Sort of an extension of my "Disney Channel Auditions" post.

Anyone here been to auditions for the Disney Parks?

I hear that working in the Disney Parks is one of the greatest and most rewarding jobs an actor can have. I've made friends with people who have worked overseas in the Hong Kong parks, and they absolutely loved it.

Usually the parks cast Character/Princess look-a-likes, parade performers, and performers for various musicals.

How are audition for the Disney Parks, if anyone here has gone to any?

Anyone here have experience working for the Disney Parks?

I know that user Don_Quixote was just cast in Disneyland's Aladdin (congrats again, Don_Quixote).

Looking forward to hearing from everyone.

I can only speak for working at disneyland, but i would imagine it would be similar at any disney parks. There are different types of performer jobs that are harder to get, and are less enjoyable than others.

I know at disneyland there are "characters" who generally have specific guidelines to audition, ie: minnie has to be under 5'1', Tink cant be taller than 5'0 or 4'11, a lot of the princesses are between 5'4'' and 5'7''. (keep in mind i'm not positive that these are the exact requirements, just general) Most of the male full costumed characters have to be taller than 6'1

Parade dancers and performers are more difficult to get (in my/my freinds experiences). While the actual dances they perform in the parades are very simple and really dont require a ton of skill, the actual auditions are much more difficult and they dance you very hard. If you are a boy, its a lot easier to get in though. I have heard that the treatment of parade performers is not so good though, but i dont know if that is true.

The stage shows like aladdin @ dca and the princess show at disneyland are also seperate auditions. I'm not sure of the difficulty of these or how hard the jobs are to get.

In general, there is a lot of type casting involved. There are open auditions fairly often. Seasonal parade performer jobs are supposedly easier to get. They make you go through a TON of training id you do get the job before you begin, but you do get paid on these training days. I dont know if this is specific to performers, but i know that in general w/ disney jobs they pay well, but it can be hard to get shifts very often if you are part-time. so then you dont end up making tons.

I also know that if you are looking to only work there for the summer, you will be more successful applying as a year round performer rather than as a seasonal performer, and then you can quit at the end of the summer. You are more likely to get hired that way. An actual disney employee who does hiring told me this.


again, all of this is stuff i have heard from my disney freinds and my own auditioning expiriences, i dont garuantee that they are true or accurate and anyone with more knowledge is welcome to add and correct me.

Best wishes,

Meghan

The WDW auditions held in NYC are for Equity (AGVA in Disneyland) roles. Those pay better and have better contracts. You get an Equity dressing room, your own costumes (character department shares cleaned costumes). It's an open call, so be prepared to wait.


Working as a character performer at Walt Disney World is not a resume booster, but it certainly lends itself as a topic of conversation for any job/agent interview.

At WDW, when I left it seemed they hired anyone with a pulse for the character department, face and fur. Lots of full-timers living in subsidized housing (absolutely great condition, but subsidized none the less). Put it this way- you do it because you love the job, not for the money.

I don't regret my experience there. I put in my time, and then it was time to move on. Lots of great memories. I miss it, but not enough to work there again.


I have a lot of friends who have worked numerous contracts in both Tokyo Disneyland and Hong Kong. They've made great money and have had the chance to afford travel all over Asia after ending their contracts. I'd love to have had that experience, but they don't need to import Asians who only speak English.

If you're in the right height range and you're pretty/handsome and Caucasian, you've got a good chance of being hired as a princess. You've got an even better chance if you're blonde. I have a pale, blonde friend who was hired to portray Princess Jasmine in Tokyo. No joke. And if you've been passed on for one audition, don't hesitate to go to the next one in six months. They just change their minds sometimes.

For singer or dancer roles, you've gotta be decent to get hired in Asia.

Does anyone know if Disney will accept video auditions? Most of the auditions that I would like to audition for (singer) are not near me.

I have no idea. I've never heard of them accepting video submissions before.

Luckily, since I live in NYC, there are usually auditions for their musical shows in the city, but there are still a lot held directly in Orlando/California that I wish I could go to.

Video auditions would be great, but I have no idea if they do that kind of thing.

don't bother. i've sent my stuff in, even simple thank you post cards after having callbacks in NYC, and get a form letter inviting me to check out their audition website to seethe upcoming audition schedule. they didn't even read the actual letters. and this is ALWAYS the response. so...

