I literally bumped into the cast member that was Jasmine at EPCOT. I could not tell she was a cast member, but I apologized immediately. I told her that I was trying to find out where Jasmine was because I was trying to take a picture with each Disney Princes and, in five years, she and Tianna were the only two that I've missed. She wished me luck, and, using her Disney Point (which I wished I saw this video before this event), told me Jasmine is usually over there - the Morocco Pavilion...Later, I finally made it over to the Morocco Pavilion and after letting the kids go before me, I finally got up there. While taking the photo, she looks at me and says: "Aren't you glad you bumped into me earlier?"
Hmmm. I've heard that Disney characters are never, ever supposed to drop character while in costume. So that encounter seems a bit borderline since Jasmine was referring to a moment when she wasn't Jasmine. Not that I really care, but the actress might have been taking a chance. Or not. I only randomly read that "rule".
JGW 54 characters are certainly allowed to go to the park for fun outside of their costume. The cast member was probably in street clothes and off the clock. That's probably how this person met "Jasmine".
One of mine and my daughter's favorite cast member moments was a little one. We wanted to see the new changes to the Winnie the Pooh ride - but sadly it was temporarily closed for maintenance. We asked what had happened (to find out if it was a whole night thing - or a 10 minute thing). The cast member told us..." it's ok We just had a little honey spill. We'll be back in a jiffy." That tiny comment kept the magic alive for us. We got such a kick out of the fact that the cast member kept up the character-speech even though she was talking to two grown women without a child in sight. Every time we remember it, we go "awwwww". :)
That's a great story! Yeah, cast members a lot of times are trained to come up with creative or themed ways as to why certain things are the way they are, particularly when it comes to the attractions and especially the characters. One of my roommates worked as a character attendant and had to often come up with reasons as to why certain characters were not out or why they had to leave. A famous one for Baymax, for example, was "Sorry, folks, Baymax's battery needs to be charged." Things like that lol it's to keep the magic alive and to keep what we CMs call "good show". We're not supposed to let on that Baymax is just a guy or girl in a costume. It's actually Baymax. Thank you so much for the adorable story!
You love Baymax, and we do too. We were a bit disappointed that He wasn't played up more in the parks. Back in February (last year), my daughter ran the Princess HM. I went down with her and her husband to cheer her on. They met Baymax, and the multiple pictures they have of that meet and greet are favorites of theirs. Oddly (for us) we made a second trip to Disney that same year for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Food and Wine. At this point, the same daughter was 6 months pregnant with twins. (To save her the stress of walking, we rented her the motorized scooter.) When they wanted to come up with a costume, she said, "easy, I'm about the size of Baymax already...I'll be Baymax, and hubby (who happens to be Asian) will be Hero. They were a huge hit that night. 2 nights later we went back to MNSSP with her as Dug, her hubby as Russell (again - perfect), and myself as Carl (holding a clump of Mickey Balloons from Main Street). THOSE pics....Perfection!! P.S. Our next Disney trip is for Christmas this year with the twins. :) Can't WAIT!!
Wow! That sounds awesome! I really wish I could have been there during the holidays. I'm glad you guys had such a good time. It always makes me happy hearing that people had a fun.
Hey guys! This video is BY FAR my most popular and visible, which unfortunately means trolls. I will be policing the comments and sexist, sexually explicit, racist, homophobic, etc. language will not be tolerated. That's not something I want to promote or have on my channel. Just keep things civil, kind and respectful! Thank you guys for watching this video. I'm BLOWN AWAY!
Liz Colton don't worry your channel will grow in time and that means....HATERS HATERS HAAATTTERRRSS. Haha don't worry they think they know it all and try to bring you down because they can. Don't worry they all spread fake stuff☺️
I may or may not have actually cried multiple times watching Wishes. I'm so sad that they are replacing it in May. It was my favorite nighttime show T_T Thank you for watching!
You had me laughing because sooo much of what you say is right dead on, nailed it. I played this where my daughter could hear and she kept chiming in, "yep, that was you. you again. Did that one too." Rotten kid. LOL Miss those days though. It was so much fun working there.
I was a Photopass photographer at Disney World for 5 years. Absolutely loved it. Worked all the parks, plus resorts and Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs). I'm actually doing my own series of videos about it, and noticed your video referred a number of views, which is how I found it. :)
All of this is dead on. I haven't worked at Disneyland in nearly 20 years and I still Disney point, I still kneel for children and pretend they are princesses, and when in the parks, I will still Disney-fold a shirt that's lying around or pick up trash. You can't turn it off. Ever.
Eggsn Bakon no you're not! It was a dumb joke. Ain't no shame if you need a map. These parks are big! I know I was so confused the first time I went :3
Also man some of these made me realize I could be mistaken for a CM. Namely the memorizing things bit. I say all the ride intros/outtros like all the time, sing along to Wishes (RIP) & IllumiNations (and cry), etc. No maps, not dressed as comfortably, no bags...lmao it's me
I went as a kid in 1997, again in 2010, and now I've gone every year since 2013 and my honeymoon this fall will be there. Starting to feel like one sometimes!
Had some great, and not so great CMs when me and my hubby went. One memory that I love is a young girl working a snack cart in Magic Kingdom was so happy to be there and chatted with us, which was great on its own, but when she found out we hadn't ever tried a Mickey bar she gave me one, for free. She knew it was an iconic treat we had to try. I loved those CMs who you could tell were real fans😊
My sister worked at WDW over 12 years ago... we went back this year. She still instinctively cleaned up stuff as she was walking around. Hardwired at this point, I’m thinking...
Ok, I've identified and tracked down five cast members. Now what? What can I do with this information?? Should I keep them in my basement or do I release them in the woods???
I know this is SUPER late, but here's a few from me! - Black shoes. Especially work shoes. A lot of us go to the parks right before/after a shift, and we'll bring our costumes to change into/out of, but not a change of shoes! If you see someone with black shoes and black or white socks, it might be one of us! - Shorthand names for attractions. "Land" "Track" "IMAGE" instead of the full names of the rides. That's also how to spot which park we work in, since we hear and use the shorthand names a lot!
i do all of this and i dont work for disney yet im just an ap holder😂 my sister worked at wdw and im gonna work at disneyland in a few months but still!😂😂
My mother hasn't been a cast member in almost 15 years and she still uses the Disney point. We joke that her time at Disney has stuck with her more than her time in the Navy.
Nobody understands our Disney obsession, 'you're going back again'? What's wrong with people putting so much pressure on themselves and little ones that it is a once in a lifetime trip? We go every year, wait for the ultimate discount email to come through, don't do meal or beverage plan, we purchase theme park tickets from discount ticket broker and stockpile them, I have a Delta AmEx annual companion fare, we stay on property, I back some food and sundries for the room (I keep saying I should pack a crockpot and frozen roast for pulled pork ' in the hotel room! I pack wine and spirits for the fridge. I can be done and have a blast. We will both 60 in the next year!
When off-duty cast members meet up to "play in the parks," they identify a specific place to meet - not a particular building (like "meet at the Castle"), but a specific door at that building, or a particular sign nearby
My dad used to be a cast member, he helped open the Animal Kingdom in 1998. I always love hearing little secrets and stories from his experiences, I hope to one day work at Disney!
