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DJ_MENTOS
07-24-2003, 07:13 PM
I am very tempted to audition to be a character. However I have a couple of questions:
1. How much do characters get paid an hour?
2. Does the job provide benefits? (ie medical, dental etc.)
3. What is the schedule like? Are you guaranteed a certain number of hours?

Thanks in advance

Toonfinder
08-05-2003, 12:47 PM
1) not enough if you asked me. I think average starting is around $9 or $10 an hour.

2) Benefits only come after getting full status... and that can take quite a while depending on the need for full-timers.

3) As a new hire into Zoo Crew, you'd be given the worst possible schedule possible. Sorry to say it but seniority rules in that department. Most of the full-time folks have "blocks" and then everything else is filled in with the CT's and CR's...
And no, not guaranteed any number of hours until you become a full-timer.

Cadaverous Pallor
08-06-2003, 09:09 AM
Ouch!

To think that the shiny, happy costumed characters that work miracles interacting with kids could be so kicked around....

Does the above info include face characters such as the Princesses? Or are they a different case, since they need extra training and such?

watkinz
08-06-2003, 11:02 AM
I worked as a character in 1997 and the pay was decent at the time. (Slightly better than fast food.)

My major gripe (and the whole reason I left :( ) was scheduling .

Peak seasons were great! I got all kinds of hours! (Hotel, Pooh location in front of CBJ, Grad Nites) I had a couple steady shifts but then once the off season hit, they gave shifts to those w/ seniority and on top of that: they hired a whole new group of people who were also competing for shifts. :rolleyes: At first I thought maybe there was something wrong with my performance, but my leads assured me that this was not the case, and they said to just 'hang in there'.

However when I DID get hours, it was the most fun I've ever had in a job. In fact, it didn't really seem like much of a job at all! I hung in there as long as I could, but eventually I had to bring in more money, and this job was definitely not the most practical solution.

As far as benefits, I didn't have any when I was there, and I'm not sure how it works for characters. Sorry I can't be more helpful on that.

If you audition, here's a couple things to keep in mind:

1) Be as animated as you can (without being a complete spaz ).:fez:

2) Patience is key. They will most likely look at your reactions to annoying guests, and other situations that calls for you to really remain disciplined and continue to deliver 'the magic'.

3) Keep improv skills sharp. You'll be amazed at some of the situations a character gets thrown into and it really calls for you to be on your toes!



Well, thanks for the trip down memory lane. Hope this info helps! Good luck!

:)

-watkinz

oohykitten
08-06-2003, 12:02 PM
well the CBj line kinda told me, however what "helper to ....." were you? Also did you get one charater or were you multiple ones? One last thing, I was at the park on a hot day, and this lady was walking in an all black spandex outfit... I thought she might have been a rubber head, was I more then liekly correct?

PhilMP
08-06-2003, 11:24 PM
Where'd you see the lady in the spandex??? They're usually hanging out at a character breakroom...not really allowed to see a character without a costume in Guest view.

As for hours. This isn't firsthand information, and it was from a while ago, but one of my friends in Entertainment said that they were able to get as much work as they wanted in the offseason, no matter how much seniority you had. All he had to do was call Scheduling and pick up a shift.

9oldmen
08-06-2003, 11:44 PM
One major factor in getting hours/seniority is something that is difficult for you to control, and that is your height range. If you are medium sized (5'5''-5'9"), it is going to be difficult to get hours, as opposed to if you are taller or shorter. This will also be a factor in your getting hired.

oohykitten
08-06-2003, 11:44 PM
It was about 30 mins. before the parade started, she had on a short coat, however in the 80 plus degree weather a short woman walking in top to bottom black spandex and a coat really got my eye.

hbquikcomjamesl
08-07-2003, 09:50 AM
1) not enough if you asked me. I think average starting is around $9 or $10 an hour.Hmm. I've "assisted in the portrayal of " a character for quite a bit less than that.

Like about $5.75 an hour.

Back when I worked for the late lamented Costa Mesa Ice Chalet, back when it was still under the same ownership as Ice Capades, we used to get the used character suits from the shows division. During my tour of duty, the character suit was Smurfette. At the time, I was doing the typesetting on the monthly event calendar, and I got tired of seeing visits from Smurfette put on the schedule (because Corporate wanted them there), then cancelled at the last minute (because nobody was willing to climb into the suit, lace up a pair of skates, and make the appearance). So I finally volunteered to do it myself.

It was a real drag (pun intended), but somebody had to do it.

For the first four or five appearances, I could barely do fifteen minutes, even in an ice rink, without collapsing into a sweaty heap. Later, though, for the final two or three appearances, after I'd fitted the headpiece with battery-operated fans in the cheeks, I could do an hour in the suit with no ill effects.