So you sent in a video audition, and they basically told you to check out their website for the live auditions?

I figured they wouldn't want video auditions. Especially for Disney Parks, I think they really need to see you perform in person.

So I asked one of my former WDW co-workers, who used to work in casting, and she asked a CD, who said that they do accept audition videos. As for what happens with them, I do not know.

quote:

Originally posted by transfergirl:
So I asked one of my former WDW co-workers, who used to work in casting, and she asked a CD, who said that they do accept audition videos. As for what happens with them, I do not know.

Really? Interesting. What exactly would be the mailing address to send in a video? I know that some of the auditions take place in Animal Kingdom. How would you address the submission?

I auditioned last year at Disney's California Adventure for "High School Musical: Pep Rally". It was a good audition experience. Basically, you show up, sign in and wait for them to take you to the backlot into one of their dance studios. Then, they give you a rundown of what they're looking for and give you the procedures of what happens if you make it through to the next round of auditions. After that, they teach you a quick dance routine and in two separate lines you and another person do that routine to the HSM music, while the choreographer points to where you stand (one area means you go on to the next round, the other means you don't). I ended up in the latter one, so I don't know what the other phases consisted of.

quote:

Originally posted by SparklingAriel:

quote:

Originally posted by transfergirl:
So I asked one of my former WDW co-workers, who used to work in casting, and she asked a CD, who said that they do accept audition videos. As for what happens with them, I do not know.

Really? Interesting. What exactly would be the mailing address to send in a video? I know that some of the auditions take place in Animal Kingdom. How would you address the submission?

I don't know how you'd address it, but I'd guess that you can send it to the same place where they ask for videos for variety acts. The Animal Kingdom rehearsal room is just that- they don't receive mail there. In your case, however, I advise you to skip the video and go to an open call since you're in NYC anyway.

Right, well I plan on attending the NYC auditions when they have them, but I wish they would hold some of character and princess look-a-like calls here too.

I can't wait until there's (hopefully) another audition for The Voyage of The Little Mermaid =].

hehe, i know! i've been to several disney auditions and have been included on the director reels for just about every show except the two i'm right for (mermaid and nemo! haha). but i would love to do any of their shows.

in regards to mail- i also know that since i address my cover letter to a specific person, who does seem to remember me when he sees me (like, he says "so great to see you again" kinda things), and mention the most recent audition i had for him to make that connection, remind him who i am, i still get the same form letter, which leads me to believe that there is a sorting process and that likely, my piece of mail isn't making it directly to him. or there could be other reasons, i don't know. but he's so nice and super helpful and energetic that i don't really mind and look forward to seeing him in NYC when i audition.

i'll bet they accept videos in that they don't return them, but i've never heard of anyone getting cast or called in from them. doesn't mean it hasn't happened, but i've never heard of it happening.

they often have character/princess auditions in philly, it would cost you what, $35 RT to take a bus there? could be worth it!

but they also audition in NYC about once to twice a month, so just go to one of those auds.

also know that each sector of Disney has different casting associates. so dont assume that because you went to a cruise ship audition that you'll be considered for the Florida park. they are all different. so you may want to submit to other parks and the cruiseline separately.

g'luck!

Its really great that this guy remembers you. That just give you more possibilities for being cast.

So you're saying that in response to your mailings, they send back a general letter? Maybe you should address it "care of (insert name here)"?

I know that I'll have to audition for the cruise ship and the parks separately. I would love to work for both!

but thats what i'm saying... once i realized the CD remembers me most of the time, i send follow-up mail directly to him. and i always get the same "thank you, please visit our website to see our upcoming audition schedule" form letter.

the man auditions thousands of people a year, so i'm not on a first name basis or anything, but once he sees my name and my face, he seems to remember me and remember what the last audition for him was like and such.

but i can't seem to get a piece of mail directly to him. i always get that form letter. so i've stopped wasting the postage.

but i believe a different person or department casts musicians and variety acts, so there's no guarantee that a video sent to the variety act mailing address will make it to him.

and definitely agree, the rehearsal hall is a rehearsal hall, don't send it there. auds are coming up for everything, so go for it!

also, i went to HK Disney this august, and the mainstage show (apparently taken from the cruiseline) was pretty good! consider HK as well, it's JUST like NYC.