A rumor that Disney added mandatory tipping to Disney World rides is circulating online. For example, the TikTok account Mouse Trap News posted a video (archived) on Jan. 5, 2025, claiming that visitors would not be able to unlock the ride seatbelt until they paid a minimum $5.00 tip:
@mousetrapnews Disney will qualify you to get off their attractions!? ♬ #disneyworld #disneynews #disneyrides #tipping #disneycastmember #disneyemployee Nothing Can Stop Us Now – Kyle Allen Music
The Mouse Trap News Instagram account also shared the claim, linking to an article on the Mouse Trap News website that began:
Disney Adds Mandatory Tipping to All Rides
Disney adds mandatory gratuities on all attractions. This is an effort to pay their workers fairer wages.
Disney is adding tip tablets to each and every ride car. Then, when the ride ends, guests will be asked to leave a tip so they can unlock their seat belt and get off the ride. The minimum tip you can leave is $5.
There will also be options to leave a $10 or $20 tip. Guests can also place a custom tip as long as it is greater than $5. To leave a tip, all you need to do is scan your MagicBand and it will pull right from your My Disney Experience account.
Once a tip is left, your seat belt, lap bar or other restraint system will unlock so you can leave the attraction. In the future, tipping will be the only way to get off Disney attractions. The only exception to this rule is vehicle breakdown.
Some readers seemed to interpret the rumor as a factual recounting of real-life events. However, there was no evidence that Disney added mandatory tipping to Disney World rides.
The rumor about mandatory tipping comes from Mouse Trap News, an online page that describes its posts as humorous or satirical in nature. Their About page says:
Mouse Trap News is the world’s best satire and parody site, and authors of The Ultimate Guide to an Affordable Disney Trip, a best-seller. We write fake stories about Disney Parks stuff. From Disney Park announcements to Disney Hotel and resort news to made-up Disney partnerships, you can be assured that anything you read here is not true, real, or accurate, but it is fun. So technically our slogan The Moused Trusted Name in Disney News isn’t true, but we thought it was creative and funny, so we are running with it.
The heading of the site’s Facebook and X account also announced in all caps: “FAKE NEWS.”
Mouse Trap News has a habit of making up stories to share and comment on. Snopes has responded to similar satirical claims coming from the past, adding the claim that Disney banned women from driving at Tomorrowland Speedway and a rumor that Disney had purchased TikTok for $100 billion.
FYI, here’s why we alert readers to rumors created through resources that characterize their production as funny or satirical.
About. December 22, 2022, https://mousetrapnews. com/about/.
Taija PerryCook is a Seattle-based journalist who has previously worked for the news site PNW Crosscut and the Jordan Times in Amman.