About The Dis Unplugged - (rebranded as The Dis Unlimited as of 10/3/2023 perpetually sponsored by Dreams Unlimited Travel)
The Dis Unplugged is an Orlando-based, Disney-centric YouTube channel. It began as a simple podcast and launched onto video with live shows, dining and resort reviews, and other associated content.
Some Background
The Dis Unplugged is one of many assets owned or formerly owned by Pete Werner, in addition to DVC Fan, DCL Fan, Disboards, and Dreams Unlimited Travel. The video podcast is also associated with sponsors such as the Magic Candle Company (since discontinued) and World of DVC. They also cooperate with Give Kids the World, a charity organization in nearby Kissimmee, Florida.
Main Cast
Pete Werner
Owner (and former Primary Host) of The Dis Unplugged, Disboards, and DCL Fan. Co-owner of Dreams Unlimited Travel. Former Owner of DVC Fan and former co-owner of Moving to Orlando.
Pete Werner is a recovering addict from New Jersey who fell in love with Disney after visiting Orlando after getting off drugs. Alongside his former partner John Magi and a third silent partner, he co-founded Dreams Unlimited Travel, which focuses on planning Disney-based vacations. While novel and profitable at the time, Dreams Unlimited Travel now seems to rely exclusively on repeat business and advertisement from Pete's various social channels.
Pete also created Disboards with the help of Corey Martin, an early forum where fans can discuss Disney topics. The boards became very successful and still draw consistent money from Google ad revenue.
Pete created The Dis Unplugged podcast with the help of friend and coworker Bob Varley, who tragically passed away in 2008. The studio where the podcast is recorded (located in Pete's house) has been named the Bob Varley Studio in his honor. The podcast was recorded almost exclusively in this studio until July 2023, when it was announced that the studio would be moving to a location that could better accommodate Kevin Klose.
Pete hired Dustin West in 2011 to work on The Dis Unplugged, and Dustin helped transition the show to a video podcast. During this time, Pete would also hire Craig Williams, Ryno Clavin, and numerous other personalities to launch the podcast.
The podcast would provide several off-shoot channels and ventures, including the Disney Dining Show (eventually rolled back in the Dis Unplugged proper), the DVC Show, and DCL Fan. Contributors to the show would also be given the freedom to create their own content under the Dis Unplugged banner, such as Off the Rails, Dis Unplugged: Universal Edition, and Connecting with Walt.
Initially successful and interesting, the podcast attracted a somewhat large audience. In recent years, as the quality has declined, the audience has dwindled. At various times, Pete left and returned to the show for numerous personal reasons.
Pete started Moving to Orlando, a real estate business, with Sean Faulk in 2020. While the business was successful, Pete would eventually sell his shares of Moving to Orlando to his former business and romantic partner, Sean Faulk.
Pete's business success allows him to lead a lavish lifestyle full of expensive vacations, designer jewelry, and upscale dining. Despite this, Pete has often found himself in financial trouble. In 2023, it was revealed that Pete personally owed $50,000 to AmEx in unpaid charges and over $800,000 to AmEx for expenses he charged with a Dreams Unlimited Travel business card. This and his many controversies seem to have led him to liquidate some of his businesses.
Pete has been married or engaged on numerous occasions. He was confirmed to be married to John Magi and was also married to a man named Walter, in whose name Pete's house is listed (or at least was listed due to Pete's bad credit). Additionally, Pete was recently engaged to a man named Gio, but the engagement was eventually broken off.
Pete has been outed as a narcissist and sexual predator by numerous former employees. His behavior was obvious as he had a penchant for hiring young, attractive men with whom he would later enter into relations. Some of these men were not gay, such as Dustin West, and were coerced into relationships. These men would all eventually leave Pete, who would buy them lavish gifts and lord his kindness over them. Sean Faulk provided initial understandings about Pete's abusive behavior and later corroborated by Dustin West and other team members.
Pete has been in relationships with the following Dis-associated members:
- Dustin West
- Sean Faulk
- John Magi
- Frederico Argar (host of Si, Disney, a Spanish-language site based on the Dis and owned by Pete).
In late July 2023, Pete's behaviors reached the Disboards. Members of the team began to speak out against Pete, and it was announced the team would be recording in a new studio. DVC Fan was bought by World of DVC (its sponsor), and Pete was removed from the show. Pete was supposed to attend a Dis event in California but cancelled due to "depression."
Pete Werner has not been heard from since it was announced that the team was changing studios. He has since deactivated his Twitter account.
John Magi
Co-owner of Dreams Unlimited Travel and occasional panelist on The Dis Unplugged.
