Disney Responds to Trespassed Third-Party Tour Guides.
Disney World, the land of magic and childhood dreams, has cast a spell of a different sort on a group it once welcomed: third-party tour guides. The park’s ban on independent operators, who offered personalized experiences and shortcuts through the labyrinthine queues, has sparked debate and left a void for some visitors.
We have heard, and seen on social media, many tour guides who have been officially trespassed from Walt Disney World. The ban extends to all Walt Disney World properties, including “Theme Parks, Water Parks Resorts and Disney Springs,” according to the trespassing notices. Tour guides have tried to contest the ban directly to Disney, only to be told “You may appeal the decision in a year”
Disney’s statement adds another layer to the reasons. Furthermore, Disney argues the ban isn’t simply about control. It is but about protecting their guests and intellectual property. They’ve observed a rise in unauthorized sales of their services, potentially impacting their revenue and potentially misleading guests. The mention of Genie Plus, Disability Access Service, and even dining and lodging reservations highlights the extent of the alleged violations, suggesting some third-party operators may have crossed ethical and legal lines.
Related: Disney Dining Plan Returns in One Month January 9th, 2024 – What You Need to Know
Disney further bolstered their stance by emphasizing the impact on other guests and park operations. A spokesperson stated, “When third-party operators conduct unauthorized activity, it not only disrupts our business but also unfairly affects the experience of other guests, including those with disabilities who rely on our official services.” They drew a parallel to Starbucks, arguing, “Just as Starbucks wouldn’t tolerate a vendor selling coffee within their stores, we cannot allow unauthorized commercial activity within our theme parks.“
The ban has ignited a debate about access and control. Should Disney be the only gatekeeper to its own magic? Or should there be room for independent voices and experiences within its carefully curated world? Some argue that the ban homogenizes the experience, stifling creativity and diversity.
Most tour guides who have been trespassed have worked for some of the larger planning companies that have been implicated in abusing disability access services. Also, running a business inside of another business is just unethical. Nothing for nothing, Disney does not just ban people for no reason.
This is not a “OMG Disney hates me and only me, why did they do this to me” Simple answer is YOU broke the rules. YOU are the one making money off of other people’s businesses and services. Also, you had no part in the creation process, Imagineering, or running of the business. Furthermore, you had nothing to do with planning, making music, or the daily running of the World that is Disney.
Tour Guides are no better than the guy selling unauthorized T-shirts, outside of the arena, where you just saw your favorite band play.
This is just another example of abusing the system for your own monetary gain. If you remember back in the early 2000s and 2010s we saw people started getting banned. Disney had to change the way DAS operated because people paid extra money to guides and services to help them skip the lines.
Entitlement at its finest was on display, and it is clearly marked on Disney’s Website and other places that if you are found to have abused the DAS system you will be banned.
Now to backtrack a little, not every tour guide was doing this. They, the Tour Guides, were trying to offer a service and fill a need for families who are overwhelmed with how much planning people are told they need to do to make their family’s vacation a success.
Again, this line of thinking has become out of control. There is no need to listen to these people who are upselling services to plan your every hour, you can enjoy Walt Disney World with very little planning, other than a ticket to the park and a resort reservation. Trust us, that is how we vacation when we do. We do not force enjoyment every second of the hour, we relax! We worked very hard during the year to have time to enjoy, not rush and fight. If Peter Pan has a 95-minute wait not the listed 45-minute wait we will be okay.
While this topic is up for debate we would love to hear from you. Have you used a tour guide in the past? Are you a tour guide and have a differing opinion?
