News Disney plans to include a black Santa Claus at Walt Disney World this year as the company continues its diversity and inclusion program

[wdwmagic]

Putting aside the fact that the company that charges mucho $$$$ to have access yet pushes for inclusivity is a complete joke. I really don’t think or see how anyone would be upset or offended by this. But you have to wonder why they just didn’t do this, instead of making it a PR spectacle which would invariably invite the unneeded ginned up controversy.

What PR spectacle has been made?

 

[jbolen2]

I don’t see the hate for this, Santa is Santa no matter who is suited up. I’ve seen all races and even a woman as Santa at the mall over the years and the kids all were fine with whoever played Santa which is all that should matter.

 

[monothingie]

It's not a press release. Literally says so in the article.

"Disney is yet to make an announcement about diversifying the representation of Santa Claus at Walt Disney World, and details here should be treated as speculation."

So your saying Disney is just going to do this and not make some type of self promoting announcement about it?

 

[wdwmagic]

So it’s a press release waiting to be dropped then.

Steve doesn’t put out rampant speculation on this site unlike other unscrupulous sites. If he’s putting it out I’d put money on it that this is happening.

Not that I know of.

 

[Ayla]

Some of y'all didn't bother reading to the end of the article.

"Disney is yet to make an announcement about diversifying the representation of Santa Claus at Walt Disney World, and details here should be treated as speculation."

 

[monothingie]

What PR spectacle has been made?

Poorly worded response, I was referring to what it will become. You don’t think when this is officially announced it won’t become one? Just like almost anything else done in todays media environment.

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Is there a black Santa as part of Epcots Christmas around the world? I can’t remember them all but think there is.

 

[PrincessNelly_NJ]

Is there a black Santa as part of Epcots Christmas around the world? I can’t remember them all but think there is.

No but honestly, I hope they expand on this. Color-blind casting for Santa the way they do Frozen on Broadway/in Disneyland would be great.

 

[wdwmagic]

Poorly worded response, I was referring to what it will become. You don’t think when this is officially announced it won’t become one? Just like almost anything else done in todays media environment.

I don’t think there will be an announcement.

 

[monothingie]

I don’t think there will be an announcement.

Call me surprised then coming from the company that always uses its many traditional and social media outlets to promote themelves. I mean they had their PR flack in Imagineering waxing poetic about the deep life impact of floor tiles in the Epcot gift shop on Instagram.

 

[jrhwdw]

Preserve? Interesting...

IDK it was a knee jersey reaction. Sorry if I offended anyone!

 

[VJ]

I'd be OK if it was Meet and Greets. I don't think this belongs in MOUACT. Sorry! I'm not bad but let's preserve MOUACT! IDK, maybe I'm wrong.

oof

 

[Weather_Lady]

I'd be OK if it was Meet and Greets. I don't think this belongs in MOUACT. Sorry! I'm not bad but let's preserve MOUACT! IDK, maybe I'm wrong.

"Preserve" it for whom?

As others said, Santa Claus is a fictional character -- an amalgam of European traditions (the original Saint Nicholas having been a Turkish monk born in Greece), representing people of a variety of hues. He can be any color.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

What about Asian Santa and Hispanic Santa?

 

[TXRob]

I think we need an Indian Santa. If not I will be offended.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

No but honestly, I hope they expand on this. Color-blind casting for Santa the way they do Frozen on Broadway/in Disneyland would be great.

Except colorblind casting for Frozen creates actual narrative discontinuity. Anna and Elsa not being the same race implies that one or both of them is adopted and that they're not biological sisters. Genetics is still a thing, and it matters in family-based stories.

You could do a Frozen where the whole family is Black. Or where the parents are mixed-race and the children are plausibly descended from the two of them. But two ostensibly biological siblings being different races is confusing, especially to young audiences.

 

[Disney Glimpses]

I think we need an Indian Santa. If not I will be offended.

I realize this is a joke but it raises a legitimate point. Inclusion efforts seem targeted towards a single point of inclusion rather than a breadth of inclusion. I have no issues with this, Black Santa has been widely featured/available in decorations and merch for decades. But Disney’s approach to this initiative is flawed.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

I don’t see the hate for this, Santa is Santa no matter who is suited up.

I wouldn't say I "hate" it. It's fine. But I don't think the argument that Santa Claus is fictional is a very good one. Lando Calrissian is fictional too, but it would be inappropriate for Disney to recast Lando Calrissian with Angelina Jolie.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Santa is NOT fictional! He is real! Most adults just lose the ability to believe but I can still hear the ringing of the bell. And if a Black man startled Santa and he falls to his death, we get a Black Santa.

They made a movie about this!

 

[Disney Glimpses]

Inclusive would be rotating Santa’s across a variety of races randomly each night. Not simply adding a Black version and deepening exclusion of other races.