Hot dog, hot dog, hot diggity dog. In what now feels like a former life, I came from a land of warm hugs and hiya pals. Yup, at one point in time, I spent hours of my life hugging strangers, signing books, dancing on the castle stage, and smiling for pictures when literally no one could see my face. It was seriously the most out-of-body (literally) and mind-blowing job I’ve ever had but it was no walk in the park.

As a performer, I encountered quite a few not-so-pleasant experiences that could have been avoided if people just knew a few helpful tips when interacting with a character in Disney World. I also experienced some of the most memorable interactions, and I’d love to share how you can help make those happen for yourself and that performer you’re interacting with!

It takes a lot to become a performer in Disney World. Entertainment Cast Members go through auditions and extensive training, and we keep up our skills with workshops and workouts. But, that’s what it takes. When it comes to character interactions and shows, you can’t fall short of the magic that Disney World guests expect. Speaking of that magic, there are quite a few rules that performers have to follow in the park. So as much as Mickey would probably love to hold your cutie pie baby — it’s just not gonna happen. Safety is the most important key for Cast Members, so most of the time when you’re told no when interacting with a character or performer, that’s why!

Now, let’s get down to business and talk about the 7 things I need you to know when interacting with a character in Disney World!

We speak our own language.

In a way, performers speak their own language. There are a few cues that we internally know for safety reasons. For example, have you ever been watching the castle show when all of a sudden the cast runs off? This is because a light on the stage has told them to do so. It could be for technical issues, weather, etc.

Another thing that may happen is a character leaving when you’re next in line to meet them or even cutting your interaction short. During this, you may see the character motion a sign to their character attendant. There is a universal help sign for characters to signal if they need to leave a set early for whatever reason.

We cannot be a part of your engagement.

As much as we’d love to help you with your most special moments, we’re actually trained not to. (Yes, it does happen sometimes but it’s really not supposed to). For example, there was a time when I was perorming and a character attendant gave me a warning that someone was going to propose.

I was told to high tail it out of the shot before the person popped the question. Don’t worry though! We will still cheer from the side lines and congratulate you after the big moment has passed! We can take pictures with you after you’ve popped the question. But for that actual drop down on the knee moment, we really try to get out of the way.

You will have the best interaction if you engage/banter a bit.

Looking for the best character interaction? Strike up a conversation! When meeting Alice, ask her if she is a weed. I promise, she will have something to say about that! Meeting Mickey? Ask if he wants to do the hot dog dance! Sprinkling in little moments like this will really ensure that you have a memorable time with the characters.

Often times characters will try to start these conversations/interactions and those meeting the characters try to rush photos or autographs and the special parts about meeting that character are missed. So slow down and really interact with the character you’re meeting. I promise it will be more memorable that way!

Open that marker and flip to the page you want the character to sign.

If you’re deciding what marker to bring, please bring the thicker one. It makes it so much easier for characters to sign. Some characters don’t have all of their fingers and some have none at all. So, having a thicker marker just makes a world of a difference when it comes to signing autograph books!

Also, flip to the page you want the character to sign before it’s your turn to meet them. This saves so much time and will help the line move along more quickly. It will also help the character so they don’t accidentally sign on a page that was already autographed or on a page that you were saving for someone else.

No, there are not air conditioners in there. Please stop asking.

I’m saying this one louder for the people in the back. NO. There are not air conditioners in character costumes. Please stop asking and looking for one. The reason we hate this question so much is because it’s a huge way to ruin the magic for the little ones around you.

Vision is limited. So you may have to point something out more than once.

Seeing can be really difficult for performers. Each costume comes with a different range of vision and it’s own set of challenges. So, if you are trying to show a character something really cool on your shirt or if you wrote the character a note, you may have to point it out more than once.

We can see, it just might take a second for us to realize what it is that you are trying to show us! And if you see us bump into a chair during character dining (No, you didn’t). 😉

Please keep our feet on the ground.

My very first day as a performer, a man picked me up off the ground and held me in the air for about 30 seconds. Not only was this extremely uncomfortable, it’s also a major safety issue! I know people can be very excited to meet characters and performers, but please please remember that we are people and should be treated like so. Respect our boundaries and don’t cross lines that you wouldn’t cross with someone you’ve just met.

Hopefully you learned a few new things about the life of a performer in Disney World. It is seriously the most rewarding job in the world as we get to create memories that can last a lifetime. If you love learning more about the Disney World parks, attractions, and Cast Members, make sure to follow along here at DFB so that you never miss a thing.

Wonder what it’s like to be a Haunted Mansion Cast Member? Go inside the mansion with Kayleigh here! 

What’s your dream Cast Member role? Let us know in the comments below!