The Guest Experience
More tales of cast member interaction
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Compiled by Shoshana Lewin, staff writer
The magic stories never end. Just when you think you've heard it all,
we've got more. In today's Cast Place, guests retell more of their most
memorable encounters with cast members at Walt Disney World and Disneyland.
Some will make you laugh, some will make you cry—but all will make
you wish you were back at the park.
Erik's story
The first night of our honeymoon [at Walt Disney World], we decided that
we wanted to do something a little special so we purchased the Fantasmic
Dinner Package, which would allow us to dine at the Brown Derby and then
catch the show later that evening at 9 p.m. (priority seating at 8:30
p.m., of course...).
So we woke up at 5 a.m. CST, flew to Florida, got the rental car, got
lost going to the Royal Plaza Hotel, finally got checked in and then dashed
to Disney-MGM Studios to get in a little fun before dinner. I had been
before, while my new bride had not. So while I was totally energized by
knowing I was headed into the “magic” yet again, she was just
totally dragging—until she saw Dopey and Snow White posing for pictures
inside the main gate (which totally made her entire trip since she had
loved Snow White since she was a little girl).
After going around the park a little and finally getting to the Brown
Derby, we were seated after a brief tour of the place so we could see
the drawings on the wall, etc. After a very short wait to allow us to
get settled, we were then waited on by Lisa, who seemed to have all the
answers and never missed a beat. She explained our package to us, what
we could and couldn't order (basically the Cobb Salad counted as two appetizers,
everything else was fair game) and went into a little of the history of
the Brown Derby.
Since the Fantasmic Package is essentially price-fixed at around $35
each, we could order pretty much whatever we wanted. We both got the salad
(and later bought a Disney cookbook so we could try and make it at home),
I got the beef filet and my wife got the lamb (which I later regretted
not getting) and I finished with the créme brulee, while my wife
had the grapefruit cake (also in the cookbook).
All throughout the meal, Lisa was there with a smile and a new glass
of iced tea (“Oh no, we don't refill, we always bring you a new glass!”)
or some rolls or whatever we might possibly need at the time. Before she
had cleared the remains of the salad away, most of the stress of the flight
had drained away and by the time desert rolled around we were stuffed,
contented and looking forward to Fantasmic.
As she was serving us, I asked how long she had been working there and
she smiled and said, “Two days. I've been training for the last two
weeks, though...” at which we all laughed and I found out she had
also served at Rainforest Cafe for three years. We were having lunch there
the next day, so she commented on which items we should try.
The only potential problem that happened was that my wife absolutely
hated the grapefruit cake, I think because she expected it to be somewhat
like a carrot cake with the cream cheese frosting and all. Lisa smiled,
questioned her until she found out she had already eaten half my créme
brulee, took the plate with the cake from the table and returned 2 minutes
later with a fresh créme brulee for her and a smile.
I work in the customer service industry and I had mentioned from time
to time how truly great the Disney cast members were to my wife, but it
wasn't until we were walking out the door (slowly, since we were stuffed)
that she understood what I really meant.
David's story
While at Walt Disney World in 2001, we were meeting a cast member friend
in front on Magic Kingdom. My two daughters (12 and 10 at the time) got
separated from us. The girls went ahead and approached the monorail at
our hotel, the Grand Floridian, and told a cast member that they did not
know where their parents were.
The driver immediately told the girls to come to the front of the monorail
and ride. As soon as they got to Magic Kingdom, he got off and escorted
them to the front of the park where they saw us. This had delayed his
monorail, but it did not seem to bother him.
I do not know the man's name, but he was probably 55-60.
Tristin's story
It was my son's third birthday. We decided to have a little party for
him at Goofy's Kitchen [in the Disneyland Hotel]. We started there with
a character breakfast. Our waitress went out of her way to get the entire
section of the restaurant involved in singing “Happy Birthday”
to him and she rounded up four characters to sing, as well.
After this she told us to go to City Hall and there would be a special
phone call waiting for our son. So in we went, and the cast member there
brought our son around the desk and put him on the phone and allowed me
to video tape all of his expressions as Goofy sang “Happy Birthday”
to him on the phone. He was so delighted. Then they put his birthday sticker
on his shirt and on with the day we went.
There were three cast members on the Jungle Cruise who sang “Happy
Birthday” to him, as well as two others in the Pieces of Eight store
in New Orleans Square.
To top off his wonderful day there was a very nice cast member working
on the Matterhorn Bobsleds who saw that our son was waiting in line with
us to ride. He was just barely tall enough. She asked us if it was going
to be his first ride and we told her yes. To our surprise she took us
out of line and led us to the exit. Then she told us since it was his
birthday and his first time to ride, she'd let us get right on instead
of wait in the 45 minute line. We were so shocked. So on we went!
