MK Family of the Day, Gate Keeper

[Brooklyn]

Has anyone been the "First Family", "Family of the Day", "Gate Keeper" at the MK? Does anyone know how you can become this? It is the family that opens the park on the WDW Railroad with all of the characters.

Thanks!

 

[winniedapooh]

When we went in October last year we were about 4th in one of the lines and CM and someone else?, can't recall who, came out and picked 2 little girls in the front of one of the lines to do this. They were not dressed special or anything, looked random to me.

 

[WDSearcher]

It is a totally random choice. Certain CMs are assigned to find the families or people who will do the "official" duties, and they all have their own criteria. Basically, they look for friendly people who are nicely dressed (no torn up t-shirts or too-tight pants or hats with nasty slogans on them) and seem to be outgoing and enjoying themselves. People who are TOO eager (bopping from turnstile to turnstile to try and talk to ALL the CMs or pushing their kids in front saying "wave at the characters ... wave at the characters!") are generally not chosen. People with lots of stuff -- diaper bags, camera bags, jackets, sweaters, water bottles, etc -- generally aren't chosen either, just because it's hard to navigate with all that stuff. Having a child with a really cute smile or an cute hairdo (unusual ponytail holder on a girl, spiky hair on a little boy) will sometimes get them noticed in a crowd.

But there's no real guarantee. It depends on who's choosing that day. One day a family got to do it because they were all wearing Green Bay Packer shirts and the CM doing the choosing was from Wisconsin! You never know ...