When visiting Disney theme parks, there are many rules – – both official and unofficial – – that guests have to follow.
Disney Springs transportation rules
That’s especially true this summer, as Disney is enforcing some new (and old) rules at both Disney World and Disneyland.
Resort Hopping from Disney Springs Just Got Harder
The days of parking at Disney Springs for free and then park hopping to Disney World hotels look to be over. Beginning on June 28th, guests will have to show a hotel or dining reservation in order to be granted access to the buses or boats leaving Disney Springs. This rule has been enacted before during busy times of year, but now it is becoming permanent.
Disney Springs Transportation Rule
Disney has not shared the official reason for this rule change, although we can guess that it is because too many non-resort guests were using the buses to get around to Disney’s hotels, and it was making the wait too long for the guests paying to stay at these hotels.
Disney Springs Boats
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Pin Trading Clampdown
Pin trading has been a mega-popular hobby amongst Disney fans at both Disney World and Disneyland for over 25 years.
Showing off our pins
However, Anaheim pin traders be warned, the “Happiest Place on Earth” is enforcing some new (and old) rules this year, including:
- Pins are not allowed to be set up and displayed on benches, chairs, tables, and other surfaces. So, groups who would previously gather around certain areas and almost set up a “pin trading pop-up” will need to operate in a more free-flowing manner.
- In addition, Disney is clamping down on guests’ elaborate pin displays, with the rule stating, “Lanyards and small handheld pin trading accessories are allowed, subject to the Disneyland Resort rules, but no additional decorations or collateral (e.g., lights, signage, displays, etc.) are permitted.”
- Finally, the company also clarified the longstanding rule that guests can only trade a maximum of two pins per Cast Member or trading board per day, and it’s a one pin for one pin trading system. In other words, if you’re trading with a Cast Member or board, even if your pin is worth more, you cannot get two in exchange.
Pin Board
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A BIG Change at Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
The legendary Big Thunder Mountain Railroad returned to the Magic Kingdom in early May after a refurbishment that lasted well over a year. The legendary E-ticket attraction features updated tracks and trains that is still the “Wildest Ride in the Wilderness” while improving the ride experience. These changes, along with a comprehensive assessment from the safety teams, have even allowed Disney to LOWER the ride’s height requirement from 40 inches to 38 inches. Those two inches might sound small, but they can make a BIG difference in determining if a younger guest can ride this newly refurbished attraction.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad
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A Warning to Parents Looking for Bluey
As of May, Animal Kingdom’s Conservation Station is now home to Bluey’s Wild World, where guests can play and dance with Bluey and Bingo! Guests will be able to play some of their favorite games from the beloved show, like the popular keepy uppy, take some pictures with the Blue Heeler sisters, and have a hands-on experience with animals native to their home country, Australia! However, guests should also note that the only way to access the Conservation Station is via the Wildlife Express Train, which only allows foldable strollers onboard. Therefore, you’ll need to either fold their stroller or park it at the station in Africa, take the train to Conversation Station, watch the show, and pick up your stroller upon your return.
Bluey’s Wild World
If you’re heading to either Disney World or Disneyland over the rest of 2026, be aware that Disney is enforcing some new (and old) rules. Stay tuned to DFB for more Disney tips.
Disney Fans Are Sharing the Park “Myths” They Believed for Way Too Long, and My Mind Is Blown
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I’d go to Disney World every year if I could, but I just don’t have that kind of money; I haven’t been there in at least fourteen years. 😞
I am staying at Port Orleans: Riverside this September, and we are eating at Storybook Dining. We want to look at the Wilderness Lodge as a potential place to stay for our 20th Anniversary (we also want to see the Polynesian when we go to Ohana breakfast, but that is less important to us–since we know we will not be able to afford to stay there).
So I have a couple questions: 1) how early can I board a bus to Wilderness Lodge for a dining reservation? It occurs to us that if we look at Wilderness Lodge afterward, we could stay however long, but we’d like a few hours there total to see the geyser and lagoonside bar. And embarrassingly, to look to see whether the upper stories of the main building trip up my fear of heights. 2) Does this apply to going to the resorts from the parks. When we went to visit Pop Century on our last trip, we took the Skyliner, but we took the bus to Magic Kingdom and then from Magic Kingdom to French Quarter. Could we go from Riverside to Magic Kingdom and then Magic Kingdom to Wilderness Lodge without a problem or would they check us there too. Again, we are going for a dinner reservation, we just want more time than say a one-hour window.
Just curious, how is anyone supposed to visit another resort for shopping, eating (without reservations), or just visiting?? My husband and I drive our own car and sometimes just like going to sit at a resort bar and eat a meal. We are AP and DVC Members but Disney is really making it difficult to get around and enjoy the experience.
