Just returned from the World

[GaTechGal]

We just got back as well and I have to give TOTAL props to all the great CMs at Star Wars Weekend on Sunday. It was SO well organized and handled. All the CMs were so friendly and would just chat away as we were standing in all those long character lines. And I guess the biggest SG trick we saw (besides all the stupid people that stop in the doorways) was a woman that came huffing up to the Star Wars event desk complaining about how unorganized everything was. SHE was the one not organized. So thanks all you FANTASTIC CMs for making this a really super vacation. :D:

[EmptyCinema]

We just got back as well and I have to give TOTAL props to all the great CMs at Star Wars Weekend on Sunday. It was SO well organized and handled. All the CMs were so friendly and would just chat away as we were standing in all those long character lines. And I guess the biggest SG trick we saw (besides all the stupid people that stop in the doorways) was a woman that came huffing up to the Star Wars event desk complaining about how unorganized everything was. SHE was the one not organized. So thanks all you FANTASTIC CMs for making this a really super vacation. :D:

Yep, the SWW CMs were great.

OT: Are you a student at GA Tech? I currently go to GA State, so I was just wondering....

[Cranbiz]

Signal 72? I missed that one in the acronyms thread....

I'm sure that I listed that one, but just in case I had a senior moment.

Signal 72 = Full bus AKA Sardine Can.

[PrinceOfSka]

Mind you, that was AFTER the thought crossed my mind to say something to the effect, "Oh, you must be one of those liberal professors, and I use the term 'professor' loosely, who like to come here just to write bad things about Disney. I read the books you guys write for a laugh from time to time."

Please note, I am not interested in a political debate on this forum. I am just quoting my mind verbatim.

And if you see a book about the evils of Disney World, and as proof the author talks about a (stupid, fat) bus driver telling her she should not come to Disney World or something to that effect, you'll know who she's mentioning. I will be touring Disney World and autographing that page of her book when it comes out.

LOL, well its not just jthe whack job liberals out there, I think most of the largely negative books are by communists and socialists rather than what we consider liberal today. When giving papers at professional conferences on Walt or the company (see below for explanation) I usually get more angry conservative professors than liberals, they usually complain that Disney actually has eroded our value system! lol. Usually people in the middle like or can respect Disney as a company. I have read a good deal of the literature that is out there because of papers or articles I have written, and what is funny is that most of the people writing the really negative stuff are people with weird positions and not professors at all. They are people who work for "cultural consulting" companies or things like that... you know those people that give you opinions on things and make big stinks when something comes up in the news... I don't know who pays them, but I wish my job was just complaining... and honestly I don't know how many of those people who write really crappy things about Disney have ever really been to the parks... their writing pretty much proves it when they do things like call tomorowland space town USA - stuff like that just proves they don't even grab a map of the place before they write.

more on topic to what the thread is more about: Some characters really make the effort for adults too, and interesting enough usually a certain character will always have CM friends that are enjoyable for everyone on a regular basis. My favorite is also Smee and Hook! I have never met a grumpy Smee or Hook, or one that did not want to have fun with a couple of adults. Last October, my fiance and I were in MK, when we stopped for pictures with these two pirates. We waited until their next set and were first in line, my fiance was wearing some sort of fake pearls or something we had gotten somewhere that weekend, and as soon as the characters came out, they tried to steal her pearls, after that they noticed the birthday button on her and smee tried to take her off with him. meanwhile hook tried to get rid of me! we goofed around for about a minute before we got an autograph and left. It made our day, (except that my fiance was mad at the photopass photographer for not taking any pictures of us playing with the characters - to defend her she's always grouchy when she sees her colleagues not taking advantage of picture opportunities... its her favorite shots to take when shes on the clock) The only bad thing for me was that the other guests in the line kept saying, rather loudly, things like "come on let the kids get autographs" or "my kid has been waiting three minutes..." we were literally with the characters no more than two minutes tops. In my opinion its the majority of guests that don't understand Disney is for little kids and BIG kids!

