You Either Get 'It' or You Don't!!

[MagicDream4Me]

WARNING- FIRST POST! LOOOONG!
Hello everyone! I'm Marie! I am a new post - and I gotta' tell you, this site is great! It's a real eye opener into the life of a CM.

First off to all the CM's THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU, THANK-YOU!! I know you don't hear that enough! You all make an inpact in peoples lives that you may not even realize. Some of us really appreciate your dedication!

WDW represents so much to me! My family could never afford to go to WDW when I was a child. My first trip was in 2005 (age 32). It changed my life! That may sound stupid to some, but like the title says - you either get it or you don't. I went back in '06 and I am returning in 9 days! :D: I can't wait! I am so thankful I have the means and opprotunity to bring my child to WDW.

I am a self proclaimed NON SG! (although I think my husband is at times- )
I am like a big kid from the moment I leave for the airport 'til I'm home! I embarrass my husband and 7 yr girl! I talk to everyone and I literally cry when the bus drives through the gates! I love talking to the bus drivers, monorail pilots, and any CMs I come into contact with! I way I see it- out of all the guests at WDW- this CM wants to talk to me and my family! :)

I am so sorry for he bad things you CMs have to put up with. I'm also envious of the 'magical moments' you experience. I'm a nurse, which I think is alot like being a CM at my own little park. Some patients are great, but most you are just glad you get to stick with a needle. ;)

Here is my set of 'guidelines' for Disney Guests: (which I think should be given upon arrival!)

1. Don't sweat the small stuff! Nobody's vacation anywhere is perfect- don't expect perfection. Anticipate problems and plan ahead!
2. The laws of common sense and common decency still exist at WDW!
3. CMs are not to be abused! The CM driving the bus is not just some 'back of a head'! The CM who tells you your kid is too short to ride is not trying to ruin your vacation! These people are grown adults with famlies of their own and deserve to be treated with respect and appreciation!
4. Do a little research and planning before you go to WDW! Guess what? There are books about it, endless websites, and you probably know someone who's been. Find out answers to 'stupid questions' BEFORE you arrive! Don't show up and expect everyone to cater to your needs and babysit your children!
5. You are not special!!! Your family deserves the same treatment as every other family!! In the time you waste complaining about a CM not doing something 'special' for you kid- YOU had the time to do something special for your kid!
6. Put the damn camera down sometimes!! Memories are so much more important than getting that perfect pic or a tape of the entire parade!
7. RULES are RULES! Sometime they suck, but guess what? I assure you -you will not change a rule in your 'week' at WDW - so get over it!! I imagine if you reclaim all the time you spend moaning and groaning about trivial stuff- you would have a full day. Why waste valuable time?
8. Be fair and respectful to the other guests! And make your kids do the same! Not everyone has children! Not everyone even likes children! WDW is not just for kids!! And-Don't complain about the 5 extra minutes it take to load a WC on the bus! On the flip side- don't use a WC unless you need it!! WC are for handicapped guests, not lazy ones!
9. Children- where to begin? This is not a daycare center! The old rule 'If you wouldn't do it at home- don't do it here' just isn't good enough. (cuz some people do bad at home). Control your kids at all times!! Know where the bathrooms are, and USE them. And FLUSH! Use your brain people!! How who you like it if guests at your home peed all over the seat and left a big dump in the toilet? :twisted:
10. Too many guests have the attitude - 'we can do what we want- we'll never see these people again' or 'I'm paying $$$ to these people, so they owe me'. Dumb and dumber! 1st - chances are you WILL see these people again, and 2nd, you are paying for an experience that only YOU have control of. If your experience is a bad one- you are probably to blame! Remember- no matter how much your paying- the CMs don't get paid near enough! :(
11. Speaking of 'paying $$$ to WDW' - Your deluxe $$$ to be here is no better than my POP $ to be here! I worked just as hard for my $ (probably harder), so don't think you better than me and my family! Sure, your bus stop is closer- but who's counting! :p:
12. Waiting in line can be fun!! Yes I said it!! Bring a trivia book- and read it loud- people will join in- tell jokes- sing- pass out stickers- do something besides complain!! Oh- or just get a fastpass!
13. JOIN IN the fun! Participate people! If a CM is telling a corny joke you have heard 3 days in a row- LAUGH! Yell responses, sing, dance, have a great time- don't be embarrassed. You will get a much better reaction, thus a better experience, from CMs and other guests than if you sit quietly the entire trip.
14. LISTEN and READ!! Chances are if a CM is saying something to you or your group- it's something you need to know! SHUT-UP and LISTEN! Also- there are lots of these neat things around WDW called SIGNS! READ them! OBEY them! They are wise! :)
15. Bottom line- a smile, a little patience and a ton of thank-you's can make your experience at WDW twice as good! Go with a great attitude and let everyone (you, CMs, and other guests) have a great fun time!!

This is my attempt to make WDW a happier place for all! :D: Unfortunately, we all know that if you gave some people a million dollars, they would just complain about the case it came in!! These are the hopeless- the ones who will never get 'it'!

I could rant forever, but I think thats enough for now. I'm working on letting my 'crazy' out a little at a time!

I'll be at WDW Oct. 13-20. Staying at POP. I realy hope I get to meet some of you!! I just can't wait

Again- to all CMs everywhere- THANK-YOU!!!

