Hey! Tips from a CM

[Daniel Piroli]

Hello All!
I am new to the Dis, would love to help anyone who has any questions that I may be able to answer. Love helping guests out when planning a Disney Vacation! Would also love to hear from anyone else who has helpful tips.

 

[grandmomhop]

What's the best way to get from Animal Kingdom to Magic Kingdom? Or is it easier to do that one day, and just pop back and forth from Epcot to MK? Planning a solo trip next month and staying at the KOA off property.

 

[Daniel Piroli]

.

 

[old feller]

Hello..would mnsshp hallow wishes be crazy crowded (never seen wishes)? Should we even try Main Street ? Thinking of watching from bridge to tomorrowland. Thanks

 

[Mambo Junkie]

On the same vein, where is the best place to view Wishes and CTM? I've seen the maps, heard that in front of BOG is good and even heard something about Swiss Family Robinsons Treehouse. Any ideas?

 

[Daniel Piroli]

Hello..would mnsshp hallow wishes be crazy crowded (never seen wishes)? Should we even try Main Street ? Thinking of watching from bridge to tomorrowland. Thanks

.

 

[Daniel Piroli]

On the same vein, where is the best place to view Wishes and CTM? I've seen the maps, heard that in front of BOG is good and even heard something about Swiss Family Robinsons Treehouse. Any ideas?

.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

What's the best way to get from Animal Kingdom to Magic Kingdom? Or is it easier to do that one day, and just pop back and forth from Epcot to MK? Planning a solo trip next month and staying at the KOA off property.

From AK take the bus to the Contemporary and walk to MK. Its a 12 minute walk. This is the best thing to do.

 

[siskaren]

From AK take the bus to the Contemporary and walk to MK. Its a 12 minute walk. This is the best thing to do.

Why is that better than taking a direct bus from AK to MK?

 

[jenniy122]

Hello..would mnsshp hallow wishes be crazy crowded (never seen wishes)? Should we even try Main Street ? Thinking of watching from bridge to tomorrowland. Thanks

It will be, and the bridge will be crowded too (CM's on the bridge will enforce there being a path to walk through), pretty much anywhere with a front view of the castle is crowded.

On the same vein, where is the best place to view Wishes and CTM? I've seen the maps, heard that in front of BOG is good and even heard something about Swiss Family Robinsons Treehouse. Any ideas?

I have separate favorites for each, but that's a two night event of course. I like to watch Wishes from the upper level of the train station, and Celebrate from right in front of the castle.

Why is that better than taking a direct bus from AK to MK?

Highly likely the direct bus will be more crowded, and takes longer to load/unload, plus the general congestion of the MK bus depot can take longer to walk from the bus stop to the gates than from Contemporary.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Highly likely the direct bus will be more crowded, and takes longer to load/unload, plus the general congestion of the MK bus depot can take longer to walk from the bus stop to the gates than from Contemporary.

I know. I couldn't believe how far it was from the AoA bus stop to the gate. The AoA stop was the furthest away.

 

[old feller]

Captain Dan,
Would bridge to frontier land be better for hallow wishes

 

[addiemon]

Other than giving positive feedback reports, what are some cool things people can do for or give cast members to help share/spread the 'magic'? Like, is it okay to give them a little trinket like a pin or something? Are there things that they should absolutely not be given (I'd assume homemade food, for example)?

I'm coming from DC and I thought it might be fun to bring some little DC thing, like stickers or pins, to give out to anyone we make friends with or helps us out, which would definitely include cast members!

 

[Ashley Krizka]

I'm staying at POR the second week of December. We will be staying for 6 nights (3 adults, 1 child). I plan on renting a stroller. Advice on renting a car to get around or just using Disney transportation. We do have two early morning ADRs that would probably require a taxi or uber if not renting a car. Any advice?

 

[addiemon]

I'm staying at POR the second week of December. We will be staying for 6 nights (3 adults, 1 child). I plan on renting a stroller. Advice on renting a car to get around or just using Disney transportation. We do have two early morning ADRs that would probably require a taxi or uber if not renting a car. Any advice?

If you don't want to fuss with a rental car/parking, I've heard Uber and Lyft are great alternatives when you're in a hurry, and using the various transit options when you're not!