My son loved it as we rounded the bend to get off the ride he was shouting,
“I wanna go again mommy!” And the same cast member was standing
there, and she smiled and said, “Don't get out. It's OK. Go again.”
We were so thankful. These cast members just made his day! As well as
ours.
I can't believe the excellent customer service they all have as well
as the magic they made sure to create for his birthday. It's because of
these people we traded in our tickets during this visit to become Annual
Passholders—this was in 2002. We are still loyal APs today. Every
trip we take to Disneyland is always magical.
Shayne's story
My husband and I are Annual Passholders with no kids of our own, so we
borrow my brother's kids once a year for a week-long trip to Disneyland.
Our favorite place to eat breakfast is Goofy's Kitchen at the Disneyland
Hotel. All the characters are so attentive and seem so interested in getting
to know the kids.
My 7-year-old niece, Morgan, has been with us several times before but
this was the first year we took her 2 1/2-year-old brother, Tristan. All
he could talk about before we went was Mickey and Goofy. But the minute
we were seated, he spotted Cinderella across the room and whispered her
name in awe. From then on she was all he could talk about.
We have never had problems meeting characters here in the past but this
time it seemed like every time a character would get close to our table,
the dancing thing would begin and they never seemed to make it back to
us. Our waitress noticed this and spoke with some of the minders that
are with the characters, to get them to visit with us. We thanked her
profusely for being so attentive.
Finally, Cinderella made it to our table, and Tristan was speechless.
She conversed with Morgan for several minutes and then turned her attention
to little brother. She said, “I hear your name is Tristan. The Prince's
name is Tristan. That must mean you are my Prince!” He didn't understand
but we sure did. He continued talking with her the way a 2-year-old does
and she was responding to him in her special Cinderella way. I continued
trying to film their visit with a little tear in my eye. I hope the characters
know just how special they are to the adults as well as the children.
Keep the good stories coming!
KC's story
I visited Disneyland Augugst 9-12. We were waiting in a long line to
get Snow White's autograph for my son. It was a hot day, the line was
long and people were getting cranky and pushy.
Snow White was doing her usual signing and posing for photos when two
little girls came up next. The first one was probably about 7 or 8, but
her younger sister appeared to have Down Syndrome. When Snow White saw
them, she stopped what she was doing, sat down on the sidewalk with the
girls and proceeded to have an imaginary tea party. When the party was
done, she took both girls and set them on her lap and cuddled them close
for a photo. The girls were ecstatic, to say the least. It was one the
coolest things I have ever seen. The line seemed to be a mile long, but
Snow White shut the world out for a few minutes to give these wonderful
little girls a memory I am sure they will never forget.
I must add that this trip we encountered nothing but wonderful cast members.
Most of them were young, but they appeared to truly love their jobs and
tried to make every guest's experience a good one.
We went into the photo shop to pick up a picture, and Cary happened to
be the cast member we encountered then. He was so nice and so professional.
We told him about our experiences with the cast members this visit, how
wonderful they all were. He said he was glad that we told him, as he had
just had a bad experience with a cast member that had started his day
out on the wrong foot.
He was grateful that we shared with him, it brightened his day. We ran
into him later as he took photos for the birthday party at the Plaza Inn.
He was so wonderful with everyone while taking pictures of their birthday
experience. In fact, everyone at the birthday party that day (Aug. 10)
went all-out to make the party a memorable one.
I only wish I had taken names and wrote commendations at City Hall. Next
time I will be prepared!
Austin's story
Great stories about the cast members! I also have a story that is near
and dear to me about a special cast member. Her name is Mary S. and she
works out of City Hall.
In February 2003, I called City Hall from Idaho to discuss help with
our granddaughter who was 4 years old at the time. She had recently undergone
six months in intensive care with leukemia. Mary S. was very kind with
me on the phone and spent about 40 minutes talking to me about my granddaughter.
She mailed photos of Cinderella to her and wanted to meet her when she
got to come to Disneyland for her first time.
We did indeed make a special effort to meet Mary S. during our March
2003 trip.
Then last October, my granddaughter relapsed and spent another four months
out-of-state getting treatment through chemotherapy, radiation and a stem-cell
bone marrow transplant. Mary S. was very helpful again. My wife and I
meet with her on each trip to Disneyland, and we now consider her a family
friend! We live in Idaho but look forward to seeing her as much as we
look forward to the magic of Disneyland! I hope she will be there for
many years to come.
Katie's story
Although I am only 15 years old, I have been to Disneyland about 30 times.
I love Disneyland very much and I don't think I'll ever get tired of it.
