Interesting Phone Call today

[Killnme]

While on our Disney vacation this past week we had two CMs go really out of their way when we were in the MK. So when we returned to our hotel room I emailed their names to Disney. Well today I got a phone call from a Disney rep asking for more information on one of the CMs to make sure she could get the email to the right supervisor.

While on the phone I gave her two more names of CMs that were great and she said she would most certainly pass that on too.

So if a CM makes your vacation a little more magical, please make sure to let Disney know, because it will get noticed.

 

[PUSH]

I hear a lot of stories like this, and it's a great thing, IMO. So many guests treat CMs like crap because "they paid for it, so they can do whatever they want."

 

[Unomas]

Always treat people with respect. You are not entitled to anything more or less. How much you paid for your vacation doesn't even factor into it.

 

[Spikerdink]

Can you share what they did to make your stay a bit more magical??

 

[litaljohn]

out of curiosity as I'm sure wr have cast members or former cast members on the site. what exactly do the emails and letters do? I mean do you get actual recognition for it ( maybe even a special pin or badge) or does it sort of skip you and go to your boss, do they give or foreword the messages to you to see the good work you've done? I hear from us in the customer side of awesome things the cast members do for us, but rarely hear of what effect our letters do to help them.

 

[disneyfan1995]

I'm not a CM, but I know that in the utilidors they usually recognize CM's who have gone above and beyond on tv monitor that is in the tunnels. They had CM's from different departments who really went above and beyond in the four keys (safety, courtesy, show, and efficiency).

 

[HatboxGhost]

Did that with a few CMs in the past 2 years. Its VERY important to recognize when they go above and beyond.

 

[litaljohn]

Always treat people with respect. You are not entitled to anything more or less. How much you paid for your vacation doesn't even factor into it.

if only Rodney dangerfield were alive to have met you. that poor guy always got no respect.....

 

[lego606]

out of curiosity as I'm sure wr have cast members or former cast members on the site. what exactly do the emails and letters do? I mean do you get actual recognition for it ( maybe even a special pin or badge) or does it sort of skip you and go to your boss, do they give or foreword the messages to you to see the good work you've done? I hear from us in the customer side of awesome things the cast members do for us, but rarely hear of what effect our letters do to help them.

My friend was in his department's newsletter and the letter was read in front of the whole department at a meeting. He also got a GSF card for it.

 

[JonUWStout]

When I was a cast member we would have a morning/afternoon meeting before any shift and ANY compliments were read before everyone at the meeting and there was a recognition board those e-mails went on. Copies of them also went in our permanant employee file. Its VERY important to recognize cast members who go out of there way. I know I appreciated it when I got them, so I always do too. If I know a cast member has gone above and beyond I will seek out a supervisor on the spot and tell them what an amazing job they did. I will also send an e-mail to Disney letting them know also so it can become part of that file.

In the grand scheme of things in terms of promotions and rehire status that file is really important. When I had my final review for my CP program my "home manager" (one of the several managers in the area who I was assigned to) pulled out my file and went over EVERYTHING in it with me and we wrote out my review together and in the end I had a perfect rehire status due to some of those things.

 

[Killnme]

Can you share what they did to make your stay a bit more magical??

A little back story first. My wife is amazing 37 yr old woman that has battled 2 different brain tumors (1 right after we got married and the 2nd one a year after our daughter was born) but has to use a walker or when we are at Disney a wheelchair b/c of balance issues. That is where the first CM comes in.

His name is Bryan and was working the handicapped entrance to Big Thunder Railroad. He was nothing but nice and was joking with our daughter (like asking where his invite to her birthday party was etc.) and just brought happiness to both my wife and daughter.

The 2nd CM was Jacob. For some reason on a overly busy day at the MK my daughter wanted to start a wizard scavenger hunt thing. We had to start behind Cinderella's Castle and couldn't get the thing to work. Jacob not only helped us start the thing, he walked us around for the first 3 clues in Fantasy Land to make sure everything was working for us. He didn't have to do that, but it was really nice that he did.

Those were the 2 CMs I sent the email on. But after that we had two other encounters that were great.

At my daughter's birthday dinner we ate at The Whispering Canyon and had the waitress Bree. She was over the top in character and didn't hold anything back. We loved her and she made the experience awesome.

Lastly, there was James. When we were in exchanging our Annual Passes for the new cards our daughter was sitting over on some steps be herself. James just walked over and sat down and held a conversion with her. When he found out we were there for her birthday he asked her what her favorite ride at EPCOT was. And then wrote out some kind of ticket that got us in the fastpass line 4 hours ahead of our fastpasses. She was jumping for joy and we didn't even know what was going on at the time. When the lady called today and I included James into the conversion my daughter yelled "his favorite ice cream is strawberry". So the lady said she would pass that along to his supervisor.

