Today's column is full of stories from the men and women of the Disney theme parks who are out on the front lines making the magic.
CM Anthony's Story
Can you find CM Anthony in this photo collage? More than 1,000 Disneyland Cast Members creating a giant photo collage. © 2004 Disney. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
Can you see me? I'm in there somewhere. I think I'm just a little bit to the left of Mickey's right eye but still in Mickey's face. Yes, there I am .one out of 1,100 Cast Members and friends or family. The time was approximately 10 a.m. when this photo was taken on July 17, 2004. But alas, I had been out there in the wee hours of the morning since 4:30 a.m.
Don't worry though because I wasn't alone, I got my best friend to join me. I think he's on the left of the outline of Mickey's right eye. Yes, us two crazy nutcakes got up at 3 a.m. to go to Disneyland. Does anyone else out there want to beat that?
It's kind of funny actually how my friend and I decided to do it. You see, news went out a couple of weeks before that there was going to be a volunteer Cast Member event on Disneyland's 49th birthday. “Come be a part of Disney history!” said the flyers and we could even bring one friend. It said that we would get a free breakfast, free T-shirt and free park-hopper ticket for the day. My friend and I decided to go even though it said nothing about what we were actually going to do. It just said that we would be standing for a long period of time and that there'd be a rehearsal before the actual event. OK—that pretty much said nothing.
It wasn't until the actual day that we found out what it was, so apparently they didn't want us Cast Members to leak out this information before the actual announcement. I parked in the Chip 'N Dale section of the Mickey & Friends parking structure, which is really a rare section to park in since it's the smallest section of all. It was completely dark outside with no sign of the sun yet. A huge line formed at the Winston Gate, the employee entrance, about as long as a line for Tower of Terror.
There were several tables and we had to check in, then we were given a wristband to show that we were there for the event and we were given an envelope with information about what was going on and what we were supposed to do. My friend and I followed the crowd backstage and were led to a secret entrance to Big Thunder Ranch. And there, the leads told everyone to find the table with the character that corresponds to the character on our envelope. I couldn't find where the character was so I had to ask someone else. I found out that it was written as the name of the character, not an actual picture. Richard and I got Donald, and it was hard to see it at first because it was written in the “Disney” font so it looked like the logo of the company, not the name of the character.
At the table, we filled out some waivers that basically said that we wouldn't sue the park if we got hurt. When we turned it in, we got our free T-shirts. It was a bright blue, had the 50th birthday logo (which was a little odd considering this was the 49th birthday), and said “Stunt Team: July 17, 2004.” Then we basically sat around and did nothing for quite a while. There was a weird kid sitting across the table who only talked about the type of coffee he wanted and how he wanted his eggs cooked.
Then we put on cards that showed where we were supposed to go and which card we were supposed to pick up. In alphabetical and numerical order, we headed to the castle and got a 3-foot by 3-foot card that we were supposed to hold up later. The cards had pictures of various Cast Members and when all put together, they'd make a picture of Mickey. There were even a couple of card flippers for the right eye so we could make Mickey wink. There was one hyper crazy guy who was trying to raise team spirit and said stuff like, “When I say Donald, you say Duck! DONALD! DUCK! DONALD DUCK!” Then someone else said, “When I say shut, you say up! SHUT! UP!” Then the guy started quacking and started shouting, “Donald team is the best!!!”
There were three large cranes set up on Main Street so they could take the picture of the photo collage. The main leader talked to us on microphone saying how he appreciated that we all came to Disneyland at 4:30 a.m. to volunteer for an event that we were given no clue of. He also joked around by saying something like, “Wow, you people will do anything for a free breakfast!”
We practiced quite a bit for what I think was two or three hours. The leader told us to say in our best elocution, “Happy Birthday, Disneyland!” so we did that over and over and held up the cards. Near the end, they recorded us and we also said “Good morning, America!” and “Good Morning Los Angeles!” so I think we were on TV, although I haven't actually seen it. If anyone happened to see it or record it, please let me know. We were also told to cheer really loud. To pep us up, he told us to give a Disneyland cheer that would put Knott's Berry Farm to shame. After practice, we went back to Big Thunder Ranch for our free breakfast. If was a little bit lackluster but it was OK for a free breakfast. I was expecting eggs, sausages, and pancakes but it was more like bacon, fruit, pastries, and odd-looking French toast things.