Hi Kacee. With your Annual Pass, you should still be able to park at any of the Disney parks for free. The only restrictions in place are at Disney Springs right now. You can still move freely across Walt Disney World property using Disney transportation, but if you go to Disney Springs, you will not be able to use the transportation there unless you have an active resort or dining reservation.
I find this totally unacceptable and further reason to skip our annual trip to Disney World. A relaxing ride around or just riding from one end of Disney Springs to the other is always a must for me and my husband after dinner. Disney World has changed so much in the last few years (since reopening after Covid) that it in no way resembles what Walt Disney had in mind for “the happiest place on earth”. The cost has skyrocketed so the middle class families cannot afford it or else go into debt; they have removed classic rides/shows such as the Muppets, Splash Mountain, the shooting gallery in Frontierland, the riverboat and Tom Sawyer’s island, etc. I could go on but I think I’ve made my point. And now this restriction. No more! I’m done with Disney World! Why not just change the name from Disney World to “Millionaire’s Village”.
Why is the Big Thunder height requirement change controversial?
Happy to see they are stopping the “pin conventions”. I watched people coming out of Connections Cafe looking for places to sit and eat and not finding any due to the massive amount of people sitting for hours trading pins. I love pin trading but this was way over the top and interfering with the intent of the tables. Not sure how long this was going on or who sanctioned it but happy to see it stopped.
You’re darn right when you say “guests aren’t happy.” As longtime AP and DVC locals, we frequently stay overnight at a resort but just as frequently go for the day to shop and eat. WE ARE GUESTS! We spend a LOT of money at Disney resorts and Disney Springs so we are beyond upset. We are angry and offended that Wdw decides we are sub-par visitors or guests, by any definition! Before covid, I frequently drove the 20 minutes from home to relax at my favorite Animal Kingdom Lodge to eat, shop and see the animals and enjoy the ambience and I was welcomed to park at the resort (never seen the parking lot full even at Xmas)….. that is when I could find a sitter for my two elderly parents (both dementia in their 90s, one blind, the other deaf and in a wheelchair) to escape for a couple of hours. Only since covid have they denied parking…and it’s wrong! Not every visitor is trying to scam Disney! Yes, we sometimes would head to a resort for more shopping – after spending hundreds at Disney Springs – but it was for convenience and the fun of the buses or boats which were never crowded in the daytime. And frankly, it’s a long, tiring walk from any garage to the bus or boat! It’s even a long walk from the garage to enter Disney Springs plus having to go through security. Just driving to get into a Springs garage can take an hour if there is an event. Yes, we can park free at the parks and then get on a bus or boat but it’s not as easy or convenient as you make it sound. We could be parked many rows away after driving around looking for a spot. One of us has a handicapped placard but there are also several of those rows and all spots are far from the bus stop which, in itself, can be a long walk depending on which resort bus you need. There’s no worse feeling than just spending an hour driving to a park, trying to find a space and then seeing the bus you need pulling out, knowing you now have to waste more time waiting for the next one! And free parking or not, Wdw is HUGE and can be busy and confusing trying to drive miles from one spot to another, hoping you don’t miss the sign for your destination. It’s just not going to be that easy to run over for beignets and we used to love the boat ride over to Olivia’s for key lime pie. I guess those days are over. Sigh. Wdw has always been open for ALL guests, day or overnight, local or elsewhere in the USA. It really hurts to know they don’t want us anymore bc the hurdles they’re now making us jump are really awful. Between all the construction and destruction and now these new rules denying day guests bus and boat transportation, whatever the future turns Wdw into, it will be so far removed from what we loved, trusted and looked forward to….not just by those who come once a year but us who embraced it several times a month, spending our time, money and just having fun, escaping into the safe, commonsense warmth, tradition and comfort we grew up with, that Walt created for us. It’s just so sad….
My husband and I are currently staying at Ft. Wilderness Campsites for 10 days. Wishing now it was less. We wanted to go to the Boardwalk and get a few nibblets on the Boardwalk. We drive up and start to present our I.d’s and resort reservation that shows we are staying at Ft. Wilderness. He asks if we have reservations for dinner? No, but we are resort guests at the campsites. We wanted to walk around the boardwalk and get a few take-outs plus a drink. Nope, sorry, you have to have a dinner reservation! Seriously???I understand the Disney Springs and free loading off transportation rules, but we are Disney Resort Guests. If we had not bought all our tickets for Fall. We’d be canceling. Don’t even get me started on the parks lack of merchandise . I’m a lifelong Walt fan, but have become disenchanted with the current “Disney corp machine.” The only good thing from this 10 day trip was no merch was bought except for a Disney Inspired Artist print and a few pins. Normally I’m loaded down with Loungefly’s, Spirit Jerseys & Ears. They DO NEED TO WORK ON THE GOLF CART TRAFFIC.