Disney Beat Down

[Crazyredhead]

I don't know if this should go in Off Topic. It is something I heard on the news this morning but I don't have a link, yet.

Basically, this family went to Disney World in Florida for vacation and when getting a picture with Tigger, Tigger whopped the teenaged son across the side of the face. Now the family is sueing!?! I'm not sure if it is Disney world or the guy inside of the Tigger costume, or both. The family wants an apology. They initially wanted the guy to come out of the Tigger costume and apologize but, from what I heard, they cannot come out of the costumes.

The father and the son was on the news this morning, with the father saying that they don't want to look like the perpetraters. The son looked totally embarrased to be there, like he wanted to crawl under his seat and dissapear. The father looks downright angry. The father said that he took the son to the hospital the next day when the son woke up with neck pain. The video that they have of Tigger bopping him on the head does show Tigger doing this, but the kid kept smiling and his head hardly moved when contact was made. I wouldn't be surprised if the sore neck wasn't from something else.

I really think that the family is after more than an apology, at least dad is. The park suspended Tigger, pending further investigation. They looked as though they were just wrestling. Although I wasn't there, from what I saw, I'm thinking freebie grab. I think they are just blowing this all out of proportion. They are seeing an opportunity and are going after it.

Although I would be upset if someone had hit one of my kids, it doesn't look as though Tigger really fazed the kid.

I'm hoping that the video shows up somewhere, I would really like to get everyones opinion on this.

The father makes it sound as if Tigger hauled off and decked the kid to the ground.

[gbm85]

I've read about this at multiple sites, and none of them have mentioned a lawsuit. The father has said that all he wants is an apology from Tigger. He doesn't want freebies from Disney or anyone else. He's gotten apologies from Disney but not from the man dressed as Tigger.

The son just looks like a standard timid teenager. The dad looks like any other dad; he didn't seem particularly angry to me.

You can obviously see the son reflexively swing back. You don't do that unless you feel like you are under attack.

:2cents:

[Ljt09863]

personally, i think that when you are working with the public the way the Tigger was, you don't need to do anything but pose for pictures, and make children smile. i don't think there should ever be a need to pysically touch another person unless you are shaking hands, or posing for pictures.

i don't know if the boy did something to irritate Tigger into touching him in the head, but i think that Tigger shouldn't have touched him.


the only picture i have seen, is of the other kids smiling, but tiggers hand in front of the boys head, and the boys hand reaching up towards tiggers hand. i think that it was uncalled for.

[Kiwi]

Ive worked in one of those costumes before, and have seen the video footage...your visbility is extremely poor and you always have a minder to make sure you dont get into trouble.

heres what I think happened, on the back of the costumes at the neck there is a clip that holds the head on, it clips to a metal strip that acts to take some of the weight off your neck/sholders (they are heavy) and I think that Tigger didnt like where the teenager was touching his neck

maybe it was misunderstanding , tigger thought the boy was reaching for the clip, which he wasnt..... and batted him away (disney has been sued before when a child saw the empty costume of a character and was apprently emotionally damaged....) so they are told that under no circumstances are costumes to come off until they are in a "safe zone"

people in those costumes rely on feel, as I said, ive seen the footage, I think it was a playful bat warning the kid away from that area of the costume with no malice intended.

[thegiraffe]

Here's (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16530237/) a link.

This link is from local news - I live about 40 mins from Disney. [summary of the article] They're saying that the boy cut off Tigger's air supply, and Tigger couldn't see enough with the lack of peripherals to see exactly where his hand was landing.

However, it seems to be accepted that the teen was agitating Tigger. Police say that the final decision on charges against Tigger will depend on whether he intended to strike the teen. If he didn't (and I'm voting for didn't - you kind of go into panic mode when you can't breathe), no charges will be filed.

[Crazyredhead]

Thank you thegiraffe for the link. I have watched this on the news and that is just a whop not a sucker punch. I knew they were looking for money for damages, but what I want to know is What Damages?? I seriously doubt that he got any neck soreness from it.

