What would make the greatest Disney Cast Member?

[jtizzle1023]

Hey Ya'll!
Now this April I will be attending the Disney College Program in WDW. I have been a Disney fan for my entire life and want to one day work for WDI. Now while I'm attending the program I will be working on an attraction for the 5 months that I will be there (I wont find out which attraction until I arrive :hammer: ) So my question to you is, as a guest to the park what can I do to make the best experience for people. Something that I can do to go out of the way to make someones experience much more magical and make a memory that someone will remember for their entire trip and beyond.

Any suggestions would be great! And maybe I'll see you at WDW this spring/summer!

 

[Timekeeper]

(1) Don't lose your temper and literally yell at guests over a show loudspeaker. Yes, you (like the idiot CM in the youtube video) will be irritated and annoyed on a daily basis. But whether you let that "show" while you are "on stage" is a characteristic that separates the men from the boys.

(2) Listen. There are plenty of opportunities for you to "jump in" and offer assistance, information, suggestions, and trivia to guests if you are simply aware of your surroundings. Not all guests in need of help will ask for assistance, just as not all guests who have their beverage or food knocked out of their hands and spilled will ask for a replacement. If you pay attention to everything that's happening around so (insofar as your role your permits it), you will be empowered to create the random acts of kindness that Walt himself would be proud of.

(3) Focus. I see a lot of CMs, especially the younger inexperienced ones (no offense), talking to and interacting with each other instead of with guests. For example, two bellshops outside of the Tower of Terror were more interested in talking to each other about last night's party than greeting guests as they entered the queue. Same with two or more CMs on a loading platform, etc. The guest should be the focus of this energy (again, insofar as your role permits it). There's plenty of time to socialize when off the clock. Trust me, "social" doesn't even begin to describle the CPers after hours.

(4) The response "I don't know" is okay, if combined with "but let me find out for you." "I don't know" alone is not Disneyesque, and guessing is an even greater sin.

(5) I have found that offering to take a picture of a couple or a family together so that everyone can be in the photo creates the greatest profit-to-expenditure acts that you can perform.

(6) Learn from the mistakes of others. You will undoubtedly witness others who are there for the wrong reason, and it shows in their performance. For example, when you see two CMs talking to each other instead of greeting guests, you can quickly learn how bad this looks and consciously seek to avoid falling into the same trap yourself.

(7) Be creative. If you're standing with another CM and of course it's natural to engage them in conversation, you can do so while performing guest service at the same time. If you ask a guest where they're from, or what their favorite attraction is, and then you bring in your adjacent CM into the brief conversation, the guest will feel like the important focal point that they are. Here's an example of a dialogue between two CMs at an attraction where the guest queue has momentarily stopped and guests are standing by the CMs:

Scenario A
CM David: Last night was crazy. I think I still have a headache.
CM Heather: Yeah, well we didn't leave World of Beer until 1:30 and I had to be in here at 8:00.
Guest: (Thinking to self) Ummm... :lookaroun

Scenario B
CM David: (To Guest) So, is there anything that you're really looking forward to seeing today?
Guest: I see this Fantasmic show listed for 8:00; I've never seen it before.
CM David: That's an excellent show [continues to describe show], but the theater fills up fast so you'll want to arrive at least 30 minutes before showtime. Heather, do you have any suggestions for the show, is there any particular place that you like to sit?
CM Heather: The show is pretty big so I like to wait for the theater to fill up a little bit first, which you can easily see from the back of the theater, and sit towards the back so I can see everything that's happening. Also, there's a chance that the first few rows can get a little bit wet, because there are some water effects and, especially if it's windy, a little bit of mist can make its way into the first few rows.
Guest: :sohappy:

(8) Remember. Don't forget why you're there, and why the other guests are there. The thing that helped me stay at the top of my game (and not end up on youtube with the word "fail" in the video title) was to remind myself every day that the family standing in front of me probably saved up the money for many years to travel across the world to be there. Of all the places that they could have been, they chose to be there. I, therefore, owed it to them to do my best to exceed their expectations.

(9) The "golden rule" applies to many aspects of life, including guest service.

(10) Have fun. Enjoy yourself. If you're enjoying yourself, it will show. We've all seen miserable employees (yes, even at WDW). And nothing sticks out like a sore thumb more than an employee who doesn't want to be there. Luckily, the same is true for a happy employee. Too many people hate their job. Don't become one of them. You voluntarily chose to apply to Disney, so you owe it to yourself to facilitate in creating the most enjoyable experience that you can, not just for the guests, but for yourself too!

