CM vs Santa: Disruptive for just Claus?

[Alesia]

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.

The vast majority of guests at WDW aren't really aware of how these things work. They aren't on the disboards, and they don't realize that all characters have handlers with them. They also don't necessarily think about all characters having a line. All it takes is for one person to ask for a photo and an autograph - other people see that and send their kids over. The average WDW visitor is considerably less knowledgeable than the people here. Most people don't analyze every little detail while they're on vacation.

If you looked like someone famous, would you like people coming up to you asking for an autograph while you were on vacation?

Well, I wouldn't. But if people told me that I looked just like Miley Cyrus, I wouldn't dress in the same style as Hannah Montana and go around posing for pictures and signing autographs, either.

 

[mom2rtk]

Or he could leave the red and green clothes at home to wear to the mall, go out to the Disney parks in a Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts and a baseball hat like everybody else.

Yep. Doesn't need to dye his hair or anything of the sort to evade attention. He just needs to stop SEEKING it.

 

[Rip]

I am curious as to what name he was signing when he gave autographs....if it said Santa then he was in the wrong because" he was on vacation and not wanting attention, right? " Also the hair....is it his natural color? Same question for the facial hair. Why not just color it with wash out color when not being Santa in December and he wouldn't have the problem. What was he actually wearing when first approached and asked to change clothes? He said it was somewhat Christmas Santa related. Why not wear shorts, put on a ball cap, etc. and he wouldn't have the problem.

I have seen other people who have the Santa look, but people don't approach


I think Disney had the right to tell him to tone it down, quit giving autographs, etc. because to some guests it appeared he was a Disney employee. They have the right to protect their business. Had he done something like touch inappropriately etc, Disney would have gotten the flack for letting the man do what he was doing.

I am thinking the man just got his 15 seconds of fame. Now he can ask to be paid more when he appears as Santa because of the flack he made at WDW. LOL

OK, I don't have a problem with a CM asking him not to sign autographs, etc, but suggesting he color his hair just because he looks like Santa? Seriously?

And why does everyone assume he was looking for attention from Disney? It's obvious he enjoys the attention for being Santa, but that doesn't translate to attempting to be disruptive or trying to call attention to himself from a Disney employee.

 

[mom2rtk]

OK, I don't have a problem with a CM asking him not to sign autographs, etc, but suggesting he color his hair just because he looks like Santa? Seriously?

And why does everyone assume he was looking for attention from Disney? It's obvious he enjoys the attention for being Santa, but that doesn't translate to attempting to be disruptive or trying to call attention to himself from a Disney employee.

I think if you go into Walt Disney World looking (purposefully) like one of the most iconic figures to children the world over, you are probably looking for attention from children. I don't blame Disney for wanting to put that to a stop.

They don't need to ask him to change his hair, but they are certainly right to ask him to not sign autographs, and not lead kids to believe he really IS Santa. If a child came up to him and asked if he was Santa, I wonder if he just said no, or if he winked and said "what do YOU think?" or "even Santa needs a vacation" or some other vague thing. All he had to do was say "No I'm not but thanks for asking" and the kid would be on their way. No kid would WANT an autograph from someone who just looked like Santa if they said they were just another tourist and were not indeed Santa.

 

[BoardWalkBelle]

I actually saw this guy last monday at the MK..

 

[LoveMMC]

Looks like it wasn't the first time Santa vacationed at WDW. He didn't make the news- look at the shirt- he wants people to associate him with Santa- hmmmm.

http://brucewdw.blogspot.ie/2010/08/its-christmas-or-at-least-it-will-be-at.html

 

[disEAR]

If he's in any way impersonating Santa in the parks, then he's in the wrong. This is a strict policy of Disney's and im surprised so many people don't understand the legality and risk behind something like this. Sure this time nothing bad happened. But if Disney starts letting things like this to slide by and happen more frequently, what's to stop a actual child predator from putting on a costume and luring a child away from their parents.

Leave the character stuff to Disney. It's their land(world), their rules.

 

[scjo68]

I remember seeing a "Santa" at WDW years ago in January. Don't know if it was the same guy or not. But I remember clearly thinking that he was trying to appear to be Santa, the way he was dressed. He was wearing something like a red shirt and suspenders. No one approached him that I saw. I thought it was cute..."Santa" on vacation after his busy season.

I think Disney is within their rights to intervene if any guest is causing a "stir". And if guests start to perceive anyone as a CM, then Disney could be held responsible for their behavior. And I do not even mean the big dramatic behaviors which are actually not likely. I am thinking of the mundane things that could happen and do happen. Guests can and do sue for some of the silliest things. I knew someone who was involved in risk management for a local theme park and she told lots of stories about how guests would demand compensation for anything. So Disney likes control. They have control over their CM's. This man is giving the impression that he has an affiliation with the park, but Disney does not have control of him, so they can't let people think he is affiliated with the park.

 

[reginaastralis]

I know it's not the same, but I used to work at a restaurant here in town where we had two different Santa impersonators who would come in. One was the guy (and wife) who actually played Santa and Mrs. Claus at the mall, and they would pop in before their season started for dinner. While they were wearing, I guess, Santaish clothes, they weren't dressed like Santa. They were just wearing cheery clothes, that were way to hot for Florida, lol. Another guy and his wife would come in during the summer, when they were visiting Florida. Again, red shirt, and suspenders sort of clothes, but not overly Santaish.

My point, the kids would NOT go up to these guys. It was like they were a little scared. One of the guys, I think the summer guy, actually gave me his business card so I could tell my daughter he was "watching" her. While it's certainly not the same situation as Disney, from what I've seen, most kids who recognize Santa in real life, do so with a sense of fear.

