# of Animated Character Costumes

Figments Friend

Figments Friend

Well-Known Member
In my past personal experiences being 'friends' with several various characters ( non-Disney) i would have to say that the cooling vests ended up not being much of a benefit.

The first 20 minutes or so it is nice, but soon afterwards it just ends up making you feel uncomfortable.It would then end up making you feel a lot warmer then you would if you did not have it on!

Imagine yourself feeling like you stepped into a resturants' walk-in fridge and then suddenly feeling a rush of confined in-escapable warmth around your central body. The more you move, the warmer it gets...until you feel overheated.

Yeah...not very pleasent...

So i tended to avoid them, as i felt it hindered the performance. I find it much better, and a lot cooler, just wearing the recommended cotton t-shirt.
 
disnyfan89

disnyfan89

Well-Known Member
tathompson87 said:
I dont like the term "Articulated" being used in reference to the costumes, so that's why I did not use it. Animated is the term that properly fits, because thats what they are : Animated Costumes. They move, and give lifelike apperances...

Can movements even be articulated??? I thought the word referenced speech for the most part. :shrug: dah well...
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Well "Articulated" is the correct term as that is the term the company uses.
 
NewfieFan

NewfieFan

Well-Known Member
emaginear said:
Are you referring to the "Living Character Initiative"? Disneyland has a life like Mickey. I'm not sure how often he is out or if any other characters are actually planned / exist at this point. But its amazing technology.

http://betamouse.net/living-character-initiative/
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I thought articulated characters were different from the Living Character Initiative!?!

Speaking of the articulated characters, over on OTPN they have pictures of the Castle Stage show and the articulated characters are not there!?! Are they just being refurbed or something or have they removed them from the show?
 
FutureWorld1982

FutureWorld1982

Well-Known Member
Disney Villain said:
I saw that photo update too. I know that when these new costumes debuted a few weeks ago, they did so with the Articulated characters. If there is a fear of rain, or if something happens backstage, they will not use the Articulated heads. I'm pretty sure that's what's going in the photo update, probably fear of rain.
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Sory if I jump into the conversation, but just to let you know, on that day the chance of rain was very low, so do you think there were technical problems on the actual costumes?
I ask because I never see the show, but on that day I had some time to spare and saw that....
 
disnyfan89

disnyfan89

Well-Known Member
I saw the show Monday. Still articulated heads in use. Like Disney Villain said, prob just a technical issue.

tathompson87 said:
To each his own...

It's still wrong though.:cool:
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Well if to each his own I'll just start calling the Magic Kingdom Fantasy Park and then I'll just tell everyone they're wrong when they try to tell me it's the Magic Kingdom. :cool: :wave:
 
T

tathompson87

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Disney Villain said:
Actually it's not wrong. 'Articulated' is the term that Disney uses. It is the term used by the performers who are in the shows like 'Dream Along With Mickey'. It is the term that the people who created the technology use. And it is the official term that the Disney Company uses when describing the technology. So how is it wrong? It's Disney's technology, and so I'll go with what they officially refer to it as.
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You go with what you want, and I'll go with what I want. In reality the heads are not "Articulated", they are "Animated" so thats what I call them.

So answer this, despite what Disney named it, can you honestly say that the Costumes themselves are "Articulated".........?
 
T

tathompson87

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
disnyfan89 said:
I saw the show Monday. Still articulated heads in use. Like Disney Villain said, prob just a technical issue.


Well if to each his own I'll just start calling the Magic Kingdom Fantasy Park and then I'll just tell everyone they're wrong when they try to tell me it's the Magic Kingdom. :cool: :wave:
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You have fun with that and have a MAGICAL day!:)
 
disneyny

disneyny

Member
You say you are naturally sarcastic and not to take offense but yet you have responded rudely to everyone who posted a response on this thread. That is the only thing I gained from reading this thread. It may be a discussion board but you can still have manners. Just saying........
 
T

tathompson87

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I see people take honestly and being blunt as being rude but....
To anyone who was "offended" by any of my posts I apologize. I'll try to make my statment one more time, and if no one gets where I'm coming from now, then so be it...

