After becoming a viral sensation, the likes of which have not often been seen for a single Cast Member, Disney has confirmed that the performer portraying the popular “Tally the Elf” character in Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade at Magic Kingdom has not been removed or let go.
Tally the Elf Still Checking Santa’s List
Tally the Elf went overwhelmingly viral on social media platforms like TikTok and later on major news websites like USA Today, following guests sharing videos of the character “checking” Santa’s list to see if guests’ names were on the “Naughty” or “Nice” list during the parade.
After many videos were shared on social media of one of Tally’s “friends” in particular, some fans online allegedly sought out the Cast Member’s actual name and IMDB account, and broke character integrity in interactions with the performer on the parade route, according to CinemaBlend.
Despite community concerns that the performer was pulled from the parade for their safety, or at worst, fired when they did not appear during a recent party night, Disney has confirmed that the performer’s absence was due to scheduling issues and that they will return.
Scheduling issues could encompass several things, like previously planned time off, sick leave, or the Cast Member simply could have not been scheduled to perform on that given evening. In those cases, “Tally the Elf” the character still appears in the parade, albeit performed by a different Cast Member.
If it is true that guests were crossing boundaries and breaking character integrity, it is worth noting that these performers are just trying to do their jobs. When in costume, these Cast Members are the characters they portray — as it is often said, there is only one Mickey Mouse, and similarly, only one Tally the Elf. A performer’s character integrity, role, and privacy should be respected.
Mickey’s Once Upon a Christmastime Parade is performed twice nightly during Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Magic Kingdom. Watch our video of the parade featuring Tally the Elf below:
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