Disney Park Characters...with heads off???

I was doing some research on a management training program at Disney from years ago and I ran across a blog that had a picture of a bunch of Disney park character with their heads off!

I know these guys are part of an old management training program but I've never seen a photo like this surface online!

Has anyone else seen photos of the characters with their heads off floating around online???

The photo is from here:

http://www.drawn2gether.com/blog/2008/03/31/disney-way-1-orientation-2/

CREEPY!!!!!

Well...poohs kinda cute...

I find it odd a woman is playing pluto since that character is kinda tall!

The majority seem to like facial hair, coincidence or conspiracy?

I wonder if the video clip of Mickey's head blowing off in The Living Seas is somewhere out there?

That's strange. I was expecting college-age folks but they all are older... weird. I wonder what kind of pay and benefit they are getting.

When i saw the title of the thread, i imagined some creepy Halloween prank

My dad works with someone who used to be a character when she worked at Disney.

What they do is they assign the character to the size of the person. If the person is larger, they would play many of the characters on the top row. And the smaller would be many of the characters on the bottom row.

And each one plays multiple character. For example, I beat no one else on earth got Rogger Rabbits, Chip and Dales, Minnie, and Mickey Mouse, all within one minute and in the middle of Brussels.

This is really interesting. Thanks for sharing this.

--James

That's strange. I was expecting college-age folks but they all are older... weird. I wonder what kind of pay and benefit they are getting.

Did you read my post? They are part of a MANAGEMENT TRAINING CLASS.

Yes, they are older people who were hired into a management position, but put into the suits at Disneyland to get that "Disney Experience" as part of their training.

--Robb "Hate it when people just look at the picture and don't bother to READ." Alvey

Oh Robb, reading is waaaay overated.

^So true Yeah.....no offence to anyone but they sort of look like creepers. (pedafiles)

This is a horrible thread! It must be locked stat!

Meh, I don't see the problem. Disney just wants to value the magic and I can understand that but photos will be taken and posted and they have to do their best to take them down. I just think it's odd that some value the magic a bit too much...as if it were more important than safety. Maybe it's just the fact that I work for Disney, but I don't think the few photos that do surface do any harm to the Disney magic.

Maybe I should have added a

That wasn't really in response to you, Dane. Just my general opinion. I just remember going through Traditions training thinking Disney management was a bit off their rocker.

I just think they take it a bit too far sometimes, but understand that the Disney magic is still important...just not THAT important.

I don't know if I'm just punch-drunk, but I swore I could have seen a video of characters with their heads off. It was a while ago on Youtube. Can't find anything on it though.

^There were some terrible videos of the characters at Disneyland Paris doing some pretty bad stuff!!! Perhaps that's what you're thinking of.

As for the Disney Magic, I agree in part with TheBannedKid. I'll always remember on the Disney Cruise Line asking a cast member if Chip and Dale would be at a particular character meet and greet. She told me "Well, we never know who will show up, but Mickey is our special guest on this cruise so he'll be at every meeting". I said to her "look, I'm 19, please just tell me what characters will be at the 2pm meet". She says "Well, I do know that Chip and Dale like Nuts, so they'll probably be on Castaway Key collecting Coconuts!". At this point I went and got my mother who also could not get out of this woman who would be at the meet and greet!

I'm all for the Disney Magic and keeping the illusion real for children, but for adults, come on, we know what's what!

I find it a little weird that this is posted on the internet because when I worked at Canada's Wonderland, we were specifically not allowed to take pictures or videos of character costumes behind the scenes or with the heads off, in case children happened across it on the internet or on youtube, or if a former employee (or anyone who found the picture) for some reason put it where children could see. And that was just Wonderland. I can only imagine how much crazier they must be about stuff like that at Disney.

^There were some terrible videos of the characters at Disneyland Paris doing some pretty bad stuff!!! Perhaps that's what you're thinking of.

 

As for the Disney Magic, I agree in part with TheBannedKid. I'll always remember on the Disney Cruise Line asking a cast member if Chip and Dale would be at a particular character meet and greet. She told me "Well, we never know who will show up, but Mickey is our special guest on this cruise so he'll be at every meeting". I said to her "look, I'm 19, please just tell me what characters will be at the 2pm meet". She says "Well, I do know that Chip and Dale like Nuts, so they'll probably be on Castaway Key collecting Coconuts!". At this point I went and got my mother who also could not get out of this woman who would be at the meet and greet!

 

I'm all for the Disney Magic and keeping the illusion real for children, but for adults, come on, we know what's what!

Thats racist of her to think that chipmunks like ALL nuts, even coconuts!!

When Mickey comes out and hands you your ID they pretended it was the one and only Mickey...psh, idiots. It's just one of your cast members in a character suit! .....the Disney magic is still important...just not THAT important.

Honestly, TJ, this is what is WRONG with most of the people working at the US Disney parks lately. The "Magic" is the single most important asset to Disney. It's what they sell. Underneath every theme park, movie, TV show, etc, if Disney wasn't experts at creating magic, they wouldn't be where they are today. They wouldn't be the #1 theme park in the world in multiple countries.

