Character integrity is one of the most important values one must uphold as a Disney cast member, and ideally as a guest as well. This phrase is used to encompass all of the different elements that work together to keep the Disney magic alive for guests. Character integrity upholds that the characters as you see them in the park are real. When you visit Buzz Lightyear during a trip to Tomorrowland, you are not meeting a person dressed like him but rather you are meeting Buzz himself.
The “rule of one” is a big part of character integrity, which states that there is only one of each character– a rule that should make perfect sense given that the characters are real, and we know from watching their films that there are not multiples of them. While there is definitely only one of each character, any given character may have multiple “friends.”
Image: Disney
We would never say that a person portrays or acts as a character in a Disney park, rather the correct terminology is “friends with.” Using this kind of wording helps preserve the magic, particularly for younger guests who will likely not think anything of someone being friends with a character.
Character integrity is an interesting concept in that for whatever reason, large scale entertainment companies with theme parks such as Disney, and later Universal, are really the only ones who uphold the idea. Guests even take notice of this when visiting a Walt Disney theme park in comparison to other theme parks and entertainment venues. For whatever reason, some guests have no problems pointing out character integrity flaws at other locations, but once they drive onto Walt Disney World property you can be certain they’ll believe those characters are the real deal– or they’ll at least make it clear to their children that they are.
I remember being a child, meeting Santa Claus at the mall and asking my mom how Santa could possibly be in the mall for the entire holiday season. He would even be in multiple different malls, all conveniently around the Boston area where I grew up, and at a time when he definitely should have been busy preparing for Christmas. Without hesitation my mom told me that those were Santa’s helpers, people who worked closely with Santa while he was tied up getting ready for the holidays. Perhaps I was a naive child, but I took this statement as fact and assumed the real Santa must be the one at the Disney parade we’d watch on TV every year. Why was my childhood self so comfortable believing that of all the “Santas” in the world, the one in Disney was the real deal?
Beginnings of character integrity
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Character integrity ironically enough, started years before any Disney theme parks opened, and therefore years before any kind of character meet and greets would exist. In the 1930s, a young girl wrote a letter to Walt Disney inquiring about how many different Mickey Mouses there were. The girl wrote that she had seen the character in so many different places, and so she wanted to (innocently enough) find out how many existed. Walt wrote back to her referencing Santa Claus in that just like him, there is only one Mickey Mouse.
The first in-person appearance of a costumed Disney character was in 1931, during a stage show production called “Mickey Mouse Idea.” Mickey and Minnie later made their first public appearance together in 1937 at the Carthay Circle Theater for the premiere of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” The characters seen at this premiere did not look anything like the characters we see today either. The two mice were about average height, with fairly similar body types that noticeably looked “human” under the tight fitting costume. Though guests at the time were not alarmed, probably because they had no other characters to compare them to, guests today would likely find these costumes rather terrifying.
Characters come to Disneyland
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By the time Disneyland was set to open, a popular figure skating show using costumed characters called “Ice Capades” had been holding performances around the country featuring costumed characters. In 1955 when Disneyland officially opened, it was these costumes that were used to portray characters at the park, though perhaps as expected they came with some problems.
The most noticeable issue with these characters were simply that the costumes were made to be seen from a distance in an ice skating show, and not close-up walking down Main Street in a theme park. As a result of their use in the ice show, eye holes were clearly visible, and many of the costumes were quite obviously unrealistic. It may seem strange to point this out today, but guests visiting Disneyland on opening day likely believed that the characters were costumed actors. The park was not originally going to have costumed characters at all, and even once opening day was over the plan did not initially call for them to be there in day to day operations– the only plausible reasons why better care was not taken to ensure that these costumes would be more authentic.
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By the early 1960s, drastic changes were made to the costumes, and the foundations of what we now know as character integrity began to form. Alterations were made to hide parts of the costume that would noticeably expose the human form, and height requirements were put in place to ensure that all friends of the characters would be coordinated with one another. Walt Disney’s own well-known ideas about the overall design of Disneyland in the 1960s also fit right in with the newly formed concept of character integrity.
Character integrity and the Florida Project
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While designing Walt Disney World, one element that Walt wanted to make sure was carried out was that the Magic Kingdom would be on the second floor. Having a series of tunnels (the Utilidor) below the park would not only make it easier to house storage space, offices, cast cafeterias, and a sophisticated garbage and recycling system, but it also meant that the cast members would not be seen walking into the incorrect areas of the park. Walt has often been quoted as being alarmed at the sight of a Frontierland cowboy walking through Tomorrowland in Disneyland to reach a backstage area, as the themes of the two different areas would then clash and take away from the guests’ immersive experience. And what could break immersion more than seeing Snow White or the Dapper Dans, or even an Adventureland cast member stroll through Tomorrowland at the Magic Kingdom today?
To meet the need for character meet and greets at Walt Disney World’s opening, about 200 future “friends of characters” were hired and trained under a new program that taught them how to accurately and consistently portray their roles. These cast members were responsible for learning which animated motions worked best without speaking, and signing autographs in a consistent manner for guests. And of course, by the Magic Kingdom’s opening day in 1971, the costumes on both coasts had reflected years of important changes, making the characters seem much more authentic. Guests would now see the character as his or herself, not as an imposter.
