Do you know any busybody CM's?

[tenprincess]

I will admit, I am one of the cm's who carry their cellphone with them on stage and I use it only for the purpose of knowing what time it is. And since my phone is a flip phone i can check the time with out opening it, and no one is the wiser. I also do have the luck of working in tomorrowland.

As for busybody cm's we always have this custodial cp who hangs out in our breakroom and wants to know everybody's business and what is going on with tomorrowland operations. He definatly does not know how to mind his own business.

[IRSmart1]

When it comes to following the rules I am not always black and white. There are some obvious issues, such as safety, that you have no flexibility over. However, you are told during orientation that if you see something wrong then say something. Of course this means you should say something to the person, tactfully, first. I don't like to go to the lead/manager unless I know I absolutely have to. Some issues you can't control no matter how much you try. If all one does is point out all the wrong doings of other CMs then you aren't necessarily focused on your primary job. Don't get me wrong, certain actions can ruin the magic for some but I think you get my point. I believe in handling things at the lowest level possible. I'm not one of those whose life mission is to point out everything I see. Sometimes you need to just chose your battles.
What bugs me is those CMs that just don't care what the rules are and decide to do what they want anyway, regardless. In my mind that does not value the magic, it ruins it.
When it comes to stuff like the cellphone on stage, I don't think it's an issue if you, very discretely, pull it out of your pocket just enough to check the time. I don't agree that a watch on your wrist is bad show. Lately I have enjoyed carrying a pocket watch. For some reason lately I don't like carrying the watch on my wrist, it feels uncomfortable.

[Wizard69]

I will admit, I am one of the cm's who carry their cellphone with them on stage and I use it only for the purpose of knowing what time it is. And since my phone is a flip phone i can check the time with out opening it, and no one is the wiser.

I do the same thing. I can't wear a wristwatch or any rings because I have metal allergies and break out in a rash if any metal touches my skin. So, I don't see what the big deal is with just checking the time on a cellphone.

[VICisGOOFY]

with the cellphone issue, I think the leads and executives dont want cellphone onstage because of some of the CMs who abuse the policy. My leader told on CM to just get a pocket watch. In WDW, it is supposedly (sp?) against company policy to wear cellphones on visibly and even having it in your pocket.

[Zazu]

with the cellphone issue, I think the leads and executives dont want cellphone onstage because of some of the CMs who abuse the policy.

Ageed. Some folks just don't understand from subtle. Saw a Fantasyland RO chatting on a cell phone as she dispatched cars once!

In WDW, it is supposedly (sp?) against company policy to wear cellphones on visibly and even having it in your pocket.

Well, maybe once upon a time....

Truth is, now that we've replaced radios with "Nextel" phones, every manager on property is carrying a cell phone!

Because I need a phone to do my show quality inspections (out of costume), I've been granted specific permission to carry my personal cell phone on stage. I'm not proud of it, but as the Company's too cheap to issue me a Nextel, I don't have much choice.

Have to use my personal digital camera, too. I'd bitch if it wasn't such a cool job.

[VICisGOOFY]

!
Well, maybe once upon a time....

Truth is, now that we've replaced radios with "Nextel" phones, every manager on property is carrying a cell phone!

Because I need a phone to do my show quality inspections (out of costume), I've been granted specific permission to carry my personal cell phone on stage. I'm not proud of it, but as the Company's too cheap to issue me a Nextel, I don't have much choice.

Have to use my personal digital camera, too. I'd bitch if it wasn't such a cool job.

I stand corrected, I forgot to mention the company issued Nextel phones for company purposes. In your case, Zazu, your personal phone, and camera, are for company purposes, so I dont think you should feel uneasy for me to think you have preferential treatment.

[tenprincess]

Because I need a phone to do my show quality inspections (out of costume), I've been granted specific permission to carry my personal cell phone on stage. I'm not proud of it, but as the Company's too cheap to issue me a Nextel, I don't have much choice.

OUt of curiosity, does this mean Disney actually does have people checking the show quality at WDW? And what does this entail?

[mentu]

it's more of a "if a manager sees you have one out" thing.

[Zazu]

OUt of curiosity, does this mean Disney actually does have people checking the show quality at WDW? And what does this entail?

Actually, there are at least three different groups that do Show Quality checks:

1. Imagineering does periodic "walk-throughs" of attractions, restaurants, and retail locations, as well as general area walks. These generally include area management, custodial management, and almost always the park vice president or their deputy. The result is a fat Show Quality Report that Imagineering fully expects to get a clear and definite response to. Generally they do, even though some answers are, "We'll put it in the next available budget proposal."

2. Park management does "walk-throughs", generally by line-of-business (attractions, retail, etc.). These also generate reports, but they don't generate results quite as often. I think this is because managers file the reports while the Imagineers come back and stand in front of your desk and ask WTF is going on!

3. Until 2003, the MK had one man in charge of coordinating "land show quality managers". Half the lands didn't participate, more gave the responsibility to one of their (already overburdened) GSMs, and Main Street Ops gave the job to me.

This program was discontinued in January 2004. The park coordinator was terminated, and the other monitors were reassigned (I went back to being a RR conductor.) By February 2005, Main Street Ops realized that they needed somebody who 1. cared, 2. knew enough about what the show was supposed to look like, and 3. was willing to follow through until the problems were resolved. They called me back.

My job involves viewing everything a guest can see on Main Street USA, documenting all show quality lapses, photographing them where possible, and partnering with the nineteen different maintenance departments to get things fixed. The working definition of Main Street is the area between the Castle forecourt stage and the Seven Seas Lagoon, including bus and monorail stations, Main Street vehicles (except horse cars), the WDW RR, the three WDW RR stations, the railroad track, and everything a guest can *see* while riding the railroad. At present, I'm skipping the interiors of restaurant and retail locations.

As of December 2003, there were 400 items on my list. By February 2005, 150 of them had been fixed. I'm now back up to about 500 items, some as old as 1998. Average time to repair is about 18 months, though it's a mix of a lot of quick fixes with a lot of difficult long-term problems. I do *not* think this is an entirely unreasonable backlog -- I am, after all, *very* fussy.

The standard I work to, and which I try to hold the maintenance departments to, is the "Mary Poppins Standard", which is "Practically perfect in every way." Not perfect, but as close as one can get without being impractical about it. Works for me! :D:

[Ho-say]

Zazu, out of curiousity - approx how much of your week is spent in this role as show quality inspector?

Personally, I think it sounds like a very interesting role - had I the area knowledge like you do, I'd love to have that as a part-time role. My friends and I always seem to find ourselves keeping an eye out for "good show vs bad show" when visiting as guests in the parks (just a habit I can't shake even when I'm there to play).

Attention to detail is so crucial, esp. where Disney has set the tone for such high expectations ...... though I imagine your role comes fully loaded with its own brand of office politics and mountains to climb like anywhere else.