BackSeatJunkie none of them are in the four main parks themselves, I don't believe, at least anywhere that guests might accidentally wonder to. I gotta keep their locations a secret :3
my ex wife worked at disneyland 25 years ago. She worked there for 5 years. She still does the disney point. It cracks me up every time I see it. Great video
I have to say "Thank You" to ALL Disney cast members. Such repetitive work and hearing the same music playing all the time would sure drive me up the wall. While I recognize that all positions can be difficult, I have always thought that the hardest job must be being a Disney princess and keeping that princess smile and voice all day long, and looking photogenic even when not actively posing for a picture with a guest. The best I can ever do in a picture is not to look unpleasant! I imagine that they can encounter some pretty weird guests at times. Thankfully, they usually have an assistant close by.
gedstrom thank you! As a former CM, this means a lot. I honestly don't know how character performers do it either. They're real pros! Quite honestly, though it's the guests that can cause the biggest hassles, they also make all those hassles worth it. CMs love making people happy, so they put up with a bunch of crap in order to make the guests' experiences as magical and wonderful as possible. Thank you again 💕💕💕
Most of your tips will help you find people that want people to know they are CMs. I can pick out quite a few just based on their walk. Guests walk casually, usually. Some CMs have a purposeful walk they use even as a guest. It makes them really visible, cause odds are they have walked their path well over 1000 times, they don't need to admire the surroundings cause they have seen it in all seasons, all weather and at all times of day. Spot one in a crowd and you'll occasionally see they got on work shoes.
I can do almost everything you said on there, from reciting all the words everywhere to wearing all Disney clothes, and even calling little girls princess.... and I'm 16 😂😂
Thank you! This made me smile! I'm going to WDW in August and will definitely pay attention to the signs you described. I've had great some wonderful interactions with Cast Members. My wife's brother and his family had an amazing "Hidden Cast Member" experience. On the ferry to MK, they were approached by a person who said they were a CM and said she was "adopting" them as her family. Well, to make a long story short, my brother-in-law and his family were treated to what was almost the Private Premium VIP Tour of the MK for free! To top it off, the CM gave the in-laws her number and told them to caller the next day for the same treatment at Epcot!! Talk about Disney Magic!!!! Absolutely amazing!!!!!!!
Former DLR CM here, stumbled on this video and kept feeling very sheepish because I SO do all of these things. I am always the one bawling and singing along! Thanks for the giggles :)
Disney leggings or dresses. They are ALL THE RAGE... And then Ears that you can't find in the park (shout all to Etsy). From experience, CM's stand out when not on duty because they will just kind of butt into a conversation in order to be helpful in some way. If a family is debating where to eat or what to get FP's for or whatever, a CM is more likely to just offer up their opinion in a friendly manner than a regular guest due to their regular interaction with guests and how normal this is for them. Also, CM's tend to be the ones that (IRL) seem like weirdo's and freaks in the sense that they tend to be chatty, friendly, really approachable, and smile a lot. They're the ones not scared to just strike up a convo in line instead of playing on their phones or only talking to their group. They're also the ones that have to assure parents that they work there and they aren't just creepily talking their child for no apparent reason (seriously the amount of times mothers stared me down like I was about to kill their child while kneeling talk and talking to an adorable little Anna about her trip to Florida was just insane....).
Oh yeah, for sure! CMs are conditioned to be friendly and helpful, so it's only natural for it to bleed out when they're in the park as guests. Like I said, it's really hard to turn the "Cast Member" off lol
Hey, here's a question. I don't know why I didnt think about costuming is a department that ALL of you visit. Silly me. I thought it was just fur and face characters. But now I realize you are ALL costumed every day.... my question. So at the end of every shift you have to go back to costuming and take off your outfit and they launder it for the next time you come back? Wow... it just hits me how much ADDED time to one's work day that adds on. What are you paid for/what is considered included in a shift... riding the bus in? Going to wardrobe? Returning and dropping off your outfit?
Mc Kenna Cast members who work in costuming (whether if it's for the characters or just the regular cast members) work VERY hard. One of my best friends, in fact, works in entertainment costuming (so she helps with the characters). To answer your question, it honestly depends on the individual and their costume how they go about handling that costume. Some people do remove their costumes everyday and turn them back into costuming, then they pick up another costume before their next shift. Others (like me), actually go when they have time and pick up multiple costumes and take them home, then turn them back in periodically for another batch of fresh, clean costumes. Others still actually wash their own costumes like they do their own clothing. Picking up costumes and taking them off is almost always done off the clock (because you by and large HAVE to be in full costume when you're working or you will not be allowed to work). For a lot of costumes, once you know your sizes, it really takes no time at all picking them out and if people do turn them in after their shift, they usually bring street clothes with them. It normally does not take too long. It's definitely different for the character performers, but for regular cast members, it's not too much of a big deal. Also, for the four main parks, the costuming building is on site at the actual park, so it's very convenient (not so much for most the resorts and the water parks - they're usually off site). Costuming is a big thing at Disney and I honestly could do a whole video on it lol thank you so much for your awesome question. I hope I answered it well!
It really is lol it's a very involved company lol thank you again for your questions! If you ever have any more, I'll be happy to answer to the best of my abilities!
Giselle Blatter I sure hope not! I don't think it'll leave anytime soon. The amphitheater it's in was build specifically for Fant. Plus, it's still really popular and they just updated it last year. They wouldn't have done it if they were planning on closing it or replacing it anytime in the near future. Compared to Wishes, Fant has a lot more moving parts. It would be a lot more difficult to replace and a complete shame to close.
Giselle Blatter I can't tell ya :/ Wishes has been around for a long time and Magic Kingdom does tend to replace their nighttime shows every few years. Personally, I thought they would wait until the 50th anniversary in 2021, but obviously, that's not happening 😢
OMG Liz I am sooo mentally hugging you right now !! Hehe...You litterally made-my-day. I was a cast member from February 2005 until March 2008 at WDW Epcot and on Disney Cruise line's MAGIC and I can validate every single argument you've brought up (except maybe the "different way of dressing on off time" but whatever). You got me nodding at "maintaining a good show" and "staying in character" . You got me laughing to tears with the WISHES/Fantasmic sing along and the Disney characters prints on every single item of clothing (soooo true) and you got me weeping when you mentioned the "bending down and called the little girl a princess 👑 " ... you just hit bull's-eye right there! As a matter of fact I did EXACTLY THAT not later than a week ago when a 4/5 yo little girl came down from her room in an Elsa's outfit (and I work the season in Hotel in Austria 🇦🇹 so far waaaay from the Disney spirit/universe and have stopped being a cast member 10 years ago) So this is to highlight how bad the Disney life and spirit left its mark on me and how much I identify with it and I am proud to have been given to opportunity to "create Magic". Because let's be honest, what's more magical than sparkles ✨ in a kid's eyes really? (Oh and btw....have a magical day)
it took me a year to stop doing the Disney point and after being a non cast member for 10+ years if I'm alone in the parks and I see someone looking lost I try to help. I too mumble spiels I still remember, I try not to sing it out or be noticed by other guest. so yeah it's true. miss being able to go backstage to get around the parks faster.
I worked for WDW and 20 years later I still do the point... I've had people ask me why do I point with 2 fingers, which lets me know they've never been to the greatest place on Earth
I was out of dip. A cast member gave me one out of his can. Could've cost him his job. He aided a fellow addict in getting his fix. That man deserved a medal.
I'm not a cast member but on EMH days I usually do an hour or two in the morning and then leave to go elsewhere or to have a late breakfast. Parks with EHM are often busier so I'll just do the extra hours and the go to a quieter one. So not everyone who leaves early on is a cast member.
