Disneyland princesses detail vile sexual harassment and the golden rule they can’t break — even when they’re in danger

Former Disney princesses are speaking out, claiming they were expected to stay in character no matter what guests did to them — even during alleged incidents of sexual harassment.

The strict expectation, known among performers as “character integrity,” is considered one of the most important rules of the job.

“Character integrity is number one. You’re not going to break character if somebody tries to break you,” former Disney World performer Hunter Haag told the Daily Mail.

For another former princess, that rule allegedly left her feeling trapped during a disturbing encounter at Disneyland in Anaheim in February 2018.

Alyssa Klinzing, who was 20 at the time and portraying Princess Elsa, claimed a guest turned what began as a routine meet-and-greet into something far darker.

“The guest basically took a hug from me, then sniffed me up from my shoulder all the way up into my ear with his lips pressed on my skin and whispered in my ear that he had dirty dreams about me,” Klinzing told the outlet.

“I basically froze in fear.”

According to Klinzing, the encounter escalated as she remained in character.

“He took his hands underneath my cape, so that no one could see where his hands were, and he was trying to get his hands into my skirt and had tried to unzip the back of my skirt.”

“I was alone as a performer, so I remember that moment feeling like it was slow motion and I really didn’t know what to do.”

Klinzing said she escaped the encounter, reported it to management, filed an incident report, and considered legal action. But she claimed the guest continued to visit the park.

Disney management reportedly told her the guest had intellectual disabilities and would be allowed to return, provided he was accompanied by a chaperone.

She said she encountered him repeatedly afterward.

“Every time I would meet him, I would fill out and file an incident report, I would do all the things that the company told me I needed to do, and they never did anything.”

“It’s very stressful for performers to have to navigate these situations on a daily basis,” added Klinzing.

She also alleged she later learned multiple performers had filed similar complaints involving the same guest.

“If the same guest were defacing property, breaking a window, or doing something to the physical property of Disney, they would be kicked out, and they would never be allowed back in, ever.”

Haag described facing her own uncomfortable encounters while portraying characters, including Rapunzel and Belle, between 2016 and 2021.

She recalled one incident involving a father visiting the park with his wife and children, who allegedly made a lewd gesture with his tongue toward her.

Despite feeling uncomfortable, Haag said breaking character was not considered an option.

Guests weren’t limited to inappropriate gestures, she said. Some made crude comments, including one member of a bachelorette party who allegedly asked her, while she was portraying Belle, how “well-endowed the Beast was.”

Even asking for help required performers to stay in character.

While both women said inappropriate behavior from guests was not uncommon, some incidents involving Disney character performers have resulted in police reports and arrests, according to the Daily Mail.

The outlet noted that performers in Orlando reported being inappropriately touched by tourists in 2019, while a father was removed, arrested, and permanently banned from Disney World in 2026 after allegedly assaulting a character performer and another employee.

The women also described intense competition behind the scenes for coveted character roles.

Klinzing, who portrayed Elsa, Cinderella, Ariel, Sleeping Beauty, and Captain Marvel during her Disney career, compared the atmosphere to a “high school drama department.”

Haag claimed one performer seeking the role of Ariel allegedly attempted to sabotage rivals by circulating unflattering photos of other candidates.

The pressure didn’t end once performers landed the job, though.

According to Haag, Disney performers were expected to maintain a specific appearance, including a designated body type and youthful look.

“It doesn’t really have to do with talent or your work ethic; it truly is based on looks,” she added.

For Klinzing, those expectations ultimately helped drive her decision to leave Disney after seven years.

“For all performers, there is an expiration date.”

The experience left a lasting mark.

“I honestly, I think I have some PTSD [from it] that makes it really hard for me to deal with the aging process,” Klinzing said.

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