Your reporter shares what it’s like to “work with” Mickey Mouse for the day.
SPOILER ALERT: Small children and others who don’t want to have the “magic of Disney” spoiled should read this article and then forget what it says.
ANAHEIM, CA —
5:30 a.m. – My alarm goes off. It’s Wednesday morning at last. Today I have the opportunity to spend the day at Disneyland “working with” everyone’s favorite cartoon mouse and corporate icon, Mickey! (“Work with” is Cast Member-speak for working with a character.) And I’ll get to report on my experiences!
The park opens to the public at 9:00, but I have to be there early. It’s going to be a fun day.
7:10 a.m. – Time to “gear up”! I’m wearing a black long-sleeve t-shirt and black leggings with black shorts on top. I’ve heard it can be hot inside a full costume like this, so the material is all that fancy dry-wick stuff. I’m almost cold.
7:25 a.m. – Now the finishing touches: I slip on the shoes first — they fit like oversized tennis shoes that just happen to be bright yellow. Next come the iconic red Mickey shorts, padded to be mouse-shaped, with suspenders to hold them in place. The white, three-fingered gloves are next. I don’t know where to put the extra finger, but eventually I get it to work.
Finally, the Mickey head. Everything I’ve read is true — it is incredibly difficult to see out of one of these things, but I’ll get used to it.
And just like that, I’m no longer Marty the Uncle Walt’s Insider reporter. I’m Mickey Mouse!!
7:55 a.m. – Guests are already gathering in the plaza in front of Disneyland, waiting to get in, so it’s time for me to go to “work”! I leave my hotel room and hop on the Anaheim Resort Transit bus. Lots of people are staring and smiling at me. This is fun!
8:09 a.m. – The ART shuttle arrives at Disneyland, and I climb down and begin walking to the plaza. Lots of guests are smiling and pointing. Some are taking my picture, but no one has asked for Mickey’s autograph yet.
8:12 a.m. – I’m not even to the bag check when Disneyland Security approaches. Apparently they have a rule against wearing homemade Disney character costumes in their park. I’m cheerfully told to leave or face arrest for trespassing.
Huh, really? Oh, well. Guess I’ll have to go make magic somewhere else. I wonder if Walt Disney World has the same rule?
Should he try again, maybe as Mulan? Let us know in the comments below!
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Cover photo: Mickey Mouse. Not Marty. Image by Loren Javier [CC BY-ND 2.0] via Flickr.