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In an incident that was captured on video, Winnie the Pooh collapsed after being attacked by an adult man at Shanghai Disneyland. Character attendants swiped the Disney Park guest’s hand away, and he laughed as the Disney character performer fell to the ground.
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Character performers are specially trained cast members who bring the magic of movies and television to life at the Disney theme parks. “Face” character performers portray speaking characters, like Peter Pan or your favorite Disney Princess and must resemble their on-stage counterparts. “Fur” character performers play silent roles like Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck and must fit the height and weight specifications for their costumes.
Credit: Shanghai Disney
“Fur” characters, like Winnie the Pooh, have limited visibility. Entertainment cast members rely on character attendants and other Disney cast members for protection while interacting with guests and walking through Disney parks.
Unfortunately, character attendants can’t always predict unruly guest behavior. This was certainly the case when a man hit Winnie the Pooh in the head at Shanghai Disney Resort.
Credit: Disney
Reddit user u/That-Jelly6305 shared this video of the incident:
9月22日， #上海迪士尼乐园 工作人员在表演中，有游客拍打维尼熊的头部，维尼熊一脸懵逼…… #ShanghaiDisneyland staff, a tourist slapped Winnie the Pooh on the head, and Winnie the Pooh looked confused…
9月22日， #上海迪士尼乐园 工作人员在表演中，有游客拍打维尼熊的头部，维尼熊一脸懵逼…… #ShanghaiDisneyland staff, a tourist slapped Winnie the Pooh on the head, and Winnie the Pooh looked confused…
byu/That-Jelly6305 inshanghai
The character attendant quickly pushed the man, who was laughing, away from Winnie the Pooh. The character performer fell to the ground, and other Disney cast members rushed to assist. Even Piglet approached Pooh’s attacker, staring him down from a distance.
With help from some friends, Winnie the Pooh eventually got back on his feet. The character performer rushed backstage, clutching their costume head. These heavy costume pieces can cause serious injury when misused or manipulated by a Disney Park guest.
It’s unclear if the Disney cast member playing Winnie the Pooh was injured in this incident.
Credit: Disney
While the man’s fate is unknown, all Disney parks have zero-tolerance policies for violence. He was likely removed from Shanghai Disney Resort for the day if not permanently banned from the property.
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Always approach Disney characters carefully. When in doubt, ask permission for a hug, high five, or other physical interaction that could harm someone with limited visibility in a heavy costume.
Have you met a character on your trip to Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort, or any of the international Disney parks? Share your favorite memory with us in the comments.
