Kidcot CMs at American Pavillion

[donnajon]

Why does Disney have Chinese people working at the Kidcot station at the American Pavillion? This makes about as much sense to me as having a German person working in the Japanese kidcot station. My DD was getting her passport stamped and signed and I had to tell the girl working there three times how to spell Lauren. Not exactly a hard name -but she couldn't understand "r". Any other place in Disney and I wouldn't have even noticed but World Showcase needs to have CMs from their own countires. Isn't that part of the attraction to it? I don't understand why they don't have Americans working at the America kidcot station. When we went in December there was someone from I think China then and again this past June, so it seems like this is a regular thing. If someone happened to call in sick both times we visited the American Pavillion, it isn't like there is a shortage of Americans working at Disney. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[Vemnox]

So there's no such thing as a Chinese American? Would you be opposed to having an Asian-looking person from France working in the France pavillion?

 

[donnajon]

If she were Chinese-American, she would have understood "Lauren." And her name tag would have said she was from whatever state in America. But it said she was from China. If an Asian-looking person was actually FROM France and was able to speak French and understand French very easily, I would not be opposed to this. If I were from France, I would expect to have a conversation in French fluently with the CM there without having to speak slowly and repeat basic things such as letters three times (she also couldn't understand "Christopher" and mispelled his name in the passport even though I spelled that one out as well). But that isn't what I was talking about. The point was that she was clearly from China. She didn't understand our accent and we had trouble understanding hers. Again, her name tag said she was from China. I owuldn't have given it a second thought anywhere else at Disney. If this girl was Chinese-American and was clearly from America, I would not have had even noticed. But she was from China. That was what I found odd. She was a nice girl, I just thought it was an unusual place for her to be working.

 

[kadesha]

I get what you're saying. I think that at the pavilions, people with traditional appearances from said country should be working at the Kidcot stations. It's hard enough for little kids to understand different cultures, I think that just makes it even more confusing.

 

[tink22]

I get what you're saying. I think that at the pavilions, people with traditional appearances from said country should be working at the Kidcot stations. It's hard enough for little kids to understand different cultures, I think that just makes it even more confusing.

I don't think this is fair. I have a friend who is Norwegian but was adopted from Korea. She works at the Norway pavilion and speaks Norwegian but looks Korean. Are you saying that you would not like to see her working kidcot because she is not blond with blue eyes, even though she might be great with children? That doesn't seem right.
Disney hires cast members from that country, no matter what they look like.
Also, it teaches kids that diversity is everywhere, in every culture and there is not one 'standard look' for any country. The point of it is that the cultural rep cast member is able to share their experience from living in that particular country, regardless of their appearance.

 

[AdamsPrincess]

I don't think this is fair. I have a friend who is Norwegian but was adopted from Korea. She works at the Norway pavilion and speaks Norwegian but looks Korean. Are you saying that you would not like to see her working kidcot because she is not blond with blue eyes, even though she might be great with children? That doesn't seem right.
Disney hires cast members from that country, no matter what they look like.
Also, it teaches kids that diversity is everywhere, in every culture and there is not one 'standard look' for any country. The point of it is that the cultural rep cast member is able to share their experience from living in that particular country, regardless of their appearance.

That is not what she is saying. She is saying that had a actual girl from China working there.

 

[tink22]

That is not what she is saying. She is saying that had a actual girl from China working there.

I understand what the OP is saying. I was responding to the poster who said they thought only those CM's with 'traditional appearances' from that country should be working at the Kidcot stations. I disagree with that thought. But maybe I misunderstood where they were coming from.

 

[AdamsPrincess]

sorry, that is my bad. I misunderstood you. oops, but yeah...now that is totally crap because you are then teaching your child that only this type of looking person is from there. that isn't fair.

 

[bradk]

language barriers aside (as I'm guessing she still probably speaks better English than most of us speak Chinese), I personally probably would just have asked if only out of curiosity. Could have been a very simple explanation. I'm quite sure it's not the norm.

Pretty much all of the foreign WS cast members are here on a Q1 Visa which legally restricts them to only working at the country they are here to represent. So if she's working somewhere else, either it's not really allowed or she's not here on a Q1. If she's not here on a Q1 (say on a J1 instead), she can work anywhere on property.

obviously the American Adventure is a bit different since Americans don't need a visa to work there.

 

[kadesha]

I understand what the OP is saying. I was responding to the poster who said they thought only those CM's with 'traditional appearances' from that country should be working at the Kidcot stations. I disagree with that thought. But maybe I misunderstood where they were coming from.

There's a million other places in WDW that she could work. I think for kid cot yeah it should be a traditional looking person from said country. Kids have a hard time understanding, my kids are only 4 and 5 so when we go trying to pump some culture into them is difficult and confusing. If this is your arguement, then what about face characters? They are required to have certain characteristics before being hired for that job. Or Tink can only weigh a certain amount so she can fly. Where to draw the line?

 

[kadesha]

sorry, that is my bad. I misunderstood you. oops, but yeah...now that is totally crap because you are then teaching your child that only this type of looking person is from there. that isn't fair.

