Yessss! Almost done with my semester at WDW. I must say, it was not easy…not one bit. At first it was exciting and interesting to become a cast member, but as any CP will tell you, the magic soon fades. Throughout my program, I was lucky to have to opportunity to “ keep the magic “ alive. I was able to do this by providing guests with unlimited “magical moments”. Luckily my location is extremely lenient with magical moments and management allows us to go to any extent to provide excellent guest service. I have done things like, giving birthday cakes, providing mini-cupcakes for children’s birthdays, decorating special Disney merchandise for guests, giving free meals to guests, getting guests special treatment at parks and more. It is awesome to be able to provide these services to people, not even as a cast member. Being a human, it feels great to see another human smile. I don’t do these moments for the fanatic cards, but for the sheer enjoyment of the guest. People want to know how to keep the magic alive, that’s how. Make people smile, and enjoy you for your personality.
Working for such a huge company it is easy to get lost in the 80,000 cast members. Make yourself stand out to the guest, make your self-appreciated. I think this is why management at my location is so lenient with magical moments; they figure that losing a few dollars is nothing compared to a little Disney magic. When a guest gets something for free, or you make their day/ trip…they remember you. I have had guests come back at the end of their stay just to thank me for being so honest and sociable with them, it feels great.
I have received 4 key basic fanatic cards and it feels great. Sometimes it isn’t always about getting the guest to notice your dedication to guest service but also your fellow cast members. You want to make it clear that you are here for the guest and their satisfaction is your ultimate goal.
Being that I am a cast member at a food and beverage location, I literally hear the same thing 1,000 times per day. “Can you explain the dining plan to me”? Ugh, I have grown to hate those 2 words, DINING PLAN!!!! But, in hindsight, I have begun to love the question. Being able to show the guest the options, and walk them around the food court for 20 minutes…is my job. It feels awesome to get a break from physical labor, and that’s what our managers want us to do. They want us to take a break from the systematic kitchen and connect with guests. I try to do this as often as possible because there is nothing wrong with answering all of guest’s questions at Disney World, even if it takes 2 hours. (hahaha)
The biggest question at hand is how does Disney keep the magic alive for full-time employees. The answer is simple. Disney is repetitive and physically draining to say the least. The reason why these employees stay is because they love their jobs. They love the smiles they make, they love the respect, they love the praise from management, they love everything. Oh, the health insurance doesn’t hurt either. Like stated in the article, “Incentive programs, praise, recognition, and ongoing opportunities for development improve employee retention.” The more you praise a cast member and allow them to grow, the more they will want to stay with the company and further their pay and benefits.
