Wondering why we don’t offer those cute, fuzzy, and super fun Mascot Characters for birthday parties and special events? Don’t get me wrong, there are pros and cons, but the cons so often get swept under the rug for the sake of profitability! Here’s a few of the issues with mascots, and why we take an alternate approach in our character entertainment.

#1 The danger for performers

First off, Texas gets HOT and that can be extremely dangerous!!! Mascot costumes are made from heavy layers of fabric, foam, glue, and occasionally an inner structure which means they don’t breathe. Especially here in DFW, there is a real danger of performers overheating – even to the point of passing out or suffering from heat exhaustion. While there are measures you can take to help prevent this (ex. cooling vests, fans inside the costume, taking breaks every 10-15 minutes) they are nowhere near fool-proof – and they still don’t make the performer’s experience particularly enjoyable.

In fact, most mascot performers we’ve talked with don’t actually like being in the costume. Of course it’s fun interacting with the kids, but you can’t see very well, it’s hot and sweaty regardless of the outside temperature, and it’s physically exhausting to jump and run around in 15-20+ pounds of fur. Not to mention, mascot characters have one of the highest rates of abuse compared to other types of costumes. Everything from children pulling, pushing, hitting, grabbing, and kicking the performer – even unzipping the costume. It’s sad, but true, and since we value our performers health and happiness we don’t want to put them in that position!

#2 Mascots are scary!

Have you ever seen a kid break down in tears when they meet a mascot? It doesn’t happen all the time – it may not even be the majority of children – but it DOES happen. And I get it! There’s a giant six foot creature staring at you menacingly and asking for a hug. Who KNOWS what it’s capable of???

I know plenty of children love them, but it makes me so sad for the ones that are genuinely afraid – especially when there are all kinds of alternate costume and entertainment options that are fun for everyone! That’s why we design and make our own unique, picture-worthy face characters to fit every theme. No tears or nightmares here!

#3 They don’t look true to character

Ok, I KNOW you’ve seen pictures of nightmare-inducing mascot characters. Cheap materials, disproportionate features, and empty, soulless eyes plague the mascot community. However, there are also plenty of mascot artists who make BEAUTIFUL costumes; true works of art. If we do ever add mascots, supporting those artists would be an honor. But regardless of costume quality, there are some things that just don’t translate from animation to real life.

For example, Olaf isn’t supposed to be taller than Elsa and Anna, but if you want to fit a human inside there and stay away from those scary proportions then he kinda has to be six feet tall. There’s also limitations when it comes to magical characteristics, material components, and of course blinking and talking. Why isn’t Bluey talking? Oh she made a bet with her sister of who could be quiet the longest? You can only make so many excuses before someone gets suspicious…

#4 They can’t perform our Party Packages

Sure, this one is specific to Feeling Fanciful, but one of our perks is that ALL our party activities are included in EVERY birthday package! Our goal is not just to come in character and hang out, but to truly entertain the kids from start to finish so you don’t have to stress. You get to relax and enjoy the party WITH your child (or enjoy the show and stay behind the camera if you’d prefer)! Mascot characters don’t have the ability to sing songs, corral children, face-paint, or even simply converse. They can be fun for a short Meet & Greet, but quickly lose appeal over the course of an entire party.

But…you have the Easter Bunny

Ok, ok, you got me there! We do have ONE mascot character we offer: the beloved Easter Bunny. Why, you ask? Honestly, I was just disappointed in almost every Easter Bunny I saw and wanted there to be a cuter option. We only offer him for Meet & Greets in March and April (the weather is usually still decent) and have requirements in place if there are heat concerns, we don’t require our performers to accept Easter Bunny gigs if they aren’t comfortable with it, and we always require a company-trained assistant must also attend for the performers safety, and for ease of logistics and communication!

In Conclusion

All that to say, we’ve taken in a lot of consideration for our performers and our clients in deciding mascots aren’t for us. Plus, we greatly enjoy providing alternate options to better serve our clients’ needs! Don’t walk away thinking mascots are all bad, though. Under the right circumstances, mascot characters can be an immense amount of fun and lead to lifelong memories. I hope the next time you see a fun and fuzzy mascot friend there’s an added appreciation in your heart for all they go through!