Cast Members really do appreciate your Thank You notes.

[ArielRae]

Looking thru YouTube Disney videos I found this one from a cast member that really points out how much they appreciate those thank you notes they get from guests.

 

[Puffin]

Great video. Wish I knew about the applause-o-grams before we went on our first trip!

 

[frisbeego]

Thanks for sharing this video.

I've written e-mails to guest relations about outstanding CMs. Each time I've received a call acknowledging it. I wonder if those are treated the same (or are the same) as the applause-o-gram.

 

[writerguyfl]

The best job I ever had was working as a Host for Magic Music Days based out of Magic Kingdom. For those that don't know, that's the program that brings (mostly) high-school kids to perform at venues across WDW. I was outside most of the day in the sun, humidity, and/or rain. I loved that job because I was lucky enough to perform at Disneyland every year back when I was in high school.

I guess my excitement for the job worked, as I got a short stack of compliment letters. (This was about 12 years ago, when people still wrote letters.) My prized position from my tenure at Disney World is a thank you letter written by the drum major of a band I hosted for a Spectromagic parade. I have it tucked away with other important items like my high school diploma and hard-copies of old pictures.

So, I'll echo the sentiment of the video: Thank you notes are appreciated...possibly even after the Cast Member leaves Disney.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

Yes, we love getting positive guest feedback! Not only is it nice to get the recognition and the kind words from a guest, it also goes on our record cards and can help us if we want to be transferred or promoted.

 

[zaccaglin]

You wouldn't believe what they mean to us. Problem is a guest will always go to GR to file a complaint, but never too praise us. Always wished that was the other way around.

 

[JonUK]

CMs: does it work if I ask for your manager, say in a restaurant, and tell him the good feedback? or does it HAVE to be in writing? I'll gladly point out good service, but I wonder which will go further... you tell me what works for you!

 

[Duckiedee]

I love recognizing a job well done! I just wanted to confirm I can do this at our on-site hotel? And if so, can I do an Applause-O-Gram for anywhere on resort (restaurant, park, Disney Springs etc.)?

I know I'm going to have a sacked-out kid most nights leaving the park, so doing it at the resort will be so much easier!

 

[Klayfish]

OK, tell me more about the applause-o-gram. Didn't know about them. We were lucky enough to find a babysitter a few years back for when we go to Disney. She happens to be a CM, and my kids absolutely love her, because not only is she sweet as can be, she was born and raised near WDW and they think she's amazing. She's never mentioned these to us, probably because she's a very modest person. Where do I get them? We come across so many great CMs in our trips, we'd be happy to give them out.

 

[goofy4tink]

You wouldn't believe what they mean to us. Problem is a guest will always go to GR to file a complaint, but never too praise us. Always wished that was the other way around.

Oh, some of us spend more time giving out compliments at GS than we do with complaints!!! There was one time I went to GS (at MK) to report a CM (parade control) who had done an outstanding job dealing with a less than wonderful guest. When I approached the GS CM, and said I wanted to file a report, he slowly smiled (but only with his mouth, his eyes were sad!!), and said 'certainly ma'm. how can I help you do that?' as he grabbed a complaint form. I told him, quickly, that no, I wanted to report a very positive experience!!! The eyes started smiling then! He apologized and said he didn't get very many positive reports!! He must have thanked me 4 times for stopping by!!!
And there was the time at ToT, at park closing, that my friend and I had the best CM. She had an attitude that made you feel that you were at park opening, instead of closing. Her 'spiel' was as fresh and on-point as it would have been many hours prior!!! She was incredible. We talked to the manager as soon as we got off the ride! He wrote down all the pertinent info.
When my dd heads to WDW in Sept, I hope that she remembers all the times we've had very good service/interaction, and that she provides that for her guests!!!

 

[WEDWDW]

Are Applause-a-Grams even still around?

Aren't they using the 4 keys form?

 

[TiggerBouncy]

I have written guest services a few times with compliments. I usually get back a nice note, but I am never sure if they actually end up in the CM's record or just an electronic trash bin somewhere.

 

[zaccaglin]

CMs: does it work if I ask for your manager, say in a restaurant, and tell him the good feedback? or does it HAVE to be in writing? I'll gladly point out good service, but I wonder which will go further... you tell me what works for you!

You can tell the manager or lead that yes, but most of the time in my experience the leader just hells the cm in person. By going through guest relations, not only does the positive experience go on our personal record, but we can receive on of the cute little papers or applause a grams with it.

