Sometimes rules may seem like common sense and other times they can really surprise you.

When planning your next trip to Disney World you’ve probably done all the research on what to wear, where to eat, and which rides to prioritize but it’s also important to be familiar with all of their rules even if you haven’t reviewed them in a while. With so many changes and updates happening around the parks constantly, it really got us thinking about what YOU thought was the most surprising rule at Disney World.

On Facebook, we asked your opinion of the rules at Disney World and we heard you loud and clear. Some of the rules that exist around Disney World really make you want to scratch your head and say “Why is that a thing?” but they’re totally there. Sometimes they’re put in out of necessity for clarity, safety, or just general interactions between guests and cast members but whether you realize they’re there or not, we all still must follow them.

When we asked you what surprised you most about the rules we got back several responses that really made us pause to think about why they’re implimented. Let’s break down a few of those together.

This one might seem so trivial, but it’s true! When visiting Disney World you will not find gum sold by cast members. Maegan C. also offered this insight, “a former dcp custodial role, gum is the worst, especially because people tend to put it every where except for trash cans.”

Cast members already work tirelessly cleaning up after guests and making our park experience as seamless and peaceful as possible. Now imagine if they had one more thing to have to watch for cleaning up and it’s not so easily removed.

If you’ve ever stepped in gum before you know EXACTLY the feeling we’re talking about when you go to raise your foot and move but are met with that tug of resistance. It can be enough to put a damper on your day (and make you spend extra time cleaning your shoe).

If you’ve ever watched the fireworks at Magic Kingdom chances are you’ve also probably been or at least seen people packed in tightly around each other to fit within the viewing areas. Now picture someone (even accidentally) getting gum stuck in their hair? Yeah, it’s not a pretty picture, and would be enough to make you feel compelled to leave the parks to get out of your hair. So you see, having gum tracked through the Disney parks could slow down productivity among cast members, taint the guest experience, and have us experience longer waits than what already can exist for the bathrooms.

This wasn’t the only rule that surprised us though. There are a few more noteworthy ones that go unnoticed fairly often in the parks like the use of selfie sticks. Our reader Krystin S. had this to say, “…After thinking about it I totally get it and it makes sense but I had a selfie stick all packed away and ready to use when I had the idea to go ahead and look up the rules on it.”

Aside from potentially being a nuisance and blocking someone’s point of view in fireworks and shows, there’s also a real safety concern here when these are extended. The frequency of selfie sticks being used on rides and attractions we assume contributed to the rule against bringing them into the parks and even filming on some rides.

Did you also know Disney prohibits people from bringing loose ice into the park? Melanie O. did, “No loose ice,” is how she paraphrased the official rule. Ericka M. also offered further insight on this one following Melanie’s comment to add, “this was mostly because it made it impossible for security to screen bags with the old system. Imagine trying to dig through a cooler full of ice and what could be under the ice.”

The reason we could see this being appealing to even attempt would be for use in a cooler but again, we’re talking safety as the key here. If someone were to dump loose ice out in the park in large quantities it could easily become a slipping hazard. Our best advice for this workaround is to bring ice packs OR ask for loose ice cups as you need them at the quick service locations. They’re complimentary and the ice will be fresh, it’s a win-win!

One last one that really stood out to us was the restrictions on wagons and strollers.

Within the past few years, Disney has revamped their policies for wagons and strollers to meet size guidelines for width and length. Justin E. expressed frustration with these recent changes saying, “NO STROLLER WAGONS!!! made me nuts!! We have the small radio flyer one that is more stroller than wagon. The ideal vehicle for the parks. 1/4 of the size of most double strollers, but no, ALL wagons are banned!!” We imagine this was also due to the safety of not on the children in the strollers but also other people that are passing by. Disney has the updated guidelines for sizes of strollers and wagons posted in their rules for review should you have questions about the stroller you’re planning to bring and they do recognize the use of these devices for medical purposes as an exception and can tag them as such.

If you’re looking for the complete list of rules around Disney World parks and hotels, you can see them all here. We get it though, rules exist for a reason and sometimes they’re just necessary for keeping the parks clear and peaceful. Be sure to stay tuned to Disney Food Blog for the latest in Disney news and updates!

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The post The MOST SURPRISING Rule in Disney World first appeared on the disney food blog.