Talking Mickey technology

[kap91]

The talking mickeys used in the shows are just hand puppetry in sync with the pre recorded dialogue that is the same every time.

The Mickey in town square uses prerecorded phrases but is "live" in that he talks in response to actual things going on and can be spontaneous. This requires a camera feed, network connection, and a remote operator as well as a character performer.

The third type is completley spontaneous and has only been used a few times. I have no knowledge of how this works but expect it's similar to a combination of the above and turtle talk.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

Why isn't Mickey fully spontaneous as he was during testing?

 

[EOD K9]

Why isn't Mickey fully spontaneous as he was during testing?

Money

 

[WhatJaneSays]

Why isn't Mickey fully spontaneous as he was during testing?

The pre-recorded “talking heads” are more reliable, easier to use, and can be installed almost anywhere with sufficient infrastructure. It’s tech that can be used with minor extra training and limited support staff. Plus they never have to worry about continuity from character experience to character experience.

The “live” heads are exponentially more difficult to deal with and require special training, more staff, and way more infrastructure to make the effect work. Right now it’s really only viable for special events. While the performance of the “live” heads is AMAZING, is not instantaneous nor is it as reliable as the pre-recorded ones.

Really the use of the pre-recorded vs “live” heads is more a cost-benefit analysis situation. If the tech as it stands now needs to have twice as much staff, twice as much training, twice as much equipment, and cost way more than twice the price for each instance ... and collectively your guests only gets 10%-15% more enjoyment out of it, it’s better to keep refining the process until it’s easier and cheaper to implement and people get more out of it.

 

[MarkTwain]

Talking Minnie is in development.

 

[MMDDGPCDC]

Talking Minnie is in development.

Where would she talk though? In Magic Kingdom she is with all the other fab 5 characters and surely Disney wouldn't have one talking character and the rest not.

 

[Vipraa]

Minnie will be in her current DHS location when she starts getting chatty. The room is already set up for it and the only thing that is holding it up is the go ahead from management. Current plans are for Goofy in EPCOT and Donald in DAK as well. Other characters are also in development as this is the future of fur meet and greets.

 

[WhatJaneSays]

Where would she talk though? In Magic Kingdom she is with all the other fab 5 characters and surely Disney wouldn't have one talking character and the rest not.

If talking Minnie shows up in MK she will move to be with Mickey at the Town Square Theater. They could either make them a dual M&G or split them and have Minnie take over Tink’s spot.

(Donald would move to be with Daisy and Pluto would move from the Square to be with Goofy.)

 

[imagineer boy]

I really HATE the pre recorded Mickeys. It's just so awkward and unbelievable. I honestly think it's a waste of money to even try it out. It simply doesn't work.

I am really curious to see how the live Mickeys work. So it requires more people? It's not he person under the head doing all the work? Are they doing the speaking or is it someone else off stage?

 

[kap91]

I really HATE the pre recorded Mickeys. It's just so awkward and unbelievable. I honestly think it's a waste of money to even try it out. It simply doesn't work.

I am really curious to see how the live Mickeys work. So it requires more people? It's not he person under the head doing all the work? Are they doing the speaking or is it someone else off stage?

The prerecorded one uses more than one person (2 I believe), I imagine the completely live one uses at least as many.

 

[RichVIII]

The problem is explaining to your kids why one character talks and the rest don't.

 

[MagicHappens1971]

As two other posters had said, its in the works.

Talking Minnie is in development.

If talking Minnie shows up in MK she will move to be with Mickey at the Town Square Theater. They could either make them a dual M&G or split them and have Minnie take over Tink’s spot.

(Donald would move to be with Daisy and Pluto would move from the Square to be with Goofy.)

But why hasn't it been rolled out? Hasn't mickey been out for a year or two?

 

[brb1006]

The talking mickeys used in the shows are just hand puppetry in sync with the pre recorded dialogue that is the same every time.

The Mickey in town square uses prerecorded phrases but is "live" in that he talks in response to actual things going on and can be spontaneous. This requires a camera feed, network connection, and a remote operator as well as a character performer.

The third type is completley spontaneous and has only been used a few times. I have no knowledge of how this works but expect it's similar to a combination of the above and turtle talk.

Why isn't the third type used more often except in 2010?

 

[brb1006]

Talking Minnie is in development.

And now Donald

 

[DisAl]

The daily show Dream Along with Mickey has talking Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and Donald at the castle at MK and I believe Five and Dime and the Red Trolley Show has talking Goofy and Mickey, respectively, at Disney's California Adventure. These are all outdoor. And MK's opening show has talking Mickey. So no, it doesn't have to be indoors.

Those shows are pre-recorded. The characters just "lip sync" the show.
The talking Mickey you meet in the MK Town Square Theatre is something completely different. It may well be canned, but Mickey did an amazing job interacting and conversing with my grandchildren.

 

[kap91]

Why isn't the third type used more often except in 2010?

I'm guessing it requires a live actor that can do Mickey's voice and that's expensive and hard to come by.