The Humans in the Costumes; No Dream Come True

By Nazia Pasha

Ever wonder how Disney finds such happy people to work for them?

Have you ever thought that maybe these individuals are actually not happy, but in fact tired, over-worked and treated unkindly?

These people are humans. Just like us. They wear smiles with their costumes.

As children, when visiting either Disney theme park in the nation can feel like a dream come true—the best

vacation imaginable, with fireworks, food, characters and rides made specifically for the age group.

For a child to see their favorite characters come to life—to actually be able to interact with them—is an

experience that is simply unforgettable.

Often, in adulthood, these very children see postings from Disney, looking for summer

seasonal help. Naturally, the

memories of their travels to the park

come to mind. Instantly, this seems

like a good idea; after all, what’s better than working in the land where dreams come

true?

However, once they actually arrive and commence work, the illusion of the imagination is often stripped,

according to an article recently completed by The Huffington Post, which included several facts that were revealed in interviews with previous “cast members,” as

the Disney workers are referred to.

There seems to be an expectation that “cast members,” working in the land of dreams, should naturally be

happy and helpful. However, the interviews revealed that the cast received very little kindness in return; that being said, if a customer was kind, they would go the

extra mile to help them in any way possible.

In return, the cast members expressed a wish that these kind customers would complete a comment card, noting their altruistic gifts provided through the interaction, as it was one of the few ways to be promoted from within

Disney.

As for the actual operations and daily tasks of working

in the parks, the cast members were quite vocal.

The costumes are immeasurably hot—even hotter than they appear to

be. Because of this, character shifts were a mere thirty

minutes long, and it could be the longest thirty minutes

imaginable.

The hair of the princesses is also noted

to be false—a wig placed on the final product. Cast members also

revealed that non-face costume characters—such as Minnie and Mickey, who can’t

personally talk and interact with visitors—

often get groped by rude guests.

Most cast members are considered part-time, but work anywhere between forty five to seventy hour weeks. All pointing, particularly in the case of directions for parking, must be completed with two fingers, as it is

apparently a sign of disrespect in some cultures to point with only one.

The infamous turkey legs, adored by many tourists, are apparently made of emu, and should not be eaten at

any cost. On top of all of this, cast members do get in for free, but very rarely use the privilege, as they are

overworked and overdosed on Disney with their long workweeks.