Disney characters say tourists inappropriately touched them
Walt Disney World employees who portray Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck each filed police reports this month claiming they were inappropriately touched by tourists.
The woman inside the Mickey Mouse costume went to the hospital with neck injuries caused by a grandmother patting the character’s head, while the employees wear- ing the Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck costumes were groped by tourists, according to Orange County Sheriff ’s Office reports.
The incidents come after a 51-year-old man was arrested in November after an employee portraying a Disney Princess told investi- gators he groped her breast while getting a photo taken.
“Everyone should feel safe at work, and we encourage Cast Members to come forward in any uncomfortable situation,” said Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger in a statement.
A 36-year-old woman who plays Mickey Mouse at the Magic Kingdom told investigators a woman patted the head of her costume five times, causing it to slide down and strain her neck, the Orlando Sentinel reported.
The employee told investi- gators she didn’t believe the woman intentionally hurt her, and the sheriff ’s office ruled the Dec. 4 incident a civil matter, not a criminal one.
The tourist’s family said they weren’t aware the employee had been taken to the hospital until they were contacted by the newspaper.
Boone Scheer told the Sentinel his mother-in-law patted Mickey to prove to her grand- son, 2, that he shouldn’t be scared of the giant rodent.
The same day, the 36-year- old Disney employee who portrays Minnie Mouse posed for pictures with a man and his wife from Minnesota. Min- nie Mouse gave the man a hug and he groped her chest three times, according to the sher- iff ’s incident report.
She alerted her supervisors and identified pictures of the 61-year-old man from Brewster, Minnesota. She decided against pressing charges.
But it wasn’t the first time the man’s name had been raised by Disney World employees during his trip. The man also had “an inap- propriate interaction with a cast member” Dec. 5 at the Magic Kingdom, according an incident report that didn’t provide any additional details. On Dec. 3, deputies received a call about a guest mistreating a costumed character at an Animal Kingdom restaurant. A woman in her 60s asked if she could kiss Donald Duck, the incident report said.
Donald Duck agreed, but the situation escalated as the 18-year-old employee playing the character said the woman began touching and grabbing the character’s arms, chest, belly, and face. The employee moved toward another Disney employee for help, but the woman followed her, holding on, and then “frantically” put her hands inside the character’s costume, touching her chest, the incident report said.
The woman’s family shouted for her to stop.
The employee later decided not to press charges, telling authorities she believed the woman may have dementia.