AngieBelle
<font color=#FF0066>Future Belle on Broadway<br><f
- Joined
- Aug 30, 1999
- Messages
- 2,165
It's funny- working as a CM, you can really learn a lot about people, and I think there are things that if guests knew in advance, both guests and CMs would be happier. I'm going to share them with you- with specifics towards attractions I work. 
*The first thing you should do upon arrival is check your time guide and plan your day around shows and parades with set times. Stage shows are typically 20-30 minutes, and audio animatronic and 3-D shows are generally about 10. I'd recommend getting to the theatre before the show starts, not after. This is especially important if someone in your party is in a wheelchair or ECV because these parties get seated first. After a certain point, they can no longer bring them in.
*Before you buy your snacks, keep in mind that most attractions don't allow you to bring in food. Plan accordingly. (i.e. don't buy those big ice cream cones for your entire family 5 minutes before showtime.) FYI, Festival of The Lion King is now enclosed and no longer allows you to bring in food.
*Most places will not allow you to bring in your strollers for safety reasons. Expect to have to park them outside, even if you kid is sleeping in it. I'd recommend marking your stroller with a ribbon or a flag or something.
*Please don't argue with the CM when you are given instructions- they are quite often for your own safety or for the safety of those around you. I.E: at the Festival of TLK or other shows, you will likely be asked to slide all the way down your row. This is so people don't have to crawl over you, and the theatre loads faster. My suggestion for those of you who want to have an end seat so your kids can see better is to wait off to the side and let people get in front of you before you sit down.
*If a CM or entertainment person asks your child if he or she would like to participate in something, please don't answer for your child. Some kids are clearly too shy to go up. Don't make them do it if they don't want to. At TLK, I choose kids to help me teach the handjive, and there's nothing worse then ending up with kids who just look up at me and stare when I bring them in front of the crowd.
*Along the same lines, do not force your children to approach a character if they freak out, and especially do not punish them or threaten to do so if they will not go up to a character. (Yes, this happens- my boyfriend is a character greeter.) In my mind, if you bring your kids along to WDW, they rule the vacation. Do whatever they'd like to. If there's something you want to do and they don't, come back another time without them. Everyone will be happier.
Here is some advice for Festival of TLK where I currently work.
*30 minute show, we load the theatre 15 minutes before showtime
*as mentioned before, no food or drink inside the theatre, but you can bring the food all the way up to the door.
*the sections are as follows: when you first enter, the section to your right is warthog, to the right of that is lion, then elephant, then giraffe. You will be asked to fill the far sections first- elephant and lion. This makes the load faster.
*No one is allowed to sit on the steps or the floor during the show- it's a violation of safety codes.
*During the "lion sleeps tonight" only children chosen by the dancers are allowed to join the show.
*The back section of the giraffe section is for late comers- that's why that section will be roped off when you first enter. Once the show starts, we let people enter through the door at the back of that section. It is especially important to go all the way to the right when you enter your row in this section.
*Keep your parties together! This theatre holds over 1400 guests- if you split up, you will never find each other. Also you won't be allowed to save seats. Wait until you are all together before entering the theatre.
*the stage is elevated and it's a theatre in the round. Every section gets a good view. (I should know- I've watched it from every corner.)
*Video and flash photography *are* allowed! Just turn off the lighting on your video camera.
*if you must exit during the show, please contact a CM. You have to follow a specific path and use a certain exit to get out because the floats and performers are everywhere.
*As you are exiting the theatre, don't climb on the stage or the floats. You may take pics in front of them, but please move quickly as we do need to prepare for the next show.
Hopefully knowing this stuff in advance will help make your experience that much better! I've also worked Pocahontas and her Forest Friends, Tough to be a Bug, Aladdin's Magic Carpets, Tiki Room, and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and will be happy to answer questions about them or the parks in general if I can.
*The first thing you should do upon arrival is check your time guide and plan your day around shows and parades with set times. Stage shows are typically 20-30 minutes, and audio animatronic and 3-D shows are generally about 10. I'd recommend getting to the theatre before the show starts, not after. This is especially important if someone in your party is in a wheelchair or ECV because these parties get seated first. After a certain point, they can no longer bring them in.
*Before you buy your snacks, keep in mind that most attractions don't allow you to bring in food. Plan accordingly. (i.e. don't buy those big ice cream cones for your entire family 5 minutes before showtime.) FYI, Festival of The Lion King is now enclosed and no longer allows you to bring in food.
*Most places will not allow you to bring in your strollers for safety reasons. Expect to have to park them outside, even if you kid is sleeping in it. I'd recommend marking your stroller with a ribbon or a flag or something.
*Please don't argue with the CM when you are given instructions- they are quite often for your own safety or for the safety of those around you. I.E: at the Festival of TLK or other shows, you will likely be asked to slide all the way down your row. This is so people don't have to crawl over you, and the theatre loads faster. My suggestion for those of you who want to have an end seat so your kids can see better is to wait off to the side and let people get in front of you before you sit down.
*If a CM or entertainment person asks your child if he or she would like to participate in something, please don't answer for your child. Some kids are clearly too shy to go up. Don't make them do it if they don't want to. At TLK, I choose kids to help me teach the handjive, and there's nothing worse then ending up with kids who just look up at me and stare when I bring them in front of the crowd.
*Along the same lines, do not force your children to approach a character if they freak out, and especially do not punish them or threaten to do so if they will not go up to a character. (Yes, this happens- my boyfriend is a character greeter.) In my mind, if you bring your kids along to WDW, they rule the vacation. Do whatever they'd like to. If there's something you want to do and they don't, come back another time without them. Everyone will be happier.
Here is some advice for Festival of TLK where I currently work.
*30 minute show, we load the theatre 15 minutes before showtime
*as mentioned before, no food or drink inside the theatre, but you can bring the food all the way up to the door.
*the sections are as follows: when you first enter, the section to your right is warthog, to the right of that is lion, then elephant, then giraffe. You will be asked to fill the far sections first- elephant and lion. This makes the load faster.
*No one is allowed to sit on the steps or the floor during the show- it's a violation of safety codes.
*During the "lion sleeps tonight" only children chosen by the dancers are allowed to join the show.
*The back section of the giraffe section is for late comers- that's why that section will be roped off when you first enter. Once the show starts, we let people enter through the door at the back of that section. It is especially important to go all the way to the right when you enter your row in this section.
*Keep your parties together! This theatre holds over 1400 guests- if you split up, you will never find each other. Also you won't be allowed to save seats. Wait until you are all together before entering the theatre.
*the stage is elevated and it's a theatre in the round. Every section gets a good view. (I should know- I've watched it from every corner.)
*Video and flash photography *are* allowed!
Just turn off the lighting on your video camera.*if you must exit during the show, please contact a CM. You have to follow a specific path and use a certain exit to get out because the floats and performers are everywhere.
*As you are exiting the theatre, don't climb on the stage or the floats. You may take pics in front of them, but please move quickly as we do need to prepare for the next show.
Hopefully knowing this stuff in advance will help make your experience that much better!
I've also worked Pocahontas and her Forest Friends, Tough to be a Bug, Aladdin's Magic Carpets, Tiki Room, and Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse and will be happy to answer questions about them or the parks in general if I can.
