Time for a character overhaul

[Greenlawler]

As you all know and understand our family loves "angling" for characters. We have met as many as 100+ on one single visit. Now I do not want this to sound like a complaint but don't you think its time for a character overhaul?

I love when people post their lists on here of the characters they see when they are in the World. But (I know your not supposed to start a sentance with but) I can guess about 90% of the characters who will be on it. It seems like they are in a rut.

I think its time they start revolving some of the lesser known characters in a rotation. I realize that the most popular characters will be out all the time. I understand the big 5, and princesses, but how about giving us a little more variety?

I have bit my tounge from posting this many times because I know some people cannot afford to go as often as we do. But what about those of us who go often? I wish they would throw us some more obscure characters more often. I mean when is the last time the three little pigs were out? The MNSSHP has had the same characters with few exceptions for 5 years.

Anyways I am not trying to cause a fuss and I appreciate the rare characters we get to see, but I just know if things remain like they are one year we are not going to see anyone new, and that will break our hearts.

I have suggested on another sites forum (I was blasted) and in letter form to Disney our desire for them to switch up some characters. Like replace some of the teardrop characters with other rare characters. I mean how popoular is Fowlfellow? Yet we see him just about every year. Gideon, Timon, Rafiki, Mr Penguin, Gaphetto, and etc... could they not bring out some others instead every so often? Sorry to sound negative we will love every minute in spite of the lack of rarities but I do think its time for some oldies to reappear!

[Brer Robert]

I would definitely like to see the 3 Little Pigs and Big Bad Wolf out and about, they're just as classic as Mickey and Friends. While we're at it, Hercules and Meg as well.

[daan8810]

Maybe a switch between the different disneyparcs would be a great idea. Bring the characters that we get to see in Paris to Florida, and those from Florida to Paris. Just to have some more variation... to see other characters

[Kairi_7378]

I agree... there are certain characters that I'd love to see, and it would be a nice touch for the character hunters among us. DH would love to meet Dumbo, he's his favorite!

[gerald72]

Also, at the character dinners, it seems to be the same characters over and over. How many times can someone eat with Pluto, Mickey, Chip, and Dale?
They could have a dinner where some obscure characters "live"

[Stormer]

I agree. It seems like Chip and Dale are everywhere!

We would love to see Phineus and Ferb.

[Gastonsgirl]

I agree. It seems like Chip and Dale are everywhere!

We would love to see Phineus and Ferb.

Yeah, Phineas and Ferb would be AWESOME to meet and so woould Candace!

But yeah, more obscure characters would be great I actually seen a couple of new ones last time like Flik, Mowgli, Clarabelle Cow, Horace Horse Collar and Gaston (Even though I get to see Gaston every trip )

[Blue Genie]

I agree even over here in Disneyland I like to see more diffenert characters. I remember in 2003/04 Disneyland use to have out almost every time I when Baloo,Timon,Rafiki,Honstes John,Suzy,Purla & Hercules. But now you don't see them anymore. And I still haven't see characters like Robin Hood, 3 Little Pigs, Bere Rabbit. I would love to see them and also see Daisy. Disneyland said to see Daisy u could see her at there hotel in the morings. But when I go to the park I never get there at no 6 or 7 clock in the moring. My family gets to Disneyland around 10 to 11am in the morning. So to me it is still not seening Daisy.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

I agree. Every few months, have a set of characters that rotate out.

Like say every 6 months, put out a set of like 10 'new' characters and maybe have one meal where they characters can be completely random but unique. During Halloween, run a Villians meal at one of the resorts or maybe even inside the parks.

New characters! Now!!!

[AnnetteFan]

The teardrop characters are for training, people may get tired of seeing Foulfellow but he can't be replaced by The Three Little Pigs because it wouldn't make any sense to replace a 6 foot tall character with a 5'2 character. The teardrop characters aren't out just to give guests a chance to meet a rare character, they're for training purposes.

