The character controversy of 1981

[mharrington]

In the book "Realityland", all about the goings-on at WDW over the years, there is a section on cast members, including Disney characters. It mentions that characters have endured beatings a-plenty from guests who think they really are the characters. It mentions that they are disallowed to speak, since they can't speak like the characters they're dressed as. I'm sure you're aware of that. And it's not just onstage, either. They are to remain silent off-stage, too. And that extends to talking to the press, which is strictly out of bounds.

What's more, the characters got no more respect from management than from the guests. Conditions were bad and they were underpaid. Sooner or later, something would have to give. In the summer of 1981, it did. The characters approached the Orlando Sentinel to explain themselves and speak their minds. They knew that they were not allowed to speak to the media, but they also knew that bad press was Disney's Achilles' heel. Basically, they were after better pay and working conditions. Other performers, like the Kids of the Kingdom, were paid better. And they mentioned that guests were treating them like punching bags.

After the article, management was outraged. They wrote letters to the characters that said they were forbidden to speak to the press without company permission and they have a professional publicity department and that all interviews were to go through that area. Management blatantly said that their speaking to the press would threaten children's illusions by saying that "regular folks" are in the costumes. The characters couldn't believe it. Management actually called them "regular folks"!

At the same time, the New York Times came to call. The characters dismissed the warnings against talking to the press and repeated their litany of woes, that they didn't like being treated like animals. They wanted better pay and more respect from management.

Disney countered that characters shouldn't consider their positions permanent. And where the characters' low pay was concerned, evidently, they paid the characters according to professionalism. The Kids of the Kingdom, they said, were professional performers and they're paid like that. The characters, on the other hand, did not have to do anything except just move around, and that they could pick just any-old-one out and make them characters.

After the article appeared, everything else descended on the story like vultures. Disney finally cried uncle and consented to improve working conditions and increase pay, but the interviews had to stop, or else it would put a price on management's head. The vice president of entertainment warned the characters to desist interviews lest someone got let go, because they were disregarding Disney policy.

The furor died down and the next summer, the characters unionized.

Okay, I'm done. What do you think of this? My opinion? It makes me sick to think that management would be so disrespectful of characters.

 

[biggiedisney123]

agreed

Low pay for the people sweating in fluffy suits? They should be paid like underwater welders, with all the stuff they endure. Rough gig, thats for sure.

 

[rsoxguy]

Is this book insinuating that the characters are not real?

 

[mharrington]

Is this book insinuating that the characters are not real?

They're just people dressed up in uncomfortable costumes, people that no one ever respects.

Low pay for the people sweating in fluffy suits? They should be paid like underwater welders, with all the stuff they endure. Rough gig, thats for sure.

I bet management is look forward to the day when they can have characters become all like Audio-Animatronics and robotics. Because then they don't have to pay Audio-Animatronics. They're always programmed and whatnot.

 

[JustInTime]

Wow. Interesting. Especially now because Disney is such a highly regarded service company.

Speaking of characters, does anyone know where I can view a list of current characters meeting in the parks?

 

[nepalostparks]

Speaking of characters, does anyone know where I can view a list of current characters meeting in the parks?

It's not a definitive list of every character that appears throughout the World, but Steve Soares' website is a good place to find out what characters make regular appearances in the parks: http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

Hope that helps!

 

[dreamfinder]

It has nothing specific to do with the "friends" of characters. But rather is more commentary on the general view of management towards what they feel is unskilled menial labor. Most had never been a "friend" so they don't know how difficult and demanding it can actually be. The same way many management people of McDonalds and Burger King or Walmart never actually worked the front lines at their establishment, but still demand workers get paid very little but give lots. That is why many service workers unionize because most people think that anyone can do their job.

 

[JustInTime]

It's not a definitive list of every character that appears throughout the World, but Steve Soares' website is a good place to find out what characters make regular appearances in the parks: http://pages.prodigy.net/stevesoares/

Hope that helps!

lifesaver.

 

[bgraham34]

Interesting i was never aware of this but not surprising that Disney did it.

 

[Ralphlaw]

No one doubts that the characters work hard, but the economic point is that employees who are replaceable are probably going to get paid less. Underwater welders, to use biggiedisney 123's example, are both skilled and engaged in life threatening work. They get paid well, doing the kind of work that only 1 in 100 people, maybe, could do; and also get paid for dealing with the physical discomfort, fears and pressures of doing that kind of work. It's hard, it takes a unique set of skills, and it is an exceptionally demanding job physically and psychologically.

Ditch diggers work hard and ruin their backs, but replacements are easy to find. They get paid less, probably alot less than the guy behind him running the $300,000 excavator.

