To the CM's on the board: what is the one "tip" you can give us?

[AndreaDBfan]

These are all so great, thanks! Our trip is coming up very fast, and as a first timer, I'm worried about seeing everything. I WILL try to remember to slow down, relax and just have fun. Thank you!

 

[Bounce_Tigger]

Me too! I took pics of the ostrich eggs!

Sorry if I stole your innocence! They ARE real, just like Mickey is real!

(Although, I will say that there's a baobab tree near Tusker house that is *very* real)

 

[Yarna]

These are all so great, thanks! Our trip is coming up very fast, and as a first timer, I'm worried about seeing everything. I WILL try to remember to slow down, relax and just have fun. Thank you!

There's no possible way you can see everything, so don't even try. Make a list of your must-sees and make sure you schedule time to enjoy them. You'll enjoy your trip so much more, and you'll know that when you return to WDW you'll have that much more to see.

 

[diskids2]

Oh I love this one....will use it for sure!

 

[skier_pete]

Per this thread - on our next trip, I have scheduled between 30 and 45 minutes each day to "relax and have fun".

SkierPete

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Per this thread - on our next trip, I have scheduled between 30 and 45 minutes each day to "relax and have fun".

SkierPete

Ok, I actually did that on our last trip.[sort of] Dh had everything planned to the minute, and I insisted that on our first night that we would go to Downtown Disney and do whatever.

We ended up at Bob Jackson's show at POR (where we were staying). It was a real hoot. That was because I told Dh that I was ready to go hang out at the resort.

Things are so much better when magic just happens.

 

[onelilspark]

These are all so great, thanks! Our trip is coming up very fast, and as a first timer, I'm worried about seeing everything. I WILL try to remember to slow down, relax and just have fun. Thank you!

One thing my family used to do is before entering the park we were headed to each day, we'd each pick one thing that we wanted to do. Likewise before even getting to Disney we all had one "big" thing we wanted to do.

We don't really do the individual parks any more since we've been there often enough that all of us know what each other wants to do But we still each pick out a goal for the overall trip. When my boyfriend and I went, my goal was to get to Goofy's Candy Company The trip prior was to get ears for him!

If you can narrow things down to what you really don't want to miss, it makes it easier to accomplish things and everyone winds up being satisfied with the trip!

 

[redrosesix]

Here's something that's less of a tip, but more of a request.

Please don't try to get us to "break character." Even those of us who aren't characters are involved with a storyline, especially the attractions CMs. I work on the safari and I always have people trying to get me to tell them "the real deal"

Yes, the safari is actually 2 weeks long (but its so fun you'll feel like it was only about 20 minutes)
Yes, those baobab trees and ostrich eggs are real (even though the backstage tour told you differently)
Those chains on the ground are only to get mud off our tires (but you'll notice that animals don't cross them into other areas)

There is only one Mickey Mouse and no amount of you winking or making sure there are only adults around will change that. He doesn't wear a costume, there is no one inside of him and the Cinderella you just saw was the same one you saw yesterday.

We love our jobs and we preserve the magic for everyone, not just those young enough not to know better. Of course, this doesn't mean that you'll never hear a backstage tip from a CM, but just because you tell me you've been to Disney 50 times and understand and there are no children around does not necessarily mean I'm going to break character to "let you in on it." If you want the real deal, take a backstage tour, buy a book or surf the net. It's all out there.

BTW, my DH has done dinner theatre off and on for about 15 years (something like 25 different characters) -- the same thing happens there. Often, it's somebody trying to show off to their friends (like, I've been here soooo many times. I saw you in ??? show -- you were playing Mick Jagger) Or they're drunk. Good thing you don't have to deal with that.

Yes, it can be a slippery slope falling out of character -- if you ever do it, before you know it you're slipping up at the worst time. Those that do don't get to do another show.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

BTW, my DH has done dinner theatre off and on for about 15 years (something like 25 different characters) -- the same thing happens there. Often, it's somebody trying to show off to their friends (like, I've been here soooo many times. I saw you in ??? show -- you were playing Mick Jagger) Or they're drunk. Good thing you don't have to deal with that.

Yes, it can be a slippery slope falling out of character -- if you ever do it, before you know it you're slipping up at the worst time. Those that do don't get to do another show.

