Fake names for Cast Members

[princessgirl2238]

I don't believe this is right! I have been told by too many Disney people that most of their names are not real unless they work in a labled area in the park. (i.e. - Canadian Pavillion, Test Track, etc)

well everyone in my area uses their real names (and i know several international program kids that have kept their real names and in our language it's different - one's real name is Echo) and disney uses the name they are given by that person in their hire paperwork (so it's not too easy to get a fake name unless you left the name tag at home for the day)

 

[BroadwayGirl]

A coworker of mine worked at CRO at yes, they all use made up names.

that is not true at all. they use your first name, a lot of people out there have some really strange names, the only people that are aloud to pick new names are the ones from over seas in asia and africa they can pick their real name or chose one that is more easily pronounced.

Actually, David is correct and princessgirl is wrong. CRO CMs all use their "GIVEN" names. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the names they use were "GIVEN" to them by their parents when they were born. This is done to avoid confusion such as would occur by having 15 different Debbies working at any one time. This is also different from the standard practices in the theme parks themselves.

 

[princessgirl2238]

Actually, David is correct and princessgirl is wrong. CRO CMs all use their "GIVEN" names. However, this doesn't necessarily mean that the names they use were "GIVEN" to them by their parents when they were born. This is done to avoid confusion such as would occur by having 15 different Debbies working at any one time. This is also different from the standard practices in the theme parks themselves.

glad to know that i'm wrong (especially when i have such a common name and disney never seemed to be willing to change any of the 7 girls with the same name in my area)

 

[BroadwayGirl]

glad to know that i'm wrong (especially when i have such a common name and disney never seemed to be willing to change any of the 7 girls with the same name in my area)

As I stated previously, you were wrong about the CRO names where every effort is make to ensure that each CM has a unique "GIVEN" name when answering the phones. However, their nametags normally state the name their parents gave them, whether or not that is their "GIVEN" name. I have many friends who work there who have given me the lowdown on that. As I also stated, this is different than what happens in the theme parks so if you work in a theme park you might not be familiar with how things are done at CRO.

 

[NJOYURLIFE]

The old style nametags with the hometown location on them will return for the new Million Dreams Celebration.

I am glad to hear that and I hope they keep them.

Also, just curious, do you have to turn in your name tag when you are no longer employed there? I would have wanted to keep it as a reminder and if I wasn't allowed to keep it, I would probably "lose" it right before my last day.

 

[grumpymakesmehappy]

The old style nametags with the hometown location on them will return for the new Million Dreams Celebration.

Good. I'm glad. I really liked seeing where the CM are from.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Our name tags for the 50th also had our hometown on them. Mine has Lowell, Ma across the bottom. Can't wait to see the new YOAMD name tags.

 

[Lorelai]

So....no one ever answered the post about how to send a positive (or negative) comment to Disney regarding a CM if, in fact, the names are false, or borrowed for a day.

Let's say "Mike" sprinkles some pixie dust your way, and you want to write a positive letter, only "Mike" was not "Mike" at all, he was "David" wearing "Mike's" badge.

Or let's say "David" kicks a bird near the Epcot fountain (I actually read a post about a CM hurting an animal in Epcot & that security was alerted and he was escorted out of Epcot) and you report him. But "David" was not "David" at all, he was just wearing "David's" badge. The real David would then be in some deep doo doo.

Things could get messy.

 

[cleo]

I worked as a travel agent booking Disney vacations and I can assure you, the CRO CM's names are not their real names.

 

[gduvall]

When we were there in August, I was talking to a CM near the POTC. He was wearing a name tag that had a location on it, one of the old one (I really miss those). Anyway I commented on it and he laughed and said, no, he wasn't from that location and it wasn't even his real name. For some reason (he did tell me, but I forgot), he didn't have a name tag and he was told to reach in this box and pull one out so that he was wearing one. That struck me as interesting. Of course, he could have been pulling my leg, but he was on the quiet side and was very helpful.

I was told the exact same thing a couple of years ago by a CM. We were on the Jungle Cruise and we notice the name tag on the captain was from our home town and we inquired. He told us the same story as above about reaching into a box of assorted name tags to just have one on.

 

[agotta]

Our name tags for the 50th also had our hometown on them. Mine has Lowell, Ma across the bottom. Can't wait to see the new YOAMD name tags.

Hey my exhusband is from ludlow, ma and did the cp...maybe you know him!!!

I forgot my name tag once and became Marilyn, it was a prety funny joke between a bunch of my fellow cms...so much so that I stayed Marilyn for the rest of my CP.

 

[Becky521]

I am fighting the urge to call Disney just to see who I will talk to.

Hannahsmom - Sharonyalagrisma

Kevinswife2 - I have never met anyone named Brick but I did work with a guy named Branch once. He used to introduce himself "Hi I'm Branch. Like a tree."

My daughter is hoping to do the CP in the next year or so. Her name is already different (not Sharonyalagrisma different). so I know there won't be more than one of her name where ever she works.

 

[Lorelai]

Hannahsmom - Sharonyalagrisma

I too thought that was just hilarious!

 

[chigirl]

I'm thinking that, too...if someone acts up and you report them or they are good and you praise them, it might not be the person!

I manage a large department store and when we had our company's CEO in I told everyone to have badges on and told the switchboard operator to print some up (ours are paper inserted into a lanyard), so she made up 8 "JOHN" and 8 "SUE" badges, so every one of my stockguys had "JOHN" on. The CEO caught on real quick and was like, "Hmmmm, not much originality in naming children in the Chicagoland area, is there?"

Does Bloom work the ADR number? I think I had him when I called...I had such a great operator and I remember thinking he had an unusual name.

Fun fact...the monologist David Sedaris is famous for his piece "The Santa land Diaries" which chronicles his time as an elf at Macy's herald Square store Santa Land. His elf name was Crumpet. His sister Amy Sedaris from Strangers W/candy fame was in the film "Elf" and she refers to the girl elf played by Zoey daschenel as Crumpet.

 

[Trini]

This is such an interesting thread.

Im glad to hear that some, if not all, of the Cast Members you speak to on the phone have made up names. The ones with unusual names, that I have spoken to are Merlin, Story, Anastasia and Precious (I write down who I spoke to, the date, and all that, just in case)

It would be fun to have a FAKE name at work.

 

[Lorelai]

I write down who I spoke to, the date, and all that, just in case

That's a good idea. I am going to start doing that too.

 

[safetymom]

They also make lots of extra Chris and Pat name tags. They can be male or female.

 

[SnwflkCts]

This is just a hilarious thread. I never thought about people making up names. Now, I will never be the same when I talk to CRO!! And will I ever trust who is being kind to me ....

I should have known about this! When I worked at a store and left my badge at home, I would just wear the one someone left in the drawer. So I was Tony every once in a while. It got harder to do when they went to Mr. or Ms. and a last name cause I am a woman and wearing the Mr. really threw people off.

Fun thread --

 

[Trini]

I think they have the fake names at Disneyland, too. I just called the Disneyland Dining Reservation Number to make a reservation for Monday at Goofy's Kitchen and was helped by Trixy. Ok, that could be her real name, but I wouldn't bet on it.

I think the whole fake name thing is great

 

[Makua]

Where are you people from? You've never heard of strange names? Just look in the phone book! The days of John and Mary have been over for a long time! The generation that gave birth to todays CPs were totally into coming up with unique names. By the way, ever heard of Apple or Suri?