Good and dependable singers and dancers are not as easy to replace, so they get paid more than the characters who are relatively easy to find. Yes, it is hard to be a character, but I have never heard of a shortage of people auditioning to become them, or Disney having a really hard time finding replacements.

This point is made clear in Thomas Friedman's The World is Flat. It's an excellent book about where the world is going, and how life and employment will be affected. A major point is how certain jobs are "fungible". This means that one ditch digger, or burger flipper, can usually be easily replaced by the next pretty good ditch digger or burger flipper.

In short, 1 adult out of 10 probably has what it takes to be a character. 1 adult out of 50 has the talent and training to maybe become a professional singer or dancer. 1 out of 1000 might be great enough to become a brain surgeon,and one out of 100,000 to become an astronaut. That's life. Moral of the story: Learn a marketable and unique skill if you want to earn more money; don't do what everyone else can already do.

 

[biggiedisney123]

moral of the story

Have some empathy for the ditch diggers and characters, they build your roads and make your children smile. Both occupations are worthy of being considered for higher wages.

And that was no slam to underwater welders out there, they deserve every dollar they earn.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Ralphlaw, the overall thought that statistical likelihood that someone would have the "ability" to do a job dictates that position's pay scale is just dumb. Case in point: law enforcement dispatch. I *promise* you that as easy as a person who's never actually done that job imagines it to be, it absolutely is not. The ability to multi-task under incredible stress is not common at all. When I did that job the average time a person lasted at it was about 3.5 years. That's all. Wanna know why? It's hard to learn, hard to do, demanding, not fun, nobody gives 2 cents about those people, the hours are terrible, and the pay is usually sickeningly low. I went from making about $11/hour as a dispatch supervisor responsible for everything that happened on my shift with the team of 7 people who worked "the room" making decisions that potentially could affect whether people lived or died on a regular basis to about $14/hour making coffee and answering phones for an engineering company. That was a bitter pill to swallow. Anyone could've answered those phones & made coffee. It takes a heckuva person to listen to things dispatchers hear AND remain calm, make the decisions they do under extraordinary pressure, do those things for no recognition, low pay, be willing to do it at night, over weekends, on holidays, and forgo things like birthdays or Easter Bunny time with their own children. Your concept of ability dictating pay does not apply to a lot of necessary people in your life....like teachers, firemen, police officers, etc. I'd say it also applies to the "friends of characters". There's probably lots more out there, too.

----------------

On a side-note, I've often wondered about the "friends of characters" and their immediate conditions. Like Florida summertime temperatures. If the LMA stunt drivers wear suits that have cooling systems to keep their core temps in a healthy range, wouldn't it be possible for the "friends" to have these adapted to their "uniform" as well? Is this already done? Just curious. :wave:

 

[Ralphlaw]

Thanks sweetpea.

Union protections and the civil service system will definitely provide exceptions to the paradigm, both good and bad for the workers. Was any college needed for the dispatch job? If not, it will probably pay less. Overwhelmingly, the most skilled and dangerous jobs will pay far better than the fungible jobs of many lower echelon employees. My town has a nuclear power plant with security officers whose toughest skill is simply staying awake. The gov't requires them, and forces abundant training that will be very unlikely to ever come in handy. But they're paid well because the plant is so valuable, the risks of that rare terrorist are monumental, and they have good worker protection, although not unionized.

Yes, teachers, law enforcement, air traffic control, paramedics, and 911 dispatchers often get paid too little. In my town, senior librarians with no college make over $45,000 a year. That's not fair. Compare that, however, to the heart surgeon making a milllion dollars a year who sacrificed many years and inccurred huge debt for his schooling, and can literally saves people's lives through a unique skill that very few people have. Or even the well paid crane operator who can literally be so skilled that he can be the difference between a construction company making or losing money, or even the lives of his co-workers.

Skill, talent and education--generally--result in better pay. People with fungible skills generally get paid less, often near minimum wage, for their work, even when it is uncomfortable and demanding work. Unions, civil service contracts, being connected or being the boss's nephew can skew these rules dramatically, with little regard for skill and talent.

Dispatchers may not last long, but they are relatively easily replaced with inexperienced under skilled people. Oh well, until the Mayor's mother dies because of a poor dispatcher, the pay won't get any better. Congratulations on the new job, and consider a little more schooling for yourself. Perhaps you could become an engineer yourself, and quadruple your salary in the process. Good luck.

 

[Ralphlaw]

Have some empathy for the ditch diggers and characters, they build your roads and make your children smile. Both occupations are worthy of being considered for higher wages.

