Working at Disney- Ruin the Magic???

[Tinkrbell]

I think the best managers at WDW are the ones that were a CP. They know what it's like to work the frontline and can appreciate the CMs that do.

I couldn't agree with you on this more. My managers weren't necessarily CPs, but many of them were frontline CMs & I felt they "understood" us better than the ones who hadn't been frontline CMs.

 

[flavious27]

I couldn't agree with you on this more. My managers weren't necessarily CPs, but many of them were frontline CMs & I felt they "understood" us better than the ones who hadn't been frontline CMs.

Well if we take a page from Office Space, the managers that are disconnected and unknowledgeable are not the best.

 

[britdaw]

My first day of real work (after the week long, incredibly cheesy, even for a Disney freak, brainwashing course) I saw a girl backstage dressed as Mickey but with the head off screaming into a cell phone about how much of a d!*K her boyfriend is.

I literally LOL'd at that... Now I'm gonna have that mental image in my head when we go next year. LOL

 

[Coach81]

Well working in attractions, they'll try to get by the rules, sneak small kids on, try to get by with fake FastPasses or expired ones, then when you try to stop them, they tell you that you're the one who has ruined their vacation, then they'll tell you that they're going to guest relations to report you and they'll tell you "I'll have your job for this!!!"

I see.. oh yeah.. I bet this happens a lot.. I guess there are ignorant people everywhere..

You'd be surprised what people will say to try to get their way. I had a lady when I was working at AS Movies FD curse me out and demand that my manager fire me on the spot because I couldn't place her in a room in the Toy Story buildings because she promised her son that he could sleep next to Buzz and didn't want to be the "mean" parent. You just have to brush it aside and laugh sometimes (just not in their face).

Wow... awesome that you could laugh it off..

I think a lot of the CM's forget sometimes how their actions and attitudes can really make or break people's vacation in certain situations. I'm kind of going back here talking about finding the rare grumpy CM around the park... I remember telling at least 5-10 CM's last time we were in WDW how much I appreciated their service and how it really enhances the magic that so many people expect from WDW.

For example: Hollywood Studios is an amazing park yet in my opinion without the Citizens of Hollywood it would lose a ton of it's "magic". I cannot tell you how much fun my wife and I had interacting and talking to Cynthia Bloom, Joodie Patootie (one of my favorites), Melvin Macheezmo, Percival Peabody and Vladimir Pooey (my all time favorite). If I had a way to personally e-mail each of them I would just to let them know how much we enjoyed them.

Totally agree.. the CMs often times make all the difference, and the magic at Disney. Most will go out of their way to provide superior service. We always appreciate the "Disney Difference"!

I came from a Disney freak family before I spent 2 years working at WDW. I already had a good base of believing in the Pixie Dust before I worked there which helps to preserve the magic.

My first day of real work (after the week long, incredibly cheesy, even for a Disney freak, brainwashing course) I saw a girl backstage dressed as Mickey but with the head off screaming into a cell phone about how much of a d!*K her boyfriend is.

I lived at Vista Way (aka Vista Lay) and dodged random couples having ______ in the parking lot, hot tub, volleyball court and my shower on a daily basis and partied my @$$ off almost every single night (we Canadians had quite the reputations for parties at Vista Lay) which left me feeling less than chipper most mornings. So it's not all sweet innocence for CM's which I'm sure you knew.

BUT...

Every single day I had a smile on my face that was only removed backstage, when I was tired. I was frequently nominated for CM awards and was known for bringing the magic to my area. If you have ever seen a Canadian CM teaching moose calls to kids or highland dancing during Off Kilter that would have been me!

Besides CM's have their own magic moments making the best friends they will ever have there. I still visit and keep in touch with my Canadian CM's and arrival group after almost 15 years. I also dated "Tigger" while I was there and when the red bus would pass by he would jump off the back and hand me a flower or a chocolate or a note...how magical is that!? When kids asked if I really know Tigger I would say "Oh I know Tigger and he really is a bouncy wonderful thing":animwink:

Yes, I bitched about guests backstage and we had "Tacky Tourist" parties to make fun of vacationers choice in fashion but it was all in good fun.

To this day when I visit WDW it brings tears to my eyes when I first step into my resort hotel and they say "Welcome Home"

I would go back to work there in a minute (even though I'm no spring chicken anymore) and I believe in the magic as much (if not more) than before. I just know how it feels from the other side.

Great post.. thanks so much...

That is true and that is why the in betweens have less customer experience and exposure. I doubt that guests will see the low and middle level management at the park unless there is a problem. As for the degree oriented, back office positions guests won't see them unless those employees are witnesses in a trial.

LOL.. too funny.

 

[Patrick_Ears]

Hmmm you know when i was a CM back in the early 90's i loved going to work at the MK. But i did not lose the magic or feel for it like if i was a guest. Of course i don't work there anymore and i will always love that place. The Magic is still there and i pass that along to my wife and kids. I do miss working there.....

