A group of Disney superfans are firing back at their critics after being relentlessly trolled online over their weight.
The women, who call themselves the ‘Plus Size Park Hoppers’ on social media, are five best friends who create content around their shared love of all things Disney.
Their content usually revolves around reviewing Disney-affiliated restaurants, as well as testing out theme park rides to see if they’re size inclusive and can fit fuller-figured patrons.
The group, who range in sizes from 2X to 5X, have racked up thousands of fans across Instagram and TikTok, but their popularity has also opened them up to vicious trolling, and made them the butt of jokes from comedians and commentators.
The group’s leader Stephanie Lanciani recently fired back at Boston-based radio duo Toucher and Hardy after the pair branded the group ‘fatsos’ and said that they eat out of ‘feed troughs.’
A group of Disney superfans known as the ‘Plus Size Park Hoppers’ (pictured) are firing back at their critics after being relentlessly trolled online over their weight
The women have become famous online for reviewing rides at Disney World and Disney-related restaurants
Taking to social media, a furious Stephanie said, ‘They did a segment on us that was so vile and disgusting that I’m shocked that it even made it on air.’
She continued, ‘Throughout the segment they referred to us as “fatsos,” called our park bags “feed troughs.” They also insinuated that we eat donuts from dumpsters behind the rides.’
‘They embarrassed us and shamed us in a public platform, therefore we deserve a very public apology,’ she raged.
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Stephanie said that the nasty comments were sparked by a video that the Park Hoppers had filmed about getting golfer’s rash – also known as ‘Disney rash’ – while walking around Disney World in Florida.
‘Florida is really, really hot in the summer. It can get up to 105 degrees and we can walk up to 10 miles a day,’ she explained.
‘So a couple of us got the Disney rash. It’s just something that’s caused by heat and exercise. It’s common for a lot of different people of all different sizes.’
After filming a video about the ailment, the audio was picked up by radio duo Toucher and Hardy on Boston’s 98.5 The Sport’s Hub, who then mocked the women over the rash and their size.
‘They really could’ve made it about sports because marathon runners get the rash, golfers get it, but they decided to make it about fat people and just said horrible, fat-shaming things,’ Stephanie said.
The women were recently mocked and ridiculed over their size after sharing a video to social media about getting ‘Disney rash’ while walking around Disney World
The group were called ‘fatsos’ by radio duo Toucher and Hardy. Park hopper Stephanie Lanciani called the duo’s comments ‘vile and disgusting’
‘It’s a local radio station to us, we’re from Massachusetts and it’s a Boston show. Boston’s in Massachusetts. So being so close to home, it definitely hurt worse.’
The group’s fans ended up emailing the station for an apology, and Stephanie says that she even personally phoned the vice president of the media company that owns the station to find out if the Plus Size Park Hoppers could get a public apology.
According to Stephanie, a generic apology was issued to everybody who reached out and she was then informed that ‘the case was closed’ when she inquired further.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Toucher and Hardy for comment.
In addition to Toucher and Hardy, the Plus Size Park Hoppers have also been ridiculed by a number of major comedians, including Tim Dilllon and Tom Segura.
In an April episode of his podcast, The Tim Dillon Show, the host said, ‘Here’s what you need to remember about the Plus Size Park Hoppers – all of the food at Disney World is bad.
‘It’s bad. The rides aren’t even good. Nothing’s good. The reason you think it’s good is because you’re stupid.’
‘Throughout the segment they referred to us as “fatsos,” called our park bags “feed troughs.” They also insinuated that we eat donuts from dumpsters behind the rides,’ Stephanie said
The women were also ridiculed by comedian Tom Segura (pictured), who said that they should ‘go to a barn and eat with like-sized people’
Stephanie admitted that the constant criticism had taken a toll and started to affect her mental health.
‘People forget that we’re just normal people trying to put more good into the world,’ she said.
‘All we’re trying to do is help other people know that they belong in public and to enjoy their lives. And to hear people like Tom Segura, who said we should eat on the floor of a barn until we’re an acceptable size, it hurts.
‘Those things stay with you and your family sees them too, and that’s really hard.’
The Plus Size Park Hoppers consists of Stephanie, Katie, Deanna, and sisters Ashley and Sarah.
The group have been friends for more than a decade and eventually started taking trips to Disney World together, but were concerned that they wouldn’t be able to fit into some of the rides.
‘All we’re trying to do is help other people know that they belong in public and to enjoy their lives,’ Stephanie said
The Plus Size Park Hoppers share detailed reviews of Disney restaurants and often include the price of the foods in their videos
Last year, they all decided to purchase annual passes to Disney World and started filming educational videos about the size requirements, as well as reviewing Disney-related restaurants, and the page took off from there.
The Plus Size Park Hoppers now have their own line of merchandise and are planning their first trip to California’s Disneyland in October.
They also have big dreams of visiting international Disney locations, including Disneyland Paris.
Despite the success of their page, Stephanie admitted that she was shocked when the group first started receiving hateful comments online.
‘We weren’t expecting it,’ she said.
The Plus Size Park Hoppers now have their own line of merchandise and are planning their first trip to California’s Disneyland in October
‘Honestly, I’m a bit naïve. I didn’t expect all the hate because it’s like, this is just who we are and who we’ve always been.’
While dealing with trolls has been tough on the group, Stephanie also said that they’d received a huge amount of support from other Disney fans.
‘The Disney community really came together for us during this time and showed us so much support,’ she said.
‘We’ve received so many messages from other plus-size people who are like, “I never thought I could go to Disney World but I saw you go and I just booked my first trip.”
‘And I just want people to be able to feel like that about anywhere. I want them to feel like they can go anywhere.
‘So I think that our goal is to just start going everywhere and anywhere that we want to!’
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk