Tumble Monkeys meet?

[lmbcdb]

My son started gymnastics last year after watching the Tumble Monkeys in the Festival of the Lion King. He thought they were SO awesome. (me too!)

He wanted to get a picture with one when we go back in September. I don't remember them being available after the show. Does anyone have any ideas how I could get a picture with one?

 

[kennythepirate]

My son started gymnastics last year after watching the Tumble Monkeys in the Festival of the Lion King. He thought they were SO awesome. (me too!)

He wanted to get a picture with one when we go back in September. I don't remember them being available after the show. Does anyone have any ideas how I could get a picture with one?

I would arrive at least 30 minutes before the show and ask the CM at the front of the queue if you can meet with the show director briefly. Let the person know you'd love a quick moment after the show to take a photo with the Tumble Monkeys and that you're willing to wait until the crowd is gone if necessary.

 

[coopersmom]

My son started gymnastics last year after watching the Tumble Monkeys in the Festival of the Lion King. He thought they were SO awesome. (me too!)

He wanted to get a picture with one when we go back in September. I don't remember them being available after the show. Does anyone have any ideas how I could get a picture with one?

That's very cool to hear, as we know quite a few Tumble Monkeys and I'm sure they'd love to know they inspired your son to take up their sport! As far as I know, they don't do regular meet and greets and I do know they aren't allowed out in the park in their costumes/makeup. (Disney's very strict about such things.)

If you know someone in the Lion King show, or know someone who knows someone (depending on where your son does gymnastics, his coach might, since there are lots of former NCAA gymnasts in the Tumble Monkey ranks), they MIGHT be able to set-up a meet, which can include a post-show meet with either all the Monkeys or the entire Lion King cast. Again this is a big MIGHT, as these meets are limited and require cast members to get advance approval, etc. In my experience, it's something they usually only do for family and very close friends.

We have been lucky enough to get to do this, since we do know so many of them personally, and it's pretty cool. (Not to get your hopes up, and please note that this guest is not me, or anyone I even know, though we do, ironically, know the Monkey pictured very well ... Anyway, here's a public photo I found on Flickr that gives you an idea of what the private meet-and-greet is like: http://www.flickr.com/photos/23879054@N00/3617252334/in/photostream/)

In an easier, or at least more likely method, get there really early, sit up close and hope your son is picked to join the end dance through/parade. (One or two kids per section are picked each show.) Probably couldn't hurt to sweet talk a cast member at the gate and tell them your story either. Not a guarantee, but couldn't hurt, and you may get your meet-and-great just from that. Most of the characters will pause and pose for a pic at the beginning and end of that parade, and the Tumble Monkeys are amongst those dancing around.

I don't know when you saw the Lion King show, but one of the current Tumble Monkeys is '08 Olympic bronze medalist Joey Hagerty, and many of the others are NCAA National Champs and/or All-Americans. Oh and, you can tell your son that lots of former gymnasts are also part of the Indiana Jones stunt show.

Lastly, can I suggest you bring your son a few hours north to Oklahoma to see a men's gymnastics meet some time? The 2013 season starts in January and the Sooners have spawned more than their share of future Tumble Monkeys and Disney stunt show performers. There's at least 6-8 working there now, and it's not too unusual to be watching an "all OU" Tumble Monkey group when you see the Lion King show.

 

[Robo]

You need to ask this question to one of the CM's who assist with guest seating before the show.
You can ask to speak with the "lead" on that CM staff.

Special meetings can sometimes be set up.

 

[WDSearcher]

I would arrive at least 30 minutes before the show and ask the CM at the front of the queue if you can meet with the show director briefly. Let the person know you'd love a quick moment after the show to take a photo with the Tumble Monkeys and that you're willing to wait until the crowd is gone if necessary.

Asking for the show director will get you nowhere, since they are generally not at the show every show, day in and day out.

