Although being a Disney character performer sounds magical, doing the job is not always as you may think. Former character actor Melanie discusses her stint at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World, sharing the obstacles she faced in her job.
Wanting to Belong
She explains that it took her 13 auditions to be cast as Drizella Tremaine, one of the stepsisters in Cinderella. She believed the cast was concerned about putting her in the film because of her appearance. It wasn’t unfounded, since Disney is strict about the bodies and weight of their figurines.
According to Melanie, the high number of see-through fabrics in Ariel’s Grotto meant that things looked “worse and darker” in silhouette. Those who were too overweight would be put on a short ban until they reduced their weight.
Player height and body shape were heavily enforced, as some characters could not be played if someone’s shoulders were the wrong shape. She claims her shoulders prevented her from acting as Pluto in the movie.
Work shifts that aren’t regular and very low pay
As Melanie was only seasonal, she had a job with very flexible and low-paying schedules. Working six days, she was paid just a little more than what the minimum wage was and she didn’t have any benefits. There were times she wasn’t given work, leaving her to hope friends or others offered her shifts or she pretended to get ill just to earn some money.
It Wasn’t All Perfect: Melanie hoped changing jobs would help her schedule, though she wound up with hours that didn’t fit each week and not very much to earn.
Favoritism: She realized that casting directors tended to prefer some actors over others which led to cast members becoming suspicious of one another.
A Confirmation of Reality
Melanie loved welcoming guests, though she realized “Disney magic” was too good for just paying the bills. Still, the epidemic convinced her to part ways with Disney, so she likely wouldn’t return because of what happened.
She thought she wasn’t appreciated for her hard work and because she was paid very little and her hours fluctuated, she often struggled to meet her needs.
Melanie’s experience motivates us to do something. It brings attention to the fact that behind the lovely scenes at Disney are people who go through real issues. We should take time to notice and appreciate how hard these people work.
