#25. Who are the “Cast Members”?
At Disney, all the employees are called Cast Members. That’s because the whole park is known as being a stage! Even those that work outside the park are called cast members and they all have a first name.
For instance, if there is a Jane at a Disney park and another Jane gets hired, she will get a tag with a new first name that was not already taken!
#24. When Is the Three o’clock Parade?
This question may be funny for the guests, but we bet the employees really hate it! What do we mean by the question: “what time is the three o’clock parade?”
The former employee said that guests ask cast members at least thousands of times about the three o’clock parade and they must smile and say “it’s at three o’clock.”
#23. You Can Become a Cast Member
Anyone can become a cast member, but there’s a lot of training involved, including graduating from the Disney University! Yes, that’s right, there are Disney Universities you can apply to. What can you learn there?
At the Disney University, students learn how to talk, behave, walk and appear at Disney once they get hired. If they want to become a Disney Princess, they must have a height between five-four and five-eight.
#22. You’ll Need a Look Book
All students need books, and at the Disney University, they have a book called the “Look-Book.” Here’s what you can learn from that book…
There are instructions for how to look from head to toe while being a cast member, no matter if you’re a Disney character or just part of the staff. There are a lot more stressful chores for this job! Let’s check them out.
#21. You Must Know Everything
All cast members must answer to the questions from the guests. You’re never allowed to say you don’t know! So what happens when you don’t know the answer to a question?
If there’s an emergency, cast members can head to the closest hidden phone and call a park operator for instructions. And if you thought it’s not stressful enough, then you should know a few things about Disney princesses…
#20. Sitting At the Cool Princess Table
Another cast member anonymously shared some stories about the Disney princesses at their park and we can’t believe they actually do this…
According to the cast member, Princesses at Disney are like you high school popular and unpopular kids: “Some of the break rooms are like the high school cafeteria where the ‘cool’ princesses (Elsa and Anna) sit on one side and make eyes at the ‘old’ characters (Snow and Poppins). Other face performers think they’re on Broadway and demand respect and they hate not getting it.”
#19. The G-Rated Smooching
Since we’re on the Disney princesses topic, they’re not allowed to smooch or be too intimate with their princes! Of course, everything has to be G-rated while on the stage. But there’s a backstage!
Yes, there are special places in the backstage where cast members can unwind and they can smooch with their princes. Most of the princesses end up dating their princes since they work there all the time and bond through the years…
#18. Walt Disney Point
While there are many wild theories about the Disney point, the cast members know one thing: do not point with your index finger! Why?
In some countries, it is considered impolite. Others say Walt Disney himself hated pointing and others said that ‘Disney Point (with the index and middle finger) was actually invented when Walt’s hands were edited to take out the cigarettes he held in most of the photos.
#17. The Backstage at Disney
We said earlier that the theme park is a whole stage and that there’s also a backstage. Well, you may now know that there’s a whole world under the park that is formed in tunnels that lead from a side of the park to another. Why?
A Disney character can never be a duplicate, which is why two Mickeys from the two parts of the park must never meet in one spot or be seen in the same area! They take the underground tunnels to show up in a certain place.
#16. The Stage and the Backstage
As we previously mentioned, there are two parts of the theme park - the stage and the backstage. The guests are not allowed to go there. Meanwhile, the cast members can take some precious breaks in the backstage. What happens there?
Aside from smooching and grabbing a bite, the backstage is where cast members are allowed to break out of character and just be themselves. Now let’s move over to some codes used by the cast members…
#15. ‘Code V’! ‘Code V’!
Imagine this: guests got o Disney to have some fun, go on rides, grab a lunch and then go on more rides. If you ever hear ‘Code V’ at Disney, then here’s what it means.
‘V’ stands for vomit! Whenever guests eat too much and go on nauseating rides, they’re bound to cause a code V alert. Then, there’s the ‘White Powder’ alert which is kind of strange and crazy. Let’s see what that means…
#14. White Powder Alert
The ‘White Powder’ alert can have a guest permanently banned from that Disney park. That’s because it breaks a serious rule and it’s also a crazy thing to do!
