Tokyo Disney Resort, nestled in Chiba, has been a beloved destination for over 40 years, drawing in countless visitors from Japan and beyond. It's a magical place for all ages, constantly buzzing with new attractions and often seeing massive queues just to get in – a familiar sight for anyone who's been.
But hold up! Japanese YouTube duo "Tearo Shippuden" stirred up a massive hornet's nest with their now-deleted March 29 video, "Seriously: How Long Can We Hide in Disney After Closing Before Getting Caught?" The pair attempted to be the very last guests to leave Tokyo DisneySea, a stunt that quickly ignited a firestorm of online criticism, with netizens slamming their "childish" and "pointless" antics. They later dropped an apology video, owning up to their mistake.
In the controversial clip, their mission was clear: "Among approximately 50,000 parkgoers, be the last to leave Disney." And so, they embarked on their ill-fated hide-and-seek adventure inside Tokyo DisneySea.
One of them tried to sneak into a gap in the park's flooring after closing, only to be swiftly discovered by patrolling staff. The other feigned illness and hid in a restroom, eventually being escorted out by staff. Despite being the only guests left in the park, they cheerfully declared, "We're the last ones to leave!" – completely missing the point.
The video quickly drew widespread condemnation. On April 1, Tearo Shippuden uploaded an apology video (also now deleted), stating, "We just wanted to make an interesting video, but we accidentally crossed the line. We will never create content that causes trouble for others again." However, their initial refusal to delete the original controversial video only fueled the flames further.
By April 3, they released a second apology video, "Regarding Hiding in Disney After Closing." This time, dressed in suits, they formally apologized to all involved: "To all Disney staff, the employees we inconvenienced, and the viewers who felt uncomfortable, we are truly sorry." They admitted, "Even though we knew staying in the park after closing was absolutely forbidden, we thought it wouldn't matter since there were still many people around, and we just filmed it. Looking back now, we realize how immature we were." They confessed to prioritizing fan entertainment over respecting others, including fellow Disney fans.
With 270,000 subscribers, Tearo Shippuden is quite popular among Japanese elementary and middle school students, often creating fun and engaging videos. This "crossed the line" stunt, however, sparked concerns that younger viewers might imitate their behavior, leading to widespread criticism that they failed to set a proper example for their young audience.
Finally, the duo announced a one-week hiatus from uploading videos. "From now on, we will seriously create videos that can make everyone smile, whether they are old fans or new viewers who learned about us because of this incident. We hope to bring positive energy to everyone."