Help Wanted for Pandora (Comedic) Ranger that is *not* in a Power Suit

[MisterPenguin]

Possible new streetmosphere for Pandora are rangers not in a power suit who roams around interacting with guests. Unlike the ones in the suits who are educative, these non-suit Rangers seemed to be more for humor and entertainment.

ping @wdwmagic

 

[crazycavy]

I believe we ran into one of these today. He asked us if we received our Pandora welcome pamphlet. We said no and he proceed to tell us, we should be ok...and to just stay on the path so we don't get eaten.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I’m guessing the ranger is guide who goes with the guy in the suit to explain the suit and to keep people back...

Honestly it’s very surprising that these are equity positions. They didn’t seem equity quality to me.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I’m guessing the ranger is guide who goes with the guy in the suit to explain the suit and to keep people back...

The only thing I've seen the guide to the stilt walker do is act as a handler the way that costume characters have handlers to reign in guests doing stupid things and to make sure the CM in the suit is safe.

This help wanted is for an interactive comedian, something completely different.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

The only thing I've seen the guide to the stilt walker do is act as a handler the way that costume characters have handlers to reign in guests doing stupid things and to make sure the CM in the suit is safe.

This help wanted is for an interactive comedian, something completely different.

I’m trying to remember if the guide that I saw had a mic or not.

 

[yensidtlaw1969]

The only thing I've seen the guide to the stilt walker do is act as a handler the way that costume characters have handlers to reign in guests doing stupid things and to make sure the CM in the suit is safe.

This help wanted is for an interactive comedian, something completely different.

I have definitely seen a mic'd guide engaging in "witty banter" with the guy in the Utility Suit on more than one occasion while in the park. I don't believe this is a new role.

 

[Disneyson]

I have definitely seen a mic'd guide engaging in "witty banter" with the guy in the Utility Suit on more than one occasion while in the park. I don't believe this is a new role.

That’s one of the Utility Suit guys taking a break on the ground while the other one is doing the suit show - it doesn’t make sense to only perform once every two hours. Gotta earn your hours somehow, so they have one of the guys walking.

This seems to be calling for more of a “guano joe” or maybe like, a Honey Lemon or Tom-Holland-in-that-pigeon-movie type, rather than the jacked guys. People that physically might not be able to manipulate the suit, perhaps allowing more women to enter the role.

I find it interesting that they’re cutting Citizens of Main Street, Hollywood, cultural acts across Epcot and AK, and other things, but they’re willing to essentially pay for an actor to consistently be out in Pandora, filling the gaps between the Suit’s breaks.

People must like the land, but want more to do when the find out they can’t Fastpass+ the rides.

 

[techgeek]

Hasn’t this ‘character’ always existed? Just in the last year I’ve run across individual ‘rangers’ without mics interacting and bantering with guests, pointing out flora and fauna... usually on some of the quieter loopy paths. Well removed from and not associated with the mech demos.

I wouldn’t say they were being played as comedic though... more like ‘slightly eccentric but earnest’... but I’m sure there’s a bit of leeway on interpretation.

 

[Disneyson]

Hasn’t this ‘character’ always existed? Just in the last year I’ve run across individual ‘rangers’ without mics interacting and bantering with guests, pointing out flora and fauna... usually on some of the quieter loopy paths. Well removed from and not associated with the mech demos.

I wouldn’t say they were being played as comedic though... more like ‘slightly eccentric but earnest’... but I’m sure there’s a bit of leeway on interpretation.

When the land first opened, they had a small team that was more like the Guest Experience Team that handed out flyers and did stuff like this, but after the first month the position was gone.

The current ‘Rangers’ are Utility Suit pilots that are on a non-suit set for whatever reason. They also don’t let it out at ALL when it rains, or when the ground is slick, so they do that instead. They're playing the same character as in the suit.

This job posting calls for someone who does not know how to use stilts.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I find it interesting that they’re cutting Citizens of Main Street, Hollywood, cultural acts across Epcot and AK, and other things, but they’re willing to essentially pay for an actor to consistently be out in Pandora, filling the gaps between the Suit’s breaks.

If we're lucky, they're cutting the drummers to fund this!

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I find it interesting that they’re cutting Citizens of Main Street, Hollywood, cultural acts across Epcot and AK, and other things, but they’re willing to essentially pay for an actor to consistently be out in Pandora, filling the gaps between the Suit’s breaks.

