Disney Cast Members - What is the one "tip" you can give us?

By Corey Martin

DISboards.com is loaded with Disney information and has tons of very knowledgeable and experienced members, but sometimes it’s extremely difficult to sift through 100’s of pages to find the information you are looking for, so I’ve decided to start taking some of those long threads and quote the informative posts in a condensed format.

The first one is a thread titled “To the CM's on the board: what is the one "tip" you can give us”.  It was created by cab0ad, and although it started in 2009, it is still active today with relevant information. cab0ad posted… “I was wondering if any CM's had some really good advice for visitors? Anything about attractions, dining, parade viewing, parking, ANYTHING?? Love to hear a CM's view of a good tip.”

The posts below are not listed in any particular order, but I did go through all 89 pages so you don’t have to. I hope you are able to find a tip that will help you on your next Disney World vacation.

• WhateverLolaWants  "The only tip I have for people is to not go expecting a perfect trip, because if your expectations are too high you're not going to have fun.
  
  If you're buying ice cream of some sort at a multiple line stand (such as Aloha to get Dole Whips), step back for a second and watch the different people get served. Go in the line where the CM is serving the ice cream that is the biggest."

• TillyMarigold "Best way to get a thrill out of Splash Mountain is to look straight out in front of you (not down) as you start to go down the flume."

• GreatWideSomewhere "Honestly, this may sound like common sense, but if you are polite and pleasant, we can do so much for you. Of course this works the opposite way as well.... "

• PeterPan09 "For the parents-Disney is a wonderful place and our entire cast does everything possible every day to keep your children safe. However, we cannot replace you. Your presence is essential to their safety. I can't believe the number of grammar school age and younger children that I have seen running around the water parks without a parent anywhere in the vicinity.

• SelfEmployedDebtFree "When we ask you to move all the way in and fill all the available space, please do it. I know, it's probably hot and you don't want to stand next to all these random people, but it's so we can make sure we get everyone in. Also, please please PLEASE move all the way down in the theaters if it's a full show. Trust me, there isn't a bad seat in the theaters and we have a magical button called the show pause button. This means because you aren't moving down, the show won't start because of you. And we aren't afraid to use it."

• Mckymousefn "Please don't try to get us to "break character." Even those of us who aren't characters are involved with a storyline, especially the attractions CMs. I work on the safari and I always have people trying to get me to tell them "the real deal."

• erinch "Actually, a tip about Cast Members: One of the things our family does is carry some note cards with us to write down the names of CMs who go above and beyond, and "shine" at what they're doing. We put down their name, where they were working, and brief description of what was exemplary. We then make a stop at guest relations, on the way out of the park or resort, ask to see a manager, and "turn them in." It never fails to delight Guest Services, and it's good training for my kids in noticing what there is around them to be grateful for."

• Elmo9607 "From a Cosmic Rays CM...
  -Get there early, especially during peak seasons like now. We open at 10 am but don't get busy until around 11:30. Later in the afternoon, between 4 and 6 pm, is another somewhat slow time. It is insanely busy between the hours of 12 and 3 pm almost every day.
  -If you don't like ice in your drink, mention it to the cashier. He or she can make a note of it in the order.
  -If you love a lot of bacon on your burger, get there later at night. We often have extra and anything we don't use gets pitched, so there tend to be some really "baconed up" burgers then.

• progroupie "Just thought I'd add some character interaction tips…
  - If your child has never met characters before, start with the small and cuddly ones. Piglet and Pooh Bear are good choices. Hold off on the big guys like Tigger and Goofy until they've already gotten used to the little guys. And even though Stitch is small, he can be a scary little alien sometimes so take that into consideration.
  - Kids seem to be naturally attracted to character's faces, their noses especially. It's okay to touch, but not to tug or pull.
  - It would make for a cute picture, but Mickey can't hold your baby or put your toddler on his knee.
  - If your child has special needs that may not be obvious, tell the attendant. - Cinderella doesn't have to do her own laundry anymore but someone still does. So watch your ice cream cones and drinks and lollipops when going in for a hug, it's best to have someone hold onto them for you.
  - And P.S. Mickey really likes it when you take the cap off the pen for him and open your autograph book!

