Any Talking Characters News?

[imagineer boy]

Its been a while since there has been any news on the interactive talking characters. Are there any time frames for when they'll start making appearances in the parks?

I'm really dying to see them in action and interacting with guests. The technology is so amazing.

 

[imagineer boy]

Oh come on, someone's gotta know.

 

[sublimesting]

Oh come on, someone's gotta know.

I little Pink Floyd in your signature eh?

I was just wondering about the living characters myself. That would be so awesome!

 

[stphnbogert]

The only time I have seen the talking characters is in the afternoon parade (Dreams Come True). It freaked me out at first but i love it. i hope soon enough we'll see all new talking disney characters.

 

[SMRT-1]

they are already in the MK. they are used in the Dream Along with Mickey stage show.

 

[WDW Monorail]

I'm guessing you mean the Living Character Initiative rather than just moving mouths, right?

 

[imagineer boy]

I'm guessing you mean the Living Character Initiative rather than just moving mouths, right?

Yes, the ones that talk and interact with guests.

 

[Cmdr_Crimson]

The last Living character test was during early Spring at DL when Mickey's voice finnally came back..."magically"
[youtube]Tdt5cpzC1HA[/youtube]

 

[MarkTwain]

I won't pretend to have any inside information, but I'm betting that it'll be about 2012-2014 before the interactive characters start making regular appearances in the parks. I say 2014 because talking Mickey made its public debut earlier this year, and previous developments from the Living Character Initiative took around 4 years from public debut to permanent attraction (eg, early interactive screen tests in 2000, Turtle Talk opening in 2004). I say as early as 2012 because the talking Mickey seemed like a much more publicized and larger scale premiere than the early living screen tests, and could therefore be signs of a more completed project. Still, I'm betting permanent implementation is a few years off.

 

[disnyfan89]

I wouldn't expect the character meet and greets to start talking anytime soon. I am willing to bet the first permanent application of this technology will be in a show. The technology is just far to expensive to put in such a small scale at this time.

 

[JimboJones123]

I would rather they fold the project than have it turn out as poor as some of the Crushes that do NOT sound like Crush AT ALL.

 

[Victoria]

I would rather they fold the project than have it turn out as poor as some of the Crushes that do NOT sound like Crush AT ALL.

You mean like the one I heard last Wednesday? The guy just sounded high...not like Crush. It was so bizarre. :shrug:

 

[audiotinker]

Anyone know how it works? I love it!

 

[ABigBrassBand]

You mean like the one I heard last Wednesday? The guy just sounded high...not like Crush. It was so bizarre. :shrug:

There's a difference?

Yea, I don't like it when the Crush doesn't even sound like Crush...very frustrating :/

 

[yeti]

I would rather they fold the project than have it turn out as poor as some of the Crushes that do NOT sound like Crush AT ALL.

Doesn't crush use impersonators? I think this has an actual voice generator.

 

[terp79]

WDI has been working on and off again on new concepts for the talking characters which are a part of the living character initiative.

I know they've had 3 concepts that were proposed for the parks back in 2007, one went into play testing out in Glendale but was put on pause.

Well the three concepts are back on the plate again and being looked at.

 

[pumpkin7]

that video is AWESOME! if not a bit strange. after all, the characters have been silent for many many years. the reaction of that one mother to mickey speaking is amazing.

i didn't know about this technology until i went to WDW in august and saw it in the 'dream along with mickey' show. i thought it was about time they started adding some movement into the characters, but to actually see it, i couldn't believe it.

so, how does it work? does the person inside the costume say something and then a voice generator creates it? or is it like there's a person watching from afar who does the voice generator?

very clever, however it works!

 

[JungleTrekFan]

so, how does it work? does the person inside the costume say something and then a voice generator creates it? or is it like there's a person watching from afar who does the voice generator?

very clever, however it works!

SPOILERS!!

For the 'dream along with mickey' show: the performers playing Mickey Minnie, etc. move there middle and ring fingers on their left or right hand. The right controls the mouth, the left hand controls the eyes (or vice versa). The performer moves there middle and ring fingers closer to there palm to close the eyes/mouth.

For Crush and Laugh Floor the voices are produced by people who (are suppose to) sound like the charecter.

And for the newest Mickey, to my knowledge, the performer uses a mic that transforms what ever they says into a mickey voice. The mouth is also controlled by what the performer says. It is able recognizes words and opens and closes the mouth accordingly

 

[WesternRiverExplorer]

I wouldn't expect the character meet and greets to start talking anytime soon. I am willing to bet the first permanent application of this technology will be in a show. The technology is just far to expensive to put in such a small scale at this time.

It would make no sense to use the voice manipulation tech in a show, where they can just use a character voice track like they've done for years (that's exactly what they do for Dream Along). This tech is new and seems specifically designed for real time interactions in meet and greets. Anything else and the tech would be superfluous and wasted.

 

[sponono88]

The last time we saw Talking Mickey was at the World of Color premiere in DCA:

[youtube]HUPB1ddpfs8[/youtube]