Poor guest behavior has skyrocketed at Walt Disney World Resort since the Disney Parks reopened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Earlier this month, a fight at the Magic Kingdom left one person hospitalized, three arrested and two families banned from the Parks.
Credit: Screenshot via TikTok
Now, a former entertainer and current Walt Disney World Resort travel agent is speaking out against the disturbing behavior on TikTok:
@disney_beignet
Magical destroyers are not welcome here #disneyworld #disneyadult #travelagent #disneycreator #vacation
♬ original sound – Jill Beignet
Jill, @disney_beignet, calls the behavior “out of control.”
“Guests are breaking the rules, making a mess, and generally being rude and obnoxious to both Cast Members and other guests,” explains Jill.
Credit: Disney
Additionally, Jill is concerned that social media is increasingly encouraging guests to post interactions with characters and cast members on social media, “which can cost people their jobs even if they’re not doing anything wrong:”
“I will say this as best as I can. On your Disney World vacation, if you plan to cut in line, yell at other guests, blatantly disregard safety rules, or just generally make yourself a nuisance to already overworked Cast Members and underpaid, I don’t want you as my client. And please unsubscribe from this channel as well.”
One of Jill’s nearly 55,000 followers asked her to clarify why it was a bad idea to post videos of Walt Disney World Cast Members and character performers. She posted the following video:
@disney_beignet
Responding to @glitterpinkparks Disney cast members are human beings #disneyworld #disneyland #disneyadult #disney #familivacation
♬ original sound – Jill Beignet
“Character performers at Disney World have been fired because they went viral for doing a great job,” explains Jill. “…Part of the reason for this is because even though Disney characters are united, Disney still sees them as quite expendable. I mean, there’s a million other people who would love to do that job, so if you’re causing problems for the Company in any way, it’s just not worth it.”
Credit: Disney
Even if a character interaction goes viral for being extremely positive and awesome, members of the entertainment group can be fired if a manager watches the video and thinks it “broke a rule or was out of character.”
Related: Disneyland cast members describe skipping meals, sleeping in cars, doing sex jobs to survive
Jill explains that a few years ago, a Peter Pan performer at Disneyland Park went viral for being fantastic with Guests. He became so popular on the Internet that guests came to the Disneyland Resort just to see him perform as Peter Pan.
Credit: D23
“So if anyone else was Peter Pan that day, they’d be upset and complaining. It was enough of an operational problem that he was either fired or Disney insisted that he leave or be fired. It’s not entirely clear,” says Jill.
That doesn’t mean you have to keep your magical Disney Park vacation videos to yourself, says Jill:
“If your family has a fantastic meet-and-greet with Mickey or Cinderella, you can post it on social media. But make sure the privacy setting restricts it from being seen by your friends. Because at the end of the day, all Disney Cast Members are human. They have lives and families and these jobs are how they provide for them.”
Credit: Disney
At the end of her TikTok, Jill reminisces about her time as a Walt Disney World character performer during her Disney College program. She says she would “do it again in a heartbeat.”
Related: Disney Cast Member Braids Snake As Magic Kingdom Guests Watch
“But I have had constant anxiety and fear that I will lose my job because of an interaction.”
Do you think guests should publicly post videos of Disney Park Cast Members?
Please note that the story described in this article is based on a personal experience of Disney Parks guests. No two guest experiences are alike and this article does not necessarily reflect Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Parks operations.