The problem with rare characters is that they're sort of a waste of manpower and budget from Disney's standpoint. When I was friends with Panchito and Jose Carioca, the entire day could go by with no one knowing their names. And on a good day maybe 5 people would know who they were and 3 of those 5 would be excited. Disney cares too much about budget to put rare characters out unless it's for training, why pay someone to be friends with Marie just to have everyone call her Hello Kitty when you could have Mickey Mouse out for an extra few hours? Sad but true.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

....I'm sorry, but that reasoning makes no sense in my opinion.

From a financial standpoint, it's the same thing regardless of whether you are Mickey or Marie. One, you're paying someone to wear a costume - you don't get more money for being Mickey. You're still the same person, just a different outfit. Therefore you get paid the same, regardless of whoever you are. Paying Mickey for 7 hours of work without Marie and paying Mickey for 5 hours with 2 of Marie is still going to cost you the same amount of money.

You're also getting paid the same whether you have one guest in line for an autograph or 100. You don't get a commission fee, so it really doesn't matter how many people see you. You're still interacting with Guests regardless of who you are, so you're still learning the Basics and gaining knowledge.

Also, it's not like Disney would have to make new costumes. If anything, they would have a use for all of the costumes that just sit there, collecting dust. The money was already spent to make the costumes and you're not getting any value for your money if it's just sitting there, unseen and untouched. But if it's getting used, then the average cost usage of the item actually decreases over time.

An example would be Sora's costume. It was used ONCE. Let's give it a ballpark figure of say, $10,000. For that one time, the one use was $10,000 and it would be easy to reason that it wasn't worth it. But let's say they used it 10 times, then the cost per usage would only be $1,000 and more justifiable. If they used it on a more regular basis, then each time, the cost of the costume would continue to decrease.

If no one recognizes you, then oh well. But imagine how much nicer it will feel when someone does, someone who loves Disney more than the average tourist. It makes you proud that there will not be characters forced to be lost because today's children aren't seeing you or your movies.

But that's just my opinion, I'm not in Entertainment so what do I know....

[Greenlawler]

The teardrop characters are for training, people may get tired of seeing Foulfellow but he can't be replaced by The Three Little Pigs because it wouldn't make any sense to replace a 6 foot tall character with a 5'2 character. The teardrop characters aren't out just to give guests a chance to meet a rare character, they're for training purposes.

The problem with rare characters is that they're sort of a waste of manpower and budget from Disney's standpoint. When I was friends with Panchito and Jose Carioca, the entire day could go by with no one knowing their names. And on a good day maybe 5 people would know who they were and 3 of those 5 would be excited. Disney cares too much about budget to put rare characters out unless it's for training, why pay someone to be friends with Marie just to have everyone call her Hello Kitty when you could have Mickey Mouse out for an extra few hours? Sad but true.

Yes I know all about the teardrops purpose, but why cant they switch Foulofellow with another rare character is what I was saying. I know the character training people get a list (would'nt we all like to see that) of who they can and cannot bring out. Why not Robin Hood instead of Stitch at the training area? Why not some other rare characetrs? They have been using the same training characters for the last few years. I mean they obviously still have Marie out in spite of her being "Hello Kitty".
Another counterpoint, Its obviously not about how well people know the characters or Clatrrabelle and Horace would be a memory. There are still lines at busy times for the characters no one knows. I can list dozens of examples of times I have been in line and someone ask "who are we in line for?"

All I am saying is this....
1.) Some of the lesser known characters can be rotated out.
2.) MNSSHP needs a major character switch. Its the same villans every year, same Alice trail, same Adventureland crew, same princes and princesses in the toontown fair tent. I have recently talked to someone who went every year to the event but is not going this year because the characters are the same.

I just wish someone out there in managment would listen or read this. Disney forgets a large portion of their clientel are people who visit every year. Based on everything I hear and read here we all agree its time for some fresh characters!!!!!!

[joanna71985]

I agree. It seems like Chip and Dale are everywhere!

That's a good thing!