John Magi is Pete's ex-partner and co-owner of Dreams Unlimited Travel. John is a tolerating man who occasionally appears on camera for the Dis Unplugged. He and his current husband, Kevin Klose, often travel the world together.
John has yet to officially comment on the drama involving Pete choosing instead to post online photos of his Disneyland treats as though all is well in his world.
Kevin Klose
Travel agent for Dreams Unlimited Travel and occasional panelist on The Dis Unplugged.
Kevin Klose is John's current husband. He suffers from a club foot that limits his mobility and was once a kindergarten teacher. Kevin's cosmopolitan attitude on the show comes across as pretentious, sanctimonious, and at times very unlikeable, but former employees claim he is a genuinely kind man.
Kevin has yet to comment on the drama involving Pete officially.
Craig Williams
Producer and panelist of The Dis Unplugged, host of several Dis Unplugged-off shoots (such as the Disney Dining Show and Dis Unplugged: Universal Edition)
Craig Williams is the driving force behind The Dis Unplugged and its many spin-off shows. While exceptionally talented as a producer, his dry demeanor and lack of enthusiasm as an on-camera personality have drawn criticism. He also engages in comments with fans, often in a condescending tone.
Before joining The Dis Unplugged, Craig worked for Universal Studios Orlando as a ride operator for Dueling Dragons and Harry Potter: The Forbidden Journey. He also worked for Disney and was in the Disney College Program.
Craig is married and has a young child. His wife, Kylie, occasionally appears in their in-park vlogs and dining reviews.
Craig commented on the Pete Werner situation by maintaining his ignorance of Pete's behavior.
Dustin West
Former panelist for the Dis Unplugged.
Dustin West is the man responsible for transitioning The Dis Unplugged podcast into a video format. He was hired by Pete as a new graduate in 2011 and worked with the team until 2015.
Pete groomed Dustin into a relationship despite Dustin being a straight man. Eventually, Dustin left Pete and moved back to Virginia, where he found work and married a woman.
In July 2023, Dustin began posting to Tattle, where he revealed that Pete had coerced him into a relationship and sexually abused him. He would later post his story to the Disboards. The ensuing outrage was the catalyst for Pete's removal from the shows and the flood of criticism from other members.
Ryan (Ryno) Clavin
Host (and former producer) of The Dis Unplugged and panelist for The Dis Unplugged off-shoots (such as the Disney Dining Show and Dis Unplugged: Universal Edition).
Ryno Clavin is the current host of The Dis Unplugged, officially taking the mantle when Pete stepped away due to a "lack of interest in the parks" in April 2023. Prior to hosting the show, he frequently appeared as a panelist and sometimes a producer.
Ryno appears in most in-park vlogs and frequently collaborates with Craig Williams. The two are close friends, having worked together at the Dis for many years.
Ryno is politically left-wing and makes constant remarks about his opinions on the political state of Florida. This has drawn controversy from fans. Fans have also noted Ryno's negativity towards the parks and experiences, which has gotten worse over the past few years.
Ryno is in a long-term relationship.
After the allegations exploded, Ryno made a livestream where he criticized Tattle and called out a member whom he knew personally. He says he is writing an essay to describe better his feelings about the allegations and the threads on Tattle. He remains close friends with Dustin West and has not heard from Pete Werner since the allegations broke.
JeniLynn Knopp (JL)
Former panelist on the Dis Unplugged.
JeniLynn Knopp is a former panelist on the Dis Unplugged. Pete claimed that she had stolen money from him, but this is false, as JeniLynn proved with receipts. JeniLynn was given a check that Pete had mistakenly written for the wrong amount. When he confronted her about it over text, she immediately apologized and returned the check to Pete, but he never cashed it. He failed to respond to her further communications, attempting to remedy the situation.
JeniLynn works for Disney and has appeared in a Disney+ documentary. At the time of her employment, she was a single mother of 3. She is also the original founder of the "Disney Driven Life" website and blog. She is widely known throughout the Disney community as a respected and knowledgeable source for all things Disney.
JeniLynn posted comments on her Instagram indicating Pete was a narcissist and that, while she didn't know the extent of Dustin's story, she knew something was wrong with the relationship. Her posts and comments were widely praised by fans and Tattlers alike.
Steve Porter
Former panelist on the Dis Unplugged.
Steve is a former panelist on the Dis Unplugged. A kind young man, Steve is known for his sunny demeanor and love of mac n cheese.
Steve is married and has a child. He left the company in 2019 of his own accord.
Allegedly, Pete tried to keep Steve from spending time with his newly-wed wife in order to spend time making content and hanging out with Pete. This is supposedly part of the reason for Steve's departure.