OK, tell me more about the applause-o-gram. Didn't know about them. We were lucky enough to find a babysitter a few years back for when we go to Disney. She happens to be a CM, and my kids absolutely love her, because not only is she sweet as can be, she was born and raised near WDW and they think she's amazing. She's never mentioned these to us, probably because she's a very modest person. Where do I get them? We come across so many great CMs in our trips, we'd be happy to give them out.

Are Applause-a-Grams even still around?

Aren't they using the 4 keys form?

Yes the applause a grams are still around. They are strictly ment for guest to cast praise and appreciation. The 4keys cards are for cast to cast. However the guest relations cm will usually include a 4keys card with an applause a gram. The 4keys cards can be turned into a central location as well to be interred into a drawing, I've been lucky enough to win gift cards and movie tickets before through the drawing.

I have written guest services a few times with compliments. I usually get back a nice note, but I am never sure if they actually end up in the CM's record or just an electronic trash bin somewhere.

It depends on the severity of the issue and how the CMs leader handles it. If the complaint doesn't add up to anything big a manger may just have the conversation with the CM and leave it at that. If it's something bigger than a disscussion with leadership and the CM will take place and a disscussion will be noted on the CMs record card. The notation will just say disscussion/coaching and doesn't go into detail.

Oh, some of us spend more time giving out compliments at GS than we do with complaints!!! There was one time I went to GS (at MK) to report a CM (parade control) who had done an outstanding job dealing with a less than wonderful guest. When I approached the GS CM, and said I wanted to file a report, he slowly smiled (but only with his mouth, his eyes were sad!!), and said 'certainly ma'm. how can I help you do that?' as he grabbed a complaint form. I told him, quickly, that no, I wanted to report a very positive experience!!! The eyes started smiling then! He apologized and said he didn't get very many positive reports!! He must have thanked me 4 times for stopping by!!!
And there was the time at ToT, at park closing, that my friend and I had the best CM. She had an attitude that made you feel that you were at park opening, instead of closing. Her 'spiel' was as fresh and on-point as it would have been many hours prior!!! She was incredible. We talked to the manager as soon as we got off the ride! He wrote down all the pertinent info.
When my dd heads to WDW in Sept, I hope that she remembers all the times we've had very good service/interaction, and that she provides that for her guests!!!

Thank you for doing that! Guests like you deserve an applause a gram.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just know a good manager will give his cast a 4 Keys Card if you verbally call them out. Also if another CM hears it and knows the manager didn't give it out they can hive 4 Keys as well. A 4 Keys card holds the same weight on file as an applause o gram.

Also you don't need the actual applause o gram form. In our morning meetings and seasonally appropriate pre-american gardens shows meetings managers would read emails that were worth sharing with the whole team.

I still have the 2 4 Keys I got on my program. I got some that were just silly between CMs but those 2 were from managers due to guest compliments.

 

[WEDWDW]

Also you don't need the actual applause o gram form. In our morning meetings and seasonally appropriate pre-american gardens shows meetings managers would read emails that were worth sharing with the whole team.

I always send emails.

So the emails don't "generate" applause-o-grams and 4Keys?

Would it be better if I start going to GR so the CM will get these "permanent" forms and be entered in the 4keys drawings?

 

[wilkeliza]

I always send emails.

So the emails don't "generate" applause-o-grams and 4Keys?

Would it be better if I start going to GR so the CM will get these "permanent" forms and be entered in the 4keys drawings?

I'm not sure what goes on in the background versus who gets one and who doesn't but I know only a few are read in front of the entire department. Some may just go to the CM in private or just go in their record.

 

[WEDWDW]

I'm not sure what goes on in the background versus who gets one and who doesn't but I know only a few are read in front of the entire department. Some may just go to the CM in private or just go in their record.

So you think it is better to go to GR?

 

[wilkeliza]

So you think it is better to go to GR?

Yes. If you have time going to GR is always best. However, if you are in a rush or the line is long just write a heart felt letter including the CMs name, city on name tag, work location and day you encountered them. That is an email where lots of details are important because it makes the team filtering it think the CM really did go above and beyond.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

Yes. If you have time going to GR is always best. However, if you are in a rush or the line is long just write a heart felt letter including the CMs name, city on name tag, work location and day you encountered them. That is an email where lots of details are important because it makes the team filtering it think the CM really did go above and beyond.

Based on what Cast Members say, it is also a good idea to give all of that information because Cms often wear name tags that aren't theirs

 

[wilkeliza]

Based on what Cast Members say, it is also a good idea to give all of that information because Cms often wear name tags that aren't theirs

Yes that is why location and date are important. We weren't encouraged to often have the wrong name tag but if you lost yours (or accidentally washed it!) you had to wait for a new one to process which was a couple weeks.