Ever had a Bad character experience?

[praline3001]

Someone asked for bad character experience photos~
its hard to tell as they paint their smile but you can see the evil glint in their eyes

Sleeping beauty in CRT lunch: I had asked her so nicely if she could bend down just a tad so I could get both her and my niece in the photo... she told me that she doesn't bend over for anyone and walked off from our table. I made a comment about how rude she was (I was BY far not the only one to complain about sleeping beauty that meal~ there were several complaints~) She turned around and this is the best shot I could get:

There was NO way I could have my niece out of the high chair and still get even that shot~ I would have had princess feet and my niece then that was the best she would do

Now this next picture~~~ ohhhh Jasmine made me REALLY upset! She walked up, grabbed my DD autograph book, flipped through it and told her in a very mean way:
she shouldn't even BE at this lunch as she had too many autographs as it was. That she should have let another child take her place at the lunch!!!
This made my daughter feel really bad
She wouldn't take a pic with my niece and nephew as she also doesn't "stoop down" for pics

As you can tell in the pic, my DD is about to cry =(

This is the ONLY bad experience I have ever had with characters! Most the time they are beyond wonderful!!!

 

[Amy_Callaghan]

Someone asked for bad character experience photos~
its hard to tell as they paint their smile but you can see the evil glint in their eyes

Sleeping beauty in CRT lunch: I had asked her so nicely if she could bend down just a tad so I could get both her and my niece in the photo... she told me that she doesn't bend over for anyone and walked off from our table. I made a comment about how rude she was (I was BY far not the only one to complain about sleeping beauty that meal~ there were several complaints~) She turned around and this is the best shot I could get:

There was NO way I could have my niece out of the high chair and still get even that shot~ I would have had princess feet and my niece then that was the best she would do

Now this next picture~~~ ohhhh Jasmine made me REALLY upset! She walked up, grabbed my DD autograph book, flipped through it and told her in a very mean way:
she shouldn't even BE at this lunch as she had too many autographs as it was. That she should have let another child take her place at the lunch!!!
This made my daughter feel really bad
She wouldn't take a pic with my niece and nephew as she also doesn't "stoop down" for pics

As you can tell in the pic, my DD is about to cry =(

This is the ONLY bad experience I have ever had with characters! Most the time they are beyond wonderful!!!

That's awful!

 

[praline3001]

On a good note~ as I really hate talking bad about characters~ we went back for breakfast 4 months later and the princesses THEN were soooooo good~ OMG they were wonderful!!!

oh and look, SHE CAN BEND DOWN LOL

 

[Amy_Callaghan]

On a good note~ as I really hate talking bad about characters~ we went back for breakfast 4 months later and the princesses THEN were soooooo good~ OMG they were wonderful!!!

oh and look, SHE CAN BEND DOWN LOL

Those pictures are wonderful!

 

[praline3001]

It made a huge difference~ my DD loves the characters but tends to be a bit quiet and shy around them... the mean princesses really hurt her feelings the rest of the day

It "looks" like the princesses changed a lot in those 4 months though~ he he

 

[cadeesmom]

We were at MK just a couple of weeks ago and were eating lunch at CRT. Sleeping Beauty was a little snot. She hurried over to our table, picked up the autograph books that we had laid out and turned to the right page, signed them and posed. Seriously...no talking, nothing. We scrambled to get the kids to stand so we could get a pic. My DS2, who likes the princesses, was being shy, and she never broke her pose to speak a word to anyone at our table, let alone him! The rest of the princesses were fun and talked to him and he was great with the rest. All other meetings have been awesome. Someone needs to tell her that she was in Cinderella's Castle...no reason to be so stuck up. My DD6 even asked if she was mad because she wasn't at home. (@ her castle in DL) Guess so!

 

[sexyravenfan]

Several years ago, we went to dinner at CP (which has been on this thread numerous times already ) and Pooh was EXTREMELY flirtatious with me, multiple times. I was in my teens and my dad proceeded to say that that was enough. We are going back to CP on our next trip, I'm curious to see the outcome with Pooh

 

[Finkelstein's Hubby]

Yep, CP again For our twins 4th birthdays we had booked lunch. They were having a blast and had met Tigger, Pooh and Eyeore. Only Piglet seemed elusive and eventually my kids went up as he reached our table. Something obviously distracted him and as my kids went to hug him he put his hand up in a "talk to it!" style and walked off.....oh how their faces fell and quietly sat back down. Thats what made it worse, no tears, no complaining just utter dejection. He had strode off, well waddled really so off I went to find a CM to see if he could be brought back. I had never done a character meal so wondered if somehow we had made a rookie error but as soon as the CM member heard me say that Piglet had done a runner she seemed to be well aware that he was not exactly on best behaviour and I was not the first to have a problem. Indeed she uttered the classic "I think he has swine fever" and told me to get the kids ready. Sure enough a moment later over came the CM and Piglet. The kids were delighted and got their pics and autograph and all was well

Piglet however was clearly still having a bad day. As I went to get my lunch I was returning to my table and in classic Western showdown style Piglet appeared blocking my path, I laughed nervously and moved to my right........so did Piglet, I moved to my left...so did Piglet. Ok I think this is getting weird, is Piglet gonna start something here???? How embarrasing, I am gonna get taken out by a big pink pig!!

