Disney Characters...Maybe We Should Rethink a Few Things
Wednesday, March 10, 2010 at 9:40PM Posted by Lilly Characters characters and more characters.
By Lilly.
Youʼre ready for a Day at Walt Disney World with your two little girls and youʼve got every minute planned out with reservations and everything. You canʼt wait for the rides, but youʼre most excited to see your most beloved characters.
You start right before the park even opens with breakfast at Cinderellaʼs Royal Table in Cinderella's Castle at the Magic Kingdom, where your two little girls meet all the princesses including their favorite, Belle. Because Belle is their favorite, you rush over to catch the first Storytime with Belle show right outside the castle, with the same Belle you saw at breakfast? Nope.
Your two little girls havenʼt had their fill of princesses just yet, so you pop over to Mickeyʼs Toon Town Fair and meet Belle again–yes a different Belle from both the Belles youʼve already seen. Then you camp out to get a good spot for Magic Kingdom's mid day parade “Celebrate a Dream Come True” where your daughters wave to yet a different Belle.
Now itʼs time to take the monorail over to EPCOT where you have dinner reservations for the Princess Storybook Dinner at Norway's Akershus Royal Banquet Hall. But youʼre a little early, so you mosey around France and meet....Belle. And who do you meet at dinner? You guessed it, Belle again.
How is it possible that you can come home with pictures of six different Belles in one day? It comes from the same silly mentality that flows throughout all the parks. More is better. I would like to propose the concept that more is not better. Walt Disney proved it time and time again. Quality is more important than quantity especially when it comes to Disney Characters.
Evidence of this is very clear when you observe the performance of these characters. Clearly auditions have not been selective enough nor has training been very specific. I have seen more hyper Plutos and snippy Snow Whites than I ever thought possible. Have these characters ever seen their original animation? More importantly, have the casting directors, trainers, and managers seen them? Clearly real talent isnʼt drawn to the job because it doesnʼt pay well enough.
My suggestion: less characters with higher pay.
Reader Comments (9)
Funny, But my cousin actually played Belle on stage at DisneyWorld. I've seen recordings of her and she was pretty darn awesome.
But aside from that, I get what you are saying.
I *COMPLETELY* agree that Disney needs to start producing quality over quantity. This can be seen from their attractions (Tower of Terror's story at DCA is far less immersive than WDW's to achieve higher ride capacity) to their stores (the same Disney stuff is sold in almost every park at every store). I'm tired of Disney building and thinking "on the cheap".
That said, I have to say this article is biased. As far as the quality, training, and auditions, I can't argue with that. But, You specifically went out to seek every Belle across WDW. What else did you expect? Of course the Belles have to be different. It's quite possible for you to come home with pictures of 6 different Belles when you seek Belles out. :)
Now, you could just be unclear were just seeking out princesses and hoping to see other princesses. But you start out saying that you're looking for Belle.
I think the point Lilly is trying to make is that the mentality of “more is more” is not a good one. She never says that only one person needs to play Belle or that she’s surprised to see multiple Belles in one day.
I think Disney so very often takes a good thing (like princesses) and overdoes it in the name of “giving the public what they want. I call it “selling out”.
For example: I like pirates. I loved them as a kid. But I only want to see them where they belong: In and near the Pirates of the Caribbean rides. I don’t think they should be accessible around every corner just because pirates are what the public wants. Princesses from different time periods and parts of the world should not unite for breakfast in a pavilion celebrating the country of Norway.
As for characters in general I’m of the school of thought that says don’t put them anywhere and everywhere but only where they belong. The character performers should act according to their respective personalities and abilities as subscribed in the movie in which they star (excluding their crappy sequels). For me the most important rule should be: No character cross-overs. The Mad Hatter should not be dancing with Rafiki in some fruity parade or anywhere else. For crying out loud, keep them separate.
Great post, Lilly.
disney obsessor: I agree. There are talented people at Disney who provide quality entertainment. I have found that, sadly, a lot of the talented ones leave to pursue other more professional things after dealing with sub-par standards for too long. Not all, but some.
Disney Obsessor: I realize I did not make that distinction. Both the Belles that perform on stages (The Beauty and the Beast show and Storytime with Belle) are equity performers and do get paid more and therefore attract better talent. I am also not saying that there aren't many wonderful character performers out there, I just feel there are too many that are not and the good ones should get paid more.
Subsonic: I only made the point with Belle because she is the most popular face character and therefore is sought out the most. I think it is embarrassing that you could come home with pictures of two different Belles, let alone six, even if you are seeking her out. Not that there can't be more than one Belle, I just don't think there should more than one in the same park on the same day. There's only one Belle. That's the illusion. But I could make the same argument for any of the characters and not even limit it to face characters. There are too many Tiggers, too many Mickeys, too many Stitches. If you can walk out of a restaurant having just visited with Pooh (Crystal Palace) and then see him again just walking down the street and through the castle with a line already formed (Pooh's Playful Spot), that's too many. Pooh didn't run out of the restaurant and run down the street so he could meet you again. They insult the intelligence of children too often. Pooh can't run that fast. It ruins the illusion that you are really meeting Pooh. Disney has commercialized even the character experience to the point that guests expect to see characters instead of feeling lucky that they happened upon one. It should be a more special experience than that.
Mitch: I totally agree. That wasn't my point. In fact, I think it's totally ridiculous that Disney converts parts of World Showcase into Princess meet and greets. I HATE it. Disney really does sell out now. They aren't proactive, they are reactive.
Lilly: I live near Disneyland. I'm not as familiar with all the names. When reading, it sounded like you were going from some hotel, to MK, to Epcot. I would assume to see the same character at these different parks/hotels. But within the same park? I'm in full agreement with you. I shouldn't see the same Character all over the place. In fact. I remember a day, when I used to work there as a Ride Operator I overheard the CM say to Mickey, "Okay Mickey, it's time to go get ready for the parade." and then they went backstage before the parade. That's showmanship and theme. Sigh. Where's that Disney Theme and consistency I fell in love with? Humbug to cartoons in Tomorrowland
Subsonic: Ah, thanks for the feedback. I have edited the article to make it a little more clear.
When I was a kid (even though I went for the attractions) I never even considered standing in a line to meet a character, let alone a very slow moving long line. There was something much better: Occasionally a character would show up out of nowhere and it was fun. No lines or autograph books. Just a great little moment seeing a character and the anticipation of seeing another one at some unexpected moment.... meanwhile we focussed on RIDES. And food. And maybe the Main Street Electrical Parade or fireworks.
Absolutely agreed. It is so Disney selling out, trying to make more money for their stockholder's benefits. "By Any Means Possible" could be an upcoming annual park slogan. I'm also a huge believer in paying more for better quality cast members. There are always going to be some who shine, standing out amongst those who are just in it for a paycheck. That's not how it started, and those workers should be moved to an area that does not deal with "making dreams come true".
Subsonic and Anonymous(above me) hit the nail right on the head. I also remember 35 years ago seeing characters pop up randomly around the park, happy to spend a few moments with guests. They were a lot more various, very pleasurable, and lines weren't necessary in any form to corral over-eager people. Everyone waited their turn and moved aside after a few seconds with a character, allowing the next family to enjoy a meet & greet. Those were the days.