Disney Language...

AswaySuller

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
Random question but I've worked in a few places that has code words and other signs that mean things...

For example at TGI Fridays if someone says they are 86 ice cream... it means they're out of it..

At John Lewis "Michael Jones to the perfume counter" means there's a shop lifter in the fragrance section...

and if they ever play classical music in the trafford centre... GET OUT!

I just wondered if Disney cast members had anything along these lines?
 

cmwade77

Well-Known Member
Yes, there are many and they can mostly be found online.....
Code V is for Vomit - I know that one off the top of my head, beyond that I can't remember at the moment.
 

SinginSarah

Member
The easiest is that we're called "cast members" and not employees because we're not working, we're putting on a show.

Some basic ones that come to mind:

ER = Early release (can I go home early?)
Costume = uniform (even if you're in custodial you wear a "costume")
Guests = customers (most everyone knows that, but they drill it into us not to use the word customer)
"On Stage" = any guest area of the park
"Back Stage" = any area where guests are not allowed

Ummm.... I'll probably think of some more later.

I do remember one time when I was talking to some guests while in line at TOT and they were looking at me like I was speaking a different language, I had to stop and explain every other word I was saying.
 

Master Yoda

Pro Star Wars geek.
Premium Member
101-Attraction is down
Protein spill use to be someone throwing up but is has been replaced the aforementioned code v.
 

trendicoff

New Member
Hmm, interesting. Last time I checked my area was still using "protein spill". I'll share a few (as previously mentioned you can find a ton on the internet):

1) "102" - the opposite of 101, running normally
2) "Alpha Unit" - EMS vehicle, usually an ambulance
3) "Shrink" - not actually a Disney spawned word, but it refers to theft of property, usually when quantifying for accounting purposes
4) "Stripe" - not sure if this one still applies as new IDs are being issued but this is what CMs call executives due to the diagonal stripe that could be found on their IDs.

Keep studying your Disneyese!
 

TRONorail10

Active Member
Disney language involves abbreviating a lot of things around property, here are some examples:

MK - Magic Kingdom
DHS - Disney's Hollywood Studios
DAK - Disney's Animal Kingdom
DAK Lodge - Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Poly - Disney's Polynesian Resort
The Grand - Grand Floridian Resort
TTC - Ticket & Transportation Center
Day Parade - Celebrate A Dream Come True Parade
Night Parade - Main Street Electrical Parade
MiSiCi - Move It, Celebrate It, Street Party
PAC - Parade Audience Control
WOD - World of Disney
PhilHar - Mickey's Philharmagic
Buzz - Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin
HOP - Hall of Presidents
TSI - Tom Sawyer Island
Cosmics - Comsic Ray's Starlight Cafe
Pecos - Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn & Cafe

This is just a little sample of how Disney shortens everything for the sake of conversation between cast members.
 

experiment624

Well-Known Member
Often used terms in the forums

Talking about language/codes, there are terms often used in the forums, but I don't know what they are, and I haven't yet found a glossary. Would anyone mind directing me to the explainations, or explaining a few or creating a "glossary"? For example, I believe an A-Park would be MK, DAK, EPCOT, and DHS and B-Parks include DisneyQuest and waterparks. But what are D-Parks? The same for attractions, there seems to be grading or labeling for those that like the parks. I've also noticed some discuss "modes", referring to functioning of rides, like A Mode, but what are the others and their meanins? I also see E-ticket a lot, contextually, I'm not sure its being used in the same manner as I understand it. I appreciate it, it would make some of the discussions easier to follow.
 

Captain Hank

Well-Known Member
Talking about language/codes, there are terms often used in the forums, but I don't know what they are, and I haven't yet found a glossary. Would anyone mind directing me to the explainations, or explaining a few or creating a "glossary"? For example, I believe an A-Park would be MK, DAK, EPCOT, and DHS and B-Parks include DisneyQuest and waterparks. But what are D-Parks? The same for attractions, there seems to be grading or labeling for those that like the parks. I've also noticed some discuss "modes", referring to functioning of rides, like A Mode, but what are the others and their meanins? I also see E-ticket a lot, contextually, I'm not sure its being used in the same manner as I understand it. I appreciate it, it would make some of the discussions easier to follow.
Ah, the A-E system is a reference to the old ticket structure used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World until the 80s. At that time, Guests paid a comparatively cheap entrance fee, and then paid for separate tickets for each attraction. A-tickets were the least expensive and were for the most basic attractions, like the Main Street vehicles. E-tickets, on the other hand, were the most expensive and were for the most elaborate attractions, like Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion.

