Stupid Guest Tricks

So I was just hired as a CT CM for Show Support at Disneyland (or maybe I'll work DCA...I have no idea yet). My orientation begins next week and I had a few questions for some of the people that know better around here.

First off, and I think I know the answer to this, but how hard is it for me to move up in the world from CT to a regular?

Second, I know CTs have no comp privilages...which sucks because I wanted to take my girlfriend to the parks sometime this summer. Are you still able to "sign in" yourself, or do you have to burn a comp every time you want to get yourself in too? I really want to ride ToT but if I can't sign myself in (and I won't have comps) then I guess I'm SOL.

Also, if they don't need me for show support by the end of summer, how hard is it to transfer to something else -- like guest relations or attractions or whatever they may have open?

And last....anyone here work show support? What can I expect? The job descriptions they've been giving me are a bit vague.

Thanks everyone...though I doubt I'll have much interaction with guests personally I'll be sure to post any stupid tricks I catch 'em doing. :)

Welcome aboard! Well I can answer one of your questions. As a CT you can sign yourself in year-round at DL and DCA, even if you're not working. If you want to bring in your girlfriend, you can buy discounted tickets using your cast ID at the TEAM Center or the ticket booths. Not sure what the price is on those right now. Actually if you are in school some schools like mine sell discounted tickets to SoCal attractions and often DL tix are cheaper than our discounted rate so you might want to look into that.

It used to be that CTs couldn't sign themselves in during the off-seasons when they weren't working, but they changed that about three years ago when I was still a CT.

If im not mistaken CTs can sign people in during the summer, but that may have changed. Also, try at the TEAM Center for tickets.

I didn't work show support, but I had a few friends who did and they swore by it. They tried time and again to get their old attractions friends to transfer. Your in a good department. As for changing to CR, just keep putting in your requests. It use to take a long time, but these days it doesn't seem to take that long. You can put in the requests in scheduling.

First off, and I think I know the answer to this, but how hard is it for me to move up in the world from CT to a regular?

Not very... just go by scheduling and pick up one of those status conversion forms... fill it out, turn it in, and wait... you can always turn them in over and over if you don't hear anything from them. I do the same thing with my shift requests... there had been times I was getting the complete opposite of my preferences, but people with less senority than me were getting those shifts... sometimes ya just gotta keep going by and submitting forms over and over and over...

Second, I know CTs have no comp privilages...which sucks because I wanted to take my girlfriend to the parks sometime this summer. Are you still able to "sign in" yourself, or do you have to burn a comp every time you want to get yourself in too? I really want to ride ToT but if I can't sign myself in (and I won't have comps) then I guess I'm SOL.

You can sign yourself in year round. I believe you get a pair of comp tickets during peak seasons... like for summer and christmas...

Also, if they don't need me for show support by the end of summer, how hard is it to transfer to something else -- like guest relations or attractions or whatever they may have open?

Not hard at all as long as you've worked at least 6 months (I think...) at your current location and aren't in trouble with points... I just transfered, it went soooooo quick and was so easy, the hardest part was getting my management to sign the transfer forms... you have to learn how to get ontop of people and get them to get things done... keep letting people tell you "I'll do it tomorrow" or "ya, I'm working on it" and chances are it'll never happen.

And last....anyone here work show support? What can I expect? The job descriptions they've been giving me are a bit vague.

I have friends that work show support, and everyone I've ever talked to has seemed to really enjoy it. From what I've heard it's a great department.

back in around jan/feb when i converted from CT to CR i kept my pink i.d. cause i was too lazy to walk to harbor point and change it...and it was oh so prettier than the yellow ones :D - but anyways what finally got me to change was i kept getting hassle when i tried to get in the park and also when i tried to buy some french fries from the mcdonalds cart. just give me my fries lady!- i thought i couldn't get in as a CT because of that crap.

Alright, slick. Here ya go.

First of all, I'm not sure if I'm happy or sad that you've joined Show Services (clue #1, anyone who calls it "Show Services" is old school. You must repsect and admire the old school.)

The best thing you can do for yourself in that place is this: BE A SHIFT SLUT!
Yes, take any and all shifts you can get your greedy little hands on. Be bold, be daring, be a suck up! Not scheduled on a particular day? Call in available. Need more hours? Go visit the schedulers. It's all about being an h-u-s-t-l-e-r.

DO NOT CONFUSE SHOW SERVICES WITH PARADE-SIDE: YOU are the crew. A driver. The ones who get the sh*t jobs, and get them done with style. Do not associate with, nor attempt to swing from the nuts of, a parade lead. Forget it.

BE COOL: Yes, you work for Disneyland now. Part of the magic. WHAT-ever! You will be better served amongst your co-workers if you maintain the calm demeanor of a sniper, or professional killer. (these would be the two jobs closest in spirit- if not actual function- to Show Services).

