Dearest Disney Cast Member

 

 

By Lisa Green 

 

Disney Cast Members are one of the most important aspects of any Disney vacation!  In Disney stores, theme parks, resorts, restaurants, and on cruise ships, every individual employee makes a contribution to our overall vacation experience.  After 25 years of Disney vacations, here’s what I’d like them to know.

Dear Disney Cast Member:

We know your job is difficult.  Your employer expects you to be “on stage” when in the public eye and you deal with all kinds of people from all over the world.  At times there must be a tremendous amount of pressure.  The Disney brand of service is legendary and because of that, we’re expecting you to deliver.

We’ve watched you struggle and want you to know we’d help if we could.  We’ve seen people be rude to you.  We’ve seen the mean, angry, and overbearing guests that treat you poorly and hold you responsible for things beyond your control.  Being the face of the Disney Company does come with its challenges, but we want you to hang in there!  Please don’t let a few bad apples make you guarded or spoil your ability to be kind and sincere to the next group of guests to come along.

You make a bigger difference than you’ll ever know.  It’s common among us Disney fans to discuss how a Cast Member can make or break a vacation.  Simple things like a smile and eye contact, a little understanding, a happy conversation, sharing just a little pixie dust or Disney history – you never know when you, by the simplest action, remind guests that the Disney magic is alive and well.  When you’re less than magical?  We tend to notice more than when we’re outside the Disney Bubble.  Service recovery when something goes wrong may be the most difficult skill for you to master, but it’s vitally important to Disney guests who may have saved for years to afford a visit to your place of employment.

 

We love it when you do the unexpected!  Those spontaneous magical moments make the best memories!  Yes, we love it when we get great pictures of our little ones with characters, but there are so many other times when a Disney Cast Member made our vacation extra special!  Servers in restaurants, front desk attendants, employees in shops, bus drivers, boat captains, and even Cast Members pushing brooms – every one of you that goes beyond the expected to add a little extra fun and happiness…YOU are the reason we keep coming back!

We remember you long after our vacation is over.  Don’t underestimate the impact you have on our future plans.  We make restaurant reservations because the food AND service were excellent.  We look for you again and may even ask for you on our next Disney cruise.  You become intertwined in our memories of some of the happiest times our family has ever had and we’re counting on you to do it again every time we choose to visit.

Thank you Disney Cast Members for all the magical moments through the years!  Our vacations certainly wouldn’t be as wonderful without you.

Note to readers:  If a Disney Cast member has made a difference to your vacation through good service, kindness, or a little extra pixie dust, please let the Disney Company know about it.  Those post-vacation surveys we receive by email are a great place to praise employees that were especially helpful or kind.  If, unfortunately, you had a bad experience, please let the Disney Company know that as well.  They really do count on guest feedback to continue to offer the service we expect.  Thank you. 

This article was originally posted on Lisa's Living a Disney Life Blog.

She can be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LivingaDisLife and on Twitter at @life_of_green

Please be sure to check out Lisa along with me and David Hodges on The Disney Exchange Podcast!

Kilimanjaro Safaris: Great Disney Cast Members

by: Nick

One of our favorite rides in Walt Disney World is Kilimanjaro Safaris at Disney's Animal Kingdom. On one particular morning in January of 2007, we headed right for this terrific ride at rope drope.
We were among the first to ride, and our guide  through the  Harambe Wildlife Reserve was Chelsea.
Seated right up front, she easily heard my comments and concerns for the well being of "Little Red" (remember him?), which made her laugh.
Later, towards park close, we once again decided to take a safari.
We were pleasantly surprised to once again have Chelsea as our driver!

She actually asked us to stay on after the trek. She said she'd been a Cast Member on this attraction for a long time, and this was the first time she'd had someone on both her very first, and very last drive of the day! We chatted for a little while, and got our picture with her. She couldn't have been nicer! The perfect way to end what had already been a wonderful surprise filled day.

The Cape May Cafe Breakfast Buffet

By Nick 

I love food, so naturally, I love a buffet. I also love characters, and like to "collect" them, meaning I like to get photos with characters in different attire.