And a quick OT delurking: I have been lurking this site for a couple years or so, even before my fiance became a CM. I just decided maybe I should pop out and say hello :) and thankyou to all of you CMs who make my visits fun. I get down there to see her and visit the world about once every two months (I just finished my masters in history up her in PA so she has been down there a year without me.) But now since there is not much to do with my BA and my MA (besides get a PhD) i am probably moving down there for a year off from school to join her, hopefully i can come join some of you guys as a CM... then again I don't have much practical experience LOL. Anyway, I am always happy to read you folks' stories and can appreciate them from the viewpoint of someone that has worked most of his working years in some sort of service job... stupid people are everywhere... and when they are at home they don't even get the pleasant title of "guest" they are just plain stupid :p:

[EmptyCinema]

Ok, so I was just an SG and missed the definition of Signal 72. It is quite plainly printed in the Acronyms thread. I just can't read or remember, one of the two.

I do wonder how the character performers feel about dealing with 'older' guests. (even 22 year olds like me) I'm sure part of the reason they work there is to make kids happy (I know it's not the pay or the parents). Honestly, my first trip to WDW as an adult I was reluctant to see the characters and now I love to. I've had a couple of actual character interactions (more than just posing) and those are amazing... Again, it just goes to show how much CMs really do.

[EmptyCinema]

I do wish the photopass people would take more "fun" (unposed) pictures, especially since my GF and I do spend the $125/trip to buy the CD. (She scrapbooks.)

We try to be quick, but hey: we're paying to come have fun too! Odds are we've probably been photographed by your fiance at some point... photopass CMs have started to recognize us.

What's really bad is the number of times I've had CMs ask me if I'm a CM... the odd part is that I sport a full beard and mustache...

[PrinceOfSka]

I do wish the photopass people would take more "fun" (unposed) pictures, especially since my GF and I do spend the $125/trip to buy the CD. (She scrapbooks.)

We try to be quick, but hey: we're paying to come have fun too! Odds are we've probably been photographed by your fiance at some point... photopass CMs have started to recognize us.

Oh man, so does my fiance - so many scrapbooks and pictures! but then again i guess she is a photographer. Right now, we have to collect pictures of us with all the characters in all the outfits - thats her mission. I like getting the rare ones - thats fun, but waiting to see mickey like three times a trip is a bit much for me! :)

You may have been the target of her camera on an occasion or two, shes over a Epcot currently and shes in character spot (i think thats what it is called now...) fairly often. One of her favorites spots... not just because she loves hanging out with the characters, but because of the air conditioning! haha.

[EmptyCinema]

We did the ECS twice this past trip (we do it about twice every trip, come to think of it).

*sigh* Already wishing I could return. :shrug:

[Cheshire Figment]

LOL, well its not just jthe whack job liberals out there, I think most of the largely negative books are by communists and socialists rather than what we consider liberal today. When giving papers at professional conferences on Walt or the company (see below for explanation) I usually get more angry conservative professors than liberals, they usually complain that Disney actually has eroded our value system! lol. Usually people in the middle like or can respect Disney as a company. I have read a good deal of the literature that is out there because of papers or articles I have written, and what is funny is that most of the people writing the really negative stuff are people with weird positions and not professors at all. They are people who work for "cultural consulting" companies or things like that... you know those people that give you opinions on things and make big stinks when something comes up in the news... I don't know who pays them, but I wish my job was just complaining... and honestly I don't know how many of those people who write really crappy things about Disney have ever really been to the parks... their writing pretty much proves it when they do things like call tomorowland space town USA - stuff like that just proves they don't even grab a map of the place before they write.

This is not unusual. In one of the late Isaac Asimov's biographies he told of a friend who was taking a college course in Science Fiction, and invited Isaac to attend on a day that one of his major stories was to be discussed and analyzed.

Isaac said that the instructor was extremely off base in the analysis; when he went up and introduced himself after the session and complained to the instructor, he was told that he really did not understand his own motives when he wrote the story.

[darph nader]

[quote="Cheshire Figment"]This is not unusual. In one of the late Isaac Asimov's biographies he told of a friend who was taking a college course in Science Fiction, and invited Isaac to attend on a day that one of his major stories was to be discussed and analyzed.

Isaac said that the instructor was extremely off base in the analysis]

That would be like telling Stephen King he's a hack. Granted some of Kings work is a 'little' weird (just me),but still.