Former CM who misses spreading the magic

M

maddenfamily

New Member
Original Poster
Just thought I would lament about missing my days as a CM. I worked at several places from French Quarter to Spaceship Earth to the Poly. My two favorites were SSE & Poly. I know more about SSE then I probably should even as a cast member. I worked front desk at the Poly for a few years as well and loved that too. I had a much greater oppurtunity and freedom to create some magic for our guests in that position which was great. Operating SSE was fun and I got an occasional magic moment but not as often or with greater impact as I did at the Poly. I miss all of my co-workers too...well, most of them.
That is not to say there were not some not so fun times and some "challenging" guests. But I will share those stories for another time...like the guest who bit my arm on Spaceship Earth! Ok, well if anyone wants to share or chat about being a former CM or any guests who want some fun stories or anything let me know. If you stayed at the Poly from 2001-2004 I may have even checked you in!
 
E102_Gamma

E102_Gamma

Member
maddenfamily said:
Just thought I would lament about missing my days as a CM. I worked at several places from French Quarter to Spaceship Earth to the Poly. My two favorites were SSE & Poly. I know more about SSE then I probably should even as a cast member. I worked front desk at the Poly for a few years as well and loved that too. I had a much greater oppurtunity and freedom to create some magic for our guests in that position which was great. Operating SSE was fun and I got an occasional magic moment but not as often or with greater impact as I did at the Poly. I miss all of my co-workers too...well, most of them.
That is not to say there were not some not so fun times and some "challenging" guests. But I will share those stories for another time...like the guest who bit my arm on Spaceship Earth! Ok, well if anyone wants to share or chat about being a former CM or any guests who want some fun stories or anything let me know. If you stayed at the Poly from 2001-2004 I may have even checked you in!
Click to expand...
:eek: Oh my, someone actually bit your arm? :eek: ....ummmm I hate the to pose the question, but why? :veryconfu You got me curious! :lol:
 
imamouse

imamouse

Well-Known Member
I love to hearing stories from CMs. Please share what you'd like. I'd say the bite on the arm was a good teaser - tell, tell!

I'd also like to hear about the Poly as I'll be checking in there in a week :sohappy:!
 
M

maddenfamily

New Member
Original Poster
Ok, so here are some details about the arm biting guest...
I was working at SSE in 2000. It was a typical day until while working at the unload area we had someone get off the ride and say that there was a person walking around INSIDE the attraction. Our normal first thought is that it is a maintenance man. I asked if they had brown pants on and a white shirt and they said no, it looked like a guest. I of course immediatly stopped the ride, grabbed a flashlight and headed up up up the entrance to the ride while I had another CM head up the exit and we could meet at the top and (hopefully) not find anyone along the way. Unfortunatley once I turned the corner into the Rome Burning scene I came across her. She was walking back and forth telling everyone to get out of their cars and that they were in danger. (Very very bad situation) I tried calming her and the poeple around her down. The other CM coming the other way caught up with us and together we convinced her to follow us back down to the entrance of the ride. I then called ahead letting them know we were coming down with her. All of this is in the dark mind you as we don't turn the work lights on unless we are evacuating the ride. As we are coming down we get to the load area and there is a side door that we are leading her out of. I open the door and she takes off around to the unload area and is about to run BACK UP INTO THE RIDE! Security stands there doing nothing and I chase after her and grab her before she can get up the stairs. I am just trying to keep her calm and prevent more panic within the ride. At this point security finally starts to help me and it is then that she bites down on my arm. I of course pull away and she starts yelling how she has AIDS. As you might have guessed, I did not finish my shift that night and spent the next couple days getting tests and having the higher ups call me to make sure I didn't need counseling. It turned out the poor woman was off her medication and just had a bad reaction to something and it set her off. Her two sons were in the park and we tracked them down and she was ok, but it was not such a fun experience for me or her! That was pretty much it, although after that we started planning an intrusion system in the ride that automatically shut it down if someone stepped out of their vehicle, and that is now in place! I went on to the Poly about 4 months later.
I also once had to explain to someone that they needed to walk with the rotating floor and not against it as so many do, and he turned around and it was George Lucas. I told him he could do whatever he wanted. I do have some more fun stories...I will have to think.

As for the Poly. Let me know if you have any specific questions. I can receomend buildings. What category of room did you book? I still have some friends there and I might be able to hook you up or something. I used to love having things sent to peoples rooms as a surprise for the kids, or making a bad sitatution better for a guest, or recomending something I think they wil like and having them seek me out to thank me as they loved it!
 
trr1

trr1

Well-Known Member
maddenfamily said:
Just thought I would lament about missing my days as a CM. I worked at several places from French Quarter to Spaceship Earth to the Poly. My two favorites were SSE & Poly. I know more about SSE then I probably should even as a cast member. I worked front desk at the Poly for a few years as well and loved that too. I had a much greater oppurtunity and freedom to create some magic for our guests in that position which was great. Operating SSE was fun and I got an occasional magic moment but not as often or with greater impact as I did at the Poly. I miss all of my co-workers too...well, most of them.
That is not to say there were not some not so fun times and some "challenging" guests. But I will share those stories for another time...like the guest who bit my arm on Spaceship Earth! Ok, well if anyone wants to share or chat about being a former CM or any guests who want some fun stories or anything let me know. If you stayed at the Poly from 2001-2004 I may have even checked you in!
Click to expand...

were you laidoff ?
cant you go back if you miss it so much?
 