I have had one bad experience and too many good experiences to count.
Most of the time when I talk to my friends about Disneyland or Disney's
California Adventure (DCA), they are just as enthusiastic as I am. Others
ask how I can keep going and still be amused. I explain that every time
I go I feel like my wildest dreams, everything that I wanted to do as
a kid could come true in a blink of an eye.
One of my friends recently came with me to Disneyland and was amazed
by all the facts I have picked up over the years about Disneyland.
About a year ago my friend and I walked into DCA about a half an hour
before it officially opened. We walked up to the ropes cutting off the
rest of the park and talked with the security guard the entire time. When
it was about 5 minutes before the park opened, the man whom I had had
the delight of talking with asked my friend and I to open that portion
of the park. We got to go across the rope and stand in front of the large
crowd now waiting behind the rope and signal for them to pass the rope.
My friend and I got to go on the first ride of California Screamin'. I
will never forget that day.
Phil's story
I visited Disneyland for the first time in many years back in 1994, all
by myself. My last trip through the Haunted Mansion was particularly memorable.
I remember seeing a gentleman in the usual Mansion garb, but with eerie
makeup, and the words (in a very loud, drab voice), “Kindly drag
yourself to the dead center of the room!”
I didn't know who the man was, but I was very impressed with the effect.
Later, I learned from several Web pages that it was the legendary Maynard.
I made special efforts to find Maynard on each of my following trips
to Disneyland, and when I got to take my family with me, I was determined
to introduce my 7-year-old son to “the Maynard experience.”
We tracked him down to Jungle Cruise, and waited in a long line to ride.
When we got to the boarding area, I asked to wait for Maynard's boat,
and we ended up waiting for an hour. We got occasional updates from the
other CMs, and eventually he appeared, very apologetic.
He presented my son with “The Golden Leaf of Courage,” and
mounted it on his hat. My son was given the wheel, and got a lot of interaction
with Maynard.
Afterward, he signed my son's autograph book, drew a funny picture and
included this quote: “Spam is tasty yes, but it makes a messy hat.”
This quote has become a family tradition, often quoted at unexpected times.
Johnny's story
Walking through Fantasyland we came upon Winnie the Pooh characters.
My 12-year-old daughter, who is an avid Eeyore fan, was, of course, wearing
her Eeyore ears. She was next in line for a picture when Eeyore was going
on break. Eeyore grabbed my daughter's arm and off they went toward the
backstage gate. We have a once-in-a-lifetime picture of them walking arm
in arm. Little things like that make Disneyland special.
Thoughts, questions, or comments? Contact Shoshana here.
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Are you a CM or a former CM? I would love to hear and share your stories! E-mail me! Stories and comments you submit become property of and may be published on this site; we normally don't publish last names of current CMs, but if you wish to remain anonymous altogether or do not want me to share your stories, please let me know when you e-mail me. — Shoshana NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in reader-contributed stories do not reflect those of Cast Place or MousePlanet. CM – Cast member; company lingo for “employee.” Empowerment Evolution – The 1995 attempt by newer park management to introduce modern accountability and market forces into the stodgy Disneyland methodology and power hierarchies. The name was meant to “empower” rank and file employees by removing layers of their management, though now there are more managers than ever. TPO – Theme Park Operations; the division of the Disneyland hierarchy that actually works in the theme park itself. TDA – Team Disney Anaheim; the name of the on-site administration building. Area manager – used to be responsible for an entire land, with all business divisions in the area reporting to him. Area supervisor – the immediate boss for location supervisors who divide up a department of intelligently grouped locations. The area supervisors in turn reported to the area manager. Nowadays all supervisors and area supervisors have been replaced by managers and assistant managers — the same idea, but smaller “business units" than a department; usually just one location in fact. RFT – “A” status; a full-time hourly employee. RPT – “B” status; an hourly employee five days a week but just not quite 40 hours usually. CR – “C” status; an hourly employee who works weekends year-round and five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break). CT – a part-time hourly employee who works five days a week during all school holiday periods (including summer and Christmas break). No seniority, so shifts worked are usually quite short. Locate the employment center to fill out an application, and they will call you for an interview (dress nicely, just shy of an actual suit). Once there, follow these rules, in this order of importance: 1. Smile and be very friendly. They want outgoing people.
2. Do not let the group interview throw you off balance. They want outgoing people who can “perform” a little bit.
3. Do not worry about job (in)experience. They don't care. They want friendly people, not experienced and/or hardened people.
4. Do your best to convince them you already have a Disney attitude: you want to work with people, you're a team player, and you would consider this a dream job (however, don't overdo it on the crazy-Disney-fan side either). Strike a nice balance.
5. Did I mention the importance of a smile? 
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