Credit: Hong Kong DisneylandA Disney worker was recently arrested after allegedly taking upskirt photos at another Disney theme park.
While Disney’s theme parks are designed around magic, they can’t totally escape some of the darker realities of real life. Over the years, we’ve seen guests arrested for everything from violent confrontations with cast members to failed attempts to smuggle drugs into the parks.
One of the latest incidents saw a guest arrested at Hong Kong Disneyland – although, in a shocking turn of events, the guest in question is actually a worker at another Disney park.
Authorities in Hong Kong have confirmed that a Tokyo Disneyland maintenance employee visiting the city has been granted bail pending trial, following allegations tied to an incident at Hong Kong Disneyland. The case quickly escalated after the man’s first court appearance this week.
The 36-year-old Japanese national, identified as Shibamata Satoshi by UTravel, appeared at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on November 24. He claimed to work as a mechanical repairman at Tokyo Disneyland and required a Japanese interpreter during the hearing.
Prosecutors allege that on November 22, 2025, outside Disney’s Storybook Theater at Hong Kong Disneyland, Shibamata used a panoramic camera to secretly photograph a woman’s private parts beneath her clothing. The charge states the act would not have been possible without deliberate positioning.
He has been charged with one count of unlawfully photographing or observing private parts, with prosecutors alleging the act was carried out dishonestly and without regard for whether the woman consented. The court did not require him to enter a plea at this stage.
Shibamata was granted bail set at HK$20,000 and faces strict conditions. He is prohibited from leaving Hong Kong, must report to the police twice weekly, and is required to remain at his reported local address.
The case has drawn public scrutiny due to the defendant’s employment at a globally recognized theme park. The matter has been adjourned until December 22, with prosecutors seeking additional legal guidance from Hong Kong’s Department of Justice.
Similar Cases at Disney Parks
This isn’t the first time a Disney property has faced incidents involving guests or employees secretly capturing inappropriate content without consent.
Earlier this year, a man was charged with unlawfully photographing or observing “private parts” at Hong Kong Disneyland in an unrelated June 14 case.
In 2023, investigators arrested Justin Culmo after tracking him for more than a decade in an international child-exploitation probe. He allegedly used a GoPro at Walt Disney World to film guests, later feeding the images into Stable Diffusion to generate illegal content involving minors. Culmo was sentenced to 75 years in federal prison in May 2025.
Another 2023 case involved 22-year-old Clayton Snider, who was arrested after allegedly filming inside a restroom at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. A guest claimed he leaned over a stall and recorded a 19-year-old with their pants down. Snider denied the allegation but refused to show his phone.
Also in 2023, Disney Cast Member Jorge Diaz Vega was arrested after investigators discovered he had been secretly recording guests — including upskirt footage — at Dok-Ondar’s Den of Antiquities in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. He admitted to collecting more than 500 videos over six years.
Disney terminated Diaz Vega immediately, but the case didn’t end there. He was arrested again on a new video voyeurism charge after his initial release, raising further concerns about repeat offenses connected to Disney locations.
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