After an hour and a half, we went back to our spots in front of the castle for the real deal. Guests were already in the park and actually most of them were just walking by to the other lands so I don't think many of them knew that it was Disneyland's birthday. The college band played rally music and we were sweating in the intense heat. Certain sections moved aside like the parting of the Red Sea so Becky the Disneyland ambassador could come up and give a small speech about how it was Disneyland's 49 birthday.
Then she introduced Matt Ouimet, the Disneyland Resort president, who walked up with Mickey Mouse and gave a longer speech about how the 50th is next year. He talked about how there would be a new fireworks show, a new parade, and new Buzz Lightyear ride and how Space Mountain would finally be reopening, to which the Cast Members cheered and he replied, “I feel the same way.”
But what he mainly announced was the “Happiest Faces on Earth” program in which guests from all around the world can send in their memories and best pictures of themselves having fun at Disneyland and the pictures would be used to create giant picture murals in the park that would collectively create images like Mickey Mouse, Alice in Wonderland or the Haunted Mansion Hitchhiking Ghosts—among other things. He then introduced the first family to send in their picture and had them take a live picture, put it in the envelope, and drop it into a special mailbox. Then Mickey Mouse gave them hugs. Then Matt said, “And to show you all how these murals will be made, 1,100 Cast Members and their families have volunteered to show us how it will be done.”
He took his position in the front with his card and said, “Everyone, ready?” and we all responded, “YEAH!” Then he raised his card and everyone else raised theirs in a wave-like motion. The Disneyland Band did a drum roll while we were doing this, then everyone shouted “Happy Birthday, Disneyland!” in our loudest possible voices and the band played classic Disney tunes as we were holding it up. Everyone actually wanted to hold it up because it was so hot. It felt way better under the shade. We put the cards down and an announcer said in what I think has got to be the corniest line ever written, “Hey guys, let's do that one more time ƒ just for fun!” Then we all repeated the same thing over again.
Matt wrapped up his speech by thanking everyone for coming and we were let go sections at a time. We were also given complimentary park-hopper tickets so we could enjoy both parks for the rest of the day. And boy, it was so hot that the first thing Richard and I did was to head to Critter Country to pick up Fastpasses for Splash Mountain.
You, too, can send in your pictures to be a part of the picture collages. If you're at Disneyland, you can drop your pictures off at a special mailbox at City Hall on Main Street. At home, you can get more information about the program and upload up to five digital pictures on a special Web site located at www.Disneyland.com/photos. They'll be accepting pictures up to the end of 2004.
CM James' Story
I was in the Disneyland college program in the fall of 1996 and the fall of 1997. Over the summer of 1997, the whole program changed and the first-time seminars consisted of no work .The seminars were actually very fun we had Judson Green and Al Weiss and other Disney executives as lecturers and speakers. When I went back the second time I did it just for fun since I was a year behind graduation schedule, anyway. I hated the second program—my hours got cut and I didn't have as much fun. I still am a huge fan of the company. I think I enjoy being a guest more than a Cast Member.
CM Kristen's Story
After reading your Cast Member stories I just had to laugh. I was in the College Program at Walt Disney World in 2001 and heard some of the strangest things ever. One of my favorite moments was when it was, as is customary, pouring rain, I was outside working strollers and two people came up to me and asked, “Can you do something about the rain?”
I'm not sure if they thought I could just wave my hands and magically turn it off, but I gave them the benefit of the doubt. Thinking that they meant, “Where can we go when it's raining because we don't want to get wet?” I told them about the “Little Mermaid Show” right behind me and commented that the rain should stop soon.
At that point, one of the guests said “Oh, its real rain! I thought maybe it was a big special effect.”
