Face Character height query

[disney.em]

Hi! After having recently returned from a trip to WDW, my desire to be a face character has been reignited. I'm from the UK and I know auditions for WDW rarely take place in England but working at WDW would be the ultimate dream!

I've always wanted to portray Belle, whether it be at a meet and great or as a Belle performer, however I am only 5"1. Does anyone know if there have ever been any Belle's at this height (or at this height but then added height with costume shoe heels) or are Disney generally very strict on height?

Many thanks

P.S Apologies if I have posted this topic in the wrong forum! I wasn't really sure where the best place for it would be.

 

[IrishNYC]

I don't know from experience, but from what I understand, you do not audition to be a specific character most of the time. Search around on the boards here for audition information, I know it's been posted.

 

[TexasKiwiPrincess]

Try YouTube, too. I know a lot of people posted videos about their audition process, requirements and overall experience. Good Luck!

 

[NeuroCindy]

Everything I can find says princesses are 5'4" to 5'7"

 

[disney.em]

Thank you for your replies! I was just wondering if my chances of being a Princess were 0% due to my height or if Disney does make exceptions.

 

[SureAsLiz]

Your best bet will be to watch the Disney Auditions site for their requirements
Heights are generally pretty strict, to the point that some auditions say you will not be allowed in if you don't meet the height requirements
It's also a generally accepted happening that Disney height can be an inch or more shorter than real world height. So you may be measured at 5'0"

At that height, you are looking at characters like Tinkerbell and many of the fur characters

 

[tobikaye]

Unless a new princess is introduced in the future, you are out of luck. I am 5'0" and about 20 years ago, I considered this. The only options I would have had were Tink or a fur character.

 

[StitchesGr8Fan]

My college roommate is 5'1 and did the college program. She was too curvy for Tinkerbell, so she was usually Chip or Dale. Mostly fur characters are available for shorter people.

 

[wilkeliza]

At 5'1" your options are Tink (or the other fairies if they are meeting) or a fur. Princesses are 5'4" to 5'7" with the ideal height being about 5'6". I thought about doing it but then found out I am 100% out because I have a tattoo on my leg. I'm fine being a CM (and I was) because there are changes that accommodate tattoos but for princesses they are worried that if your tattoo is below your knee and you pick up the dress to walk then a kid might see it or if you cover it with make-up it could ruin the dress or whatever. I'm sure there are face characters that sneak them but the rules were pretty clear so I didn't want to push it.

 

[yulilin3]

Here's the audition site with details on what they are looking for
https://disneyauditions.com/
There's a London cast call but that's to work at Disneyland Paris

 

[writerguyfl]

I concur with other folks. Heights are pretty much non-negotiable. And, as SureAsLiz notes, the measurements usually come up shorter than out in the real world. I always considered myself to be over 5'10. According to Disney, I was barely 5'9 and therefor unfit to be Prince Eric.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

I have no personal experience but from research I've done over the years due to curiosity this is what I have come up with...

-In recent times auditions have switched from cattle call for all characters to specific character auditions so less time is wasted on both ends.
-Princesses are 5'3"-5'8" (Mulan being on the shorter end and Tiana being on the taller end with the rest of the princess in the middle) and that is fairly strict.
-You must be able to have the correct accent for what they are looking for.
-Costumes are uniform so you can't wear higher heels than another person portraying the same character

Unfortunately your height is not quite tall enough for face characters like Alice and Wendy as well.

You could portray several fur characters for your height.

Since you live in the UK I'd recommend auditioning for DLP if you're interested in working at a Disney park.

 

[jenniy122]

I was an entertainment CM. Measurements are very strict, and Disney has it's own skew on measuring. Not to be a dream squasher, but you are out of luck being Belle for Disney. Also, except for in rare instances, a performer isn't just one character.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Merida is also shorter. Average height 5'2".

 

[SureAsLiz]

Merida is also shorter. Average height 5'2".

Minimum maybe, but not average. That would imply that some friends are shorter than 5', and that just doesn't happen.
5'4"-5'6" really is the normal range for princesses.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

Minimum maybe, but not average. That would imply that some friends are shorter than 5', and that just doesn't happen.
5'4"-5'6" really is the normal range for princesses.

Not according to what we have been told by those going through the audition process. My Dd is interested in the Disney performer route so we talk to as many people as possible. According to several girls we have talked to recently, Merida is not the same standard as the other princesses. They are looking for 5'1" to 5'3".

 

[wilkeliza]

Not according to what we have been told by those going through the audition process. My Dd is interested in the Disney performer route so we talk to as many people as possible. According to several girls we have talked to recently, Merida is not the same standard as the other princesses. They are looking for 5'1" to 5'3".

That's odd as all the official casting notices for Merida have put her in the 5'4" -5'6" category. I've never heard of a 5'1" to 5'3" princess. The only "shorter" face I have encountered is Alice who often is also friends with fur characters as well.

 

[eeyoreandtink]

That's odd as all the official casting notices for Merida have put her in the 5'4" -5'6" category. I've never heard of a 5'1" to 5'3" princess. The only "shorter" face I have encountered is Alice who often is also friends with fur characters as well.

I am 5'4" and the most recent Merida we met was shorter than me, noticeably, but taller than DD who is 5'1". That is what started us looking into it because we had always assumed DD was too short to ever have a shot at a princess (they say she is done growing at 13 and 5'1") I still think she will be too small.

On another note, does anyone know if the height standard for dance roles is as strict as characters?

 

[wilkeliza]

I am 5'4" and the most recent Merida we met was shorter than me, noticeably, but taller than DD who is 5'1". That is what started us looking into it because we had always assumed DD was too short to ever have a shot at a princess (they say she is done growing at 13 and 5'1") I still think she will be too small.

On another note, does anyone know if the height standard for dance roles is as strict as characters?

Dance roles depend. Check out the Disney auditions website. https://disneyauditions.com/

It also seems to matter by park and what exactly the performer is doing. For example Tokyo Disney seems to be okay seeing girls as short as 5'0" for Ariel in a stage show but she is much taller in the US parks.

It is also very hard to say what princesses would be available in 5 years when your daughter is eligible to begin auditioning. Case in point Moana and Elenor seem to be on the shorter side to the standard Disney princesses because they actually want them to read as 16 years old and look like their characters.

Another great option to look into if she is into acting and dancing is the cruise line. I have a friend on the shorter side who could not be friends with any of the princesses but was a lead in one of the shows (the one with high school friends going off to college and at DL on gradnight). So she was still acting for Disney but just wasn't a princess.

 

[Jon84]

In DLP we met a Mickey and their accompanying CM at Inventions Character Dining, who really took an interest in our Disney Tattoos.

We were in a Bar in the Disney Village that night and they approached us for a chat. Mickey was actually shorter than my Wife who is 5'1".

I'd assume Wendy is often a shorter face too as Peter never seems to be that tall.