• Timmy Boy "A tip I can give is that Cast Members are actually human beings, with full human qualities, which entitles them to make mistakes. If one does make a mistake in front of you, tell them it's okay, and smile. It will make it a lot easier for them, because as a Cast Member, we HATE going up to a guest and telling them what they don't want to hear."

• littlewitch34  "We love when people talk to us or ask about our hometown, my college, my state, my college program. Anything. I love great conversations. They make it a lot easier on a 10-14 hour day."

• The_Alice "As someone who has helped find "lost parents" many times, take pictures of your kids in the morning before heading into the parks. In the height of panic when your child disappears into a crowd remembering what they were wearing can be the most difficult part of your recollection. Often we would be told the wrong color of shirt, shorts, character on shirt. It would usually end up being what they were wearing on a different day on that family's vacation. Also, point out CMs by their name tags. Since Costuming and Wardrobe can change from park to park one of the mainstays is the Disney Name Badge with the CM's name and hometown. Also one of the costumes that does not change from park to park is the street sweeps. They wear white shorts and a white shirt with blue patches and yellow on the shoulders. They are also the most numerable in the streets if your child is lost. I point them out all the time to our kids so if they become distracted lost, etc. they will know to approach one of these CMs and tell them they are separated from us and to please help them. As a PP mentioned they are also one of the few frontline CMs with radios, sometimes b/c of this reason ( & their constant interaction with Guests.)

• Thee Incredibles "When in Epcot, ask a CM of each country to sign their book, they often ask for your child's name and will write it how it would be spelled where they are from. This was really cool in Japan."

• leeg229 "As a former merchandising CP (hopefully returning for fall 2013) there was something I constantly was hearing. "I saw you had a certain toy/shirt/pin in Magic Kingdom yesterday, and now I can't find it today." If you see something that you like but you're not sure about BUY IT. By buying it when you see it, that allows you time to consider whether it was a wise purchase or if you really could live without it. It can be returned to ANY merchandise location in Walt Disney World. Another one some guests don't know about, if you have an annual pass you get 10% off your merchandise purchase. You, most of the time, do not get a discount on food or drinks. So, instead of buying a bottle of coke or cookie from that outdoor vendor, find a merchandise shop that sells coke or snacks, like Sweet Spells on Sunset Blvd, and buy it there so you get your 10% off because you're buying it from a merchandise location. Many people didn't know you could do that."

• belle032 "About child height requirements...the bane of an attraction CMs existence (besides fastpasses). They are there for your child's SAFETY. The height requirement is not made by the CMs. It comes directly from the Imagineers, designers, and builders of the attraction. We have NO control over this. And if I can fit my hand between that bar and your child, they are not getting on. Period. You have no idea how many parents throw fits over this and it blows my mind. I'm pretty sure you don't want your child slipping out of the TOT seat belt while it's going through a drop sequence. So please just follow the height requirements and resist from stuffing your child's shoes with times guides so they gain an inch!"

• mollymackenzie4 "If you can, tie a balloon to your stroller so then you can spot it from far away!"

• tobyornottoby "Worked in Magic Kingdom as a park greeter. Part of our duties is greeting guests as they exit and answering any questions they may have about getting back to the hotel or parking. Typically after the fireworks end, we are consistently bombarded by people who need to get back to the MK parking lot/TTC with the question "which is faster, ferry boat or Express monorail?" While the answer we tell you is one of the two, we aren't trained to mention that the RESORT Monorail also goes back to the TTC, and the wait time for that monorail is usually only 5-10 minutes versus the 20-30 minute wait for Express monorail or ferry boat. It is IMO one of my location's better kept secrets because nowhere is it advertised that the resort monorail also stops at the TTC. Good to know after a long day of magic."