I loved working front line with the guests. Sure there were good days and bad days, but today I was trying to remember my favorite guests who I still remember, years later. As I prepare for a Disney vacation of my own, I'm going to try and remember to be this way once I'm a guest again.
1. Be happy. This really is the number one thing I loved to see as a Cast Member. Guests who were just happy, excited, and playful. When they enter the parks with giant smiles, passing the happiness on to each other, it sure makes my job a whole lot easier!
2. Play the game. There is one Mickey and only one Mickey Mouse. There just is. But have fun with it. Talk about how Cinderella lives in the Castle. Quiz Cast Members to see where they'll go! One guy asked me question after question for about ten minutes trying to break me, "Who lives in that castle?" "Cinderella." "I thought castles belonged to kings?" "Come on, are you king of your castle?" (his wife was standing right there) "Okay, but where are the servants?" *indicated my nametag* "How many Mickeys are there?" "One." "Noo, I mean how many people play Mickey?" "Umm, you're aware Mickey's a mouse, right?" "But how many costumes does he have?" "I don't look in my boss' closet, that's for Minnie's eyes only." On and on.
3. Ask questions. Never be afraid to ask for what you want. A mother once came to me and said her son got sick and she just wanted some water to... erm... wash things down. I remembered how my mom always gave me soda. I ran over to a drink stand and got the mother a large water, and two Sprites (I only asked for one, but they made two). She was so happy! I love when families ask for a certain row on rides. I warn them they'll have to wait a bit longer, but they're always okay with it and generally those families are most excited to go on the rides! Also, I love being the knowledgeable one answering what are the best places to eat, the best rides, etc. Don't be afraid to sound dumb. As cast members, we've seen it all.
4. Show respect and be nice to the Cast Members. We really do go out of our way to help you, if you're being sincere and kind. The only times I didn't go out of me way were when people were being ridiculous.
"My wife needs to sit in the preferred parade viewing area last minute (specially reserved) because she can't stand for a long period of time but she doesn't want to sit in any of the THREE handicapped viewing areas (with a complimentary wheelchair I offered to get them) because she doesn't want to be around handicapped people. And it's too close to the start of the parade to sit in any of the other seating areas along the parade route." I legitimately had that one night. I didn't even tell them no. In the beginning I told them "Maybe, I don't have my list yet so I don't know if I have room." He wouldn't believe me, and said I had attitude when I tried asking him about why none of the alternative viewing opportunities were satisfactory. But he yelled and screamed enough that he got his way (he demanded to speak with a manager and when the manager came, with the list-which I still hadn't seen to know if I had room-I had the guest speak to him. The manager then let him in and apologized to me for not bringing the list sooner.) We did make him sit in the very back of preferred viewing with the lousiest view. That's a story of what not to do, though.
Another time I was working the preferred viewing area and older man and his wife were walking by. The man pointed at the area and asked, "What's that area for?" I explained the preferred viewing for the parade and he asked how to get in. "Well, your name has to be on my list!" I told him as I showed him my paper. He reached in his pocket and pulled out a pen and said with a smirk, "Alright, let me see that list there..." I laughed and the man put the pen back in his pocket chuckling, but suddenly an idea occurred to me. The area was less than half full that night, so I had plenty of room for extras. I gave him my list and said, "Go ahead and put your name down there." The mans eyes were going to bulge out of his head when I told him to return approximately ten minutes before the parade and he's have a spot! One of my favorite magical moments.
5. Be realistic in your expectations. That doesn't mean lower your expectations. Still hold Disney that high standard and complain when necessary. Just... we can't control the weather. If we had a nickel for every time a Cast Member complained that rain ruined their vacation, well... we'd be even more than a multi-million dollar company! Sometimes, rides break. You won't get an entire Disney vacation refund because Space Mountain was down for three hours on one day of your vacation. That is what we call
unrealistic and entirely ridiculous. You may, however, get a few Fastpasses for more rides or certain other forms of compensation. We do make mistakes. Bad things happen. Don't hate the entire company based on one Cast Member's mistake. When you do complain (which is perfectly okay, and encouraged to an extent) just make sure you're being realistic and genuine in your complaints. We really do want to make your vacation as magical as possible.
6. Enjoy the moments. It's Disney World. There will be lines. There will be lines to get into lines. There will be waiting for shows to start. There will be waiting for parades. There will be crowds. Don't focus on the stress of being a part of a huge group of people herded from point A to point B. You're on vacation. You're with your family. What happens happens. Enjoy the people you're with. And find the smaller things you can do like scavenger hunts for hidden Mickeys or playing with the new Disney apps or practicing Disney trivia, quoting lines from movies or something. Even after living here for years, Disney is still a really fun place to be, in my opinion. And honestly, there are ways to plan around the lines if your smart. I never wait in lines these days. And I know a family who came quite close to the holidays last year who planned well enough to not wait in lines. The trick is to come early and/or stay late. Use the Fastpass system to the fullest. Know the most popular rides. Have a list of your top three or four things that you absolutely want to do. And, most of all, recognize that you simply may not be able to do absolutely everything at once.
7. Be happy. I just want to reiterate this. The excited guests are the most fun. That's the whole point of the parks.
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