How to recognize CM?

[ajgwin]

Ok, I know how to recognize Mickey and Minnie and those kind of characters, but how do I tell my kids (7,5,5) who to look for if they are lost? Do they have certain type of clothes on or a certain badge? Just want to make sure they go to a "real" CM and not a "fake" one. Thanks.

Allyson

P.S. Sorry for all the questions. We leave in 8 days and I am getting excited.

 

[TSR6]

Disney CM's are always wearing the Disney name tags. Currently, they look like this:

CM's are always the only people standing behind food service counters.

Disney Security looks like this: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v43/bloobuoy/America/Kissimmee/Animal Kingdom/Picture070.jpg Although some of the parking lot & Bike patrol security have yellow shirts with SECURITY on the back, and the normal badge on the front along with a nametag.

Generally, there aren't "fake" CM's at WDW. There are "guest of honor" badges that look somewhat similar to the nametags, but are still quite different. Even "off the clock" CM's can't wear their normal nametags around the parks while visiting as a guest.

 

[SyracuseWolvrine]

As a general rule, people that LOOK like they're working, probably are. They may be behind a merchandise/food counter, sweeping up popcorn, or greeting people at an attraction entrance.

 

[princesstommi]

You will be able to tell, I promise. CMs are in "costume" wherever they are. Costumes vary depending on area and function, but CMs aren't wearing street clothes.

You can stop and talk to CMs, introduce your kids, and show them what CM name badges look like.

 

[mog]

The first day we were there, I told my kids what to do if they were lost. I showed them a CM and the badge they were wearing. I think the best thing I told them, though, was to go to wear they are loading or unloading a ride or attraction or to a cash register in a store/food cart. Then it is easy to identify the CM.
I was very glad I did this - my son ended up getting lost at AK and he knew exactly what to do. It was still very scary for him and for us, but at least he didn't panic - he went right back to where we had just gotten off the Safari and told a CM who was unloading guests that he was lost. I was very proud of him!

 

[nukeantz]

I agree to go to people working,. You can buy the CM looking badges in gift shops.

 

[AJKMOM]

I read here that anyone can buy a "Guest of Honor" badge, and it looks like the CM badge, so beware.

 

[disnut8]

Yes, guests can purchase a Guest of Honor badge that looks like a CM badge. This is what we did with our then five year old granddaughter. First of all, we had her personal information in a pliable plastic holder (baseball card thing) and pinned that inside her shorts. Just in case "we lost her". At our first park, I picked at a friendly Cast Member (the woman directing incoming guests at the Magic Kingdom. Then I showed Marlie how she could tell a Cast Member by their badge. That CM was great. She told Marlie that all Marlie needed to do was to find a person with that particular badge on it. It was a white badge. And not a red badge like some people wear. A white one and then the CM pointed out the slogan on the tag (this was two years ago so it's changed) and said that would be how Marlie knew. The look of relief on my daughter-in-law's face was priceless. We also did the "stay near the last place we saw you" thing. We've actually twice "rescued" lost boys and while they wanted to wander off, we kept them close to where they last saw their parents. Within minutes, they were reunited.

Then again, my 70 year old mother-in-law wandered away after a Braves game attended by 38,000 people and didn't do what she was supposed to do. Somehow, she made it to the car and was patiently waiting for us there. While we frantically searched inside the stadium for her. My father-in-law even got security involved. I thought my husband was going to explode when he was told she was at the car.