Cast Members & Enunciation

[dweezil78]

I've never started one of these complaint-y types of threads and feel weird about it, but this is really buggin me...

Not sure what it's like out in WDW these days, but here in DL I've noticed an alarming trend -- cast members who speed thru and slur their lines to the point where it sounds like total gibberish. The worst part is that this often happens during SAFETY instructions (along with ride attractions, tour guide stuff, etc)! It's almost like they're rolling their eyes at the fact that they're required to give these spiels.

Whether or not these spiels are necessary and effective is debatable, BUT, if they're going to do them shouldn't they be done in a way that doesn't seem half-a$$ed and uninterested? Might just be me, but I've found that it really cheapens (and pulls you out of) the experience when this type of thing happens.

 

[DecWDW]

I haven't noticed it at the park, but I have experienced it at other places. I'm momentarily stunned while my brain tries to figure out what they've said. Very annoying!

 

[LoriMistress]

It's pretty common at DLR/DCA. DLR/DCA is more of a local park(s) then a tourist park(s).

 

[rainfully]

There are two instances which stand out in my mind... one was a HORRIBLE skipper on the Jungle Cruise at WDW... she literally sat the entire time with her back to the boat and mumbled into the microphone... I was in shock! This was about 5 years or more ago, though... but it still bugs me that happened.

The second was this time about 2 years ago when we were waiting to see Golden Dreams at DCA... we were the only ones waiting... and this guy got on the speakers to do his spiel every could of minutes... we couldn't understand a thing he said... it seriously sounded like "WAH WAH WAH GOLDEN DREAMS WAH WAH WAH"... we found it hysterical!! Everytime he spoke we just died of laughter!

So neither of them had to do with safety or anything... but I think most of the safety spiels at Disney are pre-recorded anyway.

 

[Laura]

So neither of them had to do with safety or anything... but I think most of the safety spiels at Disney are pre-recorded anyway.

Para su seguridad, permanezca sentado con las manos, brazos, pies, y piernas dentro el vehiculo. Y cuida sus niños.

Over, and over, and over, and over.... :lol:

 

[rainfully]

Para su seguridad, permanezca sentado con las manos, brazos, pies, y piernas dentro el vehiculo. Y cuida sus niños.

Over, and over, and over, and over.... :lol:

Gracias. :lookaroun

 

[TheBeatles]

There was a Cast Member last year at 'Impressions of France' and his lazy spiel was incredible.

His gibberish was pure magic.

Weird story, I know.

 

[Steve-B]

I think it is culture-wide (if there is such a term) problem. Maybe these kids get so used to texting and IM'ing that they forget how to speak normally.

I know, I know, some adults do it too. :shrug:

 

[BenS]

I've noticed it over the years at WDW, but I wouldn't call it a trend.

It is a little jarring sometimes to see a cast member so disinterested, but you have to understand that these are real people. For all you know they could be having a rough day, or have serious problems they're worried about.

I'm not saying it's acceptable work behavior. If I were their supervisor I would definitely have words with them. But as a guest I try to give them the benefit of the doubt and cut them some slack.

(I do agree that it's a serious issue when it's a safety spiel, which is likely why more and more of those have become recordings lately)

 

[Hoop Raeb]

I've noticed a trend at WDW of CMs from Asia that speak Engrish. Had them at CoP and CBJ. Funny line at CBJ, "time to wake up the beers!" Wha???

 

[BenS]

I've noticed a trend at WDW of CMs from Asia that speak Engrish. Had them at CoP and CBJ. Funny line at CBJ, "time to wake up the beers!" Wha???

That's just an accent...

 

[bladerunner]

I agree, I don't like it. It is just as bad as hearing someone say 'um' and 'like' all of the time.

 

[Lucky]

I can understand all of them except for Jack Sparrow.

 

[BenS]

I can understand all of them except for Jack Sparrow.

Agreed. Performers in general get less leeway. If the ride operator mumbles through the spiel, it doesn't hurt the quality of the ride. For rides and shows with performers, the performer is the attraction, or at least part of it.

The Jungle Cruise skipper, for instance, should probably find a different department.

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

Gracias. :lookaroun

I was wondering if someone would finish that safety spiel. :lol:

About the mumbling thing, yes its annoying. Some of the parking tram CMs have the same problem with mumbling. Combine that with a sub-par audio system and you get annoucements that no one has a clue about.

 

[dweezil78]

I noticed it all this past weekend at DL/DCA and it was driving me crazy. When your job is to get up in front of people and recite lines and people cannot understand what you are saying, you are simply not doing your job. Look, if I saw that at Six Flags I wouldn't think twice but Disney is held to higher standards.

Remember -- there's a reason their employees are referred to as CAST MEMBERS and not employees. If you went to see a broadway show and one of the actors mumbled their lines, wouldn't you be pretty upset with that?

I think these kids just do not take their jobs seriously and that's a total bummer. Fortunately, we do have people like the legendary Maynard out in DL who goes way above and beyond each and every time (if you WDW'ers are ever out this way, be sure to find him -- he's often at the Tiki Room these days), but still it's sad to see others not take their roles as seriously.

 

[KevinFlynn]

It's always gotta be "the kids" who don't care about their jobs, doesn't it? Please. When I worked at WDW, "the kids" were the ones who cared more about putting on a good show, even more so than the managers.

 

[Future Guy]

I haven't really noticed this. Of course, I've only been to WDW, and here in the South enunciation isn't really part of the accent.

 

[dweezil78]

It's always gotta be "the kids" who don't care about their jobs, doesn't it? Please. When I worked at WDW, "the kids" were the ones who cared more about putting on a good show, even more so than the managers.

C'mon.. I'm only 32. It's not like I'm a grumpy old man. The reason I said kids is because every single person who was guilty of this while I was there was very much on the younger side. The older folks, at least at DL, seem to really take pride in their jobs -- even the janitorial staff. It's the college aged crowd that does the mumbling as far as I've seen.

Not saying they're all bad, definitely not the case. There was a kid at Tower of Terror who really gave it his all and was having tons of fun in his role. Was excited to see that...

 

[Courtney1188]

I noticed it all this past weekend at DL/DCA and it was driving me crazy. When your job is to get up in front of people and recite lines and people cannot understand what you are saying, you are simply not doing your job. Look, if I saw that at Six Flags I wouldn't think twice but Disney is held to higher standards.

Remember -- there's a reason their employees are referred to as CAST MEMBERS and not employees. If you went to see a broadway show and one of the actors mumbled their lines, wouldn't you be pretty upset with that?

I think these kids just do not take their jobs seriously and that's a total bummer. Fortunately, we do have people like the legendary Maynard out in DL who goes way above and beyond each and every time (if you WDW'ers are ever out this way, be sure to find him -- he's often at the Tiki Room these days), but still it's sad to see others not take their roles as seriously.

If Disney really wants quality younger employees who get really excited about their jobs, are passionate about Disney, and act as you would expect a broadway show performer to... they should probably start paying above minimum wage.

Not saying it's right, good work ethic is definitely an important quality to have. But it's like the saying, you get what you pay for. And yes, the guests paid a lot to be there. But Disney isn't going to pull in the best help with such horrible wages, regular CMs simply cannot support themselves with a job at Disney alone. Many of them have probably been up all night at their other job to pay the bills.