--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't have a bad time at Disney…" description: "\"You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not allowed. They have hidden electronic surveillance cameras everywhere, and if they catch you failing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png" --- # You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not… ![“You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not allowed. They have hidden electronic surveillance cameras everywhere, and if they catch you failing to laugh with childlike wonder, they lock you inside a costume representing a beloved Disney character such as Goofy and make you walk about in…” quote by Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png) > “You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not allowed. They have hidden electronic surveillance cameras everywhere, and if they catch you failing to laugh with childlike wonder, they lock you inside a costume representing a beloved Disney character such as Goofy and make you walk about in the Florida heat getting grabbed and leaped on by violently excited children until you have learned your lesson.” [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Disney enforces relentless cheerfulness, using surveillance and punishment to compel joy, illustrating how corporate control can suppress authentic emotion. **In simple terms:** Disney forces constant happiness through surveillance and penalties. Key Takeaway Beware forced joy; value authentic feelings. Themes control surveillance authenticity corporate culture joy Mood cynical ironic critical Type satire social commentary When to use this quote - theme visits - family vacations - corporate policies - child behavior - public spaces Key Concepts social engineering behavioral conditioning media critique Questions to Reflect On - How does forced happiness affect mental health? - What are limits of corporate control over personal emotions? A Different Perspective The quote exaggerates; some may view it as satire rather than literal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bad times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-times/) [Beloved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beloved/) [Cameras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cameras/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Childlike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childlike/) [Childlike wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/childlike-wonder/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Costumes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/costumes/) [Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disney/) [Disney character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disney-character/) [Disney World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disney-world/) [Florida](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/florida/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Goofy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goofy/) [Heat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heat/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Lessons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lessons/) [Surveillance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surveillance/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wonder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wonder/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [People who get into animation tend to be kids. We don't have to grow up. But also, animators are great observers, and there's this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/people-who-get-into-animation-tend-to-be-kids-we-don-t-have-to-grow/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Whether seventy or sixteen, there is in every being's heart a love of wonder; the sweet amazement at the stars and starlike things and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-ullman/whether-seventy-or-sixteen-there-is-in-every-being-s-heart-a-love-of/) [Samuel Ullman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-ullman/) > [I can't think of anything that excites a greater sense of childlike wonder than to be in a country where you are ignorant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/i-can-t-think-of-anything-that-excites-a-greater-sense-of-childlike-2/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [I know that part of why I was excited to do this was the sense of play and childlike wonder and the spirit that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dano/i-know-that-part-of-why-i-was-excited-to-do-this-was-the-sense-of/) [Paul Dano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dano/) > [I've always tried to retain that childlike wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rolf-harris/i-ve-always-tried-to-retain-that-childlike-wonder/) [Rolf Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rolf-harris/) > [Never lose the childlike wonder. Show gratitude... Don't complain; just work harder... Never give up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/never-lose-the-childlike-wonder-show-gratitude-don-t-complain-just/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [There is a childlike wonder in my work. Even 'Los Espookys' is like a live-action cartoon. There's something untethered and free that I'm attracted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julio-torres/there-is-a-childlike-wonder-in-my-work-even-los-espookys-is-like-a/) [Julio Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julio-torres/) > [I mean, I'm just speaking of my own experiences and my own desires, and it's a kind of a childlike wonder that could really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-mean-i-m-just-speaking-of-my-own-experiences-and-my-own-desires-and/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [There are those much more rare people who never lose their curiosity, their almost childlike wonder at the world; those people who continue to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-herbert-sheldon/there-are-those-much-more-rare-people-who-never-lose-their-curiosity/) William Herbert Sheldon > [But that's the glory of foreign travel, as far as I am concerned. I don't want to know what people are talking about. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/but-that-s-the-glory-of-foreign-travel-as-far-as-i-am-concerned-i-don/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [“There’s a huge difference between being childlike and being childish. When we embrace joy and look at the world with fresh eyes we’re being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/there-s-a-huge-difference-between-being-childlike-and-being-childish/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [Every time you see someone sticking up a 7-Eleven, the kid's wearing a hoodie. Every time you see a mugging on a surveillance camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldo-rivera/every-time-you-see-someone-sticking-up-a-7-eleven-the-kid-s-wearing-a/) [Geraldo Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldo-rivera/) > [Photojournalism has become a hybrid enterprise of amateurs and professionals, along with surveillance cameras, Google Street Views, and other sources. What is underrepresented are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-ritchin/photojournalism-has-become-a-hybrid-enterprise-of-amateurs-and/) [Fred Ritchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-ritchin/) > [Surveillance cameras might reduce crime - even though the evidence here is mixed - but no studies show that they result in greater happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeny-morozov/surveillance-cameras-might-reduce-crime-even-though-the-evidence-here/) [Evgeny Morozov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeny-morozov/) > [“The whole planet would become one big interconnected web of cameras. It was all too much to fathom, this writhing, seething mass of digitized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-jones-jr/the-whole-planet-would-become-one-big-interconnected-web-of-cameras/) [Cliff Jones Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-jones-jr/) ## More by Dave Barry > [This is true; virtually all edible substances, and many automotive products, are now marketed as being low-fat or fat-free. Americans are obsessed with fat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-is-true-virtually-all-edible-substances-and-many-automotive/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [This ball was so crowded that it took me - a trained professional journalist with vast experience in this area - forty five minutes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/this-ball-was-so-crowded-that-it-took-me-a-trained-professional/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The hardest thing about being a guy is that women don't accept that you really are just a simple, pathetic, labrador retriever-like creature. That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-hardest-thing-about-being-a-guy-is-that-women-don-t-accept-that/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The ultimate camping trip was the Lewis