I hope the employee doesn't get in trouble or fired for this, I would have swung to if my air supply was cut off. I like breathing, it is sort of a habit for me. I am not a happy person if I am not breathing.

I still feel as though the father saw an opportunity and decided to run with it. I feel that this is all just an accident taken the wrong way. I am still calling freeby grab.

[NightAngel]

If it was my son I'd have probably told Tigger, "Yep, I'd have slapped him to." and then dragged the teen off by his shirt collar.

But that's just me... *shrug*

[Ljt09863]

the only picture i gt was of tigger swinging. i didnt see anything else. if somebody was choking me, yeah, i might swing too!

[gbm85]

I've been searching for an article that mentions any intention to sue, and I have yet to find one. Perhaps you could provide a link?

[Greenday]

gbm, I'm pretty sure it was in the article posted by thegiraffe. It said the family was looking for compensation for unspecified damages. I don't see any reason why the guy in the Tigger costume would just randomly attack a kid for no reason. And he's suspended without pay. He won't see a cent from wrongful suspension if he's proven innocent too, which is bull.

[NightAngel]

Yep, it's in there:

The Monaco family is asking for unspecified money damages from Disney.

[VicSilver]

From watching the video, it looks like the teen was doing something shady to the back of Tigger...even when Tigger pushes him away (which is what I think it looked like..he pushed him away, by the face), the kid is hanging on to the back of his costume. I think the kid was acting like a punk, and got whapped in the face for it.

I also think he's so embarrassed because he tried to look cool, and got schooled by a Disney character. That is something he won't live down...

Even his father said in interviews, "At first I thought Jr did something bad..." If Daddy's first thought is that Jr was acting up and got slapped for it, that should say something right there, I think.

[Knightmare]

http://www.wesh.com/video/index.html and click "Tigger's defense"

Yes, the family IS suing for unspecified damages.

Big topic for discusion on the radio today www.wtks.com (http://www.wtks.com) Real Radio 104.1 (Best radio station in central FLA!)

[NightAngel]

I find it awfully conveinient that the camera dips in certain places. However from what I can see the kid looks to be in the wrong. The dad even says, "Quit crowding Tigger." The Dad knew the boy was up to something.

After seeing the video I'd like to amend my earlier statement.
If it had been my teen son I'd have smacked him on the back of the head harder than Tigger seems to have hit him and then made him apologize to Tigger.

Money grubbing jerks.

[Knightmare]

It's weird. We locals treat those people in costumes extremely nice. |It's the tourists that treat them like crap.
One day a few years ago I was at Disney, and it was about 95° out. Here comes Mickey dressed up in pirate gear. POTC movie came out, and they renovated the ride, and Mickey was promoting it. My date and I wanted to have our picture taken, so up we went in line.
I overheard a local father telling his kids to be very nice to Mickey; get in, get out, and say thank you.
A tourist family went up, the kids pulled on Mickey's clothing, hugged him, ran around him, basically bugging him. The handler had to step in and move them along.
My date and I went up, said "Hi" to everyone. I asked Mickey "You doing all right in there? I can't believe they put you out in this heat. I hope you get a break soon."
We took our picture, said thank you and left.
Mickey stayed for 2 more families then departed.

You would think with all the technology we have, someone could design those costumes better. They are hot, cumbersome, the person inside can't see much of anything, can't hear much, and only one handler when they are walking the park. I'd like them to get at least 2 handlers.
We hear stories like this all the time in Florida. Last year it was a tourist molesting Tigger. Why is it always Tigger?

[Sunsetsky]

Check this out. Family says Tigger punched their kid in the face. I believe they are suing now. I don't know though...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPhkZ1yqK9Y

[Rapscallion]

Merged with this existing thread.

Rapscallion

[iradney]

that kid was definitely up to some funny business behind Tigger's back! Why would someone do that when they know they're being TAPED?

[MystyGlyttyr]

You know, I admit when I was little and we went to Six Flags, I picked on the costumed Bugs Bunny and all that a little bit. But if one of them had turned around and decked me (and I don't mean pushed my head a little, I mean REALLY decked me) I would have known I had it coming. And my mother would have said as much, and if she'd have taped it, she'd have brought it home and showed everyone how I got waylayed by Tweety Bird and LAUGH.

