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

[Ravensorrow]

From personal experience...If you lose something in the park, don't waste your whole day retracing your steps. Check in at the main Lost and Found location (at MK, it's City Hall) at the end of the day. If it hasn't been found, they will give you a card for the Central Lost and Found (at the TTC where the kennel used to be), and you can call and check periodically. Just specify the park and the date the item was lost. Any items not claimed at the end of each day gets shipped over to the Central Lost and Found the next morning.

We lost my DH's brand-new android phone on our first day this last trip. We wasted an hour or two retracing our steps, checked City Hall several times, and felt pretty miserable about it. After a day or two, they had it at the Central Lost and Found location. Apparently, it slipped out of his pocket during Space Mountain and it took a while to be found.

When I went with my family in 2007, we rode the teacups and then had an ADR at the castle for lunch on Easter Sunday. After the teacups and before lunch I realized that my wallet was missing. It had all of my cash in it ($600!!!) because I didn't trust the safe in the room...LOL! Somehow I managed to stay calm for the kids at lunch. I really did try to enjoy it, but as you can imagine...I was FREAKING out! My mom took my DD 2 back to the room for a nap and my DD 11 and I stayed at the park. A nice CM told us to go to City Hall and see if it was there. It wasn't the first time, but they said check back in a few hours. I knew that I'd probably never see my wallet again and was resigned to that. We checked back later that afternoon and OMG it was there waiting for me. Every single dollar was still there! I tried to find out who had turned it in but they said they couldn't tell me. I was seriously going to give them $100 for making my day! I had thought I was ok with losing the money, but I cried like a baby when it was found!! Moral of the story. If you lose something...City Hall is the place to go and Magic really does happen in WDW!

 

[redheadjamie32]

just do a little bit of basic animal research. For example - an elephant has 100,000 muscles in its trunk. Or open with a joke "What do Giraffes have that no other animal has" they'll likely go through everything from spots to being yellow and orange, to their horns or having a long neck, but the answer is: BABY Giraffes!~!

 

[I-4Bound]

When I went with my family in 2007, we rode the teacups and then had an ADR at the castle for lunch on Easter Sunday. After the teacups and before lunch I realized that my wallet was missing. It had all of my cash in it ($600!!!) because I didn't trust the safe in the room...LOL! Somehow I managed to stay calm for the kids at lunch. I really did try to enjoy it, but as you can imagine...I was FREAKING out! My mom took my DD 2 back to the room for a nap and my DD 11 and I stayed at the park. A nice CM told us to go to City Hall and see if it was there. It wasn't the first time, but they said check back in a few hours. I knew that I'd probably never see my wallet again and was resigned to that. We checked back later that afternoon and OMG it was there waiting for me. Every single dollar was still there! I tried to find out who had turned it in but they said they couldn't tell me. I was seriously going to give them $100 for making my day! I had thought I was ok with losing the money, but I cried like a baby when it was found!! Moral of the story. If you lose something...City Hall is the place to go and Magic really does happen in WDW!

Wow!! So glad your money was returned to you! I would have been freaking out, too.

 

[KUFamily]

Bump

 

[Kat016]

Wait, I have another tip. If you're buying ice cream of some sort at a multiple line stand (such as Ahola to get Dole Whips), step back for a second and watch the different people get served. Go in the line where the CM is serving the ice cream that is the biggest.[/QUOTE]

I'm trying my very first dole whip in October...I will most definitely use this tip! Lol

 

[kimmar067]

To any CM's out there ~

I will be checking into ASMu on Friday and then AKL on Sunday. I did the on-line check-in, but after reading someone's post [elsewhere] I didn't realize that I should have been given a 'Request Options' page (near elevator, lst floor, , etc.). Now I can't even do on-line check-in for my 2nd destination.... Should I just by-pass that and check in directly on my day of arrival?

