Disney World is home to a whole world of characters. And while the past year has seen the suspension of Character Greetings, that doesn’t mean the resort is suddenly short on inhabitants – there are plenty of opportunities to see your favorite heroes throughout the parks. However, though some remain unavailable, this could be a good opportunity for Disney World to look at ‘rebooting’ a select few. There has always been something of an inconsistency when it comes to Disney World’s ‘human’ characters: some are actually human, while others have human ‘masks’, with the actor hidden inside the costume.
Let’s look at some Disney World characters whose faces should be human, and some who have actually managed to work the look in question.
1. Jafar – Aladdin
When it comes to Disney World, Aladdin and Princess Jasmine are literally human. And they are, after all, human in the movies – whether it’s the animation or live-action. So why hasn’t Jafar hasn’t been given the same treatment? Sure, his features are a lot more ‘cartoonish’ in the original film (pointed chin, maniacal smirk, long face), but it just feels inconsistent to see him in a mask alongside the other in-the-flesh characters. Not only that, but Jafar just doesn’t look that great at Disney World, and he’s also missing that wicked charisma only a free-faced actor can bring to life.
2. Woody – Toy Story
Woody is, as we all know, a “child’s play-thing”, so having a human face on display would defeat the illusion that a toy is walking around Disney’s Hollywood Studios. However, we also know that Woody blinks and emotes and speaks just like a human being, so it’s possible that having a human face on his Disney World character would be better. With that said, considering that Woody is indeed a toy, we think the Sheriff simply needs the same movie-quality makeover he was given in Hong Kong Disneyland (see above image). And perhaps a pull-string so that we can hear his catchphrases.
3. Buzz Lightyear – Toy Story
The same rules apply to Buzz – on screen, he’s just as plastic-faced as Woody, yet he’s able to emote all the same. At Disney World, we’d love to see a Buzz who can do all of those things and tell us about his galactic adventures in the Gamma Quadrant (we’re not saying we would settle for nothing less than Tim Allen, though that would be awesome). However, to be consistent with Woody, we think a makeover would suffice (Buzz also underwent said makeover at Hong Kong Disneyland). But like Woody, Buzz-Buzz-Buzz would need some of those iconic catchphrases.
4. Vanellope – Wreck-It Ralph
Vanellope is yet another example of a character whose Disney World-counterpart is devoid of the charisma and humor that make her so infectious in the film. Sidekick to the larger-than-life Ralph, Vanellope is voiced by Sarah Silverman on screen, who helped bring the unofficial Disney Princess to life. With her cheeky grin and signature outfit, she doesn’t look too bad at Disney World, but an actress who could bring that sugar-fuelled energy to life would be most welcome.
5. Lilo – Lilo & Stitch
There are some animated characters who translate quite well into the real-world setting, speaking specifically of the human characters whose actors are unseen. And Lilo is definitely one of those examples. The Disney World version of the character pretty much captures the look, and while this isn’t a deal-breaker – especially considering that other characters on this list look like their on-screen counterparts but should probably be portrayed by a visible actor – sometimes it just looks and feels right. Perhaps Stitch could do with being a little smaller, though (even if he is cute and fluffy).
6. Ralph – Wreck-It Ralph
The titular character from the hit movie that occupies a virtual world is one of the best ‘human’ characters at Disney World. Ralph might be a video game character, and a large one at that, whose abnormally large fists have been designed to smash through brick for as long as his game stays plugged in, but for all intents and purposes, he is human. And fortunately, Disney World has got it right with Ralph. And we can’t imagine anyone whose quite as big as Ralph being able to pull off the character in a live setting.
7. Carl & Russell – UP!
Grouping these two characters together makes sense, not only because they’re from the same movie, but we think their in-park designs are truly awesome. For starters, they look like they’ve been lifted straight from the movie. Secondly, there’s a high level of quality at work here. While they aren’t of course able to emote like their on-screen versions, sometimes quality wins over, and it’s this that makes for truly worthwhile photo opportunities. There’s also a unique charm about these designs, and we simply wouldn’t change a thing about them.
There’s nothing wrong with some of these characters per say, but when it comes to a human character whose actor is hidden beneath a costume, it can feel a little out of place, especially alongside visibly human characters. Sure, many of these characters have been pulled from animated movies, but the truth is that some of them don’t translate well into the park settings.