Sorry for typing so much but those were the four great CMs that made my daughter's birthday trip very memorable.

 

[Mikester71]

Very cool stories, and those CM's definitely deserved praise. That was very nice of them, and also yourself for making sure they got it.

Hope you wife is doing okay and glad to read that those CM's were able to help make your daughter's birthday trip memorable and magical for all of you!

 

[HatboxGhost]

A little back story first. My wife is amazing 37 yr old woman that has battled 2 different brain tumors (1 right after we got married and the 2nd one a year after our daughter was born) but has to use a walker or when we are at Disney a wheelchair b/c of balance issues.

Positive thoughts for your Wife and here is hoping that she enjoys a long and healthy life.

 

[Poofiesdream]

I am going to take note of helpful CM's my next trip and send in emails for them!

 

[baloofigment14]

How cool!

 

[All Disney All The Time]

We have never received a phone call, but on each and every trip to WDW there have been CMs who most definitely deserved recognition. We always email WDW Guest Relations about these CMs when we get back home and have always received an email reply thanking us and stating that the info will be passed on to the appropriate department/supervisor. I have always hoped that actually happened rather than the compliment just stopping at some desk in Guest Relations. I had a supervisor once who wouldn't recognize anyone else's work, she was afraid that a compliment to anyone else was a slight to her. I didn't understand that attitude then and I still don't. But the posts here have given me hope that contacting Disney with a CM thumbs-up does actually get passed on and might even help the CM in some manner.
The last compliment we passed on went to Princess Aurora in Epcot. Obviously I didn't ask her her real name, but made sure that the email I sent to Guest Relations included the date, time and location of that particular Princess Aurora. I hope they tracked her down, she was OUTSTANDING in her character portrayal that day.

 

[I_heart_Tigger]

When I worked there and we got recognized for something our names were drawn for prizes. I won a Limited Edition Animal Kingdom watch (5000 made, I think) which was cool since this was in 1996 (while the park was being built). I won a tour of AK with Joe Rohde (and about 75 other CM's) and I won a tv which was great since one of my roommates had a big party and ours was stolen.

My roommate won a 3 day trip to Disneyland for her and a friend, another roommate won 2 nights at Disney's Hilton Head resort and a good friend won a Caribbean cruise and took me with him.

As far as I know they don't do prizes like that any more. They were all drawn from good guest comment cards.

 

[All Disney All The Time]

When I worked there and we got recognized for something our names were drawn for prizes. I won a Limited Edition Animal Kingdom watch (5000 made, I think) which was cool since this was in 1996 (while the park was being built). I won a tour of AK with Joe Rohde (and about 75 other CM's) and I won a tv which was great since one of my roommates had a big party and ours was stolen.

My roommate won a 3 day trip to Disneyland for her and a friend, another roommate won 2 nights at Disney's Hilton Head resort and a good friend won a Caribbean cruise and took me with him.

As far as I know they don't do prizes like that any more. They were all drawn from good guest comment cards.

Thank you for providing Disney nuts like us such good service and congratulations on your prizes. Well deserved. If the prize drawings no longer exist that is too bad. Great work deserves great reward.

 

[PUSH]

When I worked there and we got recognized for something our names were drawn for prizes. I won a Limited Edition Animal Kingdom watch (5000 made, I think) which was cool since this was in 1996 (while the park was being built). I won a tour of AK with Joe Rohde (and about 75 other CM's) and I won a tv which was great since one of my roommates had a big party and ours was stolen.

My roommate won a 3 day trip to Disneyland for her and a friend, another roommate won 2 nights at Disney's Hilton Head resort and a good friend won a Caribbean cruise and took me with him.

As far as I know they don't do prizes like that any more. They were all drawn from good guest comment cards.

Wow, that sounds great! Definitely a motivation to do well. Not that you shouldn't all the time.

 

[bethymouse]

In 2009, the CMs at TT were wonderful ( as it had broken down). My little guy was afraid to go on again, and they took him up into the control booth! In 2010, my Mom's 70th birthday, there were so many CMs that treated my Mom like a princess. The best one was in 2011 when in line for TT 45 min. we had to leave due to a breakdown ( surprise surprise). My son & I went over to MS, and had a conversation w/ the 2 CMs. They took us to the control room to sign the book and "play" w/ the buttons and then escorted us onto the ride. Now that was magical! There is a CM appreciation forum on here ( which is why I love WDWMagic!).
Keep praising the good, and it can only get better!