Steve still keeps up with some of the old Dis employees, notably Ryno. Steve was in the chat for Ryno's livestream where the latter dished about Pete and the Tattle poster.
Charles Boda
Former content writer and panelist on the Dis Unplugged.
Charles Boda is a former content writer and panelist on the Dis Unplugged. Known for his cosmopolitan (and often pretentious) approach, Charles was a polarizing figure in the fan community. While some listeners eventually enjoyed his insights, others found him unbearably smug.
Charles was arrested after stabbing his domestic partner. After his release, Pete hired him and allowed Charles to live with him while the former was on parole. This was a controversial move for the staff, with Theresa even telling Charles she disliked him on a live episode.
Charles hated Sean Faulk when the former entered Pete's life. Pete's love of and sympathy to Sean supposedly resulted in Charles leaving the Dis while on a trip with Pete in California, as Charles boarded a plane back to Orlando.
It is unknown what has happened to Charles since. He maintained a Twitter for a while, but had now disappeared from that site.
Corey Fiascanaro (Fiasco)
Former producer and panelist for the Dis Unplugged.
Corey Fiascanaro, also known as Fiasco, was a producer and panelist for the Dis Unplugged. Fiasco had just finished a tour in the Navy when he met Pete at Epcot. During that meeting Pete hired him on the spot. Fiasco appeared in numerous vlogs and reviews and viewers were humored by his mispronunciations and tongue twisting efforts to pronounce common foreign words.
Fiasco is married. Fiasco was kind enough to come to Pete’s aid when he suffered a medical crisis. Fiasco stayed with Pete at the hospital for hours on end to make sure that Pete was OK, and reassure him. Not long after, Fiasco left the Dis, supposedly to attend Full Sail University. After Dis fans noticed his disappearance and questioned where he was, Pete announced on a show that Fiasco had left the Dis "with his (Pete's) blessing."
After the allegations broke, Fiasco posted on Disboards that he had also suffered abuse at the hands of Pete and was trying to cope with the effects. He did not expound further, but did note that what he went through was not as severe as the abuse suffered by Dustin West or Sean Faulk.
Corey Martin
President of the DIS, Webmaster of the Disboards and occasional panelist for the Dis Unplugged.
Corey Martin was hired by Pete in the 90s from a newspaper ad. Corey is a web developer who created the Disboards site. He also created the Disboards and Dis Unplugged logos.
He apparently profits off the ad-sense for the site and has been the site's webmaster since its creation. At one point, he attempted to purchase the Dis from Pete Werner alongside Craig Williams, but the plans fell through. He is an occasional panelist on the podcast.
He is married to Julie Martin and the couple have children.
Corey stopped drinking some time ago after being involved in a single car accident. While no police report was filed and it has never been confirmed, many posters believe his sobering-up is due in part to him having consumed alcohol prior to the crash.
Corey wrote a personal statement on Disboards after Dustin West's allegations gained traction. He was the first member of the current team to comment on the situation. In his statement, he implied that some people have been making verbal threats to other team members. This implication has not been confirmed to be true.
Corey started a thread on The Disboards entitled "Emotions running high" on 8/8/23, in which he called for calm from his website leadership (moderators and webmasters) following headbutting between frustrated posters and said leadership. At one point Corey responded to poster t3hWheez, who wrote:
"I trust Tyler Crouch when he says other members of the DIS let Pete get away with it. Isn't it odd that the best and brightest never lasted at the DIS? Shouldn't that tell you something?"
Corey responded:
"Trust who you want, but that is 100% speculation. Our stories will be told when the time comes."
After less than eight hours of that forum thread being live, it was suddenly deleted in full. Corey also posts on Instagram, however he is somewhat cryptic, for example (posted on 8/12/23 and since deleted):
Julie Martin
Occasional panelist for the Dis Unplugged.
Julie Martin is Corey Martin's wife. She is an occasional panelist for the Dis Unplugged but primarily works as a substitute teacher.
She is known for her distinct Louisiana accent and constant laughing on the show, thought to be a nervous tic. She also wears unique hats that have drawn comments from fans and Tattle posters.
In one episode, she passionately proclaimed her left-wing political stance on transgender issues, alongside Ryno Clavin and the rest of the panel. This was controversial among fans. Her statement about drag shows in the Magic Kingdom ignited arguments on Tattle, as users debated whether or not this was appropriate.
Julie has not publicly commented on the allegations against Pete.
Teresa Echols
Travel Agent for Dreams Unlimited Travel and occasional panelist for The Dis Unplugged.
Teresa is a travel agent with Dreams Unlimited Travel and is a somewhat-frequent panelist for the Dis Unplugged. Teresa is Pete's former sister-in-law; he was married to her husband’s brother, Walter.
