5. You might get stalked

If you happen to be a good-looking character such as princess, you're likely to attract some unwanted attention. The same former Disney Cast Member recalls a man who took an unhealthy shine to Snow White: "For several weeks, a very old man would come to the park on Saturdays... He would always bring pictures of his Snow White memorabilia and try to kiss [Snow White]." Eventually, the man's obsession spiralled out of control. In a dispute over Snow White's eye color, he threatened to kill her (along with any other blue-eyed princesses). He had his annual pass revoked.

The pros

For many characters, the pros vastly outway the cons...

4. You're super-famous and most people love you

Every kid wants to meet Mickey Mouse, and other characters are also hugely popular. Disneyland underestimated just how popular Captain Jack Sparrow would be. Hosts typically help run the line of guests waiting to meet a character. With Jack Sparrow, Disney felt that no hosts would be required - he'd simply be allowed to "mingle". A former Cast Member recalls:"I laughed at that. I said, 'I don’t mean to be the guy that knows it all, but from Renaissance Faires I can guarantee you this character will have the park’s longest line.'". He was right - after enormous lines formed to get Jack Sparrow's autograph, "the Jacks ultimately got two hosts."

3. You can hang out with your mates

Most of Alton Towers’ predominantly young character staff enjoyed their time at the park, with Alistair Farrant recalling: "All my friends worked there, so it was just like hanging out with your mates." Not everybody likes Disney princesses, but the princesses are generally good friends. A former Cast Member recalls: "It's kind of like being in high school. Most of the princesses were viewed like "Mean Girls." It creates a bit of a stigma which I fought loads of times. In fact I met two of my best friends while working there."

2. You look out for each other

They may be a target for abuse, but characters occasionally team up to overcome such threats. Farrant recalls of Alton Towers: "You couldn’t do much - the minders would try and put them right. We used to find certain kids were worse than others. During the parade, they would come and try to kick and punch us. There were 20 or 30 of us and we knew certain parts of the route where nobody was really watching you, so we might retaliate slightly. There were some little ****s and it was hard to resist."

1. You can make dreams come true

Sometimes, characters can meet very special guests - and have the opportunity to really make their day, or that of their loved ones. Disney's Snow White recalls: "An adorable little girl named Jane with three months to live came to visit for Make A Wish. I got to ride two rides with her, and while we were on the Storybook boats she looked at me as sincere as a little girl can and said, 'Snow White, this has been my mom's best day ever.' Her mother was in tears the whole time."