 

[Kat016]

I have a tip for parade & fireworks viewing! If you want to get a good seat but hate finding them and sitting there for an hour doing nothing, have your group set up wherever it is you want to watch everything from and send 1-2 people to go get dinner and bring it back. While you keep your spot, you can be entertaining yourself with dinner. (Makes the time fly by and you still get those excellent seats!)

That's a good idea. I left my husband and son to keep our spot in front of emporium while my daughter and I shopped. He was not happy...but I LOVE that store lol

 

[Kat016]

Set your budget
. . . then, double it
. . . then divide by three
. . . then, multiply by six
. . . then add three
. . . then throw away the budget

Lol that's great!

 

[Kat016]

Ah! Was it Pecos ? The eatery by the bridge at the bend in the Splash Mountain. Pretty darn sure it was. As you walk in the front doors you see the CMs at registers and they take two lines and order right, then left. To YOUR RIGHT of THEM is an island of four you do it quick order machines. Slide your ATM/Credit/Room Chrage Card/ or Meal Plan card, select the meals you want and hit Order. You take your receipt and walk up the the counter and pick up your food. Simple and FAST !

Would have never known that...ill definitely look for the quick order machines when we go. We're doing the quick service dining plan...less planning involved in our trip. Thank you!!

 

[Kat016]

Waiting in lines is inevitable. You can plan down to the second, using 4 different touring plans, and you will, without a doubt, be waiting for something - a meal, a show to start, a bus to come - at many points.

What I like to do when I see people who are antsy in line (and lets face it, who isn't?) is help them to make it as fun as it can be. Play a game thats easy to play in line (see below), take out your digital camera and go through photos from previous days (make sure it was yesterday or before though. It's not as much fun to think "oh, that was fun, 10 minutes ago, when we met Goofy") etc. Before you know it, the line will be moving and you'll be good to go!

Games I like to suggest:
-Scattegories - pick a topic (Disney movies, presidents, Disney rides, foods, etc) and go through the alphabet thinking of one for each letter of the alphabet (i.e. Characters - Ariel, Belle, Cinderella, etc)
-Would You Rather Disney Version (Would You Rather....get stuck on Its a small World for 3 hours or have to spend 3 hours in the Swiss Family Treehouse?)
-I Spy (self explanatory and good for people watching)

Great idea with the games in lines...perfect to keep my kids busy!

 

[Kat016]

They often have free samples of fudge in the Confectionary.

The princess often have shorter waits in Epcot than in Toontown- look for Belle with Beast in France, Mulan in China (yes, I know- technically not a princess), Aurora also in France (look closely- she's often hidden in a corner with a short wait.), Snow White in Germany, and Jasmine usually with Aladdin and Genie in Moracco.

Upon entering a park, scan all the turnstyles for the shortest wait before getting in line- don't automatically follow everyone else.

Great ideas with the princesses...any ideas for Ariel? She's my daughters favorite princess and she was so bummed when we went last year and she didnt get to meet her or even see her for that matter.

 

[belle032]

Former CM here! Lost my status due to the new seasonal requirements My quick words of wisdom are CMs are there to help you! We aren't there to make your life miserable, give you wrong information or force you to wait in long lines in the heat! We understand if you're having a rough day, but please try your best not to take it out on the 1st CM you see. Believe me, we will go out of our way to help a nice family because sometimes it's so refreshing to meet one!

About child height requirements...the bane of an attraction CMs existence (besides fastpasses). They are there for your child's SAFETY. The height requirement is not made by the CMs. It comes directly from the Imagineers, designers, and builders of the attraction. We have NO control over this. And if I can fit my hand between that bar and your child, they are not getting on. Period. You have no idea how many parents throw fits over this and it blows my mind. I'm pretty sure you don't want your child slipping out of the TOT seat belt while it's going through a drop sequence. So please just follow the height requirements and resist from stuffing your child's shoes with times guides so they gain an inch!

 

[belle032]

Great ideas with the princesses...any ideas for Ariel? She's my daughters favorite princess and she was so bummed when we went last year and she didnt get to meet her or even see her for that matter.

