A time when CMs cry

[wdwmomof3]

I love reading these. I can't tell the CM's enough how much I appreciate the special things that you do for us. I had a few do some extra things that just blew me away.

I took my kids to Six Flags and we never saw an employee there smile. I was watching to see how they were different and the difference was amazing. Disney CM's are in a league of their own, and it truly is Magical.

 

[wedway71]

I love reading these. I can't tell the CM's enough how much I appreciate the special things that you do for us. I had a few do some extra things that just blew me away.

I took my kids to Six Flags and we never saw an employee there smile. I was watching to see how they were different and the difference was amazing. Disney CM's are in a league of their own, and it truly is Magical.

I agree.

When I was a kid in Ft Lauderdale we had a Six Flags Atlantis Park.

Heard employees talking about parties the night before doing beer bongs and having male employees hitting on some female freinds that I went with.

 

[Pirate665]

I've personally cried many times over things. The most memorable one is when I made a little princesses day by getting Minnie to come over and say hi. When you're there on the front lines and see the magic happen up close, it just makes the job worth everything. I really didn't mind holding down the multiple jobs, because in the end, Disney was what I loved. I miss working there... maybe one day again....

>Steve

 

[wdwmomof3]

I agree.

When I was a kid in Ft Lauderdale we had a Six Flags Atlantis Park.

Heard employees talking about parties the night before doing beer bongs and having male employees hitting on some female freinds that I went with.

I hate that. I was so turned off by Six Flags that I haven't wanted to even go back. This year my children are getting free tickets so we will go but I still hate it. I had much rather be at Disney.

I was reading about Walt Disney and he had said that he wanted a theme park unlike any theme park. He wanted it to be clean and beautiful and a place where children and their parents can come and have fun together and be safe. I think that he would be happy with the way things are going, I know that we sure are.

 

[maryszhi]

I hate that. I was so turned off by Six Flags that I haven't wanted to even go back. This year my children are getting free tickets so we will go but I still hate it. I had much rather be at Disney.

I was reading about Walt Disney and he had said that he wanted a theme park unlike any theme park. He wanted it to be clean and beautiful and a place where children and their parents can come and have fun together and be safe. I think that he would be happy with the way things are going, I know that we sure are.

me to..six flags should learn about things. being a teenager my self i alsways have my parents come with my friends and i ...you would not believe the weirdos at the one in gurnee, il which is the closet one to my house. Disney makes me not afraid.,... i can go with my friends...take the monorail or bus from the hotel(we always stay disney owned and on property) and dont worry. at six flags its ten times more expensive...and i dont feel safe.

 

[Thiger]

I've had a few times (i'm a big softy)
I almost get teary everytime i see the sign on the highway
also when you go down the big whoosh on POTC and enter the ship scene
the best was seeing a disabled child who was soo happy that he got to fly...I just started up because you could see in his face how happy he was, it was really overwhelming.

 

[cococola44]

I got into a fight with my best friend at Six Flags because I HATED how they did their parade...

her point was the fact that it seemed to her that i was comparing disney to six flags

i got angry that the silvester was leaning up against his pole, his ring was showing...and he just waved the whole time, not like this energetic arm moving wave...but arm kept in one place, elbow bent and just the wrist moving...

I WAS so ...ticked

 

[BSikor]

There were a few times moments like this happened when I was a CM. You could be having a less than magical day and when you see the look on a childs face when they see Mickey... there's nothing like it.

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

 

[MacDuffieMuppet]

I got into a fight with my best friend at Six Flags because I HATED how they did their parade...

her point was the fact that it seemed to her that i was comparing disney to six flags

i got angry that the silvester was leaning up against his pole, his ring was showing...and he just waved the whole time, not like this energetic arm moving wave...but arm kept in one place, elbow bent and just the wrist moving...

I WAS so ...ticked

I had a season pass to SFNE and visited quite frequently to visit with friends who worked there. There parade is supposed to be 20 minutes long, however most days it averages a speedy 8 minutes... the characters were slumped in their vehicles, the employees wear sunglass and have frowns that show that this is the last thing on earth that they want to be doing. At Disney everyone has a smile on their face, even if they dont want to be there. Disney is a family park, while SF is a teenager/adult hangout. Most of the employees are seasonal and dot care if they get hired back, even though SF is always desperate. Disney is always looking to hire the best employees it can. It just goes to show the time and care disney puts into hiring employees, even if the are seasonal.

