When it comes to theme parks, Disney and Universal reign supreme – they’re the biggest, flashiest, and most visited attractions on the planet. Both companies own sprawling resorts worldwide, and in 2019 alone more than 200 million guests set foot on at least one of their properties.
Top 10 Ways to Avoid a Lifetime Ban
10 Filming Backstage
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, stretches over roughly 27,000 acres, making it one of the largest entertainment complexes on Earth. In 2013, popular vlogger Adam the Woo found himself permanently barred from the entire resort after a series of videos raised eyebrows.
The crux of the matter?
Disney guards its brand with obsessive care. While it welcomes fans to snap photos and record videos of anything that’s considered “on‑stage” – i.e., areas meant for public eyes – it draws a hard line at anything deemed “backstage.”
Adam’s footage, according to Disney, captured several locations that the company classifies as backstage, prompting the decision to ban him for life.
In a follow‑up vlog, Adam reflected, “I did some unusual things that Disney didn’t agree with… but nothing, in my view, that would be labeled as wrong.”
Fortunately, the story didn’t end on a sour note. After a wave of fan petitions and legal challenges, Disney lifted the ban in 2015, allowing Adam to return to the parks.
9 Misadventure
Beyond its two iconic water parks—Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon—Walt Disney World once boasted a third aquatic attraction: River Country. Nestled near Discovery Island, a secluded landmass in the middle of a lake close to the Magic Kingdom, River Country closed its doors in 2001, and Discovery Island was abandoned two years earlier.
Undeterred, photographer Shane Perez decided to swim across the alligator‑infested waters to the overgrown island in 2009, documenting his daring trek on his personal blog.
When Disney’s security team learned of his unauthorized excursion, they responded by issuing Perez a lifetime ban from Walt Disney World, effectively ending his island‑hopping ambitions.
8 Using Flags, Signs, Or Banners
Safety is paramount at theme parks worldwide, and Disney takes it especially seriously. In 2018, a man named Dion Cini repeatedly brandished large political signs while riding attractions, flashing a “Trump 2020” banner on Splash Mountain and a “Keep America Great” sign on Expedition Everest.
These oversized items posed a risk to other guests, and despite repeated warnings, Cini refused to cease his displays. Disney clarified that the ban was not about politics but about his unwillingness to follow park rules, resulting in a permanent ban from all Walt Disney World properties.
7 Being Drunk And Disorderly
Occasional drinks are fine, but crossing the line can have serious consequences. Disney aficionado Ellen McMillion, age 53, found herself permanently barred from all Disney World locations after a night of intoxication turned chaotic.
While at Hollywood Studios, police confronted her for slapping a taxi driver in the parking lot. She responded by swearing loudly, demanding a cigarette, and even kicking the officers, prompting Disney to issue a lifetime ban and issue a statement: “We don’t tolerate unsafe behavior.”
6 Fighting
Switching coasts to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, a family feud erupted in Toontown, culminating in a full‑blown fistfight that unfolded before dozens of children and their parents.
The scuffle began when one man spat in another’s face outside Goofy’s Playhouse, quickly escalating into punches. Reports suggest a woman was briefly knocked unconscious during the chaos.
Smartphone footage of the brawl went viral, and park security swiftly ejected the two families, issuing a permanent ban and ordering them never to return.
5 Assaulting The Employees
Long lines under a scorching sun are part of the Disney experience, and many guests rely on FastPass reservations to mitigate wait times. In 2019, an unnamed woman attempted to bypass the FastPass line for the Tower of Terror at Hollywood Studios.
When staff informed her that she had no reservation, she erupted, shouting, swearing, and ultimately punching a cast member in the face.
Security intervened, and although the employee chose not to press charges, the woman received a lifetime ban from Disney for assaulting a staff member.
4 Making Inappropriate Comments
Waiting in line is never fun, especially at Disney, but venting with crude jokes can land you in hot water. In 2015, Disney enthusiast David Swindler grew impatient with the “slow” staff at Pop Century Resort.
He quipped that he could have built a meth lab in his room in the time it took to be served. The comment prompted police to raid his hotel room late at night, and his family was expelled from the property.
Speaking to local news outlet WFTV, Swindler lamented, “I’m a little miffed at the people who overreacted… Hopefully someone higher up will say, ‘This is not what Disney is about.’”
Only Swindler himself received a permanent ban; his family was allowed to return.
3 Underage Drinking
Universal Orlando leans toward an adult‑oriented vibe, especially during its famed Halloween Horror Nights, where crowds gather for thrills and a few cocktails.
Nevertheless, the park enforces a strict zero‑tolerance policy for under‑age alcohol consumption. Over the years, security has ejected hundreds of under‑age revelers, often issuing permanent bans from all Universal properties.
2 Being Racist
In 2019, a quartet of tourists attending Universal Orlando’s Passholder Appreciation Day were caught on camera making white‑supremacist gestures while riding Revenge of the Mummy. The group performed Nazi salutes and displayed hate symbols.
The footage quickly spread online, prompting Universal executives to track down the offenders and hand out lifelong bans from the resort.
Universal issued a statement: “Hate has no place here—and we have no tolerance for any display of hatred within our destination. Any guest using hate speech or displaying hate symbols will be immediately removed and not allowed to return.”
1 Trespassing
Not only did vlogger Adam the Woo get banned from Walt Disney World in 2013, but in 2017 he also received an indefinite ban from Universal Orlando after sneaking into abandoned, off‑limits buildings—including Nickelodeon Studios—on the property.
During the grand opening of the Race Through New York Starring Jimmy Fallon ride, security collared him and escorted him off the grounds. While the ban remains in effect for Florida, Adam is still welcome at Universal Studios Hollywood in California.
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About The Author: Josh is a freelance writer from Barnsley in the UK!