Disney doesn’t like to use common terms to describe many things in their parks, particularly the people who work there. You’ll never read or hear anyone that works at Disney referred to as an employee, instead they use the term cast member. It’s important to note that the expression “cast member” isn’t limited to the actors at the Disney parks. You don’t have to dress as a character or dance in a stage show to be a cast member. Janitors, servers in restaurants, any person you see at a Disney park is a cast member.
Why are Disney Employees called Cast Members?
There have been some rumors about why each person working for Disney is called a cast member, including stories about unions, and employment and wage rules. The Disney story is that when Walt was building the parks, he wanted the entire experience to be a show. Each and every person that might be seen by the public was part of the attraction, even if they were not actually performing. To this day, cast members actually refer to the behind the scenes of Disney parks as backstage.
What are the Standards for Cast Members?
The other part of being a cast member has to do with making sure that you look the part. This means that employees that will be seen by the public must have dress and even groom the part. Rules for grooming have been updated over time, but all cast members must fit the look that Disney is looking for, even if they’re not representing a particular character.
What does this say about people who choose to be cast members? The most important thing is that they’re very loyal to the company. To be a cast member at Disney means that you’re willing to keep up the look and aesthetics of the parks, or even that particular part of the park where you’re working.
Are Certain Cast Member Jobs More Important Or Desirable?
Are there more important jobs than others? The short answer is no, but it might not be completely true. There are many stories of certain jobs at certain parks being more coveted than others. Skippers on the Jungle Cruise boats have worked a long time to get there. The same is said about the people working at the Haunted Mansion. While there are aspirations among the Disney employees, it’s important to know that each and every person working there is important to keeping the fun and magic of a Disney park alive.
Do People Mistreat Cast Members?
This is something many people visiting the parks forget. There are many stories (too many really) of guests at the parks taking out their aggression on these cast members. It’s important to note that most of the cast members that you see do not make any of the rules. They are in fact well trained to push the rules that Disney has in place already. In short, be nice to cast members since they’re the key to making your trip even better and they go through a lot more than most to make your vacation awesome.
5 Bonus Facts About Cast Members:
- Not all cast members are the same, some cast members are actually college students working at the parks in the Disney College Program. The College Program gets students from around the USA and gives them working experience at the happiest place on earth.
- Cast members at the various Epcot pavilions are often from the country they’re working at, even Canada. So if you run into a cast member at the China pavilion, be sure to say nǐ hǎo.
- Many cast members have additional pins or special name tags which represent special achievements. It could be for a cast member working a long time for the company, or a spcial award for great service.
- Cast members have codes to describe bad things that occasionally happen at the parks , if you hear “code H” or “code V” expect the cleaning crew to arrive.
- One thing many people forget is that cast members have feeling, so while this might not be a new fact for some, it’s a good reminder to be kind to these people trying to make us all happy.