Vice President J.D. Vance’s family visit to Disneyland over the weekend sparked protests and a significant increase in security measures at the Anaheim resort. Vance, his wife Usha, and their three children, ages 8 years old and younger were enjoying a private family getaway at Disneyland when demonstrators gathered outside the park and the adjacent Grand Californian Hotel & Spa.
The activists voiced strong opposition to federal immigration policies, particularly recent ICE raids in California, turning what began as a light‑heart‑ed family outing into a politically charged event.
Paint the Night Parade at Disneyland – YouTube, WDW News Today
On Friday evening, reports surfaced that local officials had learned of Vance’s impending arrival. Scenes of protestors with U.S. and Mexican flags, along with signs reading “No vacations during deportations” and “You don’t get to hate us and enjoy us,” emerged along Harbor Boulevard and Katella Avenue.
Mother Jones editor ripped as ‘soulless ghoul’ for attack on JD Vance, kids after Disneyland trip https://t.co/8W18EwIf6E pic.twitter.com/WLh5zm0rcI
— New York Post (@nypost) July 15, 2025
By Saturday morning, around 100 protesters remained near the hotel entrance, chanting and holding messages in support of immigrant communities affected by federal enforcement. Disneyland responded by reinforcing security at key points in the resort. Bomb‐sniffing dogs and enhanced screening checkpoints were deployed near the Grand Californian, and some entrances were temporarily closed.
Vance’s Visit to Disneyland
Inside the park, Secret Service agents accompanied the Vance family at all times. A viral video showed the vice president jogging behind his children in the Bayou Country area—a clip that quickly spread on social media. Other parkgoers noted that several rides, including Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, were briefly shut down to ensure the family’s privacy.
Vice President JD Vance in Bayou Country at Disneyland pic.twitter.com/Jm6XyQ7L7Q
— Matt (@DisneyScoopGuy) July 12, 2025
Governor Gavin Newsom also weighed in, highlighting the contrast between Vance’s trip and his administration’s policies.
In a post on social media platform X, he wrote, “Hope you enjoy your family time, @JDVance. The families you’re tearing apart certainly won’t.” Newsom’s office added, “35 % of Anaheim’s residents are immigrants. Disneyland doesn’t run without them. Enjoy their labor.”
Vance replied on X simply, “Had a great time, thanks.”
Had a great time, thanks https://t.co/dKKA76mqhd
— JD Vance (@JDVance) July 13, 2025
Local officials also voiced disapproval. Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento said Vance’s visit felt “offensive” given the ongoing illegal immigrant raids, and criticized the vice president for taking leisure time during a period of community hardship.
One protester inside the park, Jane Fleming Kleeb of the Democratic National Committee, confronted Vance directly, while he held his five year-old son.
Gavin Newsom speaking at Climate Week in NYC – Photo Credit: Office of the California Governor, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
“I made it clear —we support immigrants, we support America. I asked the obvious question, ‘I thought you hate California?’,” she posted on X, highlighting the tensions inside the park.
Online Response
While some online have agreed with the protesters, others have said that “heckling” a father while he is vacationing with his children is inappropriate. One X poster criticized Governor Newsom for calling out the Vice President on vacation.
“You are most likely the reason, people were yelling at him in front of his children. Children don’t vote and kids their age don’t understand politics.”
Really — .@GavinNewsom so you’re the reason people were yelling at .@VP JD Vance and his family while out on a outing to Disneyland. You are most likely the reason, people were yelling at him in front of his children. Children don’t vote and kids their age don’t understand… pic.twitter.com/XLCpi9wkJT
— Erica 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 (@EricaRN4USA) July 14, 2025
Still another, April Silverman, who was at the park that day, posted on X saying that the Vice President was “greeted with way more cheers than boos,” sharing a short clip of cheers as the family walked by.
That’s my VP!!! 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Vice President JD Vance spotted at Disneyland with his family—greeted with way more cheers than boos.Rockstar dad. Solid leader. Love him! 👏🎢🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/Qho2LMc2cW
— April Silverman (@CaliMAGABarbie) July 13, 2025
Disney, for its part, maintained that it declined to comment on individual guest situations. The resort reportedly remained safe to visit for the duration of the Vice President’s trip. No arrests or injuries occurred, and overall operations continued as usual.
Sleeping Beauty Castle in 2019 after refurbishment. Photo Credit: CrispyCream27, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
In summary, what was intended to be a private family trip by the vice president evolved into a public flashpoint. Disneyland elevated security and temporarily adjusted operations in response. Vance, while met with boos and protests, posted that he nonetheless had a “great time.”
What do you think of these incidents involving JD Vance and his family at Disneyland? Is a family vacation the appropriate time to protest a political figure? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
And they try to say MAGA are the problematic people…
As always, it’s the leftists who are the fascists, the “National Socialists”.
As always, a-holes gonna a-hole.
There wouldn’t be a problem if his family went here without that lips stick attention whore. This is nothing but another of his pr stuns.