Do you meaning cutting sets or cutting them altogether?

 

[Disneyson]

Do you meaning cutting sets or cutting them altogether?

I was just speaking in generality - they've been cutting little things over the years that become noticeable after a while. From things like specific atmosphere characters to full shows like Muppets to less sets and less variety for Harambe's entertainment, cutting Mike from DHS... I just think it's interesting that they're taking savings from places like this to fund this.

Entertainment's budget seems not to have increased even as new lands open, so they need to make cuts in places where most people might not necessarily notice them. They've done a great job in my mind, but it doesn't make sense to me that as more lands open the budget for entertainment hasn't increased substantially.

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I was just speaking in generality - they've been cutting little things over the years that become noticeable after a while. From things like specific atmosphere characters to full shows like Muppets to less sets and less variety for Harambe's entertainment, cutting Mike from DHS... I just think it's interesting that they're taking savings from places like this to fund this.

Entertainment's budget seems not to have increased even as new lands open, so they need to make cuts in places where most people might not necessarily notice them. They've done a great job in my mind, but it doesn't make sense to me that as more lands open the budget for entertainment hasn't increased substantially.

Oh I totally agree. I was just worried you knew of more cuts. I’m sure they are coming, and I’m pretty worried about it. The live entertainment is why I visit the Disney parks so much.

 

[Disneyson]

If we're lucky, they're cutting the drummers to fund this!

I've always found the drummers bordering on cultural appropriation. Imagine if there was a show about Pocahontas without Pocahontas in it. Three white non-indigenous people that say they've been hanging out with her say that she's super cool, dress in outfits that resemble hers, and chant in broken language. We don't see the colors of the wind or Grandmother Willow, but we do hear the faint sound of animals screaming in the distance, which the performers say is a sign that we are aligned with nature. The end.

A much better show IMHO would involve puppets or simple animatronics of different docile animals in Pandora, in the style of "Pocahontas and her Forest Friends" meets "Voyage of the Little Mermaid". But that would require a purpose-built location and a stage. Or else, "The Pandora Players" use the drum stage to re-tell the ancient story of Jake and Neytiri like the Royal Theater in Disneyland.

 

[MisterPenguin]

I've always found the drummers bordering on cultural appropriation. Imagine if there was a show about Pocahontas without Pocahontas in it. Three white non-indigenous people that say they've been hanging out with her say that she's super cool, dress in outfits that resemble hers, and chant in broken language. We don't see the colors of the wind or Grandmother Willow, but we do hear the faint sound of animals screaming in the distance, which the performers say is a sign that we are aligned with nature. The end.

A much better show IMHO would involve puppets or simple animatronics of different docile animals in Pandora, in the style of "Pocahontas and her Forest Friends" meets "Voyage of the Little Mermaid". But that would require a purpose-built location and a stage. Or else, "The Pandora Players" use the drum stage to re-tell the ancient story of Jake and Neytiri like the Royal Theater in Disneyland.

Or even to use the same conceit that is in FoP: namely, in which the drummers have been studying Na'vi culture who then taught the drummers their drumming. And since the Na'vi choose not to hang around humans, they have given these performers permission to demonstrate their drum-songs to other humans in lieu of them having to show up and be on display.

Better than hippies 'going native.'

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

I've always found the drummers bordering on cultural appropriation. Imagine if there was a show about Pocahontas without Pocahontas in it. Three white non-indigenous people that say they've been hanging out with her say that she's super cool, dress in outfits that resemble hers, and chant in broken language. We don't see the colors of the wind or Grandmother Willow, but we do hear the faint sound of animals screaming in the distance, which the performers say is a sign that we are aligned with nature. The end.

A much better show IMHO would involve puppets or simple animatronics of different docile animals in Pandora, in the style of "Pocahontas and her Forest Friends" meets "Voyage of the Little Mermaid". But that would require a purpose-built location and a stage. Or else, "The Pandora Players" use the drum stage to re-tell the ancient story of Jake and Neytiri like the Royal Theater in Disneyland.

Yeah it’s a pretty odd show. The jammitors have a really fun show. The Japanese drummers have a very cultural show. This is neither.

 

[RSoxNo1]

I'm all for entertainment additions, let's see what this brings.