Offensive Mickey Ears ??? (Inspired by Disneyfun1's liscense plate thread)

[EsmeraldaX]

Have you ever been told that a name you wanted to put on Mickey Ears could be offensive?

I'm not talking about your usual curse words.

A few years ago on a trip to WDW, I wanted to bring my friend back Mickey Ears. She goes by her last name. EVERYONE calls her by her last name , including her own family! It's just "her", ya know. So she really wanted Mickey Ears with her last name, "Hakala" on them. I didn't see why anyone would have a problem with that, so I told her I'd bring her back Mickey Ears.

Well, when I got to the hat shop on Main st. , they informed me that they would only put proper first names on the ears. I wanted to know why, because these days, not to mention with various ethnic names, it is very difficult to determine in some cases what a name means. Not everyone is named Bob and Jill.

So I asked them to put Hakala on the ears. They said no. I said "why?". They told me because the name might be offensive to people from other countries.

Okay. Hakala means something like friend in Finnish or something. I'm not 100% sure what it means, but I know it's something nice, and not something nasty.

After about 15 minutes of asking them how they determine what is and is not a proper first name and how they deal with people from other counties who have unusual names etc. they brought out a manager and needless to say, my friend has her Hakala ears. Some people go exclusively by their last names or by a nickname. I guess I just don't see what the problem is with it.

Has anyone else ever been told no to a name you wanted on your Mickey ears?

 

[SamanthaL]

Never heard of such a thing. They get visitors from all over and I would bet there are some unfamiliar names out there. I think that they are entitled to have their names on hats too.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

Originally posted by SamanthaL
Never heard of such a thing. They get visitors from all over and I would bet there are some unfamiliar names out there. I think that they are entitled to have their names on hats too.

I just heard in another thread that they won't put Disney character names on the ears either! What if your name is a Disney character name?

After all, Esmeralda is a fairly common name , esp. in hispanic families, (I know two women named Esmeralda) and I also know little girls named Aurora and Ariel.

 

[SamanthaL]

That is weird! What if your name is Donald?

 

[momof3disneyholics]

I know of several Jasmines, and 2 Mickeys.
I wanted to put my twins nicknames on theirs.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

I know a lady named Minnie!

 

[skondo10]

When we were in Disney about three years ago I got my dad a Guest of Honour Badge and had the name Skippy put on it. My dad is a soccer coach and many people call him Skippy so we went with that name. Well in March my dad's badge broke so my mom and I went to get him a new one at Days of Christmas. They WOULDN'T engrave the name Skippy onto the badge. They said Skippy wasn't a proper name and they couldn't accomodate us!

 

[EsmeraldaX]

What if his name on his birth certificate was Skippy? I know of guys named Skip and that is their real name!

I think they need to lighten up, just a wee bit.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by EsmeraldaX
I just heard in another thread that they won't put Disney character names on the ears either! What if your name is a Disney character name?

After all, Esmeralda is a fairly common name , esp. in hispanic families, (I know two women named Esmeralda) and I also know little girls named Aurora and Ariel.

THAT'S a load!!!! Do they not realize how many Ariels there are out there because of the Little Mermaid??? Those girls would be 15 years old now!

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

I actually know a 15 year old named Ariel. She has long red hair too. It's eerie.

 

[SnackyStacky]

Originally posted by DisneyAddict_M
I actually know a 15 year old named Ariel. She has long red hair too. It's eerie.

LOL! I was right! I was trying to remember what year the Little Mermaid came out, and I guessed '89.

And yeah - the long red hair would be just a wee bit too much for me.

 

[goofy4tink]

In 2001 we wanted to get Mickey Ears with 'sugga bugga' on them. That's what Cousin Chris, our waiter at 50's P/T, called my dd. It was a real hoot. But, nope, they wouldn't do it. I had to go to that shop that has all the beads and make a bead necklace with the name on that!!! I actually can understand their not wanting to put the name we wanted on but it would have been nice.
Also wanted one with 'scooter' on it and wouldn't do that either.

 

[EsmeraldaX]

What if Scooter was someone's real name?

I think it's really silly. I mean, I can see them having a list of words and phrases they won't do but Scooter?? How is that offensive to anyone?

 

[FluffNStuff]

That is weird! What if your name is Donald?

My Husband's Name is Donald!! I guess hopefully if we show them an ID or something then they will put it on???

 

[MickeysMommy]

I think they may be taking this a little overboard with not puting nicknames on the hats...Things that they should worry about they aren't but they are concerned if a hat is offensive?!? My dad's name is "Percy" I wonder if they would put that on?

 

[minnieluvzmickey]

When you tell them the name you want on the hat they will ask you if it is a nick name or a proper name. As long as you say it is a proper name then there is no problem with putting it on the hat. When we were there in January my mil wanted to get a hat for her friend Bubba (we are from alabama you know....lots of bubbas here....lol). The cm asked if that was a proper name or a nick name......when she said proper name it was no problem to put it on the hat.

 

[232271]

Can you buy the ears and have them monogrammed back home? like at a local walmart?

I think that would be harder, but a solution for those names they will not do.

I agree they need to lighten up and if it is a curse word or something, no, but come on lots of nicknames out there.

my daughter goes by boo most of the time, so I guess that would be out on a name badge as well.

well, it is disney's loss. they could make more money if they would accomodate more names/nicknames