I'll send you something via PM... since I'm not entirely sure of the veracity, I don't want to post it publicly.
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The CM's at Disney versus those at Universal
- Thread starter mergatroid
- Start date
I'll send you something via PM... since I'm not entirely sure of the veracity, I don't want to post it publicly.
Chef Mickey
Well-Known Member
I'm referring to the jobs in the parks themselves that interact with guests. I'd say most ride operators, characters, food service CMs are doing college programs, working part time, working for a short period of time, and/or going school. They aren't going to make it a career.
They all do an incredible job.
What company do you work for and whom do you hire?
I know far too many lifers...
Some do yes. Others do a mediocre job and still hang on. Meanwhile others do a great job and go elsewhere.
I will not state my employers name, but I hire marcom creatives.
MississippiBelle
Well-Known Member
I would say they were about equal; however, our latest trip to Universal changed my mind. We went to Harry Potter Land for the first time and I was surprised that I only came across one team member with a British accent. I'm not trying to incite some kind of bizarre racism argument, but being has the books are set entirely in the UK and all of the characters in the movies are from the UK, I was expecting there to be some kind of World Showcase-esque environment where the immersion went as far as the accents of the team members. I couldn't help but think "If this was Disney, all of these team members would at least be faking a British accent and feigning no knowledge of 'Muggle' life". That being said, one team member went out of his way to get into character when we asked him where Knockturn Alley was, which totally made the trip for us. But he was the only one in character that we saw.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
Oh? I never noticed Anna and Elsa's Norwegian accents.
I didn't notice them in the movie either
You did not notice them in the movie either.
The Potter movies were full to the brim with British accents.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
So Disney failed twice (in the movie and in World Showcase) and you guys are using this to say Disney's attention to detail is better than Uni's?
Last time I was in world showcase local CMs greatly outnumbered "Native From their respective country" CMs.
Last time I was in world showcase local CMs greatly outnumbered "Native From their respective country" CMs.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
The world of Potter is British English spoken. Anna and Elsa speak Norwegian. That, rather unforgivably, not being understood by a great many Americans, they speak US English instead. Anna and Elsa with Norwegian accents would sound most strange.
Potter is a product of British culture, Frozen is a product of American culture.
Potter is a product of British culture, Frozen is a product of American culture.
The Empress Lilly
Well-Known Member
I remember when there used to be a noticeable difference between WDW and Sea, Circus World, Mystery Fun House. But not anymore. UNI has completely caught up. The employees are just as friendly. The customer service is on par with WDW too, although in many details one or the other is friendlier. For example, those lockers are a pain, whereas UNI restaurants are better organised.
Arendelle is a fictional land based on Norway. The creators elected for many of the characters of Arendelle to not have an accent. Hence, having many of the characters in the them park representation of Arendelle to not have an accent would follow.
The world of Potter is based in England. While the elements of Hogwarts are of course fantasy, Engalnd is England and not a made up place meant to resemble England. As you might expect, nearly everyone has an English accent. Is should follow that you would see the same thing in the theme park version if attention to every detail was important.
Disneyhead'71
Well-Known Member
So, the defacto ambassadors from Norway at the Norwegian Pavilion, which in fact claims that actually employs people from Norway, don't need accents. And that's just fine and dandy. But Universal FAILS because all the frontline TMs at the WWOHP don't have British accents?
This whole, "If Disney had built this, it would be fairytale perfect" is total BS.
Nope. Norway is Norway. The characters Anna, Elsa and whatever other characters they pull from Frozen need to match the film.
DManRightHere
Well-Known Member
Depends. Overall, definitely Disney. Uni has pretty great employees in the Harry Potter areas though. May be employee mentality.
WhatJaneSays
Well-Known Member
For both Disney and Universal there are 2 very different categories of cast.
As for the guest-facing cast on pure average it’s fairly even. However on individual basis interactions Uni is a game of extreme hit-or-miss; some people are full 100% on the spot amazing either in general or as street atmosphere but directly next to them is a 100% disaster for attitude and knowledge. The fact of not knowing who on the scale you’re going to be interacting with is very difficult for me personally and off-putting. With Disney you may not ever get someone that is as high on the scale as Universal but the consistency of knowing what level your interaction is going to be at is 10 times more valuable to me.
Now backstage cast is a different beast. Disney is a giant organization and that can bog down many things. It can take forever for something to pass through all the hands that need to get it going, but at times it’s like poking an anthill and suddenly everything is done (seriously it’s like magic sometimes). Universal tends not to need poking but they work at exactly their own pace. With Disney the cast try to reassure you that your event is important, but you always know in the back of your head that there are 50-100 other events happening that week vying for attention. With Universal they’re pretty upfront about where your event is on the pecking order, but they also have about a quarter of events going on so it’s rarely an issue.
As for the guest-facing cast on pure average it’s fairly even. However on individual basis interactions Uni is a game of extreme hit-or-miss; some people are full 100% on the spot amazing either in general or as street atmosphere but directly next to them is a 100% disaster for attitude and knowledge. The fact of not knowing who on the scale you’re going to be interacting with is very difficult for me personally and off-putting. With Disney you may not ever get someone that is as high on the scale as Universal but the consistency of knowing what level your interaction is going to be at is 10 times more valuable to me.
Now backstage cast is a different beast. Disney is a giant organization and that can bog down many things. It can take forever for something to pass through all the hands that need to get it going, but at times it’s like poking an anthill and suddenly everything is done (seriously it’s like magic sometimes). Universal tends not to need poking but they work at exactly their own pace. With Disney the cast try to reassure you that your event is important, but you always know in the back of your head that there are 50-100 other events happening that week vying for attention. With Universal they’re pretty upfront about where your event is on the pecking order, but they also have about a quarter of events going on so it’s rarely an issue.
Disney is a corporate bureaucratic beast.
Universal is... a much smaller operation.
Even though I'm British, I'd honestly never once thought that the Harry Potter team members should have British accents. Looking at it now I suppose I can see an argument for it, however I doubt many guests would be that bothered one way or the other.
Also no offence to you fine American folk, but often when you try to do British accents it doesn't quite work. Here for instance is Dick Van (what an unfortunate name) in Mary Poppins attempting a cockney accent. To those of us with a 'British ear', he sounds like somebody with a speech impediment who's been on the beer all afternoon rather than a true Brit
Also no offence to you fine American folk, but often when you try to do British accents it doesn't quite work. Here for instance is Dick Van (what an unfortunate name) in Mary Poppins attempting a cockney accent. To those of us with a 'British ear', he sounds like somebody with a speech impediment who's been on the beer all afternoon rather than a true Brit
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Britrepeater
New Member
Animal kingdom wins if it's down to parks. Best CMs photogs, retail staff. Friendly engaging and really made the day for us. MK was disappointing this year. Staff chatting amongst each other, while queues formed, very little interaction or attention paid to guests. Miserable retail staff, resturaunt staff and even photographers quick shot next, sort of attitude. I know it's busy and longer days but we are talking experience. Universal was nearer to AK but again spent less time there. But hotel and retail staff all seemed a few levels above MK and MGM especially. Epcot was somewhere in the middle and seemed to benefit from a mix of nationalities.