Paul

My wife and i had a funny experience in Venice. We kept seeing street vendors on the streets with a boom box playing music, and cardboard cutouts of Mickey and Minnie Mouse dancing to the music. They just stood the figures up and they stayed up on their on, with no strings attached, and danced to the music. The cutouts were about 5 inches tall, with string legs and what appeared to be small magnets attached to the feet and head. They were selling them for a couple of bucks. <BR> <BR>We couldn't figure out what held up the cutouts and how they danced, but like idiots we bought a couple. I pulled one out of its plastic wrapper and was looking at it trying to figure out how it worked. The vendor took it from me and passed it in front of his boom box as if magnetizing it, or something and then set it down. It began dancing just as the other two he already had dancing. <BR> <BR>Needless to say, when we got them home, they wouldn't work. We really feel stupid, but it is laughable that we even thought they would work. <BR> <BR>My question is, have any of you ever seen these things and know how they make them dance? Obviously it is some sort of trick, but it is a good one. If anyone can solve this mystery for me, I would appreciate it.

Paul

Paul: <BR>We have seen and had one of these things some time ago. They do indeed have very thin, almost invisible nylon strings holding them on both sides, and are manipulated by the seller (one string is wrapped around his finger). They don't work for you because he must have taken the strings off before giving it back to you. Very stupid, but entertaining stuff!

sandi

This is so funny. We saw those everywhere in Rome..but didn't see them in Venice. As we were strolling thru the Forum, I actually videotaped it for about 5 seconds. I was afraid the guy would make me pay for taping it. I don't know about the nylon string because there was never anyone standing right next to it when we saw them. Thanks for making me smile this morning. Silly trip memories!

Julie

I saw them in Italy and thought they were great. I bargained with the vendor and bought two for $10 U.S. It was for my 6 year daughter, who was with me and hadn't asked for anything the whole trip. I had to get it for her. <BR> <BR>As you know, I got ripped off. I didn't have a string, the thing was made of cheap paper and I threw it away. I will never buy anything from a street vendor again without opening it first and being shown directions.

Cindy

Those Mickey and Minnie things sound like a rip off. I'll bet Disney doesn't see a dime from that black market trade.

Jennifer

I saw a TV program recently that exposed rip-offs like these. They actually got one of these guys to demonstrate how he makes the peices of cardboard dance. Just as everyone above said, it's very thin nylon string, and these guys are making a mint.

Marija

Lest anyone think this is a new scheme, we bought a set four years ago in Rome!

Laura

I laughed when I read this story. I was on a trip to Europe with my friends this June, and while we were in Paris we kept seeing these dancing Mickey and Minnie Mouse. We looked and looked but never saw any strings. Needless to say, one of my friends actually bought it and inside the small package there were instructions on how to make it dance on a string. It wasen't until we got to Florence that we saw them again, but this time we saw the thin nylon string holding them up.

kavey

What I dont understand is why its even worth it for them to sell them as a con rather than just include the nylon string in the ones they sell... <BR> <BR>A piece of string might add, what, 5pence to the cost! <BR> <BR>Or am I missing something... <BR> <BR>Anyway, commiserations... I'm we've all been had at some point in our lives...

Heather

I saw those "Dancing Disney" characters in Florence. I was travelling with my husband and another couple. We all watched for ten minutes and couldn't figure out how the characters were dancing. We were convinced magnets were involved. Thanks for letting me know about the string! I agree. Why don't the vendors just include the "thing" that makes them dance. The vendors would get repeat business . . . by the way, we bought three for the equivalent of $5 (USD). It was worth the laugh!

herself

Think of all the fun we would miss if we were more savvy. Sophistication is highly over-rated.

Paul

Thanks to all of you who replied to my question about the dancing Disney characters. I'm glad to see I'm not the only dummy loose on the streets of Italy. Oh well, we've had more fun laughung about it than we would have had playing with the things had they worked.

Walter

The ones I have seen are usually dancing beside a boom box. I believe that the invisible nylon line is secured to something stationary at one end (chair, fence, wall) and the other is attached to the boom boxes speaker cone which physically moves (you can see it). And this causes the line to jerk which moves the cutouts. Either that or a *very* small electricial device (solenoid switch?) attached to the boom box and it's batteries which slightly pulls & releases the line. HTH Regards, Walter <BR> <BR>

Gayle

This is the kind of thread I absolutely love. What would we do without this forum! Yes of course, we brought them in Venice and yes we had 101 goes at trying to make them dance on a variety of boom boxes when we got home and figured we werent "doing it right". No big deal to loose a couple of dollars and then I see this thread that has people around the world suffering with the same affliction! (Im an Aussie). Its shared "dumb" experiences like this that could initiate world peace I think. ha! ha! - Gayle

julie

Just got back from France. Made a point of figuring out how this scam works. This is what they do. The seller has the dolls dancing in what appears to be thin air to music being played on a boom box. <BR> <BR>But all vendors had the same set up. A backpack on the left and about a foot to the right was the two dancers then another foot to the right was the boom box. <BR> <BR>What you don't see is the nylon string between the backpack and the boom box. The dancers are attached to the string and the string is connected to a small motor that is inside the backpack. The motor moves the string up and down which makes the dolls dance. <BR> <BR>Also to make it look real often the seller will appear to pick up the dolls then put them back down. If you look carefully you will notice that he doesn't pick them up. They stay at the same height but are merely twisted upwards on the string. It is very cleaver the way they do it, almost like magicians. <BR> <BR>By the way if you try to touch the dolls, you will be fussed at!

frank

The trick is to wind the nylon monofilament around the aerial of the boombox.That way you use it as a pulley so the thread goes off in an unexpected direction and isn't seen. <BR>That's why the vendor in the original post "took it from me and passed it in <BR> front of his boom box as if magnetizing it, or something." <BR> He was actually passing the thread round the aerial! <BR>

frank

forgot to say - the figures have a hook on the back so you can just drop then onto a line you have already set up (no tying needed), so you can take an obviously unconnected minnie, drop it onto the line so it dances, then simply pick it up & hand it to someone who can see its not connected.

Beth Anderson

HA HA HA! <BR> <BR>I just got back from Venice Saturday... I saw these things EVERYWHERE. <BR> <BR>After the 4th, 5th one - I finally stopped to take a good look. I was TRANSFIXED by the durn thing. up, down, sideways, couldn't figure it out. (but didn't touch it of course - wonder what the guy would do if you tried!). <BR> <BR>as I stood there gawping, a young Brit walked up & basically did the same thing I was doing - one word, he said. "Confusing". (I love how the Brits have such a succinct way of putting things.) <BR> <BR>anyway, we had a good laugh.. here we were, in VENICE for Pete's sake... utterly transfixed and confused by Mickey & Minnie Mouse. May the Sweet Lord help us! <BR> <BR>HA HA. still giggling over that. <BR> <BR <BR> <BR>Beth

Konrad_Ktistakis

Why do people say this is a scam? Because they bought it and feel stupid when finding out how its done? Then its like buying a magic trick (or a magic trick that makes something float, which uses thread) if you don't want to know how its done then don't buy it.

adrienne

Konrad - you registered just to top a 10 year old thread?