If you haven't already watched this new cringe-worthy video BuzzFeed posted on October 2nd then pause and watch this video:
Disney Princesses Reveal Secrets About DisneyBuzzFeed
First of all, I'm going to correct BuzzFeed just from the title of their video. The princesses themselves never revealed any secrets of Disney Parks. I'm not sure how they spoke to the Disney Princesses themselves but I'm positive that Ariel, Cinderella, Snow White, Aurora, Merida, etc. never said any of these things mentioned in the video. They are way too busy running their kingdoms and meeting guests at the parks to talk about some of the trivial things mentioned in the video.
(Also, none of the people in this video looks like they were wearing ballgowns and talked to animals. But that's none of my business.)
Continuing on, there are certain things as a cast member of the Disney Parks that we are consistently told to not post about or speak of by our captains, managers, coordinators, etc. Doing so could result in disciplinary action if you were still employed by the company, and talking about it after separating from the company doesn't make it any more acceptable.
Another major point that was discussed in the video was how to get free stuff from cast members such as Fastpasses, treats, and merchandise. This is a huge no-no! DO NOT under any circumstance ask a cast member for free stuff. Chances are they won't give it to you because they aren't allowed to. Whenever you hear stories of people getting free stuff from cast members, it's always because it was a magical moment that the person didn't ask for it, they received because it was a spontaneous and generous moment.
Let's imagine for a second: you are at the mall in your favorite store and you see an item you desperately desire but don't want to pay for so you ask the sales associate if you can have the item for free. Do you think they will say yes? Honestly, the sales associate would probably laugh at you for an hour. The ONLY time this is an exception is if you accidentally drop a snack you were eating or a drink, a majority of the time they will replace it at no extra cost because it is the friendly customer service thing to do. But, "complaining to the right person," will ultimately get you nada in return. In fact, the cast member will be even less inclined than they were before to give you a magical moment.
We all know how expensive it is to go on a Disney vacation but everyone had to pay the same amount to be there, it doesn't make you any more qualified to free things.
The only thing I agree with in this whole video is the segment where they discuss how to interact when meeting characters at the parks. To summarize what they spoke about, just be relaxed and natural and don't force the conversation, play along with the characters you know the story about. Don't ask characters to hold your children because they won't. Don't force your kids who may be scared to visit Mickey Mouse to give him a hug or take a picture because it might just traumatize them for life. And lastly, do not EVER touch a princess, a prince, Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, or any character inappropriately. Rule of thumb is if you wouldn't do it or say it to a stranger on the street, don't do it to a beloved Disney character.
Last but certainly not least, in response to places in the parks to "hook up" or "smoke weed" as they discussed in the video, here's some advice:
Just don't.
This is a children's theme park and we need to all behave like adults. Disney World and Disneyland were theme parks built to escape your everyday life and to have fun with friends or family so let's keep it that way. No child wants to turn the corner to see grown adults making out or smoking weed in a public place. Let's not scar the future generation this way.
Overall, this video gave a lot of bad advice that I beg people not to follow.
Cast members are there to make sure you have the best experience and vacation that you will remember forever but don't take advantage of them because we are people too. Always respect your cast members and your favorite Disney characters because our jobs are already hard enough in the hundred degree heat and insanely large crowds, don't make them harder. Some good advice I would like to give you to follow would be to have fun and just enjoy the magic of it all.
