The Lion King Parade - Behind the Scenes

[drcorey]

Ever wonder how those parades work?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mFyCtBd ... re=related
Here is a clip of all they do to make the guests happy.

[Whazzup]

That was awesome!

[Purpura]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRAwUNlG ... re=related

One day I was working over on the Disney California Adventures side of things, and I saw a guy with a boom box, and the Rhino from the Dreams Parade, learning dance steps. I stayed a safe distance back, and watched the rhino start kicking up his heels, all four of them... I love the parade, so I started dancing with the rhino still at that distance. The guy with the boom box noticed, and told the rhino he had a dance partner.

[joanna71985]

That was great!

[Whazzup]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRAwUNlG ... re=related

One day I was working over on the Disney California Adventures side of things, and I saw a guy with a boom box, and the Rhino from the Dreams Parade, learning dance steps. I stayed a safe distance back, and watched the rhino start kicking up his heels, all four of them... I love the parade, so I started dancing with the rhino still at that distance. The guy with the boom box noticed, and told the rhino he had a dance partner.

Where else but at Disney could you dance with a Rhino? :D:

Did the Lion King Parade ever come to WDW? I've never seen it. The Jammin' Jungle Parade is my favorite Disney parade - it's so colorful and imaginative. I love it! :D:

[Whazzup]

I was listening to last week's DIS Podcast and they were discussing whether being a cast member changes the way you perceive Disney magic. One comment was that money issues have become more important than show quality, which has affected the quality of CMs that are out there interacting with the public. CMs are told what to do, but not WHY they should do it a certain way - they aren't given the legacy or background of why things are done a certain way. Traditions used to be a 3-day training and now it's down to about a half day. It's sad that some cast members find it's just a job and don't have the enthusiasm or desire to really understand why Walt's legacy is so important to good show. :(

[Sarah Magdalene]

I was listening to last week's DIS Podcast and they were discussing whether being a cast member changes the way you perceive Disney magic. One comment was that money issues have become more important than show quality ...

I'm sorry, but that is pure BS. Honestly! You get cast with WDW is cause you want to, not cause it's just a plain ol "Joe Shmoe" type job. People who want to became CM's must remember that they have a long legacy to uphold - crappy pay or not. Sometimes I think that as a friend of characters I'd think I'd deserve more of a paycheck, but really - all the pay in the world won't be enough to give me the motivation to do what I do when a man, in a thick foreign accent kisses Minnie, as he poses with his family in a picture, and says, "A Dream Come True!"

People should do the best they do cause they like their jobs, not on the size of the paycheck.

As for Disney Magic as a CM, I had said before that the Magic is far greater enhanced because I'm the one making it. Making the magic is so much better than receiving it.

[Whazzup]

I'm sorry, but that is pure BS. Honestly! You get cast with WDW is cause you want to, not cause it's just a plain ol "Joe Shmoe" type job. People who want to became CM's must remember that they have a long legacy to uphold - crappy pay or not. Sometimes I think that as a friend of characters I'd think I'd deserve more of a paycheck, but really - all the pay in the world won't be enough to give me the motivation to do what I do when a man, in a thick foreign accent kisses Minnie, as he poses with his family in a picture, and says, "A Dream Come True!"

People should do the best they do cause they like their jobs, not on the size of the paycheck.

As for Disney Magic as a CM, I had said before that the Magic is far greater enhanced because I'm the one making it. Making the magic is so much better than receiving it.

Sarah - I think what the podcaster was saying was that MANAGEMENT or the higher-ups were focusing more on the bottom line these days and not providing some newer CMs with the background or legacy of WHY or HOW they should be making magic. The issue is NOT that the CMs were more concerned with salary than in creating magic. I've never met or even communicated with a CM who thinks their paycheck is more important than the magic they create for guests.
However, there seem to be some CMs (and newer bus drivers come to mind) that don't interact at all with guests and management seems to be discouraging them from even attempting to do so.

Sorry if that was a miscommunication on my part. I totally agree with you.

[Sarah Magdalene]

Well that a relief! Glad you cleared that up. For a while, I thought that podcaster thought that CM's do crappy jobs cause their pay is crap.

Glad to see that a majority of CM's are on the right idea about being employed at WDW and other Disney Parks.

Personally, whether you are taught or not, a CM on stage should be a hard working, smile infectious, happiness inducing individual. Isn't that way people want jobs like greeter, Photo Pass, or Character Attendant? They have sparkling personalities and want to share it.

If not, then get a behind the scenes desk job!

[Randy B]

Well that a relief! Glad you cleared that up. For a while, I thought that podcaster thought that CM's do crappy jobs cause their pay is crap.

Glad to see that a majority of CM's are on the right idea about being employed at WDW and other Disney Parks.

Personally, whether you are taught or not, a CM on stage should be a hard working, smile infectious, happiness inducing individual. Isn't that way people want jobs like greeter, Photo Pass, or Character Attendant? They have sparkling personalities and want to share it.

If not, then get a behind the scenes desk job!

Unfortunately, that is what seems to have happened. Those who put little value on making magic have been placed behind the scenes where they are the ones making decisions about what is supposed to happen "on stage". Thus profit and such issues make a larger impression on their decision making. And the front line CMs who truely want to give the best "performance" for their guests not only have to battle with the natural emotions inspired by the more abusive SGs but also with the backstage managers who just don't (or don't wish to) understand. That was the great legacy of Walt that is being missed. He was backstage, making decisions, but also still had the feel (and feedback) of the guest/CM interaction on which to, at least partly, make those decisions.

I have noticed that some of the upper management (past and present) people who have been interviewed by the media, and are highly thought of in and out of the CM ranks are the ones who started their time with Disney selling icecream, or piloting a JC launch, etc for several years before moving up. The Managers who are regularly cited with less than magical decisions frequently started in a backstage area or moved from on stage to backstage VERY rapidly. Maybe because they just were unable to work with the public in a magical way and were moved to a less public position.

Of course there are always exceptions to the rules. But it seems to be fairly frequent that this happens.

Randy