Former Disney Princesses Report Sexual Harassment from Guests

Former actresses who portrayed Disney princesses in theme parks say they faced sexual harassment from guests, forcing them to maintain character integrity even when subjected to inappropriate behavior. The "character integrity" rule meant performers could not break character, regardless of guest actions. Hunter Haag, a former Disney World employee, told the Daily Mail that performers were expected to remain in character, even if guests tried to provoke them. Alyssa Klinzing, who played Elsa at Disneyland, recounted an incident in 2018 where a guest sexually harassed her, whispering comments and attempting to touch her costume. Klinzing felt frozen and pressured to stay in character, reporting the incident but noting the guest was allowed back into the park with a chaperone. Klinzing, who worked at Disney for seven years playing multiple princesses, said she later learned other performers had complained about the same guest. She contrasted this with how Disney would handle property damage, where a guest would be banned. Haag, who portrayed Rapunzel and Belle from 2016 to 2021, also described uncomfortable interactions, including lewd comments and advances, sometimes requiring her to seek assistance without breaking character. The women stated that guest harassment was common and that strict appearance standards were enforced behind the scenes, with looks often prioritized over talent or hard work for desirable roles. Klinzing indicated that her experience had long-lasting effects.

“

If the same guest had damaged Disney property, broken a window, or caused damage to the company's assets, he would have been kicked out and banned from returning.