Originally Posted By MPierce You bet WDW does, and a bunch of them. How the Mouse can be so cheap with his wages, and have so many good people working for him is amazing to me. The CM's at WDW are truly Gems. Because I was handicapped for this trip, I definetly had more interaction with CM's than I normally would. Mainly because you are so reliant on assistance from others. During the entire trip I encountered just 1 bus driver that wasn't super great. He was still very professional, and not rude, he just didn't seem as happy as all the other folks were.He could have been having a bad day. Did you know those bus drivers are a wealth of information about future projects taking place at WDW . There were 3 kids, and 1 adult working a little kiosk that served coke popcorn, beer, and the like. They seemed more intent on having fun with each other rather than serving the guest. They really needed a talking to about what their job entailed. Each, and every other CM I encountered was fantastic. They went out of their way to smile, and chat. Just being around so many dedicated people made the trip a lot more enjoyable. I doff my chapeau to each, and every Cast Member at Walt Disney World. You are truly some amazing folks.
Originally Posted By CarolinaDisneyDad I agree MPierce. Our first couple of trips my Mom came along and she uses a wheelchair. Our experience with her was truly magical. The change in her attitude was magical too. She went saying she would go back to the room at midday and wait for us to get back from the parks. I tell you this never happened. She was there with us at open and left when we did. I was surprised. But she had such a good time because she didn't feel like she was an inconvenience. CM's helped her at every turn and seemed genuinely happy to do so. It seemed like they were waiting for her to arrive. Often when we would exit a ride my father and mother would be sitting and talking to a CM and enjoying themselves. Both my daughters pin trade and we deal with many CMs each day. They are almost always superb and engaging. I agree too that they should be paid more. The CM experience is a HUGE part of the magic. One night a bus driver played disney trivia with us on the ride back to the hotel. Here we are all exhausted and my kids don't want to get off the bus because they aren't done playing with the driver! These moments are important and stay with us.
Originally Posted By MPierce Great story CDD. People really should spend more time chatting with the CM's. There are some fantastic folks working for the Mouse. CM's can make or break an expensive vacation. I just wish the upper echelon of Disney appreciated their people more.
Originally Posted By dshyates Last time I was there in 2006, the CMs for the most part were disinterested and kind of slovenly. But I have heard that things in that regard improved a couple of years ago.
Originally Posted By bobbelee9 You can always count on dshyates to only point out the negative. I've been going to WDW since '79, I've only run into 1 bad CM. I've seen many of them take a load of crap from "guests" and still be nice to the offender. Mostly, the CMs have been great, and it wasn't because they were expecting a tip.
Originally Posted By dshyates "You can always count on dshyates to only point out the negative." Didn't I just say, "But I have heard that things in that regard improved a couple of years ago." I don't see how that is "ONLY" negative. I though the last part was sort of a kudos kind of statement. Oh well.
Originally Posted By -em I think there are some good ones and some bad ones (and some very bad ones but thats another day..)
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo I am with -em on this one. With some of the cast members, they are some of the most awesome, and really make the experience what it is (disney stopped being about the rides for me years ago, they are fun, but it is the overall experience that matters). Some of our very best Disney cast member experiences have been at WDW, but so to have been some of our very worst. Overall I would say that California has the most consistantly good cast members. DLP has consistantly ok cast members with some bad (but due to language and cultural, perhaps not as magical as other Disney cast) and WDW has a wild spectrum. Sadly, despite maybe a dozen to two dozen outstanding cast members, we found the majority of the cast at AKL, the MK, and the buses to be aweful. So milage will vary. What I do think is Disney should invest in their people more, and to be fair to WDW, they are enormous, so recruitment can be more difficult than for Anaheim (I am a realist). But if salaries, hours, terms and conditions, training and performance management regimes were more robust, I think we could see a return to form for WDW. FWIW - in 2000, we either were lucky of things have changed. Every cast member we met was awesome. Not so much last time.