 

[wilkeliza]

Other than giving positive feedback reports, what are some cool things people can do for or give cast members to help share/spread the 'magic'? Like, is it okay to give them a little trinket like a pin or something? Are there things that they should absolutely not be given (I'd assume homemade food, for example)?

I'm coming from DC and I thought it might be fun to bring some little DC thing, like stickers or pins, to give out to anyone we make friends with or helps us out, which would definitely include cast members!

Technically CMs are not suppose to receive anything of value and no food. I did have families give me business cards that said thanks for being awesome or thanks for making our trip magical.

However it is always best to go through an official venue either tweeting WDWtoday using #castcompliment or writing it down at guest relations or an email after your trip. These routes are the only way to get it into the CM records which can help with promotions or with keeping jobs. I've seen CMs who have attendance issues (usually for family emergencies with proof) get kept because they had so many guest compliments on file while CMs who don't go above and beyond were just simply let go.

 

[berryinDC]

What question do you get asked most often by guests? What were some of your favorite moments at your job, and why did you enjoy them?

 

[jenniy122]

What question do you get asked most often by guests?

#1 question: "Where is the bathroom?"

 

[wilkeliza]

What question do you get asked most often by guests? What were some of your favorite moments at your job, and why did you enjoy them?

Mine was "Ride?" I can't tell you how many people assumed Agent P was a ride in the Odyssey building.

So so many amazing moments as a CM. Below are a few.

One was a family whose little kids were convienced I knew the real Flynn-Fletchers and that based on my age and being a girl I had to be friends with Candice. The kids hunted me down later in the day and asked me to sign their autograph book.

Another was having an imagineer tell my manager I was the type of CM they hoped would be assigned to the attraction and that my enthusiasm for "saving the world" made the game special for his niece and nephew. I had no clue who the guy was until my manager came to give me the compliment.

To this day my favorite guests were the ones who came to Epcot to celebrate their kid's gotcha days. 2 still stand out years later.One is the little boy who wanted to dress as a prince from his home country so his family researched and got him an amazing ceremonial gown similar to the ones worn in the country he was adopted from. Another was a little girl who all she wanted for her gocha day was to meet Mulan "her princess" I even put a call in to make sure Mulan was present that day since she had not been meeting the day prior.

Then the story I share often here about seeing a 10 year old boy who was reunited with his mom after being lost. Watching her run to him so proud that her son (who had special needs) was able to do exactly what he was told and helped us reunite them by staying calm and giving a note was somehing special. I think all of us involved cried see her so proud of him.

What made each and every one of them special was the "magic" of it. By magic I mean moments you just know are special. I think I left work every single day of my time there with a story of something that touched my heart and made me believe in the Disney magic again.

 

[ConnecticutNonna]

Mine was "Ride?" I can't tell you how many people assumed Agent P was a ride in the Odyssey building.

So so many amazing moments as a CM. Below are a few.

One was a family whose little kids were convienced I knew the real Flynn-Fletchers and that based on my age and being a girl I had to be friends with Candice. The kids hunted me down later in the day and asked me to sign their autograph book.

Another was having an imagineer tell my manager I was the type of CM they hoped would be assigned to the attraction and that my enthusiasm for "saving the world" made the game special for his niece and nephew. I had no clue who the guy was until my manager came to give me the compliment.

To this day my favorite guests were the ones who came to Epcot to celebrate their kid's gotcha days. 2 still stand out years later. 1 the little boy who wanted to dress as a prince from his home country so his family researched and got him an amazing ceremonial gown similar to the ones worn in the country he said as adopt d from. Another was a little girl who all she wanted for her gocha day was to meet Mulan "her princess" I even put a call in to make sure Mulan was present that day since she had not been meeting the day prior.

Then the story I share often here about seeing a 10 year old boy who was as reunited with his mom after being lost. Watching her run to him so proud that her son (who had special needs) was able to do exactly what he was told and helped us reunite them by staying calm and giving a note was somehing special. I think all of us involved cried see her so proud of him.

What made each and every one of them special was the "magic" of it. By magic I mean moments you just know are special. I think I left work every single day of my time there with a story of something that touched my heart and made me believe in the Disney magic again.

You obviously have a "magical" gift! It's CMs like you that make our vacations at WDW so special! Thank you!