Help Locating Name Badge For Purchase

[Ziffell]

Love bold statements that say nothing...

There are no SECURITY ISSUES regarding people buying or wearing guest name tags. They are a nice Disney item that was sold with a kit to make them into a luggage tag, name tag or key chain. That's all.

Do other guests occasionally mistake me for staff in the parks? Yes, but it's not a frequent occurrence and certainly would not be something someone with criminal or nefarious intent would be wearing a name tag in order to take advantage of. People who really want to do bad things can easily do so without wearing a coloured tag instead of a white tag in hope of someone asking them for help because they're mistaken to be CMs.

My personal opinion is that Disney stopped carrying them in the parks because they weren't a high-traffic item. People who bought them were usually hard-core Disney fans as opposed to casual guests. Most people familiar with "personalized" Disney items think of having their name embroidered on a set of Mickey Ears, not on a luggage tag. If items don't move relatively well in retail, you stop carrying the items.

The on-line store that does still sell them appears to have the engraving done by Disney when you order one. All the tags they sell have the following disclaimer:

By request we will have Disney engrave a name on the tag.
Disney will only engrave common proper names.
They will not engrave anything related to or resembling a Disney character name.
DISNEY HAS THE FINAL SAY ON WHAT IS OK TO ENGRAVE.​

Would Disney still do the engraving on the tags if they had discontinued selling them for security reasons or didn't want guests wearing them in the parks? Not a chance. It's simply that it wasn't cost effective to continue selling them themselves.

That site doesn't appear to be affiliated with Disney in any way. Also, the above isn't a "disclaimer". All it is is a statement saying they will "request" to have Disney engrave the name. Doesn't even mean that Disney will in any way be involved.

I think it's pretty clear and obvious that Disney stopped selling them because they didn't want people to mistake non-CMs for CMs. And yes, I do agree with other posters who stated it could be a security issue. Someone posing as a CM is much more likely to be trusted by an unknowing guest. I think the potential for guest security being compromised by such an issue is very obvious.

I also think that at this point, anyone who wears one of these name tags in the park has to know that there will be guests who mistake them as being someone who works at the park. I tend to think that, regardless of what someone wants to claim as far as "not caring" what guests think, it's pretty obvious that a person wearing it in the park clearly WANTS people to think they are a CM.

 

[cymbaldiva]

I also think that at this point, anyone who wears one of these name tags in the park has to know that there will be guests who mistake them as being someone who works at the park. I tend to think that, regardless of what someone wants to claim as far as "not caring" what guests think, it's pretty obvious that a person wearing it in the park clearly WANTS people to think they are a CM.

Beg to differ - the name badges sold at the parks in the way back when were a different color and stated quite clearly Guest of Honor. I bought mine as a personalized souvenir. What leap of logic would have you think that a person in no sort of cast costume wearing a different color badge wants to be considered a CM? I never personally wore mine to be thought of as a CM .... quite a jump to call a person's intentions obvious, don't you think?

Oh, and for the record - yeah, still wear it at the parks. The only people that have come up to me have asked me where I bought the cool badge. :shrug:

 

[Sosai X]

I had also heard that the engraving machines used were very expensive and difficult to operate. Also that they were old, and breaking down all the time. So WDW just retired the whole lot to save money.

 

[Monty]

That site doesn't appear to be affiliated with Disney in any way. Also, the above isn't a "disclaimer". All it is is a statement saying they will "request" to have Disney engrave the name. Doesn't even mean that Disney will in any way be involved.

Actually, it is a disclaimer, stating that "On request", as in when when a buyer requests engraving, they will "have Disney do the engraving" and that Disney has final say on what is engraved as to whether or not it is acceptable.

That reads pretty clearly to me, perhaps English isn't your first language?

I think it's pretty clear and obvious that Disney stopped selling them because they didn't want people to mistake non-CMs for CMs. And yes, I do agree with other posters who stated it could be a security issue. Someone posing as a CM is much more likely to be trusted by an unknowing guest. I think the potential for guest security being compromised by such an issue is very obvious.

Only clear and obvious to you. :shrug:

But of course if you don't actually read what I posted as to why it is not a realistic security issue, you can state whatever you want, can't you?