WORK GRAD NITE: If I have to explain, you can't understand.

LEARN TO DRINK: Just follow John Belushi's advice in "Animal House". 7 and 7's baby. 7 and 7's.

NOD YOUR HEAD AGREEABLY: Do this whenever parade leads attempt to lay down new policies, rules, guidelines, etc...then turn, walk away, and DO IT THE RIGHT WAY.

GET OUT: Get out before you've been there 5 years. Don't expect it to be a career. Look at the lifers, and give them your sympathy. If you're not a manager after 15 yrs, you never will be.

Well, Nitro-Junkie, thank you for your comprehensive reply regarding life in Show Services -- or as they're calling it now, "Show Support". Much like you, after reading your post I am unsure as whether or not to be happy or sad about what you've told me.

A few other people in this thread made it sound like I was getting into a great department, albeit their intel was second hand. You seem to have some real hands on experience and I'm not quite sure what to think. I'm not sure if I should look forward to working there or not. More than anything, I want my job to be one I can enjoy. I hope this is true for Show Services...but you almost make it sound like it isn't. As far as keeping a cool demeanor...well, I was born and raised a theatre techie...so go figure. I don't get star struck, and being in any kind of "backstage" is second nature to me.

I'm trying really hard to avoid being the proverbial "newbie", but I suppose there's no real way to avoid that...

Thanks again bro. I take my department orientation May 8, so in a little over a week's time, I may start to see a bit of what you mean...

Nitro,
You reminded me of something I have at home called "How to tell if your neighbor is a roadie" Should I post it for ya sometime?

Friends! You have found me out! Indeed, since moving on from the Show Services, I have become a roadie. The easiest way to tell if your neighbor is a roadie is: his car is 10 years old, and only has 3200 miles on it!!! :P

Either that, or every time he picks up a phone, he dials "9" to get an outside line.

Let's not talk about bunk socks.
:shock:
Show Services was a BLAST in my time. Wouldn't trade it for the world. Worked hard, raged harder. Chased girls, crashed floats, and took unapproved trips off property for Blizzards at the DQ. Stayed up allllll night more than I can remember, working- and this was BEFORE I knew the joy of Ripped Fuel. (now Ephedra free)

I hope it's all this for you, too.

Took my first day of on the job training today. This summer is going to be, to say the least, interesting.

I'm not working Parade-side, and I think I like it better that way after having been let in on the ways of Day Show / Night Show. DS/NS considers itself to be the more "hardcore" of the two since we're out there all day busting our ass so the performers can have water, powerade, and clean clothes - often without so much as a thank you. Parade-side shows up, stands outside and smokes for a while, drives a float down Main Street, and goes home.

We've got plenty of toys at our disposal, including a moderate vehicle fleet made up of Chevy Silverados, full-size Chevy vans, trams, a bus, and of course the ever-present electical carts. Don't knock the carts. When you need to make a delivery to the Club Buzz green room and take a Silverado, you'll be carrying everything down the stairs and down a long tunnel. The carts fit inside the friggin' elevator! We kept joking that the corridor combined with the thought of driving a cart down there reminded us of that scene in "Austin Powers" where Austin gets the electric cart stuck trying to turn it around in a similar corridor.

My day started out perfectly -- with a Code 90. The Show 2 (lead) who was to train me and one other guy figured it would be a perfect way to start showing us the ropes. When a code 90 is called, we deliver powerade to all character break rooms. We covered DCA, and he showed us all the other hotspots where we make daily deliveries of ice & water to in the mornings (usually before park open), and have to strike at night.

Soarin' is a PAIN to get to, since the closest good access point for us is at Mulholland Madness, then walking on-stage to Soarin'. But I thought that even bigger annoyances were the Golden Horseshoe, Laughing Stock, and Oasis green rooms in DL. DCA is clearly the better designed park in terms of operations, and backstage support infrastructure.

Among many other things, I took what was my 4th tour of N-19 (entertainment's "Home Base" building), and my 2nd of N-18 (the adjacent building with rehersal halls and recording studios, used often for Magic Music Days). I'm alredy starting to get the hang of N-19...though I want to laugh every time I see the door to the "Fantasmic!" production office with it's fancy security keypad, as though some "magic" too pure for other CM eyes was being produced behind that door.

I think I've already begun to understand what it means to be DS/NS. You have to bust your ass, not take any crap from anyone, and get the job done. Then take pride in the fact that, as my lead put it, "the worst guy in your department could probably run circles around the best guy in parades". He said that all entertainment has its own rivalries, between Fantasmic!, POTS, and EP....but none of them even touch DS/NS for that reason.

I've still got a lot of training to go, so we'll see if I can cut it in this department. I really think some of the best people in all of the DLR are in DS/NS, and I hope I can live up to that standard.

BTW, no offense to anyone in parades...don't shoot the messenger, I'm just saying what I heard today.