By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-05-30 19:47:02 | Updated at 2026-06-08 00:09:28
1 week ago
A trip to Disney can quickly turn from magical to miserable if you break the rules: Just ask Blake Lively.
The actress once revealed she was banned from Disneyland for a year after getting caught in a ticket-stamp scam as a child - and it turns out her story is sparking renewed interest in the little-known 'Disney jail' where rule-breakers are reportedly taken before being kicked out of the theme parks.
Speaking on Late Night with David Letterman, Lively said the incident happened when she was around six years old, as she was helping her older brother transfer hand stamps between guests outside the park.
At the time, Disney used hand stamps to allow visitors to re-enter after leaving the park.
According to Lively, her brother discovered that spraying hair spray on someone's hand could transfer the stamp to another person.
The pair allegedly offered the trick to people in the parking lot before Disney security stepped in.
'We go downstairs with Disneyland security, it's all white rooms, everybody's dressed in all white,' Lively recalled.
'And they just interrogate us. It was crazy. And it was really scary and traumatizing.'
Blake Lively once revealed she was banned from Disneyland for a year after getting caught in a ticket-stamp scam a s a child
According to Lively, her brother discovered that spraying hair spray on someone's hand could transfer the Disneyland entrance stamp to another person
The actress said she and her brother were ultimately banned for a year.
While fans often jokingly refer to it as 'Disney jail,' the holding area is not an actual prison.
Instead, it's reportedly a backstage security office where disruptive or rule-breaking guests are detained and questioned before being escorted out or handed over to local authorities.
And according to stories shared online over the years, plenty of visitors - including celebrities - have ended up there.
Former President Barack Obama once admitted he was thrown out of Disneyland as a college student after he and his friends were caught smoking on the now-defunct Skyway ride.
'I was booted from the Magic Kingdom,' Obama said during a 2018 event in Anaheim.
Robert Downey Jr. also revealed he was detained by Disney security as a teenager for smoking marijuana inside the park.
Meanwhile, former Disney Channel star Andy Lawrence said he was once handcuffed by Disney security after accidentally destroying a parking gate while messing around with friends.
The actress said she and her brother were ultimately banned from the themepark for a year
Richard McGuire was arrested after illegally camping on Disney's abandoned Discovery Island attraction in 2020
Other guests have reportedly been detained for trespassing, disruptive behavior, theft, public intoxication, and violating ride or clothing policies.
One viral story involved a woman who claimed she was escorted to 'Disney jail' after loudly shouting 'Lock him up!' during a presentation at the Hall of Presidents attraction at Walt Disney World.
Another guest said she was detained after a wardrobe malfunction on Splash Mountain led security to believe she was intentionally exposing herself on the ride photo monitor.
In more serious cases, guests can face permanent bans or criminal charges.
That happened to Richard McGuire, a man who was arrested after illegally camping on Disney's abandoned Discovery Island attraction in 2020.
McGuire told deputies he had been camping on the island for several days and planned to stay for about a week, describing the off-limits attraction as a 'tropical paradise.'
Disney security reportedly spotted him using a company boat near the island, prompting a major search involving deputies on foot, by boat, and even by helicopter before he was finally found asleep inside one of the abandoned buildings.
He was permanently banned from Walt Disney World following the incident.
Disney parks have strict conduct policies covering everything from drug use and violence to fraudulent tickets, disruptive behavior, and unsafe conduct.
