Beginning on March 23, anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by someone 14 years of age or older.
It may be the happiest place on Earth, but the Magic Kingdom has become a little more restrictive for some children hoping to enjoy Disney's US parks on their own.
Beginning on March 23, anyone under the age of 14 must be accompanied by someone 14 years of age or older.
Enforcement of the rule at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, and Disneyland in Anaheim, California, will be enforced solely by a park worker's own judgment on age.
Disneyland spokeswoman Suzi Brown told NBC News: 'If a cast member who is working at the front gates sees a guest who appears to be younger than 14 without someone who appears to be older than that, they will engage in a conversation with the guest.'
She added that if an employee determines that the child is under 14, their parents will be contacted to pick them up.
Prior to the announcement, Disney did not have any age restrictions for guests arriving solo.
The new rule was established after Disney conducted a survey of its guests and contacted various child welfare associations, according to NBC News.
Input from both led to the age requirement.
Ms Brown also noted that 14 is the minimum age for babysitters, as recommended by the American Red Cross.
News of the age restriction comes nearly a week after a child on vacation with his father and step-mother drowned in a pool at Disney's Pop Century Resort, which is on the grounds of the Orlando theme park.
Anthony Johnson, of Springfield, Missouri, was swimming in the hotel pool with a group of children including his little brother, Christopher, and a cousin at about 9:30pm when the incident occurred.
Witnesses said the teen was playing in the water on Sunday evening with family members.
A cousin spotted him underwater around 9.10pm and alerted others in the group who pulled him out to the side of the pool.
Orange County Sheriff's officials said Anthony had a pulse and was breathing when he was taken to nearby Celebration Hospital, but he died several days later.
双语资讯
Dailymail
迪士尼乐园也许是世界上最快乐的地方,但对一些想在美国迪士尼乐园独自游玩的孩子们来说,这个魔幻王国的要求更严格了一些。
从今年3月23日开始,14岁以下的少年儿童必须有更年长人士的陪同才能进入迪士尼游玩。
美国佛罗里达州奥兰多的迪士尼世界,以及加州阿纳海姆市的迪士尼乐园都将执行此项规定,而执行依据则是工作人员对游客年龄的自我判断。
迪士尼乐园的女发言人苏西-布朗告诉美国国家广播公司资讯栏目:“如果入园处的角色演员发现有游客看上去不到14岁,而且没有年长人士陪同,就会和游客交谈。”
她补充说,如果工作人员确定游客不到14岁,会联系他们的父母把孩子领走。
在此项公告前,迪士尼乐园对独自前往的游客没有年龄限制。
据美国国家广播公司资讯节目报道,颁布这项新规定前,迪士尼针对游客开展了一项调查,并联系了众多儿童福利机构。
两方都反馈称年龄限制很有必要。
布朗女士还提到,美国红十字会建议说,儿童小于14岁需要大人陪同。
颁布年龄限制近一周前,一位与父亲和继母一起度假的儿童在迪士尼流行世纪度假村的一个水池溺亡,那里属于奥兰多迪士尼主题公园。
来自密苏里斯普林菲尔德的安东尼-约翰逊当时正和一些孩子们一起在宾馆泳池游泳,其中包括他的弟弟克里斯托弗和一位表亲,悲剧发生在大约晚上9点半。
目击者称,事发的周日晚上,这位青少年正与家人游泳。
一位表亲在大约晚上9点10分发现他溺水,告诉了其他同伴,大家一起把他拉出泳池。
奥兰治县的地方官员表示,在被送到附近的庆典医院时,安东尼还有脉搏和呼吸,但几天后去世。
Vocabulary:
cast member: 演艺人员,角色成员