Streaking Man Forces Disney To Overhaul Classic Attractions

Multiple classic Disneyland attractions are facing major changes following an incident with a streaking man that went viral on social media.

“The Happiest Place on Earth” is often the name given to Disneyland Resort, the home to Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure. However, a recent turn of events left Disney Park fans scratching their heads and wondering just what had happened. Of course, the incident we’re referring to happened over the weekend when a Disneyland guest was caught getting out of their boat and making their way through “it’s a small world”. As he progressively made his way through the beloved Disneyland attraction, clothes became less and more rare to come by. It’s a world of laughter and a world of tears, after all.

“it’s a small world” is a classic Disney attraction that first debuted at the 1964 New York World’s Fair before becoming a permanent fixture at Disneyland in 1966. The attraction, known for its catchy theme song, was later replicated at Disney parks around the world, including Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. The ride takes visitors on a boat journey through different scenes representing various countries and cultures, all while the iconic song, “it’s a small world”, plays in the background.

The song, written by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, has become synonymous with the Disney brand. Its simple yet memorable melody and lyrics convey a message of unity and the idea that, despite our cultural differences, we all share a common bond. The attraction’s charm lies in its ability to bring people of all ages together through a celebration of diversity.

During your cruise, Disney says to keep eye out for Peter Pan and Tinker Bell in England, Cinderella in her native France, Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket in Italy, Aladdin and Jasmine in the Middle East, The Three Caballeros in Mexico, Ariel and Flounder under the sea, Lilo and Stitch in the South Pacific and Woody, Bullseye and Jessie in the southwestern U.S.A.

Eventually, the man left the attraction and continued to make his way through Disneyland. All of this was done in front of thousands of guests, most of whom were children. Finally, he was apprehended by park security and was arrested. We reported: “The guest was detained shortly after leaving the entrance of “it’s a small world” and was quickly removed from the property. The iconic Disney attraction was closed for around an hour during the incident.”

Disneyland’s “It’s a small world” apparently had a guest take off his clothes and walk through the attraction. Video Credit from  @ magic.with.maegra on instagram

Disneyland’s “It’s a small world” apparently had a guest take off his clothes and walk through the attraction. Video Credit from 🎥 @ magic.with.maegra on instagram https://t.co/CNSQLQp0ZE pic.twitter.com/J1fiUIAX95

— Wonders of Magic (@wondersofmagic) November 26, 2023

The incident has left a frightful picture in the minds of many Disney Park fans that simply can’t be ignored. While there have been unfortunate incidents like this before, none have gone quite this viral. Still, it has to be noted that guest behavior has been at an all-time low for a couple of years now, and unfortunately, it continues to get worse. Guests have been caught fighting and brawling inside Disney theme parks. They’ve attempted to sneak in prohibited items, and even though they’ve kept their clothes on, this isn’t the first guest to get off a Disney ride and make their way through the attraction.

At some point in time, Disney will be forced to put an end to it, and it will be because of people like the streaking man, but also countless others who could not follow the rules.

There have been rumors for years that Disney could make changes to certain attractions, including its classic rides like “it’s a small world”, Pirates of the Caribbean, as well as others like Living with the Land and Gran Fiesta Starring The Three Caballeros in EPCOT. All of these rides are supposed to be slow-moving boat rides in which guests remain seated the entire time. Unfortunately, they’re having a hard time doing that, so Disney might be forced to make them.

It’s important to know that Disney has not confirmed or announced any changes to its attractions. However, there’s no way to look at these incidents– which seem to be happening more and more often– and not think that Park officials aren’t looking for ways to stop this from happening. This could mean that lap bars or safety restraints are installed on rides like “it’s a small world”– which would absolutely be a total overhaul for the classic attraction that has been around for decades– to ensure that guests comply with the rules.

If you don’t think that Disney is at least faced with the decision to make some changes, look no further than the phone policy, which has already begun to be more restrictive in the last year because of guests endangering others by pulling out their phones on attractions.

Could it be that lap-sitting for children– which has been fine for years and something that sets Disney apart from its competition in Universal– becomes illegal because of adults who can’t stay seated? Not likely, but the sad portion of this incident– and other ones that are similar– is that just a handful of guests can ruin the fun for millions. Still, we couldn’t blame Disney for any changes they chose to make.

In the words of Taylor Swift: “This is why we can’t have nice things.”

What do you think of Disney park guest behavior and its sad downfall?

This post is originally appeared on Inside the Magic.