Originally Posted By dshyates I also think your CM experience has a lot to do with HOW you have planned your vacation. I think those that stay on prop deal with a lot more CMs than those that stay off prop and only go to the parks. On my 2006 trip that I said that for the most part the CMs were slovenly and disinterested. We stayed off property, and if you are just cruising around the parks. There is very little CM interaction if you don't have a problem. I never once sought out a CM for a problem so for the most part, a smile and a nod was about all I got as I passed by. I didn't have any CMs approach me for any reason, BUT I wasn't standing there staring at the map and pointing with a confussed look on my face. Where I assume a CM may have come over and asked if they could help. But staying off prop, I didn't have to deal with the CMs at the resorts, which I think are some of the best. Or bus drivers and such. other than ordering at counter service restaurants and having one stand and watch me try and figure out how to use the finger scanner at the gate I don't think I had ANY CM interaction at all. We did get to ride up front in the Monorail ( I asked the CM at the TTC if we could, and he nodded. And the pilot/ engineer/ driver guy didn't say a word all the way from the TTC to EPCOT. And as far as slovenly. Well that is a different story. I saw a ton of HUGE CMs with their shirts barely tucked in and ill fitting costumes. Throw in the fact it was 106° and they weren't pretty. I also think it has a lot to do with when you go. We were there in August, and the parks were crowded and it was very hot. Everyone including the CMs looked like all they wanted to do is go to some AC.
Originally Posted By MinnieSummer I too have had varied experiences with CM's at WDW. I've also had situations where one CM created a mess (at check-in we were given the wrong room assignment and the luggage people lost our luggage somewhere taking it from our trunk and putting them in holding)and another came to the rescue and turned the mess into a magical experience. I've had CM's go way beyond what I expected and others do the bare minimum to get the job done. I've also had a Busdriver refuse to put a wheelchair on the bus -- his reason was that the chair wasn't sturdy enough. The next driver had no problem. So basically, it depends. I remember a time when there was much more consistency and wish we could return to it. I also realize that budget cuts and hour cuts have created a much different environment.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 I think the current economic situation is helping Disney. Many CM's are happy to have work at the moment and there isnt really anywhere to go for a new job anyway. At one time Disney was hiring anyone who could breath, but now there is basically a hiring freeze and when that thaws Disney can be more selective about hiring for awhile.
Originally Posted By A Happy Haunt or maybe the trashy people that have no money stay home? just a thought..
Originally Posted By Kennesaw Tom Yes they do. And we know some of the attractions that have superior Cast Members working them. There are other attractions/ rides that have lack luster Cast Members. So it varies.
Originally Posted By The Duck If I were to give an award for my favorite CM this past visit, it would have to be our Jungle Cruise skipper, Ian. He was without a doubt, the fastest, funniest, natural-born comedian I have ever had the pleasure of riding with. Kudos Ian! You were a joy!
Originally Posted By MPierce ^^^They can certainly make or break that attraction. I still have to say the CM's are one of the main attractions of WDW. They make the entire resort so much better than it is.
Originally Posted By sjhym33 I worked at the Jungle Cruise early in my career. I hated it. It was hard being funny 8 hours a day and after your 10th trip around. I give a lot of credit to those who that comes naturally to. Thanksfully I was promoted a short time after my arrival there. I was glad to be on land again
Originally Posted By MPierce I couldn't do it trip after trip either. It takes a very special person to pull that ride off time, and time again. Definetly someone worth much more than $7.50 an hour.
Originally Posted By -em >>Definetly someone worth much more than $7.50 an hour.<< Maybe 7.75 an hour...
Originally Posted By avro_imagineer The only thing I can say in regards to remuneration is that if CM's for their compensation did the same amount of work per $ as executives. Well I don't think they'd ever have to leave home to collect 5 years pay in one day. Like all places with a lot of employee's some work much better then others for the same/similar pay. It's too bad evaluation metrics truly didn't measure the worth of an employee. I find most metrics are about "towing the company line and ass kissing the supervisor". That said if anyone kissed my ass, they'd be the first one to go. I find it odd how the truly great employees tend to not be "company name material". For a CM personality,wholesomeness should be paramount. Smiles should be real and genuine. The "Pixie Dust" should be the factor. It's too bad those truly outstanding CM's may get acknowledged by the guests. But not get a little extra for being better. It makes me sad thinking how someone who talks to a coworker makes as much as the CM that goes out of their way to help guests. I've seen custodial CM's take charge of a lost child, while retail CM's just stood there... Thank-you good CM's. Even Emily
