IF you’ve ever fancied becoming a real life prince or princess, now is your chance – Disneyland Paris are hiring Brits to be famous characters in the park.
While you don’t need any previous experience, the audition process isn’t quite a walk in the park.
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A former princess has revealed that there could be hundreds of people applying for a single role, and they have to fit very specific criterion.
For those who want to try their luck, here’s what you need to know.
Where and when are the auditions?
Disney are holding three separate auditions in the UK this month – in London, Liverpool and Leeds.
The first date is in Liverpool, taking place on January 25 at Liverpool Central Studios or Liverpool Theatre School.
The audition in Leeds is on January 26 at the Yorkshire Dance Center.
And finally, there are two dates in London – January 28 and 29 – and both are taking place at Pineapple Dance Studios.
All of the auditions are opening at 10am – although you’ll probably want to get there early to queue – and you’ll have to be available until 6pm that day.
Who are Disney hiring?
Disney said they are looking for “enthusiastic and highly energetic” people to join their “character and parade department”.
In other words, they want people who are excited to “perform as a famous Disney and/or Marvel Character”.
While Disney haven’t said which characters they are specifically hiring for, it will likely include princes and princesses.
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What qualifications do you need?
Surprisingly, you don’t need any prior experience in entertainment but you do need to be over 18.
To be one of the “face characters”, as princes and princesses are known, you will obviously have to look a bit like the character.
And if you want to be one of the characters taking part in the park’s daily parades, you will need to have a “good level of dance”.
Everyone who auditions will need to be between 137 to 193 cm (4ft5 to 6ft4), and they will measure you on the day.
Which character you’re assigned will usually depend on your height as well – if you’re on the shorter side, you’ll probably end up as a Mickey or Minnie, for example.
Once hired, you’ll have to go through extensive training, and you’ll have a contract with Disney for six months.
What are the auditions actually like?
According to a former Snow White, who worked at Disneyland in Calif0rnia, the panel first decided how much the applicant looked the part.
Then they had to dance, perform a “reading” as the character and sit for an interview.
She explained: “When I auditioned for Disney there were 700 others there and the audition took two days of different rounds until we were hired.
“It’s super competitive, they look at about 50 people at a time and go through rows of ten to decide who has similar features to the characters – after that there were only about 150 left.
“There were 15 hired that day, of which nine were princesses.”
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What do you need to bring?
Disney advises everyone to turn up in comfortable clothing as you’ll have to be part of a “movement/dance combination”.
You should also not wear any make up.
Make sure you bring a printed copy of your CV as well.
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