WDW Entertainmen Questions

[danzingcutie12]

Hi I'm planning on applying for Entertainment for the CP. I have a couple of questions though ( I am a dancer, just to let ya know)...

~Does anyone know what the hiring rate for CP Entertainment Castmembers is?

~At my CP presentation last year one of the of the Campus Reps was telling me if I get hired, once I am down there I could audtion for Entertainment and if get it Entertainment is the only area that Disney will let you break your orginal contract with. Any truth to this?

~And does anyone have any advice on headshots (What to wear? Poses? Black and White? etc...) and resumes (What's Disney Looking for? What should be on there? etc...) Or if anyone has any websites that could help me, too!

Thanks Guys

 

[WDWKat26]

Oki Dokie....

Hey girlie, there are TONS of posts in this forum about entertainment auditions, etc. etc. I don't remember what CP's make in Entertainment, but I know it's not much.

Okay, i'm a little confused about that second question...what do you mean break your original contract with? I know that if you sign up to be in one area, that if you come down and audition for characters and you make it, they can pull you to entertainment. I'm not 100% sure what you're asking though.

You don't need headshots or anything fancy shmancy. You're auditioning for entertainment, not the broadway production of "The Lion King" lol. You don't need a resume either from what i've been told. On the applications they go through everything, and you don't need references because they do government checks on everyone. Right now Entertainment is looking for a lot of people between the heights of 5'0-5'2 and 6'0-6'2. Granted yes we are still short on people in general, but if you're between those height ranges your chances are higher of getting into the department.

It doesn't sound like you're sure yet if this is what you want to do, but what I can reccomend is to find a campus rep and ask them some questions especially if you're not sure about everything.

 

[danzingcutie12]

I didn't mean make as in monetary values, but make as in get a job. I know that alot of CP people are either in food or custodial.

Hmmm...do you work for Disney Entertainment?? I believe in treating every audtion the same whether its for "The Lion King" or Disney World.

You did understand my second question correctly, I just wasn't sure how much the campus reps actually knew in comparsion to someone who actually works in WDW in Entertainment.


And I am 1000 percent sure that I want to do this!!!! I was just thinking of some questions on the drive back from Disney because I want to know everthing about this program before I go talk to the director of my program at my school.


Anyone else have any other advice/answers??

 

[WDWKat26]

I am in Walt Disney World Entertainment, and have been for over a year now. I'm sure I can help you with the questions you have. I understand that you're not auditioning for Broadway but what i'm trying to tell you is if you come into the interview saying "I want to work entertainment" throwing Headshots and resumes at them, it's really not going to do anything. You'll want to save those if you ever want to get into Equity. But, for this you can tell the interviewer of your experience and love for Disney and how you really want to be a character. That's exactly what I did and what tons of people do. Disney hires thousands of people a year, they really don't have time to look over every headshot and resume, hence the reason why it's bada bing bada boom with the interview. Oh yeah, Entertainment CP's make $6.40 an hour.

It's a wonderful experience and I really love working in entertainment, only very few people don't and that's usually for odd reasons or they just can't "take the heat" if you know what I mean.

If you have any questions IM me at Miss G00fy Grl and i'll be happy to answer them for you

 

[hillz232]

is it hard to get into the entertainment at WDW? I have alot of experience and I really am wanting to get into it with the CP. I have 2 very good friends who were "friends with " Chipmunks and Pluto. Anyway, I was just wondering if it was one of those things everyone wants to do and like 20 get in type of a thing or if it was relatively easy to get into. Like I said, I have been looking forward to an opportunity like this forever! Can hardly wait. Also, what is the acceptance rate for the CP? is that hard to get into either?

 

[danzingcutie12]

I am also wondering the same question.

Also...I am a dancer, so I would be more interested in dancing in a parade or a show as not a performer not really a characther. How does Disney differenate the two in the CP??? Does anyone have any experience being a dancer in the CP??

 

[hillz232]

I believe you'll have a completely different audition process than those of us who are just wanting to be characters. I dance too but not at the level of a disney dancer.

 

[WDWKat26]

I am also wondering the same question.

Also...I am a dancer, so I would be more interested in dancing in a parade or a show as not a performer not really a characther. How does Disney differenate the two in the CP??? Does anyone have any experience being a dancer in the CP??

First off, after you get hired as a character (Yes you have to be hired as a character first), then you go to a separate color coding audition. Depending on how good your color code is they will give you a list of roles to preference in parades and shows and then you just wait. It's not like you have a choice to be either in parades, shows or fur. To be in parades, you have to start out in fur, everyone does.

Hillz...your friend can only be either friends with Pluto or Chip and Dale...not both due to the gap in height ranges...anyway, i'm not sure about the acceptance rate, but I know they only take so many entertainment CP's. I can't really answer that question though thoroughly because i'm not sure, sorry!

 

[hillz232]

one was chipmunk and the other Pluto. their names are Kristin Doll and Margaret Leigh Guthrie. I don't believe you'd know them they worked a while back. Does experience ever matter? I was my highschool mascot for 3 years, I was Clifford the Big red dog for 1 year and lavender lamb at a church thing for 2 years. Will that matter to anyone? at all or will they just be like ok show me?

 

[danzingcutie12]

hmmm thanks...that interesting. Is a regular non CP dance audition the same way in that you have to be in fur first?? And can u audition for parade while your down there and how long do you have to be in fur??


Sorry I ask so many questions...

 

[hillz232]

you need to be in fur first so if you get hired it will be that and the dance stuff comes after a while in fur. at least thats what my friends have told me about it. I'm not sure how long you have to be in fur. alls I know is that kristin wanted to be alice in wonderland but was cast as full body costumed characters first and never got to be alice same with my friend who was pluto. she wanted to be a dancer in the parade but only got fur they both worked there for 4 years I believe but I don't really know on the time commitment to the fur. I also heard that character performer roles were the only ones available to the cp students.

 

[WDWKat26]

You never really get out of fur, even face people still do fur. So if you don't want to handle the heat, then entertainment might not be for you. All of the auditions are the same, remember you audition for COLOR CODES not parades and shows. Depending on how high your color code is (and your seniority) you will get trained whenever Disney feels like training you.

 

[WDWKat26]

one was chipmunk and the other Pluto. their names are Kristin Doll and Margaret Leigh Guthrie. I don't believe you'd know them they worked a while back. Does experience ever matter? I was my highschool mascot for 3 years, I was Clifford the Big red dog for 1 year and lavender lamb at a church thing for 2 years. Will that matter to anyone? at all or will they just be like ok show me?

They'll just say "Ok that's good" and most likely give you a sheet to go to the audition.

 

[hillz232]

fabulous thanks

 

[lilpatty19]

I have a ques... my interview is this monday coming up but they don't have auditions at my school so I was wondering If I had to do my interview in the same place as the audition. Also I know you usually you get your acceptance or non acceptance letter like 2-3 weeks after you interview ..but my audition isn't till more than a month from the day of my interview..so does that mean I won't find out if I got in till after my audition???

 

[hillz232]

that's a really good question...Also, what's the difference between "animation" and pantomime? And, what kinds of things do you do at the audition?