How does the Talking Mickey work?

[juliekzp]

We love the Talking Mickey on Main Street, and I'm so curious how it works. Anyone know? Is there another person watching and pressing buttons for each phrase or story he says? Or does the person in the suit control? Or something else entirely?

 

[AzzySpazbourne]

Evidently, there's a control center near Animal Kingdom where a Cast member views the room on closed circuit TV and controls what Mickey says, but the Cast Member in the costume must ad-lib for that to work. However they do it, it's amazing! I, along with my daughter, my wife, my mom, and grandparents love/d it.

 

[carlbarry]

Following.
I have read other reports, based on a Disney patent filing, that the actor controls a mouse (no pun intended) with his mouth, to bring up the canned comments.

 

[carlbarry]

Here is a link to a patent filed by Disney that pretty well explains it:
https://www.google.com/patents/US20130226588

 

[juliekzp]

Thanks! The patent app is super interesting!

 

[carlbarry]

Also see this for the "mouth mouse":
http://www.disneyresearch.com/proje...creating-conversations/?v=y&rnd=1317086862533