Yes sir, all of Disney-MGM Studios is covered in one big imaginary rain cloud.
CM Jim's Story
I got pulled from the Magic Kingdom trains (conductor) today to do Main Street Vehicles. Part of that job entails walking along with the (horse-drawn) Trolley Show along Main Street for “crowd control.”
So we're sitting up at the Hub waiting for the show to start. I'm chatting with Heath and Kevin (who're actually with Tri-Circle-D Ranch, which runs the trolley), when this guest walks up and asks when our next show is.
Kevin tells them, “Here in just a minute” and the woman says, “Hang on! I have to get the kids ready!”
I looked at Kevin like, “Huh? What in the world was that about?”
He replied, “Just watch!”
So we get to our first show stop, at the bridge between the Ice Cream Parlor and the Hub. This guest has her two kids all decked out in the “Trolley Dancer” costumes that her mother made for them- son is about 7, and little girl is about 4-5. These two kids proceed to dance every single step along with the dancers, they even have their own “wavy flags” that Mom made; the straw hat for the little boy, the whole costume. They tap dance, they sing along, they do the entire Trolley show all the way down Main Street at each of our three stops. I told Kevin, “This is why I love my job here!” The dancers even put the kids on the trolley with them in between stops.
At the end of the show at the Main Street Train Station, all of the dancers got off of the trolley with the kids, and they had one big group photo taken together, along with Mom, Dad and Grandma.
Forget Space Mountain, Splash Mountain, the Mad Tea Party, MuppetVision 3D, Mickey Mouse, princesses, Illuminations or Festival of the Lion King. Seeing these two youngsters put that much effort into following along with what would seem like—to most of us—a simple little song-and-dance number, just put a lump in my throat, a tear in my eye, and some magic in my heart.
Turns out: they travel down from Michigan every three months with the kids. Grandma made the costumes and the flags, and they got lucky and found a hat at the store. The daughter, apparently, has some sort of immune deficiency, so she can't be outside very long or something—I didn't go into details. I was too busy wiping the tears from my eyes. Something about seeing the kids enjoy the dancing, knowing all the moves, singing along—wow! It was awesome!
CM Dennis' Story
I truly enjoy reading The Cast Member experience column MousePlanet publishes. Working at any of the Disney theme parks truly is a magical experience and it is the imagination of the cast members that makes a day in one of the parks so special.
I had the opportunity of working on Main Street, mainly in the Emporium, for many years. At the time we were also called upon to handle Guest Control for the parades and other special events that would take place on Main Street.
Working as a Lead I would always challenge my Guest Control crews to find ways to make the long waits our guests had for the parades enjoyable by talking with them, sharing stories, etc. It was not uncommon for the parade route on Main Street to start filling up as early as 7 p.m. for the Electrical Parade.
One thing I always enjoyed doing was having one of the kids sitting along the parade route help me “turn off” the lights on Main Street when the parade reached the hub area or would begin at Town Square. I would tell them that we need to send a signal to Tinker Bell high up in the sky when it was time to turn off the lights. To do this I would give the child my GC flashlight (as a Lead we usually carried one with a red cone at the end rather than a yellow cone). I would tell them to hold the flashlight high in the air over their head and then I would tell them when to drop their arm sending the signal to Tinker Bell.
When the intro music started on Main Street, I would mentally keep my fingers crossed that everything would happen right on cue. Then when the intro finished and you heard those magical works “The Main Street Electrical Parade” I would help the child bring their arm down and the lights would go out on Main Street. Well, the cheers from the others waiting and the delight on the child's face is something I will never forget. I would then tell them to be sure and stay for the fireworks after the parade, because as a special thanks for helping, Tinker Bell was going to fly right over Disneyland and to be sure and wave.
Parents really got a kick out of this and always thanked me for helping make their child's day.
It's little things like this that made working at Disneyland so special. It doesn't matter if you work in custodial, merchandise, foods, attractions or entertainment, every Cast Member has the opportunity to create some special magic for guests. I encourage all Cast Members to keep the magic alive in the Disney theme parks, it really is very simple.