Not a CM, but I definitely do some of the things haha. I have a friend doing the College thing at WDW. I've only been there once, but I've been to Disneyland a bunch of times. We always were treated nicely there. Best memories for me is when I was about three, and they still did the opening parade {this was, early 90s lol} Goofy went up to me, took my hands and started to dance with me, then we started to walk away.. then I got loose and did a b line straight to the castle.. while Goofy, the penguins from Mary Poppins, and my mom were chasing me. My dad was on the floor laughing. Another great memory was that each year when we went, my Papa {mom's dad} would take care of me while everyone went to the rides. He and I would go straight to It's A Small World and we would ride it for hours on end. The CMs there would allow us to just sit and not exit. Fast Forward to 2013 and my family went there after my papa passed away. I went straight to It's A Small World. And there was a CM who recognized me. Her father was a CM there. I had told her about my papa's passing and she told the others, who then hugged me and gave good vibes and prayers, before allowing me to sit on the boat and ride for a while. Disney CMs really do care for their guests and go way above and beyond.
cocokizer it's definitely our job to go above and beyond, but we also just like to do it. Seriously, I loved making guests happy. It was the best part of my job seeing people's faces light up. Guests normally pay thousands of dollars to visit Disney World, the least we could do is treat them with the utmost courtesy
Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to answer this. I essentially did a paid internship through the Disney College Program, so I didn't apply regularly like part-time or full-time employees. In terms of experience, I think it depends on the role you apply for. Retail, food work, and even a background in performing help, as does any hospitality work. Honestly, they also look for temperament and good personality. They want a certain type of person and sometimes that temperament is even more important than job experience. I was hired and I had very little job experience, but I had a good interview. Sorry if that doesn't help, but I hope it sheds some light for you.
This is hilarious I’m not a cast member but I do almost everything on your list (it never occurred to me people probably assume I’m a cast member I’ve just accepted everyone is friendly while doing Disney lol)
They used to point with 2 fingers in vaudeville to make it easier to see from the back what's happening on stage. That is definitely a stage thing, and I can see how that made it's way to the big interactive stage that is a disney theme park (even though I, myself, have not been to one)
Pachakutíc that could definitely be a component of why CMs are trained to do it. It's also because a single finger point is considered offensive in some cultures, so we do a two-finger point so not to make anyone feel unwelcome :3
Disney CMs are the beating heart of keeping the magic alive which Walt embodied himself. Thank you for the video and for contributing to bringing the magic!
A castmember actually asked if I was a former castmember once because I was unconsciously humming along to the Innoventions area music. I’m not, I just like the song I guess
BrooklynDoesSims lots of CMs use Magic Bands (including myself). We connect our Main Gates to our Magic Bands. It makes everything soooo much more convenient lol
I find that a lot of people me in particular o the one thing that you mentioned about reciting show scripts. I have never been a cast member but there are many attractions that I can recite the spoken word flawlessly. Every so often though I start reciting an older version. This may explain why some people mistake me as a cast member when I am there. I can recite 99%of the Haunted Mansion script and the HTOT script.
I'm the same way with Haunted Mansion! I miss it a lot. A lot better of these things can apply to frequent guests and not just cast members, but a lot of cast members are also frequent guests lol
Timothy Hoster, Liz Colton I can also recite most of the show scripts too. But usually I either do the beginning like Welcome Foolish Mortals for the Haunted Mansion or the end like for Thunder Mountain. The Wildest Ride in The Wilderness. Also I have a funny guest story. I even turned a line from a song into a quote. I think I was in line at a ride behind a mother carrying her daughter. The daughter had a cloth doll of Elsa she dropped it. I picked it up and handed it back to her and said. "This time don't Let It Go." The mother turned and smiled and laughed a little bit at me. :)
you forgot to mention people watching... if you see a solo park guest sitting on a bench for an extended period of time... just watching people go by... probably a current or former cast member.
Bryan Fykes oh yeah! I honestly didn't even think of that one! That's a really good one lol I feel like frequent park guests (which a lot of CMs are) tend to be more relaxed in the parks. They just like existing in the parks. There's not a schedule or much of a plan. It's a comfortable place for them to be. Thanks for the comment!
I've gone to Disney World since I was a little girl, but annually since 2014 when my favorite musician (David Cook) was performing at EPCOT Eat to the Beat concerts. This year I'm going to see 98 Degrees. At any rate, last year I went to a small booth in Italy to get an iced coffee. I noticed the cast member's name tag and it said he was from Italy. When he came around the booth to give me my coffee at my wheelchair's eye level (which is why I love Disney), I said, "Grazie, Davide" (Thank you in Italian) and I think I almost shocked him out of Disney "performance."
I'm not a cast member but I remember taking one of my friends a while back and we knocked out both parks in one day because I knew where everything was and had my waiting times app handy 😂 Disney is such a magical place and it really warms my heart that most of the cast members put so much dedication and love into the park.
I was a college programmer 20 years ago. I was down in January solo for the Half Marathon. I caught myself helping people find things, I picked up trash, used the Disney point.
Bryan Fykes so, I guess you can say you can take the CM out of Disney, but you can't ever take the Disney out of the CM lol once a Cast Member, always a Cast Member :3
I was a cast member almost 20 years ago and this is ALL true. :) Another thing I notice that I still do to this day is offer to take photos for people. Also, former cast members are often the first to defend active cast members from rude guests, I've noticed.
Can I also add that security go undercover too as guests, I only know this because a couple of years ago I was filming the Osbourne lights and the battery on my camera ran out, as it was pretty dark I couldn't find the spare so knelt down and was really digging through my bag when I realized this smart, but, casually dressed man hovering around me,I was a bit creeped out, but, when I found my battery he saw I wasn't a danger and walked away, this is why I feel safe at Disney, they have uniformed security, but, it's the plain clothes ones who really make me feel safe.
Aubreys Nails & Beauty there are tons of non-performing roles! I worked in restaurants on property. Everybody, no matter the role, is called a Cast Member. You can always apply at a nearby Disney Store or you can apply as a part-time or full-time Cast Member. If you're still in college (or have recently graduated), you could apply for the Disney College Program which is how I got to work there.
I went to Disneyland on my day off and went on Haunted Mansion 9 times in a row and I felt like the attractions cast members were looking at me funny because of that. And I haven't worked there in a few years and I still get irritated when people use the term "ride"
Were you part of the DCP? My oldest daughter was at Disney World through the DCP program a few years ago - she worked at the fast food restaurant, Cosmic Rays :)
AP holder: I used to go almost weekly, and I used to do most of these things, I must have just picked it up from observing so many cast members over time, and the Disney swag was to show my fandom. On-duty cast members used to treat me like an off-duty or undercover cast member, and more than a few guests would stop and ask me questions, sometimes to the chagrin of a real cast member nearby, it was nice.
I will admit I have never worked for WDW but I did work for Six Flags for 3 years. Now I am glad that Six Flags didn't have their version of the "Disney Point" LOL. But everything else I can totally relate to even working for another theme park chain.
Is there any explanation for why 2 fingers to point? Is it because it more closely resembles Mickey's hand if he were the one pointing? Sorry if this has been answered already, but 900+ previous comments is a lot to go through.
It's for the common courtesy of the guests. Disney hosts A LOT of people from different cultures. Pointing with one finger is considered obscene and rude in some cultures. So as not to offend anyone or make any guest feel unwelcome, Cast Members are trained to point with two fingers instead of one. Thanks for asking! :3
i used to say "i don't want to go to disney" but then stumbled across this video and now i want to go to disney because everyone seems so nice and i love disney. i am so subscribing
It's the soundtrack to the "Festival of Fantasy" Parade from Disney World (I own a copy of the music). I'm pretty sure you can find it just searching on TH-cam :3
Liz, i love this video. I was on the WDWCP 25 years ago and still do the Disney point and will often offer to take a pic of a guest when visiting with my family. You just can't take the Disney out of the former CM.