So, knowing this, it's kind of surprising it's taken me this long to get the Beach Club Breakfast Buffet at the Cape May Cafe, inside the Beach Club in Walt Disney World, and it wasn't even planned!

My wife, Barbie, and I checked into the Beach Club Villas for one night, October 11th, before going on a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas on the Disney Dream. Upon check in, we learned our Magical Express pick up time to take us to Cape Canaveral wasn't until 1145 am on the 12th. We discussed what we should do with our time, and decided to just have a leisurely morning, rather than going to a park. I asked if there were any ADRs available for the Cape May Cafe's Breakfast Buffet, and there were not. We were told that there likely wouldn't be a problem getting a table if we came at opening, at 730am.

So, the next morning we approached the podium at about 720am, were given a pager, and within minutes, we were seated in a nice section near the back of The Cafe.

    

Within moments of being seated, our server, Adrienne, came over and took our beverage order. She was as delightful and friendly a Cast Member as we have had the pleasure to encounter.



We were directed to the buffet, where we were told by Adrienne that the most popular items were, not surprisingly, the Mickey Waffles, Chorizo and Four Cheese Scrambled Eggs, and french toast with banana caramel sauce.



I tried a bit of all of the above mentioned, along with a few other selections. The eggs were indeed delicious, as was the french toast. And you really can't go wrong with Mickey waffles, which went really well with a strawberry sauce and whipped cream. The sausage was very good, the bacon, well, it is typical Disney buffet bacon.



I also had a bagel with smoked salmon and pastrami style smoked salmon, which was very tasty. There is also Capers, Onions, Lemons, Tomatoes to add to this if you are so inclined.



Other cold offerings include Sliced Salami, Capicola, a selection of cheeses, hard-boiled Eggs, Low-fat Cottage Cheese, Apple Sauce, Healthy Grain Fruit Salad, Diced Pineapple, Diced Cantaloupe, Diced Watermelon, Orange Slices, Grapefruit, Strawberries, Apple Walnut Spinach Salad, Low-fat Strawberry Yogurt and Low-fat Vanilla Honey Yogurt, Macerated Fresh Mixed Berries, House made Granola and assorted cereals.

Along with the hot items I mention above, there are Scrambled Eggs, Frittata, Stewed Roma Tomatoes, Breakfast Potatoes Hand-carved Glazed Ham, Seasonal Vegetables, Hollandaise Sauce, Creamy Cheddar Grits, Biscuits with Home-style Sausage Gravy, Hot Oatmeal and Hot Apple Quinoa Cereal.

Of course, what would a character buffet be without characters?

Donald, Goofy, and Minnie Mouse, ready for a swim in the nearby Stormalong Bay, make their rounds while you dine.



 

As the morning went on, the Cape May Cafe did fill up, so while we are lucky to have gotten a table easily, if this is a character buffet you would like to visit, I highly advise you make Advanced Dining Reservations (ADRs) at 6 months out.

This article was originally posted on the Tips From the Disney Divas and Devos Blog, where Nick is a contributing writer. 

Keeping Up With Your Children at Disney Parks

By Lisa Green

You don’t want any Lost Boys! 
 
This post was actually Raymond’s idea. We’ve been watching ABC’c Once Upon a Time (love it!) and the main characters are currently trying to escape from Neverland where Peter Pan and the Lost Boys are a little bit Lord of the Flies-ish. For some reason, it made Raymond think about one extremely memorable visit to Disney World when we witnessed first hand what NOT to do when your child gets lost.

Each member of The Fam can, to this day, recall the specifics of our encounter with the parents of a missing little girl named Sarah – the entire incident was so
disturbing it is burned forever into our memories. We were just
coming out of Mickey’s Philharmagic – right there near the exit, in
the middle of Fantasyland, Sarah’s mom and dad had let the worst
thing possible happen (no, not the fact that they lost Sarah) –
they panicked. Number one thing NOT to do if your child gets lost.
Do. Not. Panic. Sarah’s dad was frantically running back and forth,
up and down the walkway, calling for Sarah in a very upset tone of
voice. Sarah’s mom was standing in one place screaming Sarah’s name
over and over – Now, when I say screaming, I’m talking a scream
straight out of Friday the 13th – top of her lungs, abject terror, over and over and over – eyes closed, just screaming. Within seconds (literally), a Disney Cast Member was
beside Sarah’s mom – Ma’am? It’s OKAY! Here’s Sarah – and, of
course, had the beloved and much-missed Sarah in tow.



There are eyes and EARS (ha!) everywhere at Disney World – never doubt it. Cast Members are very well trained in dealing with lost family members of any age. So here are my tips for keeping up with your children and what to do if you lose your child in Disney World:

1. DO NOT PANIC. Remain calm. Panic makes you irrational and unproductive. Let your imagination run away and you will not make good decisions. Carry your cell phone with you and take a picture of your child as you arrive at a park each day – this will help keep panic at bay and allow you to answer the simplest question with ease (just in
case) – what does your child look like?

2. If your child is not old enough to know your full name and cell phone number,
label them. Yep, I said slap a label on ‘em. This can be a sticky label on a belt or a shoe
or a sewn-onto-clothing label, a pinned on label, or a marks-a-lot-message-written-on-their-skin label. Our kids were not prone to running off as toddlers, so we weren’t worried much about
losing them at that age, but be saw plenty of runners that needed labels.

3. Use those cute little backpacks with leashes. Years ago, when our kids were small, there were only actual kid leashes and I just could NOT go there. When I saw Joseph looking at a child about his age that had a big strap on his arm attached to a leash, being pulled along,
I said, “See what happens to children who won’t stay close and hold hands?” – Worked like a charm. (Oh, please, my children turned out fine.) But now they have these adorable furry animal backpacks that have a leash attached – looks less cruel and kids seem to actually
like them.



4. For kids a little older – Make sure they can recognize Cast Members and know what to say if/when lost. The Cast Members at
Disney are top notch – if you ask them for a practice run, they’ll be glad to play along. Find a willing Cast Member, tell them what
you’re doing, then have your child go up to them and say whatever “I’m lost” script you like. Have the Cast Member explain what would happen in the event of an actual “losing”.

5. For kids even older than that – have a meeting place picked out. When our children were about 9 and 13, I remember we told them at the Magic Kingdom that if we got separated
for any reason, we would meet at the park bench with the Roy and Minnie statues on it. This is also good when you get to the point of allowing them a little freedom in the parks on their own. (After age 14 now according to Disney rules) Make sure they have a way of contacting you before you turn them loose, then give them a meeting time and place.

You should know – if Cast Members cannot find the parents of a lost child immediately, they escort the child to a certain area (Baby Care Center) in the park. Alert a cast member immediately if your child is missing and ask them for directions to where your
child will be taken. If you’re not alone, have someone stay where the child was last seen while you go check at the Baby Care Center.

Children and parents become separated at Disney World all the time. If you’re headed there on vacation, please make like a good Boy Scout and be prepared.

This article was originally posted on the Living a Disney Life Blog.

The Disney DAS Card

by Beth Skarp

Having special needs children, I have had occasion to use not only the old, no longer available GAC (Guest Assistance Card) as well as the new DAS (Disability Service Access) card. Personaly, I enjoy the DAS card much more than I ever did the GAC card.

First and foremost, the DAS is simply not a "Golden Fast Pass." Instead, it is a card that alerts Cast Members that you have difficulty waiting in a conventional queue environment due to a disability (including non-apparent disabilities). Because of your disability, you will be directed to the Fast Pass line or an alternate entrance, or be directed to seating within a show or attraction that allows you an easier way not only into the theater, but a quick exit should the need arise. Keep in mind that only YOU, the holder of the card, knows what that disability is. Nowhere on the card is it mentioned that you have a disability or what your disability is.

Unlike a Fast Pass, the return time for your next ride or attraction doesn't expire within an hour. A good thing, if you are dealing with a meltdown or other issues that might prevent you from returning within your one hour window. Your return time simply states that anytime after the written time, you may return to this ride or attraction. Also unlike the older paper Fast Pass system, the DAS Cardholder can not have more than one return time for an attraction at any given time. As soon as the Guest finishes one attraction, they can receive a return time for another.

Another member of the DAS Cardholder’s travel party may obtain a return time, but the DAS Cardholder must board the attraction with his or her party. This is an attempt to keep misuse of the DAS card.