Maybe you think that, but with a lot of little kids it's their first time being introduced to a new country. If you have a Chinese looking person at the Germany pavilion, it's going to warrant some confusion. I'm sure with older kids and adults it doesn't matter. I guess I just think that way because my kids are small and did have some confusion last time we were there. I'm not trying to sound unfair or offensive, I'm just speaking of what would have made things easier on my kids. They can't be the only kids in the world to get confused by something like that.

I'm thinking from an "introducing my kids to XXXX country standpoint." I guess most people are working on just learning about the country. If a few years, once my kids "get" the concept, I'm sure I won't feel the same way. Once again, sorry if anyone took offense.

 

[PrincessCin]

America is made up of people who immigrated here from countries all over the world, that's what makes it a great country! IMHO it doesn't matter what ethnicity a CM is if they work at the American Kidcot Station, as long as they spoke and understood fluent ENGLISH.

 

[tink22]

There's a million other places in WDW that she could work. I think for kid cot yeah it should be a traditional looking person from said country. Kids have a hard time understanding, my kids are only 4 and 5 so when we go trying to pump some culture into them is difficult and confusing. If this is your arguement, then what about face characters? They are required to have certain characteristics before being hired for that job. Or Tink can only weigh a certain amount so she can fly. Where to draw the line?

When a face character gets hired, they are hired for that role. When a CM from another country comes over to work, they are hired to work in attractions, merchandise, food and beverage etc. The merchandise cast members also work in Kidcot.
I would find it rather insulting to be hired to work merchandise but then be told, 'sorry, though you are a citizen of the country of XXXX, we don't find that you look like you should be from that country, so you are not allowed to work at the Kidcot stations'.
It's one thing to not look like a cartoon character, or be the correct weight to safetly make it down a cable wire. I would find it more upsetting to be told I don't look American and am not allowed to represent my country to the kids who come to visit. But maybe that's just me...
Not trying to attack you but in this day with all of the immigration occuring all over the world, it's hard to pin down a 'look' for many different countries. How do you look French, Candadian, German? How would you want them to choose those people? Hair color? Eye color? Skin color?

 

[kadesha]

How would you want them to choose those people? Hair color? Eye color? Skin color?

You are completely overanalyzing what I am saying. I am sorry that I can't better explain my thoughts.

 

[brandylouwho]

Just kidding.

So, what I got out of the original question was this (my paraphrasing): Disney takes pride in staffing the various pavillions with people from said country, so why is a lady from China (not Chinese American but actually Chinese) working the American Pavillion?

I think it is a good question. Are all the "countries" only staffed with people from said country or is there some overlap?

Now as for spelling and pronunciation--ha! we struggle with that daily on the phone and I am talking to other Americans, but I am a northerner and have lots of work contacts in the south. It is like we are speaking a different language sometimes. Keeps it interesting.

 

[Traveliz]

Just kidding.

So, what I got out of the original question was this (my paraphrasing): Disney takes pride in staffing the various pavillions with people from said country, so why is a lady from China (not Chinese American but actually Chinese) working the American Pavillion?

I think it is a good question. Are all the "countries" only staffed with people from said country or is there some overlap?

Now as for spelling and pronunciation--ha! we struggle with that daily on the phone and I am talking to other Americans, but I am a northerner and have lots of work contacts in the south. It is like we are speaking a different language sometimes. Keeps it interesting.

To answer your question it is my impression that the countries are staffed with people from those countries - my daughter worked with some of the international CMs and I know in a shortage there was something about being able to use French in Canada or vice versa (or maybe it wasn't that but it was two countries with some connection). I will ask her when she gets home.

Liz

 

[tink22]

You are completely overanalyzing what I am saying. I am sorry that I can't better explain my thoughts.

I'm sorry if I am. I thought I was reading everything correctly, but if not it's ok. We'll just let it be.

 

[bradk]

as I briefly mentioned earlier, with exception to management, cast members in the WS are supposed to be from their respective countries.

they are here on a Q1 visa which is a special visa Disney lobbied for to get around student visa issues that allow foreign visitors to spend up to a year in the US on a cultural exchange. As such, they are not subject to have to attend educational classes like they would on a student visa, but they are locked into that pavilion.

only CMs who are here on student visas, such as the CP can work in other areas and in other parks.

 

[kadesha]

I'm sorry if I am. I thought I was reading everything correctly, but if not it's ok. We'll just let it be.

I would continue to try to explain, but my words and thoughts are being twisted into something that they are not. Never did I say they needed to have XX eye color or be XX feet tall, etc. I can just understand why it may be confusing for a Chinese looking person to be at the American pavilion. A lot of little kids may question that. Older kids can understand that Chinese people are Americans too. However, my littles ones don't quite grasp that concept yet. It would just make sense at world showcase for something like that to not take place. It doesn't bother me enough to be out boycotting it or anything though, I was just trying to state that I understood why this was posted by the OP.

 

[lovethecastle]

Since America is a 'melting pot' there are chinese looking americans. This would be an excellent teaching situation for any child that there in no standard to looking like an american.

However there is only 1 official anguage in america & I think the cm's in the american pavillion should speak it well.