It's an easy job, for the right person. It's a nightmare of a job, for the wrong person. Sounds to me like you're the right person. :sohappy:

 

[Kramerica]

Umm.. Ditto! ^^^

But if I could say anything. Don't ruin the perfect cast member illusion. As more CPs are hired, the more bad ones slip through the cracks. I've happened upon this scenario several times. I'm in line waiting for a ride, and a group of CPs on their day off are talking about being a cast member, drinking and partying (another thing you should avoid, but more on this later), and generally being obnoxious and making everyone around them realize that the Disney employees really aren't all that perfect. remember, even though you're off the clock, doesn't mean you're not representing Disney!

And as I was saying, there are a lot more CPs all the time. And there are more and more of them that aren't like you. They're not true Disney fans. They're kids who want to stay at the CP housing and party. Don't get mixed up into that scene. Trust me, it's not worth it. Underage drinking is not cool. I might be biased because I had an ex who's an ex now partially because of the program, but all I'm saying. You're in the happiest place on earth. The high is being there. Absorbing Disney like a sponge. Savoring every moment you have there. God knows that There are a million people who would die to be where you'll be at. You don't need mood altering substances when you're there..

Wow, this turned into a lecture.. I'm starting to talk like my parents.

Have fun!

 

[nace888]

(1) Don't lose your temper and literally yell at guests over a show loudspeaker. Yes, you (like the idiot CM in the youtube video) will be irritated and annoyed on a daily basis. But whether you let that "show" while you are "on stage" is a characteristic that separates the men from the boys.

(2) Listen. There are plenty of opportunities for you to "jump in" and offer assistance, information, suggestions, and trivia to guests if you are simply aware of your surroundings. Not all guests in need of help will ask for assistance, just as not all guests who have their beverage or food knocked out of their hands and spilled will ask for a replacement. If you pay attention to everything that's happening around so (insofar as your role your permits it), you will be empowered to create the random acts of kindness that Walt himself would be proud of.

(3) Focus. I see a lot of CMs, especially the younger inexperienced ones (no offense), talking to and interacting with each other instead of with guests. For example, two bellshops outside of the Tower of Terror were more interested in talking to each other about last night's party than greeting guests as they entered the queue. Same with two or more CMs on a loading platform, etc. The guest should be the focus of this energy (again, insofar as your role permits it). There's plenty of time to socialize when off the clock. Trust me, "social" doesn't even begin to describle the CPers after hours.

(4) The response "I don't know" is okay, if combined with "but let me find out for you." "I don't know" alone is not Disneyesque, and guessing is an even greater sin.

(5) I have found that offering to take a picture of a couple or a family together so that everyone can be in the photo creates the greatest profit-to-expenditure acts that you can perform.

(6) Learn from the mistakes of others. You will undoubtedly witness others who are there for the wrong reason, and it shows in their performance. For example, when you see two CMs talking to each other instead of greeting guests, you can quickly learn how bad this looks and consciously seek to avoid falling into the same trap yourself.

(7) Be creative. If you're standing with another CM and of course it's natural to engage them in conversation, you can do so while performing guest service at the same time. If you ask a guest where they're from, or what their favorite attraction is, and then you bring in your adjacent CM into the brief conversation, the guest will feel like the important focal point that they are. Here's an example of a dialogue between two CMs at an attraction where the guest queue has momentarily stopped and guests are standing by the CMs:

Scenario A
CM David: Last night was crazy. I think I still have a headache.
CM Heather: Yeah, well we didn't leave World of Beer until 1:30 and I had to be in here at 8:00.
Guest: (Thinking to self) Ummm... :lookaroun

Scenario B
CM David: (To Guest) So, is there anything that you're really looking forward to seeing today?
Guest: I see this Fantasmic show listed for 8:00; I've never seen it before.
CM David: That's an excellent show [continues to describe show], but the theater fills up fast so you'll want to arrive at least 30 minutes before showtime. Heather, do you have any suggestions for the show, is there any particular place that you like to sit?
CM Heather: The show is pretty big so I like to wait for the theater to fill up a little bit first, which you can easily see from the back of the theater, and sit towards the back so I can see everything that's happening. Also, there's a chance that the first few rows can get a little bit wet, because there are some water effects and, especially if it's windy, a little bit of mist can make its way into the first few rows.
Guest: :sohappy:

(8) Remember. Don't forget why you're there, and why the other guests are there. The thing that helped me stay at the top of my game (and not end up on youtube with the word "fail" in the video title) was to remind myself every day that the family standing in front of me probably saved up the money for many years to travel across the world to be there. Of all the places that they could have been, they chose to be there. I, therefore, owed it to them to do my best to exceed their expectations.

(9) The "golden rule" applies to many aspects of life, including guest service.

(10) Have fun. Enjoy yourself. If you're enjoying yourself, it will show. We've all seen miserable employees (yes, even at WDW). And nothing sticks out like a sore thumb more than an employee who doesn't want to be there. Luckily, the same is true for a happy employee. Too many people hate their job. Don't become one of them. You voluntarily chose to apply to Disney, so you owe it to yourself to facilitate in creating the most enjoyable experience that you can, not just for the guests, but for yourself too!