My bf is a friend of the looney toons and is a perfect fit for disney. She always made sure that the toons would go see kids and try not to scare.. Most characters there do not.

Great story in post 1. I have always loved eeyore. Its good to hear stories like this.

 

[PlutoInOrlando]

Perfect story! Thanks for sharing...

I remember one night during the Nights of Joy - and this (just to put a picture in your head) little 'ol grandma was sitting in her wheelchair. I was working in Disney Clothiers at the time - and well, for the special parties such as Nights of Joy - we didn't have all that much business...but I digress.

So, we (other CM's & I) kinda were wondering the street talking to various guests and I happened upon "Grandma" just kinda sitting there not really have the best of times. We struck up a small conversation about the night and her family. Said she'd come to the Magic Kingdom quite often and had always had a good time. I then asked why she didn't particularly look like she was having a good time now. She went on to say that she really didn't want to come this particular night and so on and so forth. In between all this - she mentioned a few things that she'd bought her kids/grandkids over the years, and that she'd actually never gotten herself a pair of Mickey Ears for herself. Of course I heard that and immediately made a mental note that this was going to be the night she got her ears! I introduced myself and she did as well (the one way to get her name!!!!).

I told her not to go any where as I would be right back that I had to go do something for work, but that I wanted to continue our conversation. I ran to the Mad Hatter - got her name put on the ears and casually walked back to where she was sitting. I had my hands behind my back - and as I walked up, I just casually pulled the ears from behind me, showed her what they were and what was on them. I slowly put them on her head and you would have thought I just gave her the world on a plate. The look on her face is ingrained in my memory - that of surprise and true happiness. As her daughter came out the Emporium with her children - she looked shocked as to where she might have gotten the ears w/her name on it. I was walking away and over heard her say - that this turned out to be one of the best nights she'd ever had in the Magic Kingdom...of course I turned around and winked at her - and saw that her eyes had welled up - which made me just about start to ball. Buuuuut, I held it in, to just a few tears - and will always remember that night.

It was moments like that for me - that made being a cast member truely special.

 

[Simba1]

I personally never cried as a CM but I've made others cry with this story...

I was a butler at the Haunted Mansion for my CP and often worked SADCT parade crowd control. One day a mother came up to me and said, "Tomorrow is our last day here and on the way down, our daughter (who was probably around 5 or 6) asked us if we thought anyone would think she was a princess... and no one has yet." I said, "I'll take care of that." I went up to her and said, "Wow! A REAL princess?!" Her face lit up and she just beamed. So I became her prince for the day and she was my princess... and her parents took our picture together with me kneeling next to her.

Definitely one of my favorite memories from my CP.

 

[joanna71985]

I personally never cried as a CM but I've made others cry with this story...

I was a butler at the Haunted Mansion for my CP and often worked SADCT parade crowd control. One day a mother came up to me and said, "Tomorrow is our last day here and on the way down, our daughter (who was probably around 5 or 6) asked us if we thought anyone would think she was a princess... and no one has yet." I said, "I'll take care of that." I went up to her and said, "Wow! A REAL princess?!" Her face lit up and she just beamed. So I became her prince for the day and she was my princess... and her parents took our picture together with me kneeling next to her.

Definitely one of my favorite memories from my CP.

Awwwwww. That is so sweet!

 

[momsls]

When we were in Epcot last June we saw "Chip" playing with a little boy who had just gotten the matchbox Disney buses. He was squatting down pushing the buses around and the look on the little boys face was priceless. I snapped a picture even though it wasn't my child....that's Disney magic!

 

[David]

Perfect story! Thanks for sharing...

I remember one night during the Nights of Joy - and this (just to put a picture in your head) little 'ol grandma was sitting in her wheelchair. I was working in Disney Clothiers at the time - and well, for the special parties such as Nights of Joy - we didn't have all that much business...but I digress.

