Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder We've been on Small World several times this holiday season. In the second to last room where they have the wacky reindeer cut outs, Rudolph has gone missing. He's been there forever during the holidays, draped in Christmas lights. Anybody know why he's AWOL?
Originally Posted By SingleParkPassholder A vanity bump. So nobody knows? This is a matter of some importance on at least two continents.
Originally Posted By seanyoda That's not the only appearance of Rudolph to disappear from the park. Pluto used to be dressed up as Rudolph, but this year, he's just a reindeer. The removal of instances of Rudolph is because Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer is owned (in the form of both copyright and registered trademark) by The Rudolph Co., L.P. See <a href="http://www.marinij.com/marin/ci_4894814" target="_blank">http://www.marinij.com/marin/c i_4894814</a> for some details. As such, Disney has to pay The Rudolph Co. every time they use Rudolph's likeness. It would seem to me that The Rudolph Co either raised the rights fees or Disney has decided that it's not worth paying extra for the number of appearances of Rudolph they had.
Originally Posted By gadzuux Rudolph's got an agent? He's really only in demand one time of year, so maybe they can get a discount on lassie instead - she's not working.
Originally Posted By DismayingObservation I noticed that as well. Hey, when you only get to play around once a year, you can charge whatever exhorbitant fees you wish! Besides, Rudolph is a latecomer. Only been around since 1947, making him a baby in the Christmas scheme of things. Don't ask me how I drew that conclusion...
Originally Posted By wolfchild But the large Pluto dressed as a reindeer plush had a red nose on him. So they must have only paid a partial royalty