Christopher Garofalo wow! That's so amazing! And it's true. I still feel so connected to the company. Thank you so much for watching this video. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
i just watched this with my son, who is 10 and of course wants to be an imagineer and noticed your name tag is from SNHU. i went to northeastern in boston but one of my best friends from the CP was at SNHU at the time! when was your CP time? i was there fall '92, lived at vista way!
I worked at The Magic Kingdom in entertainment for eight years. There are actually two types of cast members. The ones who are Disney to the bone, are at the park all the time and really, really buy into the Disney lifestyle. Then you have the folks just doing their job and doing it with good customer service. Working for Disney can be a fun experience most of the time but guests can and will make your life a living hell to get free stuff. You gotta be all in or this isn’t a job for you.
Oh, yeah. I completely agree! I have said for a while that guests were both the best and the worst part of working at WDW. Making them happy and giving those "magical moments" made everything worth it, but, oh boy, can some of the guests be manipulative. I have stories, lots of them lol Some people you can't make happy no matter what you do and some, like you said, just want free stuff. Working at WDW (and I imagine any theme park) isn't for everybody. You have to kinda like working with people (which, lucky for me, I do) and you have to like making people happy. It's sometimes a job that doesn't get a lot of thanks, but seeing smiles on peoples' faces makes the hard work and crappy guests worth it to stomach.
I was the latter. I like Disney but definitely not a die hard fan with all of the pins and stories. I did my job, went to the parks occasionally, enjoyed the experience but I still didn't know all of the Disney trivia, etc. I'm hoping to go back to work there but this time, I want to do it all! I took my experience for granted the first time around but won't do that again. :)
AP holders and DVC members do a lot of those same things too. Always fun to bump into our favorite CMs in the crowd. Or be an impromptu tour guide for a fellow guest. I've seen the fireworks shows so often, I'm telling guests which way to look based on the music queues alone.
Hi Liz! Firstly - I love your videos, thank you!! Slightly worried though, because my wife and I do pretty much all of these, and have never been CMs. We always disney-point and believe in good show, for example. Watching your video certainly explains why we have been mistaken for CMs by CMs and guests alike many times...
I literally bumped into the cast member that was Jasmine at EPCOT. I could not tell she was a cast member, but I apologized immediately. I told her that I was trying to find out where Jasmine was because I was trying to take a picture with each Disney Princes and, in five years, she and Tianna were the only two that I've missed. She wished me luck, and, using her Disney Point (which I wished I saw this video before this event), told me Jasmine is usually over there - the Morocco Pavilion...Later, I finally made it over to the Morocco Pavilion and after letting the kids go before me, I finally got up there. While taking the photo, she looks at me and says: "Aren't you glad you bumped into me earlier?"
That's awesome! I'm glad you finally got to meet her. Disney Point is the clearest giveaway for cast members lol Love the story!
Hmmm. I've heard that Disney characters are never, ever supposed to drop character while in costume. So that encounter seems a bit borderline since Jasmine was referring to a moment when she wasn't Jasmine. Not that I really care, but the actress might have been taking a chance. Or not. I only randomly read that "rule".
JGW 54 characters are certainly allowed to go to the park for fun outside of their costume. The cast member was probably in street clothes and off the clock. That's probably how this person met "Jasmine".
Terrence Body
Well, Jasmine walked around the marketplace in peasant clothes...
One of mine and my daughter's favorite cast member moments was a little one. We wanted to see the new changes to the Winnie the Pooh ride - but sadly it was temporarily closed for maintenance. We asked what had happened (to find out if it was a whole night thing - or a 10 minute thing). The cast member told us..." it's ok We just had a little honey spill. We'll be back in a jiffy." That tiny comment kept the magic alive for us. We got such a kick out of the fact that the cast member kept up the character-speech even though she was talking to two grown women without a child in sight. Every time we remember it, we go "awwwww". :)
That's a great story! Yeah, cast members a lot of times are trained to come up with creative or themed ways as to why certain things are the way they are, particularly when it comes to the attractions and especially the characters. One of my roommates worked as a character attendant and had to often come up with reasons as to why certain characters were not out or why they had to leave. A famous one for Baymax, for example, was "Sorry, folks, Baymax's battery needs to be charged." Things like that lol it's to keep the magic alive and to keep what we CMs call "good show". We're not supposed to let on that Baymax is just a guy or girl in a costume. It's actually Baymax. Thank you so much for the adorable story!
You love Baymax, and we do too. We were a bit disappointed that He wasn't played up more in the parks. Back in February (last year), my daughter ran the Princess HM. I went down with her and her husband to cheer her on. They met Baymax, and the multiple pictures they have of that meet and greet are favorites of theirs. Oddly (for us) we made a second trip to Disney that same year for the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party and Food and Wine. At this point, the same daughter was 6 months pregnant with twins. (To save her the stress of walking, we rented her the motorized scooter.) When they wanted to come up with a costume, she said, "easy, I'm about the size of Baymax already...I'll be Baymax, and hubby (who happens to be Asian) will be Hero. They were a huge hit that night. 2 nights later we went back to MNSSP with her as Dug, her hubby as Russell (again - perfect), and myself as Carl (holding a clump of Mickey Balloons from Main Street). THOSE pics....Perfection!!
P.S. Our next Disney trip is for Christmas this year with the twins. :) Can't WAIT!!
Wow! That sounds awesome! I really wish I could have been there during the holidays. I'm glad you guys had such a good time. It always makes me happy hearing that people had a fun.
awwwww
Mc Kenna I
Hey guys! This video is BY FAR my most popular and visible, which unfortunately means trolls. I will be policing the comments and sexist, sexually explicit, racist, homophobic, etc. language will not be tolerated. That's not something I want to promote or have on my channel. Just keep things civil, kind and respectful! Thank you guys for watching this video. I'm BLOWN AWAY!
What annoys me is the finger scan at the Disney parks. Unnecessary to say the least. People zombie thru, but there are some of us who are annoyed. 😡
People can be so hurtful. Sorry you have had nasty comments.
Holly Lyne it's okay! It just kinda comes with the territory :3
Liz Colton don't worry your channel will grow in time and that means....HATERS HATERS HAAATTTERRRSS. Haha don't worry they think they know it all and try to bring you down because they can. Don't worry they all spread fake stuff☺️
Ballistic_ HamilStitch I'm not worried! Thank you for your support :3
I died at the "screaming the Wishes performance" part because that is me. I'm not a castmember, but I 100% do this, both the singing and the crying😂
I may or may not have actually cried multiple times watching Wishes. I'm so sad that they are replacing it in May. It was my favorite nighttime show T_T Thank you for watching!
I was walking along with my light saber in hand and someone comes up and says " lord Vader we have found two rebel droids nearby"
Noah Chamber lol cute story!
You had me laughing because sooo much of what you say is right dead on, nailed it. I played this where my daughter could hear and she kept chiming in, "yep, that was you. you again. Did that one too." Rotten kid. LOL Miss those days though. It was so much fun working there.
Awww well I'm glad you enjoyed my video! I assume you are/were a cast member, then? Where did you work?
I was a Photopass photographer at Disney World for 5 years. Absolutely loved it. Worked all the parks, plus resorts and Downtown Disney (now Disney Springs). I'm actually doing my own series of videos about it, and noticed your video referred a number of views, which is how I found it. :)
Wow! That's awesome! I'm totally gonna check out your stuff. Thank you for watching this video!
SirWillow You're here?!?!?!?!?!?!?! Hiiiiiiii!!!!!!!!
sirwillow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm not a cast member, but I know the Fantasmic dance moves and Wishes soundtrack. But I tend to cry after every firework display..
Me, too. I remember bawling my eyes out after watching Wishes for the last time as a cast member. It's such a special and wonderful show!
