Crush crushed

[drcorey]

My close encounter with Mickey was at DL a few years ago. My middle kid needs a wheelchair if he's going to be moving for than a half hour.

Mickey was meeting kids and had a huge crowd around him. There was no way I'd be able to get the wheelchair close without a lot of trouble. I parked the chair at the edge of the crowd, worked my way around the back and got along side of Mickey.

I leaned in and said, "Mickey, if possible, could you say hi to the kid in the wheelchair if you have a chance?"

As if by magic the crowd parted and Mickey walked over to my kid and spent some time with him. Very cool!

So, to anyone who sez Mickey is just some guy in a suit, I say could some guy in a suit part a crowd and bring the magic? Nope.

yeah, they are not just people in suits. they are trained to do exactly
what the charactor would do if brought into our world. these are professionals and should always act as such. and the mouse and his people are nice beings.

[DisneyMom]

Those are cool stories! I recently saw a young man in his early 20's, with a group of his friends, run toward Pluto with arms extended and give him the biggest hugs! Made me smile thinking about it all day :)
I feel a little sorry for that girl.....hopefully she'll take some time to enjoy being a kid and soak in a little magic before she has to grow up! ;)

[Puget Peach]

I grew up without Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or any of the characters of childhood. I believe it was my parents misguided attempt not to tell lies to us? However, I was also taught that I was not to tell other children whose parents have chosen to raise them believing in such things. I never stole the magic from another child but rather felt somewhat old beyond my years at a very early age.

My parents never took me to Disneyland (they said it was too far from Indiana and too expensive). When Walt Disney World opened, I took my first college spring break to visit. It took me a few trips to "practice" the magic. Thankfully, I have it now is spades! (Or cheese???) I LOVE visiting Walt Disney World and I totally believe the characters.

Thanks to all the wonderful cast members I have had the priviledge with which to interact including mousekeepers, guest services, attraction cm's, characters and character's friend. Thank you all for providing me a special place where I can be a kid. Over and over again. You rock! See you next month!

[Whazzup]

I grew up without Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, or any of the characters of childhood. I believe it was my parents misguided attempt not to tell lies to us? However, I was also taught that I was not to tell other children whose parents have chosen to raise them believing in such things. I never stole the magic from another child but rather felt somewhat old beyond my years at a very early age.

My parents never took me to Disneyland (they said it was too far from Indiana and too expensive). When Walt Disney World opened, I took my first college spring break to visit. It took me a few trips to "practice" the magic. Thankfully, I have it now is spades! (Or cheese???) I LOVE visiting Walt Disney World and I totally believe the characters.

Thanks to all the wonderful cast members I have had the priviledge with which to interact including mousekeepers, guest services, attraction cm's, characters and character's friend. Thank you all for providing me a special place where I can be a kid. Over and over again. You rock! See you next month!

Hi Puget Peach! Welcome to SGT, and thanks for sharing your "magic" with us!
Yoo-Hoo! Marsupials - where are you?? Got another one for you to officially welcome.

[BRWombat]

Wow, three welcomes in one day... I'm worn out! BW, quit playing with your trains and help!! :D:

Puget Peach,
to from :wallaby: and !!! :D: :D: :D:

[darph nader]

Wow, three welcomes in one day... I'm worn out! BW, quit playing with your trains and help!! :D:

Puget Peach,
to from :wallaby: and !!! :D: :D: :D:

It does seem like BW is slackin.
Maybe he hypnotized himself. ;)

[Big Wallaby]

Present. Thank you for covering, Wombat. Welcome, Peach! :)

I have come up with my way around these people who want to talk about the person in the suit.

I talk about the suits they wear... and how they have to get into the suits and stuff and the work it takes... and how hard it is to make those kinds of costumes. What is really fun is trying to fit some of those shirt necks around Mickey's head... and dressing Stitch is a real chore! You never know if he's going to have four or six arms... it depends on how he feels right then...

Is there an air conditioner in that suit? Compare Mickey's body to his tux. Do you see an air conditioner?

I love when you get an adult that thinks I am talking about the character suit, and it turns out I am talking about the character's suit.

I had one guy last week who just wouldn't give up. Finally, I broke down. I put on my sunglasses, turned dead serious, stared him down through the sunglasses, and feigning my best mobster accent, "Sir, I would not continue this conversation if I were you. Mickey's really nice, but he doesn't like being played, if you get my drift. Any time anyone tries to play him, it doesn't end well for them." I lowered my sunglasses on my nose and stared intently at him, "Capice?"

Oh, yes. I forgot to mention, for "Capice?" I made sure I was well within his comfort zone, even though there was a gate between us.

All you really have to do is keep the storyline going, and give the adults a fun reason to keep it going. Of course you will always get those "Oh, I don't lie to my little Tammy-boo" types, but then, I don't understand why they even come to our world of created, organized make-believe.

[Puget Peach]

Thank you for the welcomes! I've lurked here for way too long and thought it was time to come out of the closet. It is my sincere desire to become one of you (a cast member). I've been working with my financial advisor to make my dream an integral part of my retirement plan! ;)

[joanna71985]

On the subject of parents ruining the magic for the kids, I absolutely hate when the kids believe it's real, and the parent comes up and ruins it by asking loudly "is there an air conditioner in there?" "Is it hot in there?" or some other variation.

I understand if you feel like letting your kids believe in the magic is a lie, and you don't want them to believe the lie. I feel sad for the kids because they don't get to experience the magic of Disney, or Santa, or the Tooth Fairy, or the Easter Bunny. But don't ruin it for other kids who do believe.

Amen! I hate when adults would ask me those questions (right in front of little kids). It drives me crazy.

Then I must be mad. I know that the characters are somebody in a costume but I also know they are actually that character. Doublethink for the win!

Same here. I know all about it (as I work with the characters). But when I am out meeting the characters, they ARE that character.

[GaTechGal]

I've never understood those parents that don't want to "lie" to their children. It isn't about lying, it's about planting a little magic inside them - that little spark that they can take out during the dark times to let the light of hope. And if it doesn't get planted when they're little, it's awfully hard to get it to take root when they're older and "wiser". Right Peach?