[Princess Susi]

Hi Marie! Welcome to the craziness that is Stupid Guest Tricks! This is such a fun site! Enjoy the ride!
Susi

[CelebrationNM]

Great list! The things that you said are so true...you obviously know how to get the most out of your vacation! :)

When I interviewed for my first job in guest serviceas/recreation, I naively told the interviewer that I thought "it would be fun to be around people while they are having fun on vacation." Once I got out onto the front lines, I couldn’t believe how many guests stress out on their vacations; usually they bring it on themselves!

Anyway, your list is great and hopefully others will come across it!
Nick

[Big Wallaby]

Yep, the really sad thing is realizing that people are missing out on the exact things they paid so much to come and do: Relax and have fun. Where's the smiley of shaking one's head sadly with a slight disgust?

[SorcererMickey]

6. Put the damn camera down sometimes!! Memories are so much more important than getting that perfect pic or a tape of the entire parade!

If only more people followed this, as well as shoving autograph books in character's faces. We used to have a group of the 'children' characters (Max, Kit Cloudkicker, Pinocchio, etc) and would play games with the kids in Adventureland. The steel drum band would join in and everyone would have a great time. Unfortunately, there was always one parent shoving a book at us. Take time to watch the joy on your child's face. They will remember playing with Pinocchio more than they will remember an autograph their parent got.

Enjoy your vacation!!

[Big Wallaby]

Unfortunately, there was always one parent shoving a book at us. Take time to watch the joy on your child's face. They will remember playing with Pinocchio more than they will remember an autograph their parent got.

Enjoy your vacation!!

I'm out to lunch on how big a fan I am of the whole autograph thing. One day, I was in a park before going into work, and I finally met up with a character that I had been wanting to meet since I got here, but kept missing him. Finally, he was there, and I got to meet him, and I was the only one in line without an autograph book. Sad part was, many of the kids didn't want anything other than the autograph, then they just ran. So when I spent an extra minute or three with the morning Mad Hatter, I could see the parents waiting for the autograph with their kids becoming quite annoyed at me.

Oh, well, their loss.

[BRWombat]

Hi, Marie, and from and :wallaby: (The official Marsupial Welcoming Committee of SGT, in case you hadn't read that anywhere else)!!!

You sound like the kind of guest CM's love, and I know I'd love having a park full of guests like you when I'm there! Your list is wonderful. I wrote a similar list for a PassPorter News article some time ago -- wish I'd had your input then!

Have fun on SGT.com! Everyone here (with one or two notable exceptions) is wonderful!

(Just kidding about that "one or two exceptions" business. I just wanted to make everyone else go, "Wait -- is he talking about me???" :twisted: :D: )

[Big Wallaby]

(Just kidding about that "one or two exceptions" business. I just wanted to make everyone else go, "Wait -- is he talking about me???" :twisted: :D: )

Naw, I know for a fact he was talking about me :D:

You know, I knew I forgot something... I had a whole post with the whole welcoming thing on my wife's computer, then it stopped recognizing the internet. So Wombat got to it before me, but not because he got to welcoming you before me... just because of a glitch.

We marsupials take pride in being the first to welcome someone. Although Wombat does a fairly good job when I drop the ball or the ball disappears on me, as in this case.

[MagicDream4Me]

Hey- Marie again- Thanks for the Welcome! :D:

About the autographs- I admit, the first year we did the autographs,(I have the dusty book around here somewhere to prove it). We spent hours in lines like cattle, fumbled around for a pen, and shoved the book in the characters face. I'm so sorry!! :( But, gimmie a break, guys- first timer! The second year I had decided that a scribble on a piece of paper (no offense) as not worth the wait. We (daughter & me) decided to bring the book in case she saw a character whose autograph she didn't have (there wern't many) AND the character only had 2 or 3 in line. Instead, when we would see a line for a character, my DD would just stand near by and point (or other reacton) and I would take a pic with the character in the background. I tried to get her to hold out he hand so it would look like she was holding the character, but she didn't understand. Do you? Well, this year- I'm not even bringing the damn book! :D:

I totally agree with another post I read (I forgot who, sorry) about pics. Why in the hell will guests ruin their kids fun to take pic after pic of fireworks or 'impossible to get a good pic' views. Like the other post said, Take a pic of your childs face watching the show!! That's priceless! The main thing I regret about our first time is not having and 'natual photos'. I've got an album full of the same fake smile with all the characters! I would pay a million dollars if I had a pic of my girls face the first time she saw Mickey! I have seen the error of my ways and ask for forgiveness

[dizneeluvr]

my family and i just returned from 10 days in florida. we stayed at Old Key west resort. this is the year we didn't get autograph books. we had the ones w/and w/o the page to add a photo next to each autograph. and while they are great to look at, we opted out this year and just got pix whenever we saw a character. my husband & i even got into the act even if the kids didn't want to. disney vacation is all about fun, not entitlement. sure we all spend money to get there, but itdoesn't entitle one to think they are above everyone else and that the rules don't apply to them. as i went thru the parks and resorts etc. i wondered if any of the CM i encountered were any of the ones i this site.
we had a great time and we're counting down the days to our next visit. thanks to all of the CM's for doing a great job.