And that was no slam to underwater welders out there, they deserve every dollar they earn.

No slam at all. Burger flippers, ditch diggers and characters work hard, and good ones do alot. But theyre easily replaced, unlike a good-looking person who can sing & dance, the heart surgeon who performed the triple bypass on your Dad, and the CEO who turned around a dieing company. Rare people usually make rare money, and they should. They are hard to find, and they're very valuable. Replaceable people probably do not, and the replaceable people, according to Friedman's book, are constantly being replaced by machines and lower paid people in other countries. Why is your customer service call going to India, because the work is relatively fungible and it's so much cheaper to pay them, that's why. Why aren't characters paid very well, because there's no shortage of people with the fungible qualifications applying to become them. Supply and demand, ignore it at your peril.

 

[Xethis]

Rare people usually make rare money, and they should. They are hard to find, and they're very valuable. Replaceable people probably do not, and the replaceable people, according to Friedman's book, are constantly being replaced by machines and lower paid people in other countries.

The other aspect that is affecting people jobs are also the flood of 'less than talented' workers entering the market. Example; I have my BA in Graphic Design & have been a creative for over 10 years now. I have done everything from fine art, to print media, to web design, to car wraps to 3d modeling. Now there's a an influx of people into the job pool who 'call themselves designers' because they took a Photoshop class at the community college & can make a photo black & white. Because of people like that, the market gets over diluted with people who are less skilled/experienced, and managers see the chance to hire a cheaper alternative. I love my field & am not complaining about my salary, just the droves of people who think that Word can be used to design a logo, lol.

I do agree though, specialists make the special money. And even if you're good at what you do, regardless of the field, as soon as they can hire 2 entry level grads for what they pay you, you're gone. It sucks, I know, but c'est la vie. :shrug:

 

[drew81]

Disney characters are treated like crap by most in management and many guests. Yes, some would assume these positions are "replaceable" and many people can do the job just fine and then move on to the other things, however there are many that work very hard to make sure every guest who comes into contact with them has a special and enjoyable experience. In any job bad things could happen but the characters have to deal with constant crap from guests whether that be: assaults, beatings, being punched, being thrown into a fountain, being stabbed, being groped, sexual advances. Disney management does little to stem this abuse.

Disney Characters are the heart of the Disney theme parks.

End rant

 

[Figments Friend]

Word up, Drew81

Tell it like it is, bro!

This is why it is SO important folks to spend some time with the characters when you visit WDW and let them know YOU love them! I always tell people i know who are going - Go TALK to those characters and make them feel good! They really do put up with a LOT...it is NOT just 'fun n' games' playing whatever role they are in, regardless of who they are 'friends' with that day. Give em' some honest love..( but don't hug TOO tightly!)

Having some experience being 'friendly' with some characters in other places, i can totally relate and understand what they are going through. It makes me smile to know i can make a characters day by letting them know this is a polite and proper way...boy do they appreciate it!

So the next time you say 'cheese' with the Big Cheese, be sure to take some time to actually look at him in those big eyes and say 'Thanks'. Mick, like all the characters, loves the feeback. Give them a reason to respond or interact with you....in a good way. It will not only make your day, it will more then likely make his too!

I salute all of you 'friends of characters' out there in the zoos of the World. YOU ROCK and many of us appreciate you!!

:wave:

 

[Timekeeper]

Entertainment companies can get away with "taking advantage of" character performers for the same reason that airlines can get away with grossly underpaying pilots and local governments can get away with underpaying public school teachers -

The reason is this: people go into these jobs because of their love for the job, their passion for the profession. People who grow up wanting to be pilots, teachers, police officers, firemen, and entertainers, are usually quite passionate about their field. In other words, there will always be a surplus of candidates out there willing to do the job in the event that the current employee is unhappy with their work conditions.

The next time you fly, try not to think about the fact that your pilot is probably getting paid less than a manager from Taco Bell. :brick:

 

[LoriMistress]

Characters (regardless if their faces are covered or not), should be paid well. You're stuck in a smelly suit for god knows how long, dealing with the public, and they're not allowed to speak. I don't envy them.

 

[Timekeeper]

Con: Florida weather (heat + humidity) is particularly brutal for characters.

Pro: Character shifts are typically 1/2 time on set, 1/2 time backstage, and this doesn't take into account the warm-up/prep time and end of shift breakdown time. A typical 8 hour day often includes 6 sets, at 20-30 minutes each, so that's 3 total hours of "performing." A job at which more time is spent "on break" than "on set" isn't the worst job in the world. :sohappy: