Disney World Tells Santa Lookalike to Hit the Road

[napnet]

Funny story... I guess its good Disney tries to keep just one Santa around even if he isn't a Disney character.

The happiest place on Earth just said 'no' to the jolliest man on Earth: Santa Claus.

Walt Disney World resort gave an ultimatum to a Santa lookalike who was visiting the park Sunday, warning him to ditch his festive gear or get out.

J.D. Worley, 60, is used to being mistaken for Santa Claus. But it had always been something that brought him joy, until a recent visit to Disney World.

Worley, who has a long white beard and bears a striking resemblance to St. Nick, was followed around by many an awed youngster during his recent visit to the park.

"Adults and children alike came up to me and asked to take pictures with me. I even had my picture taken with groups of cast members and store managers," Worley said.

Several of the tiny tots asked if he was Santa Claus, to which he responded, 'yes, I am.'

But is Worley really Kris Kringle? He admits he is not.

"Christmas is supposed to be about kids, and how do you tell a kid that comes up to you and grabs your leg and calls you 'Santa,' how do I say, 'get away from me kid, I'm not Santa?'" said Worley.

Worley does, however, have some experience as Santa Claus.

"J.D. has been playing Santa for a long time," says his wife, Darlene. "He plays Santa and I play Mrs. Claus. We do it for charity, and we march in parades. We’ve done it for the troops in our local National Guard, and for disabled vets at the local VA hospital."

Disney, however, would prefer that the park's official Santa Claus remain the one and only.

"They told me I either needed to alter my appearance or I needed to leave the park because I was impersonating Santa Claus. They told us that Santa was considered a Disney character,' said Worley.

Darlene thinks the park was overreacting.

"Almost everyone there wears Santa hats and dresses in red and green during the holidays. The kids thought it was wonderful that Santa was actually a real person in the park," Darlene said.

Jacob DiPietre, a spokesman for Walt Disney World, said Worley was never banned from the park, only asked to stop impersonating the jolly man.

"We're very committed to protecting the magic of Santa Claus for all our guests, especially children. We asked him to stop presenting himself as Santa Claus and he agreed," said DiPietre.

Darlene says Christmas has lost some of its luster this year, in part, thanks to what happened at Disney World.

But Worley is working to keep his spirit alive.

"I'm still angry with Disney, I'm still hurt," said Worley, "but I'm not going to let it ruin my Christmas. I'm not going to let it stop me from going to Disney, if they let me in. I still look like Santa, and I'm not going to shave my beard off."


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,236796,00.html

 

[natalia1681]

I hope Santa doesn't tell the tooth fairy and the Easter Bunny about this...:lookaroun:lol:

 

[SeanC]

Its also a safety issue. Parents might think this guy works for Disney and put more trust in him than they would an unknown guy in Santa drag. Turns out this fellow is a jolly soul, but someone could just as easily be up to some sort of no good. Kudos to management! :sohappy:

 

[doop]

Interesting story, I kind of find it hard to believe that management would actually demand that someone change the physical appearance, however if he was going around saying that he was saying he was Santa Claus, then I can understand them asking him to stop.

 

[Plutoboy]

I can't say for sure but I think I may have seen this gentleman at Downtown Disney on Thursday....definitely made me take a double-look. In any case I can see both sides to the story. I can see why he wouldn't want to ruin the whole Santa Claus effect for small children. At the same time I can see where Disney would not want the attention focused on him and not their Santa. Does anyone believe that Disney told him that Santa was a Disney character????

Anyway....unless he was smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer and swearing like a sailor I really don't see the harm in what he looked like.

 

[napnet]

Anyway....unless he was smoking a cigarette, drinking a beer and swearing like a sailor I really don't see the harm in what he looked like.

I think their real problem was him telling kids he was Santa and then Disney not being able to control the content of something they are advertising... I see it both ways too but im sure Disney wouldn't like it if an old fat man with a bald head was telling kids he was Elmer Fudd at WDW.

 

[rccola18]

Interesting story, I kind of find it hard to believe that management would actually demand that someone change the physical appearance, however if he was going around saying that he was saying he was Santa Claus, then I can understand them asking him to stop.

Being a current Cast Member i can see exactly why this was a problem. IF you dress so realistic similar to any character in the park and people take autographs from him\her, the person may be luring kids into danger(not saying that this guy is though).

During Not-So-Scary, people got banned from the park from wearing Emperor Zurg costumes that were so realistic, and a Osama Bin Laden costumes.

 

[scottnj1966]

I am sure the people at WDW that asked him to stop being Santa will get coal in there stockings.

 

[TurboCaroline]

You know while I was there I saw a look a like also. I took a picture of him but it didn't come out very well...
View attachment 23622
you can kind of see his long beard and red outfit...

 

[goofyfan13]

Yea, if the guy hadn't claimed he actually was Santa, I wouldn't have had a huge problem with that. Maybe he could have just told the kids he was Santa's cousin. :lol:

 

[v_misses_epcot]

Santa and I would talk a lot over at character connection and that hurts me a lot that disney did this. Oh well.....I can understand why they did it but they forgot to mention that there is another santa over at Epcot. =/

I also talk to a guy that impersonates Mickey mouse a lot!!! and I mean a lot! Every chance he gets. He's a passholder and also looks like santa. x_x

 

[Greydog30]

Safety

I can seriously agree with it being a safety and trust issue. i have been to Disney World three times its unbeilievible how much parents let there guard down. What if something happen, Disney would be sued. To me they were covering there butts on this person

 

[mkt]

I think this is ridiculous, but it's Disney's property, they can do what they see fit. This sounds more like a Union gripe than a real issue... maybe one of the AEA Santa Performers felt his job was at risk. Who knows... I think this is BS... but then again, since when has Fox News been known as a stronghold of journalistic integrity.

 

[Gorjus]

Perhaps "change his physical appearance" meant change his clothes. It is one thing to look like Santa, it is another to be dressed like him as well. I have a friend who is a professional Santa and he comes to Disney World all the time. However, he never wears his Santa outfits. He wears Disney clothes. Now I was with him a couple of times and kids do look and point and say, hi Santa. He just smiles and waves back.

 

[carolina_yankee]

We had a Santa Encounter on the Disney Magic last May - there was a guest with the authentic Santa facial hair who often wore red T-shirts with a fake black belk dyed on, and black shorts. It was amusing, but he never passed himself off as Santa. It really does get Santa-like though: one day we both ended up in the hot tub together and started talking. Turns out he's a pastor in the next town over from my late grandfather and his wife is a teller in the bank my grandfather always used. She remembered him very well, even though he died 20 years ago. That was eerie, in a nice way. The Clauses really do know everyone!

Anyway - I understand Disney's position. If the man is clearly dressing up as Santa, it becomes a problem. He's in the park representing himself is someone he's not, and his manner of dress in the photo above shows he's very intentional about doing that. They would have to treat any adult that way.

The "Santa" we met on the Disney Magic was a little more circumspect and would talk about it only when asked if he ever played Santa.

Dirk

 

[doop]

Being a current Cast Member i can see exactly why this was a problem. IF you dress so realistic similar to any character in the park and people take autographs from him\her, the person may be luring kids into danger(not saying that this guy is though).

During Not-So-Scary, people got banned from the park from wearing Emperor Zurg costumes that were so realistic, and a Osama Bin Laden costumes.

Yeah, I suppose if he had already told several people that he WAS santa claus, it makes sense for them to make a deal out of it, he should've just kept quiet.

Oh, and I think if you go to any party wearing an Osama Bin-Laden costume, you should be expecting some sort of verbal consequence. :lol:

 

[EpcotGrl]

I think I've met this guy! It was the dead of summer, and he was dressed "normally", but I greeted him with "Santa"! Imagine my surprise when he pulled out a business card w/a photo of himself & his wife as Mr. & Mrs. Claus and signed it for me! :lol: He's a sweetheart, but I understand that Disney can't be sure he's not a sicko...

 

[Tramp]

I'm sorry folks...but that WAS Santa...and shame on Disney ! :lookaroun

 

[Simba1]

When I was on my CP last Spring, I remember seeing a Santa lookalike in an ECV and the name on the ECV was actually "Kringle." I wonder if this is the same guy! Also, I think Disney did the right thing in the name of preserving the magic and having complete control over the guest experience.

 

[Nemo14]

I think Disney was justified here. If this guy turned out to be some kind of perve who abducted, assaulted or abused a child in any way while at WDW, the first finger of blame would be pointed at Disney - why did they let this person on their property impersonating someone that kids would trust, etc. This guy could certainly visit WDW without dressing like Santa.