1. When auditioning, you don't audition for a certain character.
2. And you have a better chance of being hired if you look like the other actors, rather than the character herself.
So if you want to be a Disneyland Cinderella, you're better off if you look like the women already hired to play her, rather than the actual Cinderella we know and love.
3. Not everyone gets hired the first time around.
Some girls have to audition four or five times before getting accepted. This is because Disneyland is looking for different princesses at different times. You might be a perfect Pocahontas, but your first audition might be when they're casting only Alice or Belle.
4. Princesses who are hired have to go through autograph training.
If you got a Snow White autograph at Disneyland today, it would look the exact same as one that was done 40 years ago.
5. You also have to go through a few weeks of character training.
It's important to know the character and their story inside out, so you can answer any question. You also have to talk and walk the exact right way, and do your makeup the same way as all the other girls playing the same princess.
6. The audition process is about eight hours long and is very rigorous.
First, they make you all stand in a line and they look at your face, body type, and height, and they choose who they want to stay for the next round.
7. It helps if you can act and dance.
They judge you on your acting, especially your improv skills. They'll also show you a simple dance that you have to remember and perform back to them "in character". (This basically just means with a princess-like smile on your face.)
8. It's not a requirement, but it also helps if you can sing.
9. There isn't a specific height you have to be.
But the princesses hired are usually pretty tall, with the exception of Tinkerbell, Alice, and Wendy.
10. You also have to fit the costumes they already have.
Before your audition ends, they'll dress you in the clothes and makeup of the character they'd want you to play if you were hired. If it doesn't fit you, you can't be hired as that character.
11. Sometimes, creepy dads try their luck.
It's not too hard to "accidentally" cop a feel while taking a photo with them.
12. Some of princesses play more than one face character.
A face character is one without a mask. And you're also expected to sometimes work in a fur suit (e.g. as Mikey or Sully) if there's a staff shortage.
13. The pay isn't much more than minimum wage.
14. The average shift is eight hours.
Princesses work for 40 minutes sigining autographs and meeting people, then have 20 minutes' rest backstage. The rest is especially necessary when working outside in summer.
15. There are a bunch of secret tunnels under most of the parks for cast members and park security to get around quickly.
16. There will always be teens who try to make characters break.
Usually by saying ~explicit~ things.
17. While in costume, you always have to stay in character.
And princesses can't refer to anything outside the Disney world. Mulan does not know who Harry Potter is, for example.
18. There's always more than one of each princess working at a time.
For example, Cinderella has to do meet and greets, walk in the parade, and eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with guests at her castle restaurant. It'd be impossible for one actor to do it all. It takes a special amount of magic (aka strict schedules) to keep up the illusion that there's only one Cinderella.
19. At some parks, there is Disney housing for all the crew to live in.
20. It sounds corny, but the best part of the job is meeting kids, especially when they get so excited to meet you.
21. Though the kids who are annual pass holders are usually a lot brattier than everyday kids.
22. Disneyland provides the makeup.
Each princess has a different colour palette that matches the makeup in the film. Most of the makeup is Ben Nye.
23. The costumes are really hot and heavy.
Which means that it's not uncommon for some characters to be pretty stinky under there.
24. And everyone wears a wig, even if their hair is exactly the same colour as their character.
If only princess hair were a real thing.
