Are Female masked- Characters all female and visa versa?

[Sweetie]

I was thinking the same thing as PragmaticIdealist. If somebody blew the whistle on that tour guide, couldn't they get in trouble for that? What's the point of the official "these ARE the characters" line if the tour guide is gonna talk like that? I think it would be way more fun for them to completely act is if they don't know what you're talking about if you mention people inside the costumes and such!

I have taken a handful of backstage tours and information like this is often part of the tour. One such tour (Keys to the Kingdom at WDW) took us to an area where we got to see some of the wigs that characters like Cinderella wear. We also saw a couple characters in the utilidors (backstage) without their heads on and a Chip costume that was not being used.

So, there is nothing to "blow the whistle" at. These tours are for guests 16 and up and are designed to show inner workings of the park.

BTW: the characters we saw that were headless were Eyeore and Tigger. When they saw us they (intentionally) put one EACH OTHER'S head. Then they put on a little show for us.

[BetterThanThis]

You people are funny. I don't know how you people get your information but a majority of the stuff in this thread is wrong.

As a courtesy, it would be nicer for you to provide answers rather than merely pointing the finger and saying people are wrong. This type of action is akin to that of someone who only points out problems without ever providing any solutions.

I don't know if you intended to do this. If you have "more correct" information than the previous CM's that have posted, please let us know! Someone had a legitimate question they were wondering about by posting this thread so I'm sure if you know the answers that the original poster would like to know them!

[mrcoaster]

As already mentioned, you often find males in female character costumes and vice versa. There's definitely height limitations for certain characters, then you can worry about the ability to move and react in that character's usual way.

The thing that always used to amuse me was seeing some of the women playing Cinderella, Snow White, Alice, etc. at the Cast Member cafeterias. Seeing Snow White sitting across a booth seat with her leg up on the bench and her dress half-hiked up her leg smoking a cigarette, well it just gives you a whole new perspectives on the alternate lives these characters might be leading.

[RobotMirror]

I'll just post this and be quiet.

[ryborg]

I knew a girl who was Mickey Mouse.

Also, check this out -- see exhibit "C." -- Good for a laugh.
http://www.cataroo.com/080_04.html

C - "Robin Hood Sex Change Evident!" Here is the only photo taken in the Park. Despite the sex of the character, the performer's sex may not always match.

--- Edit ---
Doh! Frogberto beat me to it.

[Lost Boy]

The face characters don't always, in real life, resemble the character they are playing. I freind once applied for a face character. In real life she was a dead ringer for Alice. Long blonde hair, the right shaped face and very perky and happy. They wanted her do do Snow White if makeup and wig. She opted not to. So wigs and makeup and costuems can also make a big difference in selecting face characters. The voice is also important. My friend did not have a Snow White voice, but she did have an Alice type voice. They also put her in a Roger Rabbit costume to see how she could handle that. She was about 5'1" and the Roger Costume was for someone in the 5"8" to 10" range and it just wasn't right at all. She couldn't see and could hardly walk.

[Disney Magic]

Wow I can't believe how surprised many of you are about this. Maybe the face characters at DL are usualy the proper gender, but many times at WDW I have seen male as females and females as males. This is hardly news reguarding the non-face characters. There was a photo floating around MC not too long ago showing an obvious male playing Alice. How many times has Peter Pan been played by a female at both WDW and DL? I was shocked the first time I saw him played by a him.

Yeah, Sweetie posted it before I got a chance to but he is absolutely correct WDW does offer certain tours which do contain "spoilers". But these are optional tours for those who want to see the operational side of the parks and many of these tours are more expensive than admission to the parks.

[Capt Hook]

I remember last year I was weighting to see Fantasmic and this guy that was next to me was talking about it that he is always there to see Fan on sat. because he works there. So I ask him what he does and he told me that he plays Stitch over at DCA. But when it gets ready to close he gets to come over to Disneyland and and do Stitch for Fantasmic at the end. The day we talk was his day off. And the way this guy look I would say he was about 17 maybe 18 years old. And he did show me a picture of him with the Stitch outfit without the head. This is the frist time that I have let anyone know about this.

[NavyCopSB]

As a courtesy, it would be nicer for you to provide answers rather than merely pointing the finger and saying people are wrong. This type of action is akin to that of someone who only points out problems without ever providing any solutions.

I don't know if you intended to do this. If you have "more correct" information than the previous CM's that have posted, please let us know! Someone had a legitimate question they were wondering about by posting this thread so I'm sure if you know the answers that the original poster would like to know them!

I prefer to preserve the magic... not spoil it. I would answer character questions in PM vice open forums.

[RobotMirror]

I...he did show me a picture of him with the Stitch outfit without the head. This is the frist time that I have let anyone know about this.

Thank you -- for confessing this to us first.

[nish221]

The face characters don't always, in real life, resemble the character they are playing. I freind once applied for a face character. In real life she was a dead ringer for Alice. Long blonde hair, the right shaped face and very perky and happy. They wanted her do do Snow White if makeup and wig. She opted not to. So wigs and makeup and costuems can also make a big difference in selecting face characters. The voice is also important. My friend did not have a Snow White voice, but she did have an Alice type voice. They also put her in a Roger Rabbit costume to see how she could handle that. She was about 5'1" and the Roger Costume was for someone in the 5"8" to 10" range and it just wasn't right at all. She couldn't see and could hardly walk.

Well, true, but many of the them do. For example, I've seen several
Ariels and Snow Whites that were very, very close to what was depicted in the
movies. And recently, I think they've been pretty close at DL (kudos to casting
here).

However, from personal experience and pictures, many of the face characters
in WDW I've seen only bear a slight resemblence and some are really far off.

A slight change: Why would Alice be played by a male? "She's" a face character and a short one at that. I would think that it'll be pretty hard to find a male that can qualify. Peter Pan has traditionally been a female part again mainly for the size at least in the theater. The mask character I've seen CMs of both genders, but again it's the size that is the first consideration, then acting & personality. My friend was Goofy back in late 70s. He was 6' 2", was a comic and could play "clumsy"
really well.

[BetterThanThis]

I prefer to preserve the magic... not spoil it. I would answer character questions in PM vice open forums.

That's awesome of you to be open for questions from folks and to preserve magic.

[Capt Hook]

First of all please for give me what I'm about to say. But to me every time I see someone playing as Alice the girl or lady is really ugly. Why can't they fine pretty girls to play Alice. I've seen pretty girls play Wendy and Snow White and Ariel [my love heehee] but why not Alice. I have never got a picture of Alice because she is always ugly to me.

P.S. To Frogberto. Did I do something wrong on saying that. I'm a little confuse on your answer to what I said?

[RobotMirror]

...P.S. To Frogberto. Did I do something wrong on saying that. I'm a little confuse on your answer to what I said?

Your love is Ariel? And you think Alice is ugly?

Regarding your comment, I was just joking. I think it's great that you had never told anyone that "secret", and then decided to let us in on what you had been told long ago. You definitely didn't do anything wrong.

I think I'm having a touch of deja vu, though. I might go lie down.

[BetterThanThis]

Your love is Ariel? And you think Alice is ugly?