests.

Cast Members go through a LOT of training before they set foot in the parks as characters, with classes about how to interact with guests, how to handle difficult situations, etc. They know their characters’ stories inside and out, and that’s how they’re able to keep the magic going and interact with little kids in such a way that makes those kids really believe they’re the real characters.

We’re sure that you have a very convincing Cinderella signature, but unfortunately — since you haven’t been hired by Disney and gone through all that training — Disney has to ask you to refrain from wearing your full costume in the parks.

Note that this rule does NOT apply to kids ages 13 and younger — you’ll see plenty of little ones dressed up as characters, and that’s totally OK.

What you CAN do instead of wearing the full costume is Disneybound! DisneyBounding is a common thing in the theme parks. While you cannot wear character costumes, you can wear regular outfits that nod to the characters.

For example, if you were “bounding” as Belle, you might wear a yellow sundress (to nod to Belle’s iconic gown) and carry a bright red purse (to nod to the rose in the movie). Bounding as Prince Eric might involve a white shirt, blue pants, a red belt, and a stuffed sheepdog.

To know whether your “bounding” is getting too close to an actual costume, a good rule of thumb could be to ask yourself, “Could a child reasonably mistake me for the real character?” If the answer is yes or maybe, you might want to adjust your outfit.

Petting the Wild Animals

We’re pretty sure that most people aren’t considering hopping off the safari truck at Kilimanjaro Safaris to run and pet the rhinos. And if you are, please re-think that plan, as it could not only get you kicked out of Disney World but could also lead to serious harm or injury on your part. Logan the baby rhino is super cute, but Logan the baby rhino has a sharp horn and also a very protective mama who doesn’t want random guests running towards her baby.

We want to pet those African Wild Dogs as much as anyone, but it’s just not smart.

Since most people know to NOT pet the lions in the Animal Kingdom, Disney’s rule against petting any wildlife might seem kind of ridiculous. However, there are some other animals included in this rule that you might not have thought about.

Disney’s website states that “feeding, petting, touching, harassing or harming any wildlife, including birds, is prohibited.” One key phrase there is “including birds,” so those adorable Disney ducks that come up to your table while you’re eating at Casey’s Corner are off-limits. They don’t want to be pet, and Disney doesn’t want you to pet them either.

You’ll probably see a lot of little critters roaming free during your vacation, including those white birds that really want to steal your food in Animal Kingdom. There might be squirrels running around, too! These animals are often very comfortable with humans (they live in a theme park, after all), but even if they approach you, you still may NOT touch them or feed them. 

This rule is for your own safety but also for the safety and comfort of all the cute little animals that call Disney World home.

Cutting in Line

It’s definitely frowned upon to cut the line at the rides and attractions in Disney World, but you might not know that doing so can actually get you kicked out of the parks.

Disney’s website states, “Please show common courtesy to fellow Guests and our Cast Members by not using profanity or engaging in unsafe, illegal, disruptive or offensive behavior, jumping lines or saving places in lines for others.”

That’s right — cutting in line could get you more than some nasty looks from other guests. You might get kicked out and banned from the parks.

You might be wondering, “Will Disney actually ban me from the theme parks for cutting in line?” And the answer is…maybe! All of these rules are listed on the “Walt Disney World Resort Property Rules” webpage, and that page includes this statement:

“We reserve the right to deny admission, prevent entry or require a person already admitted to leave the Walt Disney World Resort or any part thereof, without refund, liability or compensation, for failure to comply with any of these rules, for unsafe, illegal or offensive behavior, to ensure safety, security or order, or if we consider that the circumstances otherwise so require, in our sole and absolute discretion.”

So although Disney might not enforce the ban every time, they do have the right to if they decide it’s necessary. The best way to ensure you don’t get kicked out of the parks is simply to not break these rules.

Stay tuned to DFB for more updates and tips as you plan your upcoming Disney vacation!

Click here to see 10 WEIRD things that are BANNED in Disney World.

Which of these rules surprised you? Let us know in the comments.