I also think that at this point, anyone who wears one of these name tags in the park has to know that there will be guests who mistake them as being someone who works at the park. I tend to think that, regardless of what someone wants to claim as far as "not caring" what guests think, it's pretty obvious that a person wearing it in the park clearly WANTS people to think they are a CM.

Wow, so now you're a mind-reader? I wear the tag because I happen to like it when CMs address me by name. I also get lots of people approaching me asking where I got it. I have not ever claimed to be a CM, tried to act like a CM or wanted to have people believe that I am a CM. In fact, when asked for directions or help the very rare times I have been, I'm always quick to point out that I'm not a CM. I then help the person if I can because I'm actually a nice person.

 

[Ziffell]

Love bold statements that say nothing...

There are no SECURITY ISSUES regarding people buying or wearing guest name tags. They are a nice Disney item that was sold with a kit to make them into a luggage tag, name tag or key chain. That's all.

Do other guests occasionally mistake me for staff in the parks? Yes, but it's not a frequent occurrence and certainly would not be something someone with criminal or nefarious intent would be wearing a name tag in order to take advantage of. People who really want to do bad things can easily do so without wearing a coloured tag instead of a white tag in hope of someone asking them for help because they're mistaken to be CMs.

That's interesting that you're saying this now, just because people are calling you on it. Take a look at a post of yours from a similar thread that I found by doing a simple search. You had a somewhat opposite tone and seemed a little concerned about how guests might perceive the badges to be legitimate CM badges...

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showpost.php?p=1688343&postcount=3

I was intercepted a few times last trip. DS and I were both wearing Disney name tags [not CM tags, the ones you can buy]. I guess people assumed I worked there.

I was worried when a couple brought their two kids over to me to explain that if they got separated they should look for someone like this with a Name Tag... I quickly corrected that it should be people with a white tag, not any other colour. The parents looked at me like I was betraying them! I explained that coloured tags can be purchased by any guest and engraved with a name, staff at WDW wear only white ones and that's who their kids should look for.

If kids did ask me for help, I'd definitely help them find a CM, but who knows what someone else might do!

I did steer a CM towards a little boy whose parents had obviously got lost in the MK Town Square one evening near closing, he was wandering around, obviously distraught, by himself. She immediately went over and asked him if she could help him find his lost parents. The smile on his face made my night!

 

[Ziffell]

What leap of logic would have you think that a person in no sort of cast costume wearing a different color badge wants to be considered a CM?

Considering that a number of people in this thread alone have mentioned that they've been mistaken by guests as being CMs... I wouldn't say it's much of a "leap of logic". :wave:

 

[Monty]

That's interesting that you're saying this now, just because people are calling you on it. Take a look at a post of yours from a similar thread that I found by doing a simple search. You had a somewhat opposite tone and seemed a little concerned about how guests might perceive the badges to be legitimate CM badges...

http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showpost.php?p=1688343&postcount=3

If you read what I said [again, you don't seem to read the whole thing or you take a portion out of context to suit your purposes], I said a few times during our trip, not a lot of times. In 14 trips to WDW I've had one [that's right one] occasion where I corrected a parent who was pointing me out to their child as an example of what to look for if they got lost. Certainly not a major security risk. A concern? Absolutely, but not significant enough to be of sufficient concern to Disney. If they honestly believed it were an issue, security would ask me to remove the tag when I arrived at the gates. I have never been asked to remove it because Disney [in my opinion] doesn't consider it a concern.

I mentioned "who knows what someone else might do?" in the context of the situation at hand, however if you read my other previous posts on the subject, I've also been quite clear that a paedophile would be unlikely to use a guest name tag as a ploy to do anything nefarious. There are faster, easier and less identifiable ways of meeting their aims. Why would anyone use a tactic to do something bad that makes them more readily identifiable after the fact? "What man tried to touch you?" "I don't know what he looked like, but he had a blue name tag that said 'Monty' on it with a Canadian flag on it". As a risk, it's negligibly low, if at all.

If Disney was worried about it, they would ask guests to remove the tags. They don't. They wouldn't do the engraving for the on-line seller of their old stock. They do.

 

[Monty]

Considering that a number of people in this thread alone have mentioned that they've been mistaken by guests as being CMs... I wouldn't say it's much of a "leap of logic". :wave:

The "leap of logic" was a reference to your ridiculous statement that individuals who wear the name tags obviously do so because they want to be mistaken for CMs. You really can't read, can you?

