Originally Posted By TMICHAEL ^^^Nope, If WDW would still have CM's in each of the loaded theaters, then this would not happen. That's how we did it on Sings back in the day. People are much less likely to get out of their seats with a CM in the attraction with them. And if any guests wish to leave, the CM can get them out without jeopardizing the continuity of the attraction for the other guests. The CM yelling should be retrained on how to act professionally over a PA system.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""The CM yelling should be retrained on how to act professionally over a PA system."" As ANY CM could tell you, that's NOT what they are trained in. CMs since The Basics are basically there to get trained to A) Not get anyone killed on the ride or any CM and B) Know the bare minimum tasks to operate the attraction and keep teh doors open. THATS IT.
Originally Posted By xrayvision HMButler, my CM training class was trained on how to use a PA system. I guess it depends on which attraction(s) you've been casted to work, and whether a PA system is heavily used in your show/attraction. My training class had a few hours of spiel delivery training, inside a training room. Then, we went to our assigned attractions and did PA speech delivery training. We did deadhead shows (shows without guests) where we learned how to operate the PA system and then learned how to deliver our spiels over the PA system. Some of the tips included "speaking with a smile in your voice", which the CM in this video did not use, and moving the PA mic away from your mouth when pronouncing words with "T"s in them as "T"'s can sound harsh (like your spitting) over the microphone. I thought that the CM in this video sounded harsh and frustrated while talking over the PA system. When the video begins, the CM is basically yelling at the theater guests as they are leaving. Then, the CMs are yelling at the guests in two languages. That was the wrong way to speak to the guests and I don't feel that this was language barrier issue. But, there may have been an issue with some of the guests (not all) who perhaps did know that the theater rotates. I don't remember whether there's a show safety spiel that states that the theater rotates and how do guests safely exit the theater if needed. Maybe some of our CoP/Sings CMs can enlighten us on that topic. Most Disney theme park theaters do have spiels, given at the beginning of the presentation, on how to exit a theater during the show (in case of screaming or scared kids, or kids/adults that suddenly need to use the restroom or need to leave for other reasons). I had the same opinion as a prior poster who felt that the theater featured in this video needed to be emptied and have the people who want to see the show go to the front of the line. Or, the CM could have went with the flow of people leaving and asked (after getting lead approval) that if guests would like to leave, "we would ask for you to leave the theater at this time. And, for those guests who want to stay and see the show, stay in your seat as we will resume the show momentarily. This is a 20 minute presentation. After the show is in progress, the theater will begin moving and rotating through several show scenes. Thus, for your safety, you may not leave the theater until the end the show, when our theater in motion comes to a complete stop and the doors open for you to safely exit the theater."
Originally Posted By xrayvision Typo. Should have said....But, there may have been an issue with some of the guests (not all) who perhaps did "NOT" know that the theater rotates.
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA I would say that if you had a cast member in each theatre -- it would be much easier to control guests leaving. Of course, adding 2 more cast members at $8 an hour @ 20 hours per week = $350 a week I don't know...someone else do the math...
Originally Posted By TMICHAEL ......Jim, having a CM in each theater is exactly how the attraction was originally designed and how we operated CoP and America SIngs in Disneyland. You know, back when they did things the right way. You want to cut operating costs to the extreme then you get crap going on like this AND poorly trained CM's. ...... xray, The spiel we use for America SIngs did have instructions on how and when it was ok to exit the theater if the guests wished to leave the attraction. ......Actually sorry to hear the CM's in FLA aren't trained properly HMButler. Because the way you describe BASICS, is pretty much a joke. Know the bare minimum?! Pretty sad state to be in for TDOoh wait, there was that little monorail incident.....SNAP! Guess they didn't learn from the problems TDA went through with the Pressler era.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost >>>having a CM in each theater is exactly how the attraction was originally designed and how we operated CoP<<< I remember that as well, as a guest. I'll bet that beyond hourly pay for that many CM's there was also a substantial cost to combat the mental illness resulting from watching and listening to the show all day long, over and over and over and over again. I would think that after awhile it would make "going postal" seem like an afternoon with Mr. Rogers!
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA It's like that with all attractions at the Disney parks, Goofyernmost. Imagine working in 'The Tiki Room' or as a skipper on the 'Jungle Cruise' or in the Stretch Room in 'The Haunted Mansion' or any of the rest of the attractions. It's mind numbing and mind boggling. The repetitive nature of working on attractions certainly can and does drive some cast members to distraction.
