Save me from being a SG - tell me what NOT to do

[Main Streeter]

First one's on me. :toast:
(leave the skirt at home though. :rolleyes :)
Yes MS,we'll have a pine float for you. ;)

darph, you Always say this. Never carry through. :p: Maybe BRW needs the skirt. Ya never know. ;) I'd certainly not dictate to a lawyer, esp a pro bono one. Old pine float again. :( Forget snail WoC. ha!

[Main Streeter]

MainStreeter is Erine now on the west side of the park now instead of Main Street? Would that explain why the last two times I went to Flag Retreat he was not part of the color guard? I missed seeing him on D-day this past Sunday.

dazy, Ernie is west & TL, yet all over DL when needed. The other day @ lunch a DLS Officer referred to Ernie as an impala. Fitting analogy. :)

Ernie has been on Bereavement leave for a month. He returns today, if possible. I'm not sure if he will lead Color Guard or attend Flag Retreat today due to the emotional trauma. Ernie's twin sister, Ernestine, was very ill the first of May. He & his entire family from Chicago, Va. & Ga. went to be with Ernestine. He returned from N.J. on a Thurs. totally exhausted. Ernie called Ernestine the next night & felt she might be better. Within hrs. after they lovingly spoke Ernestine was gently taken by God. Ernie repacked for the sad trip back to N.J. where all the family again gathered. The loss of a twin is an extremely deep wound most can't comprehend. The loneliness is a void which will not be filled nor forgotten. Not ever. Ernie was a brother plus Ernestine's twin, thus much of the service was planned with him totally involved. How he so gracefully handled the service & poignant farewell to his twin amazes me. Ernie just returned Mon. He is emotionally drained, & has been sleeping most of the time - when the pain allows rest.

All positive messages & support for Ernie - he Needs them - are welcomed on Facebook page. Key DisneyLandFlagRetreat. Ktulu, will you please post the click link on thread for me? I can't get this to cooperate. Anyone wanting to send cards or notes to Ernie can PM me. I will print for him or give a snail address.

While on the subject of support - I must Thank Ktulu for his caring, loyal concern, & words which still bring tears, yet help heal. Thank you too BW for your heart, friendship, & forwarding. Shorty, thank you for giving Ernie so much kindness. I can always count on your strength. You three are such honorable men.

[ktulu]

The flag retreat group is http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=241934374896

MS, thanks for being the messenger :)

[LadySiren]

I know I said I wasn't going to post anymore as I don't want to be a bother but we'll be in Orlando on Saturday, yay! Can't wait to get to WDW and show it to the kids. I can't make any promises but we'll do our best not to be SGs (read: I'd really prefer not to read about myself on this board, LOL).

[ifoundnemo]

I'm going to provide my favorite dark ride trick with verbal cues in quotes.

Try "Invisible Hat" or "Invisible Sunglasses" stunt. Have a witty cast member place some kind of "magic spell" on their hat or sunglasses so that when the kid puts them on, they immediately go "invisible" to any grown ups. Therefore, they are immediately invisible to anything that could "harm" or "scare" them. Have them "practice" with the glasses or hat to "test out the magic." This next part is crucial to making this work. MAKE SURE EVERY ADULT IN THE FAMILY PLAYS ALONG. CM's will pick up on it really quickly... just remember that only the children can see each other.

I have used that trick a few times on Pirates to help the kids out as the line itself can be rather dark... not to mention the pitch black drop that's "Just like a playground slide that's over in 2 seconds! Count 1 Mississippi-2 Mississippi-DONE!"

If the kid is a full on believer, you'll see that at some point during the ride, they may actually take off the glasses or hat or will forget that they are wearing either... they may be smiling and laughing when they get off the ride!

If the child is still leery, have them talk to a CM that works at the ride. Hearing it from someone that knows the ride will sometimes comfort them.

The worst thing I witness at work is parents forcing a screaming, scared child onto a ride. It really puts a damper on the ride experience, not just for the family, but for anyone that may be around them.

Worst case scenario, some attractions offer a rider switch option, or just set up your own personal rider switch outside the attraction. It may spend a few extra minutes of time, but in the end, everyone wins. Who knows, maybe after the first parent rides, the child will have a change of heart or sudden stroke of bravery!

A final note, DO NOT START THEM ON STUFF LIKE STITCH'S GREAT ESCAPE OR SOMETHING WITH A LARGE DROP (LIKE SPLASH MOUNTAIN). Start them on the easy stuff, and work them up to more thrills. Starting them on something that intense could scare them out of almost every ride in the park!

Also, we do have at least 2 stroller parking areas set up in each land. Locate them so you don't leave an attraction scratching your head for 10 minutes going "Who took my stroller?!"

Contrary to popular belief, CM's really do know what they're doing/talking about!

[turkeyham]

Do not approach a turkey cart and ask them for extra pickles. The fruit carts have pickles.

What would you put a pickle on? Corn on the cob? Turkey legs? Chimichungas? Chips or to add a disgusting new flavor to you bottled beverage? ;)

[delsdad]

Do not approach a turkey cart and ask them for extra pickles. The fruit carts have pickles.

What would you put a pickle on? Corn on the cob? Turkey legs? Chimichungas? Chips or to add a disgusting new flavor to you bottled beverage? ;)

The fruit carts have pickles? As in the fixins bar at Pecos Bills type pickles? Or are those the giant dill pickles on a stick ?? For some reason I cant make a connection between either the turkey cart OR the fruit cart and pickles. The Burger cart, yes (if there is one), but not the other two.

[DragonFox98]

I will admit - both my older two came off crying from Space Mountain in 2007 (when the boy was finally tall enough to ride), but they weren't scared or crying when the GOT ON. I felt so bad, but I couldn't stop giggling because it was just so cute....there they were, crying as soon as the ride stopped...no, wait...sobbing and there I am giggling, rubbing their backs, telling them it's okay because it's over. My girl still doesn't like roller coaters (yet she'll ride ToT from park opening to close), but as soon as we got outside, the boy turned to my husband and said (through his tears) "that was awesome! Can Mommy take me on again?!?" And we just looked at each other and burst out laughing. I am sure some CMs though we were SGs....but we're really good parents, I swear. I tried to explain what the ride would be like and what to expect, but I think it was just too roller-coasty for the girl. However, let me tell you, the boy was highly ticked off when we went this past September and it wasn't open....I told him wait til next trip....it'll be better than ever.

But that's my story...I looked like a horrible SG mom, but I wasn't...not at that moment anyway. ;)

[EeyoresButterfly]

I know this is old and now not reall needed as the trip is over, however, in case others read:

In terms of signing, I have it from Mickey and many of his friends that the easiest pens to sign with are normal pens. Slightly fatter pens work well, but the characters are quite adept at signing with just a regular pen. The ones that will mean a bad signature are the exceptionally fat or long ones. They are hard to hold and often the weight is funny. The other thing that is hard are those mini sharpies! The characters all cringed when those came out!

yes, there is a policy and just like you said, the exception are the costumed events. (and star wars weekend? not sure about that one)

pass themselves off as CM's? I doubt you would even get near the gate.

CM's? is that a problem, having people show up in CM costumes?

(don't think I have ever heard of that SG trick)

For Star Wars weekends, they have traditionally let the local 504 dress up (and even have a little parade) but they have very specific rules. They are not allowed to take pictures with other guests or sign autographs. They cannot do anything that would make somebody believe they affiliated with Disney in any way.

[Kifaru]

pickle onna stick.... nomnomnom