If You're Planning on Going to Disney World as Ariel

[Alveric]

Don't do it! Or at least don't do it too well. A fifteen-year-old girl, dressed as Tinkerbell was asked to remove or cover up her costume because it was too good and might confuse the guests. Eventually she was given a teeshirt to cover it up and her family was given a special pass that allowed them to cut in line for rides. She was very disapointed, she loves dressing up as Tinkerbell and always wanted to go to DW as her.

I'm not sure what I think about this. I can see points on both sides. What do you all think?

[Spindrift]

Lol I just read about that in a newspaper someone handed to me on the DC metro.

The excerpt reads, "'They were talking how, [for] little girls, it ruins their dreams. But it ruined my dreams.' - April Spielman, after officials at Walt Disney World in Florida made her change out of her Tinkerbell costume Sunday before entering Disney's Animal Kingdom because her outfit was too similar to the official Tinkerbell costume.

[Merman Chris]

Disney is notorious for having quite the ruthless army of lawyers. They can use the "confuse the guests" line, but it's all about corporate interests.

[Alveric]

Yes, that's it. I heard it on the radio on the way to work this morning, so I couldn't remember the details.

[Spindrift]

If it's corporate interests, I wonder what they could have against that girl?

[Merman Chris]

It's their image, the character, so they want to be the only ones that project it, whatever the medium. If that makes sense.

[WavyMermaidy]

I used to work at Disney (at the Transportation/Ticket Center where people go before getting to the Magic Kingdom), and I remember one Easter a couple came dressed very convincingly as Abe and Mary Lincoln. They weren't allowed to enter the park with the costumes on. I guess ol' Abe is in the Hall of Presidents, but is of course not technically a Disney character...but if they reacted that way to a non-Disney character I am not surprised they would go after someone in a convincing Disney costume. I am of the same opinion as Alveric in that I can see both sides. Disney provides characters, so it takes something away from what they strive to provide when someone they haven't authorized comes in. On the other hand, it is really a nod to Disney that people love the characters so much they would want to work so hard to dress up and come in costume...so it's a tough issue. I think Disney should have a Disney cos-play day if they won't let people dress up in the park on a normal basis. I bet that would be neat

[Kanti]

I don't like Disney too much, they're way too uptight about that sort of stuff.
Besides the fact that people would ask the girl to take photos with them and stuff
I don't really see the harm.
I think in a way maybe they're trying to stop any future copyright issues. If people
were to find out she made the costume herself they may ask her to make it for them
as well and it may lead to her getting business selling Disney's design.
I don't really think that's why, though, it seems like a really round-about way to do
it?

[New York Mermaid]

Im sorry, the girl is 15 yrs old, i can understand the dress up game, but not to a park, unless its halloween. I can see why the park has such rules, probably due to an incident that happened previously, but you have to think of the parks stance on it, some "pedophile" comes prancing in as a random character for example: Aladdin with intent to harm a child and decides to use the "character" to entice children.. a child is harmed, Disney gets sued..

the video of the 15yr old scroll to the bottom: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/0...n_1570964.html

[WavyMermaidy]

I can see why the park has such rules, probably due to an incident that happened previously, but you have to think of the parks stance on it, some "pedophile" comes prancing in as a random character for example: Aladdin with intent to harm a child and decides to use the "character" to entice children.. a child is harmed, Disney gets sued...

Wow, hadn't heard about that...very good point!!

[Spindrift]

Yeah I'm sad that you can't dress up in HP stuff at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter though, except on special event days (I think). Like it would be pretty obvious you weren't with the park there (I would think) so it doesn't have the same problem as dressing up in Disneyland/world.

[Kanti]

Wow you know what, Lanai, that's a great point, I didn't even think of that.
Then yea I see why Disney would do something like that.
But I mean, when they see the girl is 15 maybe they should be a little more lenient?

I think they should at least have some way you can dress up. Dressing up just makes
it that much more fun

[Theta]

I can see both sides, but I can see the park's side more. People are going to want to interact with costumed characters (particularly if they're better than the park's characters costume wise, which I've seen several cosplayers pull off.) It's a huge liability issue- not just pedophilia stuff, but injury (kid trips over Belle's hoopskirt but Belle isn't an employee- who do the parents sue?) as well as a copyright issue. Although it kind of sucks, Disney does hold the copyrights to their versions of their characters, and they can limit exposure in their own parks as they so choose.

I think it would be awesome to have a park cosplay day, but I'd save it for conventions anyways. Conventions seem like they would be way more fun to cosplay at than parks: props won't get in the way of going on rides, sticky little kids won't get smears on your costume, there are better pro photographers and photobooths and stuff like that. Also, unless you're going to Comicon or Otakon or one of the big ones, the price is a bit better ^_^

[Kanti]

Well I think Disney can only pull out their copyright if someone is getting payment from using their
characters. If that girl was just running around in a costume, they can't do anything with that copyright.
At least that's my understanding.

I think it's just a little stupid that sueing is such a big issue anyway. If your kid "trips over Belle's hoopskirt"
maybe you should teach your kid to watch where they're going rather than sue someone for it.
Unfortunately, that's probably the way people would go, so yea, Disney has to protect themselves.

I wonder if they made the boyfriend take his outfit off too? They don't really mention him at all.

[AniaR]

I think it's similar to how weeki wachi wont let other mermaids swim etc because it confuses guests and if someone thinks they're employed and they do something against the rules/ offensive it causes problems. That's exactly what happened at weeki wachi. So I can understand that bit.

[Alveric]

Yeah, I can see some kid being obnoxious and Tinkerbell giving him the finger, instead of doing what employees would be trained to do. Some might not realize Tink doesn't work there.

[Vyrel]

I can see both sides of the argument. But here is a fun fact...one of my guy friends...Mui, is the flying Tinkerbell and his boyfriend is Maleficient!

[Merman Chris]

OMG Vyrel that is actually hilarious.....I can just imagine how much the homophobes heads would explode if they knew that......oh noez my children are being exposed to gay cross dressers at disneyland!" hahaha!

[Spindrift]

I thought the Disney cast members were required by contract to not reveal who they play/are?

[Prince Calypso]

Disney can suck it. if my little girls want to dress up as princesses i'm gonna let them dress up
i mean i understand both sides of the situation but honestly i have to agree with merman Chris.
its' simply copyright and money that's an issue to them
and yeah i can understand guest being confused and someone taking advantage of the costumes and stuff but honestly
i don't think they should make people change or deny them entry into the park
there have to be other ways of handling it