A heated debate over theme park etiquette erupted online after a TikTok video captured a child attacking two characters at Walt Disney World Resort. The shocking footage shows an elementary-aged boy punching Donald Duck in the stomach and later shoving Pluto from behind during a character meet-and-greet.
Disney Fans Outraged Over Guest Behavior
The video, originally posted by Noelle Jajo (@adventureawaitstravelco) on TikTok, was meant to encourage parents to teach their children proper character interaction etiquette before visiting the parks.
“Parents, please have a conversation with your kids about Disney Character interactions before visiting,” the TikToker wrote.
@adventureawaitstravelco Friendly reminder to talk to our kiddos about @Disney character interactions and what is/isn’t appropriate before visiting @Disney Parks #disneycharacter #disney #character #pluto #donald #kids #disneyresort #disneymom #disneyworld #bad #reminder #parents
In the clip, Donald Duck is playfully dancing when the child punches him in the stomach. Later, the same boy forcefully shoves Pluto from behind, causing the beloved Disney pup to briefly leave the scene.
Pluto Signals an Emergency After Being Hit
Since Disney characters cannot verbally communicate with guests, they rely on a set of emergency signals to notify their character attendants when something goes wrong. These silent distress cues allow performers to signal for help in difficult situations, whether they are feeling ill, in danger, or need immediate assistance.
After being hit by the guest, Pluto used one of these emergency signals to communicate with his character attendant before stepping outside to debrief on the situation. According to the TikTok post, Pluto needed to “cool down” before returning to meet other guests.
“It was sad to see! Pluto was really upset and went outside to talk with a cast member to let them know about the situation,” the Disney Park guest recalled. “But what’s worse, is the kid still kept running around bothering them.”
Disney Fans Call Out the Parents
The video sparked a wave of backlash from Disney Parks fans, with many blaming the child’s parents for not stepping in to stop the inappropriate behavior.
“Why do parents not teach their kids about how to wait their turn and how to be kind to others?” @mermaidfiguresk8er93 commented.
“Hell no, one thing I’ll always been taught is to keep my hands to myself,” @laa_vaquitaa agreed.
Others argued that if parents won’t step in, fellow guests should say something when they witness this kind of behavior.
“Nope nope nope. If I ever saw someone hit a CM, I’m saying something,” said @extrapixiedust. “I know CMs can’t. So I’ll always make a stand for them.”
“We straight up saw a boy punch Cinderella & the mom LAUGHED,” @ladyzombie88 recalled. “I called her son & her a few choice words & she went to tell a cast member. I showed them the video of it & the CM escorted them out.”
A Surprising Debate Over Character Behavior
However, not everyone in the comments agreed on who was to blame. A small minority of Disney Parks fans focused not on the child’s behavior but on how Donald Duck was moving before the punch occurred.
“That first one was protecting himself,” @bella_nonnie wrote. “Why was DD gyrating his pelvis to a child.”
Despite the speculation, there is no evidence that Donald Duck did anything inappropriate during the interaction. He was simply dancing and interacting with the child in a typical Disney character fashion before being struck.
The Importance of Character Safety at Disney Parks
Costumed characters like Mickey Mouse, Pluto, and Donald Duck wear heavy, restrictive costumes and cannot verbally communicate when something goes wrong. This makes safety protocols like emergency signals essential for performers to request assistance when needed.
When meeting Disney characters, guests should always ask before touching their costume pieces, avoid sudden, aggressive movements, and ensure children understand proper behavior before interacting. One wrong pull, punch, or shove can cause serious injury to both the character performer and the guest.
What’s your favorite part of interacting with characters at Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort? Disney Fanatic would love to hear from you in the comments!
Parents should be escorted out with their unruly kids
Any child who hits a character learned it from somewhere and the parents obviously think that behavior is acceptable. If my kids ever did that when they were younger while we were in the parks, that would have been the end of the Disney trip for them. If you can’t control your kid because of ADHD or some other mental health issues, keep them a distance from the characters. My son brought Princess Aurora a flower and ran away he was so shy. She came over to us and he was blushing the whole time.
Because of my autism & epilepsy, I try not to get too far out of hand & control myself in a more calmer way when meeting Disney characters. Share a good joke or two, Ask for autographs & pose for photos. Then I go about my rounds looking for other places around DW to be like regular patrons.