Disney World Issues Cease‑and‑Desist Letters to Unapproved On‑Property Vendors

Overview

• Letters signed by Linda Reid, vice president of Walt Disney World Security, order an immediate stop to services across hotels, theme parks, water parks, and Disney Springs.
• Recipients are instructed to remove Disney‑related advertising and are warned that continued activity could lead to trespass orders and potential legal action.
• Targets include private photographers, personal chefs, stylists, and room decorators, with many linked to the Ear For Each Other Facebook group formed after 2020 furloughs.
• Vendors publicly shared notices, including personal chef Calikingcuisine and photographer Natalie Szolomayer, who said third‑party photographers are no longer permitted at Disney resorts.
• The crackdown follows 2023 trespass actions against third‑party tour guides, and several affected businesses plan to shift work to nearby Airbnbs or to Universal Orlando, which is described as more permissive.