Are you allowed to bring a GoPro Into Disney World? If you are planning an upcoming trip to Disney World, you’ll want to capture all the fun and excitement by taking photos and video.
Capturing the special moments with your family can lead to a lifetime of memories that you can share over and over again. However, what are the rules for using cameras and GoPro’s at Disney World’s parks?
Disney World allows you to bring GoPro’s into their theme parks and allows you to carry them on the rides. There are no rules that prohibit the use of GoPro’s at Disney World Parks unless your intent is to use footage for commercial purposes.
Table of Contents
Can You Bring A GoPro Into Disney World
GoPro’s fall under Disney World’s general camera rules. To see the official policy, click here. As long as you are not using any of the recording for commercial purposes, you can video tape on all of the rides.
The Following Camera Items Are Prohibited At Disney World Parks:
- Selfie sticks, hand-held extension poles for any camera or mobile device.
- Tripods and monopod stands that can’t fit inside a standard backpack or that extend over 6 ft.
- Recreational devices such as drones
To see all things you should pack with your GoPro camera when visiting Disney, check out my articles:
- What To Pack For Disney World In Summer
- How To Pack For Disney World In March
- What Should I Pack For Disney World In January
- What Clothes To Pack For Disney World In December
Are GoPros Allowed On Disney Rides
Disney World is very lenient when it comes to their rules regarding cameras and videotaping in their parks compared to the other theme parks in Orlando. Most other theme parks have strict rules that don’t allow you to record on any of their rides.
With Disney, as long as you securely hold onto the GoPro, you are able to bring it on all of the rides. It is wise that if you choose to film on a rollercoaster or other high-speed attraction, to strap the GoPro to your wrist using (item) or strapping it to your chest using (item). This way you can hold on and don’t run the risk of hurting yourself or others while on the ride.
Why Bring A GoPro Over A Camera To Disney
GoPros are small, lightweight and easy to put in and out your bag. The video quality is great on a GoPro, especially in 4k.
I own both a GoPro Hero 7 (link to Amazon to see specs & reviews) and a Canon DSLR 90D camera that allows me to capture awesome video, as well as pictures. While both have their place, I have found that going to Disney World it is easier to carry around a GoPro rather than a bulky DSLR camera.
Waiting in lines and transferring on and off rides, it is much easier to hold a small GoPro in your hand rather than a big camera. Even though you can use a strap to hold the camera, after a full day of carrying it around, your shoulders and hands can become sore.
Insider Tip
The best camera to bring with you is the one that you are going to use. You can have the best camera in the world with all of the best features, however if you don’t use it because of circumstances, then it doesn’t do you any good.
Best GoPro To Bring To Disney World
Even though I own a GoPro Hero 7, I want to upgrade to the GoPro Hero 8. One draw-back to the GoPro Hero 7 and previous versions, is the sound quality. The sound isn’t terrible, it just picks up a lot of background noise. I had to buy an external recorder in order to improve the sound quality of the video.
With the new GoPro Hero 8 (this listing on Amazon comes with 50 piece accessory kit included), they have addressed this issue by adding a Media Mod attachment. This Media Mod surrounds the GoPro and has a built-in shotgun Mic that has better performance along with HDMI input and mounts to add lights and another display monitor to record in selfie mode.
The GoPro Hero 8 has superior hypersmooth technology that reduces camera shake which is great for walking around Disney. You can get smooth video and now get better audio quality all in one.
Can You Bring GoPro Accessories Into Disney World
Disney World does allow you to bring many of the GoPro accessories into the theme parks. These include the harness, head strap, Karma grip, and more. They do not allow any GoPro accessories that are extendable, such as a selfie stick or the GoPro 3-Way.
Are Gimbals For GoPro Allowed At Disney
The best way to stabilize your video at Disney is to use a gimbal for your GoPro. Disney World does allow you to bring gimbals for your GoPro inside their theme parks. Whether you are walking around or riding on a ride, using a gimbal will drastically improve the quality of your video. I highly recommend getting one.
A gimbal is an electronic device that you put your GoPro in and it will keep the video level and steady. Without a gimbal, even though you try your best not to shake your hands while recording, every step you take will jolt the camera a little which will be magnified on the video screen.
The gimbal that I use for my GoPro is the Hohem ISteady Pro 2. I was suprised at how cheap I was able to buy the Hohem ISteady Pro 2 Gimbal from the listing on Amazon. It is small, easy to use, budget friendly, and fits any GoPro action camera. It has controls on the handle that allows you to change the settings to control the gimbal in different ways.
Are You Allowed Selfie Sticks In Disney World
In 2015, selfie sticks for GoPro’s and other cameras were banned in all Disney World theme parks for safety concerns. People were using the selfie sticks as weapons and they were being careless as they were walking around filming themselves.
When you first arrive at a Disney park and you get onto the parking lot tram, they will tell you over the loud speaker that if you have a selfie stick, you need to leave it in your car. Otherwise, when you go through security, they will not allow you inside the park with it.
My Related Disney Articles:
- 3 Ways To Avoid The Cost For Parking At Disney
- 7 Tips You Must Know About Child Swap At Disney, Universal, Busch Gardens and Sea World
Final Thoughts
If you want to shoot video at Disney World, I highly recommend bringing a GoPro. With the amount of times you will be up and down, in and out, and standing and moving, your arms will thank me at the end of the day for using a GoPro instead of a bulky camera. GoPro’s can shoot great quality video that you will love.