As a Guest I gotta know; How do you guys handle it?!

[Yeti Chaser]

[quote="wolfchild"] And of course, our pic of the two of us with both Mickey and Minnie, in their 50th finery, that they both took a special moment to come over and take with us in front of the theater on the first day of our Honeymoon is a cherished picture and memory that means the world to us.

So, I would say to never discredit those "lunatic adults" because that moment probably means more to them than to any of the kids in that line with them ]
Amen. It s not just the little kids that bring an emotional welling up inside of me. It is the Big" kids like you and your husband that bring out that magic and makes me realize why I am a Disney Cast Member. Please continue to spread that pixie dust. :D:

[sja]

I'm a lunatic adult that will stand in line for ages to hug a character. I don't need an autograph or a photo to make the moment special. And yes, to me that really is Mickey Mouse. :D:

Saw Tigger nearly go all Donald on a guest once. It was in the days of those old metal framed strollers and someone rammed one straight into poor Tigger's shins. You could see Tigger was in pain and you could hear the deep breathing as Tigger caught himself and calmed himself down. Stupid guest. :mad:

[BRWombat]

I'm a lunatic adult that will stand in line for ages to hug a character. I don't need an autograph or a photo to make the moment special. And yes, to me that really is Mickey Mouse. :D:

Saw Tigger nearly go all Donald on a guest once. It was in the days of those old metal framed strollers and someone rammed one straight into poor Tigger's shins. You could see Tigger was in pain and you could hear the deep breathing as Tigger caught himself and calmed himself down. Stupid guest. :mad:

I'm another adult who loves interacting with the characters, though I'm not big on waiting in line.

My favorite interactions have come in brief chance meetings as the characters are going to and from official events. (These chance meetings happen a lot more in the close confines of the Disney cruise ships.) Just little things -- holding a door open for the characters, helping Donald fasten a rope (when his glove/wing kept catching in the latch), or just greeting them as they pass -- those mundane things really make the characters come to life. (After all, a meet-and-greet is a staged event. Seeing a character walking around like any other guest? That's real!!)

And it baffles me, but in spite of the 42-year-old cynic I am in everyday life, they really are the characters to me at these times, not CMs in costume. Kudos to all who work with these characters and to all other CMs for the magic you make!!!

[Pooh Bear Fan]

Kudos to all who work with these characters and to all other CMs for the magic you make!!!

Extra Kudos to Alice of Wonderland at Epcot on September 8, that took time to have a sword fight with my son.

To this family, that WAS Alice. Not some hired CM acting the part.

I love the characters. I hate to see the children or adults treat them poorly. I am willing to wait in a short line for a quick picture. I always ask if I can hug. I treat them like I would any other "person." And that is the problem. When you see some kid kick a character, watch to see how he acts with other people. I would put money on the fact that he/she treats everyone like that.
:mad:

[Purpura]

Sometimes when I am starting to walk to my work location at Disneyland to clock in, I see a character... a couple days ago I hi-fived Goofy and Max before going on to where I work on Main Street... One day I saw Donald... Sometimes it's the parade people... Just depends I guess... One day Aladdin another day Jasmine...

I say hello, and go on to where I am supposed to be :)

[felinefan]

I remember once as a kid, I was getting on the Snow White's Adventures (before it became "scary"). My ride unit came up near where it entered the actual ride, and there at the console was Snow White, operating the ride! I'd never seen a character operating a ride before (or since, for that matter). Anyway, she looked up from her console and said hello. That just made my day! But I don't suppose you have characters operating rides anymore, do you?

[ThunderCat]

...I don't suppose you have characters operating rides anymore, do you?

Last time I checked, the characters aren't allowed to even go on the rides without approval from management - much less operate one!

[GMC]

I found this sight a while back and have been reading it regularly as it really presents a side of themeparks not seen by those of us who do not work there. So, I just got back from a 2day trip down to DL and what I had already noticed before is now REALLY noticable after reading this board.

I swear I do not know how you guys handle it without resorting to violence or alcoholism! Especially you guys in character, my god that seems like a nightmare!

We watched poor Cinderella for a few minutes, out in the 98 degree heat in what has to be a heat lethal combo of costume and makeup, patiently taking time with every (often crying) child thrust/pushed forward by their keeper. And I won't even mention the lunatic adults waiting for a picture.

I'd love to be a fly on the wall backstage when the doors close and the Disney smile can be turned off..lol

Thanks too all of you for making each of our DL trips more fun than the last, without you it wouldn't be possible.

So I hate to ruin the magic for you, but I have two best friends that i've made so far at disney, their names are RUM and BEER! Typically I don't get drunk i've been know to toss back a few beers, and I can more than handle my hard liquors as well. i've hit .2+ on the BAC scale, standing straight up with one hell ofa bladder, and i remember most of it too!

I've also been known to threaten to urinate on anything from a person's face/pillow, to their graves. That's usually after then longer of days though.

[SWTexasBelle]

We have an old home movie somewhere of my brother (this had to be around 1976) pulling Eeyore's tail. Eeyore punched him (not hard!) and my whole family was of the opinion he deserved it. Got in big trouble with the parents. My brother, not Eeyore. We love Eeyore. (!) Same brother is now a cop and SWAT officer - ?????

Years later, with my kids, it was always a struggle to keep other parents and children from running over my quiet, polite girls. Really - they would stand there, and pushy parents would try to just go around them. Luckily the girls' mother is not afraid to say "EXCUSE ME - the line is BACK THERE"

[IndyandMarion]

People on here know how I handle the crap we CMs deal with. . . Here's Your Sign: The Disney Saga

That and a bit of Smackdown vs. Raw 2007. . . In a last man standing match. Hours upon hours of unlimited beating the crap out of people. . . Its like a virtual guest and you can beat the tar out of them and not lose your job or go to jail.