Are Cast Members screened?

[alleghator]

I've seen advice that parents point out cast members and their name badges and how to recognize cast members in case child and parent become separated.

Occasionally paranoid me wants to know about the screening process for WDW cast members. Are they fingerprinted? Background checks? I mean, they're people who have deliberately chosen to work with and around children ... do they have the same sort of screening process as our children's teachers?

Thanks for any info!

--Heidi

 

[disneymac]

I've wondered about this too - especially in regard to those pirate cruises...

 

[dtsaos]

I used to be a cast member (a hundred years ago ) and although I worked in culinary, I can say based on my experience that there doesn't appear to be any specific screening done to work at Disney. However, like other places of employment, they probably do run your SS# and I'd like to think that if someone came up with a child abuse record or something horrible like that, that Disney would not hire them. However, I'm not sure how the law is about discriminating. There was someone I worked with in one kitchen who was an ex-con.-although I never found out what he had been in for! I guess just like any large corporation, there are all kinds of people that work there. After having worked there and having visited many times, I would say that I feel that most employees are working there because they, like us, enjoy the atmosphere- I can tell you that they sure ain't there for the great pay!!

I think for the CM's that are working directly with kids, they do more careful screening-although I'm not positive-hopefully someone else can say for sure.

 

[Feralpeg]

New CMs are fingerprinted. My sister became a CM about 3 months ago and had it done. They send the fingerprints to the FBI.

 

[DsnyGrl]

Hey, I was a cast member at WDW and am still employed by them just not in Orlando. Yes, they do background check and fingerprinting. All cast members must be cleared through this screening before they can be an active CM. Hope this helps!

 

[blessedby3]

Just remember too that anyone can buy a name badge (guest of honor badge) so you shouldnt make that the deciding factor for a child to tell if someone works there. They should also look for someone behind a counter or in a uniform from Disney.

 

[kenziesmom]

Just remember too that anyone can buy a name badge (guest of honor badge) so you shouldnt make that the deciding factor for a child to tell if someone works there. They should also look for someone behind a counter or in a uniform from Disney.

If I remember correctly, all CMs have white badges and guest have red and maybe blue. Please correct me if I'm wrong!!!

 

[poohluvrs]

There are WDW security badges for sale - check ebay....I would not tell a child to just trust a badge.....

 

[wrldpossibility]

EMT and Search and Rescue volunteer (deal with lost children) is for a lost child in a crowded atmosphere like Disney to look for a mother with a stroller, not an employee. This is because, as others pointed out, anyone can have a badge and it's hard for scared children to tell if someone is an employee. It may be a stereotyped assumption, but the odds are in your child's favor to trust an adult woman WITH a stroller in tow to help. I know that sounds biased and stereotypical, but the numbers show it's true. Plus, there are so many of them in a place like Disney that the child does not have to wander to find them (never advice your child to GO anywhere if lost, but to stay in the same place if possible).

Anyway, I don't know anything about how Disney employees are screened, but I thought I'd pass on that info. Hope it helps.

Amy

 

[alleghator]

A great book I have "Protecting the Gift" recommends we teach our children to always look for a mother with kids or at the very least an adult women. You're completely on-target about the statistics.

Also -- make sure your child will seek someone out. Child predators will recognize a vulnerable child in a heartbeat. Your child will naturally have good instincts about who can help. He or she should seek out and choose and adult to approach.

Roleplay the dialogue, taking turns being the adult or the child. Make sure your child knows your first name. And, have your cell number on your child somewhere inconspicuous (but show it to your child). A piece of masking tape inside the hem of a T-shirt is a good spot.

Guess that's it.

--Heidi

 

[rt2dz]

EMT and Search and Rescue volunteer (deal with lost children) is for a lost child in a crowded atmosphere like Disney to look for a mother with a stroller, not an employee.

This is so true!! I have posted this over and over on this board so many times it isn't even funny. The reasoning is also because not all employees/people in uniforms are "good guys". And small children have an exteremly difficult time distinguishing the difference. And, please, not to be morbid, remember no matter how well screened, it is only the people who have committed previous offenseses (and every offender has a first) AND have been caught that can be weeded out in the screening process. And when we were there in Sept. 2004, Tigger had just returned to work at WDW after being cleared of molestation charges, to simply be arrested again for the same offense (while at WDW working!). It turned out he had convictions in another country that Disney missed in the screening process. Nothing is fullproof, but do your best to protect your children.

 

[Zoesmama03]

I know they do 10 year background check from when I worked there back in 98. Interesting to know they do fingerprinting now.

