Walt Disney World Resort is facing accusations that cast members routinely mock a specific group of guests based on physical appearance—something most cannot control. Multiple Disney Parks visitors claim employees regularly make jokes targeting bald men, violating the company’s stated commitment to treating all guests with respect and dignity.
Decades of Alleged Mockery
Redditor u/SayNoToHypocriscy posted about their family’s repeated experiences with Disney cast members making fun of bald men in their travel party. The pattern has persisted across multiple visits spanning nearly three decades.
“I’ve been going to WDW every 2 to 5 years since 1995, and I’ve noticed this over and over again,” they wrote. “Whether it’s my dad, my brother, or my fiancé, it feels inevitable that at some point, a cast member will make a joke about their baldness. I’ve seen it happen with a Jungle Cruise skipper, a character during a meal, and even with one of those handlers who walk around with Chewbacca. It feels like baldness is an easy lever to pull for a laugh, and cast members seem way too comfortable using it.”
The poster acknowledged that certain Walt Disney World Resort experiences intentionally involve teasing guests as part of the entertainment. However, they argued that jokes about baldness cross a line.
“I understand there are parts of WDW where guests are intentionally teased or made fun of. That’s part of the experience. I get it. But making fun of someone’s baldness crosses a line,” they explained. “People don’t choose to be bald, just as they don’t choose their sexual orientation. Others might be bald due to chemo or other medical treatment. And for many people, it’s a real insecurity. I genuinely don’t understand why this is considered fair game. Why is this still a thing? Do others have similar experiences?”
Cast Members Expected To Follow Inclusion Standards
Disney’s Five Keys for cast members include Inclusion as a core principle. The standard emphasizes that Walt Disney World Resort employees should treat all guests with respect and dignity, regardless of identity or appearance. Critics argue that jokes targeting bald men directly violate this expectation.
Mixed Reactions From Disney Parks Community
The Reddit post sparked intense debate among Disney Parks fans. Some commenters agreed the behavior was unacceptable.
“Imagine being bald due to cancer, or shaving your head in solidarity with a cancer victim, then getting made fun of,” u/GeneralInspector8962 commented. “No one’s physical appearance should ever be mocked.”
Reddit user u/m3thdumps added:
“As a bald person it’s not that they’re making fun of your baldness is that they’re TRYING to use it to leverage a laugh which is rude. I don’t care that I’m bald but I will think less of a person that jokes about it.”
Other commenters dismissed the concern entirely, suggesting bald men should accept being targets for jokes.
“Speaking as a middle aged man, we get a lot of advantages,” u/SkierBuck wrote. “One of the disadvantages is we tend to be fair game for jokes about being bald or pudgy around the middle.”
“Baldness is just one of the few (only?) physical characteristics that it’s still socially acceptable to make fun of,” u/The_Pompadour64 added. “If you look, you’ll see it everywhere. I don’t think it’s a Disney thing in particular.”
Some Argue Context Matters
Several Disney Parks fans suggested that cast members can use judgment about when baldness jokes are appropriate, distinguishing between men who choose to shave their heads versus those experiencing hair loss.
“I feel like if the dude is obviously shaved bald, it’s fair game,” said u/CosmicHazmat. “It’s a choice. If it’s directed at a balding guy, that’s in poor taste.”
“CMs are the first people to offer kindness for a guest clearly going through cancer treatment,” u/Cautious_Nomad_ argued. “Context matter here. For 99% of middle aged healthy looking dudes that dont look frail, being bald is just genetics, not cancer. Treating every bald guy like a potential chemo patient is actually more awkward than just making a silly joke.”
Do you think Walt Disney World Resort should make a policy against poking fun at bald guests? Disney Dining would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