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As you’ve probably noticed, the characters have changed a bit here and there since 1971, however this is primarily the result of technological advances in costume design, and the changing ways characters are portrayed in animated features so that their appearances match the guests’ expectations. By 1976, official training handbooks were issued to entertainment cast members outlining what character integrity is, and how urgent it is for cast members in the entertainment department to preserve this specific kind of Disney magic.
Since then, great care has been taken to ensure character integrity throughout all Disney theme parks. When the afternoon parade comes down Main Street in the Magic Kingdom, you might notice Mickey taking a break from his usual character meet and greet at the Town Square Theater. We all know there is only one Mickey, and he can’t possibly be in two places at once. Character performers, or entertainment cast members are also under contract to uphold character integrity, a point that has become increasingly acknowledged in recent years due to the rise in social media.
Pros and cons of social media
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Social media is a double edged sword for the Walt Disney Company in terms of character integrity. In some instances, social media is used as a free marketing platform. Without Disney putting in any additional effort, hundreds of thousands of Instagram users are out there daily promoting its theme parks, and telling even more followers about how good of a time they had there. Conversely, social media has been the source of blame for many problems that have come up with character integrity in the past decade or so.
Unfortunately, the biggest culprits in the demise of character integrity, especially in social media are Disney fans themselves. While not entirely their fault, some fans are simply ignorant to the idea of character integrity and they genuinely have no idea that they are doing anything wrong. Even more unfortunate however are the fans who are well aware of character integrity, but oppose the idea of it anyway.
If you’ve ever heard of “Spieling Peter,” or read a comment on a photo stating, “That’s my favorite Rapunzel!” then you’ve seen character integrity fail right in front of you on social media. “Spieling Peter,” is an unofficial nickname fans visiting Disneyland have given to a certain friend of Peter Pan based on their interactions with him in the park. While doing this may seem harmless enough, this is actually a serious problem as it violates the “rule of one.” If there is really only one Peter Pan, then who exactly is Spieling Peter? Pointing out a “favorite” friend of a character causes the same problem– how can one have a favorite when there is only one of that character to begin with?
Friends of characters are actually able to post pictures of themselves hanging out with a character on social media, they just need to be careful with the wording of captions and comments, and how they portray themselves. A social media page with your own profile picture, and real name, with a couple of pictures of you “spending the day” with a Disney character for instance is totally acceptable. A page named for Gaston with photos stating that the person is in fact Gaston, would be a violation of the terms that were agreed to upon hire. Typically cast members make wise decisions in their use of social media, however they must always be on the lookout for commenters who may disregard character integrity.
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The flipside of the fan with good intentions who just happens to be uninformed about character integrity is the fan who just disregards the entire idea, which can also be especially harmful on social media. Friends of characters have a particularly difficult time with this, as they try their best to uphold character integrity while sometimes finding themselves at the mercy of commenters on the internet who seemingly have no problem outing them. The guests who do not care to preserve character integrity in the first place can be even more problematic when visiting the parks.
Any cast member who has worked in a Disney park anywhere close to a character meet and greet has probably had at least one instance of being asked things like, “How hot do you think it is for the guy in the suit?” or “This line’s really long, why don’t you just get another Elsa out here?” or even the straightforward, “How many Mickeys are here?” While cast members are trained to handle these kinds of questions, guests around the person asking the question were probably not expecting to overhear someone having this kind of conversation, especially while they are in line to meet one of the characters with their children.
What should guests do to keep the magic alive?
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Preserving character integrity may not seem like something that is fully necessary for guests visiting the parks in the same way that it is for cast members who work there. While guests are not bound to a contract requiring them to follow through with character integrity it can still be in their best interest to do so.
Common courtesy is perhaps the most important reason why all guests should still try their best to preserve the magic of the characters while visiting the parks (and maybe even on social media if it comes down to it!) As mentioned previously, guests bringing children to the parks do not want them to overhear that the character they are about to meet is actually a person in a suit (a lie, of course).
To put this in perspective for adults who may not be so concerned with character integrity– wouldn’t it be disappointing to purchase expensive tickets to a magic or illusionist show in Las Vegas, only to have the acts ruined by someone in line before you take your seats? Of course this would likely not be as traumatizing as a child discovering the reality behind character meet and greets, but it is a frustrating enough scenario for us to get the idea.
Thankfully, it is very easy for guests to uphold character integrity. Simply using terminology like “friends with” to describe character performers if you need to, especially in front of younger guests can really go a long way in keeping the magic alive. Refraining from discussing the real inner-workings of this role, or asking questions that are obviously inappropriate for other guests to overhear is another really simple way to preserve the magic. Feel free to go back to your hotel room at the end of the day, and discuss the reality of character meet and greets from the privacy of your resort if you must, but be sure to keep these conversations away from other guests.
Another way that the Disney fan community as a whole can work towards a better understanding of character integrity is to educate other fans about it. If you’ve ever seen someone discuss “Spieling Peter” on the internet, their devotion to these characters is evident, and it is safe to say that though they are violating the “rule of one” they do not honestly mean any harm.
So many fans do not intend to ruin the magic for others, they only do so because they are unaware that character integrity exists. By spreading the word about character integrity, and how important it is for guests to be able to go to a Disney park and escape the daily realities they know at home by meeting a favorite character, the concept should only prove to be even more productive in the future.
