Being a character at Disney World is everyone’s dream job when they’re about five, but the reality of working at one of the theme parks is actually pretty grim according to one ex-employee.
Melanie worked at the park from 2014 to 2020, rotating between playing Cinderella’s wicked step-sisters Anastasia and Drizella, Mrs Incredible and Joy from Inside Out.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, she claimed there was huge “pressure” and an “unrealistic expectation” to stay thin when playing the princesses, which led “many performers developing body image issues or eating disorders during or after their time as a character”.
“Disney princesses are famously thin, which adds a lot of pressure to all the girls,” she said. “You dreaded getting a call from casting over a ‘silhouette issue’, meaning they thought you were looking too overweight in your costume.”
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“This was extra frustrating because girls were almost never wearing even the largest dress sizes. If the dress is available and they fit their costume, why are women punished for size? Many performers have developed body image issues or eating disorders during or after their time as a character due to a warped sense of self.”
According to her, there were also strict rules on how employees had to keep their nails and hair, “even if guests never see your face” because you’re in a character suit.
Melanie claimed getting hired as a character is all about the way you look, not the actual theatrical talent you have. She alleged: “Disney look-a-like characters are chosen based on height and looks, with minimal talent required and no experience necessary.” Plus, according to her, you can get too old for the role, too.
“It is a requirement to look as much like a teenager as you can, which means you can “age out” of characters at any time,” the ex-employee also claimed.
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On top of the unrealistic body expectations, Melanie claimed she also had to deal with “general unwanted touching” on a daily basis and gross comments from parents.
People would often call her “nasty, mean, or ugly” while she was playing Cinderella’s evil step sisters, which “took a toll after a while,” and dads would joke “that they are available” which was “gross and weird”.
“And I hated it when parents would tell their kids I was mean or really bad and scary, and then they would act confused when the kids didn’t want to talk to me or take a photo.”
The Tab has reached out to Walt Disney World for comment.
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Featured image by: @magicalgirlmelanie/TikTok
