A Question to anyone who has ever been a character

**Princess Sarah** · 07-24-2005, 01:41 PM

ANyone on here who has ever been or is a character, what is your favorite experience with a guest?, or are they all "magic?"

**Kimpossible** · 07-24-2005, 10:04 PM

I would have to say that MANY of the experiences I've had with the Give Kids the World children are my favorites. In particular, I was in an Eeyore costume with a child who had little use of his arms and no use of his legs. It almost seemed like he was in the final stages of muscular dystrophy. Anyways, I put my head on the plastic tray on his wheelchair so he could easily touch the fur. I remember that his dad was dressed up like he could lead a motorcycle gang, very tough. As this sweet boy touched Eeyore's muzzle, I could here both of his parents crying and saying "he's his favorite.... and....he never does that!" I don't even remember how long I stayed with him, but I remember a greeter having to motion me away after about 15 minutes.

My other favorite happened after watching all these Minnie and Mickeys get things from guests like stuffed animals, etc. Few others seemed to get gifts, but when I was in the Rafiki costume, this little girl came up and gave me one banana peel. She shook her head sadly and said, "sorry, Rafiki, I had to give one to King Louie and one to Terk, and I only could buy one banana." I gave her a HUGE hug, did the full Rafiki signature complete with the Simba tree drawing, and I paraded around with the peel and showed it to my greeter. I was so excited!

**disneydreamer98** · 07-25-2005, 08:37 AM

Originally Posted by Kimpossible

I would have to say that MANY of the experiences I've had with the Give Kids the World children are my favorites. In particular, I was in an Eeyore costume with a child who had little use of his arms and no use of his legs. It almost seemed like he was in the final stages of muscular dystrophy. Anyways, I put my head on the plastic tray on his wheelchair so he could easily touch the fur. I remember that his dad was dressed up like he could lead a motorcycle gang, very tough. As this sweet boy touched Eeyore's muzzle, I could here both of his parents crying and saying "he's his favorite.... and....he never does that!" I don't even remember how long I stayed with him, but I remember a greeter having to motion me away after about 15 minutes.

My other favorite happened after watching all these Minnie and Mickeys get things from guests like stuffed animals, etc. Few others seemed to get gifts, but when I was in the Rafiki costume, this little girl came up and gave me one banana peel. She shook her head sadly and said, "sorry, Rafiki, I had to give one to King Louie and one to Terk, and I only could buy one banana." I gave her a HUGE hug, did the full Rafiki signature complete with the Simba tree drawing, and I paraded around with the peel and showed it to my greeter. I was so excited!

Awwww....

Love to hear about cool moments like this! The characters are such an amazing part of the magic for the kids! The people who do these jobs are amazing! Thank you!

**GaRain** · 07-25-2005, 09:44 AM

That is awesome - thanks for sharing! Although this should have had a tissue alert on it!!!

I hope more people share, I love reading these things!

**Princess Sarah** · 07-25-2005, 01:38 PM

::pulls out another tissue from Little Mermaid Kleenex box::

**Kimpossible** · 07-25-2005, 02:26 PM

Oh! I have another that isn't all that sad as it is funny. I used to be an Artimal (ugh!) at Animal Kingdom, and even after they downed the parade, we still did sets as ants. So anyway, the two other ants and I were walking around greeting people, and this kid comes up to me and slowly looks down at the ground. I happily pointed to the few ants crawling there, and he violently stepped on them. As a result, the other two ants came up, and we made this kid give the ants he stepped on a funeral. We sadly hummed "Taps" and made him say a few kind words about ants. We actually had a crowd gathered round laughing, and the kid seemed to have a good time being the center of attention.

**dzney4lyf** · 07-25-2005, 02:39 PM

Originally Posted by Kimpossible

Oh! I have another that isn't all that sad as it is funny. I used to be an Artimal (ugh!) at Animal Kingdom, and even after they downed the parade, we still did sets as ants. So anyway, the two other ants and I were walking around greeting people, and this kid comes up to me and slowly looks down at the ground. I happily pointed to the few ants crawling there, and he violently stepped on them. As a result, the other two ants came up, and we made this kid give the ants he stepped on a funeral. We sadly hummed "Taps" and made him say a few kind words about ants. We actually had a crowd gathered round laughing, and the kid seemed to have a good time being the center of attention.

Funny yet disturbing!!!

**Kimpossible** · 07-25-2005, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by dzney4lyf

Funny yet disturbing!!!

It was fun. We weren't morbid like making him pick them up or even saying it was a funeral. We just hummed the song and made him say how ants are good insects.

**GaRain** · 07-25-2005, 02:56 PM

My co-workers are beginning (well not really beginning as I am sure they have for awhile now) to wonder about me. Crying this morning and now laughing out loud. I would have loved to have seen that!!!

**vixen101485** · 07-25-2005, 04:43 PM

Question-----Kim said the characters sometimes recieve gifts from guests, what to they do with them? Are they allowed to keep them or are they donated to a charity somewhere?

**dzney4lyf** · 07-25-2005, 04:50 PM

Originally Posted by Kimpossible

I was in the Rafiki costume, this little girl came up and gave me one banana peel!

I hope they didn't send this to a charity!!

**GaRain** · 07-25-2005, 04:56 PM

Originally Posted by vixen101485

Question-----Kim said the characters sometimes recieve gifts from guests, what to they do with them? Are they allowed to keep them or are they donated to a charity somewhere?

That is a good question. My niece made a card for Cinderella that had a picture of her on the front dressed in her Cinderella gown. I gave it to her when I ate at her gala feast at the grande floridian. She said "I am going to give this to my assistant to take to my castle with me." Who knows?

**Kimpossible** · 07-25-2005, 05:39 PM

Originally Posted by vixen101485

Question-----Kim said the characters sometimes recieve gifts from guests, what to they do with them? Are they allowed to keep them or are they donated to a charity somewhere?

Most of the people I knew kept them since they felt they were given to them in particular. I do agree with you though. A charity is a great place to send them. Personally, when I win stuffed animals at Sea World (where I currently work), I give the animals away as prizes to the students I teach in the fall.

**Kimpossible** · 07-25-2005, 05:41 PM

Originally Posted by GaRain

That is a good question. My niece made a card for Cinderella that had a picture of her on the front dressed in her Cinderella gown. I gave it to her when I ate at her gala feast at the grande floridian. She said "I am going to give this to my assistant to take to my castle with me." Who knows?

I have never seen a character not cherish and keep things like that! I actually had a few Pluto pictures on my locker at work after I received them. The characters take that very personally.