Ways to thank Cast Members- can they accept small gifts?

[::Snow_White::]

Cast can't accept gifts over a certain price, it's really for the cast to discern. Obviously money and giftcards, and things like that are immediately rejected or taken to management if the guest refuses to keep it. But things like cookies or candy or cards cast are allowed to keep (in all areas I've been in). Mostly single candy canes, stickers, I've been given a small box of homemade cookies to share with everyone before. Tsums and other items I'd probably ask management before keeping.

One Japanese family gave me a handmade origami crane that's on my shelf. Obviously going to GR gets them recognized at work, but I would never decline a small thank you. It's a rare occurrence and we were always showing each other things we got, they're fun!

Also we have a new thing called #castcompliment particularly on Twitter. You can tweet at a certain area or just use the # and if we're mentioned we take a sign out and take a picture to send back to the guest/twitter user. So we get recognized that way too and it's a little easier for some people.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Obviously money and giftcards, and things like that are immediately rejected or taken to management if the guest refuses to keep it.

Which CM division is being told they can't accept money? The rule is the guest has to offer the tip 3 times and on the third offer, the CM can accept the money.

Cabana CMs missed out on tips because guests paying for the $650 Cabanas had no idea they needed to offer the tip 3 times.

 

[kleph]

there is a lot of good information on how to inform management of above and beyond service but what is the best way to find out how to send a "thank you" card or note to a particular CM in these instances?

i do a LOT of interaction with the public in my job and 99.99 percent of it is awful and thankless. the majority of it is abusive. the handful of times someone has made the effort to reach out and thank me or my company for our efforts have been very special. i'd like to return the favor.

 

[Farro]

Which CM division is being told they can't accept money? The rule is the guest has to offer the tip 3 times and on the third offer, the CM can accept the money.

Cabana CMs missed out on tips because guests paying for the $650 Cabanas had no idea they needed to offer the tip 3 times.

Is that really the rule? That's ridiculous. I would never realize I was supposed to ask 3 times! Seems like a silly game to play. If someone told me no, I would ask are you sure and then be done with it.

And for the cabana, it would be common knowledge (I think) to tip a cabana attendant anywhere you go, unless I suppose it was included in the price? Odd.

 

[hiroMYhero]

Is that really the rule? That's ridiculous. I would never realize I was supposed to ask 3 times! Seems like a silly game to play. If someone told me no, I would ask are you sure and then be done with it.

And for the cabana, it would be common knowledge (I think) to tip a cabana attendant anywhere you go, unless I suppose it was included in the price? Odd.

One of the first guests to rent a $650 Cabana did offer a tip. But because he only offered it once, the CM could not accept it. Sad. CMs barely make a livable wage and money that's being offered to them has to be refused.

 

[bryanb]

We love Disney Cast Members! All Magic starts with a Cast Member and I have often thought about ways we could show our appreciation. I know a little bit about leaving positive feedback at City Hall. How exactly does that process work? Do you have to wait in line, or can you duck in and snag a couple cards to fill out and then return to City Hall? Where can you leave feedback in the other parks?

I keep pre-printed Thank You cards in my park bag to hand directly to the CM. What else is allowed? I've thought about giving small packages of unique candy, like our Texas size jelly beans, or other treats. Maybe stickers "Someone in Texas Loves me!" What rules and policies exist that apply to this situation? I know many CMs receive coloring pages from kiddos, especially if they are friends with the Princesses, but do guidelines exist for gifts to CMs? Ideally I would like to give something fun, small, with a personal touch. Has anyone else done anything fun to thank Cast Members?

You have to be one of the most thoughtful guests ever! Even where CMs can't accept gifts, the fact that you're thinking of others like this just makes my day. Being a cast member can be enormously rewarding, but sometimes equally thankless and exhausting. The idea that there are guests that are so positive and appreciative will give them a bit of the magic, and motivate them to do the same for more guests. Love your ideas!

 

[FastPasser]

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[j2thomason]

I have used the Twitter account @wdwtoday and included the hash tag #castcompliment several times. I almost always get a reply immediately. Then usually a few days later I will get a tweet notification with a picture of the cast member holding a thank you note for me recognizing him on social media. It really helps management if you include a picture of the cast member, a physical description or at least their hometown from their name tag. I will try attach a picture of my thank you notification.

 

[Cindylieu]

We were in HS years ago at the Rockin Roller Coaster. Long story short, the CM was amazing! We took her picture and thanked her over and over. When I got home I wrote a letter to HS with as much detail as I could. I included the pic and could clearly see her name tag. I mailed it snail-mail. A couple weeks later I got a phone call directly from her boss who was calling to tell me that she was hand-carrying the letter to the CM on the job at the park that very day! She thanked me for my letter and wanted me to know that the CM was getting the recognition she deserved. WOW! That has been 7 years ago and I still talk about it. What a magical day and great followthrough from her superior!

 

[FastPasser]

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[::Snow_White::]

Which CM division is being told they can't accept money? The rule is the guest has to offer the tip 3 times and on the third offer, the CM can accept the money.

Cabana CMs missed out on tips because guests paying for the $650 Cabanas had no idea they needed to offer the tip 3 times.

Photopass and Merchandise I've both been in and we were not allowed to accept "tips". If they refuse to keep the money I'd take it to a manager immediately. Maybe they'd let us keep it but my assumption is no. Have never heard of a 3-tip rule, just know only certain areas are allowed to accept them like housekeeping.