I think the only place Ariel can be found now is in her grotto in the New Fantasyland. That's definitely the only place to meet her in her fin. However, the best place to meet princesses, in my opinion, is at Askerhaus in Norway or the Castle in MK. Ariel is normally in both of those restaurants along with Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Aurora. I've worked in Askerhaus as a character attendant and she was there almost every time. Plus it's way cheaper than the Castle!

 

[Kat016]

I think the only place Ariel can be found now is in her grotto in the New Fantasyland. That's definitely the only place to meet her in her fin. However, the best place to meet princesses, in my opinion, is at Askerhaus in Norway or the Castle in MK. Ariel is normally in both of those restaurants along with Cinderella, Belle, Snow White and Aurora. I've worked in Askerhaus as a character attendant and she was there almost every time. Plus it's way cheaper than the Castle!

Awesome...Thank you! When we went last year she wanted to meet Winnie the Pooh & Ariel. We met pooh at AK and Ariel was no where around in any of the parks. She's so excited to meet her and she's 10, so I'm taking advantage while we can. My son wants to meet Jack Sparrow again. They got pulled up on stage last time and he was in his glory.

 

[Plaid Princess]

About child height requirements...the bane of an attraction CMs existence (besides fastpasses). They are there for your child's SAFETY. The height requirement is not made by the CMs. It comes directly from the Imagineers, designers, and builders of the attraction. We have NO control over this. And if I can fit my hand between that bar and your child, they are not getting on. Period. You have no idea how many parents throw fits over this and it blows my mind. I'm pretty sure you don't want your child slipping out of the TOT seat belt while it's going through a drop sequence. So please just follow the height requirements and resist from stuffing your child's shoes with times guides so they gain an inch!

Agreed!!!! We're not doing it to be mean, and we're not (as so many accuse us of) "abusing what little power we have".

On that subject though... if your child is tall enough, but tends to hunch under the measuring bar (kids are afraid of hitting their head, this is pretty common) tell them to hold their hands behind their back and take a deep breath. Most kids will stand up straight when they do this and can then be accurately measured.

 

[delilah]

yea, we got yelled at when we did this. I looked at the lady and said "well you could have come over here too"

She and people behind her thought that it was budding...then the CM cheerfully turned and took our order. Because of the Dis, I knew tht it was ok to do this when we took our last trip! (even if noone is in the que infront of you, if its 'open' line up!)

I got yelled at by a woman at Epcot because I used the other side of the bag check line. She was fumbling with her bags on her stroller, and she got all bent out of shape because the security person inspected mine, first.

 

[kimmar067]

To any CM's out there ~

I will be checking into ASMu on Friday and then AKL on Sunday. I did the on-line check-in, but after reading someone's post [elsewhere] I didn't realize that I should have been given a 'Request Options' page (near elevator, lst floor, , etc.). Now I can't even do on-line check-in for my 2nd destination.... Should I just by-pass that and check in directly on my day of arrival?

...bumping for replies...TIA!

 

[SingingMom]

Great ideas with the princesses...any ideas for Ariel? She's my daughters favorite princess and she was so bummed when we went last year and she didnt get to meet her or even see her for that matter.

In January, we met Ariel in Epcot, in between the Land and the Living Seas pavilions, in the walkway. She was lovely and Dd19 had a great conversation with her!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[Kat016]

In January, we met Ariel in Epcot, in between the Land and the Living Seas pavilions, in the walkway. She was lovely and Dd19 had a great conversation with her!

"SingingMom" ....Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

We didnt see her anywhere when we went. I told my daughter we will do whatever it takes for her to meet Ariel this time around. My son wants to meet Jack Sparrow....can't say I blame him, I do to

 

[nanay2jdr]

We didnt see her anywhere when we went. I told my daughter we will do whatever it takes for her to meet Ariel this time around. My son wants to meet Jack Sparrow....can't say I blame him, I do to

Isnt she in Ariel's Grotto? Maybe try going there first. WDW also has a character schedule available for each park which shows which location and what time.