3. The costume is power

Image: Disney

Once vacationers reach the monorail, they have entered the Disney bubble. It’s here that guests suspend disbelief and embrace the impossible. The magic Pixie dust that is part of Disney folklore extends to its costumed cast members.

Ask any former Disney cast member about their time accompanying a character. They’ll have stories to tell that will cause you to cry tears of joy or tears of sorrow, sometimes even both at once. 

4. Anybody wearing a costume is a winner

Image: Disney

Despite the aggravations that come wearing a costume, the competition to perform this job is brutal. It’s also borderline unfair at times. Even if you do the best impression of a particular role on the planet, perfectly capturing mannerisms, you’re still out if you’re too tall for the costume.

Most of the opening round cuts in job auditions are brutal yet simple. They’re based on height and body shape. Disney isn’t doing anything untoward here. It’s simply a matter of physics. The company certainly isn’t going to craft new costumes to fit employees of different shapes and sizes.

Still, garnering the job of costumed cast member is prestigious. Would-be employees from several continents dream of wearing these outfits for a living. Anyone you see wearing one has overcome long odds to prove themselves as the best candidates. You’re in the presence of a winner.

5. Anybody wearing a costume is also a target

Have you ever read the internet comments section from a large internet community? A lot of people are nasty as a rule. Sadly, they go to Disney theme parks, too. While they’re there, they don’t suddenly undergo a personality change, either. That means they’re going to act obnoxious at times, and costumed cast members are a large target. It’s not just the troll demographic that’s a problem, either.

Some park guests confuse a Disney theme park with Buckingham Palace. Their mission during their visit is to trick or bully cast members into breaking character. It’s obnoxious behavior; it’s also a part of the average work day for costumed Disney employees.

Children bring with them a different type of aggravation. Kids want to pull on the ears of dogs, tug on the arms of princesses to get their attention, and bite and kick pretty much anything that moves since they are kids. It’s a precarious situation for cast members. They’ve earned a highly sought after job within the company, and many of their interactions with theme park tourists are joyous. Still, they have to keep their guard up at all times for fear of punishment from overly enthusiastic or just plain mean strangers.

For the reasons listed above, you should always act kindly to costumed cast members. Their job is harder and more stressful than yours, and I say that even if you’re an air traffic controller by trade.