Ask Wobble me too or just do the point
That's me with Haunted Mansion and Jungle Cruise. I was asked if I was a skipper by a couple of cast members the last time I was at Magic Kingdom. :)
tangentslayer I would honored to be confused as a skipper! Skippers are awesome! Lol
Celebrate The Magic is my personal favorite- Lex
All of this is dead on. I haven't worked at Disneyland in nearly 20 years and I still Disney point, I still kneel for children and pretend they are princesses, and when in the parks, I will still Disney-fold a shirt that's lying around or pick up trash. You can't turn it off. Ever.
Hevynly1 once a cast member, always a Cast Member! Thank you for watching!
What is a Disney-fold? Maybe something worth a video?
Maps are for chuuummps!
Yesss!
Valé B truth
Valé B amen either than that like to get lost on purpose.
I'm a chuuummp... /sad
Eggsn Bakon no you're not! It was a dumb joke. Ain't no shame if you need a map. These parks are big! I know I was so confused the first time I went :3
reciting word for word---either a cast member or you're on you your favorite ride for the 900876th time. very common in haunted mansion.
PLUTO IS A GUY IN A SUIT!? MY LIFE IS RUINED!!
NO. HE'S NOT! I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME WHEN I SAID THAT. PLUTO IS REAL! IT REALLY IS HIM!!
best reply too funny
Derpaherp that’s worse than the suit- 😂👌🏻
Pluto?
A guy in a suit?
Pssshhhh. Nice try, but I ain't silly! Pluto is Pluto, and Pluto is a _dog_ ! Not someone in a suit!
Can't trick me!
Lily TheTH-camCheesecake I don't know what came over me when I said that! Pluto is totally a dog. I don't know why I made such a fictitious claim!
Liz Colton
Obviously!
You're a True Blue!
Being a Cast Member sounds like being in the military, but on waaaay on the other side of the spectrum.
The lowkey "Disney's like a cult" 😂
Also man some of these made me realize I could be mistaken for a CM. Namely the memorizing things bit. I say all the ride intros/outtros like all the time, sing along to Wishes (RIP) & IllumiNations (and cry), etc.
No maps, not dressed as comfortably, no bags...lmao it's me
LOL! You sound like a CM lol And I miss Wishes T_T So sad it's gone.
I went as a kid in 1997, again in 2010, and now I've gone every year since 2013 and my honeymoon this fall will be there. Starting to feel like one sometimes!
Thank you for watching! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding. I'm sure your honeymoon is going to spectacular!
Had some great, and not so great CMs when me and my hubby went. One memory that I love is a young girl working a snack cart in Magic Kingdom was so happy to be there and chatted with us, which was great on its own, but when she found out we hadn't ever tried a Mickey bar she gave me one, for free. She knew it was an iconic treat we had to try. I loved those CMs who you could tell were real fans😊
The best part of being a CM was making someone's day. It really made the hard work worth it! Thanks for sharing your story :3
My sister worked at WDW over 12 years ago... we went back this year. She still instinctively cleaned up stuff as she was walking around. Hardwired at this point, I’m thinking...
Ok, I've identified and tracked down five cast members. Now what? What can I do with this information?? Should I keep them in my basement or do I release them in the woods???
Release them in the dark forest with some popcorn, while it's raining.
I know this is SUPER late, but here's a few from me!
- Black shoes. Especially work shoes. A lot of us go to the parks right before/after a shift, and we'll bring our costumes to change into/out of, but not a change of shoes! If you see someone with black shoes and black or white socks, it might be one of us!
- Shorthand names for attractions. "Land" "Track" "IMAGE" instead of the full names of the rides. That's also how to spot which park we work in, since we hear and use the shorthand names a lot!
i do all of this and i dont work for disney yet im just an ap holder😂 my sister worked at wdw and im gonna work at disneyland in a few months but still!😂😂
Yeah, a lot of it can apply to frequent visitors, too! And I hope you have a great time working as a Cast Member! I know I did!
Same im a ap holder at Disneyland and I do all of this 😂
Lucky!! I wish I could be an AP holder lol I hope you have tons of fun at Disneyland this year :3
marie_candidamaye we are a annual pass holder too
My mother hasn't been a cast member in almost 15 years and she still uses the Disney point. We joke that her time at Disney has stuck with her more than her time in the Navy.
Tocxica Lol!! That's really funny! I'm convinced that I'm probably just gonna do the Disney Point for the rest of my life lol
I remember more Disney facts or where stuff is at Disneyland than stuff I need to learn at school, is that bad?
Makkenah Leanne not at all! Who needs school anyway? 😉
Liz Colton hahaha! Yeah 😜
Honestly, I fell asleep, work third shift, sometimes I doze off if super tired. Your singing/crying woke me up. Thanks!
You're welcome! It's what I do.
😂😂😂 "this is like a cult"
Rikki Garcia it kinda is lol
Rikki Garcia walt disney was a high level free mason..lots of hidden symbolism in disney movies
dannyb20 vtec I wasn't really talking about the man himself, but I'll take your word on it lol
Liz Colton i get you...theres just lots of strange symbolism in disney movies...look it up
Nobody understands our Disney obsession, 'you're going back again'? What's wrong with people putting so much pressure on themselves and little ones that it is a once in a lifetime trip? We go every year, wait for the ultimate discount email to come through, don't do meal or beverage plan, we purchase theme park tickets from discount ticket broker and stockpile them, I have a Delta AmEx annual companion fare, we stay on property, I back some food and sundries for the room (I keep saying I should pack a crockpot and frozen roast for pulled pork ' in the hotel room! I pack wine and spirits for the fridge. I can be done and have a blast. We will both 60 in the next year!
When off-duty cast members meet up to "play in the parks," they identify a specific place to meet - not a particular building (like "meet at the Castle"), but a specific door at that building, or a particular sign nearby
You know what, that never really occurred to me, but it's so true! That's a great one!
My dad used to be a cast member, he helped open the Animal Kingdom in 1998. I always love hearing little secrets and stories from his experiences, I hope to one day work at Disney!
Queen Siri Awww that's awesome! I hope you get to work there one day. It was an amazing experience!
your so correct about the dressing. You left out, if someone is Hugging all the working CM's. probably a CM.
Jorge Miguel that's a good one! I didn't think of that one!
I always wondered if there were some cast member only stores hidden behind the facades of random structures.
BackSeatJunkie none of them are in the four main parks themselves, I don't believe, at least anywhere that guests might accidentally wonder to. I gotta keep their locations a secret :3
my ex wife worked at disneyland 25 years ago. She worked there for 5 years. She still does the disney point. It cracks me up every time I see it.
Great video
Thanks!
friendliest cult on earth
Yes!
I spent one summer as a custodial host in 1988 and I STILL give directions using my whole hand.
It never leaves you! lol
i died when you said "maps are for chumps! " 😂😂😂
The wishes part is so true lmfaoooo. One of the best part of my day is seeing the barges testing for Harmonious every day from 3-5:30
I have to say "Thank You" to ALL Disney cast members. Such repetitive work and hearing the same music playing all the time would sure drive me up the wall. While I recognize that all positions can be difficult, I have always thought that the hardest job must be being a Disney princess and keeping that princess smile and voice all day long, and looking photogenic even when not actively posing for a picture with a guest. The best I can ever do in a picture is not to look unpleasant! I imagine that they can encounter some pretty weird guests at times. Thankfully, they usually have an assistant close by.
gedstrom thank you! As a former CM, this means a lot. I honestly don't know how character performers do it either. They're real pros! Quite honestly, though it's the guests that can cause the biggest hassles, they also make all those hassles worth it. CMs love making people happy, so they put up with a bunch of crap in order to make the guests' experiences as magical and wonderful as possible. Thank you again 💕💕💕
Really did just LOL at "maps are for chuuuuumps"
Most of your tips will help you find people that want people to know they are CMs. I can pick out quite a few just based on their walk. Guests walk casually, usually. Some CMs have a purposeful walk they use even as a guest. It makes them really visible, cause odds are they have walked their path well over 1000 times, they don't need to admire the surroundings cause they have seen it in all seasons, all weather and at all times of day. Spot one in a crowd and you'll occasionally see they got on work shoes.
blkhwk611 that's a really good one! I honestly didn't think about that one, but it's so true! Thanks for watching :3
I can do almost everything you said on there, from reciting all the words everywhere to wearing all Disney clothes, and even calling little girls princess.... and I'm 16 😂😂
That's awesome! Do you go to the parks a lot?
I feel like I would be considered a secret cast member as I do half of that stuff since I am at the parks weekly
Thank you! This made me smile! I'm going to WDW in August and will definitely pay attention to the signs you described. I've had great some wonderful interactions with Cast Members. My wife's brother and his family had an amazing "Hidden Cast Member" experience. On the ferry to MK, they were approached by a person who said they were a CM and said she was "adopting" them as her family. Well, to make a long story short, my brother-in-law and his family were treated to what was almost the Private Premium VIP Tour of the MK for free! To top it off, the CM gave the in-laws her number and told them to caller the next day for the same treatment at Epcot!! Talk about Disney Magic!!!! Absolutely amazing!!!!!!!
Wow! That sounds like an amazing experience!! I'm glad my dumb little video made you smile :3
It's so weird, I'm not a Cast Member but I should be, but I still act like one at the parks.........and in public😐
Ain't no shame in that!
I'm a crazy Disney fan and I just can't wait to move to Florida!
You're moving to Florida! That's so awesome!
same ._. now i feel weird
Former DLR CM here, stumbled on this video and kept feeling very sheepish because I SO do all of these things. I am always the one bawling and singing along! Thanks for the giggles :)
Lauren Enriquez glad to have provided! Thanks for watching :3
Disney leggings or dresses. They are ALL THE RAGE... And then Ears that you can't find in the park (shout all to Etsy). From experience, CM's stand out when not on duty because they will just kind of butt into a conversation in order to be helpful in some way. If a family is debating where to eat or what to get FP's for or whatever, a CM is more likely to just offer up their opinion in a friendly manner than a regular guest due to their regular interaction with guests and how normal this is for them. Also, CM's tend to be the ones that (IRL) seem like weirdo's and freaks in the sense that they tend to be chatty, friendly, really approachable, and smile a lot. They're the ones not scared to just strike up a convo in line instead of playing on their phones or only talking to their group. They're also the ones that have to assure parents that they work there and they aren't just creepily talking their child for no apparent reason (seriously the amount of times mothers stared me down like I was about to kill their child while kneeling talk and talking to an adorable little Anna about her trip to Florida was just insane....).
Oh yeah, for sure! CMs are conditioned to be friendly and helpful, so it's only natural for it to bleed out when they're in the park as guests. Like I said, it's really hard to turn the "Cast Member" off lol
Hey, here's a question. I don't know why I didnt think about costuming is a department that ALL of you visit. Silly me. I thought it was just fur and face characters. But now I realize you are ALL costumed every day.... my question. So at the end of every shift you have to go back to costuming and take off your outfit and they launder it for the next time you come back? Wow... it just hits me how much ADDED time to one's work day that adds on. What are you paid for/what is considered included in a shift... riding the bus in? Going to wardrobe? Returning and dropping off your outfit?
Mc Kenna
Cast members who work in costuming (whether if it's for the characters or just the regular cast members) work VERY hard. One of my best friends, in fact, works in entertainment costuming (so she helps with the characters). To answer your question, it honestly depends on the individual and their costume how they go about handling that costume. Some people do remove their costumes everyday and turn them back into costuming, then they pick up another costume before their next shift. Others (like me), actually go when they have time and pick up multiple costumes and take them home, then turn them back in periodically for another batch of fresh, clean costumes. Others still actually wash their own costumes like they do their own clothing. Picking up costumes and taking them off is almost always done off the clock (because you by and large HAVE to be in full costume when you're working or you will not be allowed to work). For a lot of costumes, once you know your sizes, it really takes no time at all picking them out and if people do turn them in after their shift, they usually bring street clothes with them. It normally does not take too long. It's definitely different for the character performers, but for regular cast members, it's not too much of a big deal. Also, for the four main parks, the costuming building is on site at the actual park, so it's very convenient (not so much for most the resorts and the water parks - they're usually off site). Costuming is a big thing at Disney and I honestly could do a whole video on it lol thank you so much for your awesome question. I hope I answered it well!
you DID.... when you think of all that goes into Disney... it's actually amazing.
It really is lol it's a very involved company lol thank you again for your questions! If you ever have any more, I'll be happy to answer to the best of my abilities!
I met one at the Starbucks in Hollywood studios we just started talking and it turned out he was a cast member. A really nice dude.
I'm never a cast member yet know all the soundtrack to each disney park fireworks and R.I.P. wishes
Giselle Blatter RIP Wishes 😭😭😭😭
whats next fantasmic
Giselle Blatter I sure hope not! I don't think it'll leave anytime soon. The amphitheater it's in was build specifically for Fant. Plus, it's still really popular and they just updated it last year. They wouldn't have done it if they were planning on closing it or replacing it anytime in the near future. Compared to Wishes, Fant has a lot more moving parts. It would be a lot more difficult to replace and a complete shame to close.
still why wishes why not update illumination
Giselle Blatter I can't tell ya :/ Wishes has been around for a long time and Magic Kingdom does tend to replace their nighttime shows every few years. Personally, I thought they would wait until the 50th anniversary in 2021, but obviously, that's not happening 😢
OMG Liz I am sooo mentally hugging you right now !! Hehe...You litterally made-my-day. I was a cast member from February 2005 until March 2008 at WDW Epcot and on Disney Cruise line's MAGIC and I can validate every single argument you've brought up (except maybe the "different way of dressing on off time" but whatever). You got me nodding at "maintaining a good show" and "staying in character" . You got me laughing to tears with the WISHES/Fantasmic sing along and the Disney characters prints on every single item of clothing (soooo true) and you got me weeping when you mentioned the "bending down and called the little girl a princess 👑 " ... you just hit bull's-eye right there! As a matter of fact I did EXACTLY THAT not later than a week ago when a 4/5 yo little girl came down from her room in an Elsa's outfit (and I work the season in Hotel in Austria 🇦🇹 so far waaaay from the Disney spirit/universe and have stopped being a cast member 10 years ago) So this is to highlight how bad the Disney life and spirit left its mark on me and how much I identify with it and I am proud to have been given to opportunity to "create Magic".
Because let's be honest, what's more magical than sparkles ✨ in a kid's eyes really?
(Oh and btw....have a magical day)
it took me a year to stop doing the Disney point and after being a non cast member for 10+ years if I'm alone in the parks and I see someone looking lost I try to help. I too mumble spiels I still remember, I try not to sing it out or be noticed by other guest. so yeah it's true. miss being able to go backstage to get around the parks faster.
Jackie wignall I haven't worked there for nearly two years and I still can't quit the Disney Point lol
I worked for WDW and 20 years later I still do the point... I've had people ask me why do I point with 2 fingers, which lets me know they've never been to the greatest place on Earth
Michael Schwartz it's just muscle memory for me now. I got so used to doing it, that it's really hard to stop lol
I was out of dip. A cast member gave me one out of his can. Could've cost him his job. He aided a fellow addict in getting his fix. That man deserved a medal.
