'I was a Disney Princess and there's strict rule to follow when new movie comes out'

Disney theme park performers are bound by strict rules, especially when a new movie featuring their character is released. Disney's global theme parks are filled with performers who embody beloved characters from the company's franchises, interacting with both adults and children. But what happens when a new movie alters the narrative of these characters? According to a woman who was previously a cast member at a Disney park , there are stringent guidelines to follow, particularly if the new content significantly changes the character's story.

In a TikTok video response to a query about whether Snow White would "act differently" following the release of the live-action Snow White movie, Kayla - who played Brave's Merida, Ariel from The Little Mermaid, and Cinderella - shared that her bosses informed her that any new movies are merely "inspired" by the original tales. This implies that while cast members should maintain their normal behaviour during performances, they might need to make one big change - deflecting whenever they're asked something they shouldn't be able to answer. She revealed: "I performed at Disney for eight years, and two out of my three characters had live-action adaptations made after them - this is what we were told.



The new movie is just inspired by Snow White's story and although they may have some similarities, her backstory doesn't change at all. It's just another adaptation of her tale. "Snow White will act the same as she always does, and she will not be referencing the live-action movie.

If a guest specifically says something like, 'I just saw your new movie,' then she can acknowledge and redirect, saying something like, 'Oh then you must have seen my sweet friend Dopey, why just this morning he helped me make a gooseberry pie'. "The art of deflection is a princess' best friend. That goes for anything that guests ask that may be inappropriate to discuss.

" Additionally, she detailed an experience where she was questioned, "Where's Pascal?" while portraying Ariel. Since Pascal is a character from Tangled and not The Little Mermaid, Kayla had to divert the conversation by responding, "I don't know about Pascal, but I did see Flounder down by the reef." In the comments, she disclosed that as Ariel, discussing her on-screen daughter Melody from The Little Mermaid 2 isn't standard practice unless "a guest brings it up".

She also mentioned that Disney parks now feature two Ariels, one of whom is aligned with the live-action portrayal. Viewers of Kayla's video expressed gratitude for her insights into theme park performer experiences, with some praising the skilful ways these performers dodge awkward situations. One viewer remarked: "Good to know, honestly.

" Another commented: "I don't know why it's so hard for people to separate different versions of Disney princesses but have no problem acknowledging the different [versions of] Spider-Man. Like brother, it's the same thing." A former Disney employee shared: "I worked at Disney and loved to see how effortlessly [the cast] deflected no matter how hard [guests] tried.

Watching them be humbled in real time was an unexpected perk of the job.".