Stupid Guest Tricks

First off, let me say that I've been lurking here for a while now, and finally have something to post. I'm not a CM, but I am a (hopefully!) Non SG who's returning to WDW for the third time this fall. I'm bringing two first-timers with me!

I have so many great memories of things CM's in many roles have done on my previous trips (one on my own, and one with my family which included a sister in a wheelchair). I know how often CM's made -my- day, and my question to you CM's is this: What can a non SG do to help make your day? And, following that, do you -want- guests to go to that effort to show what your effort means to their vacation, or would you rather be quietly appreciated?

I'm looking for little things that I/my group can do to help make everyone who works so hard to make our trip special smile!

Be ready to have fun any time the opportunity is provided. If you get on my bus and it's one of those times that I decide to perform, don't be above enjoying the entertainment I attempt to provide. Here, I am referring to the fact that I can take a group from MK to Pop Century and have to give autographs, then take a group to Yacht and Beach and they are doing everything in their power to talk over me until I finally shut up.

I was at a Board X (or was it Y?) where they were talking about the MiMs on the buses, and someone was thankful that their bus driver would finally have to shut up and drive. I was going to say something, but I didn't know what to say that wouldn't get me banned in my first post.

But that would be my biggest thing: as Cast members, enjoy us and what most of us do to make your time here enjoyable.

Because so many that stay there try to be above having fun on a bus, I rarely do my antics on the way to or from Yacht and Beach and some other resorts.


And of course, there's the rest of the stuff: Be nice to the people around you, you're not the only person in the park. Etc., etc., etc.,

I love it when the bus drivers are more than just drivers! It makes the trip much better, especially on the way back after a long day at the parks!

During bus driver training, is there some part of the course where they say, "tell the guests the most craziest of rumors, and watch them run to the Disney fan message boards to post those rumors."

And is there some script listing all the rumors that you have to memorize? You know: monorail expansion, 5th gate, ....

;)

I will have to say the best cast member joke ever told to me came from an awesome bus driver. He was driving a few (maybe 10 people) of us around back to pop century I believe, and he was giving us trivia questions and jokes. Everyone was getting into it, and it was one of the shortest (seemingly) bus rides ever. The joke - "you know why all that security at the parks checks your bags right?" people on the bus: "bombs," "guns," "beer," bus driver: "no, nobody brings that stuff into Disney World, they are looking for mousetraps!"
He was a very funny man! So I am in agreement, when the bus drivers put on a show it is always an extra treat.

PrinceOfSka wrote:I will have to say the best cast member joke ever told to me came from an awesome bus driver. He was driving a few (maybe 10 people) of us around back to pop century I believe, and he was giving us trivia questions and jokes. Everyone was getting into it, and it was one of the shortest (seemingly) bus rides ever. The joke - "you know why all that security at the parks checks your bags right?" people on the bus: "bombs," "guns," "beer," bus driver: "no, nobody brings that stuff into Disney World, they are looking for mousetraps!"
He was a very funny man! So I am in agreement, when the bus drivers put on a show it is always an extra treat.

LOL... I've had Disney security look into my camera bag and go "nope, no mousetraps in there!" Must be true! Quick, let me run to Brand X and post!

leftcoaster wrote:During bus driver training, is there some part of the course where they say, "tell the guests the most craziest of rumors..."

From the studying I've done (see, Zazu, I DO read from time to time), that is where the rumors of Walt's freezing come from, that Cast members in CA started the rumors, and they grew to the international intrigue that they are today.

I have been known to tell intriguing stories from time to time...

Probably the neatest for me was when I did my pirate routine and mentioned my knowing Captain Jack Sparrow, and some little kid near the front thought I must be twenty feet tall. I later heard about it on another message board. The poster there was purposely riding with me.

When I do something to make someone's day at the World special and it comes back to me that I did, that is what makes my day. That is my reason for being at Disney World.

I love the guest interaction, that's why I'm there (you did not think it was for the money, did you)

I also have given up on the Epcot resorts. The guests are too stuck up to enjoy my act. The other night I overheard a guest talking to someone else in their party and said, I guess the driver is trying to amuse us.

You know, If you don't like my act, keep it to yourself, others may like it and you don't need to influence them either way. :twisted:

When we go to WDW, hubby and I like to sit near the front of the bus, (he is disabled, but not in a chair) but we mostly do it to talk with the drivers. We love to chat with them and hear their stories and learn things we don't know and hey, here is someone who can answer some questions we have and can find out really good info from! We have ALWAYS had great bus drivers :driver: and we love to ride the buses (I know we ARE a little weird!) :notallthe , but that way you get to know people. We also will always thank CMs for making our day great and go to City Hall and talk to them about which CMs were superb at their role and let them know how pleased we are! I once gave one CM (concierge) at Contemporary our tix to Cirque du Soleil (after she protested 4 or 5 times) cause I have clown phobia and did not want to go, but had heard her talking to another guest about how great the show was and how she wanted to take her cousin or sister or someone. She was flabbergasted and sooooo... grateful. I felt great about it, because she had been a remarkable person during our stay and I just wanted to thank her. :D:
I always talk to the Mousekeepers as well, I speak a litle Espanol and can get by and always stop to say "Gracias!" to them and we always tip very well. Every little thing we can do to make our favorite people in the world (Disney CMs, no matter what dept they are in) happy, we try to do. We are the guests who try to stop the SG's from making it a bad scene for everyone. We are those people who always thank the CM's after an attraction is unloading and when they serve us our food and the list goes on and on, but you know what I mean. I believe Cast Members are the reason Disney is so magical for us and we have made some great friends over the years, CMs who still work concierge at Disneyland Hotel consider us "familia" They are always there with a hug and a smile and we give them hugs right back! They are the reason we keep coming back to Disney parks, that and the fact that Disney parks are the happiest places on earth. :lovestruc
Just treat the CMs with respect and kindness, saying thank you goes a long way and let TPTB know when they have done an exemplary job, and tip them well when tipping is called for. Smile and laugh with them and have a good time. That is how you make the CMs happy. By not being a jag...or SG!
Have fun and love your CMs! They ARE Disneyland and Walt Disney World! :cheers:
Sues

Cranbiz wrote:I love the guest interaction, that's why I'm there (you did not think it was for the money, did you)

I also have given up on the Epcot resorts. The guests are too stuck up to enjoy my act. The other night I overheard a guest talking to someone else in their party and said, I guess the driver is trying to amuse us.

You know, If you don't like my act, keep it to yourself, others may like it and you don't need to influence them either way. :twisted:

This is so sad that these idiots cannot even have fun on the bus. They just see it as a way to and from the fun, not as PART of the fun. Our trips on the buses ARE part of the fun and Magic of Disney and we love the drivers who are amusing and funny and tell us jokes and get us singing. Don't let these idiots get you down and just remember, not all of the guests who stay at Yacht Club or some of the Deluxe resorts are like that. We have been fortunate in life, but we are down to earth people, no better than anyone else. (Except the SGs) We LOVE when the drivers have fun and make the ride fun, so keep it up! We will be the ones singing with you and laughing at the jokes and trying to guess the answer to the riddles like how many Mickey face cookies does the Magic Kingdom go through in one day?
Sues :D: