Question to WDW Cast Members

[TiggerHappy]

Ah, I guess I was worried for nothing. :D: Thanks for the vote of confidence.

I'm just wondering, which turnstile did the DL CM go to for entry that they had to be personally let in? I know that the Magic Kingdom has designated CM turnstiles on the left side only. The other parks have them too and they have signs above them identifying them as such. These are usually used when a CM is bringing a guest into the park. I know my son can just use his Disney ID badge to get through any entry turnstile at the Disney parks here.

There's designated turnstiles for CMs? We don't have that at DLR so I suppose my coworker could've been clueless about that. Why is that? This is the first I've heard of this. Even when DLR is busy as heck, the ticket takers can still deal with CMs mixed along with the Guests. Do they take that long to process in other Disney parks?

[avengador1]

There's designated turnstiles for CMs? We don't have that at DLR so I suppose my coworker could've been clueless about that. Why is that? This is the first I've heard of this. Even when DLR is busy as heck, the ticket takers can still deal with CMs mixed along with the Guests. Do they take that long to process in other Disney parks?

I'll take pictures of the signs next time I go to the parks. On a busy day the regular turnstyles can have lines over 30 people deep. The CM turnstyles are also used to print out a park hopper entry ticket for the CM guests, that is good on that day only. I guess visiting CMs can also be SGs if they don't read the signs. ;)
Unless they have a WDW worker's badge they should stick to the CM turnstyles or go to the ticket booths to get an entry ticket.

[Shorty82]

In my experience no animosity is held by WDW CMs towards DLR CMs.

There is NO excuse for there to be a delay in them entering the park. A visiting DLR CM should never be asked to stand aside while other guests are allowed through, when visiting WDW DLR CMs are guests themselves and should be treated the same. When I visited DLR a few years back I used my Maingate and got through the turnstiles in a timely manner. I don't see why it should be any different for DLR CMs to enter WDW.

Local CMs can use any turnstile, the designated turnstiles are for CMs using a Maingate. AKAIK these are the only turnstiles equipped to print tickets (I believe most, if not all, of DLR's turnstiles are equipped to do this so special turnstiles are not required). If a Maingate cannot be accepted at a particular turnstile for whatever reason the holder should be directed to a turnstile where it can, not asked to stand to one side.

One's Maingate and Cast ID should be more than sufficient to gain entry into a park. That was all I needed to get into DLR. The idea behind Maingates is to provide CMs entry for themselves and their families/friends into Disney parks and the idea behind Cast IDs is to provide positive identification of Disney Castmembers.

You will never see me giving weird looks to DLR CMs or anything like that. I nearly always ask them where they work at DLR and make small talk, like I do with WDW CMs. I have never seen a coworker give weird looks or make disparaging comments either. It doesn't matter if one works in Florida, California, or wherever; if one works for WDW, DLR, Disney Store, Disney Studios, the Cruise Line or any of the other Disney companies, we all work for Disney. No matter our specific jobs we all have that in common.

[Epeyon]

Never heard of this. If anything we want to talk and be nice 'cause we're curious about how things work out there.

I was under the impression that you had to use your maingate to access a non-local park. So if a WDW CM went to DLR they'd be required to use their maingate. Or if a DLR CM went to DLP they'd need to use their maingate?

[avengador1]

As with everything, experiences may vary. Maybe this visiting CM was dealing with a new CM not used to handling turnstile duties and whatever he was using to gain entry was kicked out of the card reader. I know those devices can be finicky at times. From my own personal experience, we were instructed to use the designated turnstiles to enter the parks when in uniform and on duty, actually there is a gate, near these turnstiles, for employees to enter without the need to swipe their badge. I'm guessing they did this so that guests cannot sneak in the same way as these are locates away from the main entry turnstiles and are under constant watch.
In theory a CM can use their work badge to gain entry at any turnstile when they are out of uniform and off duty. I know this to be true because this is what I used to do when I worked there. There is no need for the attendant to have any guest CM step aside, unless they are also trying to bring some friends in with them using their Maingate Pass. The dedicated turnstiles are for CM with guests mostly, but they are also serve as entry turnstiles for anyone with a valid park pass, as long as you see a green arrow lit up on the approach side of them.
There should have not been any problem for this visiting CM to enter the park, if he was using his work badge. This has me wondering why he was asked to step aside or why he needed another CM to aide him in entering the park. Was he trying to enter using his maingate pass instead of his badge? I could see how that might create a delay as they would have to verify his identity, especially if this was the first time he was using it. I'm not current with the latest policies, especially those having to do with visiting a Disney park that isn't one's home base park.

[Zazu]

When I worked at MK, I met a few CMs with attitude problems, but the majority of them were locals. Most CMs won't admit to it on stage when they're out of costume -- it can lead to unrealistic expectations on the part of other guests.

When I've visited DL, I had trouble getting in. It seems no one there knows the procedure -- DL resort cast, GR cast, entry plaza greeters -- all sent me to someone else. I finally just went to the turnstiles and met some Park Greeters who copped an attitude because I didn't know the procedure. Poor start to the day, but never a problem inside.

You'd think such things would be on the Hub ... but ... I've worked there too long to expect that.

[5th Dimension]

When I went to DL, I talked to maybe 15 CMs about working in WDW, and only about 3 straight up didn't care. They didn't show any love, and it was a bit annoying I must admit. Everyone isn't a Disney nerd though, so that's the way it is.

I don't get the feeling that WDW CMs hate DL at all. Some people just love being here in Florida, and they don't think of WDW vs DL at all. Some people just want to visit DL one day. A few think DL is better. And some people just think of it as a job and don't care at all.

Now what I did get a feeling of from the guests in California, is that they are quick to say that DL is better in any regard. That got quite annoying.

[avengador1]

Here is the picture I promised. This turnstile is located at the Magic Kingdom.

[TiggerHappy]

This is most interesting about the Maingate passes and ticket taker CMs not being trained to know what to do when dealing with non-local CMs. Have systems on both coasts been homogenized to be able to take Maingate from either CA or FL CMs or do they detect them as separate? Perhaps that may have 'caused ticket taker CMs to direct you to other CMs?

And about my coworker being asked to stand aside, I may have mistaken the 1 hour duration for 30 minutes, now that I think about it. But it's still a while before he got serviced regardless.