'Real' conversations with CM's

[lizandjason]

Anyone have a story to share where a CM went 'out of character' to share a secret or just acted like 'themselves' with you? Like, did Cinderella confess to you that her back was killing her from hugging so many kids all day?

Here's an example: we lingered in the stretching room at the HM after everyone else rushed to the cue, and the CM broke his stoic character and told us to listen for the giggling gargoyles. It was a fun moment.

On the flip side, we asked the CM at 'Turtle Talk' how the technology worked (it was just me and DH, no kids around). She looked at us very seriously and replied, 'What do you mean? It's really Crush!' Good for her for staying in character, but we really wanted to know!

Please share your stories!

 

[kiranic]

When we at DHS in July of 2008, my DD (7 at the time) wanted to go on TT but then when she was going through the queue she started getting nervous. When we got ready to get on the elevator, she started crying a little bit. I was ready to take her out the "chicken exit" when one of the CMs broke character and said to my DD, "Don't worry Princess, it isn't as scary as we make it seem!" She decided that she would go ahead and try it and ended up loving it!

 

[jacksmomma]

On our last trip DS was asleep when we got to the front of the line to meet Snow White. She commented that she liked little men who were sleepy and then mentioned how peaceful DS looked. She said that her little one was like that too. She never came out and said "My child" but it sounded like she was talking about her children. It was sweet.

 

[rn448698]

Back in January 2008, I was using a FP for Peter Pan on MLK day (afternoon) and I asked the CM (bear in mind that I hadn't been to WDW since I was a kid), "How is your day going?" rather sarcastically and fully knowing that it was very busy.

Her response, "This is nuts. January's supposed to be slow."

 

[GovieMom]

Not that he was a character, but it was a slow night when we dined at Boatwright's in POR once; and our server felt the need to let us know just how much he hated his job, the high cost of living in Orlando, his long drive to work, the heavy traffic, etc., etc. Whew!

 

[kirkson]

Several years ago we went in January and one morning it was freezing. low 30s freezing. record cold temps freezing. Anyway, first thing in the AM in AK, we got pictures with Tigger and I said to the CM that he/she was probably nice and warm in the costume. The CM didn't say anything, but vehemently shook his/her head and rubbed his/her arms to indicate that he/she was cold too. not quite breaking character, but it amused me greatly

 

[kaligal]

A guy working the monorail went on and on about how much his job and life sucked. Since we were standing there waiting for the monorail, we really couldn't walk away. We attempted to redirect the conversation, but it kept coming back to all his suckiness.

When the monorail showed up, he put us up front with the driver. I don't really care for the front cab - especially at night when you can't see too much - because it is hot, but since he was being so nice to us, we took it. If we hadn't, he'd just think his life sucked more-being nice and having people turn your kindness down. My friend enjoyed it.

I'd rather they stay in character and be phoney baloneys than complain. I've got problems, too, bub.

 

[TillyMarigold]

At Kouzzina the other night, my husband ordered dessert and the server said "Good choice!" like she's supposed to, and he said "Is there anything that wouldn't be?" And she said, "No, actually, that's the problem we're all having since the transition. It used to be that there were some dishes that were better than others that we would recommend, and other things we would try to steer people away from. But now that it's Kouzzina, everything on the menu is great so we never know what to recommend!"

 

[BradyBz12]

... now that it's Kouzzina, everything on the menu is great so we never know what to recommend!"

Ooh - good to know as we have a ressie there in November!

 

[cbg1027]

Back in May I struck up a conversation with one of the CM's while waiting for rope drop at MK. I've been considering applying to the college program and I noticed on her name tag that instead of a hometown she had a college listed. So I asked her if she was in the college program and we spent about 20 minutes talking and she told me all about it. Her major was dance, and I used to be a pretty serious dancer, so we had fun talking about dance, where she was from, and how much we love Disney! She told me that she enjoyed the college program so much, that this was her 2nd semester in it!

It was great getting to talk to her because I was just waiting around for rope drop, so this definitely made the time pass much faster! So by talking to me "out of character" she was actually doing me a great service!

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

I've experienced the complainer on the Disney Wonder. The busboy was apparently very homesick, thought his roommates smelled, and felt he was lied to about his job because he was a cook in Bulgaria but a busboy on the cruise. We were half expecting him to slip us a letter to send home to his family for help.

Then there was that whole getting pushed by Minnie at Disneyland, but that's a whole other story.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

I don't know if this counts but when I road EE I did it as a single rider. We are a family of 5 so someone has to do it. I ended up riding with a cm that was on her way to work at AKL and had a few minutes before she had to be there so thought she would take a quick ride. She was very nice and made me very jealous. How I wish I could take a quick ride on EE before I went to work in the morning.