Start with the CM helping with seating, as Robo suggested. If that doesn't work, ask for the stage manager. He / she is the only one who can authorize a Tumble Monkey M&G and it will depend largely on the show schedule that day, the contracted amount of time off they have to allow, which Monkeys are in (some are approved for M&Gs, some not) and various other factors. The first show of the day is the best for this, as it is generally less crowded. If you try for the show right before lunch or the last show of the day, you won't have much luck.

 

[scjo68]

I was able to have a meet and greet with much of the cast in Aug. of 2010. We had arrived for the first show of the day, but it was cancelled. The front CM promised something "special" if we stayed, but wouldn't say what. Most people left, including the rest of my family, but I stayed to see what would happen.

Much of the cast came out, and they graciuosly talked with us and posed for pictures. I have pictures with the tumble monkees and others. It is one of my favorite WDW memories. I have no idea how often this happens, but I agree about asking the cm in front, and I would do it very early, and be willing to wait.

Good luck- would love to hear what happens!

 

[Robo]

I was able to have a meet and greet with much of the cast in Aug. of 2010. We had arrived for the first show of the day, but it was cancelled. The front CM promised something "special" if we stayed, but wouldn't say what. Most people left, including the rest of my family, but I stayed to see what would happen.

Much of the cast came out, and they graciuosly talked with us and posed for pictures. I have pictures with the tumble monkees and others. It is one of my favorite WDW memories. I have no idea how often this happens, but I agree about asking the cm in front, and I would do it very early, and be willing to wait.

How COOL is that?!?!

 

[Maleficent53]

My son started gymnastics last year after watching the Tumble Monkeys in the Festival of the Lion King. He thought they were SO awesome. (me too!)

He wanted to get a picture with one when we go back in September. I don't remember them being available after the show. Does anyone have any ideas how I could get a picture with one?

And luckily, you will be going in September, before TFOTLK show closes

 

[kennythepirate]

Asking for the show director will get you nowhere, since they are generally not at the show every show, day in and day out.

Start with the CM helping with seating, as Robo suggested. If that doesn't work, ask for the stage manager. He / she is the only one who can authorize a Tumble Monkey M&G and it will depend largely on the show schedule that day, the contracted amount of time off they have to allow, which Monkeys are in (some are approved for M&Gs, some not) and various other factors. The first show of the day is the best for this, as it is generally less crowded. If you try for the show right before lunch or the last show of the day, you won't have much luck.

Sorry used wrong terminology. Thanks for correcting.

 

[lmbcdb]

Wow! Thanks for all the replies. The DIS is such an awesome place sometimes! I was really expecting to not even get an answer or "they just don't do that".

He's a cute little bugger, so that will help! I'll get him to wear his "Eagle Gymnastics Academy" shirt that day, too.

I'll check back after our trip and let you know what happened!

I wonder if it would help if he asked. He's a very articulate 9 year old.

 

[Mickeefan]

And luckily, you will be going in September, before TFOTLK show closes

What?!? Have you seen/heard any specific dates?

 

[Robo]

And luckily, you will be going in September, before TFOTLK show closes

What?!? Have you seen/heard any specific dates?

From HERE, so... who knows?

ANDORA - The World of Avatar - Confirmed - (8/10/12) The latest buzz from the Rhinos is that the
Festival of the Lion King show is expected to close in January
to make way for Avatar. The long term plan is to move to into a new theater somewhere,
but it sounds like the show will close down complete long before this happens.

 

[WDSearcher]

I imagine there's a bit more to be reported than just FoLK closing in January. Even though screamscape lists it as "confirmed", nothing with dates, times or plans has been released at WDW, even internally. Screamscape also lists "the Rhinos" as its somewhat ambiguous source, so you may want to take the report with just a bit of a grain of salt until more info is presented.

 

[Mickeefan]

From HERE, so... who knows?

Whew! As long as it's not in October...

Best.Show.on.Property. I'm a little biased because I know a CM in the show.

 

[Simba's Mom]

When I wanted to meet with a friend of DS's in the FotLK show, I started with asking the CMs who were seating people. They called out the show director, whom I talked to, but unfortunately the person I was looking for was off that day.