THE FANTASMIC DANCE. EVERY TIME
Jana Katherine it's everything lol
I'm not a cast member but on EMH days I usually do an hour or two in the morning and then leave to go elsewhere or to have a late breakfast. Parks with EHM are often busier so I'll just do the extra hours and the go to a quieter one. So not everyone who leaves early on is a cast member.
Not a CM, but I definitely do some of the things haha. I have a friend doing the College thing at WDW. I've only been there once, but I've been to Disneyland a bunch of times. We always were treated nicely there. Best memories for me is when I was about three, and they still did the opening parade {this was, early 90s lol} Goofy went up to me, took my hands and started to dance with me, then we started to walk away.. then I got loose and did a b line straight to the castle.. while Goofy, the penguins from Mary Poppins, and my mom were chasing me. My dad was on the floor laughing. Another great memory was that each year when we went, my Papa {mom's dad} would take care of me while everyone went to the rides. He and I would go straight to It's A Small World and we would ride it for hours on end. The CMs there would allow us to just sit and not exit. Fast Forward to 2013 and my family went there after my papa passed away. I went straight to It's A Small World. And there was a CM who recognized me. Her father was a CM there. I had told her about my papa's passing and she told the others, who then hugged me and gave good vibes and prayers, before allowing me to sit on the boat and ride for a while. Disney CMs really do care for their guests and go way above and beyond.
cocokizer it's definitely our job to go above and beyond, but we also just like to do it. Seriously, I loved making guests happy. It was the best part of my job seeing people's faces light up. Guests normally pay thousands of dollars to visit Disney World, the least we could do is treat them with the utmost courtesy
I have not been a cast member in 20 years, but I still ask for autographs when I need a signature from someone.
The Cast Member never really leaves you, it seems :3
I feel like if your just a dedicated Disney fan you do alot of these as well I know i do
Sophie Rose yeah, definitely!
How hard is it to get a job at Disneyland and as a cast member what background excperiences must you have
Honestly, I'm not quite sure how to answer this. I essentially did a paid internship through the Disney College Program, so I didn't apply regularly like part-time or full-time employees. In terms of experience, I think it depends on the role you apply for. Retail, food work, and even a background in performing help, as does any hospitality work. Honestly, they also look for temperament and good personality. They want a certain type of person and sometimes that temperament is even more important than job experience. I was hired and I had very little job experience, but I had a good interview. Sorry if that doesn't help, but I hope it sheds some light for you.
Man I wish I could be a castmember...
There's no reason you can't be if you're willing to move! You can go online and apply right now if you so wish :3
This is hilarious I’m not a cast member but I do almost everything on your list (it never occurred to me people probably assume I’m a cast member I’ve just accepted everyone is friendly while doing Disney lol)
This was super cute. I just interviewed a 1980s cast member on my channel.
Audrey Lee Young Thanks! I'll have to check it out!
They used to point with 2 fingers in vaudeville to make it easier to see from the back what's happening on stage. That is definitely a stage thing, and I can see how that made it's way to the big interactive stage that is a disney theme park (even though I, myself, have not been to one)
Pachakutíc that could definitely be a component of why CMs are trained to do it. It's also because a single finger point is considered offensive in some cultures, so we do a two-finger point so not to make anyone feel unwelcome :3
Hi Liz, it's Adam from HR. We're gonna need you to bring that name tag back to the office, as it's company property.
😉 *Great video!*
LOL! I wouldn't give back that name tag for the world! lol It's one of the few keepsakes that they actually let you keep lol
Liz Colton 😅 That's awesome! Thanks for making this video. I'm sure working at Disney was an incredible experience!
It certainly was!
adam mac 😁
Is Adam really from HR?
On our last trip to WDW we met an off the clock cast member. She was very pleasant to talk to and very professional.
Hey Liz hope you have a magical day!
Youra Ninee awww thank you!
Disney CMs are the beating heart of keeping the magic alive which Walt embodied himself. Thank you for the video and for contributing to bringing the magic!
I have at least 8 of the lanyards...I have a problem
Well, I have a problem too because I'm super jealous! That's awesome that you have that many. I wish I could have gotten some more.
A castmember actually asked if I was a former castmember once because I was unconsciously humming along to the Innoventions area music. I’m not, I just like the song I guess
I point with my whole hand lol and never was a cast member lol
Molly Millspaugh well, if you were to become one, it would be that much easier! Lol
Another way you can tell if someone's a cast member is if they have a card instead of a wristband.
BrooklynDoesSims lots of CMs use Magic Bands (including myself). We connect our Main Gates to our Magic Bands. It makes everything soooo much more convenient lol
I find that a lot of people me in particular o the one thing that you mentioned about reciting show scripts. I have never been a cast member but there are many attractions that I can recite the spoken word flawlessly. Every so often though I start reciting an older version. This may explain why some people mistake me as a cast member when I am there. I can recite 99%of the Haunted Mansion script and the HTOT script.
I'm the same way with Haunted Mansion! I miss it a lot. A lot better of these things can apply to frequent guests and not just cast members, but a lot of cast members are also frequent guests lol
Timothy Hoster, Liz Colton I can also recite most of the show scripts too. But usually I either do the beginning like Welcome Foolish Mortals for the Haunted Mansion or the end like for Thunder Mountain. The Wildest Ride in The Wilderness. Also I have a funny guest story. I even turned a line from a song into a quote. I think I was in line at a ride behind a mother carrying her daughter. The daughter had a cloth doll of Elsa she dropped it. I picked it up and handed it back to her and said. "This time don't Let It Go." The mother turned and smiled and laughed a little bit at me. :)
Scott Houston Awww! That's really cute! Guests and cast members alike eat that stuff up lol
If I ever do go to the park, I'll be sure to notice.
Hahaha!!! WISHESSS!! That is so true!
Wishes is literally everything lol
I guess I’m a cast member. 😂 I do LITERALLY EVERYTHING in this video. 😂😂😂
I think my girlfriend is secretly a cast member
Raymond Espinosa 🤔🤔🤔
you forgot to mention people watching... if you see a solo park guest sitting on a bench for an extended period of time... just watching people go by... probably a current or former cast member.
Bryan Fykes oh yeah! I honestly didn't even think of that one! That's a really good one lol I feel like frequent park guests (which a lot of CMs are) tend to be more relaxed in the parks. They just like existing in the parks. There's not a schedule or much of a plan. It's a comfortable place for them to be. Thanks for the comment!
If you notice the person that seems still somewhat energetic and/or their feet do not ache when leaving a park at closing time is most likely a CM.
Deb S very good point!! I wish I had thought of it 😁
I've gone to Disney World since I was a little girl, but annually since 2014 when my favorite musician (David Cook) was performing at EPCOT Eat to the Beat concerts. This year I'm going to see 98 Degrees. At any rate, last year I went to a small booth in Italy to get an iced coffee. I noticed the cast member's name tag and it said he was from Italy. When he came around the booth to give me my coffee at my wheelchair's eye level (which is why I love Disney), I said, "Grazie, Davide" (Thank you in Italian) and I think I almost shocked him out of Disney "performance."
I identify with many of these things and while I considered working for Disney Parks, that dream has not come to fruition.
I hope you get to work there someday!
I'm not a cast member but I remember taking one of my friends a while back and we knocked out both parks in one day because I knew where everything was and had my waiting times app handy 😂
Disney is such a magical place and it really warms my heart that most of the cast members put so much dedication and love into the park.
