The people who play characters

[seethelight]

So I'm interested to hear stories about training and the job and experiences from people who work/worked as characters. Anyone on here willing to share? Know any blogs or websites that discuss this? Thanks!!

 

[kennythepirate]

I think you mean people who are "Friends with characters."

 

[katt789]

As Kenny said, people who are friends with the characters, and you won't be able to find that information anywhere, Disney is very keen on preserving the magic. If you check tumblr out, you can find a lot of information, but moreso on auditions, you also will find a lot of fake information about that stuff on the internet

 

[Dopey420]

www.stupidguesttricks.com has plenty of info from cast members, past and current.

 

[dburg30]

I think you mean people who are "Friends with characters."

Yep, read The Kingdom Keepers series to learn about the characters and their adventures in the parks.

 

[chalee94]

i'd just do some searches in this forum - this thread has a couple of fun stories:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2684144&page=2

there's also a (darker) article about a CM who was "friends" with captain jack at disneyland that you can find if you have any google skillz.

 

[Missytara]

I would say like any other employer, but ESPECIALLY Disney, anyone who was caught blogging or posting on a board about their current or previous experiences as a character would lose their job on the spot. Disney is all about the magic. Can you imagine someone walking up to them in a store and yelling out, "Hey, there is the woman that is Minnie Mouse."

That being said, I work very closely with a guy whose wife grew up in Orlando and her closest childhood friend still lives there. Of course, I would never be meeting her and even if I did, she would never say it to me, but he confirmed she is one of the Minnie Mouses (yes, folks there is more than one).

She says that virtually most of the people that work AT Disney don't even know what she does - characters, especially Mickey and Minnie are very guarded characters that go through several layers of the building before getting into costume.

 

[Finally08]

I would say like any other employer, but ESPECIALLY Disney, anyone who was caught blogging or posting on a board about their current or previous experiences as a character would lose their job on the spot. Disney is all about the magic. Can you imagine someone walking up to them in a store and yelling out, "Hey, there is the woman that is Minnie Mouse."

That being said, I work very closely with a guy whose wife grew up in Orlando and her closest childhood friend still lives there. Of course, I would never be meeting her and even if I did, she would never say it to me, but he confirmed she is one of the Minnie Mouses (yes, folks there is more than one).

She says that virtually most of the people that work AT Disney don't even know what she does - characters, especially Mickey and Minnie are very guarded characters that go through several layers of the building before getting into costume.

They do have a lot of rules for cast that are "friends" with characters...but really, is it that extreme with the mice? I've been able to learn a few people who play mice just from online blogs (including a *guy* who is friends with Minnie) - and I know we have a member on this board who has a daughter who is friends with Mickey.

 

[Daisy-J&D]

We just got back from Disney and I think we saw a couple of friends of Minnie and Mickey!

We were in line with two women to see Mickey and Minnie at MK, early twenties, who were very petite. They both had their hair braided with pixie dust. I wasn't quite sure why but they just didn't feel like vacationers.

When we got into the room to meet Mickey and Minnie we saw how they interected and played up the pictures. Blowing kisses, lifting a leg in the air, etc. and they were "in" with the handler gossiping and whispering to her. It was very obvious they were insiders who also happened to be about 5 feet tall. We thought for sure they were Mickey/Minnie and done their shift!

It was neat to see but also the realization was a bit of a let down. I think we saw CM's break character more this trip than we ever have. For example, at Hollywood and Vine the staff were outside talking about coupons and where to buy the cheapest deodorant! It does take a bit of the magic away.

 

[larryz]

For example, at Hollywood and Vine the staff were outside talking about coupons and where to buy the cheapest deodorant! It does take a bit of the magic away.

Ah, I'd hazard a guess that people in Hollywood need and use deodorant all the time... not everyone's a rich movie star!

 

[tink22]

It was neat to see but also the realization was a bit of a let down. I think we saw CM's break character more this trip than we ever have. For example, at Hollywood and Vine the staff were outside talking about coupons and where to buy the cheapest deodorant! It does take a bit of the magic away.

Ha this is funny. I mean, yes cast members should be attentive to Guests and their needs but they are people and do have normal lives and conversations. There's nothing in the cast member manual that says conversations are only limited to Mickey, castles and the like. But if they were ignoring Guets to carry on private conversations then yes that's inappropriate and most definitely not magical.

 

[Illinistifler]

www.stupidguesttricks.com has plenty of info from cast members, past and current.

Read some of those topics in that forum

 

[tzeitel]

They do have a lot of rules for cast that are "friends" with characters...but really, is it that extreme with the mice? I've been able to learn a few people who play mice just from online blogs (including a *guy* who is friends with Minnie) - and I know we have a member on this board who has a daughter who is friends with Mickey.

No, it is not that extreme. I worked FD and was friends with many ppl who were friends of characters. Mickey & Minnie were regulars since our resort hosts a character meal I was also roommates with Minnie's friend, Pluto's and Cruella's friend while working at DLP - Tink was our neighbor's friend as was Hercules.

Of course they don't announce it everywhere they go but it is not a top secret assignment. If anyone has (and keeps) the Disney magic it is the "friends", they will not ruin it for those who do not want to know.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

1) There has been enough about characters above, so I won't go there.
2) But, I did work with an ex-Tinkerbelle "friend".
3) She stopped being a friend after her pregnancy (didn't lose all the weight).
4) Being the flying Tink friend is different than many character friends.
. . . she worked only 4-hrs per night to get dressed, fly, undressed
. . . there were very strict height and weight requirements.
. . . at the time, there were three friends - one of which was a guy
. . . maybe a coincidence, but all friends at the time were ex-gymnasts
5) She didn't really have any interesting stories.
. . . she would just talk of her dressing room in the Castle
. . . the room she flew from and where she landed
6) But, she was stuck once mid-wire (just once).
. . . she just turned off the battery pack for her lights
. . . she actually "disappears" without her lights on
. . . they towed her in with no problems

 

[larryz]

6) But, she was stuck once mid-wire (just once).
. . . she just turned off the battery pack for her lights
. . . she actually "disappears" without her lights on
. . . they towed her in with no problems

That is NOT a T-shirt I'd want to earn!!!

 

[heatherandnick]

You should read a book called "Cast Member Confidential" by Chris Mitchell. It was pretty interesting and definitely takes you behond the scenes in the life of a cast member. Very eye opening.

 

[Sweettears]

There is a book available on Amazon called Cast Member Confidential which I found very entertaining. It's written by an ex CM.

 

[Sweettears]

You should read a book called "Cast Member Confidential" by Chris Mitchell. It was pretty interesting and definitely takes you behond the scenes in the life of a cast member. Very eye opening.

Beat me to it.

 

[bookgirl2632]

I'm friends with a woman who was Cinderella on one of the ships. She portrayed her in a show for a year or two. She said it was a great couple of years.

 

[Hannathy]

My DD has a friend in college that was a character and he isn't the least bit secretive about it.

He told everyone which character he was, and told people when he was still working as it.

I don't get the big deal.