So, how does one get a DAS card? Keep in mind that the DAS is not for those in a wheelchair. A cast member can readily see that you have a disability and will automagically direct you to the entrance that will accommodate you. A DAS card is used for those invisible or not readily noticeable issues that a guest has. Knowing just what you need and why you need a different “service access” for a ride or attraction because of your “disability” helps the Cast Member know how best to assist you and whether or not a DAS card will work for you.   

Per Disney's Disability Acces Services site, “Disney Parks offer a variety of services to guests with disabilities, such as Disney’s Handheld Device that offers assistive listening, captioning and audio description. Additionally, Disney Parks has developed a “Guide for Guests with Cognitive Disabilities.” This serves as a tool on how best to experience its theme parks and is expected to be available online by mid-October. You can fully access this Guide here: 

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/cognitive-disabilities-services/

Upon entering a Disney Park, head on over to Guest Relations. Explain your need(s) to the Cast Member. He or she will listen to you, and determine if you are a good candidate for the DAS card. The process is really simple, and you are normally on your way within about 15 minutes of speaking with a Cast Member.

Cast Members are simply not allowed to read over a doctor's note. There are legal reasons why this is so. You can present one, but the Cast Member will simply hand it back to you. You, the parent or one requesting the DAS card must be precise and concise in what you need. You alone know what your special needs are. Being able to articulate precisely and concisely is key.

Because of the misuse of GAC cards in the past, Disney is truly attempting to hand out DAS cards to those who really need one. Because the person using the DAS card will have his or her picture on the front. The DAS Cardholder must board the attraction with his or her party. Additionally, the DAS card is good for up to 6 people, meaning the DAS Cardholder and 5 additional members of his or her traveling party. If your family is larger, you have the option of speaking with a Cast Member and getting a special dispensation or consider how you will split up.

The DAS does not allow "front of the line" for anyone. Guests are still expected to wait for their turn for the ride or attraction the same as anyone else. The return time just allows the DAS Cardholder to know they have a guaranteed time to further enjoy this ride or attraction.

    

What's So Great About the Tower of Terror in Walt Disney World?

By Lisa Green

“Hollywood, 1939. Amidst the glitz and the glitter of a bustling young movie talent at the height of its golden age, the Hollywood Tower Hotel was a star in its own right. A beacon for the show business elite. Now, something is about to happen that will change all that.” -Mark Silverman as the voice of Rod Serling, Tower of Terror Introduction

 

Disney World‘s Twilight Zone Tower of Terror…The ride that divides The Fam like no other.  Raymond and Megan really don’t care for it and will ride it one time (and one time only) during each trip to Disney World – just to be polite.  Joseph and I love it (Joseph’s all time favorite ride) – we can and will ride it again and again.  Once we even scored a surprise fast pass when we got off, so we got right back in line!

Like Rock’n’ Roller Coaster, Tower of Terror is located in Disney’s Hollywood Studios at the end of Sunset Blvd.  The queue for this ride is, as Disney tends to do with newer attractions, cleverly detailed and carefully crafted to immerse you in the ride’s theme and story line long before you board the ride vehicle (in this case a seemingly innocuous service elevator).  From the winding garden paths through the overgrown greenery, past the once grand outdoor courtyards of the Hollywood Tower Hotel to the perfectly dusty and slightly sinister-looking hotel lobby, guests paying careful attention will find wonderful gems in the details.  Hidden Mickeys abound along with several nods to the Twilight Zone television series.  Even the sullen, grey- uniform-clad bellhops add to the depth of theming for this attraction.  If the day is not too warm, I find the stand-by line for this ride actually quite enjoyable, but that’s not why Joseph loves it.  The constant screaming coming from the hotel “guests” is a good clue about the real reason this ride’s a big hit with thrill-seekers like Joseph.

As you draw closer to the pre-ride intro show, you begin to feel a sense of dread.  As if the hotel lobby is emitting a warning to you.  The bellhops will guide you into the library.  Joseph describes it this way – “The feeling of impending doom is created by the cast members working at the tower and the abandoned, worn-down look of the hotel – inside and out.  Like somewhere you don’t want to be.”

The pre-ride show provides the backstory (I won’t spoil it for you, but it’s great!) after which you are led into the hotel’s basement to the service elevators.  The theming and mood-setting details continue - watch for another Hidden Mickey on the wall.  TIP: Going to the left instead of right in line is generally faster.  Once you board the elevator (you must be 40″ tall to ride and health warnings exist), fasten that seatbelt – you’re gonna need it!  The best part of this attraction is the layers of build-up to the finale.  Everything, from the first step in line, leads up to what happens in that elevator!

Continuing with the story introduced in the library, the elevator travels through several scenes before you hit the real action.  The elevator drops, shoots up, drops, and so on – riders are constantly surprised.  Random drop sequences are what keep people coming back for more.  There’s no way to predict the exact pattern of elevator movement.  When the elevator is “falling” it is actually being pushed downward – gravity alone would not be this fast.  This is VERY scary for many people – as evidenced by the screaming!!!  Joseph and I both LOVE this part – we don’t find it frightening, just incredibly fun.  The sense of weightlessness is what makes this ride so great!

Have you visited the Hollywood Tower Hotel?  What did you think?

This article was originally posted by Lisa on her Living a Disney Life-Empty Nesting with Pixie Dust Blog.

Another Epcot Acronym

By Beth Skarp

Many know that EPCOT stands for Experimental Prototype Community (or City) of Tomorrow.

EPCOT has also been associated with Every Person Comes Out Tired or Every Paycheck Comes on Thursday. 

Interestingly enough, I have learned that those who are in Management for the Costuming Department have their own acronym for EPCOT--Experimental Polyester Costumes of Tomorrow. This is because polyester or polyester type blends of material are used in place of heavier fabrics in many of the costumes worn by Cast Members while working in Epcot. Who knew?

Drawing in the Streets

by Gaylin

I know I have done an article previously about the custodial staff doing water drawings on the sidewalks at either Magic Kingdom or Epcot but on my latest trip (May 2014) I saw something I have not seen before.

Lots and lots of cast members in one area doing water art. There had to be 7 or 8 CM's who were drawing, I know one them was learning how to draw with the water broom. And lots of us visitors were trying their hand at drawing as well. It was a very, very hot afternoon and the drawings were evaporating quickly and then just as quick, getting drawn again.

I had walked through the Tomorrowland Terrace area and towards the Plaza Ice Cream area and this is what I found.

As you can see, these folks had "drawn" a crowd.

Even the littlest of visitors can draw! While the art may be temporary, the memories live on.

My Disney Birthday Celebration

By: Beverly Beardsley  

First off, true confession: we arrived at Disney eleven days after my actual birthday. Circumstances prevented us being there on the actual day, however, the trip was a gift and a celebration. 

It wasn’t until our second day in the parks, while at “Lords and Ladies” in the UK at Epcot, that my SLSO (spouse-like significant other) mentioned something to the Cast Member about my birthday. She’d just searched long and hard to find a shirt for me. “It’s your birthday? Would you like a badge?," she asked in her lovely English accent. She had a girl in the shop across the way letter my name on a birthday badge, and then the fun began.

Over the next few days, just about EVERY Disney CM, from maintenance to entertainers, wished me a happy birthday. I received birthday cards from waiters, and also one from Belle and the Beast. I got a cookie, a sample of the “grey stuff” at Be Our Guest, and a cool chef’s hat at Mama Melrose’s. But best of all, as we were passing through Mexico, we stopped to listen to the Mariachi band. They called me up and serenaded me with a lovely Mexican birthday song “Las Mañanitas”. It was gorgeous!

 
So my advice to you is, if it’s any time NEAR your birthday, or if you are celebrating any special occasion, GET THE BADGE! It will make your stay even more special!

My Kind of Disney Cruise

by Gaylin

The best cruise with Disney . . . The Jungle Cruise!!! I love the theming of the line-up area, the bad jokes, the great captains, the time on the water. It all works for me and I go on the cruise 2 or 3 times every trip. The first cruise I went on in May 2014 had Captain Lisa at the helm, she was wonderful. Great delivery of all those old jokes, told a few I hadn't heard before, had the whole boat laughing. A perfect cruise in the jungle.

