Stupid Guest Tricks

Hey gang I am trying to find out for a fellow CM if hand signals are still being used (Hold (fist up), Clear (Open hand out), Crossing (Arms folded across chest in X) ETC. (Variations)) at Disney Theme Parks for Safety or are they (as she was told) being phased out? If you still use hand signals, are they in your SOG??? It'll really help her out (of a very "Pointed" ;) situation)!
WDW CMs especially which attractions do you still use them at?

At least at Coaster we use those hand signals.

the only signal we knew about at Haunted Mansion was the crossing the arms in the air to indicate crossing the track. We never used it b/c we never had the need to cross except late at night when we shut the ride down to do our walkthoughs.

SoarWhoreCoCo wrote:WDW CMs especially which attractions do you still use them at?

At the WDW Railroad, we just got two new standard hand signals this year. The list is now:

Fist in air -- hold. (new)

Arm horizontal, open palm -- clear to dispatch. (new)

Thumb and finger extended in an "L" -- giver is about to go on a lunch break (requiring adjustments in the rotation.

Thumb and finger extended in an "L" -- last load before close for fireworks or end of service. (Yeah, it's the same signal. Context is all.)

Two thumbs up, held in front of chest -- CM on the ground wishes to board approaching train.

Index finger in the air rotated in a circle (as in "whoopee!") -- Load and Go. Board guests quickly and dispatch train as soon as all guests are aboard.

There are other, informal hand signals used on the line, but they aren't official or written down anywhere. (No, not the ones you're thinking of -- these are clean, mostly.) Details if I can remember them.

Hold: Closed fist, eye level or higher
Clear: Arm extended, palm open towards driver

^^ Those 2 are both in the OGs

We don't use a signal for crossing, usually just a hold signal as you're walking in front of a truck.

An informal hand signal that we use on our trains is a forefinger pointed up, making a circular motion (rotational bump)

Unofficial Hand Signals:

Bump one closed fist on top of the other - Rotational Bump

Closed fists together, and them separating them as if yo are breaking a stick - On break

Crossed arms in the air - Close cut, used on parades to close the walkway across the parade route.

"Wave" our hands in the arm, like doing a wave at baseball games - Using the WAV, Wheelchair Access Vehicle at Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters

Waving our arms - Same as above.

Hahaha, I sometimes do funny and stupid signals, that look like baseball signals, before clearing the rockets for launch at Astro Orbitor.

We have several hand signals that are specific to the matterhorn, but they are for random things like "sled escapes" and loading gate issues.

we're also trained like Pavlov's dogs to respond to a bell (i hear it from anywhere in the park, and my head turns to the matterhorn).

at attractions overall though, the standards i've noticed are:
hold
clear
crossing
break
rotational bump
lunch

i've also tried to get my own hand signals used regularly a few times... i have one for "preloading" at storybook land, and one for getting guests to move through crossovers during the parade.

When backing up a large truck slowing closing a waving hand to a fist means STOP! Of course ,middle finger extended from a fist means"HEY HOW ARE YA" or "YOU'RE #1". But you already knew that.

Zazu wrote:Thumb and finger extended in an "L" -- giver is about to go on a lunch break (requiring adjustments in the rotation.

Thumb and finger extended in an "L" -- last load before close for fireworks or end of service. (Yeah, it's the same signal. Context is all.)

And, I'm guessing, thumb and finger extended in an "L" and placed on the forehead -- one of the kinder gestures made behind a departing SG's back?

I used a short series of hand gestures to communicate with my lead (greeter) on my very first day in costume.

Point to chest = "I"
Crossing hands horizontally in repetition = "Can't"
With two fingers pointing to the character head eye location = "See"

Stupid skull cap slipped over my eyes. :mad: