Wax figures lose hair, break fingers and battle Florida humidity
Orlando, Fla. — Long before the first guests pose beside figures of Taylor Swift, Walt Disney or Shrek, Samantha Wolf and her small studio team are already inspecting hair, smoothing clothing, removing lint and looking for signs that one of Madame Tussauds Orlando’s famous faces needs more extensive care.
The team arrives about three hours before the attraction opens. With only two full-time studio artists and one part-time artist working alongside Samantha, far more figures are counting on them than there are people to maintain them.
“We live in the world of figures,” Wolf said during a tour of the attraction. “My job is to take care of them and anything they need, start to finish, head to toe, top to bottom.”
On an ordinary morning, that can mean styling hair, adjusting clothing, removing lint and inspecting the figures for damage. More extensive projects can require days or weeks away from the exhibit floor.
Have you been inside a Madame Tussauds location before? Watch our short video below for some of the highlights.
Wax figures show their age
Madame Tussauds Orlando opened at ICON Park in 2015, but some figures in its collection are even older. Figures can transfer among Madame Tussauds locations around the world, with some remaining in circulation for 20 or 30 years.
As the figures age, the wax can become more brittle. Their hair also dries out and breaks after years of styling and heat treatment.
“Just like us, they lose hair over time,” Wolf said. “Except they don’t grow it back, so we have to go put it back for them.”
A seated figure such as Walt Disney can require more frequent attention because guests can easily reach his hair and clothing. Taller figures, including former Orlando Magic player Shaquille O’Neal, are less accessible.
Photo by Matt Roseboom
Photo by Matt Roseboom
The team tries to complete as much work as possible before opening or while a figure remains on display. A more substantial restoration may require removing it for several days. Repainting an older figure can take a couple of weeks.
“Sometimes it’s not even just strictly about the figure,” Wolf said. “It could be about the whole scene. It could be about a prop piece.”
What happens when a wax figure breaks?
Guests are encouraged to stand beside the figures and take photos, but the access creates maintenance challenges. Hair can be knocked out of place, clothing can shift and hands or fingers can sustain more serious damage.
Wolf offered a simple rule for interacting with the figures.
“Whatever you wouldn’t do to the real person, you probably don’t want to do to their likeness,” she said.
Minor problems can often be corrected quickly. A broken finger or other significant damage may require the figure to be removed while the studio completes repairs.
Figures sometimes leave Orlando temporarily for special events or appearances in other cities, a practice Madame Tussauds calls “going on tour.” The goal, Wolf said, is to keep as many figures available to guests as possible.
Florida humidity creates dozens of bad hair days
Wax may be the attraction’s signature material, but hair presents one of the Orlando team’s most persistent challenges.
The building is air-conditioned, yet Central Florida humidity still affects the elaborate hairstyles worn by figures including Lady Gaga, Ariana Grande, Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Rihanna. Curls can loosen, straight hair can frizz and carefully styled looks can fall flat.
A celebrity preserved at one point in time
Details hidden beneath clothing or hair may be fully reproduced. Artists document tattoos, freckles, moles and scars during the research process. A heavily tattooed celebrity can require substantially more reference photography so every design can be replicated in the correct size and location.
Clothing receives similar attention. Celebrities sometimes donate pieces they have worn, including the suit displayed on the museum’s Pitbull figure. When an original garment is unavailable, artists may work with its designer to recreate the complete look through fabric, tailoring, jewelry and accessories.
The figures are not continuously altered to reflect every new hairstyle, tattoo or fashion choice. Each one generally preserves the celebrity at a specific point in life or during a particular stage of a career.
“It is really to capture that one specific time, to celebrate that period of their career, their history, like a photograph would be,” Wolf said.
The attraction launched 14 Taylor Swift figures at once, each representing a different era with varying poses, costumes, styling and settings. Orlando received a version inspired by Swift’s “Reputation” era.
Below is a photo from Orlando in 2024 with Taylor Swift figure in a different look than her current appearance in the same location.
Photo by Dani Meyering
Photo by Matt Roseboom
She described each figure as a three-dimensional photograph guests can step inside.
Watch our YouTube video below for the full tour.
Orlando’s collection has a Florida identity
Although Madame Tussauds operates attractions around the world, each collection reflects its location. In a portion of the ICON Park location, Orlando guests encounter figures tied to Florida and its history, including Walt Disney, Shaquille O’Neal, Pitbull and Juan Ponce de León. Lionel Messi’s figure wears an Inter Miami uniform.
Photo by Dani Meyering
The exhibits are intended to provide interactive moments. Guests can steer a ship near Ponce de León, lift a helicopter with Superman, activate the Bat-Signal and step into staged television, music and movie environments.
Wolf said the studio is also preparing for more arrivals. Some will represent people who have never received a Madame Tussauds figure before.
Their identities remain under wraps, but when they arrive in Orlando, the four-person studio team will keep every hair, accessory and finger ready for its close-up.
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