Disney towel baby

[snopes]

Comment: I am writing to ask you about a rumor
I've been reading recently on the DIS boards. (The DIS forums are a place
where Disneyworld fans gather to gab about trips, enthuse about new rides,
etc.)

Anyway, there are some stories posted there about a "towel baby couple" -
apparently a man and woman, childless, who frequent the amusement park
accompanied by a towel wearing a baby's hat. This is (you guessed it) the
"towel baby", and cast members are instructed to treat it as a real baby
at all times. One poster even said that they order food for the "baby" at
popular Disney restaurants, and hide the food to pretend the baby has
eaten it. Pretty weird, right?

Here is a link from the DIS boards:
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1795423

And here is one from a site that seems to be for cast members:
http://stupidguesttricks.com/showthr...2towel+baby%22


Most of the information (not all) was second-hand or third-hand, and
nobody really seemed to know the background of these people, and there
were no photos or anything. I figured it had to be a hoax for sure, but I
couldn't find any other references to it on the web! What do you think?

[Phantom]

Ummm... even if it was true, I don't see a reason to do it. I didn't notice any extra perks to dragging around a baby, and both DS1 and DS2 went to Disney World as young babies. I think there may be a program that lets one parent ride with a child with the other stays with a baby, then the second parent can go with the child without waiting in line, but that's about it. The hassle of hauling around a stroller isn't worth it, and the "baby" wouldn't be allowed on most rides.

Cute picture of baby DS1 chillin' in Orlando:

[Heavy B]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Ummm... even if it was true, I don't see a reason to do it. I didn't notice any extra perks to dragging around a baby, and both DS1 and DS2 went to Disney World as young babies. I think there may be a program that lets one parent ride with a child with the other stays with a baby, then the second parent can go with the child without waiting in line, but that's about it. The hassle of hauling around a stroller isn't worth it, and the "baby" wouldn't be allowed on most rides.

Well, I'm certainly not saying that this story is true, but just to respond to your post, it might be that a couple pretending to have a baby with them isn't doing it for some advantage, but rather, they may be dealing with a loss of some sort, or heavily grieving and in denial...something like that.

This makes sense if, as the OP suggests, park employees have been instructed to treat it as a "real baby."

Not saying it's true or even right, but I can see it happening.

[Eddylizard]

I've seen TV shows where couples traumatsed by a miscarriage or infant death carry around a mock baby, but I don't know if that has ever happened in real life.

ETA Spanked by Heavy B.

[candy from strangers]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Ummm... even if it was true, I don't see a reason to do it.

Reading the comments about the towel baby on the other board, it seems the general consensus seems to be that the couple are either grief-stricken or have some type of mental illness or disability.

ETA: Spanked like a misbehaving towel baby.

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by candy from strangers

ETA: Spanked like a misbehaving towel baby.

More like flipped on the buttucks with a wet towel.

[candy from strangers]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

More like flipped on the buttucks with a wet towel.

But wouldn't that be dangerous for it? Won't someone think of the towels?!

[Mickey is a gyrl]

It's not a couple, it's one person. And yes, it's true. I've seen him. And he's a little "off", if you ask me.

[candy from strangers]

Originally Posted by Mickey is a gyrl

It's not a couple, it's one person. And yes, it's true. I've seen him. And he's a little "off", if you ask me.

My questions:
1) "Off" like "crazy" or "slow"?
2) Does he actually talk to the towel like a baby, and does he insist others do as well?
3) What type of towel is it (dish towel size, bath towel size, if it's even possible to tell)
4) Is it folded/twisted into a vaguely baby-like shape?

[SoToasty]

[hijack]We interrupt this thread to say... Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party tomorrow night. YEAH!!!! [/hijack]

You may now resume your thread which is already in progress.

Wonder if he will be there tomorrow night. I'll keep an eye open.

[Phantom]

Originally Posted by Heavy B

they may be dealing with a loss of some sort, or heavily grieving and in denial...something like that.

Ah, that makes more sense. I thought that maybe the couple though they could get some kind of perks by towing a baby along.