M

maddenfamily

New Member
Original Poster
No, I was not laid off. I decided to move back to PA and have since been married and have a son, so I don't think I want to uproot them just to satisfy my desire to wark at WDW again. I will settle for taking them there in a month!
 
E102_Gamma

E102_Gamma

Member
maddenfamily said:
Ok, so here are some details about the arm biting guest...
I was working at SSE in 2000. It was a typical day until while working at the unload area we had someone get off the ride and say that there was a person walking around INSIDE the attraction. Our normal first thought is that it is a maintenance man. I asked if they had brown pants on and a white shirt and they said no, it looked like a guest. I of course immediatly stopped the ride, grabbed a flashlight and headed up up up the entrance to the ride while I had another CM head up the exit and we could meet at the top and (hopefully) not find anyone along the way. Unfortunatley once I turned the corner into the Rome Burning scene I came across her. She was walking back and forth telling everyone to get out of their cars and that they were in danger. (Very very bad situation) I tried calming her and the poeple around her down. The other CM coming the other way caught up with us and together we convinced her to follow us back down to the entrance of the ride. I then called ahead letting them know we were coming down with her. All of this is in the dark mind you as we don't turn the work lights on unless we are evacuating the ride. As we are coming down we get to the load area and there is a side door that we are leading her out of. I open the door and she takes off around to the unload area and is about to run BACK UP INTO THE RIDE! Security stands there doing nothing and I chase after her and grab her before she can get up the stairs. I am just trying to keep her calm and prevent more panic within the ride. At this point security finally starts to help me and it is then that she bites down on my arm. I of course pull away and she starts yelling how she has AIDS. As you might have guessed, I did not finish my shift that night and spent the next couple days getting tests and having the higher ups call me to make sure I didn't need counseling. It turned out the poor woman was off her medication and just had a bad reaction to something and it set her off. Her two sons were in the park and we tracked them down and she was ok, but it was not such a fun experience for me or her! That was pretty much it, although after that we started planning an intrusion system in the ride that automatically shut it down if someone stepped out of their vehicle, and that is now in place! I went on to the Poly about 4 months later.
I also once had to explain to someone that they needed to walk with the rotating floor and not against it as so many do, and he turned around and it was George Lucas. I told him he could do whatever he wanted. I do have some more fun stories...I will have to think.
Click to expand...


Now I feel a bit sorry for asking. I had the feeling it would be something like this, but at least this incident spark the intrusion system! :D We should be thanking her! :lol:
 
M

maddenfamily

New Member
Original Poster
Lets see what I can remember...

It is 180 feet high, and was the tallest structure on property until TOT.

It has 11,324 triangles on it made of Allucabond which is a self cleaning material.

There is an aqueduct system at the equator of the sphere that catches the rain water so that it does not pour down onto the guests. The ater is routed into the World Showcase Lagoon.

I can tell you little stuff about the different show scenes. There are several animatronic characters throughout the ride that used to be Presidents in the Hall of Presidents.

There is a hatch at the top of Spaceship Earth. That is where Mickey came out of for that shot of him waving from the top. Mick ey was scared out of his wits!

I will have to keep thinking...it has been a while...
 
imamouse

imamouse

Well-Known Member
maddenfamily said:
As for the Poly. Let me know if you have any specific questions. I can receomend buildings. What category of room did you book? I still have some friends there and I might be able to hook you up or something. I used to love having things sent to peoples rooms as a surprise for the kids, or making a bad sitatution better for a guest, or recomending something I think they wil like and having them seek me out to thank me as they loved it!
Click to expand...

I sent you a PM regarding your kind offer. Wow - that was an amazing story about the guest walking around inside SSE. I'm sorry that she bit you and told you she had AIDS. How upsetting! Congratulations on the intrusion system.
 
B

bride2b92006

New Member
Thanks for the information. We will be staying at the Poly in August. Any tips you could recommend would be appreciated. This will be our first time staying there. We are so excited.
 
coltow

coltow

Well-Known Member
maddenfamily said:
As for the Poly. Let me know if you have any specific questions. I can receomend buildings. What category of room did you book? I still have some friends there and I might be able to hook you up or something. I used to love having things sent to peoples rooms as a surprise for the kids, or making a bad sitatution better for a guest, or recomending something I think they wil like and having them seek me out to thank me as they loved it!
Click to expand...
We'll be there for DS 5th bday next week :animwink::wave:
We check in on the 8th and will be arriving around 6pm
 

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