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

Considering that a number of people in this thread alone have mentioned that they've been mistaken by guests as being CMs... I wouldn't say it's much of a "leap of logic". :wave:

No just shocking how many sad acts that are out there.

 

[Ziffell]

Why would anyone use a tactic to do something bad that makes them more readily identifiable after the fact?

Ummmmm.... you realize that name tags are REMOVABLE don't you? :lol: It's a name tag... not a tattoo! :animwink:

If Disney was worried about it, they would ask guests to remove the tags. They don't.

I doubt Disney would ask people to remove something that they themselves once sold in their own parks. I'm sure there's some sort of consumer law that would get them in trouble if they did. They are probably just hoping that the number of people who wear them back to the parks will just diminish over time. And it probably never occured to them that there would be CM wannabes who would wear them on every visit.

They wouldn't do the engraving for the on-line seller of their old stock. They do.

If I wanted to, I could put something on my website that says I'll request that Disney send free tickets to anyone who clicks on a link on the site. That doesn't mean anything. Likewise (and as I stated before), that site isn't even affiliated with Disney. Stating that they can request to have Disney engrave the tags is not proof that Disney even does the engraving.

 

[Crazy4WDW1]

I have probably 4 nametags. The first one I bought was in the early 1990s in MK. It is Mickey shaped. I wear it every trip. I've gotten more complients on it from CMs than I can even count. I have never been confused by a park guest as a CM . . . probably because I am a 49 year old woman, wearing a camera and a backpack.

 

[AEfx]

Just about all the pre-printed name stuff is gone, not just from Disney but pretty much everywhere. You used to go into places and see mugs, little license plates, pens/pencils/etc. that all had pre-printed names.

Over the last decade or two most companies have stopped producing such items simply because people have begun to go bat-crap crazy over names. Seems like everyone needs to believe their kid is unique now so with all the phonetic and made-up names that people are putting out there it's just not practical.

 

[Monty]

Just about all the pre-printed name stuff is gone, not just from Disney but pretty much everywhere. You used to go into places and see mugs, little license plates, pens/pencils/etc. that all had pre-printed names.

Over the last decade or two most companies have stopped producing such items simply because people have begun to go bat-crap crazy over names. Seems like everyone needs to believe their kid is unique now so with all the phonetic and made-up names that people are putting out there it's just not practical.

The guest name tags we're talking about were engraved to order on-site, so that doesn't really apply. Unless the strange new spellings were creating issues with getting the engraving correct? :lol: If I recall correctly though, they showed me the text on-screen before they started the machine to confirm they had it right.

 

[cymbaldiva]

Yeah, the one I bought was engraved on site. The first year I saw the product it was name tags only; next visit they also offered personalized key chains and luggage tags.

Not long after that the big pin collecting craze started - all the spots that used to carry the personalized badges were stocking pins instead and all I saw was a kit that could be mailed off or I believe taken to a couple of spots on property for engraving - that part's a little fuzzy; we're talking 10 years ago here :ROFLOL:

Anyway, that's the last I saw of the cool custom badges - I'm happy that I still have mine

 

[Jeffjamin]

Rescinded

Sorry, noob here. Should have posted somewhere else, not here. :brick:

 

[Monty]

They used to be sold at Disney/MGM Studios at the Five & Dime Store and at MK at the Emporium. I've heard they were also available at DTD in the Christmas Store.

Sadly, they are no longer sold on property. There has been conjecture that Disney was concerned that people wearing them in the parks might be mistaken for Cast Members by guests who weren't aware that CMs nametags are always white, while guest nametags are coloured. I can somewhat understand that, since I do get approached by strangers when I'm wearing mine and asked for directions. I always point out that I'm not an employee and then almost invariably answer their questions anyway.

I found a website that sells them, but I've never dealt with them so I won't vouch for the site: http://www.yourwdwstore.net/Name-Tags_c_77.html

I totally forgot! :lol:

I ordered from the site and got a new tag, engraved as I wanted [though I would have preferred they spread the name out to fill the space]. Reasonable price and I think it took about two or three weeks shipped to Canada.

So if you're interested, I can now honestly vouch for the site.

 

[GMRO]

So which one did you get?

I wish the red 2007 Mickey tag was not dated. I may get that one but would reall like it more if the year was not on it - for date purposes.

Thanks for the info and the positive feedback on the vendor.