Park Camera Rules

Where do you find a park's rules on having cameras on rides? If you don't know where, which parks do you know them for?

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I talked with the Dippin' Dots guy and he assured me that Cedar Point was to get that 10-inversion terra-woodie-invert-stand-up because Magnum is sinking. The current construction is for the new super-Dippin' Dots stall he is to run.

The rules may be on their website but you can usually find them in the park map/brochure that you get at the park.

I know most (if not all) Six Flags parks have the rule of no cameras. I know Kings Island does as well, not sure about the other Paramount parks.

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Wood Rules!

Some parks allow you to take cameras onboard only during ERT sessions also.

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So you believe that you are studying us, then kindly explain why you are the ones trapped in your seats.

What parks are you wondering about? I'm sure someone on here could tell you about them.

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Well, I know the Cedar Fair parks don't allow picture taking on any ride. So if you want to take pictures from like a Ferris Wheel/Skyride/Train or something like that, you can't let them see you doing it. CF is really anal about it. I don't really know about the other big chains. But, I know Hersheypark and Knoebels don't care if you take pictures on the slower paced rides.

At Dorney Park, a security guard told me I was not allowed to take pictures of the rides. He didn't wan't me to get pictures of sterangers. Mind you, I was using a Single Lens Reflex camera. It is kind of sterange because I have never gotten in trouble for it at Knott's Berry Farm and I would use the same camera.

Contrary to what BeastFreak said, I've found that most Six Flags parks don't seem to have a problem with taking photos on rides. GAdv,SFMM,SFA are all parks that are okay with it, just to name a few.

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Jim Hansen
Number of coasters ridden: 227

Seems to depend on the park, the day and a random number generator! ;)

Coaster File mentioned a problem at Dorney - I've taken my tripod and full camera setup to Dorney on multiple occasions and never got as much as a second glance.

I did have a CP employee tell me I could take photos of Mantis from the midway this past summer. I also had film taken from me at SFWOA.

I'd worry about it on a park by park basis and more precisely on a ride by ride basis. In general most parks (that doesn't mean all parks) seem to tend to frown upon photo taking on rides under normal operating circumstances.

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www.coasterimage.com

Well, KBF is catching onto the CF no camera policy. Some dumb security guard approached some guy taking pictures of the Camp Snoopy construction and said "no cameras allowed in the park". The guy then pointed out that they encourage picture taking (Koday moment locations) and sell cameras. The security guard then got mad and threatened the guy.

Well I took my camcorder on the sky ride and train at CP and had no trouble at all, it proved to be some of the best footage I got my entire visit there
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The Jokes on You!! Ha Ha

No camera's allowed in the park? That's like saying no cars on the freeway. ;) I have never heard of any park not allowing cameras. I use my camera at Knotts all the time and never had a problem. As long as you stay on the marked paths and obey the on ride camera policy I dont see a problem.

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There have been problems with overzealous employees interpreting "no picture-taking while on ride" as "no picture taking in the park". Most parks aren't THAT stupid to not allow pictures at all!

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--Oat Boy
My page

I was @ SFNE and took pictures on and off rides and no one said anything...

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Im the #1 Canobie Lake Park Fan!!!These are my top 3 coasters:
1. S:RoS @ SFNE 2. Yankee Cannonball 3. Cyclone/B:TDK

A few of the parks I have been to have picture spots in the park. Hersheypark immediately comes to mind. I believe that Dorney, and Gr8 Adv. have had the same kind of thing working there. I have never had a problem wth taking a camera in a park, and taking pictures.

I have taken pictures on: The Beast, Vortex, Racer, King Cobra, Drop Zone (PKI), Mantis, Raptor, Magnum, Mean Streak (CP), Iron Wolf (SFGAm), S:TE, B:TR, Colossus, Psyclone (SFMM), Steel Phantom, Pittfall, Thunderbolt (KW), Raging Wolf Bobs (SFWoA), and the Legend (HW). Sometimes I tried to be inconspicuous and other times I didn't, but no one's ever said a word to me about it.

However, none of these have been in the past year, 'cause I decided not to flaut park rules anymore... :)

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A day is a drop of water in the ocean of eternity. A week is seven drops.

Remember, folks, one of the reasons for "no pictures while on ride" rules are worries that a flying camera will hit someone.

In cases where it IS allowed, a really good strap is recommended.

(Which reminds me, I need to make a new one, as that rope is starting to fray after a few years of service...)

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--Oat Boy
My page

Many parks have "Picture" spots. Personally, I've never encountered a park where they had a "no camera" policy (i.e. you get in trouble for taking pics of the rides). The only thing I can think of that may cause a problem... if you set up an excessive amount of equipment and get in other guests' way. Conversely, this past year, three times my wife and I have encountered ride ops who not only do not have a problem with cameras in the station, but have actually taken our pics with our disposable camera (Auto Race at Kennywood, Antique Cars at Knoebels, Whip at Hershey).

Now I can see where some parks may have a problem with taking photos of the rides while in the station. However, I do not think it is out of a concern of "spying" or anything else. If you are taking a photo while in the station, you could be interfering with the operation of the ride, namely loading and unloading. Rather than look at this on a case by case basis, it is easier to do a blanket policy.

As for cameras on rides, it was stated in another thread that certain parks do not have any written policies against cameras on rides. However, I would bet that most of those parks do have policies of "no lose items" on rides and cameras fall into that category.

Does it make sense? In most cases, yes. I really do not want to be behind someone on a coaster hurling down a 200 ft drop at 70mph and having that person "lose" their camera. However, on things like ferriswheels and the like, it doesn't really make sense... for people on teh ride. However, a camera dropped from a height of 100-150 feet could do alot of damage to a person on the ground if it would hit them.

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"

But then, what qualifies as a "loose item?" Before you answer, take a look at the page that Greg linked to (above). Better still, consider an arrangement similar to that combined with the hand strap on a small video camera. I think most of us agree that loose items on rides are not a particularly good idea. But then, most of us also have ways of converting loose objects into secured oblects...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.
1) Protect everybody else.
2) Protect yourself.
3) Protect your camera.
4) Get the shot.

Yes yes yes.... but then again, anyone with a camera and a strap (either a strong and adequate one that looks like a medieval torture device like in the link above or a little flimsy cheap one that comes with many cameras) would be arguing that their camera is "secure". Easier to declare them all "lose objects" (or come up with a "NO camera" rule) than to spend the time to pick and choose.

Then again there will be some who say that many coasters have a "remove all hats and glasses" rule, but yet they will let you ride with glasses strapped on to your head... why not cameras strapped to your wrist. IF you want to get technical about it, there is no way to ride most coasters in the "proper" manner and still use a camera. To use a camera you would have to hold the camera in your hand and to do that would mean that you could not hold on to the "bar" (in what ever configureation it may be). We have all seen (and ignored) the little diagrams in the coaster car of a rider in the "proper" riding positoin... sitting upright and proper and with both hands firmly on the bar. We have also all heard (and ignored) the audio warning about "keep your hands inside the train at all times". So, technically (and I am really nitpicking here), if the "regs" call for a rider to securly hold on to the hand holds, how can they use a camera?

(And for the record... I do realize that hardly anyone, myself included, pays attention to those little "proper riding position" diagrams. I only "rest" my hands on the bar when it is the most comfortable position to ride in.)

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Kind of hard to take a post as objective if a park or coaster name is part of the "user name"

I get the impression from Knott's GhostRider that they don't car because when I was there they were letting people taking backpacks on the ride and stuff if it was on the floor. I'm buying a Video camera and if I "accidently" get it out on the ride boo hoo, I'm going to take it out on the lift, they wont see it and put it back on the brake run (probably wont' be riding in the front the back most likely). I take phany packs, no matter how un hip they are they are very functional and I have NEVER been told to take it off because it is small, sometimes I choose to but it is my choice.