If you have a few moments in a line-up there are a number of posters, barrels etc to read. Take the time and read them, some are pretty funny.

 Of course this big barrel of beer made me think of Nick . . . wonder why?

This temple hasn't fallen on anyone – yet!

Just with the safari at the Animal Kingdom, all those animals like to turn their backs on me.

It the area outside the entry to the cruise there are beautifully carved statues. I don't know what they represent but they make for great photos.

I guess this guy stayed on the cruise too long.

If you have a great captain and are sitting close to the front, you might have time to grab a quick selfie before disembarking. Captain Lisa said this was the first time a guest had asked for a photo, I was happy to take the photo for both of us, can you tell?

Is the Jungle Cruise a must-do for you and your family? Have a favourite captain? I had Captain Ashley on a previous trip and she was amazing as well.

Disney Speak...It's Easy and Fun

By: Beth Skarp

Visit any Disney themed page and chances are you will find several acronyms for just about anything. In fact, there are pages you can visit to help you decipher all these acronyms.

Our family uses the Disney acronyms as well. I do believe that we have come up with our own acronym that is not as widely known, but still manages to garner several laughs both from Cast Members and Park guests alike.

We came up with our personal acronym quite by accident. We were making use of the Free Dining offered by Disney while staying at one of the Value Resorts. We wanted to enjoy a few sit down table meals as well. Being the planner that I am, I went ahead and made our reservations at the restaurants we wanted to enjoy.

As with any good planner, I had my spread sheet all worked out. Which Park or Parks to visit for that day, our rides we want to take in, times for the parades or special shows, you know the drill. Yes, I even plan out our potty breaks. Since we utilize the Companion Restrooms due to our special needs girls, I like to make sure that I put down when we will be in the area of one to take the girls if they need to go.

I showed my DH or Disney Husband our schedule, and he commented that it all looked good to him. Honestly, as long as I scheduled in downtime as well as tell him where and when we are eating our big meals that day, the actual schedule matters very little to him.

He did comment on my “new” acronym, but just thought it meant potty breaks. You'll understand more in a moment.

Our trip finally arrived, and our first table service meal was at 50's Prime Time Cafe.

Since I knew that Prime Time enjoys joking around with Park guests dining there, I decided to try out my “new” acronym and see what happened.

When you begin to order your meal, your server will ask if you are on the Disney Dining Plan. This was the perfect opportunity for me to try out my acronym.

My Husband was busy with our girls, so with as straight a face as I could manage, I told our server, Bobby, “we plan to POOP today!”

I explained that POOP was a new acronym that I came up with. It meant Paying Out Of Pocket or POOP. Since I didn't want to write that sentence down every time as I made out my schedule, I just wrote POOP.

Bobby had never heard of this before, and promptly called over his fellow server, Tommy, to let him know that “this table was going to POOP for their dinner tonight so be careful!!”

Tommy later found out from Bobby what POOP stood for. Tommy wanted to share in our hilarity as well, so Tommy even went so far as to get me some prune juice and bring it to our table. Of course, other diners thought we had lost our minds, but we were quick to explain what we meant when we stated we were going to POOP for our dinner.

Several times during that particular trip and others we have taken since then, we have had a similar experience with our servers. When asked if we are are on the Disney Dining Plan, if we are Paying Out Of Pocket, we politely state “Not today, we are going to POOP!!” It does get a good laugh, and for some reason our servers seem to be more attentive and fun-loving after we share this with them!

So, next time you find yourself not using the Disney Dining Plan but rather paying for your meals out of pocket, try telling your server you are going to POOP. You never know what may happen.

Disney Cast Members: Tell Them "Thank You"

by Gaylin

I have met many a wonderful Cast Member (CM) in my travels to Walt Disney World, as well as Disneyland and one Disney cruise. While I have always thanked them in person, if I have received extra help or extraordinary service from a cast member, I like to send a thank you to them, through Disney itself.

