Disney Characters' Articulated Heads

Disney characters with articulated heads are oversized puppets with animatronic features, such as with blinking eyes and moving mouths. Disney characters currently have these in the Disney Parks, Disney Live! shows, and some parades and Attractions. The earliest known uses of these were Baloo and Fat Cat in The Disney Afternoon Live!: Plane Crazy stage show in 1991.
However, early iterations of this technology were used before that. In a 1986 Walt Disney World commercial, Mickey winked at the camera. For this commercial, they used a modified Mickey head that was able to blink via a mechanism in the costume, just like the one introduced in 2005. By the looks of the commercial, he only winks on the right eye and doesn't fully blink. It's most likely that this winking Mickey was only used for commercials and special/private events at that moment. In addition, the restaurant chain implemented this technology in similar commercials from the 1980s and some of the showtapes from the 1990s, as did McDonalds with some of their commercials and TV spots.
The articulated heads are used when characters appear at events such as ribbon cutting ceremonies, news show appearances, game show appearances, hospital visitations, and other live events.Minnie's sendoff to Hollywood had her with an articulated head......as well as when she received her star In these situations, the performer within the costume is still disallowed from speaking; instead, the dialogue is often instead dubbed over by the character's respective voice actor (e.g. Bret Iwan for Mickey, Russi Taylor for Minnie, Tony Anselmo for Donald, Tress MacNeille for Daisy, April Winchell for Clarabelle, and Bill Farmer for Goofy and Pluto). Articulated heads make the characters even more realistic too. Sometimes, Bret Iwan himself gets into the Mickey Mouse costume and does his voice himself.
The heads are operated by the use of wireless servo controllers; one to close the eyelids and another to make the mouth open, with the eyelids using the same servo. In some specific performances where the wireless signals wouldn't work properly from offstage, the controls are integrated into the hands of the costumes, allowing specific finger movements to make the facial animations work.
==Disney characters with articulated heads==
*Mickey Mouse (Disney Live! shows, Dream Along with Mickey, Celebrate the Season, Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, the Magic Kingdom opening ceremony, Mickey's Soundsational Parade, Mickey and the Magical Map, runDisney specials, Mickey and the Wondrous Book, Mickey and the Magician, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration. Mickey interacted with guests (with Bret Iwan in the costume and providing his voice himself) only when he was alone until September 2017, though there is also a version with pre-recorded dialogue.)
*Minnie Mouse (Disney Live! shows, Dream Along with Mickey, Celebrate the Season, Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration.)
*Bear (Bear in the Big Blue House: Live on Stage!/Disney Junior - Live on Stage!)
*Chip and Dale (Celebrate the Season, Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, runDisney special, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*Goofy (Disney Live! shows, Dream Along with Mickey, Celebrate the Season, Mickey's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas, runDisney specials, Mickey and the Wondrous Book, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*Pluto (Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration and a few occasions)
*Donald Duck (Disney Live! shows, Dream Along with Mickey, Celebrate the Season, runDisney specials, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, and Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*Daisy Duck (Disney Live! shows, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire, Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration, and a few occasions)
*Clarabelle Cow (Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*The Witch (Cinderella's Surprise Celebration (but does not blink her eyes))
*José Carioca (Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*Panchito Pistoles (Mickey's Most Merriest Celebration)
*Winnie the Pooh (Disney Live! shows)
*Eeyore (Disney Live! shows)
*Rabbit (Disney Live! shows)
*Owl (Disney Live! shows)
*Kanga (Disney Live! shows)
*Roo (Disney Live! shows)
*Baloo (The Disney Afternoon Live!: Plane Crazy, Disney's Believe, Mickey and the Wondrous Book)
*King Louie (Disney's Wishes, Mickey and the Magical Map, Mickey and the Wondrous Book)
*Piglet (Disney Live! shows)
*Tigger (Disney Live! shows)
*Fat Cat (The Disney Afternoon Live!: Plane Crazy)
*Sebastian (Disney Live! shows)
*Beast (Mickey and the Wondrous Book (cameo appearance, unofficial))
*Genie (Disney Live! shows)
*Oogie Boogie (Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular (but does not blink his eyes))
*Timon (Festival of the Lion King, Disneyland Park (Paris)'s The Legend of the Lion King, Disney's Wishes)
*Rafiki (The Lion King Celebration, Magic Kingdom's The Legend of the Lion King, Feel the Magic (but does not blink his eyes)
*Rex (Disney On Ice, Toy Story: The Musical)
*Hamm (Toy Story: The Musical)
*Slinky Dog (Toy Story: The Musical)
*Mr. Potato Head (Toy Story: The Musical)
*Olaf (Olaf's Summer Cool Down, Frozen Summer Fun Fireworks, A Frozen Holiday Wish, Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire)
*Louis (Mickey's Royal Friendship Faire)
*Sweetums (Muppet*Vision 3D)
*Kermit the Frog (Here Come the Muppets)
*Miss Piggy (Here Come the Muppets)
*Fozzie Bear (Here Come the Muppets)
*Gonzo (Here Come the Muppets)
*Bean Bunny (Here Come the Muppets)
*Dr. Teeth (Here Come the Muppets)
*Animal (Here Come the Muppets)
*Floyd Pepper (Here Come the Muppets)
*Zoot (Here Come the Muppets)
*Janice (Here Come the Muppets)
*Phineas Flynn (Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!)
*Ferb Fletcher (Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!)
*Heinz Doofenshmirtz (Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!)
*Buford Van Stomm (Phineas and Ferb: The Best LIVE Tour Ever!)
*Hulk (Marvel Universe LIVE!)
*Green Goblin (Marvel Universe Live)
*Lizard (Marvel Universe Live)
*Groot
*Rocket Raccoon (Marvel Universe Live)
*Red Skull (Marvel Universe Live)
==Trivia==
*Tigger, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Baloo, and King Louie better resemble their animated versions.
*So far, Mickey, Minnie, and Donald are the only meet-and-greet articulated characters at Disney's California Adventure.
==Gallery==
Mickey Mouse articulated head.jpg|Mickey Mouse (2006 version)
Mickey-mouse-spectacular-15.jpg|Mickey Mouse (new version)
Minnie Mouse articulated head.jpg|Minnie Mouse (2006 version)
MonseMinnie.jpg|Minnie Mouse (new version)
File:Chip and Dale articulated heads.jpg|Chip 'n' Dale
File:Donald at Dreams Along with Mickey.jpg|Donald Duck
File:Articulated Daisy.jpg|Daisy Duck
Goofy 2006.jpg|Goofy
Articulated Pluto.jpg|Pluto
Clarabelle Cow articulated head.jpg|Clarabelle Cow
Roo, Pooh, and Eeyore live .jpg|Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore
Characters DisneyLiveWinnieThePooh Owl lg.jpg|Owl
Charachters WinniethePoohDisneyLive KangaCostume lg.jpg|Kanga
Charachters WinniethePoohDisneyLive RooCostume-lg.jpg|Roo
Characters DisneyLiveWinnieThePooh Piglet Front lg.jpg|Piglet
Tigger articulated head.jpg|Tigger
Baloo articulated head.jpg|Baloo
Bandar-log live.jpg|King Louie
Oogie Boogie - Hocus Pocus Villain Spelltacular.png|Oogie Boogie
Timon HKDL lion king show.jpg|Timon
Rafiki articulated head.jpg|Rafiki
Hamm articulated head.jpg|Hamm
Slinky Dog articulated head.jpg|Slinky Dog
Rex articulated head.jpg|Rex
Buzzannpotatob v3.jpg|Mr. Potato Head
LouisFriendshipFaire.jpg|Louis
Olaf articulated head.jpg|Olaf
Jose Carioca articulated head.jpg|José Carioca
Panchito Pistoles articulated head.jpg|Panchito Pistoles
==References==
Category:Disneyland
Category:Walt Disney World Resort
Category:Tokyo Disney Resort
Category:Disneyland Park (Paris)
Category:Costume variants
Category:Disney Cruise Line
Category:Hong Kong Disneyland