Disney World Resorts Get Rid of 'Do Not Disturb' Signs in the Wake of Mass Shootings

Guests at four Walt Disney World resorts in Florida will no longer be able to display “do not disturb” signs on their room doors under a policy change that requires staff to enter every room at least once every 24 hours as a security measure.

The policy, which went into effect on December 22, affects four properties in the Orlando resort: the Polynesian Village Resort, Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Contemporary Resort, and Bay Lake Tower, all of which are connected by the Monorail system servicing the Magic Kingdom-area accomodations.

Now, instead of the traditional “do not disturb” sign, guests can display a sign that reads “room occupied.” Disney said its staff are required to knock and announce themselves before entering a room and guests are being informed of the change at check-in. The company is still considering whether to expand the change to its other properties.

Although Disney isn’t explicitly connecting the change to any particular act of mass violence, the move comes just months after Stephen Paddock amassed an arsenal of high-powered weapons in a suite at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on the Strip, where he kept a “do not disturb” sign on his door for the entirety of his stay before breaking out two windows and opening fire on concertgoers below, killing 58. Some Las Vegas hotels also changed their “do not disturb” policies after the massacre.

So far, the policy change seems to have been met largely by resignation or even appreciation for Disney’s proactiveness. But some Disney diehards logged on to various message boards to suggest solutions like propping a chair in front of the door to keep hotel staff from entering or even installing their own locks, and otherwise vented their paranoia at Disney staff entering their rooms daily.

Good luck with all that!