Teresa is sarcastic and good-humored, which can sometimes be interpreted as mean-spirited. She would joke with Pete in ways that the younger panelists were clearly afraid to engage in.
Her most famous moment on the show came when she told Charles Boda she didn't like him on a live episode, supposedly deriving from her displeasure with Pete for hiring a convicted felon.
She has not commented on the allegations against Pete.
Kathy Werling
Travel Agent for Dreams Unlimited Travel and occasional panelist for The Dis Unplugged.
Kathy is a travel agent with Dreams Unlimited Travel who occasionally appears on the Dis Unplugged. She has a distinct lazy eye and a love of Figment, which is a common source of fun for the rest of the panel.
She is a very kind and knowledgable travel agent with some quirks; for example, she had never seen Pinocchio prior to the live-action remake, and as a result had not understood the "When You Wish Upon a Star" motif throughout the parks.
She has not commented on the allegations against Pete.
Erica Resnick
Content Writer and panelist for The Dis Unplugged and its various off-shoots. Operates The Dis Unplugged Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Erica more-or-less runs The Dis Unplugged Instagram and TikTok accounts, though "Social Media Manager" is technically one of Craig Williams' titles. Her credentials for on-camera presence and other social media management are questionable.
She is relatively new to the team, starting in the Spring of 2022. She almost immediately drew ire from Tattle due to her monotonous, mumbling voice and lack of knowledge of the Disney Parks, and unprofessional camera presence.
She is also often criticized for her unclear and always-changing dietary restrictions and seeming abuse of the Disability Access Service at the theme parks. She claims to need the Disability Access Pass due to her anxiety should she be required to wait In line with everyone else. However, she has discussed her attendance at high-profile concerts (Taylor Swift) and other large audience events, which has left many viewers questioning her anxiety claims at Disney World.
Erica's inclusion in the dining reviews sometimes provides value if she samples the plant-based options on the menu. She has many rotating dietary restrictions. She also frequently buys and collects merchandise from the park, though she rarely engages in shopping vlogs or merchandise reviews.
She is originally from South Florida. She is married, and her wife is a Disney PhotoPass photographer. Prior to joining The Dis Unplugged, she claims to have been a dancer for Disney and a character performer at SeaWorld. She also hopes to provide wedding planning and wanted to plan Pete's now-canceled wedding with former fiancé, Gio.
Erica has made encouraging posts on Instagram and provided a story explaining her distress about Pete and the allegations against him but noted that she felt triggered hearing these allegations after having had similar experiences in a former work environment. It is important to note that Erica did not start at The Dis Unplugged until after both Dustin West and Sean Faulk were out of the picture.
John Saccheri (Panda)
Former producer and panelist (and occasional host) of the Dis Unplugged.
John Saccheri, also known as Big Fat Panda (or Panda for short), is a former panelist, producer, and occasional host for The Dis Unplugged. Panda had a successful Disney-based YouTube channel prior to joining The Dis and had collaborated with the like of Disney Food Blog in the past. His channel is no longer as successful, leading to speculation that he joined The Dis in response to the lagging viewership.
Panda was clearly a talented host and contributor, though somewhat of an odd fit for the Dis. It seemed at times that his opinions only mirrored whatever Pete believed, leading to many viewers finding him a suck-up. Panda was the typical host of the Dis Unplugged while Pete was in his most recent rehab stint.
Panda shockingly resigned from The Dis shortly after Pete returned from rehab, claiming he had a remote work opportunity he couldn't pass down. He said he would love to continue contributing to The Dis on occasion, but he has never returned to the podcast. He livestreams weekly and some Tattlers have claimed that he's made mention that he is not working a remote job and is instead trying to reinvigorate his perosnal YouTube channel.
Panda is married.
Panda has not responded to the allegations against Pete.
Sean Faulk
Owner of Moving to Orlando and former panelist for The Dis Unplugged and its various off-shoots and projects.
Sean Faulk is the current owner of Moving to Orlando, which he founded alongside Pete Werner during the Covid lockdowns. Before his current position, he was a travel agent for Dreams Unlimited Travel and a frequent panelist for the Dis Unplugged.
Sean's appearances on the Dis Unplugged were at times baffling. Sean occasionally seemed unprepared or disinterested, and made some statements that gave the impression of ignorance to Disney World. For example, he claimed that he and his family never ate at Garden Grill because Smuckers sponsored it, so he just assumed all they served were jams and jellies.
Sean was not popular on Tattle until he made a video responding to criticism from Tattlers where he name-dropped the site, directly. He addressed issues with his video making (such as constantly saying "um") and later appeared as a user. His response to criticism and eventual posts were lauded by Tattlers and provided significant clarifying information.