It's an easy job, for the right person. It's a nightmare of a job, for the wrong person. Sounds to me like you're the right person. :sohappy:

I work at Chuck E. Cheese's, and I hold myself to these rules as well!! I would advise you use these rules well!!!

I am hoping to do CP within the next year, and I wanna be a Monorail Pilot. Just curious, and not to steal your thread, but how would I be a good CM as a Pilot? At Chuck E. Cheese's, I am always talking to our guests... Is that possible as a Pilot??

 

[TP2000]

My advice to you? Read the advice from Timekeeper. Then read it again. Then memorize it.

There's a little book they sell at the Disneyana Shop on Main Street USA at Disneyland (although I've never seen it for sale at WDW) that has famous Walt Disney quotes in it. It has an entire chapter dedicated to quotes Walt made about Disneyland and its operation and reason for being. One of my favorites is....

"Disneyland is the star. Everything else is in the supporting role." - Walt Disney

Even though Walt died five years before WDW opened, and it looks nothing like he imagined it would upon his death bed in 1966, the same could be applied to WDW. If you are a Cast Member, you should remember that you are simply there to grease the wheels of a masterfully Imagineered place. You are not there to be the star. Let WDW be the star, you just provide the little elbow grease to make the visit easier for the customers.

And for gosh sakes, don't barf up that fabricated drivel of "Have a MAGICAL Day!" , even if they train you to do that. I find that tired old line to be so canned and corny and corporate, that it actually diminishes my visit instead of enhances it.

Good luck! :wave:

 

[EvanAnderson]

Remember that while onstage, you are (Your name), The Cast Member. You will get asked dumb questions, have someone yell at you for something that happened in another park, and clean up spills all over the park. For the time you're onstage, you are there for the guests. So just let everything go, look professional and be pleasant. You won't see those guests again, and they'll remember you as a Cast Member, not a person.

Also, the way Timekeeper described it, it makes it seem like you have to be 100% perfect to be a CM. That's not true, you can be equally as pleasant without having to give a perfect explanation of where to sit for Fantasmic.

 

[EvanAnderson]

Just curious, and not to steal your thread, but how would I be a good CM as a Pilot? At Chuck E. Cheese's, I am always talking to our guests... Is that possible as a Pilot??

Monorail Pilots have a lot of responsibility. I worked there for 3 months and transferred out because it was too much for me to handle, however some people love it. You used to be able to talk with the guests when they rode up front with you, and tell them about everything worked, but now you can't have anyone else up front, so there's no one to talk to now.

You have to remember what color the other monorails on your beam are, where they are, who's in front of you, who's behind you, and your holdpoints (the specific numbered pylons on the beams). There's about 50 that you have to commit to memory. You have a radio in your cab and you have to follow directions exactly as the coordinator tells you and repeat it all back. Also now, you can't overshoot the station because it takes yet another procedure to back the trains up, even a foot. Anywho, if you're up for the challenge, go for it, but it's tough.

 

[Monorail Lime]

I am hoping to do CP within the next year, and I wanna be a Monorail Pilot. Just curious, and not to steal your thread, but how would I be a good CM as a Pilot? At Chuck E. Cheese's, I am always talking to our guests... Is that possible as a Pilot??

The monorail department is not accepting College Program participants at this time but that could hopefully change in the future.

Guest interaction is important in every role including monorails even though guests don't ride in the front cabs anymore. It is very easy to get annoyed with guests when herding them onto the platform like cattle as happens every night at MK closing time. The process is smoother and more pleasant for everyone involved when the cast members keep their cool and have smiles on their faces!

My signature is dedicated to a monorail cast member who used a little bit of song and dance to add some levity to the otherwise unpleasant closing rush. The most successful cast members are those who can always find a way to have fun in any situation.

 

[Timekeeper]

Also, the way Timekeeper described it, it makes it seem like you have to be 100% perfect to be a CM. That's not true, you can be equally as pleasant without having to give a perfect explanation of where to sit for Fantasmic.

First, the OP asked, "What would make the greatest Disney Cast Member?"

Striving for anything less is the reason for why we are seeing more criticisms with respect to the noticeable decline in CM performance. :brick:

Second, there is nothing in my suggestions that require any CM to be "100% perfect."

An example of how to engage a guest in conversation instead of ignoring them (and engaging another CM in conversation instead) is hardly an illustration of "perfect." But it is definitely better than ignoring guests.

No one is perfect. But whether we strive to give 100%, or less, it will show, and it will contribute to the memories - both good and bad - that guests will take home with them.

 

[disneyrcks]

And for gosh sakes, don't barf up that fabricated drivel of "Have a MAGICAL Day!" , even if they train you to do that. I find that tired old line to be so canned and corny and corporate, that it actually diminishes my visit instead of enhances it.

