Running a major theme park attraction takes a whole team of Cast Members working together to keep the queue and ride moving smoothly. While the exact title and responsibilities for each position will vary by attraction, there are a few standard jobs that exist for nearly every ride.
Cast Members aren’t trained to perform a single job. Rather, they learn how to do every position at the attraction. Cast Members then rotate from one position to another every hour or two, to keep things fresh and stop them getting bored. Working as an attractions Cast Member means mastering all the following jobs as well as a handful of location-specific duties for the particular location.
1. Greeter
Every attraction has a greeter. On busy days, you may even find two people assigned to this position. The greeter is your first point of contact before you board an attraction, and the very best resource you have for learning more about what’s inside, what’s around, or what’s going on in the park. If you want to know whether you’re about to get on a dark ride or roller coaster, this is the person to ask. Attraction greeters are also a good resource for finding the nearest Dole Whip, locating a restroom, or figuring out the closest spot for catching the parade.
For many attractions, the only job the greeter has is to greet you. This is the ideal option for most Cast Members. However, if the ride has a height sign, the greeter may be responsible for monitoring this, too. Handling the height sign means keeping a close eye on all the small children who pass by. Anyone who looks even close to the height limit is stopped and measured for safety.
2. FastPass+ entry
An ever-increasing number of Disney attractions offer FastPass+ lines now, which means there’s a separate position for FastPasses at nearly every attraction. The Cast Member manning the FastPass+ line is there to make sure that everyone entering that queue has a valid FastPass for the attraction. Green means go, and blue means there’s an issue. If your Magic Band isn’t lighting up properly for your FastPass, this Cast Member can help explain the issue and direct you where to go to resolve it.
3.Grouper
Grouper is one of the most fast-paced positions at an attraction, and Cast Members either love it or hate it. The grouper is that busy person asking you how many people are in your party. Every ride has different requirements that the grouper has to satisfy. For some attractions, it’s as simple as assigning four people to every row. On others, it’s a bit more difficult. Boats will flow more smoothly if they’re weighted properly, particularly on an attraction like Pirates of the Caribbean, where there’s a drop involved.
Rides with bench seating can pose a bit of a problem because there’s no set number for how many people will fit in a row. If you’re seating all children, you might comfortably fit six, while larger adults may only fit two or three to a row. Some families are comfortable cozying up and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder while others prefer having space to spread out a bit more comfortably. The grouper needs to take all these factors into consideration while working as quickly as possible to fill the ride before it departs.
4. Ride load and unload
Cast Members in the load and unload positions are responsible for safely dispatching vehicles at most attractions. This usually involves pushing a button in conjunction with the person on the other side of the track. Both Cast Members need to indicate that the track is clear in order for the vehicle to proceed. On attractions where there aren’t dual dispatch buttons, the unload Cast Member will give a hand signal to indicate that it’s safe for the vehicle to depart.
If the attraction is an omnimover, like The Seas With Nemo and Friends or the Haunted Mansion, there’s no dispatch required. Instead, these Cast Members will walk the belt and make sure guests get in and out of the vehicles safely. The moving belt can present some problems for guests who can’t keep up with the vehicles or hop in on the move, so it’s important for these Cast Members to keep a careful eye on anyone looking unsteady or confused.
5. Belt check
If an attraction has a seat belt, someone is charged with making sure it’s buckled. There are several ways this position is handled. Star Tours has a lighted panel that tells Cast Members who’s buckled in and who isn’t. This is combined with a visible check of the seat belts to make sure everyone is secure. Attractions with a ride bar typically have the Cast Member give it a little tug. If you have a little yellow tab on your seat belt, as guests do on Dinosaur, the Cast Member will typically ask you to do the tugging. No matter how it’s handled the purpose is the same – keeping everyone secured and safe.
6. Tower
The control tower is one of the most popular positions on a Disney attraction. Cast Members here are allowed to sit, often in an air-conditioned environment. The tower has minimal guest interaction, as the Cast Member here is charged with focusing on a panel of television screens and numerous ride controls. When things are running smoothly, the tower Cast Member will spend their time here answering the occasional phone call and dealing with minor issues like lost and found.
If there’s a problem with the attraction, however, Tower becomes a busy place. The Tower Cast Member is responsible for monitoring and handling emergency stops and instructing Cast Members at other positions on how to handle down times. A lot happens in an attraction ride tower, and it’s the combination of a quiet atmosphere and the potential for a bustling down time that makes this such an appealing position.
Though some attractions may have some multitasking positions, you’ll find these jobs are a necessary inclusion for nearly every ride in the park. See how many of these Cast Members you can spot on your next visit to your favorite attraction.
