The iconic Disney character no longer meets people

If you ever want to meet your Louisiana neighbors somewhere that isn’t a festival or Mardi Gras, we suggest trying a Disney theme park. Louisianans have a certain attraction to the House of Mouse and Disney also loves Louisiana. Did you know that Disney was considering purchasing property in Louisiana before moving to the swamps of Central Florida?

And speaking of Mardi Gras, the Disney parks, especially Disney World in Orlando, are becoming “Louisiana East” as residents of New Orleans, Lafayette and Baton Rouge escape the madness of parades and beads to make part of the madness that is Disney. Oh, they also celebrate Mardi Gras, but not with the same intensity as in Louisiana.

Meeting characters is part of the Disney experience

Besides the high-tech rides and attractions, one of the most endearing aspects of a Disney trip is meeting certain characters. I have personally met Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, the Little Mermaid and I know that for my children, having a photo and autograph of characters like these was very important when they were much younger.

But there is one character you won’t be able to meet again. This character was described to Disney executives as “potentially problematic.” The character’s actions reflect an overabundance of “body awareness” and the character also appears “jealous”.

An iconic Disney character considered “potentially problematic”

As you read the concerns of Disney officials, what character came to mind? Believe it or not, this is a character that might just be Disney Studios’ second most iconic creation, aside from Mickey Mouse. Can you believe Disney is trying to keep you away from Tinker Bell?

Tinker Bell is, or should we say, was a Disney staple since Peter Pan in 1953. But since the parks reopened, no sign of the iconic character has been left. Its signage has reportedly been removed from Magic Kingdom’s Town Square Theater. This was where guests could meet Tinker Bell back in the day, but not anymore.

For many, Tinker Bell was magic personified

I remember when I was a very young child watching “The Wonderful World of Disney” on Sunday evenings on television. It was the magic of Tinker Bell that opened the show after the opening credits. And when I first saw the fireworks at Disney World in the late 1990s, seeing Tinker Bell soar above the crowds from Cinderella’s Castle literally gave me goosebumps .

Personally, I never thought of Tinkerbell as anything other than a magical, mystical creature who helped me believe in the power of imagination and the joy it brings. I never knew him to have any psychological problems or a propensity to be a bad role model.

If I may share a quote from a non-Disney TV show from not too long ago.

“Hey, Diddle, Diddle, the Cat and the Fiddle is a lie like everything else. The astronauts killed the man on the moon, when they grew up they took care of the rest.” This quote is taken from the scene above from the hit series Night Court. Seems like the “adults” also got Tinker Bell and all of us who “didn’t want to grow up.” This whole thing makes me sick to my stomach, like Disney Gumbo.