 

[holz99]

When we went in 2006, my SIL and my niece decided they wanted to ride Mission:Space and I decided to go along while my DB and other niece went back to the room. It was really late and there was absolutely nobody else in line. When we got in there, a CM was shaking her hips. She caught us watching her and she said that she had been doing that for months while at work and that she had lost like 30 pounds but just moving her hips when standing around. When we finished the ride, she asked us if we wanted to go again since there was nobody around and of course we did!

 

[starbox]

Not at a park, but I called to make dining reservations about a year ago and the CM identified himself as "Mercutio".

My first response was "OH my gosh - is that your real name?"

He laughed and said it was and, feeling bad about my rude questi. " I explained that I'm a high school English teacher.

"Ah", he said, "then you know where my name comes from".

I assured him that I did, and that in 12 years of teaching Romeo and Juliet - I'd never known of anyone really named Mercutio.

He then told me that in addition to really being named Mercutio - he was also Italian.

So - that totally made my night and I am still telling my students that I once talked to a real Mercutio and that he called me "Princess".

It's the little things in life.

 

[Ihave3daughters]

I only saw it once, for a few seconds. When we were at 1900 Park Faire last year Druzilla came to our table for autographs. One of my daughters, trying to start a conversation, asked her how the hunt for a prince was going. She smiled and joked as she wrote in an autograph book that "I tried to get that blonde boy over there to marry me, but he said he'd rather stay with his family..." I said, "well, you probably don't want a guy who still lives with his parents, anyway!" She stopped, and looked at me with a dead serious look, as if to say, 'you got that right, brother' and then went back to signing her autograph... Only lasted for a few seconds but I'll always remember that as a I got a character to break, even for only a brief time...

 

[That'sNotVeryMagical]

About a year ago, my sister and I were waiting to load into Mission Space and struck up a conversation with a cute young cast member named Craig who was from the UK. He asked how long we were there for, I replied and then laughed and asked how long he was there for, and he told us a little about his stay/job there before we got on the ride. I rather enjoyed just hearing him speak.

 

[BreezysMom]

Not at the parks, but at the hospital I work at one of the Pediatric Residents is a former CM. She used to be "Belle". She has told us some great stories and not so great stories of her interactions with guests over the years.

It is cute when she is doing exams on a new admissions, you can totally tell she slips into her Disney mode trying to make them comfortable!

Every time I pass her in the hall I call her "Princess"

 

[LisaBi]

Not really breaking character, but a few years ago there was a young man working at Space Mountain. My son has Down Syndrome and used a wheelchair at the parks. For a few days in a row, this young man was working the wheelchair line and DS got to "playing" with him while waiting and really took a liking to him. On the third day (yes - we have to ride every day), DS wanted the CM to go on the ride with him. He went and got permission to leave his post then did just that.

 

[bakers3]

Last spring, my daughter and were being queued for Soarin' (first row....woo!) when I noticed the CM was from the Netherlands and named Annika. As that is my daughter's name and it is somewhat uncommon here, I asked if she would take a picture with DD. She was so sweet and happily obliged and chatted with DD a bit.

 

[PolyndianPrincessJes]

Not at a park, but I called to make dining reservations about a year ago and the CM identified himself as "Mercutio".

My first response was "OH my gosh - is that your real name?"

He laughed and said it was and, feeling bad about my rude questi. " I explained that I'm a high school English teacher.

"Ah", he said, "then you know where my name comes from".

I assured him that I did, and that in 12 years of teaching Romeo and Juliet - I'd never known of anyone really named Mercutio.

He then told me that in addition to really being named Mercutio - he was also Italian.

So - that totally made my night and I am still telling my students that I once talked to a real Mercutio and that he called me "Princess".

It's the little things in life.

I wanted to name my child Mercutio. It was on my "list" as a teenager.

I only saw it once, for a few seconds. When we were at 1900 Park Faire last year Druzilla came to our table for autographs. One of my daughters, trying to start a conversation, asked her how the hunt for a prince was going. She smiled and joked as she wrote in an autograph book that "I tried to get that blonde boy over there to marry me, but he said he'd rather stay with his family..." I said, "well, you probably don't want a guy who still lives with his parents, anyway!" She stopped, and looked at me with a dead serious look, as if to say, 'you got that right, brother' and then went back to signing her autograph... Only lasted for a few seconds but I'll always remember that as a I got a character to break, even for only a brief time...

I've seen the stepsisters do things like that a lot. I think it's the fun of their characters. They can kinda be like that.

Boomer!!




OK, semi-adult content warning...

On our grown-ups only trip in March, we did a few character meet and greets. We saw the Genie in Epcot and got in his line. My friend's camera didn't have a wrist strap or neck strap (and CMs usually put the camera on their arm when taking pics). Every CM had to fumble with her camera. The Genie CM did the same thing, and I said to my friend "You need to get a strap on that thing!" Except, I got a frog in my throat and didn't actually say "that thing." The Genie burst out laughing a deep, college guy kinda laugh inside his big blue head. My friend and I did the same thing. Those pictures actually turned out really well because we weren't doing the "cheese" smile.