[RivkahChaya]

So it's not like there was a special meeting where everyone was specifically instructed NOT to tell the guy "umm, that's a towel," but rather to comment on how cute the baby is. Instead, word just sort of trickled around that it's not worth bothering to try to talk the guy out of his delusion?

If it's the latter, then it's entirely possible that the staff has not quite grasped the situation. Someone with a developmental disability who has a name for a secrity blanket or towel, and refers to it with a "he" or "she" pronoun rather than "it," may just have some linguistic quirks, and not genuinely believe the towel is a baby. And, some developmentally disabled people clue in to the fact that people humor them, and start doing bizarre things just to see how far people will go in playing along.

Also, this guy is some sort of regular patron of Disney World? geez, I could never afford that.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Mickey is a gyrl

It's not a couple, it's one person. And yes, it's true. I've seen him. And he's a little "off", if you ask me.

What would happen if someone accidentally sat on the towel? Or if a dog came up and ripped it to shreds like in that "South Park" episode where a dog comes and attacks the fake-Ike? Or if the guy dropped the towel baby?

Also, is he really rich, or what? Is he paying them to treat it like it's a baby?

[Eddylizard]

Originally Posted by Artemis

What would happen if someone accidentally sat on the towel? Or if a dog came up and ripped it to shreds like in that "South Park" episode where a dog comes and attacks the fake-Ike? Or if the guy dropped the towel baby?

Also, is he really rich, or what? Is he paying them to treat it like it's a baby?

Really rich - I wouldn't know. What's the admission price? Wat are his travel costs? How often does he go? What are his other living costs?

No I doubt he is paying Disney to treat it as a baby, it's a compassionate gesture so to do. Whether it's a company mandate or just a tacit agreement between the staff, who knows?

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by Eddylizard

Really rich - I wouldn't know. What's the admission price? Wat are his travel costs? How often does he go? What are his other living costs?

No I doubt he is paying Disney to treat it as a baby, it's a compassionate gesture so to do. Whether it's a company mandate or just a tacit agreement between the staff, who knows?

Well, I was just assuming he was paying them off. Or does anyone who asks get to have an inanimate object treated as a baby?

[RivkahChaya]

To what extent are they "treating it like a baby"? Do they all scurry over, ask to hold it, comment on how much weight it's gained, ask whether it's sitting up, and say it's cute, or do they simply refrain from pointing out that towels don't usually wear hats?

[franjava]

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

To what extent are they "treating it like a baby"? Do they all scurry over, ask to hold it, comment on how much weight it's gained, ask whether it's sitting up, and say it's cute, or do they simply refrain from pointing out that towels don't usually wear hats?

I'm sure, if this is real, it means they must pose for pictures with it and whatnot.

[RivkahChaya]

They're employees. If I ask them to pose with my hairbrush, don't they pretty much shrug and do it? If it's something I'm legally allowed to have in the park, and isn't offensive-- I'm not asking them to pose with my Aryan Nation flag, or my giant dildo-- do they really care if it's stupid?

[candy from strangers]

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

They're employees. If I ask them to pose with my hairbrush, don't they pretty much shrug and do it? If it's something I'm legally allowed to have in the park, and isn't offensive-- I'm not asking them to pose with my Aryan Nation flag, or my giant dildo-- do they really care if it's stupid?

That sounds about right to me.

If it were me I'd probably welcome having my picture taken with a towel baby. It'd be one child guaranteed not to cough on me or pull my (character suit) tail or kick me or any of the other things kids sometimes do to costumed park employees.

[KKHB]

Originally Posted by RivkahChaya

They're employees. If I ask them to pose with my hairbrush, don't they pretty much shrug and do it? If it's something I'm legally allowed to have in the park, and isn't offensive-- I'm not asking them to pose with my Aryan Nation flag, or my giant dildo-- do they really care if it's stupid?

You have a good point, but now I really want to see Mickey (not our Mickey though ) posing with someone's giant dildo just to show they will pose with anything.