The White Powder alert refers to the moment when a guest sprinkles someone’s ashes in the park. We told you it’s strange, but it’s something that did happen a few times. The problem is that there’s nothing romantic about it, says the former cast member, explaining that the park is constantly cleaned and the ashes will land in the trash…
#13. Parents Can Get Lost at Disney World
There’s no such thing as lost kids at Disney. Well, that’s what Disney says to keep everyone calm while they’re looking for the Lost Parents!
Parents that get lost must go to this kind of sign and wait for the kids to come “pick” them up! That’s a way to solve problems without panicking, and we must admit ‘lost parents’ sounds funny.
#12. Smellitizers are a Thing
This is something we never knew, but not it all makes sense! All around the park, there are tubes that release certain smells.
The Smellitizers will release a customized smell for an area - for instance it will make the air smell salty on the Caribbean rides! The more you know… Here are a couple of perks for the cast members before we tell you why this former cast member got fired from Disney!
#11. Lost and Found Items at Disney World
With all that excitement and sights to behold at Disney, many guests lose some of their belongings. However, the park has a lost and found list of items that can be reclaimed for a period of time. But what happens if that period ends?
If nobody comes to reclaim their lost item during that period, after it ends, they’re placed in a store exclusively for the cast members. They can bid on iPhones, designer bags and a lot of expensive stuff!
#10. The Perks of Being a Cast Member
You’d think that working at Disney is too stressful and not worth it, even though it’s in the “happiest place on Earth”! Other perks of being a cast member include free parking spots and these awesome freebies…
Aside from discounts on food and items from Disney World, cast member get free tickets for their family and friends! Here’s a couple of things they’re forbidden to do…
#9. Social Media for the Cast Members
It’s 2020 and now everyone has access to social media. This also includes sharing pieces of our personal lives or life at work. But cast members cannot talk about it!
Cast members may have social media accounts, but they are not allowed to access them while at work. Also, they are forbidden to refer to or talk about their jobs. That’s why this next cast member was fired!
#8. Don’t Take Selfies!
Social media also lets us post photos of us, which is why this cast member was fired from Disney World. Cast members are not allowed to reveal photos from their job. But the worst thing she did?
The former cast member had the uninspired thought of taking a selfie of herself in the backstage, which is serious rule-breaking!
#7. The Ninja Cleaners
On to more strange things, the ninja cleaners at Disney World! These people are highly trained to pick up trash like you’ve never seen before - literally. What does that mean?
They use a technique, which doesn’t involve bending, and they pick up the litter without anyone even noticing it! It’s Disney’s way of saying that litter doesn’t exist in that magic place! Also the technique is called the ‘Disney scoop.’
#6. Recycling Old Characters
Disney World is environmental friendly, which is why you may look at a Roman on the “Spaceship Earth” ride and think ‘this face looks familiar.’ That’s because the animatronics are repurposed for the incoming shows…
Yes, that animatronic was Teddy Roosevelt before being turned into a Roman! Now let’s talk a bit about live characters…
#5. You’re a Character for 8 Hours
If you’re a Disney Princess, you must act, talk and react like one for 8 hours, no matter what! You can only break character in the backstage.
It’s like being an actor for 8 hours straight! This might be stressful, but it doesn’t mean it’s a bit fun to act like somebody else. What happens if you break some rules, though?
#4. Breaking The Rules!
As a guest, when you enter Disney World, you agree to the rules of the park. Don’t imagine for a second that because of the crowd, you won’t be spotted breaking those rules. Here’s why…
Guards are infiltrated everywhere in Disney World - they can be a character, an attendant or even dressed as a tourist. Every one of them is watching and waiting for you to mess up!
#3. The Secret Mickeys
A fun way to spend your time at Disney is to look for as many hidden Mickey symbols in the park as you can. We have to warn you there are a lot!
A writer even compiled a book filled with images revealing those ears EVERYWHERE, from pretty pebbles right under your noses, to shadows created by décor!
#2. Don’t Talk to Goofy
Do not even try to talk to costumed characters like Mickey, Goofy and so on because they are not allowed to talk!
Plenty of guests have tried tricking them into talking but with no result! Let us see the last secret from Disney World…
#1. The Extra Magic Hours
If you want to visit Disney World and avoid big crowds, try doing it during the Magic Hours! The schedule is between 7-9 a.m. and 9-12 p.m.
While the hours may vary depending on the park, that’s when they open and close. Also, at night, you may get to see fireworks - extra magical!