Wildly popular for reasons I don’t fully understand, selfie sticks allow people to extend the reach of their cameras or smart phones, getting more people into the picture and including a larger background. Last month, I talked about the reasons why, as a former cast member and frequent theme park guest, I think selfie sticks should be banned. Regardless of what I think, though, it is highly unlikely that these photo-taking add-ons will be forbidden anytime soon. Those who love them are passionate and outspoken, and selfie sticks do serve a useful function in setting up some highly specific types of shots. If you want to use a selfie stick at the parks, here are a few tips for doing so without making everyone around you mad.
1. Watch your reach
The entire point of a selfie stick is to effectively extend the length of your arm. Basic physics tells us that a longer arm can touch things much further away than a shorter arm. Just like those who forget they’re wearing a giant backpack when they try to crowd onto an already full bus, many selfie stick users don’t think about who might get hit when they extend the stick. Look around and make sure no one is in the way, and then slowly and carefully extend your selfie stick. While it is extended, keep one eye on your photo and the other eye out for people who might accidentally get in the way of the stick.
2. Keep moving
Don’t stop to mess with the selfie stick when there are people behind you who reasonably expect you to keep going. This means queues, rope drop, post-parade crowds, and any other time when you are in the middle of a sea of people all going in the same direction at more or less the same pace. Stopping to take a selfie with or without the stick is rude in these situations, but adding the extra time and reach involved with the stick just enhances the problem.
Whatever you do, don’t hold up boarding on any type of ride vehicle or transportation. Your “quick selfie” could cause the queue to back up, the hourly guest counts to be off, or even the entire ride to reset if dispatch is late. If you must take a ride selfie, try taking it at the end, after the ride is over and you are waiting to return to the station.
3. Get out of the way
It’s your vacation, and you have the right to spend as much time as you like taking selfies, with or without a stick. You don’t, however, have the right to make other people spend their time on your selfies. Whenever possible, move to a less crowded area. Avoid stopping suddenly. Politely excuse yourself when maneuvering into position to line up your shot. In short, don’t be rude. Just like some people use their strollers as battering rams or run over people’s heels with their ECVs, some selfie stick users are self-absorbed and don’t mind inconveniencing others. Those people make a bad name for everyone, but those who are polite can help to overcome the negative perception.
4. Respect the rules
If flash photography is forbidden, it doesn’t suddenly become OK because your camera is attached to a stick. If you are told to keep your hands, arms, feet, and legs inside the ride vehicle at all times, pretend the selfie stick is an extension of your arm and don’t poke it out. Disney’s Four Keys to Guest Service are Safety, Courtesy, Show, and Efficiency, in that order. Universal Orlando and the other theme parks employ similar quality standards. If you are told to do or not to do something, you can be sure that there is a reason for it, likely related to safety concerns.
5. Put it away
Even in the hands of the most conscientious and responsible owner, a selfie stick does carry the possibility of injuring someone, having your camera knocked out and damaged, or even causing an altercation with someone who truly hates them. Head off trouble before it begins by putting the stick away whenever you are not actively using it. In crowded theme parks filled with large, moving machinery including ride vehicles and parade floats, being cautious only makes sense.
In addition, selfie sticks were designed to capture specific types of photographs, such as large group shots and those with sweeping vistas. For a quick shot of you and your best friend in front of Cinderella Castle, a regular hand-held selfie will do. Better yet, find a Photo Pass photographer, who will take the photo with your camera or phone for free. Before pulling out your selfie stick, always ask yourself whether it is really the best way to get the shot you have in mind.
Only time will tell whether the selfie stick is a passing fad or an invention that will last through the ages, but one thing is certain. It is currently a highly controversial device that sparks passion in both its supporters and its critics. While the theme parks have made no move to prohibit them, selfie sticks have been banned in some locations including football grounds across the United Kingdom. Certainly the parks will consider adding them to the list of prohibited items if they become a common reason for injuries or fights. Do your part as a responsible selfie stick owner to ensure that the devices remain a welcome, or at least tolerated, item in the parks.
