Mickey TALKS!!

[Robo]

THIS INFO is from Disneyland, but it's BIG!

Don't know if, when, or for how long, but it's a big surprise to see.

1- Could be a "one-time-only" thing.

2- Could be a "things-to-come" experiment.

3- It IS magical. (Look at the little kid's excitement!)

 

[Andrea73]

COOL!!!!!!

 

[damone]

Wow - That's crazy.

I remember seeing the characters eyes blink during some of the stage shows in '08. Never thought I'd see the day where they'd talk.

 

[EddieMccoy2]

That is awesome. I really really hope this is the future.

 

[vway2552]

really cool! wonder how that system works..? they did a really good job with it too, im surprised.

 

[TravisSch]

I said this on the podcast board, but I was surprised at how quickly he could say people's names. I literally went "WOW" when he did that.

Someone just posted there recently saying its basically the same technology as Turtle Talk with Crush and Laugh Floor. I hope this technology gets implemented in all the parks and many of the characters, including the Fab 5.

 

[Robo]

really cool! wonder how that system works..? they did a really good job with it too, im surprised.

The mouth and eyes movements are not new to certain characters in selected shows.

They've been using those for many of the characters in the MK Castle Forecourt Show for a couple of years.
(Also, Timon can blink and move his mouth in the Festival of the Lion King at DAK.)
But, those shows are "lip-synced" to a prerecorded audio track.

What is NEW and DIFFERENT about the clips to which I linked is that Mickey is interacting directly with guests, one-on-one, saying their names, etc. in real-time, in "his own voice."

My speculation is that this is a short-term test with a very special CM who can perfectly match Mickey's well-known voice.

Time will tell.

 

[bradk]

the eyes and mouth don't appear to be operated the same as the stage show though. my guess is Mickey has a mic built-in (maybe they call him MICkey) and a speaker and a voice-alike (although this one does appear like he could very well be Brett Iwan, for the sake of this 'test', but I hate to be so presumptuous)

I never really doubted this much, although it would be more difficult to pull off outdoors with more ambient noise and wind and all, but I was sure all the servos would generate a lot more noise themselves. It seems all those toys that move still make a lot of noise, but I guess this 'toy' is a tad more expensive.

Now the skeptical me initially thought the names were all pre-recorded (like a 'He Knows my name' toy) and a CM was just piecing stuff together like Mr. Potato Head and Roz (at DCA), but he's obviously responding too well to his environment and doesn't appear too restricted in phrases, so I think a live CM really is in order. Not an impossible task either.

 

[dischic89]

Wow....I'm slightly in shock. But it's pretty cool!

 

[thunderbug548]

How cool is that?! It just adds that extra magic to the whole experience.

 

[Eljay]

Imagineers, they are geniuses!
Thanks, Robo.

 

[Dizfan4life]

How Cool! My kids would sure be tongue tied seeing a talking Mickey L)!

 

[Robo]

this one does appear like he could very well be Brett Iwan, for the sake of this 'test', but I hate to be so presumptuous...

It sure sounds perfectly like the "official voice."

Mr. Iwan doesn't have much "job security" if it is just another CM.

 

[magicaldisney]

That is incredible. I was going to ask "how do you think they match Mickey's voice?" Robo, you think the CM in the costume is just someone who can match the voice? You're probably right, but I was hoping that whoever was talking had something that made their voice sound like that. I have no idea what the device would be, but if it is just someone whose voice sounds like Mickey, that makes this a very limited act. I would love to see this with all the Fab 5.

 

[TravisSch]

That is incredible. I was going to ask "how do you think they match Mickey's voice?" Robo, you think the CM in the costume is just someone who can match the voice? You're probably right, but I was hoping that whoever was talking had something that made their voice sound like that. I have no idea what the device would be, but if it is just someone whose voice sounds like Mickey, that makes this a very limited act. I would love to see this with all the Fab 5.

I think they might be using the technology from Turtle Talk with Crush and Laugh Floor. Whatever it is, it is great and I hope Disney keeps doing it.

 

[Robo]

Imagineers, they are geniuses!
Thanks, Robo.

They are the best anywhere!

(And, I'll accept and pass-on the thanks to bradk for filing the original report. )

 

[MOUSELOVER171]

Simply amazing! I would expect nothing less from Disney. WoW!

 

[Jim6122]

That is incredible! The mouth and eye movements were perfect.

 

[Robo]

As I watched it again, it's looking more like it was a very special one-time event
for either contest winners or a "Make a Wish" trip, or similar.

It may simply be something that would be used very few times in the year when the situation warranted.

We'll all be keeping our EARS open for more news on this, for sure.

 

[2 Little Mermaids]

We went to the Playhouse Disney Live tour, and I excepted the characters to hop around to the music. To my surprise Mickey and the gang's eyes blinked and mouth moved to the recording. I wondered that day why the characters in the park don't do that. Very cool. Disney has to keep reinventing to keep people going.