Do Disneyland Characters Get Paid Well?

[thirdwish]

Do they? How do you get that job?

[dramaqueen]

There is a hotline on www.disneycareers.com

You have to audition- for "costumed characters" The audition is Six to eight hours long in the costume while you improvise different situations with other characters. Those auditions are based on height. I believe the starting pay for this type of character is 10/ hour
I do not know how the audition process goes for face characters, but I do know the pay is a little better 11-14/ hour.

I do know they are hiring right now.

[thirdwish]

Why do the face ones get so much more?

[Rainfully]

Why do the face ones get so much more?

I would assume because it's a lot harder to find a decent face character... but I don't know for sure.

[dramaqueen]

They spend more time in a shift onstage and because they speak to guests, they must be trained not to make any kind of mistake, I once heard that if a CM who plays a face character is recognized in the "real world", they have to play it off. Example "ooo, Snow White, what are you doing at Albertson's?" "Um I am buying groceries for the seven dwarves"

They have to be on their feet and have a more difficult illusion to maintain. Some of them are also parade performers as well, so I think that has something to do with it and I know the princesses are interchangable (as are the coustumed ones).

So hopefully that explains it.

[Gwyren]

Makes sense. It is nifty to hear that said, Dramaqueen.

[WickedQueen]

They also get paid more because they work with voice coaches ... espically the Mad Hatter, Alice and Merlin. Dramaqueen is right ... they need to be on their feet and be able to think fast no matter what kids say. And as Art Linkletter said : "Kids say the darndest things!"

[Fantasmico!]

I thought they would get paid more. Should get paid more. That is a tough job. Not to mention possibly hazardous with kids stepping on or kicking body parts.

[fearsnda]

There is a hotline on www.disneycareers.com

You have to audition- for "costumed characters" The audition is three to four house long in the costume while you improvise different situations with other characters. Those auditions are based on height. I believe the starting pay for this type of character is 10/ hour
I do not know how the audition process goes for face characters, but I do know the pay is a little better 11-14/ hour.

I do know they are hiring right now.

The Non-Face Characters are 8-10 $ p/hr - or at least that's what they tell me

[dramaqueen]

The non-face characters have a particularly hazardous job and many of them are frequently injured. I knew of a performer who played Donald Duck (they use "little people" to play Donald and Daisy) and was beaten up so badly while on stage that she refused to go back to performing and was transferred to cast costuming because of it. Many of the less popular characters don't have handlers when they go out and are suceptable to abuse. Pretty sad that parents would bring their Kids to Disneyland and let them beat up Donald Duck. Probably the result of the SOCal "babysitter" AP's.

[cellarhound]

Many of the less popular characters don't have handlers when they go out and are suceptable to abuse.

I have complained to guest services about that - there was an event that happened over the holidays where a single costumed character was a bit "manhandled" by a non-english speaking guest... I felt sorry, because the character couldn't see the family and because it was very clear to me that they needed to get someplace rather quickly...

Is Entertainment going to listen? Probably not... But I might complain again if I catch it happening again... The problem is I do not want the CM to get flack for this complaint... It isn't their fault...

[travelmom]

Hats (or heads) off to these hardy dedicated folks who give us so much joy.

[Gwyren]

Many of the less popular characters don't have handlers when they go out and are suceptable to abuse.

On Easter I was surpised to see Woody walking around without a handler (back by the petting zoo). Also, coming in that morning I saw Goofy and Eeyore without handlers.
This was the first time I can recall seeing characters without handlers with them. I was a bit surprised.

[BigPigletFan]

I know that characters on the WDW college program do their auditions a little different but they are very specific as far as face characters go -- especially with certain accents. You just can't fool a kid when they say, "You don't look like Snow White!" What do you do then??

[Tech_Disney]

On Easter I was surpised to see Woody walking around without a handler (back by the petting zoo). Also, coming in that morning I saw Goofy and Eeyore without handlers.
This was the first time I can recall seeing characters without handlers with them. I was a bit surprised.

sometimes the handlers aren't standing right next to the character, but there is almost always someone (including security) close and keeping an eye on the characters.

[tcsnwhite]

Not all characters go out with Character/Entertainment hosts (which you have been refering to as 'handlers'). It just depends.
And yes, being a character or parade performer at disney parks is very much a job that people take for granted. It is very physical and demanding.

How are WDW college program auditions different?

[MiceMan]

I have to say that I was at DL over spring break and two things surprised me. First of all ... they had Tom and Huck, first they were walking around Big Thunder and Frontierland area and pointing at things and looking all surprised. And then later they were on TSI. It was really cool, all the little kids were asking questions. I think the most memorable one was, "Why do you have to fish?" and the character said, without a smirk, "So Huck and I Can Eat!" In a PERFECT accent. It was also really cool because he was using twigs to draw maps to the treasure on TSI.

The other thing that was kind of sad, was Cruella DeVill in DCA was sitting on her chair and not a single person came up to her while I stood there for nearly a half an hour. I felt so bad for her!

[SilentBob66]

The other thing that was kind of sad, was Cruella DeVill in DCA was sitting on her chair and not a single person came up to her while I stood there for nearly a half an hour. I felt so bad for her!

Considering the woman's reputation, I'm not surprised.

She's like Michael Eisner in that respect, though. :lol:

[SilentBob66]

Example "ooo, Snow White, what are you doing at Albertson's?" "Um I am buying groceries for the seven dwarves"

:lol: Even better would be bumping into Cinderella at a shoe store.

[NeverNeverland]

I've heard they're getting rid of Tom and Huck