Not to mention, when I slowed the video down and watched it, you could clearly see first that Tigger used his arm to pin the boy's arm that was reaching behind his back, and only after a couple seconds hesitation, did he turn and try to push the kid away. I've seen that particular arm grab done in wrestling rings as a set-up for a hip toss so yes, I know what I'm talking about :lol: So what that says to me is that Tigger was trying to stop the boy's arm from moving, and when the boy obviously didn't stop what he was doing back there, then Tigger shoved him away.

Upon further review with the slowed down video, I can actually see even MORE clearly what he's doing. As odd as it sounds, Tigger's hand wasn't GOING towards the boy's face, he had pulled the boy's arm back and was reaching his other hand around to grab the boy's hand in a wrist lock, a very basic self-defense move. He just didn't seem to know how close the kid's head was and his hand grazed the boy's face when he was going for the grab.

Now, unless I'm remembering my Winnie the Pooh incorrectly and Tigger was some maniacal heel wrestler, the only reason he'd be going for a move like this was out of self-defense. And he'd only go for self-defense if he were feeling threatened...say, if some teenage brat dressed like a hoodlum (doesn't Disney have a dress code??) was about to expose him out of his costume...and I have little doubt that he thought he'd get in more trouble for that, whether or not it was his fault, than if he just restrained a kid from doing so...a'la these little rumors (http://www.snopes.com/disney/wdco/headless.htm).

Hopefully, it'll turn out more like the bottom lady in this story (http://www.snopes.com/disney/parks/molest.asp). Wee wee wee, indeed. Because quite frankly, all the body evidence in the video ITSELF points to Tigger acting in self-defense.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I am thinking Tigger wasn't aware he hit the kid in the face. To my eyes, it looked like he lost his balance or otherwise fumbled, and accidently swatted the kid.

It looked like a fumble.

You can't see in those things, and you are clumsy as heck. We had a mascot at public TV, and a buddy of mine wore the suit. I remember wrangling him in the studio. He couldn't see where he was going very well, had to be guided to stand exactly on his mark and handed props.because he couldn't find them with his tiny eyeholes and big cartoon hands.

In fact, we had some corporate characters, Dooley and (I think) Marvin or Melvin or some such name, show up for a studio full of kids and we had to assign wranglers for them so that they didn't run over any kids. You can't hear, either, and if someone's tapping you to get your attention, you can't feel it. It's like a big hot smelly sensory deprivation thing.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Once for a charity drive at work, we all had to take turns to dress up as either Easter bunnies or Easter chicks. I spent 1 hour in the white bunny suit, and that frankly was 1 hour too long. The head is huge, the hands are huge, you have no sense of what you're doing (I chose to keep still in one spot and hold my bucket out like a begging bowl at the entrance rather than walk round the supermarket and risk running into people) and it's like being in a sauna it's so hot. I have nothing but deepest sympathy for anyone who has to do this full time.

[SongsOfDragons]

I did this for half an hour once...am I allowed to say that I thought it was great fun? It was at the Winchester book fair where lots of children's authors and illustrators had come for book signings (all willing to sign whatever you wished, apart from one...never reading HER books again!!!) and while I was on a high for my sketchbook now quadrupling in value with Korky Paul, Michael Morpugo and Terry Pratchett signatures I volunteered to dress as Maisy the Mouse for a while. It was so fun!! All the kids kept hugging me. Although I couldn't see anything except this big cone... Though I feel sorry for whoever played Horrid Henry over and over again. I heard he got punched a few times.

[Luna]

Take it from one who has been a costume character and or handler MANY times. Kids will grab, kick, punch, shove, pull, climb and do anything else to either hurt you or get your attention. Except you can't see anything, you're so hot you feel as if you're going to faint, and by the way - you can't SEE ANYTHING.

As a handler on numerous occasions, you have to hold the characters hand and slowly shuffle walk away so they don't trip over the kids.

I feel bad for the poor kid who had to be Tigger that day.