If a person looks like Santa, they aren't breaking any rules. We spot Santas all over, but I've never seen kids run up to take pictures with one. I'm interested if he was making it obvious who he was, most of the guys I've met honestly try to blend in.

 

[tarheel_girl]

As a parent of a 5 year old, I too can't believe that parents would let their kids get autographs from a non disney character. My DD and I look for Santa all year. We saw a guy in a Daytona Beach Wal-Mart last year. Full beard, red shorts BUT he was shopping not causing a problem...no one asking for an autograph or pictures. My DD thinks that Santa goes on vacation too now that she has seen him! If we saw Santa at WDW, I would use that opportunity to make sure she was on her best behavior. "Honey, Santa is everywhere watching to make sure that kids are behaving even in the summer" BUT we wouldn't ask for autograph or picture...just observe him not approach him.

 

[LadyBeBop]

Not to be confused with THIS guy...

.

OMG!!! It's Tim Taylor from Tool Time.

With a white beard.

 

[jenifferf00]

I agree with Disney on this one. Even if I don't let my kid go get an autograph from some strange guy, I then have to hear her ask why not? Why can those kids? Is he really Santa? Why do those kids think he is? Are you sure? While I don't mind answering these questions if I have to, I would rather avoid it.

I really don't want to have a meltdown because some guy wanted attention. And yes, to me it sounds like he's looking for attention.

 

[Herbie]

did he park the sleigh in the regular lot?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

What? Disney is anti-Santa? Coal in the stockings for them!

I have no problem with them asking him to stop signing autographs etc. but some thinking he needs to change hair color, beards, wear glasses or a particular hat? IMO asking him to change clothes is boarder line. There are lots of attention seekers in the park every day. This guy was just better at it.

 

[LilyWDW]

What? Disney is anti-Santa? Coal in the stockings for them!

I have no problem with them asking him to stop signing autographs etc. but some thinking he needs to change hair color, beards, wear glasses or a particular hat? IMO asking him to change clothes is boarder line. There are lots of attention seekers in the park every day. This guy was just better at it.

It would be, to me, the same as them asking an adult in any other costume to please change. Not so much the hair and beard, but if the person was wearing santa clothing or a santa hat... yes, they can tell that person to remove it if they so wish. And, if in a case like this where the person was doing things to get attention (pictures and autographs), I would support them 100%. Heck, honestly I wouldn't have an issue even if there hadn't been an issue because it is private property and Disney gets to set the rules.

 

[rabbitroger]

I don't believe that he turned up with a white beard and children suddenly started lining up for his autograph and to sit on his lap. This isn't The Santa Clause

He was obviously purposely playing Santa and enjoying it, even if it was completely innocent. It's still not what Disney will or should allow to happen.

Of course they asked him to stop drawing attention to himself, it was common sense.

 

[North of Mouse]

I would not have expected Disney to act any other way. He was definitely encouraging the attention by not denying to the children that he was Santa. He had no business posing as Santa and signing autographs.
He was definitely wanting the attention, and thought he could get by with it.
Disney has every right to ask someone to quit acting inappropriately in the park or leave.
He got the attention he wanted anyway, and got a write up in the paper

 

[Phatoomch]

I don't believe that he turned up with a white beard and children suddenly started lining up for his autograph and to sit on his lap. This isn't The Santa Clause

He was obviously purposely playing Santa and enjoying it, even if it was completely innocent. It's still not what Disney will or should allow to happen.

Of course they asked him to stop drawing attention to himself, it was common sense.

Totally agree. To say that adults and kids just blindly approached him, without any encouragement is kinda insulting, like visitors in WDW are either dumb or like drones.

This guy plays Santa for a living - he enters 'Santa Pageants' he loves the attention. Disney, imo, did the right thing.

 

[palmtreelover08]

My Dad looks like Santa (alot like Santa). He has never been a mall Santa or anything like it- it is just who he looks like. When he was a butcher (yes, wearing a blood stained smock and all), kids used to approach him in the grocery store and request special gifts for Christmas. He even had a parent come up and ask him to "speak to their child about their behavior".

At Disney two years ago, we went on his birthday, and he wore an I'm celebrating my B-day pin (that they gave us upon check-in). While at the laugh floor (prior to the actual show start), they put my Dad up on the big screen with the caption "Look- It's Santa's birthday" and the whole crowd sang happy B-day to "Santa". (I thought my dad was going to crawl behind his chair..needless to say, he took off his pin after we left the theater). None of us knew the attention the button would bring.

Sorry- the point of my post was lost with me going on about my Dad

I feel sorry for the kids who would have been told "I'm not who you think I am, I'm on vacation, please leave me alone". How can they force someone to act like a jerk? It would be one thing if the guy was sitting on a bench in a red suit with a basket of candy canes next to him..but if he was in line or walking the park---does he really need to be a jerk to people to appease Disney. Wrong Wrong Wrong.

 

[RabFlmom]

OK, I don't have a problem with a CM asking him not to sign autographs, etc, but suggesting he color his hair just because he looks like Santa? Seriously?

And why does everyone assume he was looking for attention from Disney? It's obvious he enjoys the attention for being Santa, but that doesn't translate to attempting to be disruptive or trying to call attention to himself from a Disney employee.

Just keeping the beard and hairdo all year long says to me he wants attention.....if he truly didn't I would think he would change it 9-10 months out of the year and let it grow in the months before he would be on stage as Santa. No one said the CMs said he should change it, I did. I was suggesting ways for him not to look like Santa when he is not being paid to be a Santa somewhere. I actually find it a little scary that a grown man would go so overboard about looking like Santa and that most men would try not to if they resembled him to the point it was making kids run to him for pics and autographs everywhere. JMHO not affiliated with WDW except for going to the parks as me and not attempting to look like anyone else but me.