I found out on the Backstage Tour a few years ago that if a CM gets a reprimand on their employment record, it is removed after 6 months with no further reprimands acquired. If a thank you or commendation is received, that stays on their record permanently! If you go to the Walt Disney World main webpage and scroll to the bottom, there is a contact us link. On that link it tells you how to contact them by phone, there is another link where you can go to an email page to contact them.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/help/email/

This is where I go when I want to send a thank you to a CM. The first time I did this, I received a phone call from a representative from Disney personnel, letting me know how much they appreciated my email and that they had contacted each of the CMs I had wanted to thank and commended them in person! I do keep a trip journal where I write their names down as well as take a photo where the interaction happened so I don't forget.

On my recent trip, I had more than a few nice transactions with CMs and wanted to send my appreciation out to 3 of them. When I got home, I sent the following email:

"This is not a question, this is a thank-you to Cast Members.

I was at WDW in May 2014 and on Sunday, May 11, I went to the Animal Kingdom. My mother had

passed away 5 weeks previously and I had forgotten entirely that it was Mother's Day. When I walked into AK and was given a carnation and told Happy Mother's Day, I was startled and sad. It was nice to think of my mom but it was a difficult, emotional day as well.

I stopped for lunch at Tamu Tamu, I was hot and tired and forgot to tell the CM that I had food allergies and could I please have potato chips instead of pita bread so I put the pita bread to the side. A custodial CM, Deborah (college program with UCLA), stopped to chat for a moment, she asked if I was a mother and when I told her about my mom, I nearly started crying. She spent some time with me, talked about mom's, Disney and life in general. It was the human contact I so badly needed that day. She noticed that I had put the pita bread aside and went out of her way to get some of the fresh made potato chips for me. Well, that nearly had me crying again. The time she spent with me changed the whole tone of the day for me, I know that CMs deal with and talk to a lot of people in a day and they need to know that their time and care is wonderful. Thanks so much to Deborah, wherever she is now. Also - thanks for the pin!

At the Magic Kingdom on May 7th, I had a lovely wee interaction with a CM named Sherley, I bought a Mickey Premium from her at the Popping Machine, near Gaston's Tavern. She was bright and cheerful, I sat at a table near the kiosk and watched her interact with guests, impressive. Again, since my mom's name was Shirley - meeting this lovely young lady who was so happy and vivacious, made my day. I asked for a photo and we had a good laugh taking a selfie together.

One last kudo - in the morning of May 7th, I went on the Jungle Cruise with Captain Lisa, she was so fun, it was one of the best cruises I have been on. At the end of the cruise I asked if I could take a selfie with her, it was the first time a guest had asked her to be in a photo and she was happy to do it.

Thanks to all the CMs that do their best to help guests have a magical vacation and if anyone asks if you can have fun at WDW while on a solo trip - the answer is a resounding yes!

Gaylin"

You can't send photos in your email to Disney but I can post them here! Here is the photo of Captain Lisa and me.

And later the same day, the lovely Sherley!

About a week after I sent my email to the help centre, I received this email reply:

"Dear Gaylin,

Thank you for writing to us about your visit to the Walt Disney World® Resort.

I am very glad you had such an enjoyable experience and truly appreciate the time you took to share your compliments for Deborah, Sherley and Lisa. Your email reinforces how our Cast Members can make a tremendous difference with each Guest. It is heartwarming to know that Cast Members such as Deborah, Sherley and Lisa exemplified Walt Disney's dream to create happy and memorable experiences for all of our Guests. Please be assured your comments will be shared with the appropriate leadership so they can be commended for the great service they provided you.

Thank you again for writing to us. We look forward to future opportunities to entertain you.

Best Regards,

Janet F.

Guest Experience Services

Walt Disney World Resort"

If you have a wonderful CM experience, remember you can share your thank-you's when you get home, send some magic back to Disney!

A Bit of New Fantasyland: Great Disney Cast Members

by Gaylin

The first day of vacation, while at the Magic Kingdom, I admit I spent more than a little bit of time wandering around the New Fantasyland. I was impressed by all of it, the theming is beautiful. It was a very hot day and of course, that meant an ice cream break.

I stopped at Maurice's Amazing Popping Machine ice cream and drink cart in between Gaston's Tavern and Be Our Guest restaurant.