So, we (other CM's & I) kinda were wondering the street talking to various guests and I happened upon "Grandma" just kinda sitting there not really have the best of times. We struck up a small conversation about the night and her family. Said she'd come to the Magic Kingdom quite often and had always had a good time. I then asked why she didn't particularly look like she was having a good time now. She went on to say that she really didn't want to come this particular night and so on and so forth. In between all this - she mentioned a few things that she'd bought her kids/grandkids over the years, and that she'd actually never gotten herself a pair of Mickey Ears for herself. Of course I heard that and immediately made a mental note that this was going to be the night she got her ears! I introduced myself and she did as well (the one way to get her name!!!!).

I told her not to go any where as I would be right back that I had to go do something for work, but that I wanted to continue our conversation. I ran to the Mad Hatter - got her name put on the ears and casually walked back to where she was sitting. I had my hands behind my back - and as I walked up, I just casually pulled the ears from behind me, showed her what they were and what was on them. I slowly put them on her head and you would have thought I just gave her the world on a plate. The look on her face is ingrained in my memory - that of surprise and true happiness. As her daughter came out the Emporium with her children - she looked shocked as to where she might have gotten the ears w/her name on it. I was walking away and over heard her say - that this turned out to be one of the best nights she'd ever had in the Magic Kingdom...of course I turned around and winked at her - and saw that her eyes had welled up - which made me just about start to ball. Buuuuut, I held it in, to just a few tears - and will always remember that night.

It was moments like that for me - that made being a cast member truely special.

THAT is a beautiful story. It shows how the Disney magic is for people of all ages and just how important you and thousands of other cast members play such an important part in creating that magic for us guests!

 

[Gorjus]

Lots of times.

Some are generic, happen more than once a day ie:

In the BBB, we turn a little girl around to show her how she looks and she might be completely excited or quite calm, but then she will say in a quiet voice: "I'm beautiful." It is as if it was the first time she realized it.

A little girl or boy runs up to a princess and gives her a big hug and won't let go. They might say I love you to the princess. In the meantime, mom is behind me sniffing away saying "the wait was sooo worth it"

Some are more unique ie:

This one we had to get the story later after seeing photos. Using a computer program, we were monitoring the photos in the Grotto. We were wondering why this little girl kept touching Ariel's face. Story: A little girl came to visit Ariel and was blind. She was placed on the rock next to Ariel and Ariel took her hand and gently placed it on her face and hair and fin so she could "see" Ariel.

A small boy came to see Mickey in the Judge's Tent and immediately pinned himself to the wall as far away from Mickey as possible. In the end it was only his family left and Mickey took his time, used stickers and coaxing and finally the boy came over and gingerly touched Mickey's glove. Slowly he came closer and closer. After 5 minutes, this boy was in Mickey's arms and wouldn't let go.

There are a lot of Make a Wish type children in the park all the time. If we took the time to internalize all of it, I don't think we would get any work done, so most of the time you give them as much special treatment as you can, but you don't let yourself get all emotional over it. Except this one time. The daughter just hadn't really been enjoying herself during the trip. The parents didn't realize where everything was. The trip had just been frustrating. Finally, someone from guest relations walked them to Toon Town and into the princess room, which is what the girl really wanted.

Before they entered the room, we (princesses and photographers) were given a brief rundown of the above story. The girl entered the room, started beaming and ran right to the princesses. She was the only one in the room at the time, no other families. She was so excited and mom just started sobbing, really sobbing. It was a wonderful couple of minutes, full of hugs and photos and all of us had tears in our eyes, mostly because of how thrilled mom was. The princesses all hugged the mom. When the family left, we had to actually shut down the princess room for about 5 minutes to give the princesses a chance to collect themselves and reapply their make-up. It wasn't just getting misty, we were all crying.

Then there was the family that were all dressed in fatigues (military clothes). They were at WDW to celebrate everyone's birthday in the family for the year because Dad was headed overseas for a year and wouldn't be around. They came to the Grotto and were allowed to be the last family to see Ariel before she...took a quick dip in the ocean. The children were all polite and well behaved and explained in a calm voice how Daddy had to go away for a while. When the left, Ariel and I were quite glad to have a few minutes to recover because we were in tears.

 

[joanna71985]

Those are beautiful Gorjus!

 

[dizpins14]

I didn't really cry over this moment since I was 20 at the time and I'm a guy but it's still my fondest memory of my CP time.