By Sean's admission, he was working as an escort when Pete became a frequent client. As their "relationship" progressed, Pete began pressuring Sean into becoming his boyfriend, which Sean eventually accepted. Pete showered Sean with lavish gifts which he would then hold over his lover's head, such as purchasing an expensive DVC contract in Sean's name and then refusing to pay it off if Sean didn't do as Pete wished.
In one particularly shocking example, Pete bought a nice car for Sean's father, who could use to it go to and from doctor's appointments to treat his cancer. Pete would threaten to stop paying the car and saddle Sean's parents with the debt to keep Sean compliant.
Sean helped Pete overcome significant credit card debt with little thanks. He kept his distance from the other team members after joking about finding Ryno's New England accent attractive in front of Pete; Pete responded by trying to fire Ryno.
Sean recounted an occurrence where Pete got him drunk and attempted to assault him while they were on vacation. Sean pushed him off and went to the bathroom to sleep for the rest of the night.
Pete proposed to Sean, but Sean turned him down.
When Sean finally left Pete, Pete tried to fire him but was supposedly stopped by John Magi, who feared a lawsuit. According to Sean, there was fear that if someone were to blow the whistle on Pete's behavior, it would be Sean. Sean also mentioned that one team member asked Sean to keep quiet because his allegations could sink the business and cost the rest of the staff their jobs.
Sean also worked at Disney World prior to meeting Pete. He has family that also works for Disney World and in the Orlando area. He is now married and is a successful realtor.
Sean and Dustin communicated before Dustin began posting on Tattle. Due to some account creation issues, Dustin was posting through Sean.
Deni Sunderly
Former panelist on The Dis Unplugged.
Deni is a former frequent panelist for the Dis Unplugged. Known for her sunny disposition and optimistic personality, she quickly became a fan favorite amongst the Dis Unplugged community.
Deni provided a perspective that most other panelists did not, as she was a mother. Her transgender son also made an appearance on the show at one point.
Deni eventually resigned from her position at the Dis to take a job as a PR director for the charity Give Kids the World, which the Dis has collaborated with in the past. Her leave from the show was somewhat awkward live, as she left on a show Pete wasn't included in, but he entered the room anyway to hug her goodbye.
Deni has started her own YouTube channel since leaving the Dis. She is married and has children. Prior to working for the Dis, she worked for her local church.
While she hasn't directly addressed the allegations against Pete, Deni has posted inspirational messages on Instagram that some have interpreted as a message to the current staff of the Dis Unplugged.
Jackie Gailey
Content Writer and former panelist on the Dis Unplugged.
Jackie Gailey is a content writer for the Dis Unplugged. She was an occasional panelist on the podcast until she moved to the Kitsap Peninsula, west of Seattle in 2022.
She is known for her sanguine personality, which some find too sweet. She is married and has children.
Jackie has not commented on the allegations against Pete.
Oliver Green
Former producer and panelist on The Dis Unplugged
Oliver is a British man whom Pete employed as a producer and occasional panelist for the Dis Unplugged. His attractiveness, accent, and bubbly personality quickly made him a fan favorite.
However, his stint with The Dis was short-lived, as he quit when Pete embarrassed him in front of the other employees. Oliver had requested a weekend off when his parents were visiting from the UK. Pete either rejected or forgot about the request and was furious when Oliver didn't attend work. When Oliver arrived at his next shift, Pete berated him in front of the rest of the staff. Oliver never went back to work at the Dis, submitting his resignation that night via email.
Oliver started a YouTube channel (This Orlando Life) shortly after quitting The Dis with his (now former) husband. Because of this, Pete had (supposedly) implemented a non-compete in future contracts, though it seems Deni did not have such language in her contract.
There is controversy surrounding Oliver's short-lived marriage to his husband, with some Tattlers speculating that it was a green card wedding.
Oliver has not responded to the allegations against Pete.
Tyler Crouch
Former producer and panelist on the Disneyland edition of The Dis Unplugged
Tyler and his wife Katrina were brought in to establish a video presence for what was primarily an audio-only Disneyland edition of the Dis Unplugged. Tyler and Katrina would appear in vlogs with OG members of the Disneyland podcast and on live weekly shows with Pete Werner and members of the Florida team via Skype.
However, after nearly two years, Tyler was told by Pete there was no longer money to pay for his services out west, and Tyler worked for a brief period for free until he realized that Pete was paying another Dis Disneyland correspondent his full salary. This, along with consistently speaking his mind to Pete and other members of company leadership led to moments where he was thrown under the bus by his peers and management. This led to a parting of ways between The Dis and Tyler and Katrina.
