Originally Posted By CommentCaVa Who is Maynard? I've been hearing about him but never really look into what the buzz is about.
Originally Posted By Elderp Welcome to the board F! I can't say that I agree with you on the Disney legend thing. I like Maynard, he is a really good cast member, but I wouldn't call him a legend.
Originally Posted By danyoung CommentCaVa, Maynard is a cast member, no more and no less. He's been known over the years for his interaction with the guests, and his theatrics when throwing himself into a role. Most people really like him. I honestly have yet to see him, but after reading about him over the years, I've come to feel that he's quite a bit too over the top. My opinion might change, of course, if I ever actually meet him.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones I've seen him in action and I feel he's too over the top as well. Disneyland is the show and Maynard seems to forget that.
Originally Posted By DismayingObservation Maynard, quite honestly, rules. He takes the meaning of "cast member" seriously and he literally becomes part of the overall experience. Not only that, he is one heck of a nice guy. Had two major Maynard encounters, once on the Haunted Mansion and another in the Tiki Room. Both absolutely hilarious. On the Mansion, he was working one of the stretching rooms. As the door opened, he was right in the middle of the doorway, head down and hands behind his back. He then quickly raised his head, grinning this big, goofy rictus of a bug-eyed grin. There wasn't anyone who saw him who didn't crack up. This was something special and he made it so, injecting some real energy and acting skill into the "drag your bodies" spiel. The Tiki Room was even better, with his manic goings-on about "no smokey-smokey" and "no flashy-flashy" and to take your "trashy-trashy" with you as you exited. I about laughed up a lung at the guy. The topper is when he came out during the "Let's All Sing" sequence. He bounded around the room, waving his arms like a crazed orchestra conductor and let me tell you: There was no one, and I mean NO ONE in the place who wasn't singing tha song at the top of their lungs, myself included. LB and I had the chance to thank him after the show and we both told him that we'd just had the best time ever in the Tiki Room. It still is.
Originally Posted By danyoung DO, I don't want to try to take away anything from your experiences. And as I've said, if I ever meet the guy in person perhaps I'll change my tune. But to me both of your experiences seem exactly why I have a problem with the guy. I don't want ANYONE from Walt on down interrupting the show. It's one thing to play your part well and to get into the experience. It's quite another to be doing so much that you become more than the show, as in your Tiki example. It just doesn't seem like I would enjoy that type of intrusion. As always, I could be wrong . . .
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones The majority of his fans are probably annual passholders who have seen everything and done everything a thousand times. So a guy inserting himself inappropriately into the show doesn't phase them. They've probably seen the show without Maynard and if they wanted to, they could just come back another day. For someone there for the first time, who has never seen the Tiki Room before, they must wonder what the hell is going on with this guy carrying on with himself. Not a fan of Maynard. His antics don't impress me, and I would consider him unprofessional.
Originally Posted By -PLP- I spoke with him last week on MS and yes he can still be 'over the top'...Super Freindly guy though..when I see him I say Hi because he has some good stories also. :')
Originally Posted By Schmitty Good Vibes I haven't met the guy and I'd like to. I think I'd enjoy it. But the resons I think I would are exactly what SpokkerJones posted. I'd be worried about his intrusion on the first time guests experience as well.
Originally Posted By danyoung Schmitty, you said it for me as well. I'd really love to meet him, and I'd love to be able to have a conversation with him. I'm sure his love of DL is as great or greater than ours. But it's the intrusion factor that I've always had a problem with.
Originally Posted By Aussie Obsession I've never encounted Maynard in the park. But I met him when he visited our Disneyana meeting when in Australia. I instantly liked him. He gave us a little taste of what he does in the park, and I must say that I would love to see him in interaction with the attractions. It's interesting reading some of the opinions from both sides, but particularly about the way he tries and overtakes the show. Well I for one think more of the cast members should do it. Afterall, isn't that whey they are called CAST MEMBERS? Disney obviously consider the people who work in the parks as part of the show, so why not become part of the show. Who here loves it when you get a animated Jungle Cruise skipper? We don't begrudge that and say they're trying to overtake the show, they're being part of the show, and adding to the attraction. I've had both an animated one and a just say the script one, and I know what I'd prefer. I'm not a regular obviously, at best a once every 3-5 years, but I don't mind coming across a cast member who is prepared to add to the already spectacular spectacle that Disneyland is. Anyway, that's my opinion.
Originally Posted By Disneyland55 I agree with post 31. I think more cast members should try to entertain, rather than just blandly recite the same old spiel, obviously bored to death. I don't think it takes away from the show; I think it adds to it. I'd say that many first time visitors probably enjoy this, and assume it is a part of the show each time. This is just my opinion.
Originally Posted By danyoung I agree that CMs can and do entertain. The difference is that a jungle cruise skipper is an integral part of the boat ride. A CM dancing and whooping around during the Tiki show is not. Be engaging and friendly and informative, but don't insert yourself where you don't belong.
Originally Posted By DismayingObservation Point taken. It's just that most of the younger cast members have no real feel for theater and as a result, any interaction that is part of the job, i.e., HM, Innoventions, Tower of Terror and Tiki Room, needs to be a little more over the top. It might be a bit different for someone at a churro cart; they simply have to be pleasant and engaging. Someone doing the introductory spiel for the Tiki Room has to have a completely different skill set, one which involves engaging the audience each and every time as if it were the first time. While Maynard may be over the top for some, it's a fact that he can add to the experience with a bit of restraint on his part. Personally, I'd love to see him work at Tower of Terror. That attraction has some really funny and immersive individuals already, probably more so than any other attraction.
Originally Posted By Route66 I thought Maynard added that extra little sparkle to the attractions I've had him as a host on. I think he was on Tower of Terror once and it was really cool, also the Haunted Mansion. Astro Orbiter? What the heck? Why waste his talent?
Originally Posted By USCSurfer I worked park attractions from '83 to '94, and have never heard of the guy. Is he a relative new hire? In the last decade or so? Personally I think that a CM who becomes bigger than the show itself is distracting. It's no longer about the attraction experience, but the CM.
Originally Posted By dresswhites when i worked at the park from 97-99 i met him a couple of times. he is a very pleasant person. i usually saw him at haunted mansion. i never saw him at the tiki room. but i don't think i would enjoy his antics. A cm job at tiki room or any theater type show is to introduce the show, give safety and housekeeping info and then start the show. With the Tiki room once they wake Jose up, it is the birds and tikis job to entertain us not the cm. that is just my humble opinion though The same with Lincoln/50th anniversary show. talking about jelly floors doesn't really fit with the presentation. like i said he is very nice and attractions like jungle and mansion he is probalbly very entertaining. other attractions sounds like he is too over the top.
