Disney’s corporate culture is extremely pronounced. As a Cast Member, you learn all the ins and outs of being a part of the magic. While these habits are a strict requirement when you’re working in the parks, many become life-long habits that you can’t seem to shake, even after you’ve left.
1. The Disney point
Doing the Disney Point
Image: Bob B. Brown, Flickr (license)
The “Disney Point” is a hand gesture that’s ruthlessly drilled into Cast Members. Many cultures see the one-fingered point as a rude gesture, so Disney Cast Members are instructed to use either a two-fingered point, known as the “Disney Point,” or a full open hand. Whichever one you choose, you’ll probably be using it for life. Disney Cast Members do a lot of pointing. Far more than you would probably imagine. They point out the restrooms, the parade route, the attraction entrance, the shelf of souvenir mugs, the hidden Mickeys, and all the other details guests can never seem to find.
Long after leaving Disney, most Cast Members still unconsciously do the “Disney Point.” After all that time using the politically correct hand gesture, anything else just feels wrong.
2. Incessant queue analysis
The beauty of a well-made queue
Image: Sam Howzit, Flickr (license)
Disney is nothing if not efficient. Their queues are designed to keep guests pleasantly entertained and patiently waiting, often for hours. Disorganization for an operation of this size would spell disaster. Cast Members learn all the finer points of crowd management and queue control, and those principles carry over nearly anywhere there’s a big group of people.
Those throngs of people pushing in to get a musician’s autograph after the show just seem wrong. Where are the neat lines? Isn’t there a handler somewhere? Why don’t we have some ropes and stanchions? Winding lines in inefficient arrangements are frustrating as well. Funny how small town theater employees don’t always know the fastest and easiest way to open and close rows to accommodate the current crowd level. Though you can’t always do anything about it, these are little details you’ll always notice after working in the parks.
3. Spotting hidden Mickeys
Mickeys, Mickeys, everywhere
Image: Michael Saechang, Flickr (license)
If you’re familiar at all with the mania surrounding hidden Mickeys, it will come as no surprise that most Cast Members constantly have an eye out for these details. You quickly learn to spot all the Mickeys in your area so you can point them out to guests. Then you start seeing Mickeys in other areas of the park as you stroll the streets of the Magic Kingdom or explore Animal Kingdom on your days off. Soon, you’re seeing Mickeys everywhere.
One problem with the prevalence of hidden Mickeys today is that your brain can often find that trio of circles even in places where no intentional Mickey is present. Some of the most famous Mickeys in the parks aren’t “real,” because they were never purposefully designed by an Imagineer.
After leaving your post as a Cast Member, you’ll continue to find those false Mickeys just about everywhere you go. Oil stains in the driveway, flower clusters in a bouquet, and clouds in the sky can all take on that familiar shape.
4. Picking up trash
CMs love a well-placed trash can
Image: Joel, Flickr (license)
Walt was fanatical about keeping Disneyland clean, and his principles about cleanliness have followed his legacy to Disney parks around the world. At Walt Disney World, you should never be more than 30 steps from a trash can. This is designed to make it easy for guests to throw away their trash, but it also helps Cast Members clean up in their wake. If there’s a piece of trash on the ground, it’s sure to get picked up quickly, and not always by custodial. Everyone takes part, from managers patrolling the streets to Cast Members minding their regular posts.
After awhile, immediately picking up trash becomes second nature. You’ll find yourself doing it not only in the theme parks, but in the grocery store, the mall, or the streets of downtown Orlando. You can leave your CM job, but this is another habit that tends to stick around. Wherever you go, you’ll develop a reputation for cleanliness, as you scoop up those loose papers and runaway napkins out of habit.
5. Charming small children
Little princesses are everywhere
Image: Eden, Janine and Jim, Flickr (license)
No matter where you work at Disney, creating a magical experience is part of your job description. This is most pronounced in your interactions with children. You learn to kneel down when you’re speaking to them, and adopt themed nicknames, such as referring to little girls as “princess.”
As a Cast Member, it’s always acceptable and usually appreciated when you strike up a conversation with a small child. Outside of the theme parks, this habit doesn’t always charm as easily. However, you’ll quickly find that most children are thrilled when they’re greeted or addressed just as the adults are. Trailing behind busy parents in stores, it’s easy for pint-sized customers to get overlooked. Former Cast Members, however, will always see them and have that urge to say hello.
You can take the Cast Member out of Disney, but these persistent habits prove that you can’t always scrub the pixie dust off. That’s alright though, because most of us wouldn’t really want to.