 

[parkgoer]

I might take some heat for this, but in response to the OP question, since I've been working at disney I've lost almost all respect for the guests that visit WDW. I seem them as a dim witted heard of cattle. I won't get into examples, but 75% of the guests are rude, angry, can't follow rules, think the whole park needs to wait for them, can't understand directions and or instructions, and I'm the one to blame. Apparently.
Hey, you asked...

As far as going to the park as a guest, I still love going, and it hasn't lost the magic for me. I find it more interesting now that I know how the inner workings work.

 

[jakeman]

I did CP in 99 and it was a great experience....although during Orientation we toured the tunnels at MK and I saw Prince Charming and Peter Pan kiss in a breakroom..that dashed any hopes of being PCs next Cinderella..:ROFLOL:I worked as a CM at AK in the boneyard...for I while I would cringe when I heard any other music played in there, now I hear it and smile. I am still a Disney fanatic with 2 boys of my own that also love WDW....they asked at least once a month when we are going back to Disney World...and my 5 year old says he only likes to go on the interstate when we are going to the world. So, did it ruin the magic, not at all and I still recommend the CP to anyone who asked, and often do to those who don't..lol...

I was at Safaris in '99. :wave:

Now, I have toned things down a bit. Disney is still my life, but it is also a job. I don't always spend my days off at the parks anymore. Dumb tourists bug me a lot and there are so many things I could point out as wrong that I normally wouldn't see. You get to see where budgets are cut, how cast members really feel, how neglected some things can get, and that there is always a different side to the magic... an ugly truth or a hidden technicality or a shocking realization. You see what works and what doesn't, what gets fixed and what doesn't, who works hard and who doesn't. You see the best and the worst, and yes the "pixie dust" sometimes just becomes "glitter".

I think this is most dangerous part, is that you gain the ability to see when things aren't perfect, especially with the mannerisms of other cast members.

Even to this day, almost 10 years after I drove my last safari truck I have to mentally turn that off when we are on vacation. Otherwise it becomes almost (as cliche as it sounds) overwhelming in what you notice and can stop you from your real purpose of being there: to spend time and make memories with your friends and family.

Anytime you see the interworkings, the magic is lost.

That's only if you allow it to be lost and that is a personal choice.

 

[progroupie]

All I know is that when I was down for my "Super Day" of interviews, none of the candidates for salaried positions were from the College Program. There were a couple who had done Disney Professional Internships, and the rest had held internships at companies like PricewaterhouseCoopers, JPMorgan Chase, McDonalds, GE, and Exxon. For reference, there were 30-40 candidates applying for 10ish positions.

When you refer to the "managers" at the parks that get promoted from the rank-and-file, what kind of position are we talking about? I worked in fast food all through high school, and we had "managers" who made a dollar or two more per hour than the regular crew and wore a different colored shirt. I don't know how it works at Disney, but if its along those lines then I still wouldn't consider the CP a "career building" opportunity.

I certainly understand that money isn't everything and that there are various opportunities within Disney Parks and Resorts, but this might go to what previous posters observed about a lack of 25-55 year old cast members "on stage" at WDW.

To qualify for most of Disney's Professional Internships you have to complete the standard college program first. Which is where Disney is getting the majority of their managers from, the professional internships. The CP is a career building opportunity if you make it one, it's the best way to get your foot in the door and network. That isn't to say that all the participants use it as such but I think it's been a valuable tool for moving up in the company. I've always heard a lot of complaints from CM's that say it was hard to advance when you started as a regular CM as opposed to a CP and doing the professional internship.

 

[Coach81]

I might take some heat for this, but in response to the OP question, since I've been working at disney I've lost almost all respect for the guests that visit WDW. I seem them as a dim witted heard of cattle. I won't get into examples, but 75% of the guests are rude, angry, can't follow rules, think the whole park needs to wait for them, can't understand directions and or instructions, and I'm the one to blame. Apparently.
Hey, you asked...

As far as going to the park as a guest, I still love going, and it hasn't lost the magic for me. I find it more interesting now that I know how the inner workings work.

Based on some of the responses from this thread, and based on my few jobs working with the public, I can totally understand why you would feel this way. I think it is a credit to all CMs -that I have had to pleasure to interact with- that they are able to still "put on a happy face" and keep the magic alive and well for us "regular people"..

Thank you for allowing us to build such priceless family memories!!!

 

[dave&di]

I don't think working at WDW would ruin the magic for me, I used to be a stage manager for a Theatre company so I'm used to seeing how things are done backstage. I don't even care what job I would do, (probably wouldn't be too keen on cleaning toilets!).

 

[Coach81]

Nice Outlook, Dave!

 

[bluesnut]

frequency vs work

I have had the blessing of being able to spend summers down there for several years through high school and college. But I've never worked there. I know that after three to four months of going multiple times a week you do start to see the holes in the magic.

