A striking sight greeted visitors to a hotel near Disney Springs in Florida over the weekend, as a hot-pink bear adorned in fetish clothing caused a stir before being removed following social media backlash.
The bear, captured in an image tweeted by @libsoftiktok, was positioned outside the Crowne Plaza Orlando – Lake Buena Vista hotel on Palm Parkway’s 8600 block. Libs of TikTok expressed outrage, questioning the hotel’s decision to subject young children to such a display, and revealed that the hotel cited a private pride event as the reason for the bear’s presence, intending for it to remain throughout the entire weekend.
This blow-up bear in b*ndage gear is sitting outside the @CrownePlaza [1] in Disney Springs.
We called the hotel and they told us it was for a private pride event but that the bear will remain up throughout the entire weekend.
.@CrownePlaza [1] why are you subjecting young children to… pic.twitter.com/Ry1b4iYMNK [2]
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 31, 2024 [3]
The hotel, an IHG property, stated that the outdoor decorations were brought in for display by a client organizing an event during a “full buyout.” Despite initial attempts to obtain a response, an IHG spokesperson confirmed that the decorations have since been relocated indoors according to Fox Business [4]. However, a further controversial image emerged, showing a black and white bear also donning bondage-type attire within the hotel’s pool area during a lively party with music blasting, accompanied by the presence of security guards patrolling the vicinity.
Notably, the Crowne Plaza hotel is situated within close proximity to Disney Springs, although it is essential to clarify that it is not located on Disney property. In light of these events, questions have arisen regarding the hotel’s decision to display such decor, particularly during Pride Month, which is observed each year in June to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Uprising in Manhattan, according to the Library of Congress website.
As of now, the hotel has not issued any official statement regarding these incidents, raising further questions about their decision-making and awareness of the impact of the display on their guests and the local community.