Tyler and Katrina started a YouTube channel (The Kingdom Report) with a weekly live show and vlogs that focus on both Disneyland and Walt Disney World.
Tyler has responded to allegations against Pete, taking to his Twitter to call his time at the Dis one of the worst of his professional career, the toxic culture among his peers and leadership enabled Pete's abuse and that he believes the allegations of sexual assault, abuse, and drugging to be true.
Minor Cast
Webmaster Kathy
Longtime Admin and Moderator at The Dis Boards (not to be confused with Kathy Werling as above)
Kathy is one of the higher ranking administrators and moderators with the official title of "Webmaster" at the online forum linked to The Dis. It is believed she is personal friends with John Magi and Kevin Klose. She is known for her heavy handed tactics with regard to any post of which she does not agree. Kathy has several unflattering nicknames from the online community, some of which are NSFW.
Most recently during the turmoil with Pete Werner's departure, she made a sarcastic response using the Jewish honored custom of "Sitting Shiva" in an attempt to belittle the original poster and their empathy toward the victims. She then attempted to apologize, but followed up the apology with another post that was again sarcastic and rude, which many saw as a fake apology.
She is known for editing posts to create her desired narrative. Many of the original posts have been copied/screenshotted and posted on Tattle, to preserve veracity.
The DisBoards community has called for her removal or at least stripped of her admin privileges due to bullying, name-calling and general mishandling of her role.
Personal Stories, Confessions, and Testimonials
These are the unedited versions of their original posts. These are not "statements", but rather personal accounts/POV from former employees and associates of The Dis Unplugged.
From Charles Boda via DisBoards
From Dis Boards - By Charles Boda here:
Pete confessed to me the truth of what he did to you after almost two years of villainizing you as the one who "broke his heart." Here is how that played out:
As most DIS fans know, I have a felony. What they don't realize is that the "domestic partner" everyone thinks I stabbed was actually an abusive roomate who drugged my drinks and sexually assaulted me. We were never in a relationship, and although I suspected he was obsessed with me, I wasn't entirely aware of the assaults until he showed me pictures of them. I vomitted. The next time he put his hands on me I defended myself. My abuser even tried to visit me in jail to get me to move back into the apartment we shared. Instead, I became homeless but my abuser continued to stalk me for months.
Cut to a few years later. I was living in Pete's spare bedroom and working for the DIS. Pete was my sponsor in an addiction recovery program. He was sitting in his office with me and explained his true behavior to you in some detail. No one else on staff knew, and they likely believed his fictional account of how you "broke his heart."
I told Pete what he did to you was essentially what my abuser did to me. Pete replied that he decided to be my sponsor (after initially thinking I was hot and then finding out I was straight) because helping me would be making amends for what he did to you. This was an emotionally damaging revelation (I was his penance for abusing someone else) and I felt like a fool for letting another abuser get close to me. I did not give him the judgement-free response he thought he was owed. After 3 days of checking my bathroom for hidden cameras (he admitted he had used them before), I moved out of the house but could not afford to quit the DIS.
I continued working and tried not to focus on what I knew about him. I didn't want to be homeless again after so much work turning my life around. I was scared and confused. Eventually, on a trip to DL, I lwt Pete know I was upset that he was involved in fat-shaming Kevin and John at a work dinner without them present. Pete does not accept any criticism from anyone, so he immediately cut me off from certain jobs responsibilities. I spoke with my girlfriend about his behavior when I got home and she helped me confrot what I'd been trying to block out the entire time. Pete is a narcissistic sexual predator who controls eveyone he knows, friends, family, employees, by getting them on his payroll somehow and using his money to exert power over them. Things that were treated normal by Pete ("take close-up pictures of that hot singer at at Tiana's Place, I'm gonna ask the Maitre D' if I can get a private meeting. They know who I am here.) that we'd just avoid and get back to our real work suddenly couldn't be avoided.
Once I faced that reality, I couldn't pretend anymore. I couldn't even look Pete in the face without revulsion. I refused to be controlled, left the DIS, and went freelance.
I internally debated coming out openly about what I had learned, but telling my story meant telling yours. I didn't think it was right to bring you into a public discussion. The internet can be very cruel and victimshaming.
Please forgive my lack of communication, but I have a lot of PTSD about what happened to me by my abuser and then Pete's confession after years of lying to me to gain my trust.
While working for the DIS I loved my job and my coworkers. Few people enabled Pete, most folks were just controlled or extorted by him. There are a lot of victims to go around.
I don't know if this reply will see the light of day. Life has been much more healthy and happy since I left the DIS. I don't want to open up Pandora's box of internet cruelty. Even if I have, I guess it's important to remember what was at the bottom of that mythical box after all the negative forces were set loose on the world: Hope.