As far as A-Mode/A-Show and B-Mode/B-show: A-Mode/Show refers to an effect that is fully operational and working as designed. B-Mode/Show is an alternate effect that runs when the main effect is down, allowing the attraction to keep operating.
 

experiment624

Well-Known Member
Thank you for explaining

Ah, the A-E system is a reference to the old ticket structure used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World until the 80s. At that time, Guests paid a comparatively cheap entrance fee, and then paid for separate tickets for each attraction. A-tickets were the least expensive and were for the most basic attractions, like the Main Street vehicles. E-tickets, on the other hand, were the most expensive and were for the most elaborate attractions, like Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion.

As far as A-Mode/A-Show and B-Mode/B-show: A-Mode/Show refers to an effect that is fully operational and working as designed. B-Mode/Show is an alternate effect that runs when the main effect is down, allowing the attraction to keep operating.


Ah, I feel so much more "in the know" now, hee hee. I appreciate your response and clear explanation.
 

SeasonPass2

New Member
Ah, the A-E system is a reference to the old ticket structure used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World until the 80s. At that time, Guests paid a comparatively cheap entrance fee, and then paid for separate tickets for each attraction. A-tickets were the least expensive and were for the most basic attractions, like the Main Street vehicles. E-tickets, on the other hand, were the most expensive and were for the most elaborate attractions, like Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion.

As far as A-Mode/A-Show and B-Mode/B-show: A-Mode/Show refers to an effect that is fully operational and working as designed. B-Mode/Show is an alternate effect that runs when the main effect is down, allowing the attraction to keep operating.

On dedication weekend the price of admission was $3.50 with tickets sold in either a book of seven for $3.50 or eleven for $4.50. I don't remember tickets ever being sold separately.
 

redshoesrock

Active Member
Here are some official (and unofficial) ones I remember when I was a CM.

101: Ride down
102: Ride operating
103: Bathroom break (as in, "Hey I need a 103.")
104: Guest in a wheelchair (or scooter)
105: A hot-looking guest (trends towards hot females than males). Unoffical.
210: A REALLY hot-looking guest (105 times two). Unofficial.
108: Fire

Lost Parent: When a child is lost and separated from their parents (guardians, whatever), Disney says that we have a case of "Lost Parent(s)" since we know where the child is (they're right there!) It's the *parents* who have wandered off somewhere.

Position: the spot where the CM is working, for example Greeter (the CM that stands at the entrance of the attraction), Load (the CM at the part of the ride where guests get in), Unload (if it's a separate area from Load, the CM where the guests get off the ride), and Fastpass Return (the CM outside the ride that checks your Fastpass to make sure you've arrived at the correct time), among others.

CDS: Cast Deployment System - how CMs get their positions. They log to the CDS computer with their Cast ID number and receive their assignment which prints out on a slip of paper much like a receipt machine at a supermarket (example: Joe Schmoe is at Unload 2. Please relieve them for their break - and then the time Joe's break starts and the time it ends).

ER: Early Release - a request to leave early. You log into CDS to make the request, along with the time you wish to leave. Not all ERs are granted; it depends on the guest attendance numbers. Smaller than expected attendance numbers (or slower days) gives you a better chance to get your ER.

Extend: The opposite of ER - you're asking in CDS to stay later than scheduled. Not always given - a busier than expected day (or generally busy days) tend to get your extend granted.

Doubleback: One of the reasons to try and extend if you need the money. If you have less than eight hours between your shifts, your next shift pays you double your normal wage. Example: your Monday shift was 1700 to 2330 (5pm-11:30pm) and your Tuesday shift is 0630-1330 (6:30am-1:30pm). Your Tuesday shift is "doubleback".

