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

Brian

Well-Known Member
What a tired and ridiculous argument.

You can have a Hispanic belle, in fact the Broadway production had a black Belle.

why? Because Belle’s race has NOTHING to do with the story or the character

Tiana is black. It’s important to the story and it’s important to the character.
I'm not making any argument. I'm truly looking forward to them going all in on this strategy.

There would be nothing strange about meeting a black Cinderella in Princess Fairytale Hall, right?
 

Dear Prudence

Well-Known Member
To echo some of the other comments: there have been Black Santas in malls for years, who do an amazing job. By all accounts, Disney's late on this.

Also, we're talking about an elf who rides a flying sleigh driven by flying deer and can fit toys for every child who believes in him all over the world, and magically break into everybody's house, like can we NOOOOOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT make this Def Con 4.
 

James J

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
What a tired and ridiculous argument.

You can have a Hispanic belle, in fact the Broadway production had a black Belle.

why? Because Belle’s race has NOTHING to do with the story or the character

Tiana is black. It’s important to the story and it’s important to the character.

The recent production of Beauty and the Beast that toured the UK had a black Belle and Beast/Prince.
 

Disney Analyst

Well-Known Member
I'm not making any argument. I'm truly looking forward to them going all in on this strategy.

There would be nothing strange about meeting a black Cinderella in Princess Fairytale Hall, right?

You already know Disney does not do this with their in park face characters. So it’s moot point.

Disney will do it for Broadway or various other places/theatre.

Santa is a completely different thing for Disney, and easily able to rotate with various races.
 

DisneyDreamer08

Well-Known Member
WOW...Do any of you guys have kids? NO ONE KNOWS what Santa looks like. The Santa we see at the mall or at Disney is one of Santa's MANY helpers.



Oh - and parents have to send a check to the North Pole so Santa doesn't have to pay for parts for building toys/electronics.
Yes and also, Santa cannot bring live animals in his sleigh. So no kittens for Christmas 🤣
 

disneygeek90

Well-Known Member
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.
Gender swapping imagined characters is actually quite fun as long as the integrity of the character remains intact. Angelina Jolie wouldn't be a great fit, but Zendaya playing a young Calrissian? Now my interest is peaked.
 

Brian

Well-Known Member
Sure! I'd love to meet her, given that the story of Cinderella has been redone with Black actresses across media. Hell, have it inspired by Rodger and Hammerstein's version that is on Disney+ right now 🤷‍♂️
I'm sure they'll get right on those changes!
 

monothingie

Proxy War 2024: Never Forget
Premium Member
Gender swapping imagined characters is actually quite fun as long as the integrity of the character remains intact. Angelina Jolie wouldn't be a great fit, but Zendaya playing a young Calrissian? Now my interest is peaked.
Can we sub Will Ferrel for one of Angelina Jolie's characters?

ferrell GIF
 

doctornick

Well-Known Member
If I may...

Many people have experience with already seeing Black Santas and would tend to view this as "not a big deal" or "Disney is behind the curve".

Other perhaps have not had that experience and are used to seeing only White Santas so encountering this in a theme park could be jarring and an adjustment.

My biggest question is how Disney will handle the inevitable complaints at the parks from the later group that will happen. Or perhaps how they will present this in general - do they try to provide some "warning" so that people who will care/complain can avoid or do they just roll him out and let the chips fall where they may? I'm not saying there's a "right" way to do it but I could see pros and cons for each option.

Eventually this will be something that will just be accepted by everyone and the "shock" for seeing something different won't be around anymore.
 

CaptainAmerica

Premium Member
Gender swapping imagined characters is actually quite fun as long as the integrity of the character remains intact. Angelina Jolie wouldn't be a great fit, but Zendaya playing a young Calrissian? Now my interest is peaked.
I think the best way to do this sort of thing is what they did with Captain America. Everyone (except for legit racists) is fine with a Black Captain America because it's Sam Wilson. That's different than a Black Steve Rodgers, which would have upset many more people.
 

Dear Prudence

Well-Known Member
For decades, people have cast Santa in ways that are seen as appropriate regionally --Hawaiian Santa, Native Santa, Black Santa. Even the emojis on our phones can change the skin tones of Santa and Mrs. Claus.
 
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