I was watching this just out of curiosity, but when I saw the way you were talking to your cat I immediately liked
Anaclara Pérez thanks!
As a nurse I got taught to do the 2 fingered point during "smile training". It's also the airline stewardess point.
Natasha Estrada I know a lot of industries train their employees to do the two-finger point, and I can only assume for similar reasons
Yeah 1 finger is considered to be rude and a whole hand too vague.
I was a college programmer 20 years ago. I was down in January solo for the Half Marathon. I caught myself helping people find things, I picked up trash, used the Disney point.
Bryan Fykes so, I guess you can say you can take the CM out of Disney, but you can't ever take the Disney out of the CM lol once a Cast Member, always a Cast Member :3
I was a cast member almost 20 years ago and this is ALL true. :) Another thing I notice that I still do to this day is offer to take photos for people. Also, former cast members are often the first to defend active cast members from rude guests, I've noticed.
MarkD1159 that's totally true! I didn't even think about that! Thank you for watching :3
Can I also add that security go undercover too as guests, I only know this because a couple of years ago I was filming the Osbourne lights and the battery on my camera ran out, as it was pretty dark I couldn't find the spare so knelt down and was really digging through my bag when I realized this smart, but, casually dressed man hovering around me,I was a bit creeped out, but, when I found my battery he saw I wasn't a danger and walked away, this is why I feel safe at Disney, they have uniformed security, but, it's the plain clothes ones who really make me feel safe.
Yeah. I never felt scared at Disney either. The security is usually very on point and they do their job well. I'm glad he was there for you!
I went to Disneyland a few weeks ago and I saw this group of people that I 100% knew were cast members, it’s very obvious lol
I wanna be a cast member but I don't want to be a performing cast member! what advice do you have for me getting a job there?
Aubreys Nails & Beauty there are tons of non-performing roles! I worked in restaurants on property. Everybody, no matter the role, is called a Cast Member. You can always apply at a nearby Disney Store or you can apply as a part-time or full-time Cast Member. If you're still in college (or have recently graduated), you could apply for the Disney College Program which is how I got to work there.
Oh awesome! Thank you so much!!
Aubreys Nails & Beauty no problem at all!
:)
Lol my husband could be mistaken for a cast member when he knows all the jokes on Jungle Cruise, and has to recite them!
Jungle Cruise is the bomb!
I went to Disneyland on my day off and went on Haunted Mansion 9 times in a row and I felt like the attractions cast members were looking at me funny because of that. And I haven't worked there in a few years and I still get irritated when people use the term "ride"
codyskoff it's an "attraction", not a "ride"! Lol thanks for watching :3
Were you part of the DCP? My oldest daughter was at Disney World through the DCP program a few years ago - she worked at the fast food restaurant, Cosmic Rays :)
I indeed was! I also worked in fast food, except I worked mostly in the Typhoon Lagoon water park :3
I going to tell my 8 year old cousin to do the Disney point and see if anyone thinks he's a cast member
What are you talking about? I always recite EVERYTHING in Disneyland! Just because it's fun! I just go like once or twice a year...
You forgot to say we are wearing this long clear raincoats whenever it rains hahaha
AP holder: I used to go almost weekly, and I used to do most of these things, I must have just picked it up from observing so many cast members over time, and the Disney swag was to show my fandom. On-duty cast members used to treat me like an off-duty or undercover cast member, and more than a few guests would stop and ask me questions, sometimes to the chagrin of a real cast member nearby, it was nice.
Rand Zopyr that's awesome! You certainly sound like a Cast Member! Thanks for watching :3
here's one you might have not have thought about or forgot . if someone in plain clothes tells people not to run,they're probably a cast member.
Danny D that's very true too! Like I said, it's really hard to be a "normal" guest lol it's difficult turning the CM side of you off.
I will admit I have never worked for WDW but I did work for Six Flags for 3 years. Now I am glad that Six Flags didn't have their version of the "Disney Point" LOL. But everything else I can totally relate to even working for another theme park chain.
7:12 made me laugh out loud. :)
"No maps baby! Maps are for chuuumps."
Lol! Glad I could make you laugh!!
Is there any explanation for why 2 fingers to point? Is it because it more closely resembles Mickey's hand if he were the one pointing? Sorry if this has been answered already, but 900+ previous comments is a lot to go through.
It's for the common courtesy of the guests. Disney hosts A LOT of people from different cultures. Pointing with one finger is considered obscene and rude in some cultures. So as not to offend anyone or make any guest feel unwelcome, Cast Members are trained to point with two fingers instead of one. Thanks for asking! :3
Liz Colton makes sense. Thanks for the answer!
You're very welcome :3
i used to say "i don't want to go to disney" but then stumbled across this video and now i want to go to disney because everyone seems so nice and i love disney. i am so subscribing
Awwww! Thank you!
Hi, can you tell me where you got all the background music? I'd like to listen to them solo. Great video!
It's the soundtrack to the "Festival of Fantasy" Parade from Disney World (I own a copy of the music). I'm pretty sure you can find it just searching on TH-cam :3
Liz, i love this video. I was on the WDWCP 25 years ago and still do the Disney point and will often offer to take a pic of a guest when visiting with my family. You just can't take the Disney out of the former CM.
Christopher Garofalo wow! That's so amazing! And it's true. I still feel so connected to the company. Thank you so much for watching this video. I'm glad you enjoyed it!
i just watched this with my son, who is 10 and of course wants to be an imagineer and noticed your name tag is from SNHU. i went to northeastern in boston but one of my best friends from the CP was at SNHU at the time! when was your CP time? i was there fall '92, lived at vista way!
Christopher Garofalo That's awesome! Mine was in 2015 :3
I worked at The Magic Kingdom in entertainment for eight years. There are actually two types of cast members. The ones who are Disney to the bone, are at the park all the time and really, really buy into the Disney lifestyle. Then you have the folks just doing their job and doing it with good customer service. Working for Disney can be a fun experience most of the time but guests can and will make your life a living hell to get free stuff. You gotta be all in or this isn’t a job for you.
Oh, yeah. I completely agree! I have said for a while that guests were both the best and the worst part of working at WDW. Making them happy and giving those "magical moments" made everything worth it, but, oh boy, can some of the guests be manipulative. I have stories, lots of them lol Some people you can't make happy no matter what you do and some, like you said, just want free stuff. Working at WDW (and I imagine any theme park) isn't for everybody. You have to kinda like working with people (which, lucky for me, I do) and you have to like making people happy. It's sometimes a job that doesn't get a lot of thanks, but seeing smiles on peoples' faces makes the hard work and crappy guests worth it to stomach.
I was the latter. I like Disney but definitely not a die hard fan with all of the pins and stories. I did my job, went to the parks occasionally, enjoyed the experience but I still didn't know all of the Disney trivia, etc. I'm hoping to go back to work there but this time, I want to do it all! I took my experience for granted the first time around but won't do that again. :)
I am not a Cast Member and I do all of this. I am just an AP holder that is in the parks 1-2 times a week!
I can totally relate. I was a cast member at a Disney Store 20 some years ago and things still stay with me
pumbaaco1 I am fully aware that I will probably never point "normally" again lol
AP holders and DVC members do a lot of those same things too. Always fun to bump into our favorite CMs in the crowd. Or be an impromptu tour guide for a fellow guest. I've seen the fireworks shows so often, I'm telling guests which way to look based on the music queues alone.
Hi Liz! Firstly - I love your videos, thank you!!
Slightly worried though, because my wife and I do pretty much all of these, and have never been CMs. We always disney-point and believe in good show, for example. Watching your video certainly explains why we have been mistaken for CMs by CMs and guests alike many times...
Glad I could give you some insight :D