I hope you're well. I hope you forgive my silence. I hope someone, somehow, learns from this.
TLDR: I knew, Pete confessed to me, I'm sorry
—————————-
Sean Faulk’s post TL DIS Unplugged #7, pg. 27
“People can judge me all they want for what I’m about to say but I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Charles is an absolute piece of shit.
Charles met Pete before I came in the picture and he did everything he could to make my life as difficult as possible. He judged my past. He trashed my name to everyone that would listen and he admits he knew the entire time what Pete did to Dustin.
He addressed only Dustin, which isn’t a shock because he actively knew what was happening to me at the very time he worked there and he stuck around because it benefitted him and he’s coming forward now because the tide already turned because I spoke up.
He knew he lived, befriend and supported and active rapist. He knew I was an escort that was struggling just like himself and he threw me to the wolves to better himself. He judged me, trashed me, and tried to get me fired with every breath he took, the entire time I was there.
I am sorry that his roommate hurt him. I really am. But for everyone out there who says ‘ryno, Craig, Corey’ or whoever ‘knew’ - Charles admits he knew. That was at the beginning of me showing up. He didn’t help me, he didn’t try to stop, he just joined Pete and hated my guts. Even now, he believes Dustin, not both.”
pg. 30
“Im sorry but he could’ve just messaged Dustin privately on Instagram. I know Charles MO and he actively chose to log into DISboards and post publicly. He didn’t give him a private apology, he wanted it known and he wanted to re-inserted himself for attention because that’s who he is.
---
He is ‘freelance’ and wants a path back in. He can mock me for prostitution but there only one person licking the floor begging and that’s what he’s doing.
If he’s doing so well freelance, why had nobody been able to find him or do anything with it? He sees an opportunity and he’s taking it. The thing he accused me of for years.”
_____
Tyler Crouch's posts via Twitter (@AttractFaction)
"I’m going to come clean. I worked for The DIS for almost 2 years. What follows is all alleged. It was a shit show. Pete Werner was an abusive boss. He constantly judged you for your work. Demanded you work over 40 hours a week. And pitted co-workers against one another.
I spoke my mind and was chastised from the company for it. And it’s not just Pete. He has followers that do his bidding. When I expressed my opinion, I was thrown under the bus by my coworkers. The Dis is a disgusting place in my opinion. They all hate each other.
This is all alleged: When Pete told me they no longer had the money to keep me on, they let me go, I worked for another month FOR FREE. Then I realized he was paying another Disneyland correspondent under the table almost all my salary. That was a final straw.
They made me sign a noncompete and wouldn’t let me out of it even though they were the ones that let me go. I tried to work for other outlets but was eventually cast away because someone told them I was in a contract. So bottom line: not only did they let me go, they bullied others into dropping me too.
Just remember: everything you’ve heard about Pete Werner is probably true. And his subordinates knew it was happening and worked to hide it for monetary value. The only reason I was afraid to say anything was legal action. But everything I’m saying is alleged and an opinion.
Pete has done his own damage. But what I think is almost more damming is that all his subordinates let him get away with it. Some of my coworkers choose money over what was right. And they’ve disregarded and hurt multiple people because of it. Pete fostered a culture of hatred, and it trickled down.
Pete will blind with gifts in the beginning as all abusers do. He then denigrates you for any small mistake you make. In my opinion I’ve never met a more sour human being than him.
I will say: I am happy to have met friends through the DIS. Some have stuck with me, some haven’t. But truthfully, with the abuse and mistreatment, I’m a richer person because of my experience. Overall, it was a terrible job, but I would never return some of the people I’ve met through it.
Luckily. Throughout all the DIS drama, we were approached by
@wadewire and together we started
@TheKingdomRPT Kingdom Report is a place where we can all explore our Disney fandom and feel equal while we’re doing it. That’s what places like Disneyland are all about: Making connections. The DIS has forgotten that."
Reposted from blogspot, "Suzanne Calling" - May 2008
A blogpost entitled: "Glad that I'm not "Guilty By Association" on this one"
May 24, 2008
I thought I was done with the
DISboards stuff, really I did.
However, the hypocricy and racism displayed by
Webmaster Pete and others on a memorial show is deplorable. Sadly, all it does is show that the man who died is the only one who has some scruples among the staff.
I'm awaiting some You Tube links to the entire unedited podcast and then an edited link to just the racism portion. In the meantime, I'm posting the transcript of the 'tribute' to Bob. These were transcribed by a former DISer for me. Thanks.