Not even people that work there seem to appreciate the "magic" that goes into the creating the park and the "show" anymore.

And what you describe translates into piss-poor Disney employees who keep looking at their cell phone to check the time because they can't wait to clock out.

After visiting the two Asia Disney parks back to back and then going to the US parks, it's clear in many ways the US parks have "lost" that magic and the attitude towards that magic that you display in your post just confirms my belief.

When I went through my Disney management class I *loved* being friends with the characters and it was personally the highlight for me. If anything that taught me the most about the "magic." You were taught what went into creating the magic and then you yourself were invited to come "step into" that magic and see what it was like interacting with people who believe one on one. Perhaps that's something that every Disney employee should be required to do.

The reason why the magic works is that they never break it, even to each other...and you gotta respect that. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a Six Flags or Cedar Fair employee "break" character or someone discussing things on stage that they shouldn't. And those are the kinds of things that set Disney apart.

And yeah, Elissa, you remember your experience when you were 19, but that's just it...YOU REMEMBER IT! Had they just told you, I doubt you would be mentioning it today. But it's because they kept character and kept within the mythology of what Disney has set up which makes it work.

It doesn't matter if your 6 years old, 19 years old or closing in one 100.

--Robb "Disney Trained" Alvey

^No I totally understand! That's why I say I only 'partially' agree with TJ. It's that crazy magic and not breaking character that's amazing...even though it can be frustrating for adults sometimes!

^ I think it's more frustrating as adults as guests as "we know" the truth and we just try to get information, but still I can appreciate them for staying in character no matter how much a guest is trying to get information out of them. Trust me, it's a HARD thing to do!

But when an employee is referring to the magic as "idiots", IMO that person should be working for Cedar Fair.

Sorry, TJ....

--Robb

I totally agree with you Robb, and feel that many of the cast that I work with don't even consider the Disney magic to begin with...and I regret that. If we would consider focusing less on our operations and put that effort into the thematic and magic elements of each attraction then it would do us a world of good.

I can understand how when being Disney trained they must treat you like a guest and show an example of what cast members should do. Therefore you are more likely to take their lead once you start working. It helps mesh how employees interact with each other and with the guests, making it that much more natural to value the magic while working.

But, and maybe this is just my experience, some of the TDA cast that trained me were not able to distinct cast member from guests. While being trained I felt like a guest, which as I pointed out is a good thing, but i found it went too far when they could not acknowledge me as a cast member until I started operations training.

Maybe I have a problem with the Disney double standards. I entered the company expected to value the magic but I quickly was trained to focus on operations. Now I'm so used to operations that maybe it's awkward to see some cast going "too far" with the magic.

I don't know, I definitely agree that we need more magic at the parks. But I don't think interactions between two employees, or even myself and a coaster enthusiast / TPR member needs to follow the same magic value guidelines as with a guest. I don't need to pretend on TPR like I would at work, IMO.

When Mickey comes out and hands you your ID they pretended it was the one and only Mickey...psh, idiots. It's just one of your cast members in a character suit! .....the Disney magic is still important...just not THAT important.

Honestly, TJ, this is what is WRONG with most of the people working at the US Disney parks lately. The "Magic" is the single most important asset to Disney. It's what they sell. Underneath every theme park, movie, TV show, etc, if Disney wasn't experts at creating magic, they wouldn't be where they are today. They wouldn't be the #1 theme park in the world in multiple countries.

 

Not even people that work there seem to appreciate the "magic" that goes into the creating the park and the "show" anymore.

 

And what you describe translates into piss-poor Disney employees who keep looking at their cell phone to check the time because they can't wait to clock out.

 

After visiting the two Asia Disney parks back to back and then going to the US parks, it's clear in many ways the US parks have "lost" that magic and the attitude towards that magic that you display in your post just confirms my belief.

 

When I went through my Disney management class I *loved* being friends with the characters and it was personally the highlight for me. If anything that taught me the most about the "magic." You were taught what went into creating the magic and then you yourself were invited to come "step into" that magic and see what it was like interacting with people who believe one on one. Perhaps that's something that every Disney employee should be required to do.

 

The reason why the magic works is that they never break it, even to each other...and you gotta respect that. I can't tell you how many times I've seen a Six Flags or Cedar Fair employee "break" character or someone discussing things on stage that they shouldn't. And those are the kinds of things that set Disney apart.

 

--Robb "Disney Trained" Alvey

Excellent post. I'm saying that for several important reasons. For starters, it's undeniable that Robb has seen just about every type of amusement facility the world has to offer. Secondly, Robb is always honest in his descriptions, depictions, and critiques of the places he visits.

Finally, for someone with such a warped and cutting sense of humor, it's a great acknowledgement of the dedication that's made Disney what is is today. In other words, he still "gets" it, as many Disney fans do.

Sure, the world has changed a bit since uncle Walt started the show. Kids, and many adults for that matter simply don't appreciate what it means to put on a good show. Irreverence runs wild through so many lines of work in so many different types of companies, that's sadly, it's commonplace to expect to be treated like crap no matter who you're dealing with anymore.