Anyway I thought what the hell am I thinking, its a man in a suit, how hard can his punches be.....Piglet obviously felt he had made his point, whatever it was, and stepped to the side. For all that it was a bad encounter its still something we look back on and laugh about

 

[DizBelle]

A couple of people mentioned that the princesses won't bend over for pictures. They many have gotten an instruction to not bend over for pictures to avoid pictures of "down their dresses."

 

[LovelyPrincess]

My DH and I were having dinner at the Garden Grill in the Land Pavillion in Epcot several years ago when Mickey & Minnie (after making their rounds) went up to a table that obviously were also cast members, when Mickey & Minnie started interacting with the cast members verbally! There was a private joke of some sort going on and the costumed M & M were laughing and literally rolling on the floor trying not to laugh & talk out loud but they did. I was very disappointed with the entire group of cast members. Especially Mickey & Minnie. That experience has never left my mind and kind of spoiled the "innocence" of the characters.

At nearly 24, I think Mickey speaking would ruin the fun of character meets! I can't imagine how that would mess up a kid. I've never had a bad experience, I've always found all the CMs to be great at what they do. My favorite experience was in the Animal Kingdom, when I met Mickey and he flirted with me, then got upset when my boyfriend hopped in for a picture.

 

[kdnmom]

I think I remember being told as we were led to our table at Akershus that the princesses don't bend over to avoid being "overexposed".

 

[teddygurlkeekee]

I think I remember being told as we were led to our table at Akershus that the princesses don't bend over to avoid being "overexposed".

Ya, but isn't there a difference between "bending OVER" and "bending DOWN" ????

 

[demonskrye]

Some of these are pretty outrageous. I do think it's important to remember that such experiences are the exception rather than the rule and there are lots of stories of great character interactions. Also, the character helpers (see previous post about Captain Jack Sparrow's helpers, who fill in for him when he can't be somewhere in person) are only human and as capable of having bad days as any of us. It's not an excuse for bad behavior, but it does make it more understandable.

Anyone who's worked behind the scenes, are there any kind of procedures in place to help avoid this sort of thing? I know "character helpers" can get taken aside if they're behaving improperly, but if someone's having a really bad day, is there anything that can be done if they realize it and say something ahead of time?

 

[fairestoneofall]

Ya, but isn't there a difference between "bending OVER" and "bending DOWN" ????

Yes, there is. And there is no reason a princess cannot bend down. I think I have pictures of every single princess except Aurora bending down. For some reason, Aurora never seems to have much personality. She's always been pleasant, but nothing exceptional.

The best experiences we've had have been with Jasmine and Snow White, every single time we've met one of them.

 

[buffettgirl]

YFor some reason, Aurora never seems to have much personality. She's always been pleasant, but nothing exceptional.

you know, I am also a little cranky when I wake up after a long nap too...

 

[teddygurlkeekee]

you know, I am also a little cranky when I wake up after a long nap too...

hehe

 

[ancestry]

I actually feel sorry for many of the "characters".

As has been posted on the boards before many of them don't earn much money. If I recall it wasn't much above minimium wage. Combine that with an uncomfortable costume, a ton of makeup, people who are demanding and often act entitled, and always having to be in character while at work -- everyone is bound to have a bad day every so often.

It would be a difficult job to do well and graciously every single day. The reality is the characters are people in costumes -- people who have a stressful job in my opinon.

 

[kkbeats]

Yeah, I've see some kids who r terrible to the characters!!!! Some older kids think their funny and kick the characters. Or little kids hitting them.

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

I think I remember being told as we were led to our table at Akershus that the princesses don't bend over to avoid being "overexposed".

I have an interesting picture of Jasmine bending down to greet DD when she was 3. Let's just say that it's DH's favorite picture. And my dad wanted in on the photo op too. Dirty old man. She quite "overexposed".

 

[maxiesmom]

I'm sorry, buy you say that Aurora was mean, well you comment to her wasn't very nice either. Two wrongs don't make a right. Maybe she had hurt her back, you never know. There is a real person there in front of you, not just a princess who you should expect to perform to your standards. I know if you came in to where I work and made a snotty comment about how to do my job I wouldn't be nice to you either.

I don't mean to pile all of this on you, but many of these supposed bad experiences just seem so petty. The evil characters are supposed to be evil, Chip and Dale are supposed to be mischevious, and Tigger is supposed to be kind of crazy.

It sounds to me like many people have such high expectations of the character meals that if something doesn't happen to plan, or the character doesn't behave in quite the manner you expect, that it throws people for a loop. Not necessarily bad characer experiences, but not just what was expected.

Maybe it is a good thing that so many "bad" experiences are what are really minor things. That means that they are usually so fantastic that even the littlest wrong thing sticks out.