 

[DISLOVE]

Also -- make sure your child will seek someone out. Child predators will recognize a vulnerable child in a heartbeat. Your child will naturally have good instincts about who can help. He or she should seek out and choose and adult to approach.
--Heidi

I just had to respond to this one... I'm shocked that we are telling people to trust a child's instinct for who is safe and who is not. When I was younger a neighbor was kidnapped when a man asked her to help him find his puppy. She felt completely at ease and got into his car. Luckily she was found alive days later but was definitely seriously harmed and scarred for life. I think it's unrealistic to think that children can tell who is evil, adults struggle with this everyday!

And, as a young girl I was molested by a 24 year old woman. This woman had a 2 year old daughter that I would "babysit" (keep busy while her mom did work around the house) I find it to be very scary that we are teaching children that just because someone is female that they are safe.

Are there statistics about children approaching a man with a stroller? Or perhaps a family with a stroller? I think that when a child gets lost they are already at risk... teaching them to seek out adult assistance is a step closer to finding mom or dad... is there a chance that an on duty CM is going to steal them?

Just my 2 cents...

Kristy

 

[bicker]

The point is that predators know the tendency for lost children to seek out those with official looking badges, so predators use that knowledge to their own nefarious ends. Badges are cheap. Strollers with live babies in them are much harder to fabricate, and generally, therefore, are less likely to be operated by a predator.

 

[DISLOVE]

The point is that predators know the tendency for lost children to seek out those with official looking badges, so predators use that knowledge to their own nefarious ends. Badges are cheap. Strollers with live babies in them are much harder to fabricate, and generally, therefore, are less likely to be operated by a predator.

I get the point...

But is there data that says that a daddy pushing a stroller is not as helpful? Shouldn't we teach the children to look for families with strollers?

 

[bicker]

There is definitely data showing that men commit more predatory crime than women, so indeed a child's chances are better with a woman than with a man. It's sexist, no question, but is there anyone here would would blame any parent for exhibiting this bit of sexism when it comes to giving their child the best protection against becoming a victim?

 

[Brightsy]

We've taught our older DS to look for a Mommy w/ a stroller or for a family w/ small kids. He also knows to look for the security uniform (or a CM w/ a character in tow). Our younger DS is autistic and while not exactly non-verbal isn't capable (yet) of saying his name or anything helpful like that so we got him these shoe tags from "Who's Shoes ID Kits." (We even put one on the older DSs shoes, just in case). it's a velcro tag that wraps around the shoelaces. Inside it I put my son' name, my cell phone number, that he's autistic and one emergency contact number. In addition on a piece of masking tape I write the same info and the hotel we're staying at. I put the tape on the inside of his shirt just enough under the neck where he can't get at it and it doesn't bother him too much.
We role-play w/ both the kids about what to do.

Sara

 

[alleghator]

I think part of the problem is that ... statistically speaking ... there haven't been enough dads out pushing strollers (without moms) to get any sort of statistically significant trend.

Historically the VAST majority of child predators are male. The VAST majority of female molestors are doing so because of a male somehow involved. I'm not saying females don't molest, I'm saying that it's almost statistically insignificant compared to the the number of males.

As for trusting the child ... the books I've read (including "Protecting the Gift" Get it and read it ... powerful in preparing yourself and your family.) ... obviously we have to teach our children about not going off with people, that adults don't ask children for help to find puppies, etc. What we *are* supposed to do is teach our lost children not to just sit there being lost. If we teach the child to approach a mom with a stroller, rather than having them sit still not talking to strangers until someone approaches them, their odds of being safely and quickly reunited with us go up immeasurably.

--Heidi

 

[MrsPete]

IF the child should have the misfortune to be lost (and the great majority don't get separated from their parents), the chances of him going up to an employee who's looking to kidnap /abuse a child are mighty slim. I think it's smart to talk to the kids ahead of time about what to do if they're lost, but I think worrying about what Disney employees might do at work, in the presence of co-workers and cameras is over-worrying.

I use the term "safe strangers" with my kids. I explain to them that people who are working in stands, etc. at Disney are employees, and they know what to do if kids are lost. Ditto for the mall, etc. While these people are strangers, they are strangers who are out there in a public position of responsibility, and they'd have to be awfully brazen to try to kidnap /abuse a child who's already making a scene by crying, a child whose parents are actively looking for him, and a child who's being watched by his co-workers.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Considering that the vast majority of abductions/assaults are not stranger related, I think that the statistical risk of a child being assaulted at Disney by an employee are pretty tolerable. Your child is at more risk a a family reunion, or the local boys and girls club in your neighborhood.