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Should theme parks have a dress code?

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 7:56 pm
by Siren
I visit theme parks a lot and most the time, people are in the regular t-shirt/tank top and shorts. But there is still those people who feel they must expose themselves to the world...at family theme parks.

At Aquatica, a family-based water park, men in speedos. Women in barely there thong bikinis and swimsuits.
At Universal and Islands of Adventure, again, string bikinis. Also pants down to the men's knees.

I know Disney World parks will ask visitors to cover up. I was at Magic Kingdom once when a girl in a barely there bikini top (just covered her nipples) and shorts on, she was walking around and an employee asked her to put on a shirt and explained they are a family oriented park. She did oblige, but she was miffed.

Being a former Disney employee, you go through a few hours of training on how to tell visitors "no". After spending a few hundred dollars just to walk through the gates, many visitors don't like being told they aren't allowed to do something. They feel obligated that they paid all this money, they can do whatever they want. The thing is, they aren't so much annoying the park, as they are annoying other visitors. I'm one of those visitors, who will tell someone who is not smoking in the designated area, "I came to the park to have fun, not get cancer."

If I walked into their Halloween events in the Mia costume, they would turn me away. If someone walked in there with a swastika they would turn them away. Why not tell people to cover up? I'm kinda tired of going to family theme parks and having to distract my daughter's attention in some other direction.

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:22 pm
by pap64
I think what people fail to realize is that yes, you DID pay to get in, but you only paid for the right to ENTER the park, not to do whatever you want. A theme park, as well as restaurants, movie theaters and pretty much any place, is still owned by people. And those people have the right to set down any rules, no matter how strict or ridiculous they are. So if one of those rules happen to be to dress appropriately then the people MUST respect that, because the owners also have the right to kick them out despite being paying customers.

The only thing to protest is if the rules get to the point where its violating social rights, like turning down certain people.

Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2009 8:36 pm
by Siren
WDW does have a dress code: http://www.wdwinfo.com/tips_for_touring/dress-code.htm

And it seems pretty successful to me. They get lax on it for night waterpark events that are geared towards teens and young adults, which is cool. Because if you are bringing your 6 year old to that and complain, you need a kick in the arse. Like the people who bring little kids to Halloween Horror Nights and get upset because the shows are often very raunchy. On those nights, the park is for 13 and over. Don't like it, don't go. But during the day, its a family park and they ought to have some sort of small order about what's acceptable. My daughter knows boys have different parts then girls, but I don't want to go explaining that to her at a park when she sees some man walk by in a speedo. And I'm not just talking about the old, overweight people wearing them. I don't care who wears one, how good looking, buff, etc he is...speedos are gross and will always be gross to me.

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 5:51 pm
by Mr. Toad
I agree with most of it. I guess I get the costume thing because people can abuse it and actually pretend to be the characters. I guess the ripped clothing part gets enforced if it shows too much.

By the way, what is a T shirt with a collar. Does such a thing exist. It wouldnt be shaped like a T if it had a collar would it?

Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 9:35 pm
by Escapay
Mr. Toad wrote:By the way, what is a T shirt with a collar. Does such a thing exist. It wouldnt be shaped like a T if it had a collar would it?
Like this?

Image

albert

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 2:03 am
by milojthatch
May be a good idea. I have to say I don't really care for the fact that at a place with children and a lot of children at that, there are people (normally women) at Disneyland that are almost naked.

I think a light dress code may be a good idea.

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 12:13 pm
by AliceinWonderland
What about the content on their attire

My last trip to disneyland some guy was wearing an oversized shirt with a real looking but cartoon style stripper-like woman with the word t*ts on it. I forgot the reset of the saying but the image was definitely R+ rated

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 3:01 pm
by PeterPanfan
Hershey Park, which is close to me, actually does have a dress code. If anyone is wearing a bathing suit when they're not in the water park, they get kicked out.

Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 10:45 pm
by Mr. Toad
eacapay - isn't that a golf shirt? fashion is so confusing.

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:05 am
by Lazario
I don't think people should wear clothing in public that are too revealing, but I also have to ask myself- so what if they do? We're all going to be exposed to nudity too early in life.

Guess I'm in a pickle. So, I'll just say- who cares? I don't go to amusement parks anyway. And if I did, I wouldn't say anything to or about someone who was less than fully dressed. It doesn't bother me personally.

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 7:16 am
by universALLove
Lazario wrote:...but I also have to ask myself- so what if they do? We're all going to be exposed to nudity too early in life.

Guess I'm in a pickle. So, I'll just say- who cares? I don't go to amusement parks anyway. And if I did, I wouldn't say anything to or about someone who was less than fully dressed. It doesn't bother me personally.
I agree. What are people going to do when they take their family to a beach :roll:. Who cares!!! If people are comfortable with their bodies and they dress whatever way they see fit, more power to them. I really don't see the harm.

Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2009 9:47 am
by Siren
The difference between the beach and a theme park is beaches aren't themed for families. Theme parks are. WDW does have a successful dress code. Other family theme parks could follow suit.