Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs I was originally going to put this in the DL General section (which it probably will be), but for now, comments? Questions? I have a few: 1. How much do those costumes usually weigh? 2. It must be hard to move in those for parades and shows; I'm watching DL's 25th again, and seeing them move during the "Ease On Down the Road" number looks very complicated. 3. How often are the characters' "costumes" changed? For example, Pooh was a "pothead" until the early 90s until he got new eyes. In the late 90s his "cartoon" eyes became the little beady ones he has in the films. Do the execs decide when it's time to give them facelifts?
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs LOL, anyone? Anyone? Weren't any of the CMs on these boards ever a mascot?
Originally Posted By SuperDry Mascots? Like when you see Mickey in the park? It's just Mickey's body with a normal amount of clothes on. How heavy his head is isn't any more of an issue than how heavy your head is - it's just part of his body. Regarding personal questions about the characters, I have known CMs that worked as friends of the characters. Even years after moving on to a different position, they tend to be very secretive of details and respect the privacy of the characters. So you have a Catch-22: if they're still Disney fans enough to be reading and posting on a message board, they're very likely to respect the character's privacy and not discuss details in public.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: I only give out MY vital statistics in private, FiveBearRugs, duckling. We characters really can't be too careful about ourselves, you know. But if you're really that interested in me, just say the word and I'll whisk you away to another dimension. Then we can REALLY talk! (Of course you must also be willing to give out all of YOUR vital statistics, too...)
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Orddu, that locked closet is trying to open itself...and it's swearing...in the voices of Orgoch and Orwen...come to think of it, where are your sisters?
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORGOCH: We's right where we's s'posed ta be! An' if'n yer smart, ya won't give in ta my trampy sister's no good temptations!! ORWEN: (sighs and groans) I'm still recovering from a donut over-dose. Last Friday was free donut day around the United States and I guess I ate too many. ORGOCH: Well, I warned ya, ya fool! But does ya ever listen ta me?! ORWEN: Shut up, old biddy!! You just make me feel worse!! ORGOCH: Serves ya right!! Got Pepto Bismol?
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Hmmm...so I'm assuming the Face Characters cannot talk about their costumes...but the regular CMs can? Is that about right?
Originally Posted By Kira When I auditioned, I was told by disney that we would have to be able to carry up to 25 pounds... if that gives you any clues =)
Originally Posted By Mr F First off, they are called "Atmosphere Characters" & not mascots. The Costumes can be very heavy, sometimes more then 50 pounds, although Disney makes it a point to try & make them light as possible, so as not to injure the performer. Even if the costumes are light, they can sometimes still be disproportional of unbalanced, causing the weight to be disproportionally balanced, & causing pain, discomfort, sores, or even injury to the performer, if not wore correctly, which is why it is up to the performer to make sure their costumes fit properly & are no correctly. The most pain however comes from rude guest & children to like to kick, hit, pull on, or punch characters. Not funny at all. Performing in a Costume during a parade or show takes getting use to at first, & can be very grueling, but you get used to it. Choreography is more changing when your vision is distorted, & when you are caring extra weight. Performing on a hot summer day can be hell. Also, Performers are required to wear a scarf on their heads to absorb sweat. If the scarf were to fall over your eyes & blind you during the show, then you are in trouble! The Costumes seem to change every 20 years. Although Poohs costumed has changed since the early 90's, it still hurts performers, & is still in need of a bigger improvement, which is long overdue. Hope that helps, why do you ask these questions? Are you planning to work for Disney's entertainment department someday?
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: Well, I can personally testify to the fact that Tarzan has the most comfortable costume to wear of all!! I've seen it many, many times. I even have an extra loin cloth of his--which he gave to me, personally--and which I continue to wear around my head. ORGOCH: Tell the truth, ya tramp!! Ya went 'n stole that dirty loin cloth one afternoon when ya went back stage durin' a showin' a the Scarzan Rocks Show at Dizzy's Animal Cracker Kingdom!!! Scarzan didn't know a dang thing 'bout it! (Course if'n he's readin' this here thread, he'll have 'nuff evidence ta haul ya befer Judge Judy an git his clothes back!!)
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Well yes, Kira, you have to weigh more than 80 pounds. Eat some KFC once in a while And yes, Mr. F, you have been MOST helpful, although I've always been told/read that there were mascots and face characters (Princesses, Cruella, Peter Pan, etc.). I'm not planning to work for Disney anytime soon, but I've always been curious about the evolution designs for the characters, especially some of the "odder" ones such as: -Donald's sleepy blue eyes in the late 90s/early 2000s -Pinocchio's GREEN hat in the 70s -The Dwarfs color schemes (Doc is wearing Happy's outfit; Happy is in green) -Pooh as a pothead in the 70s and 80s; then with cartoon eyes in the 90s and then his 'regular' eyes. -Piglet and Roo as hand puppets for Rabbit and Kanga, respectively. -A *yellow* King Louie and *blue* Baloo for Disney on Parade But I'm also interested in the retired characters, such as the Three Little Pigs, the Walrus, the Caterpillar and the March Hare, and even random parade characters (see DL's 10th Anniversary Celebration). Btw, when Disney Channel aired the 'extended' Disney on Parade, there's a Pinocchio segment in which Jiminy Cricket is actually flipped in the air; although I don't remember if he lands on the ground or on someone's shoulders. I also have much admiration to the Atmospherers during the night shows/parades
Originally Posted By Mr F The costumes are "upgraded" every once in a while depending on the performers inputs & needs, and to make them look more like the animated version of the character as possible. I believe the dwarfs colors were changed in the 70's so guest could differentiate between each one. Pooh was changed to make him look more like the actual character. I don't know why the changed Donalds head to the blue eyed version in the early 2000's, that head was ugly.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORGOCH: Well as long as we's orderin' up new looks fer characters, here, I say it's long past time my big fat sister, Orwen, had a tummy tuck, a fanny freeze an a chins chop!! As fer Orddu, she could stand ta have a dozen face lifts. BOTH sisters oughta have their mouth's sewn shut, too, while we're at it!!
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs And judging from the 70s costumes for the Mad Hatter, Pooh and the Dwarfs, I take it that they were unable to sign autographs, since their emphasis was on wriggling their noses, glasses and ears?
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Who decides which characters will be "released" as atmosphere characters in the park? The company itself? Or the presidents of the theme parks? For instance, "Okay, we'll have Pooh, Tigger, Piglet and Eeyore in the park, but we'll leave Christopher Robin, Kanga and Gopher in the Hundred Acre Wood"
Originally Posted By Mr F <<Who decides which characters will be "released" as atmosphere characters in the park? The company itself? Or the presidents of the theme parks?>> The Parks Do. Each park/resort has there own Budget and it's up to them to decided if they want to buy or borrow the costumes for new or upcoming characters and whither or not they want to spend the $$ to have the the characters appear in park meet-n-greets, build a photo location for the characters, or only have them appear in a shows or parades. That's why the BOLT Characters didn't do meet-n-greets at Disneyland, even though they did at Disney world, & the Little Einsteins didn't appear at Disneyland at all (Except for Halloween Treat) and only appeared at Disneyworld. It's up to the parks to decide.
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs Kind of like Marie and Chef Louis/e being Tokyo Resort only characters?
Originally Posted By FiveBearRugs So it was the Parks' decision to make the Mad Hatter "human" and to phase out the Walrus and the March Hare? And it's also the Parks decision on why Brer Rabbit is never around? Interesting...
Originally Posted By TINK-MOBILE This is a very interesting topic... Keep it coming Mr F . Five Bear Rugs.. nice to see the Witches of Morva sharing some thoughts as well to their lil ducklings, keep it coming as well ...
