Man asked to look less like Santa by Disney park officials because they were upset that children approached him for photos



Administrators at Disney World were not feeling particularly jolly when they told a visitor that he had to look less like Santa in order to stay in the park.

Thomas Tolbert has a bushy white beard, ruddy red cheeks and a ever-present smile that helps him at work when he is hired to portray Santa Claus at events and shopping malls back home in Atlanta, Georgia.

During a recent family vacation to Disney World, however, park officials got upset that children approached him asking for his autograph, prompting them to ask Mr Tolbert to look less like the well-known character or else he would be asked to leave.

Jolly fellow: Thomas Tolbert was on vacation with his family at Orlando's Disney World when park officials asked him to look less like Santa as children kept approaching him and asking to take pictures



Magical world: Children at Disney World in Orlando (pictured) likely thought Mr Tolbert was one of the costumed employees who works at the theme park

Mr Tolbert told local Orlando station WKMG that the problem didn't lie in his clothes, but in his overall attitude which is something that he wasn't willing to change for a trip to the most magical place on earth.

'I never had a red suit on, I never wore a hat, I didn't have fur boots on, but that doesn't make Santa,' Mr Tolbert told the station.

'The face and the persona and the heart is what makes a Santa. They're looking at my face and looking at my features.'

He said that though he never approaches children, soliciting their interest, they are always the ones to approach him in hopes of getting some one-on-one time with the Christmas character.

On his talent profile, Mr Tolbert writes that he is 52-years-old and boasts that he was named one of the top three Santa Clauses at the national convention this year.

The professionally-trained actor writes that 'I am photographed daily, and given 'secret wishes' by both children and adults.'

In costume: Mr Tolbert, who works as a professional Santa in Atlanta, said he was not wearing any Father Christmas-type clothing on the day of the incident

He ran into such a situation during his family trip to Disney World in Orlando and he says he was approached by park employee who said he needed to change his look or at least stop attracting attention.

'They said you need to say "I am sorry, I'm not who you think I am. I am on vacation and you need to leave me alone,"' Mr Tolbert said.

The park put out a statement confirming the incident, and saying: 'the guest was asked to change his attire because it was disruptive to our operations and confusing to our other guests, particularly children who asked to take photos with him.'