The fare provided at this cart is standard, water, soda, ice cream treats. I had one of my favourite treats, a Mickey Premium Ice Cream Bar! As you can see, there are covered tables to enjoy your treat out of the hot sun. I shared a table with a very nice woman, who also needed a break from the heat and I asked her to take my photo. It was only 2 or so in the afternoon and I was feeling and looking pretty wilted!

What was a pleasant surprise at this kiosk was the cast member, Sherley. She was happy and fun, greeting people as if everyone was a long lost friend. She was a bright moment in a hot afternoon where I felt like I was melting. After I finished my ice cream bar, I went back to the kiosk to say thank you to her, not just for how nice she had been to me, she was that nice and lovely to everyone! I asked her to take a selfie with me and she was thrilled – first time anyone had asked her to take a photo with them.

If you happen to be near the Popping Machine and need a treat – find Sherley and buy your treat from a 'friend'!

Lady and the Tramp. And Lady and the Tramp : Story Behind the Photo

Back in October of 2009, while at the Magic Kingdom in Walt Disney World, we were looking around Exposition Hall, which is now the Town Square Theater.

 

We asked a Cast Member (I wish I could remember his name!) to take our picture. Another Cast Member (and I can't remember her name either!) came over holding the stuffed Lady and the Tramp pictured above. She then told my wife to close her eyes, and motioned for me to get on my knees in front of her.
We asked yet another Cast Member to photograph us all together.
I honestly can't remember how we all wound up hamming it up like this, but it's yet another wonderful Disney moment captured in a photo.

The Disability Access Service Card at Walt Disney World

By: Jen Casteneda 

This May we took our annual trip to Walt Disney World.  

Like many families, we planned for months, made our reservations, changed our reservations, and sometimes even switched them back to the original reservation. 

After traveling to Disney for 13 years with 2 children with Autism, this was the one trip I was worried about most. 

Every trip we have been fortunate enough to be able to use the Guest Assistance Card, now known as the Disability Access Service card (DAS).  This card allowed our family to use the FastPass entrance without wait.  We have always taken our children’s medical documentation with us, even though Disney does not need or use it.  We last used this pass in September of 2013 knowing the “new” change was coming soon, due to a few bad apples.

We arrived at Magic Kingdom early in the morning and we wheeled our children up the ramp at City Hall.  Paperwork in hand, I waited patiently for my turn.  When my turn came, I explained our situation and the nice young lady asked if Max and Sadie were present.  By this time, everyone in the building knew Max and Sadie were present with their chortling and verbal squeals.

The Cast Member (CM) explained the new process and asked if I had any questions.  I had done my homework so I was feeling very prepared.  She then asked if they were ready to have their photos taken, and Sadie was first in line.

The new passes have the disabled guest’s photo on the front of the pass.
I was very happy to see this.  Each CM must view the disabled person by matching the photo to the person at the attraction the family is planning to ride.

As we made our way around the park, we didn't experience any wait times for the first 4 rides.  We were allowed to enter the FastPass line immediately.  When we arrived at Big Thunder Mountain we were given a wait time of 15 minutes.  I began to get a little nervous that Max and Sadie would not understand that we would have to leave and return in just a few short minutes.  We made our way to use the restrooms near Splash Mountain and slowly strolled back, just in time to enter the ride.  YEAH, no melt downs!

I was savvy enough to work our FastPass times around the time I knew we would be able to use our DAS card.  This enabled us to only have to visit this part of the park one time.  Max and Sadie do not enjoy the same rides all the time, so we were able to split up in groups. Downloading My Disney Experience was a true time saver for us.

We then made our way to Fantasyland. The longest wait time we were given was 40 minutes for Peter Pan, so we chose to skip this ride.  When we arrived at the Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, the CM asked if we wanted to keep out Peter Pan ride time as you are only allowed one open wait time on a card at a time.  We explained that the kids would not understand returning to that part of the park at a much later time, and that we would to like to ride this attraction instead. The CM crossed off Peter Pan and inserted the Mine Train with only a 20 minute wait.  The kids enjoyed a few snacks and watched others as they rode the new ride.

All in all, I was very pleased with the way our family adjusted to the new program. I recently heard that some of the return times are up to an hour now with the Summer crowds.