But when I visit Disney, it's nice to know I can still expect a level of professionalism unseen anywhere else in the working sector. Of course there are exceptions, but they are rare on Disney property. Many laugh at the notion of the "Nazi-like" atmosphere of backstage Disney, but I think most of those same people just don't know what it means to buy into something with all your heart.

When you apply at Disney, you should know what you're getting into. If you're not there to sell out to an ideal and put selfishness aside, then don't bother. It's things like staying in character, not whoring your exploits out on YouTube, and smiling EVERYDAY while on the clock no matter how ignorant that guest's mundane question is. That's what showmanship is all about, and that's why Disney has always been the leader in that department.

Seeing headless character images doesn't make me have a skewed view of Disney, but it does tarnish the efforts of those who have worked hard for decades to put together an excellent cast member training program in order to keep "the magic."

I'll give you a couple analogies of what I mean here. For those not completely "impressed" with the concept of Disney "magic," I ask you this. If you were an employee at Coca-Cola, would you post the original formula on your blog one day? How about the Colonel's "Secret Recipe?" Think you'd have a job the next day....or even the respect and trust of your peers anymore?

It's really no different with Disney "magic." You're asked to buy into something wholeheartedly, protect it and adhere to it through EVERYTHING. To me, in this day in age, that means no backstage photos online, and no YouTube stupidity while representing your company. I realize the example Robb posted wasn't maliciously posted or anything, but is avoiding little stuff like this really too much to ask?

[/end rant]

For those interested, let me suggest a fantastic read about the beginnings of the Disney cast member training program:

http://www.amazon.com/Window-Main-Street-Happiness-Disneyland/dp/0941613178/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1225744306&sr=8-1

Honestly, TJ, this is what is WRONG with most of the people working at the US Disney parks lately. The "Magic" is the single most important asset to Disney. It's what they sell. Underneath every theme park, movie, TV show, etc, if Disney wasn't experts at creating magic, they wouldn't be where they are today. They wouldn't be the #1 theme park in the world in multiple countries.

I really wish I could afford to go to Disney Sea, or Tokyo Disney, etc. I've been so uninspired the last couple of visits to the WDW, that it kind of stings.

Granted, I'm working off of a lot of childhood memories, which are always rose colored. I've always been into observing everything, even as a little kid, and I've got a pretty good recollection of my trips as a youngster. There's definitely been a swing away from the "magic" aspect. I get the feeling that 99% of CM's are there to do a job, not be an "ambassador" of Disney magic. I think it's a complete role reversal over the past decade, where it was 99% went above and beyond, and 1% thought it was just a job. Maybe it's the training, maybe it's the attitude of the people they're employing.

I will say, that even on this past trip, I did see some "magic". While I was running around taking night photos of Epcot pavilions, a security gaurd saw me, and approached ME, and asked if I wanted closer shots. That's something you'll never get at any other park. So kudos to her. She certainly "gets it."

Robb has seen just about every type of amusement facility the world has to offer. Secondly, Robb is always honest in his descriptions, depictions, and critiques of the places he visits.

Not to mention that I have worked for Disney on and off for about 11 out of the past 20 years in both lower level park positions and higher level studio management positions. Trust me I've seen both sides of the Disney coin!

I don't know, I definitely agree that we need more magic at the parks. But I don't think interactions between two employees, or even myself and a coaster enthusiast / TPR member needs to follow the same magic value guidelines as with a guest. I don't need to pretend on TPR like I would at work, IMO.

You make valid points, but I disagree with most of them. There's a difference between being two employees on break in a break room or in an area where guests cannot see you and how the TDA cast trains employees and how they respect the values that they are trying to share with new Disney cast members.

I went through Disney "brainwashing" twice. Once at the park level and once at the corporate level. Both were very different experiences but both had a similar theme. You spend a good deal of time learning about the Disney "magic" and how important it is to the company.

Those people presenting this should never EVER break character. The moment they do, it sends the message that it's not quite as important as they are trying to lead you to believe. If they buy into it, they hope you will buy into it.

Once you get to your location, be it your ride or your office, sure there is going to be typical "job stuff" that you need to focus on, but the point of going through Disney U or Disney Way One (which is what it was called when I did it) was to remind you that you now work for Disney...which is almost the entertainment equivalent of the Army. You have standards and expectations to uphold.

And I'll be honest, it resonates with some people and not with others. While I don't expect you to "pretend" on TPR I would expect, being that you are a Disney employee, that you would have a better understanding and relate to their training. I mean, I haven't worked for Disney directly in about 8 or 9 years now and I'm STILL buying into the philosophy and happy to hear that the TDA staff still treat the property with respect and take what is stands for very seriously.

I can only go by what I read in your posts, but the attitude I read in your responses remind me of people we used to have to "let go" because they just couldn't relate or respect that Disney philosophy.

--Robb "It's not like you were trained at your location by Mickey Mouse." Alvey