Good luck! :wave:

I happen to like the line "Have a Magical Day but if TP, the wonderful wizard of DL doesn't like it....then by all means don't say it

 

[Timekeeper]

I happen to like the line "Have a Magical Day but if TP, the wonderful wizard of DL doesn't like it....then by all means don't say it

I think most of us would agree that tone outweighs content in a scenario such as this.

We would probably prefer to her a genuine "I hope you enjoy the show" or "Thanks for coming" than a fake "Have a magical day."

 

[chrissyw14]

Umm.. Ditto! ^^^

But if I could say anything. Don't ruin the perfect cast member illusion. As more CPs are hired, the more bad ones slip through the cracks. I've happened upon this scenario several times. I'm in line waiting for a ride, and a group of CPs on their day off are talking about being a cast member, drinking and partying (another thing you should avoid, but more on this later), and generally being obnoxious and making everyone around them realize that the Disney employees really aren't all that perfect. remember, even though you're off the clock, doesn't mean you're not representing Disney!

And as I was saying, there are a lot more CPs all the time. And there are more and more of them that aren't like you. They're not true Disney fans. They're kids who want to stay at the CP housing and party. Don't get mixed up into that scene. Trust me, it's not worth it. Underage drinking is not cool. I might be biased because I had an ex who's an ex now partially because of the program, but all I'm saying. You're in the happiest place on earth. The high is being there. Absorbing Disney like a sponge. Savoring every moment you have there. God knows that There are a million people who would die to be where you'll be at. You don't need mood altering substances when you're there..

Wow, this turned into a lecture.. I'm starting to talk like my parents.

Have fun!

totally agree about the underage drinking thing, makes me angry, sorry about your whole ex thing but you deserve better [:

but yeah jtizzle just be yourself and have fun! think to yourself how would you like to see a CM if you were a guest, you will be great!

congrats on the program, I definitely wish i did it

 

[TubaGeek]

JTizzle, what's your arrival date? I'ma be checking in the 18th of January.

 

[TP2000]

I think most of us would agree that tone outweighs content in a scenario such as this.

We would probably prefer to hear a genuine "I hope you enjoy the show" or "Thanks for coming" than a fake "Have a magical day."

Bingo.

95% of the time it comes off as fake and canned and corporate, like a bad Meg Crofton speech on Media Day. I would rather they didn't say anything than that cheesy line.

But there's been a few CM's, almost all older ladies in WDW stores as my memory recalls, that can say that line and still make it seem genuine. Bravo to them!

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Bingo.

95% of the time it comes off as fake and canned and corporate, like a bad Meg Crofton speech on Media Day. I would rather they didn't say anything than that cheesy line.

But there's been a few CM's, almost all older ladies in WDW stores as my memory recalls, that can say that line and still make it seem genuine. Bravo to them!

And yet, someone has started a thread on these very boards recently complaining that they hadn't heard "have a magical day" enough from CMs on their trip. If every attraction greeter, every custodial CM, every cashier, etc. told me every time "HAVE A MAGICAL DAY!" a million times a day, then it would get old real fast. It's all in the delivery. If I have a helpful interaction with a CM and they tell me to have a magical day, I don't think it would bother me one bit. The reason it bothers you when someone like Meg Crofton drops the corporate mantra is because she couldn't find her way to the Castle from Main St.

 

[WASaMATTR]

I agree with Timekeeper he knows what makes a great CM.

Remember, if Disney picked you it's because they saw something in you. Bring that alive at the Parks and you would have nothing to worry about. :sohappy:

Above all, enjoy being in the Magic. Find the right people to pal around with and spread some pixie dust and magic yourself. Just be sure to spread the magic for the right reasons. Be sincere and I bet you one guest will remember what you did for them forever.

Best of luck to you
:wave:

 

[EXT]

On my last trip, the boat "driver" on the Jungle Cruise was a complete comedian, probably worked at a night club in the evening. Made the trip enjoyable and laughable, more entertaining than the scenery. Really made the cruse memorable.

I have been on the Jungle Cruise years ago where the "driver" was a bore, and added nothing to the cruise above and beyond his written script.

 

[Timekeeper]

Here is a little bit of one person's first-hand experience, if you're into reading about that kind of thing -

http://yearinflorida.blogspot.com/

Edit: It's a shame that the training has evolved to become so abbreviated.

 

[Crockett]

So my question to you is, as a guest to the park what can I do to make the best experience for people.

The fact that you came onto the boards asking paying guests/future paying guests our feedback and how to make our experiences better, shows that you will be a valuable asset to the company. I agree with Timekeeper's response wholeheartedly, and wish more companies who deal with customer service would paste this behind employee breakroom doors.

Best of luck with the CP!

 

[jtizzle1023]

April 9th- August 10th