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Here is a link to the
DIS' podcast page:
http://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-podcast/
(note, the podcast in question has been removed from the web. It was on YouTube for a couple of days and viewed about 1000 times before being shut down)
The following is a transcribed portion of the show that was especially upsetting to many. It began around the 1 hour & 3 minute mark.
- - - - - - -
Pete Werner:
"Now in the two years we have been doing the show, I can really only speak for myself, but I'm pretty sure the rest of the team feels the same way, the funniest moment that we ever had doing this was our July 10th, 2007, show when Bob discussed the Naturalization Ceremony at the Magic Kingdom. We received a lot of feedback on that show; many of you have told us that it was your favorite as well. And the segment did have some darker humor to it, and I had edited the show after we had received some complaints about it. But even the original version that we put up on the site was heavily edited. Now, after a number of requests to put the unedited version into this show, I've decided to do just that. So, here is the version of that segment none of you ever heard. This is the unedited version of the 'Naturalization Ceremony at the Magic Kingdom.'"
Note: The show began with some banter between the podcast members. Then Mr. Bob Varley pulled out the "Fourth of July" Mickey Mouse Ears; they were a prop that he had wanted to share. The team laughed and made fun of the mouse ears. What follows is a part of their conversation.
Julie Martin - "Those are so ******** looking."
Note: The banter continued.
Pete Werner - "He looks like he's 'special'… wearin' that hat."
Note: The teasing about the mouse ears continued. Then Bob Varley attempted to describe the Naturalization Ceremony that he had attended on July 4th at the Magic Kingdom.
Bob Varley - "I actually went there because they were swearing in 1,000 immigrants to be US citizens. And they really did…"
Pete Werner - "Were you screaming racial slurs?"
Bob Varley - "No. I thought this was really good."
Pete Werner - "'Go back to Guatemala'?"
Note: The ethnic insults continued.
Bob Varley - "Just let me know when I can talk again. I'm gonna take a drink."
Kevin Klose - "Holiday Inn was at the Front Gate, catching 'em on the way out. 'You wanna be a maid?'"
Bob Varley - "Okay, I think I choked."
Kevin Klose - "We have Housekeeping positions available."
John Magi - "They went right from the indoctrination ceremony…"
Kevin Klose - "They were handed Housekeeping uniforms."
Bob Varley - "Well, we know this section's not gonna make it."
Kevin Klose - "Housekeeping or Gardner, take your pick."
Bob Varley -- "Delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete, delete…"
Kevin Klose -- "You know there were no Doctors in the ceremony, okay."
Corey Martin - "How are we gonna come back from this one?"
Bob Varley -- "I'm just gonna keep talking."
John Magi -- "We're never gonna be elected the best podcast ever."
Kevin Klose -- "Actually, if we put this in, we would."
Pete Werner -- "Yeah, really. Oh, I will try and salvage what I can, but very little'll survive."
Julie Martin -- "It's almost like he's talking about a shipwreck."
Kevin Klose -- "There were no survivors."
Bob Varley - "As soon as I said 1,000 immigrants, it went downhill."
The podcast continued on for a few more minutes but I'll end it here. I think you can grasp the gist of the conversation and it wasn't a very flattering one. And from what I can gather, it sounds like this was the third version of this particular podcast segment. Pete Werner had mentioned that the first version had received complaints, so it sounds like he pulled it and replaced it with an even more heavily edited version (version two). If that is true, what made him think that he could share the entire unedited version (version three) and have it not insult the listeners?
Remember, folks, that on April 19, 2008, the DIS began purging all the "bad" members from their website. Here are a few of the infamous words from their so-called "explanation":
"One group in particular has proven to be vindictive, petty and mean spirited on levels that belie the fact that many of them are adults who raise children. These are people who have chosen to spend their free time targeting…visitors in an effort to hold them up to public humiliation and ridicule. Their hateful tirades are especially heinous when the target is someone who is sick, or dealing with a disability. Not even children have escaped their unmitigated viciousness... These are not isolated incidents - this goes on daily and has for years."
To think that Pete Werner (and the DIS Podcast Team) thought nothing of ridiculing 1,000 of the United States' newest citizens -- and in three different versions of a podcast segment, no less. Plus, in an audio form that allowed folks to personally hear the ridicule from not only his own mouth but also the mouths of the rest of his team as well. It simply boggles the mind.
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The
DISboards is run to increase business for Pete's
web based TRAVEL AGENCY. Would you want to give business to a company that not only has such idiotic and racist views, but shares them on three different occasions on a podcast that you could have found (until 11pm last night) on iTunes?
It was only until this was pointed out by Janet on the
UnDIS that they quickly pulled the offensive version. I guess they didn't think it was offensive. They thought wrong.
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