Other Stories by Disney Theme Park Cast Members

Compiled by Kevin Yee

Contributed Stories

Since so many Cast Member have stories to share, this space here will be periodically updated with their fun and interesting narratives. Many of them, you will notice, choose to remain anonymous. If you have a great story to share too, e-mail me at the link at the bottom of the page.

One of your readers asked about Hercules last time. Well, Hercules did walk around the park at the time of the movie release. He still makes an appearance from time to time as well.

The audition for the 'face' characters is as follows:

It starts early in the morning, when you stand outside Ball gate with a couple hundred others, waiting for the line to move forward. They take about 10 people at a time. You walk into the room, and you are simply looked at. "Numbers 1,4,6,8 please step forward, everyone else, thank you for coming." Then those lucky numbers come back after all the people have been looked at. They then split the men and women. Men go off to learn a routine and do their dance audition, while the women learn theirs. 

Since there are considerably more women, it is a longer process. You learn the dance to show grace, agility, coordination, improvisation, and the like. It also gives them a chance to see your grace under pressure. Half the women go perform (or however they need to split it to fit them all in). The first half is auditioning, the others are still practicing. The group that is auditioning, well, memory is failing here, but I believe they all do the dance together, then do it in 5's. Numbers are called, the rest are dismissed. Then the process is repeated with the next group.

While they are auditioning, the wigs come out. The longest process begins with the wigs and makeup people, with numerous women trying on anywhere from 1-4 wigs, with a makeup adjustment for each. You put your wig on, and depending on how many others are ready, you stand in front of the auditioners and they look at you again, usually no more than 3 of you at a time. They stare at you from all angles, as it is hard to look like a cartoon you know. They decide if they like it or not. If they do, then they take a Polaroid, and you put the next one on. If they don't like it, no pic., and you try on the next wig.

After the wigs are done, they cut you if they didn't see anything they liked. That's where my first hand knowledge ends. The next step I believe is story telling. They give you a story, and you have to tell it as animated as you can. If you don't know it, improvise, which is a big job requirement for most CMs in Entertainment. 

Then another cut is made. I think that is the last one. So, they start with about 200 hopefuls, then they whittle it down to about 120, then about 75, then about 30, and then about 15-20. You gotta be the right body shape, and face shape, and have at least the potential to be shaped into a princess.

The ones that are hired go through a week long training, which includes makeup. You need to be able to do it yourself on the job. Just heavy stuff. They have color charts as to what color goes where, for which character.

Heights for the princesses are in the 5'4"-5'10" area, with the exception of Alice, she is about 5'1". Head characters: Donald / Mickey 4'11"-5'2", the shorter ones do both usually, the taller ones do Mickey and chipmunks. Chipmunk: 5'1"-5'3". Pluto 5'6"-5'10" Goofy 5'10-not sure what. Those are the height names, with various characters in each. The tallest is the Beast. Brer Bear is next.

As for older folks hiring in...there are a number of 'mature aged' (hesitate to call them older, cause they don't act like it!!) Character hosts. Some hire in that way, others have settled into that position after 15 + years.

Signed-Anonymous

Are you a CM or a former CM? I would love to hear and share your stories! E-mail me! Stories and comments you submit become property of and may be published on this site; we normally don't publish last names of current CMs, but if you wish to remain anonymous altogether or do not want me to share your stories, please let me know when you e-mail me. — Shoshana

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in reader-contributed stories do not reflect those of Cast Place or MousePlanet.

CM – Cast member; company lingo for “employee.” 

Empowerment Evolution – The 1995 attempt by newer park management to introduce modern accountability and market forces into the stodgy Disneyland methodology and power hierarchies. The name was meant to “empower” rank and file employees by removing layers of their management, though now there are more managers than ever.

TPO – Theme Park Operations; the division of the Disneyland hierarchy that actually works in the theme park itself.

TDA – Team Disney Anaheim; the name of the on-site administration building.

Area manager – used to be responsible for an entire land, with all business divisions in the area reporting to him.

Area supervisor – the immediate boss for location supervisors who divide up a department of intelligently grouped locations. The area supervisors in turn reported to the area manager. Nowadays all supervisors and area supervisors have been replaced by managers and assistant managers — the same idea, but smaller “business units" than a department; usually just one location in fact.

RFT – “A” status; a full-time hourly employee.

RPT – “B” status; an hourly employee five days a week but just not quite 40 hours usually.

CR – “C” status; an hourly employee who works weekends year-round and five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break).

CT – a part-time hourly employee who works five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break). No seniority, so shifts worked are usually quite short.

Locate the employment center to fill out an application, and they will call you for an interview (dress nicely, just shy of an actual suit). Once there, follow these rules, in this order of importance:

1. Smile and be very friendly. They want outgoing people.
2. Do not let the group interview throw you off balance. They want outgoing people who can “perform” a little bit.
3. Do not worry about job (in)experience. They don't care. They want friendly people, not experienced and/or hardened people.
4. Do your best to convince them you already have a Disney attitude: you want to work with people, you're a team player, and you would consider this a dream job (however, don't overdo it on the crazy-Disney-fan side either). Strike a nice balance.
5. Did I mention the importance of a smile?

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