[Brer Robert]

The problem with rare characters is that they're sort of a waste of manpower and budget from Disney's standpoint. When I was friends with Panchito and Jose Carioca, the entire day could go by with no one knowing their names. And on a good day maybe 5 people would know who they were and 3 of those 5 would be excited. Disney cares too much about budget to put rare characters out unless it's for training, why pay someone to be friends with Marie just to have everyone call her Hello Kitty when you could have Mickey Mouse out for an extra few hours? Sad but true.

Very good point you have, obscure characters really do have a hard time being recognized. I've heard stories of Prince John from 'Robin Hood' being called 'Lion King Guy' or other names because they didn't know who he was.

[Brer Robert]

Yeah, Phineas and Ferb would be AWESOME to meet and so woould Candace!

I'm with you on that. Seeing those characters would be so much fun, maybe we could also see Agent 'P' as well.

[daan8810]

I think i can ask this question in this topic..
Did they change the YOAMD fab five (the blue costumes) already? Would love to get pictures with hem..
And if they changed, which costumes are out now then?

[joanna71985]

I think i can ask this question in this topic..
Did they change the YOAMD fab five (the blue costumes) already? Would love to get pictures with hem..
And if they changed, which costumes are out now then?

The characters are no longer in the blue outfits. They are back to wearing their standard outfits.

[daan8810]

The characters are no longer in the blue outfits. They are back to wearing their standard outfits.

Awww what a shame . Well thanks for the reply .

They use the same costumes at Paris for the Candleabration/Bougillumination show, but it's almost impossible to get pictures with them! They look so cute in these costumes!

[AnnetteFan]

Yes I know all about the teardrops purpose, but why cant they switch Foulofellow with another rare character is what I was saying. I know the character training people get a list (would'nt we all like to see that) of who they can and cannot bring out. Why not Robin Hood instead of Stitch at the training area? Why not some other rare characetrs? They have been using the same training characters for the last few years. I mean they obviously still have Marie out in spite of her being "Hello Kitty".
Another counterpoint, Its obviously not about how well people know the characters or Clatrrabelle and Horace would be a memory. There are still lines at busy times for the characters no one knows. I can list dozens of examples of times I have been in line and someone ask "who are we in line for?"

All I am saying is this....
1.) Some of the lesser known characters can be rotated out.
2.) MNSSHP needs a major character switch. Its the same villans every year, same Alice trail, same Adventureland crew, same princes and princesses in the toontown fair tent. I have recently talked to someone who went every year to the event but is not going this year because the characters are the same.

I just wish someone out there in managment would listen or read this. Disney forgets a large portion of their clientel are people who visit every year. Based on everything I hear and read here we all agree its time for some fresh characters!!!!!!

Robin Hood is a training character actually, he's also a spare character for when there are extra people on the schedule with nothing to do.

Guests at Disney World will stand in line to see anyone. If someone dressed up as a big furry churro and signed autographs people would line up. But on the other hand people would be annoyed if Mickey wasn't available because they needed someone to dress as that big furry churro.

I think Disney does take into account their repeat visitors. There are plenty of people who would be pretty upset if they went to MNSSHP and and met Tarzan and Jane and then went back the next year to find they weren't there when they were expecting them.

I visit the parks very often and I'd be dissapointed if one day Chip'n'Dale couldn't be found anywhere even if I have met them a million times before. Meeting the characters is new and different everytime even if it's the same character.

[alandisney]

I agree with the OP. If the average tourist doesn't know who the characters are and lines up anyways for pictures and autographs then why does it matter who Disney has out? Disney says they put out the more popular characters because that's who the tourists know, but the average tourist doesn't know the difference between Pluto and Goofy.

I like seeing the popular characters but why does Disney put them everywhere? An example-Animal Kingdom. You watch Jammin Jungle Parade and Mickey goes by on his float then you walk out to leave. 3 minutes later you are in the Oasis and poof there is Mickey and the gang out for pictures and they're in totally different outfits. For all the talk of character integrity, I think that really defeats it. Its not good when you hear children saying when they see Mickey "they have lots of Mickey's"