I’ve had to balance my familiarity with the Disney and Pixar characters with the presumption that most readers know them as well or better than I do. At the same time, I have to keep in mind that a non-Disney fan might pick up “Backstage Disneyland” and expect to be just as grounded in the characters.
I tried to add just enough description of the characters to make them instantly recognizable without getting into great detail about their personality. In describing the characters, I tried to emphasize the differences (and sometimes similarities) of their backstage personalities to their on-stage personas.
I purposely divided the characters into high school-like cliques - animals, villains, heroes, sidekicks - so that they would be forced to mingle and stray from their familiar stories.
Although it’s never explicitly stated in “Backstage Disneyland,” I imagined that each of the characters lived at their attractions in Disneyland in a behind-the-scenes apartment themed to their story.
My favorite characters in “Backstage Disneyland” are the playing card guards from “Alice in Wonderland.” Much like the Green Army Men, I loved having to figure out how the card guards would walk, talk, navigate stairs and even get on elevators.
Leota the spirit medium was probably the most crucial character to work into the Club 33 scene - as will become evident later. It was hard to come up with something for a floating head to do. I finally decided she could play poker with the villains - and take all their money.
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Sample chapters
Prologue: Once Upon a Time
Chapter 1: Wonderful World of Disney
Chapter 2: A Whole New World
Chapter 3: Exile on Main Street USA
Chapter 4: Evil Plans
Chapter 5: Real Princesses of Disneyland
Chapter 6: Action Figure
Chapter 7: Code R
Chapter 8: Common Foes
Chapter 9: Peace, Love & Mickey
Chapter 10: Operation Death Star
Chapter 11: Frozen Ever After
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