Disney characters and the hearing impaired

[TreeSapp]

I just had a strange thought pop into my head this afternoon - my sister & beds friend are both hearing impaired, but able to speak & hear 'enough' with hearing aids to have been mainstreamed in school.

But I am wondering for kids (or adults) who have little to no hearing and who sign exclusively... How do interactions with the non-face characters go? Obviously the pantomime they do is pretty clear, but are the kids disappointed that Mickey can't understand their signing? Or is it ok because so few people sign? How does Mickey (or any character really) know what a signing child might be trying to say to them? I guess a hearing/speaking chaperone could help - but not everyone has this...

Just curious if any DISers have experience with this

 

[Talking Hands]

I just had a strange thought pop into my head this afternoon - my sister & beds friend are both hearing impaired, but able to speak & hear 'enough' with hearing aids to have been mainstreamed in school.

But I am wondering for kids (or adults) who have little to no hearing and who sign exclusively... How do interactions with the non-face characters go? Obviously the pantomime they do is pretty clear, but are the kids disappointed that Mickey can't understand their signing? Or is it ok because so few people sign? How does Mickey (or any character really) know what a signing child might be trying to say to them? I guess a hearing/speaking chaperone could help - but not everyone has this...

Just curious if any DISers have experience with this

I am a adult with hearing loss. I find that the characters understand pantomime quite well. I was really surprised a few times when characters actually knew sign language. Eating at Liberty Tree Tavern before MVMCP Minnie saw me signing to my husband and came up and started signing to us. Another time at Animal Kingdom Parade Pluto came up and pushed the sign language interpreter off the box, jumped up and started signing the parade song. Was fun. Deaf and hard of hearing people love interacting with the characters and will always find a way to communicate.

 

[TreeSapp]

Glad to hear it! I always wonder what it would be like. My sister is terrified of people in costumes - clowns, chick-fil-a cow at the food court, opening night at the movie theater for Harry potter... So I've never done the characters with her (at least not since I was too young to remember)

 

[KPeveler]

Here in Disneyland it's not uncommon find out that characters sign at least a little bit. I have had several experiences where characters see me signing and then come up and start signing to me.

 

[TreeSapp]

Here in Disneyland it's not uncommon find out that characters sign at least a little bit. I have had several experiences where characters see me signing and then come up and start signing to me.

Very cool! I'd love to see that

 

[KPeveler]

Very cool! I'd love to see that

One time I was watching the ASL interpreters at a Billy Hill and the Hillbillies concert (I am learning ASL, my wife is losing her hearing, and I may lose mine at any random moment) and we were basically the only people there. It was just a hot Saturday in early May, so no one went to the show. There are all the major characters (Big 5) in that area, so she wandered over (no kids were lining up to meet her - there was NO ONE there!) and sat down next to me.

She assumed I was deaf or HOH, and began signing basic things to me, like laughing at the jokes and calling the lead Billy funny. She asked my name, and my wife's name in sign, and then signed that her name was Minnie.

Every time there was a new song, or the tempo or beat changed in the current song, she would gently reach over and tap my knee in rhythm to the music, so if I was deaf or HOH, I would pick up on the song changes. She also would look at me and start clapping when other people in the audience were clapping.

It was awesome (even though I am hearing) that she involved herself that much! She must have some experience with deaf of HOH people, because she never overstepped or was rude - she just wanted to involve me in the show as much as possible.

It was probably the best character interaction I have had.

 

[TreeSapp]

One time I was watching the ASL interpreters at a Billy Hill and the Hillbillies concert (I am learning ASL, my wife is losing her hearing, and I may lose mine at any random moment) and we were basically the only people there. It was just a hot Saturday in early May, so no one went to the show. There are all the major characters (Big 5) in that area, so she wandered over (no kids were lining up to meet her - there was NO ONE there!) and sat down next to me.

She assumed I was deaf or HOH, and began signing basic things to me, like laughing at the jokes and calling the lead Billy funny. She asked my name, and my wife's name in sign, and then signed that her name was Minnie.

Every time there was a new song, or the tempo or beat changed in the current song, she would gently reach over and tap my knee in rhythm to the music, so if I was deaf or HOH, I would pick up on the song changes. She also would look at me and start clapping when other people in the audience were clapping.

It was awesome (even though I am hearing) that she involved herself that much! She must have some experience with deaf of HOH people, because she never overstepped or was rude - she just wanted to involve me in the show as much as possible.

It was probably the best character interaction I have had.

Wow! Very cool

 

[elphaba91]

Remember as well that Disney has guests from all of the world, many of whom don't speak English. I imagine that Mickey wouldn't have any more trouble understanding sign language than understanding Chinese, in fact, sign language would probably be easier. Plus, a lot of the characters can use ASL - I've seen a few videos of Alice and Hatter at DL signing (including 'I am a beautiful palm tree' )