I was working in front of Stitch's Great Escape and a large group came up to go inside. Some of the kids did not meet the hight requirement. So while the family was deciding who would go in with the other kids, I felt a tugging on my pant's legs.

I look down and standing there is the cutest little girl about 5 years old. I get down on one knee to talk to her and she asked me my name. I told her and then asked her what her name was. She said her name was Ariel but behind her I could see her older brother shaking his head and mouthing no. I told her that Ariel is a very pretty name but asked if it was really her name. In the same breath she says yes and then a very disappointed no.

Her mom turns to the little girl and asked her if she was telling me her name was Ariel. Obviously "Ariel" had gotten into some trouble about going around lying about her name. So the little girl and I talked about Ariel and where to see her and about her show at MGM. The family went into the first pre-show for Stitch and I happened to get reassigned to the second pre-show.

When I was walking across the second pre-show room, ushering the gets inside, I saw the same family from outside. As I passed I turned to the little girl and said "hi there Ariel." I kept walking without looking back but I could hear her saying, "Mommy! Mommy! That's the boy from outside and he called me Ariel."

 

[TiggersPooh]

that reminded me of the time when I was a CP working at SGE. It was my last week there and like always there was a child crying during the show. I went to the boy lifted up his harness but the mother did not want to leave. So I had the boy walk with me. We sat on the stairs in the show. He was holding my hand the whole time and was holding it very tight. I had to keep telling him how brave he was and that he was keeping me safe.

At the end he gave me a high five and it just made my day.

Another time at Stitch I was working fastpass distribution when a very upset mother came to me telling me how her children should be able to go into the attraction (too short). I felt bad as half the family could go leaving her with all the shorter children. So as the majority of her family went into the preshow I wrote the remaining a fastpass for Buzz. She came back after her ride to thank me...it was then when I gave her another fastpass for buzz so she can ride with her whole family.

My last little one that still makes me happy. Im sure many of you remember hearing about Bonnie, Andrew and Mj. They were my favorite guests. I was really touched when Mj asked for me to sign her autograph book and on the last day of my CP they gave me a card. (if you are reading this thanks guys!)

 

[ChipmunkStar]

Years ago, I was hosting Buzz Lightyear at Club Buzz. Between shows, Buzz did meet and greets. This particular morning, our lead told us that we were going to have a Make a Wish visit around 11am. 11 came and passed, and there was no sign of the family. Around 1pm, a woman came running to us frantically and apologizing that they missed their Make a Wish appointment time, and was there ANY way her son could still say hi to Buzz?

We calmed her down, and had her (and her family) follow us to a more secluded area to visit. She explained to Buzz and I that her son Dylan was a HUGE Buzz Lightyear fan. He had been in and out of hospital care for his cancer for a few years, but he always had his 3 foot tall Buzz doll with him at all times. One day he had to go in for an MRI, but couldn't stop wiggling, at a time when they needed him to lie still. Knowing how big a fan of Buzz Dylan was, his doctor (in his best Buzz impersonation) told Dylan over the speakers "Hey Dylan, this is Buzz Lightyear. We're gonna get you some Space Ranger energy, but you've gotta stay completely still!"

Well, it worked, and that was his first scan that had come back clean in a long time. While his mother was sharing this story with me, we were watching as Dylan was just incredulously checking Buzz out. Pressing every button, checking out his wings, his helmet, everything! When it was finally time for Buzz to go get ready for his next show (mind you, we spent 40 minutes with him, he was just so sweet and amazing), Dylan gave Buzz the biggest hug he could.

His parents, cousins, myself and Buzz were all just starting to mist up. Buzz rubbed Dylan's back as he didn't want to let him go, and Dylan turned to all of us and declared "He's giving me Buzz power, Mommy, I feel it!" We all completely lost it and cried on each other's shoulders for what felt like a very long time. Dylan was the most amazing little boy I have ever met.

Buzz kept in touch with Dylan (we got their information from them so that we could all keep in touch), and we later found out that Dylan's cancer ws in remission, and he was finally deemed cancer free! He still believed that it was the Buzz Power hug that he had gotten from Buzz himself that did the trick. And who knows? Maybe it was.

 

[drew81]

These are all wonderful stories! Thanks for sharing!