When someone creates or invents something they usually give it an unique name that fits.
ie. Magic Kingdom: Kingdom of magical things. <--- that works

BUT

An Articulate Character Head: A character head/costume that speaks articulately.....? o_O

Is that not what the title implies? My whole statement on not liking the word usage is because it doesn't properly describe what the actual heads do. All I said was that I didn't like the word and it was wrong.
 
RAXIP

RAXIP

Well-Known Member
tathompson87 said:
An Articulate Character Head: A character head/costume that speaks articulately.....? o_O

Is that not what the title implies? My whole statement on not liking the word usage is because it doesn't properly describe what the actual heads do. All I said was that I didn't like the word and it was wrong.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulate

Articulate may refer to:

 
disnyfan89

disnyfan89

Well-Known Member
tathompson87 said:
I see people take honestly and being blunt as being rude but....
To anyone who was "offended" by any of my posts I apologize. I'll try to make my statment one more time, and if no one gets where I'm coming from now, then so be it...

When someone creates or invents something they usually give it an unique name that fits.
ie. Magic Kingdom: Kingdom of magical things. <--- that works

BUT

An Articulate Character Head: A character head/costume that speaks articulately.....? o_O

Is that not what the title implies? My whole statement on not liking the word usage is because it doesn't properly describe what the actual heads do. All I said was that I didn't like the word and it was wrong.
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"Articulated" is the correct term because yes, that is what they do. They articulate by opening and closing their mouths using a joint. The eyes blinking are an added bonus to add an additional layer of realism.

Animated Costume Character is wrong because all of the fur characters are animated characters. AKA they are all animated characters from shows and movies who have been brought to life through these costumes.

Additionally every costume character "animates" and each performer is judged on their ability to bring a costume to life through "Animation." Every few months character performers attend something called a color code where they are judged and scored based on their ability to "move" and "animate". Animation helps bring a sense of life to a character filling it with emotion and the ability to communicate with guests in an easy to read manner. This "animation" makes up for the lack of movement the character costumes have.

However, because the "Articulated" heads have the ability to show a large range of emotion using the different joints built into the costumes, character performers are strongly encourage not to over "Animate" and refrain from using the traditional "animation" techniques.

So no, Animated costume character does not in fact better describe the costume because it is a broad term that applies to all fur characters. "Articulated" character head/costume is a much better term because it describes the motion and effect that the technology creates, that is to say, "Articulated" character heads give the ability for "Animated" costume character performers to "articulate" to a pre-recorded track giving the character the appearance of physical articulation.

Savy?
 
BrightImagine

BrightImagine

Well-Known Member
back to topic?

Hi! Regardless of the semantics issue I would love to see this original conversation continue. I am just amazed by the articulated characters in Dream Along with Mickey. The first time I saw the show I thought I was imagining things! it brings so much dimension to the characters.

I was just wondering, I haven't been to WDW since late summer... are articulated characters now featured in the parades or other shows? The only places I have noticed them are Dream Along with Mickey and Festival of the Lion King. Are there others?

And on a related note, I saw the articulated Mickey meet and greet test video from Disneyland a year or more ago... and since then I have been hoping that this type of meet and greet is on the way to WDW... is anything going on since that test?

(Entertainment performers, friends of characters, you are the heart of WDW for me and my family - thanks for everything you do!)
 
Criswell3000

Criswell3000

New Member
I noticed, a couple of weeks ago, that they were using articulated costumes in the traveling stage show. I didn't notice them in October, when Disney on ice came through, but they were using them on the stage show, which I had not noticed before. So it seems to be more prevalent. Anyway, not sure if this use is related to the living character initiative or not, but I like the increased use of the technology. It definitely adds more to the show.
 
disnyfan89

disnyfan89

Well-Known Member
Criswell3000 said:
I noticed, a couple of weeks ago, that they were using articulated costumes in the traveling stage show. I didn't notice them in October, when Disney on ice came through, but they were using them on the stage show, which I had not noticed before. So it seems to be more prevalent. Anyway, not sure if this use is related to the living character initiative or not, but I like the increased use of the technology. It definitely adds more to the show.
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The articulated character heads where originally developed for the "Disney Live" shows with the first show being centered on Winnie the Pooh, and then Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, Donald, and Daisy got them for Mickey's Magic show, when Disney integrated them into the MK they also Designed Chip and Dale for Celebrate the Season as it features the articulated heads as well.
 

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