Originally Posted By standor The thing that would drive me nuts is to be stuck on IT'S A SMALL WORLD and listen to that song for a long time.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 And when that happens at Small World guests who are close to a landing will also get out of their boats and try to exit on their own.
Originally Posted By danyoung >Imagine working in 'The Tiki Room' or as a skipper on the 'Jungle Cruise' or in the Stretch Room in 'The Haunted Mansion' or any of the rest of the attractions.< Which is why Disney cycles its CMs through different positions on any given attraction or area. I can take any song or theme or repetitive thing for 30 minutes at a time, as long as I've got the promise of a change of scenery and duty to look forward to.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 Jim, i LOVED working Stretch in the Mansion, ESPECIALLY duting the last hour when we only had one room running and you basically did.......NOTHING. Got paid to look hot in near pitch blackness in a green suit and creep guests out. Some Stretchs were respectful, other Stretchs you had to play good cop bad cop/Dolores Umbridge type. Overall, a blast though. But speiling at Jungle IS mindnuming. Only good cruises were at night when we could do and say whatever we wanted.
Originally Posted By HMButler79 ""Which is why Disney cycles its CMs through different positions on any given attraction or area"" No longer the case w/ CDS
Originally Posted By danyoung So can any current cast member confirm that they no longer rotate you through several positions?
Originally Posted By RoadTrip From what I can find on the net, it appears that CDS as originally implemented greatly reduced rotation of CM on attractions using the system. It also appears that the system was widely ignored by front line CM because of the fact that it just didn't work. <<"Cast Deployment (CDS) is on shaky ground right now," admitted one manager. "It's an absolute nightmare to manage, and the Leads all have about had it. Some Leads are secretly just using the old rotations now, and filling out the Deployment paperwork and whiteboards as if they were really doing CDS. Many managers are quietly looking the other way when that happens.>> Source: http://www.mouseplanet.com/7512/Cast_Members_Big_Secrets Over the past 10 years the implementation of CDS appears to have changed to meet some of the objections, but I think it would take a current Cast Member to give us input on what it is actually like right now. The 2010-2014 contract between Disney Parks and the Service Trades Council Union addressed the issue, but did so rather vaguely. <<14 SECTION 4. CAST DEPLOYMENT SYSTEM 15 Where the Cast Deployment System (CDS) is used, the Company will take appropriate steps to 16 educate employees, Managers, and Union Shop Stewards on how to properly use CDS. Should the 17 Company decide to implement CDS in new locations, the Company will meet and discuss the 18 implementation plan with the respective Union. The Company will work to resolve employees’ issues 19 regarding CDS in a timely manner and will have a contingency plan to provide timely rest periods, lunch 20 periods, and rotational bumps, in the event of unforeseen circumstances.>> I am unable to post a good link for the PDF document, but if you Google for "AGREEMENT BETWEEN WALT DISNEY PARKS AND RESORTS" you should be able to find it.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I can tell you about CDS. CDS does 2 things. It assigns positions and sends people to breaks and lunches and it sends out rotations depending on the attraction you work out. There maybe some attractions that do not do a rotation, but I dont know of any off the top of my head. A CM clocks in then signs into CDS. CDS then gives them a position at the attraction to take over. It also tell the CM to send the person currently in that position to either break, lunch, another position or some other task. Once an hour when a CM signs into CDS they pull a rotation. They take over the first position of that rotation and everyone moves to the next position. At small attractions that can happen quickly in large attractions with lots of CM's and positions (and lots of distance between positions) that can take 30 mins for everyone to move that one position. The old system was you clocked in, took over the first position in the rotation and everyone else moved on position. The person in the final position went on break or lunch and when they returned the process was repeated. Personally I like the rotation system better. It keeps you moving and on slow days I could reward my CM's by giving them extra breaks to make up for the very busy days when breaks moved slowly.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 Just to clarify. CDS does more than the two things I mentioned. I spoke about them because of this discussion. CDS is responsible to make sure that staffing needs are met based on projected attendance. There is a graph that shows the expected needs and imposed on top of that scheduled staffing. At a glance you can make sure that you have enough people to do what needs to be done every hour. The problem with CDS is that it is a system. It doesn't think. I just spits out information based on what it has been programmed to do. It doesn't take into account that standing at unload at Peter Pan, for instance, is monotonous. It spits our breaks or lunches based on the union guidelines. Because it is a program it does not take into account that if you are working a 10 or 12 hour day that you may want to take you lunch later in the day rather than your second break no matter how early in the day it is.
Originally Posted By sjhym333 And...it dings your personnel record if you are late to work, late from break or late from lunch. It also doesn't like if you don't clock out on time.