Toonfinder
08-09-2003, 08:03 AM
Originally posted by Cadaverous Pallor
Does the above info include face characters such as the Princesses? Or are they a different case, since they need extra training and such?

As shocking as this may sound... face characters actually get paid more. I realize there is more interaction with Guests in this capacity but come on... equal work = equal pay. A character is a character no matter whether it be a fuzzy or a face...
As for scheduling for face characters... unless you're approved as one of the 6 princesses, good luck getting anything else.

The big problem I've been seeing and hearing about is that people audition and list that they have no restrictions for work schedules... and then all of a sudden they get hired in and approved for a certain character(s) and now they have all these various shifts that they can't work because of one reason or another.
Folks, if you are serious about auditioning for a DLR character (or even at WDW for that matter), don't say one thing at the beginning and change it later on... you will find a quick exit from the Disney Company that way. And it's a pain in the arse to find someone at the last minute to cover your shift... trust me...

Cadaverous Pallor
08-09-2003, 11:02 AM
Originally posted by Toonfinder
As shocking as this may sound... face characters actually get paid more. I realize there is more interaction with Guests in this capacity but come on... equal work = equal pay. Hmm, I don't think this is surprising in the least. They aren't doing equal work - they need to learn to speak to the guests. "Mickey" doesn't have to learn lines, or improv what to say. He could be frowning all day and it makes no difference. "Alice" has to stay in character at all times, acting with her face, accent, remembering lines, improvising, remembering a child's name once they say it....I am glad to hear that they are paid for the "homework" they need to do. I am always impressed with the demands placed on these actors. Playing Mickey is a very different job.

cutelittleartist
08-10-2003, 10:14 PM
The pay for fuzzies as they are called is quite horrible. Just a little more then minimum wage. Where as face characters get paid at least 18 dollars an hour. Hey, but if you work @ Disneyland for about 5 years you may reach the 10 dollar an hour mark!!!

Face characters are union, fuzzies are not. (Parade characters are union)

I remember one summer some of us wanted to strike because we had found out Disneyland makes about 500k off of autograph books alone. Of course we were told that the autograph books would still sell even if the characters did not sign them. And striking would be out of the question because characters are not protected by a union so Disney could fire those who chose to strike and hire new people.

I did have a lot of fun as a character. Made some friends. But know this, if you do land a job as a fuzzy, realize you may have life long back and neck problems. I haven't been a character since 98 and I still have lower back probs. The Disney doctors did not help me much and knowing what I know now. I would have pushed for better treatment.

ChipmunkStar
08-10-2003, 11:01 PM
Ummmm, characters start off a few dollars more than minimum wage. While it is a few dollars more than minimum wage, think of all the rewards.

How many people can honestly go home feeling the joy of having made somebody's trip by simply giving them a hug? Or see the joy and amazement in a child's face when they meet Minnie Mouse for the first time?

You're not going to get rich off the job, that's for sure, but the emotional rewards can be endless if you look at the cup the right way.

Trust me.

cutelittleartist
08-11-2003, 09:38 PM
Unfortunately Disney sometimes likes to take advantage of those who will only look at the bright side. I was once like that and I put up with a lot of b.s.

I'm just being real here. And when I started at Disneyland I was only offered 2 more dollars above minimum wage. If things have changed great. Maybe some of the higher ups are realizing all the hard work a person puts into being a character. How important it is to make kids young and old happyand their visit memorable.

Toonfinder
08-15-2003, 07:34 AM
not to argue cutelittleartist, but my understanding was that none of the Zoo Crew was union.
AGVAH (or whatever the spelling of that group) and Parades are... but meet-n-greets are not, no matter whether a fuzzy or a face.

But I know several people who have left the department for one reason or another... typically because they got mis-treated by management for horrid pay. These were characters who did their job and did it very well... but after so many years they grew tired of getting "Pooh"ed upon. They're still within the company, but not doing what they used to do when I first met them.

cutelittleartist
08-15-2003, 09:43 AM
Zoo crew is not union. However, are the characters who perform in certain shows union. Or do they get paid show rate. I've forgotten.

Loki
08-15-2003, 04:39 PM
Well first, take a look at Crappygovernment.com and second,
If you dont mind being disabled the rest of your life re-think the character thing... Really..

Hawkeye Jenny
08-16-2003, 12:23 PM
So what happens in the auditions..? My sister plays Chucky at Chucky E Cheese's and is thinking 'bout going to disney for similar work.

Loki
08-16-2003, 05:48 PM
Ok, You will get treated a little better at D-land. but not by much. Being a character at the park i would imagine would be alot diffrent then being chucky. Comming from an undisclosed background, here is some advice for all those who want to be characters. Finish school and get an education, and get a career.