CM vs Santa: Disruptive for just Claus?

[Robo]

FLORIDA TODAY version HERE.

Walt Disney World demands kid-attracting guest be less 'Santa-ish'

LAKE BUENA VISTA -- A Walt Disney World guest who looks like Santa Claus was asked by Disney officials to be less "Santa-ish" because he was a distraction at the park, FLORIDA TODAY news partner WKMG Local 6 reports.

Thomas Tolbert, who was visiting Disney while on a family vacation, said he was wearing "Santa-related" clothing but not a full Santa suit while recently visiting the park.

Tolbert said people, including children, were asking for photos and autographs, something he said he's used to.

"Do you approach people or do people come up to you?" Tolbert was asked.

"I never approach a person," he said.

Tolbert said he signed autographs at Disney World until a Disney representative saw him in the middle of a crowd.

"He said you can't be portraying Santa," said Tolbert, adding that Disney asked him to change into less "Santa-ish" clothing.

Tolbert said changing clothes did not help.

"I never had a red suit on. I never had a hat. I didn't have fur boots on, but that doesn't make Santa. The face and the persona is what makes Santa," Tolbert said. "They're looking at my face and they're looking at my features."

Tolbert said Disney told him to continue to turn children away -- no matter how curious they were.

"They said, 'You need to say I'm sorry. I'm not who you think I am. I'm on vacation and you need to leave me alone,' " Tolbert said.

In a statement, Disney said, "The guest was asked to change his attire because it was disruptive to our operations and confusing to our other guests, particularly children who asked to take photos with him. He was not asked to leave, instead, we tried to work with him so that he could continue his visit."

"Disney does not own the image of Santa," Tolbert said. "Santa Claus is not owned by anybody, except for the world."

Because of the hassle, Disney gave Tolbert some tickets for a future visit, but he said he'd likely encounter similar problems if he returned.

Tolbert said a possible solution is for Disney to treat look-alikes like celebrities so they are not seen by other guests.

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Huffington Post version HERE.

(excerpt)

Thomas Tolbert Told To Leave Disney World Because He Looks Too Much Like Santa Claus

Be careful about who you might get mistaken for at Disney World, especially if it’s that jolly old elf from the north.

Disney World staff scolded Atlanta resident Thomas Tolbert on a recent family vacation, all because of his striking resemblance to Santa Claus, local Orlando station WKMG reports (h/t The Daily Mail). Tolbert, a professionally trained actor voted among the top three St. Nick impersonators at the national Santa Claus convention this year, was told by a park employee that he’d be asked to leave unless he stopped attracting requests for autographs and started looking less "Santa-ish."

(more at link)


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[Lyndria]

That's just ridiculous.

 

[smitch425]

I think it is a bit extreme, but if this guy was a big distraction and was having to tell kids to leave him alone, that he was on vacation, I can see where Disney was coming from. It's obvious that he knows he resembles Santa due to his line of work, and while it is his right to be there and vacation, it is also Disney's right to remove or question guests causing a disturbance whether intentional or not. Something as simple as putting on a hat could have made a huge difference.

To be clear, I'm not saying what Disney did is right, just that I can see their point of view and understand why they felt they needed to respond the way they did.

 

[GraceMonica]

In a statement, Disney said, "The guest was asked to change his attire because it was disruptive to our operations and confusing to our other guests, particularly children who asked to take photos with him. He was not asked to leave, instead, we tried to work with him so that he could continue his visit."

Huffington post does it again. He wasn't asked to leave.

In fact...

Because of the hassle, Disney gave Tolbert some tickets for a future visit, but he said he'd likely encounter similar problems if he returned.

Original article HERE

 

[DRDISNEYMD]

~Awww, poor guy! He looks just like Santa Claus, lol! I'm sure he draws a lot of attention wherever he goes, but as long as he's not bothering anyone, this should be a non issue.

 

[King Triton]

This makes me mad!

Just because the guy looked like Santa (NOT in a santa suit), he was forced to leave...what?? This is so wrong on so many levels. I look a lot like King Triton/Santa too...will I be escorted out the front gate next time I go to Disney World? This is just plain STUPID.

 

[juliebug1997]

Oh, Lord.

 

[smitch425]

This makes me mad!

Just because the guy looked like Santa (NOT in a santa suit), he was forced to leave...what?? This is so wrong on so many levels. I look a lot like King Triton/Santa too...will I be escorted out the front gate next time I go to Disney World? This is just plain STUPID.

He was not forced to leave.

 

[smidgy]

I think the point is, (just like the recent issue of the young woman dressed as tinkerbell) people will think disney is endorsing them.

what if your child runs up to tink, asks for her autograph, and tinkerbell is fighting with her boyfriend or swearing? what if your child runs up to Santa (who does appear at the parks during holidays) and "santa" reeks of booze and is sloshed?

then parents get upset. this is why, with the exception of Halloween parties, anyone over a certain age is not allowed to "portray" themseves as a "character". Disney has hired CMs to do that.

 

[Steakgoddess]

Tolbert said a possible solution is for Disney to treat look-alikes like celebrities so they are not seen by other guests.

Oh lord. This just makes me think he was looking for something all along.

 

[rentayenta]

He looks like Santa. Who cares? Santa is not a Disney character. Now if he looked like Pluto, I'd say: off with this head!

 

[Robo]

Not to be confused with THIS guy...

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[smitch425]

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I'm confused now...the other article is about the same guy and written today.

ETA: and now your post is gone.

 

[smidgy]

from what I gathered (and I could be wrong..) he is a St. Nick "impersonator", has won awards for such. and was answering kid's inqueiries as Santa, (talking like santa, signing autographs, etc.)
all well and good, but disney can't be responsible for his actions if he should behave poorly, and people would think a disny Cm was behaving poorlly, or worse, the kids would thinkd Santa behaved poorly. (like that old Twilight zone episode with Art Carney, where the dept. store "santa" was drunk)

 

[connie1042]

Where were the parents of these kids that were getting his autograph. Unless a person is a Disney Character, escorted by another CM, there is NO reason to approach them. Santa is his job. He was not dressed as Santa. He was not wearing a Disney costume, and he did not have a CM forming a line. Why would you let your kid go up to him in the first place. If you looked like someone famous, would you like people coming up to you asking for an autograph while you were on vacation?

 

[Phatoomch]

The headline is misleading - he wasn't told to leave ...

"They said, 'You need to say I'm sorry. I'm not who you think I am," Tolbert was quoted as saying in Florida Today. "I'm on vacation and you need to leave me alone.'"

I'm kinda thinking he was 'egging' guests on and was asked to tone it down

 

[cymbaldiva]

Quote:

Tolbert said a possible solution is for Disney to treat look-alikes like celebrities so they are not seen by other guests.

Oh lord. This just makes me think he was looking for something all along.

I thought the same.thing myself.



Posted from DISboards.com App for Android

 

[Alesia]

This makes me mad!

Just because the guy looked like Santa (NOT in a santa suit), he was forced to leave...what?? This is so wrong on so many levels. I look a lot like King Triton/Santa too...will I be escorted out the front gate next time I go to Disney World? This is just plain STUPID.

You should read the article before you get so worked up. He was not asked to leave - he was asked to stop signing autographs as "Santa." That's not at all unreasonable.

 

[FantasiaMagic]

Wow...

 

[Sammie]

Did he sign the autographs using his real name or Santa Claus? If he signed them as Santa Claus then Yes he was asking for attention.

He said he thought he should be given celebrity status.