How many of you guys have ever visited Walt Disney World as a little kid and thought how cool it would be to be a Disney character? Or how many girls ever dreamed of being a Disney princess when they got older?
So how does a person get a chance to wear the big mouse suit or don the dress of a princess or wear the costumes of any number of Disney characters?
First…Interview
If you want to be a Disney character, you will first need to go through the interview process. This starts the same way any other job opportunity does, by filling out an application. Applications can be filled out at the Casting office near Disney Springs or online at https://jobs.disneycareers.com/.
Then the wait happens. Once you do receive a call-back, you may be able to complete a first and second interview over the phone, depending on the position and your location. If you are still in the running after those interviews, you may be asked to interview in person. If you are interviewing for the role of princess, you will also audition for that role. Because of this, if you’re hoping to bring the Magic to Guests at Disney under the guise of a Disney character, you will want to come to the audition willing to sing, dance, read scripts and exhibit your abilities in improvisation.
Disney divides their character performers into two main categories: fur characters and face characters. Being a fur character involves putting on a giant, fuzzy costume and communicating only through gestures, or “animation.” Also called look-alikes, face characters include mermaids, fairies, and other human or human-like characters.
Most face characters have to start “in fur” before they move on to the face roles, and even then they frequently have to put in shifts as costumed characters too.
Physical Requirements
If you are an aspiring princess, you will need to meet several physical requirements. Young ladies auditioning for the role of princess are ideally between 5’4” and 5’7” tall. You’ll also need to be at least 18 years old, but not older than 30. The largest dress size for the princesses at Disney World is a size 10, so any candidate must be a size 10 or smaller to secure the part.
Additionally, the Cast Members must fall within certain height ranges in order to portray the various characters. The minimum height to portray a Disney character is 3’ 10” which would allow you to be an Ewok. To be Mickey or Minnie Mouse, or Donald or Daisy Duck, requires the Cast Member to fall within the range of 4’ 8” to 5’ 2.” At the other end of the spectrum, Cast Members reaching 6 feet tall and up may portray Captain Hook, Goofy, Baloo, Jafar, and Sulley, with Chewbacca having the largest height requirement of 6’ 6” to 6’ 8”.
Training
The next step in the process of realizing your dream of fulfilling that role is to attend a five-day training class. During the training, you will be immersed in every facet of your character’s persona. This can mean watching Disney films about your princess until you know the movie inside and out, learning to speak and even sound like that princess and learning to use her expressions.
Everyone starts out as a fur character. Even the Little Mermaid has to pay her dues playing Winnie the Pooh. Performers hired for face roles are first trained to portray fully costumed characters, then spend several weeks greeting kids while wearing giant furry suits. After this probation period, face characters train for their human roles.
Getting into Character
Not only do costumed characters have to be able to project their character through the layers of material they are wearing, they also have to be able to sign autographs while wearing gloves – many of which have a fewer-than-human amount of fingers! In addition, the autograph has to be consistent with signatures signed by other Cast Members portraying that character, even from many years ago! Having good penmanship with limited vision and several layers of fabric between your hand and the pen can be very challenging. The only exceptions to this requirement are characters that have fixed fingers, such as King Louie or Sulley, or characters that have limited dexterity due to their costume.
As a Disney princess, you must be able to stay in character at all times, no matter what you are asked. For example, Snow White would only know about her “world,” and she’d never know who Sebastian and Flounder (from Disney’s The Little Mermaid) are. If you are asked about Sleepy, Grumpy and Dopey, you will need to be able to use your improv skills to give Guests an answer that is in keeping with Snow White’s movie and the characters within it.
Mickey, Minnie, and their ilk can’t speak, only gesture effusively. But while face characters talk to guests, they’re still not supposed to sing.
Patience is a Must
Since a majority of your audiences will be children, your patience could very well be your most used asset in your new role as princess. But it’s not only children you’ll need patience with—it’s also the children’s parents who are hot and tired and have been standing in lines with those children all day long. When Guests are rude or when little ones have hit their melting point on your watch, it’s your patience that will keep you going and help you to stay in character.
Worth It?
Cast Members working as costumed characters generally spend their 8-hour shifts in 30 minute on/30 minute off rotations doing guest meet and greets, character meals, and shows and parades. Virtually all of them emerge from their costumes at the end of the shift as a disheveled, soaking wet mess. Being able to work in such extreme conditions requires a lot of strength, perseverance, and maybe even a touch of craziness. But to most Cast Members, it’s worth it to see the look in a child’s eyes when they meet their favorite character.
As a new Disney princess at Walt Disney World, you will have to be committed to following certain rules about your new role, as disregarding them might even cost you your coveted new role. For example, Disney requires that you never talk about your role outside of the parks. This means that you will not be permitted to reveal to others what role you’re playing “on stage” at Disney World. This includes talking about your role with others in person or via social media, such as Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Once you’re chosen for the honor of playing a Disney princess in the parks, you will need to commit to fulfilling that role for a minimum of one year from your hire date. It is possible that your role with last longer, but you will need to be available for at least one year. This is most likely because the process involved in hiring a new princess is very intensive and time-consuming, and surely Casting doesn’t want to conduct the process repeatedly.
Do you have what it takes to be a Walt Disney World character?