Disney's worldwide parks are often referred to as the happiest places on Earth. Many adults look back fondly on their visits while they were children. They hope that one day, they'll have the opportunity to become not an employee, but a cast member.

Becoming a Disney cast member isn't easy. To become a character actor requires long hours of practice. Before getting your foot in the door, there are physical traits that may get your resume discarded. Those who do manage to have their application move forward might not realize how much work comes afterward. They'll have to spend hours becoming their character. The work behind the scenes is more relaxed than being among the patrons wandering around the resorts.

The cast members wearing the prestigious Disney fursuits go through more than us lowly patrons could ever imagine. The promotional photos of children hugging characters in suits may look cute. What Disney doesn't show are pictures are the children who tried to embrace their favorite character a little too hard. Fursuit characters try to remain calm. Walt Disney always intended the parks to be a magical, fun place, so the cast members can't complain about their conditions.

Things change once the cast members leave their Disney posts. They're more than willing to share a few secrets on what strict rules they're forced to follow on a daily basis. Our list compiles several rules that characters in fur suits must follow if they want to remain employed under Mickey Mouse.

20 Don’t Bring Work Home With You

Disney cast members spend a full day making sure park patrons are smiling. Once they get home, close friends and relatives may want to experience some of that magic as well, without paying the full cost to get into a park. The cast member may even be tempted to make some extra money on the side by wearing the costumes at parties and parks.

Wearing a Disney-owned fursuit outside of the Disney parks is strictly forbidden. If a cast member tries to use Disney property to make some side cash, they'll soon be seeking a new job. After all the time and money spent auditioning and practicing for the part, most cast members respect their employer's rules and leave their uniforms at work.

19 The Mouse Is Watching You

Becoming a fursuit character at Disney is a job not many others have. Disney wants children to believe these characters are real. They all act and look the same as if they're clones. Even if the fursuit character is the same, the person inside is not. They may want some recognition for their hard work.

In an age where sharing a photo only takes a second, it's tempting to want to want to share their real identity online.

Disney forbids cast members to reveal their real identities on social media. They want children to believe that Goofy is the same character from Mickey Mouse's Clubhouse. While the cast member is an employee, they'll have to keep their role a secret.

18 Think On Your Feet

Cast members in fur suits are on the front line of family interaction. Parents know it's really a person in a suit. Kids might not be so sure. There are horror stories online of kids hugging Pluto a little too tight or thinking he can take being hugged at full strength.

Fursuit characters have to be quick thinkers. If a child wants to hug them too tightly, they have to have reasonable reactions. Their temper also has to be kept in check. If a kid hurts them, the worst thing they can do is ruin the Disney magic and fight back. Kids are unpredictable, and fursuit characters always have to be prepared.

17 Prepare For The Onslaught

Parents are often happy to let their children meet-and-greet the cast member in a fursuit. Unfortunately, some patrons kick and punch the poor fursuit character.

One Reddit user recalled a horrifying story: "A family attacked a Pluto – pushed her into the fountain. I didn’t actually see the attack, but just got to deal with the aftermath backstage. Later Pluto told me the family was mad that she had to take her break after they had waited to get a picture. I think Pluto either broke her arm or her leg – I can’t remember. The family was arrested."

At least it's comforting to learn that those who hurt the characters won't get away with it.

16 The Crowds Wait For No One

Being a costumed cast member is entirely different from being on stage. Often, stage performers have make-up artists who ensure their costumes are perfect. Disney cast members have to get dressed. They only have one hour to get dressed in their costumes.

Jumping into a giant fursuit and putting on the head isn't as easy as it sounds.

Cast members have to completely change out of their regular clothes into Disney issued apparel.

Cast members were once not paid for the time it took to get into character. In 2017, they won a lawsuit to allow them one hour paid in full to become the characters we know and love.

15 No Doubles Allowed

Disney parks emphasize creating a magical experience for kids. They want children to believe their favorite characters exist within the park. Cast members have to work hard to make the illusion real.

When visiting a park, there is only one character around the park at one time. Patrons will never see two of the same costumed character at the same time. This helps create the illusion that only one version of the character exists. If patrons visit another Disney park, they may see that character again, but in different clothing. A different cast member may portray them, but it's still the same character at heart.

14 Even Autographs Must Be Perfect

At Disney parks, all patrons can get the autograph of their favorite characters. A majority of characters with working hands can sign an autograph book. All character performers must be trained to write that iconic signature before they can wander amongst the patrons.

It would be much easier if cast members could sign their autographs however they want, but this is Disney. Consistency is important. They want their characters to look, act, and sign a signature book the same way. If they visit when they're a child and not again until they're an adult, patrons will always see the same signature from their favorite character.

13 Become One With The Suit

Once potential character cast members get hired to work at Disney, their work doesn't stop. They have to enter a mandatory training program to learn more about the character they will portray. They will watch and re-watch the movies their character performs in to understand the role better.

The Disney character cast members, which includes fur-suited personas, have a long road ahead of them.

They also have to learn the character's mannerisms, walk, and non-verbal personality. Some cast members portray multiple roles, juggling the responsibility of giving life to numerous characters on Disney's streets. Once they have perfected the moves, they're allowed to mingle with the patrons of Disney's parks.

12 Quiet In The Park

Mickey Mouse and his friends may have a hard time handling the heat and crowds, but there might be one silver lining: they can't talk or sing to patrons. If someone asks for directions, they can only gesture to the nearest location.

The fur-suited characters are allowed to sing during performances. These cast members aren't the same as the characters roaming the park. Their only job is to sing and dance during parades or during scheduled times. A fur-suited character may work up to become one of these singing and dancing performers in the future. For now, they'll have to walk around the park peacefully and interact with guests.

11 It’s Not An Easy Job To Get

Many Disney fans are willing to do whatever it takes to get hired. There is a rigorous audition process to even be considered. There are auditions held all over the world in different cities, not just where the Disney parks are located.

Disney is looking for people who can replicate the movements of their iconic characters. The potential cast member must have a high amount of energy to interact with each guest. They must also be willing to wear a costume for several hours. An additional requirement is they must also be coordinated. It's hard to see through those tiny eye holes in the fursuits.

After passing their auditions, you will then move on to the interview process for a chance to work at Disney.

10 They Have To Share Everything

Disney wants to make sure that patrons have a high-quality experience every time they visit. Characters will always look the same and act like their animated versions.

Cast members have to wear the same Mickey Mouse suit as the last suit actor the day before.

According to the L.A. Times, this got very personal: "Many of the characters must wear Disney-issued jock straps, tights, or bike shorts underneath their costumes because regular underwear bunches up and is noticeable." Luckily, Disney and unions were discussing plans to allow cast members to have a personal set of undergarments to wear to work.

9 It's Not Your Property

Before starting their shift, Disney cast members have to pick up their costumes from a specific pick-up location. At this building are more than 15,000 costumes. Many of these costumes are multiples in every size one could imagine. All cast members have to choose their correct size and costume for the day. They then scan it, which is linked to the cast member.

The employee then bears all responsibility over that costume until the end of the day. When their shift is over, they return it to the same building. The employee scans the barcode again, and the costume is off to be cleaned or repaired. If a costume isn't returned, the cast member faces fines or termination.

8 Beast Is A Special Case

If you visited a Disney park, you might have witnessed Beast from Beauty and the Beast walking around. Since the Be Our Guest restaurant opened, he has been locked away inside the building. He is no longer allowed to participate in regular meet-and-greets unless it's a special occasion.

Beast is one of the most elusive suited characters in the park. If your family manages to book a 180-day advance reservation, he only appears during dinner. Beast doesn't dance around or sing, but he will take photos with every guest that visits.

Beast appears to be one of the ideal fursuit characters to be since his appearances don't spend as much time interacting with guests.

7 Height Matters

Almost anyone can attempt to join Disney's crew of fur characters. The company asks candidates to plan to spend one to six hours at the audition. During this event, Disney asks for every candidates' height. Since consistency is so important to Disney, they will only hire people of specific heights to play characters, including inside of a fursuit.

As soon as the audition begins, some candidates will be sent home because they don't fulfill the height requirements.

If you're curious about Disney's height requirements, a Disney forum gave a few estimates. To play Disney's mascot Mickey Mouse, you'll have to be between 4'8" and 4'10. Anyone taller than 6'6" has the potential to be Disney's next Chewbacca.

6 Beware Of Stranger Danger

Disney parks were made for young children. They can enjoy the rides, enjoy overpriced Disney meals, and still believe that Disney is the most magical place on Earth. Children also enjoy the parks because it gives them the opportunity to get autographs and photos with their favorite Disney characters.

Some parents go too far during their Disney visits. According to a Goofy fursuit character, many guests would ask him to hold their babies. They don't want to take the risk of dropping your newborn baby. Guests who want to take a photo with a fursuit character should hold their baby instead. The person inside the suit is a still a stranger, even though they're dressed as a familiar character.

5 Heat And Cold Make A Difference

Disney's American parks are located in California and Florida. Orlando is known for reaching triple-digit numbers. The heat makes wearing a fursuit almost unbearable for long periods of time. Disney doesn't expect their cast members to have the ability to withstand high heat or cold temperatures.

Fur suited characters work in shifts to ensure that no one becomes too overheated. These times are cut even shorter when it's the middle of summer. Characters usually work in 30=minute shifts working outside, then take a half-hour break indoors. Once a fursuit performer takes a break, their double takes their place in the park.

4 It’s Not A Lifetime Gig

All of Disney's costumed and fursuit wearing characters have to go through a long audition process. The audition lasts for hours before they're offered a position at a Disney park. They're then required to learn the ins-and-outs of how to become the character. It might seem that they've acquired their dream jobs.

Disney fursuit and face characters don't remain in that position for life.

They have to play their roles for one year and then re-audition to keep that job or move on to portray another character. This is a union rule to ensure that characters are certified to remain in their position.

3 Not Every Character Is Equal

Disney's fur suit and face characters have to go through rigorous audition processes to get hired. They then have to watch movies and learn how to become that character during performances. Since fur characters don't show their faces, they make less than face characters.

In 2014, fur characters made between $10 and $15 an hour, depending on how long they've worked for Disney. Face characters received $3.25 more than their fursuited co-workers. Disney and the Performers' Union negotiated a deal to give all performers another raise to their base pay that raises every year. These rates don't include any additional benefits performers may receive.

2 The Magic Always Comes First

Disney takes its illusions seriously. They never want children to know that there's a human inside of those fursuits. Cast members have to take special precautions so that the secret isn't revealed. These precautions aren't just at their parks, but at all Disney properties.

According to a user on Reddit, Disney cares more about upholding their illusions than their cast members. If a cast member in a fursuit fell overboard, he would be carried away while in costume before it would be removed. No medical assistance would be performed until the cast member was out of the guests' sight. Disney wants to ensure guests believe fursuit characters are real, no matter what it costs.

1 Random Character Selection

Everyone applying to be a character performer at a Disney park has to pass the auditions. They don't apply for the single role they want.

Crew members have to portray several different characters during their audition.

All of Disney's costumed characters start off in a fursuit chosen by Disney. They have to perfect their roles inside a suit before they're allowed to become a face character. This time is used as a probationary period to ensure that the cast member has what it takes to become one of Disney's premier characters.

After these cast members prove they've got what it takes in a fursuit, they're allowed to train for their roles as human characters.