Two women who portray Minnie Mouse and Donald Duck at Disney World said they were groped by tourists, while a woman who plays Mickey Mouse suffered a neck injury when a grandmother patted her character’s head, according to a report.
All three employees who bring life to the beloved costumed characters filed police reports this month for inappropriate touching, according to the Orlando Sentinel.
“Everyone should feel safe at work, and we encourage Cast Members to come forward in any uncomfortable situation,” Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger in a statement.
“We provide multiple resources to protect our Cast Members’ well-being, including on-site law enforcement officers who respond, and are available to them, if needed,” she added.
The disturbing incidents come after a 51-year-old man was arrested last month when an employee portraying a Disney princess told authorities he groped her breast while getting a picture taken.
The woman who portrays Mickey at the Magic Kingdom went to a hospital because of a neck injury after being patted on the costume head several, according a report she filed with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office.
The force made the character’s head slip down, straining the 36-year-old worker’s neck, the report said, but the employee didn’t believe the grandmother hurt her on purpose. The sheriff’s office ruled the Dec. 4 incident a civil, not a criminal, matter.
The grandmother’s family said they weren’t aware the woman had been taken to the hospital until they were reached by the newspaper Thursday.
Boone Scheer, the woman’s son-in-law, said she touched Mickey to prove to her nervous 2-year-old grandson there was nothing to be afraid of by the giant rodent.
“She barely touched him. It was very minimal,” Scheer told the Sentinel, adding that the family was confused whether Disney has a no-touching rule for the characters, since they hug visitors and give high-fives.
Scheer, who lives part time in Fort Myers and Alaska, said Disney interviewed his wife — and “they definitely tried to insinuate it was on purpose.”
In another incident, a 36-year-old woman who portrays Minnie posed for pictures with a Minnesota man and his wife. When Minnie gave the man a hug, he groped her chest three times, according to the police report.
On Dec. 6, the employee identified pictures of the 61-year-old man from Brewster, Minnesota, but she decided against pressing charges.
The same man also had “an inappropriate interaction with a cast member” Dec. 5 at the Magic Kingdom, according to the report, which provided no additional details.
In the third incident, a woman in her 60s asked if she could kiss Donald Duck on Dec. 3 at an Animal Kingdom restaurant.
The 18-year-old woman playing the character agreed, but the tourist began touching her inappropriately and then “frantically” put her hands inside the costume, touching her chest, according to the report.
The assailant’s family realized what was happening and shouted at her to stop. The employee decided not to press charges, saying she believed the woman may have dementia.
