Have you ever been a costumed character in a theme park, parade, show etc. ?

charp13 · January 28, 2011, 05:13:18 PM

Details of your costumed character experience and pictures if you got em'!

Scatter · January 28, 2011, 05:14:31 PM

Alas, I was not. But I'm looking forward to seeing who was!!

Flower · January 28, 2011, 09:19:15 PM

No ..

Gillfan · January 28, 2011, 09:33:24 PM

Many years ago I would visit video stores in costume to promote video tapes for the distributor.
Because I'm 6 ft tall I was the taller characters, I've done Gumby, Dino (from the Flintstones), Robo Cop (best suit ever!), a Thanksgiving Turkey, and Frankenstein.

Ma has pix, I don't.

I do however have pix of me marching in costume for TRU holding a banner for He Man and Skeletor.

Gillfan · January 28, 2011, 09:41:19 PM

What was interesting about wearing the character costumes is that
1) They are seldom washed and often stink inside. Oh how I was there was Fabreeze back then. If I had access the day before I would sprinkle baking powder inside and let it sit overnight.
2) Often we would wear what is called a chill vest under the costume, the vest itself had a liquid inside and, like those pillows in the infomercial, used thermodynamics to keep you cooler. Occasionally you work with someone who didn't understand the concept and they would freeze their vest thinking that was what you were supposed to do (despite the very clear warning printed on the front of the vest) and they would be in pain after wearing it for just a few minutes.
3) With most costumes it is hard to see and hear. When you see a costume character at Disney and they have a "human" escort, it isn't so much to guard the character as it is to make sure they don't step on or bump into the kids.

charp13 · January 28, 2011, 10:19:59 PM

Awesome Gillfan! I would love to see taht Robocop costume!! And Dino? We must be related! My C-Rex costume consisted of a 20 lb. backpack that also harnessed around the waist. It had a small battery ( which had to be charged every 4 hours), and a fan that inflated the suit. Then there was a set of pvc tubes that supported the head by forming a u-shape structure that made me 7 feet of cheesy dino! I'm only 5'7", so it was really cool to be tall. And I had a "handler" (usually someone from the store) that zippe/velcroed me in and thankfully got me out. And every few days I would roll the trunk over to a costume shop for cleaning. It was the best of times and I was young and crazy, and when the tour was over, it was hard to be human again.......all right I'm just kidding about that last part.

Now Gillfan- That Skeletor looks pretty good, but I would have cracked up if I saw that He-Man! He looks like he's 15 years old!!

monsterphile · January 29, 2011, 12:37:40 AM

I don't have a photo of me in it, but years ago, one of my friends worked for Domino's Pizza and while I was visiting, I wore their 'Noid costume for a while waving at passing cars and acting crazy.

Here's what the costume looked like.

My daughter had a tacher that used to work at Disney in Florida and had played about 7-8 characters.

Rob

charp13 · January 29, 2011, 11:28:30 AM

Go monsterphile!! I remember the Noid all too well...... I believe he messed up your pizzas with careless shenanigans! But I did NOT know that he hung out by the pool. You look like you were asking for it- to be pushed into the pool by anngry pizza customers! Cool picture nonetheless, evil doer

Uncula · January 30, 2011, 06:07:56 AM

I was never in a Theme Park as a character and in a parade, it was only when very young, I was in the annual Halloween Parade!

However, after my children were born,

I impersonated Santa Claus many times! Not only for my children but for many of my friends children

and even for some strangers that had heard about me!

Of course, I did the same for many years for the children of our church!

There are some pictures of me as Santa and I'll post them when I can did them up.

monsterphile · January 30, 2011, 07:32:33 AM

Quote from: charp13 on January 29, 2011, 11:28:30 AM
Go monsterphile!! I remember the Noid all too well...... I believe he messed up your pizzas with careless shenanigans! But I did NOT know that he hung out by the pool. You look like you were asking for it- to be pushed into the pool by angry pizza customers! Cool picture nonetheless, evil doer

The 'Noid by the pool isn't me. I had no picture of myself in costume, but I wanted to find an image of the costume online. As I recall, the 'Noid was from the days when Domino's still had their "30 minutes or less" guarantee. When you got a bad pizza from another pizza place, you got "A 'Noid" ( = annoyed) and that was where the character's name came from.

Don, I played the Santa role a couple of times in years past. I should get do that again especially since I now have the right "build" for the role...no padding necessary. lol

Rob

Uncula · January 30, 2011, 07:48:21 AM

Quote from: monsterphile on January 30, 2011, 07:32:33 AM
The 'Noid by the pool isn't me. I had no picture of myself in costume, but I wanted to find an image of the costume online. As I recall, the 'Noid was from the days when Domino's still had their "30 minutes or less" guarantee. When you got a bad pizza from another pizza place, you got "A 'Noid" ( = annoyed) and that was where the character's name came from.

Don, I played the Santa role a couple of times in years past. I should get do that again especially since I now have the right "build" for the role...no padding necessary. lol

Rob

Rob, I used to have to pad my costume.

Now I can't even fit into it without padding!!!

Scatter · January 30, 2011, 05:06:51 PM

I still have my Santa costume that I wore every year for Jordan............which is good because I guess next year I'll start wearing it for Jonah!!

Unknown Primate · January 30, 2011, 09:53:26 PM

Quote from: Scatter on January 30, 2011, 05:06:51 PM
I still have my Santa costume that I wore every year for Jordan............which is good because I guess next year I'll start wearing it for Jonah!!

That's really cool, man! Did Jordan ever catch on?

Unknown Primate · January 30, 2011, 10:09:11 PM

I was " The World's Largest Leprechaun " one year in a St. Patrick's Day Parade. Not much of a costume - just a green derby, green t-shirt, green sweatpants & a shillelagh. Rode in the back of a tavern owner's truck. Might have a pic somewhere!

On a related note, I took my kids, ages 4 & 10, to see a Barney "knock-off" at a Hill's Dept. Store in '95. Children were flocked around this fake Barney, and as I took my little Caitlin up close to see him, a muffled voice came out of the purple dinosaur's enormous head and said, " Hey, Stamper! " Talk about impressing my kids! They were like, " Wow! Barney knows my Dad! "

I never did find out who was in that costume!

Uncula · January 30, 2011, 10:36:16 PM

Quote from: Unknown Primate on January 30, 2011, 10:09:11 PM
I was " The World's Largest Leprechaun " one year in a St. Patrick's Day Parade. Not much of a costume - just a green derby, green t-shirt, green sweatpants & a shillelagh. Rode in the back of a tavern owner's truck. Might have a pic somewhere!

On a related note, I took my kids, ages 4 & 10, to see a Barney "knock-off" at a Hill's Dept. Store in '95. Children were flocked around this fake Barney, and as I took my little Caitlin up close to see him, a muffled voice came out of the purple dinosaur's enormous head and said, " Hey, Stamper! " Talk about impressing my kids! They were like, " Wow! Barney knows my Dad! "

I never did find out who was in that costume!

Now That would be something to find out $:-\$ and let them know how great It made your kids feel!

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Have you ever been a costumed character in a theme park, parade, show etc. ?