and Clark expedition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-ultimate-camping-trip-was-the-lewis-and-clark-expedition/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Although golf was originally restricted to wealthy, overweight Protestants, today it's open to anybody who owns hideous clothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/although-golf-was-originally-restricted-to-wealthy-overweight/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Entire new continent can emerge from the ocean in the time it takes for a Web page to show up on your screen. Contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/entire-new-continent-can-emerge-from-the-ocean-in-the-time-it-takes/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [He was distracted by a giggle, and turned to see a rare sight: a girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/he-was-distracted-by-a-giggle-and-turned-to-see-a-rare-sight-a-girl/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [The major parties could conduct live human sacrifices on their podiums during prime time, and I doubt that anybody would notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/the-major-parties-could-conduct-live-human-sacrifices-on-their/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [If you look at any list of great modern writers such as Ernest Hemingway, William Faulkner, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, you'll notice two things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/if-you-look-at-any-list-of-great-modern-writers-such-as-ernest/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Don't you wish you had a job like mine? All you have to do is think up a certain number of words! Plus, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/don-t-you-wish-you-had-a-job-like-mine-all-you-have-to-do-is-think-up/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“Despite the gulf, physical and cultural, between the United States and Japan, both societies are, in the end, made up of people, and people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/despite-the-gulf-physical-and-cultural-between-the-united-states-and/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Before going on a diet you should consult your doctor, or at least send him some money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/before-going-on-a-diet-you-should-consult-your-doctor-or-at-least/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Never trust anything you read in a travel article.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/never-trust-anything-you-read-in-a-travel-article/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it "Christmas" and went to church; the Jews called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/in-the-old-days-it-was-not-called-the-holiday-season-the-christians/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [Always remember that if editors were so damned smart, they would know how to dress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/always-remember-that-if-editors-were-so-damned-smart-they-would-know/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) [Explore all 867 Dave Barry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) ## More Bad time quotes > [Buddhism advises you not to implant feelings that you don’t really have or avoid feelings that you do have. If you are miserable you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/buddhism-advises-you-not-to-implant-feelings-that-you-don-t-really/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My friends and family are my support system. They tell me what I need to hear, not what I want to hear and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-clarkson/my-friends-and-family-are-my-support-system-they-tell-me-what-i-need/) [Kelly Clarkson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-clarkson/) > [Always respect, honour And Pray for those who helped you in your bad time. Also be thankful to bad time, For showing you those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/always-respect-honour-and-pray-for-those-who-helped-you-in-your-bad/) Pacifiersucker > [It's certainly been very important to have my own family with me. They came with me to Italy, left what they had in Brazil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felipe-anderson/it-s-certainly-been-very-important-to-have-my-own-family-with-me-they/) [Felipe Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felipe-anderson/) > [The passing of John Bonham... Let's just put it... Before we say, 'the passing of John Bonham,' the introduction of John Bonham on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-page/the-passing-of-john-bonham-let-s-just-put-it-before-we-say-the/) [Jimmy Page](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-page/) > [The good time become good memories. The bad time become good lesson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glemar/the-good-time-become-good-memories-the-bad-time-become-good-lesson/) Glemar > [Writing is for men who can think and feel, not mindless sensation seekers out of nightclubs and bars. But these are bad times. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naguib-mahfouz/writing-is-for-men-who-can-think-and-feel-not-mindless-sensation/) [Naguib Mahfouz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naguib-mahfouz/) > [“Don’t let the bad times get you down, You have some of those moments where life tells you, it’s time to cry. Without those,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffany-mcdaniel-on-the-savage-side/don-t-let-the-bad-times-get-you-down-you-have-some-of-those-moments/) Tiffany McDaniel, On the Savage Side > [The comments I most appreciate come from ordinary readers who've happened on one of my books at some time of stress in their lives,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-saberhagen/the-comments-i-most-appreciate-come-from-ordinary-readers-who-ve/) [Fred Saberhagen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-saberhagen/) > [Everybody need a partner to stand right by their side. Not only down for the good times. But also down through the bad times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/everybody-need-a-partner-to-stand-right-by-their-side-not-only-down/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I don't know if it's fair to say that it's a bad time for movies. It seems to me that throughout the entire history…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-macy/i-don-t-know-if-it-s-fair-to-say-that-it-s-a-bad-time-for-movies-it/) [William H. Macy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-macy/) > [Love is . . . Being happy for the other person when they are happy, Being sad for the person when they are sad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/love-is-being-happy-for-the-other-person-when-they-are-happy-being/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Don't give up on yourself. Fight for yourself and what you stand for. In life, you've got to go through some bad times to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-give-up-on-yourself-fight-for-yourself-and-what-you-stand-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [My dad? He died when I was 19, which is a bad time for your dad to die, because there's an awful lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-dad-he-died-when-i-was-19-which-is-a-bad-time-for-your-dad-to-die/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “My dear friend, clear your mind of cant \[excessive thought\]. You may talk as other people do: you may say to a man, "Sir,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/my-dear-friend-clear-your-mind-of-cant-excessive-thought-you-may-talk/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) Browse all 638 Bad time quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not allowed. They have hidden electronic surveillance cameras everywhere, and if they catch you failing to laugh with childlike wonder, they lock you inside a costume representing a beloved Disney character such as Goofy and make you walk about in the Florida heat getting grabbed and leaped on by violently excited children until you have learned your lesson.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dave Barry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-world-it-s-not-allowed-they-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bad time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-world-it-s-not-allowed-they-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f0d/dave-barry-222_bad-time_you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-worl_1098353.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“You can't have a bad time at Disney World. It's not allowed. They have hidden electronic surveillance…” — Dave Barry", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dave Barry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "You can't have a bad time...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-world-it-s-not-allowed-they-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/you-can-t-have-a-bad-time-at-disney-world-it-s-not-allowed-they-have/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```