Grossly Insensitive Tweet Was Up “For FIVE DAYS” Before Fans Forced Disney to Remove It

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Walt Disney hosting 1960s Wonderful World of Disney on TV

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It has been less than one month since Disney fans rejoiced at The Walt Disney Company Board’s ousting of CEO Bob Chapek. The former head of Disney Parks, Experiences and Products turned Mouse House chief was replaced by his predecessor, Bob Iger in a stunning move on November 20.

However, it hasn’t taken long for fans to call out the company after an insensitive tweet was put out and left up for over five days on the official Walt Disney World Resort profile. It has now been deleted but as with most things on the internet, receipts were collected, and screenshots last forever.

Mickey Mouse at Town Square Theater
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The return of Bob Iger as Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company came after years of concern from fans — and the stock market — regarding Bob Chapek. Chapek took office after Iger’s resignation and steered the House of Mouse through the pandemic. The closures of the Disney Parks portfolio in addition to having limited traditional theatrical releases for projects from studios like Walt Disney Animation and Marvel left the company navigating turbulent waters.

Sleeping Beauty Castle with Walt and Mickey Mouse Partners Statue at Disneyland Resort
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At least for the Parks division, Chapek’s leadership led to substantial profits and the launch of new attractions like Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind, but many fans asked: at what cost? From the increasing ticket prices to rising costs of merchandise, food, and beverage, the debut of Park Passes, and installation of the paid “FastPass” service Disney Genie+ and Lightning Lane, Disney Park enthusiasts consistently felt burdened by the sheer expense of a Disney Resort vacation. Many acknowledged how the Parks, in particular Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort, were losing the “magic”something Iger loosely commented on upon his return when speaking of the creativity needed to run a historic corporation like Disney.

Bob Iger (left) and Bob Chapek (right) at Galaxy's Edge
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While a sense of excitement had begun spurring in Disney Park circles, the official Twitter account of Disney World has caused a new backlash with fans now taking aim at the company over their insensitivity and complete obliviousness.

In a now-deleted tweet, the official Walt Disney World Resort released a video montage captioned with “1939 was a vibe”. What is perhaps most interesting is that the tweet flew relatively under the radar when it was first posted on November 28, but a growing backlash over the days following has led to its removal.

Cinderella Castle Partners statue at Walt Disney World
Credit: Disney

Screenshots last forever.

One tweet from @ceezedby caught the original tweet and wrote:

Um, Disney World, whom did you think 1939 was a #HappyPlace for exactly?

1939, of course, was the year that World War II began, an event that led to the deaths of approximately 85 million people worldwide and featured the rise of Nazi Germany, Adolf Hitler, and the mass killing of Jewish people.

In a reply to one tweet that was shocked at Disney’s use of “1939 was a vibe” alongside “escape to your HappyVerse”, one user commented on why Disney likely chose the reference while also taking aim at their seeming self-interest:

It’s more depressing than that: 1939 is a very important year in the Disney mythology (Walt gets the honorary Oscar for Snow White with 7 dwarf statues; he also visits the SF World’s Fair and starts thinking about Disney World). It’s just Disney solipsism

In February 1939, Walt Disney was awarded the famous eight Honorary Oscar statues for his groundbreaking work on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). And rightly so, it also marked the year of Disney’s first World Fair attendance in San Francisco — the World Fair in San Francisco and New York would pave the way for the birth of the Disney Parks franchise years later.

Another tweet from @spfarrelltweets reads:

It would be nice if Walt Disney World was trending because of a pledge to lower park prices & impediments to the experience or perhaps news of a new attraction free of any IP & not because of a tone deaf Tweet about 1939 or regressives being upset about Splash Mountain’s closure.

What is most concerning is that the tweet was up for multiple days before it was deleted. As this tweet from @catiedelaney mentions:

Lol they just deleted it but that tweet from Disney World that said “1939 was a vibe” was up for 5 DAYS

Related: Disney Apologizes For “Inappropriate Joke” Published In Newsletter

Over the decades there has been much discourse on Walt Disney’s own alleged racism and antisemitism, which again does not help Disney’s image with a tweet like this. As of yet, the company has not put out a statement regarding the social media mishap or the potential hurt this may have caused its fans.

Should Disney apologize for this mishandled social media post? Let us know in the comments down below!

Walt Disney World Resort boasts four theme parks: Magic Kingdom Park, EPCOT Park, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park, and Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park. It also features two Disney water parks, Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon Water Park and Disney’s Blizzard Beach Water Park, and the retail and recreation area, Disney Springs. A valid ticket, as well as a Park Pass reservation, is needed to enter each Park and Park Hopper hours begin at 2 p.m. daily.

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