Are Disney’s fingerprint scans as creepy as they sound, or do they serve an important purpose?
The Real Reason Disney Theme Parks Scan Your Fingerprint
Updated on May 28, 2025
There’s a lot that goes into making Disney World the magical vacation spot that it is. And to help make that magic happen, both guests and employees are expected to follow certain rules on the Disney premises. Employees, for instance, are taught to behave as if they’re “on stage” at all times. Guests, on the other hand, are banned from bringing certain everyday objects into the park.
Most of these rules make a certain amount of sense, whether it’s for keeping things safe or adding to the allure of the park. But there’s one security measure at Disney World and Disney Land theme parks that leaves some guests raising their eyebrows. When you enter a park, you’ll have to put your finger on a reader and wait for the machine to scan your fingerprint. Wait, what? Why does Disney take your fingerprint when all you want to do is enjoy a fun day with Mickey and friends? It seems concerning, to say the least … but is it?
Reader’s Digest got to the bottom of this mystery to find out what Disney uses your fingerprints for—and what it does with them after your time at the park. Read on to find out.
Get Reader’s Digest’s Read Up newsletter for more Disney news, humor, cleaning, travel, tech and fun facts all week long.
Why does Disney take your fingerprint?
It’s actually a way to prevent ticket fraud. As Disney YouTuber Midway to Mainstreet explains, Disney tries to entice guests to stay longer by offering extra park days after Day 4 for a far cheaper price than the first four days. What they’re trying to prevent is people buying, for instance, a 10-day ticket, using it for five days and then selling the ticket, still with five park days on it, for less than the first five days would normally cost a parkgoer—but far more than they themselves paid for those five days.
In short, they’re trying to prevent guests from beating the system. To do this, they ensure that every Disney ticket corresponds with a specific person. If the finger scan is not a match, they know that ticket’s not really yours.
Does Disney store your fingerprints indefinitely?
According to the Walt Disney Company website, no. They aren’t collecting and storing your fingerprints in some clandestine database, and they’re not tracking you in the park either. Instead, when you first enter the park, Disney employees pair your unique print with a number, which they match with your ticket—and then they immediately delete the fingerprint scans.
Is there a way to bypass this process?
There is! Though they won’t make this super well-known, Disney employees will allow you to show a photo ID as a way to verify your identity instead. Disney just doesn’t want every single guest doing this and making park entry lines slower than they have to be. But now you know how to beat at least this part of the system, so use this information wisely if you so choose.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’re committed to producing high-quality content by writers with expertise and experience in their field in consultation with relevant, qualified experts. We rely on reputable primary sources, including government and professional organizations and academic institutions as well as our writers’ personal experiences where appropriate. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Fortune: “Disney Now Scans the Fingers of 3-Year-Old Kids”
- The Walt Disney Company: “Frequently Asked Questions”
- Disneyworld.com: “Theme Park Ticket”
- YouTube @Midway to Mainstreet: “Why Does Disney World Take Your Fingerprint?”