 

[amberpi]

Forget the thank you cards and trinkets.

If someone goes above and beyond, note their name and the time and send an email to Disney explaining how great they were. That gets them the sort of recognition they want and appreciate.

A thousand times this, and that way you won't have to take a park bag full of a bunch of stuff in it. You'll thank yourself and everyone that would have been behind you in the lines will be thankful too!

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I've been given small gifts by guests before - a couple of small charms intended for inexpensive charm bracelets come to mind - and was permitted to keep them by management. Truthfully, as much as I appreciated the gesture, I'd rather have a positive guest comment on my record card, or even just a verbal acknowledgment that my work has been appreciated. I own enough little trinkets and random items.

In my role, which involves cash handling, I can't keep money or gifts with cash value (like gift cards), no matter how many times you offer it. Someone the other day basically forced me to take a $5 Starbucks gift card by leaving it on my counter and walking away. I turned it into management because I could lose my job otherwise.

 

[Bearshouse]

the absolute best CM interaction we had was with the janitor. My kids are huge pin traders and he had a key on his lanyard that she hadnot seen in years. We thought we only spoke spanish so with hand gestures and smiles she was able to trade with him. Then I told her the spanish word for thank you. He waved at us and pointed he was actually deaf. So I showed her the sign for thank you and they both had huge smiles. I made sure to send a note to the guest relations we didn't have his name but we had where we were, what time, his height and that he was deaf plus he was a janitor. The manager I spoke to said they would find him and make sure he was recognized. We really hope he did because he was absolutely the best and our daughter still talks about him and our non verbal son always smiles when she talks about him.

 

[Dug720]

I have gone to Guest Services immediately after a fantastic encounter and filled out a compliment card - which I followed up with an email reiterating the compliment. The response I received thanked me for the compliment and assured me that the information had been passed along to the CM's manager and shared with her.

In this particular case I did not - and could not - know the CM's name as it was Merida's friend. I gave as much information as I could - date, time, etc. - when writing my compliment.

In the end, those kind of compliments mean so much more to the CM than little trinkets or candy because those cards can lead to promotions, raises, depending on the position extra time off (that's more for the cruise ships), etc.

 

[Disney_Alli]

For our wedding/honeymoon trip I was ordering so many things I added a bag of 100 (or was it 200?) mints that said Thanks a Mint! Alli and Cole. When we had an awesome interaction we praised the CMs with guest services afterwards but in the moment we passed them a handful of mints. All the CMs seemed to love them and find them unique but I'm not sure I'd do them again if I wasn't already ordering a million and one things for the wedding. I had heard former CMs mentioned they loved similar sweets they received which gave me the idea though.

 

[Meriweather]

DH makes earrings.....right now he is carrying around Mickey heads and Mickey alliance heads.
He gives them out to newlyweds and cast members.
They love them. He has probably given 75 pair to cast members this trip.....even traded with the Jawas.

 

[Nancyg56]

The absolute best thing you can do for a castmember is let disney know as it will help them in their disney career. Every complaint is in their file and you can help offset that. I've never worked for disney but my understanding is these don't just go into the files so maybe a CM can share what actually happens.

You can stop by guest relations to fill out a compliment card or email them at WDW Guest Services <guest.services@disneyworld.com>.

To help remind you and to be able to tell disney who it was, a nice picture (with them when appropriate) or a sly one where you can make out their name tag. the time stamp on the photo will also help you narrow down when it really was to let them know.

On point! I actually just ask the CM if I can take a picture of the badge. I cannot remember names, ever....so the picture and badge help me when I am sending my email to guest services. I do this on every trip.

I think that little notes and gifts can go a long way, especially if a CM has had a bad day, and I have been in the parks whe I bet you a buck those poor folks are getting hammered from all directions. I am not creative, but my DD is and she and DSIL made some awesome thank you gifts that my little DGD handed out to CM's who made a difference in their day. One CM< (it was his last day come to find out) cried.

Now it must be said that the gifts are nice, and from some of the FB sites I participate in I think that they are appreciated, but nothing takes the place of feedback to Guest Relations. I have always gotten a call back from them, assuring me the compliments will be sent to the appropriate leadership team. The note does not take a lot of time, and will definitely make a difference for the cast member. I try to rememebr that people generally take more time if they are complaining, so every compliment offsets negative feedback that a CM may have recieved.

 

[mattsdragon]

Hm interesting. In attractions we would take it after 3 but had to hand it over to management and it was donated to GKTW or pooled for a cast party we weren't suppose to individually keep it.

Yeah, that's how other divisions work as well.

 

[writerguyfl]

Informing Disney is fine and it does appear on their record, but it'll have very little impact, if any, as to whether or not they get a certain position. If it did, I'd have Bobby's job by now.

I disagree with this point.

Back when I worked at Walt Disney World, I had a temporary assignment. (For those who are unfamiliar, temporary assignments are short, seasonal jobs. Basically, you get loaned out to another department for X weeks before returning to your permanent area.) On that job, I got quite a few compliments and two written letters. All of those compliments were attached to my record and followed me back to my permanent location. They were used in my next performance review with my "permanent" boss.

Shortly thereafter, I left the company to go to grad school. As such, I can't say that the compliments would have helped me garner a new position. However, they did have a material impact in my last performance review.