You've obviously never encountered the drinkers around the World.

 

[redrosesix]

You've obviously never encountered the drinkers around the World.

Nope -- I haven't. That would just be so much worse than dealing with them in a dinner theatre show. At least DH can put them in their place (in character, of course).

Wonder how a person would deal with somebody who's drunk with a smile on their face.

Which would lead me to my only tip for WDW -- don't drink too much in the hot sun.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Nope -- I haven't. That would just be so much worse than dealing with them in a dinner theatre show. At least DH can put them in their place (in character, of course).

Wonder how a person would deal with somebody who's drunk with a smile on their face.

Which would lead me to my only tip for WDW -- don't drink too much in the hot sun.

I saw a couple of guys in France, presumably on drink #6. Of course, one of them was chosen to participate in the chair stacking skit. In fact, he was still holding his drink while "on stage." Yeah, that was smart. Fortunately, everything went well.

 

[Carol23]

subscribing

 

[nicoleakr]

I love this thread!

me too!

 

[Tbelle1976]

Great thread...there are some great tips on here!

Thanks CM's, and everyone else!

 

[pampam]

Actually it's been proven that the majority of people will go right as the majority of people are right hand dominant. Even in a chase situation, the runner will turn right more than left. It's just the funky way we are wired.

I like the new quick order machines at Pecos !!! People were standing in line like sheep, and there wasn't one person using the machines !!! I was in and out of the booth, and had my food before two people even ordered at the regular line.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in our society we go to the right because that is how we drive, not because we are right hand dominant. My understanding is in England, people automaticly turn left, because they drive on the left hand side of the road. The same applies with turning right more than left. If one turns left here, they have to cross a line of traffic. In a chase situation it could be quite hazzardous. So, since we are used to keeping to the right, thats what we do, whether driving, or lining up for lunch.

 

[TotalSnowWhite]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in our society we go to the right because that is how we drive, not because we are right hand dominant. My understanding is in England, people automaticly turn left, because they drive on the left hand side of the road. The same applies with turning right more than left. If one turns left here, they have to cross a line of traffic. In a chase situation it could be quite hazzardous. So, since we are used to keeping to the right, thats what we do, whether driving, or lining up for lunch.

Makes sense...

 

[twokids0204]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but in our society we go to the right because that is how we drive, not because we are right hand dominant. My understanding is in England, people automaticly turn left, because they drive on the left hand side of the road. The same applies with turning right more than left. If one turns left here, they have to cross a line of traffic. In a chase situation it could be quite hazzardous. So, since we are used to keeping to the right, thats what we do, whether driving, or lining up for lunch.

Hmmmmmmm, maybe - but I am left handed, and frankly I instinctivley turn to the left. But maybe I am also perusing overhead for the shorter line.

 

[haleofafamily]

Along the lines of being nice to others...I try to take pictures of people so the whole family/group can be together in the pic.
In Dec., we were on a trip with my SIL and she had been seeing all the times I would volunteer to take pictures and thought it was cool. Towards the end of our trip her boyfriend was coming to surprise her with a proposal. I was supposed to get her to the front of the castle for the big moment. Well as we walk from the back of the castle down to the front I am looking all over for the boyfriend and not paying attention to anyone else around me. I was getting really nervous because I couldn't see him anywhere. My SIL thought I had lost my mind (remember she doesn't know what is going on) because I walked right in front of about 5 people trying to take pictures in front of the castle. She kept grabbing me and pulling me out of the way. Then her boyfriend appeared and all was well. BTW, the photopass people were great they cleared out an area in front of the castle for the propsal and took great photos.

 

[disneymomofmyca]

Sorry if I stole your innocence! They ARE real, just like Mickey is real!

(Although, I will say that there's a baobab tree near Tusker house that is *very* real)

I think that is hilarious!(that they aren't real) That just goes to show what a super magical job Disney does! Oh, it still makes me giggle when I think they are not real...I won't tell my DD6 but I am going to let my DH in on the secret

...but I know Mickey is real...wouldn't it just be creepy and weird if it was just a guy or girl in a costume? No way Disney would EVER allow that!

 

[smile4stamps]

This thread is great! Love the tips! Keep them coming... both CM's and others all tips are very welcome