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July 27, 2006

Intresting Sentinel article on Disney Costumed Characters

March 04, 2007 02:45 PM EST

views: 75 | rating: 9.9/10 (7 votes) | comments: 9

There is an intresting 3 page article on the Orlando Sentinel website, I've known for years the CM's suffer in the
heat during the summer months, that the custumes are heavy, difficult to move around and see where you are going.
This article touches on all of that and more. Apparently there are CM's who have been injured while wearing the heave costumes. I found this article very intresting.

Did you know:

Performers at Walt Disney World's four Orlando theme parks reported enough injuries in 2005 to affect more than a third of the local 1,900-person work force that portrays 270 different characters, a Sentinel analysis of injury reports found.

Today Disney World employs about 1,900 character actors, about 40 percent more than just 10 years ago.

The performers earn between $7.60 and $13.65 an hour with opportunities for extra pay for certain duties, such as driving parade floats.

Disney stands alone as the largest operator of a costumed-character program, with no other entertainment company or sports-mascot firm putting as many people on stage for as many hours.

To read the full article, all 3 pages here is the link to page one:
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/custom/tourism/orl-disney0407mar04,0,4407309.story?page=1&coll=orl-home-headlines

Tags: orlando, family, disney, disney characters, walt disney world, wdw, disney world, orlando theme parks, people, travel

To Groups: disney fun and fans, Disney Pin Collectors & Traders, mickey mouse and disney anywhere

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Comments: 9

Kev B. Mar 4, 2007, 3:35pm EST

I was a "costumed character" for a local radio station and hated it. It was HOT and the kids were annoying.

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Elaine A. Mar 4, 2007, 4:00pm EST

Lisa I think for me it would be the heat, I have been to Orlando July/August the heat is 99 degrees the humidity is 99.5% it feels like it is over 100 degrees, after three hours in the park, we have to leave, crash in the room for a bit & then we go back

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Elaine A. Mar 4, 2007, 4:01pm EST

Kev, I give you credit you did it, I would have not been able to do it. I bet it was hot & the kiddies were drving ya nuts.

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Connie C. Mar 4, 2007, 8:25pm EST

They are very hot when you have to have them on

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Rach B. Apr 23, 2007, 6:11pm EDT

Friend of mine used to work as a walkaround Mickey (and Minnie and Pooh) at WDW. She said in the hottest months the rules for how long they could be "on stage" for were strict and a very limited time for the outdoors walkaround characters.

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Trish A. Jun 5, 2007, 9:17pm EDT

I've often felt sorry for the people inside the Disney suits or other characters at other theme parks. It's good to know there are rules on how long they have to be in the heat or on stage. Being under theatrical lights can be as bad as being outside in the heat.

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Heather Green Dec 14, 2007, 10:31am EST

Interesting, thanks for sharing that article :)

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Deborah C. Aug 27, 2008, 9:26pm EDT

Rach, was going to say the same thing. Read an article a while back that the time the CM's were allowed in the costumes during the summer months were very closely monitored.

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