Only 1 live character in Playhouse Disney??

[ccgegg]

Our DD4 liked Playhouse Disney, but we were all a bit surprised that there was only 1 live character (Bear) in the show. Disney prides itself on its characters so I wonder why they don't have more live ones like Stanley or Olie in this show. Seems like the show is well-attended enough to warrant the cost of live characters.

 

[jtdl]

We saw Playhouse Disney last week and Stanley was definitely in it. There were several other characters, but I really didn't pay that much attention to the show so I can't remember right now, but there was more than just Bear. My pictures will be back in a few days and I'll be able to tell you for sure.

 

[loriandmatt]

i think the op's comment was that bear was the only "live" character in the show and that stanley and olie and the rest of the characters were either puppets or animatronic.

i have to say that i agree - we saw the show when it was just bear in the big blue house related and then again when it changed to playhouse disney. We were a bit disapointed that bear was the only character to be "live". We won't go again until DD is much older (only 7 mo now) as DS (now 10) has grown way out of it.

- lori

 

[digskat]

If i remember correctly the bear is the only "real character" in playhouse disney show the others are puppets like in the shows. However there are characters dressed as Stanley etc that you can meet and greet. I think Stanley was at the AK theme park. All in all it is a wonderful show you sit on the floor and there is alot of singing and dancing and they really encourage the kids to take part. Besides having the puppet type characters may seem more realistic to your little one anyway ie size. We loved it, and my kids are 5 and 7. Take care and have fun!!

 

[dan-tot]

They had the host I am not sure what his name is I haven't seen the show to much. The bear is alive but all the other characters are puppets. They move like the animal king show at fanstyland.


Dan-tot

 

[WDSearcher]

It has nothing to do with the cost of the show -- those puppets (including fabrication and maintenance), plus the puppeteer (including training) are just as expensive -- probably moreso -- that having a character there. It's about what tells the story best in the venue. Bear is a big character, but if you had a "live" Stanley, he'd be WAY too big from a perspective standpoint, and would be out of place. Sized as he is, he's more "kid-sized" and closer to what the kids see on TV. Rolie Polie Olie wouldn't work as a "live" character either -- I doubt that Disney could find people with arms and legs THAT skinny to play the part! Besides ... Olie and Stanley are animated, while Bear is "real." That's an important distinction when you're looking at a show artistically.

 

[ccgegg]

Good points, WDSearcher. However, I'm not so sure my 4yo will understand.

I guess with this being our first time-- and the aisles marked the way they were-- we were expecting more live characters to run up and down the aisles and interact with the kids. But I guess those aisles are strictly for the host to run into the back, which doesn't even seem necessary in the whole scheme of the show. We told our 4yo to sit by the aisle because it just looked like Stanley or whoever would walk there. Now that we're "veterans", we won't get our (her) hopes up next time.

 

[chrisann]

Just to let you know, our 5 yr old and 18mnth old saw the show last year and they thought it was the real thing. They loved it!!

 

[NotUrsula]

Just FYI, send up good vibes for the puppeteer playing Bear when you watch that show. If you notice (on TV and live) only one arm actually has the person's arm inside; the other one is tethered on a clear line and moved by tugging the line. So where's his other arm? Working the head! That poor person has to do the entire show holding one arm curved forward over his head while working the facial controls with his fingers. The head is very heavy, too. Controlling that costume puppet is incredibly difficult.

 

[AngieBelle]

Hey now- puppets are just as much live as full-bodied characters! In fact, one has to be character trained to be a puppeteer at WDW. I just learned a role in Voyage of the Little Mermaid last month and will be performing it for the first time on Friday! (I'll be making the turtle dance.)