Panicked Disney Characters Give Emergency Signal as Five Guests Hit, Chase Them

An unusual and alarming incident recently unfolded on Main Street, U.S.A., at Disneyland Park. A group of preteens harassed and chased two Disney characters as they attempted to return to a backstage area.

As the situation escalated, Disney cast members intervened to separate the guests from the characters. Unfortunately, the children’s parents reportedly ignored the problem, exacerbating the chaos.

Disney Characters Harassed

The alarming incident did not go unnoticed by other guests at the Disneyland Resort. Redditor u/lush_gram watched in horror as the young Southern California Disney Park guests mistreated two characters.

“The characters had been out off and on throughout the day in their cute lil Halloween get-ups, and many were wrapping up their ‘shifts’ with some still out and posing,” the Disney Park guest recalled. “Pluto was making a beeline to a CM-only door…Oddly, I didn’t see a handler.”

Disney characters typically have character attendants to whom they can subtly signal emergencies and receive help if necessary.

“What I DID see [was] a group of 5-6 kids, ranging in age from a 10-year-old to a toddling 3-year-old, chasing after him,” the guest continued. “Not too unusual to see, happens a lot, but where it got ‘unusual’ was the level of persistence and physical contact. They were swooping at him, grabbing him, trying to impede him from reaching the door.”

Pluto tried to shake off the kids while “staying in character,” but the kids mobbed him from “all directions.” When he made it to the backstage entrance, the young guests followed him:

“He reached the door and, as anyone would, seemed to assume the kids would back off…but they did not. They pushed through/past him into the [cast member]-only space, and Pluto was trying to (all in character) keep them out/block them from going in further…After what seemed like WAY too long, an un-costumed CM emerged and ushered them out and was looking around on a swivel for their parents.

Turns out, what i thought was just a random guy loafing around nearby, not saying or doing anything about the behavior, was their dad. CM delivered them to Dad and went back through the cast-only door.”

Moments later, the kids chased Minnie Mouse as she walked toward the same door.

“[Minnie Mouse] gets the same treatment, but worse!” the Disneyland Resort guest recalled. “It seemed like her costume allowed for even less peripheral vision, so she was really thrown off-balance by them diving and running at her over and over from every side, all while shrieking.”

One of the children shoved her arm into the character performer:

“The worst was when the oldest girl came running at her from the side with her palm thrust out – picture a running back (?) with a stiff arm, that’s exactly what it was like. She made contact with Minnie with that stiff arm and I was sure Minnie was going down, but she stayed up, even though the other kids were all around her, by her feet, grabbing at her. I doubt Minnie even knew what hit her, but she definitely felt the contact.”

This time, a Disney cast member arrived immediately to keep the kids from going backstage.

“This time, the CM escorted the kids, dad, and MOM, who had also been standing close by the entire time, looking like an unconnected bystander, back to the rest of their party, waiting in line for Mickey photos,” the guest explained.

Report inappropriate guest behavior to the nearest Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park cast member. Disney characters, who dedicate their performances to bringing happiness to guests, deserve a theme park environment that reflects the values they represent.

What’s the most upsetting behavior you’ve witnessed from another Disneyland Resort or Walt Disney World Resort guest? Let Disney Tips know in the comments.