I'm about to get to fulfill a dream of getting to work there. The first weekend in June we are pulling up stakes and moving south. I have applied for merchandise, and hopefully I will be able to keep the magic alive for me. It is one of the things that I have worried off and on about since I applied in January.

One way I'm looking at it is---I'm coming from being a dog groomer for the last eight years. If I can handle a dog that bites, scratches, poops and pees, along with the clients that come in and are beyond belief:brick:...I can handle families who don't know why I can't fix what ever problem they currently think is a life altering catastrophe. :lol:

 

[cococola44]

I LOVED working. Everyone was like a big family. I enjoyed working for disney! I was also a friend of characters so to be honest, everyday entertaining people and making families smile and laugh is my passion so, I enjoyed every minute of it. There are pros and cons to everything... but, Disney still is the best company I have ever worked for.

 

[KerrriK85]

for me no! its funny seeing chacters being not so disneylike backstage. one of the humorous things i found in the tunnels was a sign in a breakroom saying im not your mother so clean up your mess! i remember my first week we had a convo with one of the prince charming characters on break and he was whinning about how he cant go on a date without the girl calling her mom saying shes on a date with prince charming. and another time seeing aladdin cursing at the tv cuz the game wasnt going well. but as soon as you step over onto the other side as a guest you forget about those things and hug and talk to the characters like they are the real thing! i warn you though, guests are nasty and you have to make sure you tolerate them well or you get points and reprimands or just fired on the spot.

the only thing that i believe is the hardest part of working there is seeing all the terminally ill children. lots and lots come as a last request and it is the saddest thing ever. all you want is to help them, but a smile and happy memories are all you can provide

 

[Coach81]

for me no! its funny seeing chacters being not so disneylike backstage. one of the humorous things i found in the tunnels was a sign in a breakroom saying im not your mother so clean up your mess! i remember my first week we had a convo with one of the prince charming characters on break and he was whinning about how he cant go on a date without the girl calling her mom saying shes on a date with prince charming. and another time seeing aladdin cursing at the tv cuz the game wasnt going well. but as soon as you step over onto the other side as a guest you forget about those things and hug and talk to the characters like they are the real thing! i warn you though, guests are nasty and you have to make sure you tolerate them well or you get points and reprimands or just fired on the spot.

the only thing that i believe is the hardest part of working there is seeing all the terminally ill children. lots and lots come as a last request and it is the saddest thing ever. all you want is to help them, but a smile and happy memories are all you can provide

This would simply tear my heart out..... but like you said.. providing a happy memory...

 

[raven]

You have to be able to separate the negative from the positive.

I work with managers that haven't been in front of guests in years. They focus all of their (negative) energy on the CMs in their department. I find myself going into the parks often to regain the magic to keep my spirits up. Even after years of being with the company I still can get a little teary-eyed knowing that I work in such a wonderful place.

 

[pintraderpayee]

This would simply tear my heart out..... but like you said.. providing a happy memory...

I feel the same way. My DD starts the Spring Advantage CP next month and intends to be a voluntEAR at one of the places where there are ill children visiting WDW. She knows there will be long work hours, CM-behind-the-scenes drama, backstage clutter and grumpy guests to deal with, but I don't know how well she will handle seeing terminally ill children. I am proud of her for wanting to though!

 

[rct247]

Working at Disney has made me appreciate common sense, realized how rare it is to find it, and created a hatred/disappointment of my fellow human race, but it hasn't ruined the magic.

 

[Timekeeper]

"Ruin the magic" is an interesting phrase. A backstage experience shouldn't ruin the magic because the on-stage magic is more or less consistent; it doesn't go anywhere.

A lot of people have a common belief that if they were to see the kitchen of their favorite restaurant, they wouldn't want to eat there anymore. Well, why not? Is the food on the plate that you loved any different just because you saw a dirty kitchen with questionable practices among the staff? Of course not. People often choose to ignore where things come from, or how things work, etc. Do we really believe that the kitchen is a sterile palace or the set where Top Chef is filmed? No. Do we simply avoid thinking about it? Yes.

On the topic of "magic," one analogy might be to whether learning the secret behind a magic trick "ruins the magic." For some people, yes. Those people are so focused on the secret that the entire value of the trick is in the secret, and once it's learned, the magic is lost. I feel sorry for those people. For other people, a magic trick has more value, and in the hands of a skilled magician, the magic is in the art of performance, and not in the secret alone. So, when they learn the secret to a trick, it does not ruin the magic at all, but rather enhances their appreciation for both the cleverness of the method and the talent of the performer.

So whether working at any theme park ruins the magic that guests see from on-stage depends on which category the employee falls under. A lot of CMs who were discussed in this thread who still love Disney probably fall into the latter category. :sohappy:

 

[Communicore]

I think working there enhances the magic. There's nothing like referring to "walking right down Main Street" as a long tunnel to pick up your paycheck or Fantasyland as a lunchroom. I think the best place to eat at MK is the Fantasyland lunchroom, maybe it has changed now but back then it sure was. One thing I wish I had experienced is backstage EPCOT Center.