Rotation: Oftentimes on CDS, you won't get someone's break or "bump off" (going home for the day/night). You'll get "rotation", which is how Disney keeps someone from working the same position for too long. As an example, I worked at Space Mountain which has three rotations: Greeter rotation, A-side rotation, and B-side rotation. A slip will print with all the positions in order and who is to go where. Example:

Space Mountain Greeter Rotation:
Greeter: Joe Schmoe
Fastpass Distribution: Jane Doe
Fastpass Return: John Smith
Mountain 3: Frank Furter
Merge Point: Mary Sue
Bill Fold, please return to CDS for your new assignment

So the person who got rotation would go to the Greeter position and gives Joe the rotation slip. They would stay at Greeter while Joe goes to Fastpass Distribution giving the slip to Jane. Joe stays at Fastpass Distribution and Jane goes to Fastpass Return, etc. Bill, the last one to get the rotation slip, goes back to CDS, logs in, and gets his new assignment (or break or bump off).

Task: Sometimes when you log into CDS to get your assignment, no one needs a break, no one is going home, and it's too early for a rotation. In that case, you get a "task" (In Tomorrowland we called it a "bucket" - no one really remembers why). It's a fifteen minute period where you're supposed to "make magic". There were a bunch of ways to do that; at other Tomorrowland rides we would have say, autograph books and we'd wander around Tomorrowland looking for a child in a Disney costume and go up to them and be like, "Oh! I didn't know Cinderella was coming to Tomorrowland today! Could I *please* have your autograph?" And then the child would sign the autograph book and be all smiles. At Space Mountain, we would either go outside, pick a family or someone from the end of the line and walk them up right onto the ride or give a "Tower Tour" where we would pick a family, bring them into the Control Tower, show them around, and then put them on the ride. Unoffically, some CMs (I certainly was guilty on more than one occasion) would use the task as a break. On an overstaffed day (or if, like me, you had figured out how CDS gave out breaks) you could continually get tasks (buckets in Tomorrowland) again and again for a super-long break, which we in Tomorrowland called "riding the bucket train". The most I ever got in a row was nine - I got my break, came back and got eight buckets in a row (every fifteen minutes), THEN got my half-hour lunch break, came back and got one bucket before finally getting an actual assignment (That was a good day, friends).

I know, more than you wanted to know. There's more, but it's late and I'm tired.
 

CaptainShortty

Well-Known Member
Some of these might have been said but here's the list I remember from work. Some are official Disney lingo and others are abbreviations and things that CMs just tend to use anyway.

- Friend: Given to an entertainment CM's costumed counterpart. Ex. I'm a Friend of Mickey Mouse.

- Pargo: The multiple seat golf carts driven around the resorts

- ER: Early Release...Get to go home early.

- Extend: Opposite of ER. Staying later than assigned

- MiSiCi: Move it, Shake It, Celebrate It Street Party

- Spectro: Spectromagic

- Downstairs: Magic Kingdom Tunnels/Utilidors

- Replen: Pin Replenishment. Where CMs go to get more pins added to their trading lanyards.

- backstage: Anywhere a guest can't see

- On Stage: Anywhere a guest can see

- Step on: Start of parade

- Step off: End of parade

- Alpha Unit: Ambulance

- Protein spill or Code V: Vomit

- The Grand: Grand Floridian

- Poly: The Polynesian

- BLT: Bay Lake Tower

- Cast East: Magic Kingdom Cast Bus

- The Zoo: MK Costuming

I'm sure there are more but those are just the ones I remember right now...
 

JoeZer

Steampunky Time Lord
On dedication weekend the price of admission was $3.50 with tickets sold in either a book of seven for $3.50 or eleven for $4.50. I don't remember tickets ever being sold separately.

The only experience I have with the ticket booklets is from WDW. Back in the pre-EPCOT days, once inside the Magic Kingdom, Guests could go to a kiosk in a couple of different areas to purchase extra tickets; either singly or in booklets from what I recall. This came in handy when you were all out of E-Tickets and wanted those extra rounds on Space Mountain, Haunted Mansion and such. :)
 
A couple I remember are:
Toy box: Studios entertainment break area.
EPCOT, Every person comes out tired, Every polyester costume of torture, Every paycheck comes on thursday, cause we used to get paid weekly on thursdays. I don't know if this is still the case, but it was when I was there. Of course the real acronym for EPCOT is Experimental prototype community of tomorrow!
 

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom