Current CM.. Any Questions?

[Chirple]

Some people have asked about a behind the scenes vlog on what it is like to be a performer on DCL.
I have created a poll in this thread, please cast your vote as to whether you would watch something like that or not. Thanks!

Based on some of the types of questions you are getting in this and the character thread, I hope you decided against this.

 

[Mags2002]

Based on some of the types of questions you are getting in this and the character thread, I hope you decided against this.

I won’t do it in my current daily life. Maybe I’ll film something following my last week onboard

 

[greensombrero]

Random question but I’ve always been fascinated about how things work. Do those in entertainment go through the same safety training as other crew members? My understanding is a lot of crew members have additional roles/training for emergency situations. I know one of our servers told us once he was trained as a life boat driver (not sure that is the technical term). Obviously a lot of crew members are involved in the muster drill. Wondered if it applied to all departments?

Hopefully such training doesn’t ever has to be used but I imagine it could be interesting to learn.

 

[CMontheseas]

I won’t do it in my current daily life. Maybe I’ll film something following my last week onboard

Don't let anyone discourage you or make you feel scared to share your story about what life is like on board! I even got semi-threatening messages when I talked about the less-magical side of crew life and it turns out these were from hidden shoreside people, YA managers and recruiters (who suddenly didn't care as much after they got let go at the start of the pandemic )

There's another performer Crew Member named Geri who was on the recent Wish cast who vlogged her experiences (and some behind the scenes stuff) since over a year now!

 

[DMMarla07860]

Don't let anyone discourage you or make you feel scared to share your story about what life is like on board! I even got semi-threatening messages when I talked about the less-magical side of crew life and it turns out these were from hidden shoreside people, YA managers and recruiters (who suddenly didn't care as much after they got let go at the start of the pandemic )

There's another performer Crew Member named Geri who was on the recent Wish cast who vlogged her experiences (and some behind the scenes stuff) since over a year now!

Geri is awesome. I met her on Wish

 

[Mags2002]

Random question but I’ve always been fascinated about how things work. Do those in entertainment go through the same safety training as other crew members? My understanding is a lot of crew members have additional roles/training for emergency situations. I know one of our servers told us once he was trained as a life boat driver (not sure that is the technical term). Obviously a lot of crew members are involved in the muster drill. Wondered if it applied to all departments?

Hopefully such training doesn’t ever has to be used but I imagine it could be interesting to learn.

Yes everyone goes through safety training and everyone has some sort of role to take on in an emergency. I hope we never need to put that training into place too!!

 

[Mags2002]

Don't let anyone discourage you or make you feel scared to share your story about what life is like on board! I even got semi-threatening messages when I talked about the less-magical side of crew life and it turns out these were from hidden shoreside people, YA managers and recruiters (who suddenly didn't care as much after they got let go at the start of the pandemic )

There's another performer Crew Member named Geri who was on the recent Wish cast who vlogged her experiences (and some behind the scenes stuff) since over a year now!

I do have some footage and photos that could be put together. I just never thought I’d be good at it
Yes I know Geri, we met during crossover she’s great at her vlog and such a gorgeous person

 

[FastPasser.]

I do have some footage and photos that could be put together. I just never thought I’d be good at it
Yes I know Geri, we met during crossover she’s great at her vlog and such a gorgeous person

I don't watch any Vlogs but hopefully any current CMs that are posting them have read the "Use of Social Media" section of the Disney Policy Manual so they don't overstep the boundries. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Karin1984]

There's another performer Crew Member named Geri who was on the recent Wish cast who vlogged her experiences (and some behind the scenes stuff) since over a year now!

What is her social media handle?

 

[Mags2002]

What is her social media handle?

@LittleGeri

 

[DisneyKatie1]

I do have some footage and photos that could be put together. I just never thought I’d be good at it
Yes I know Geri, we met during crossover she’s great at her vlog and such a gorgeous person

We would love to see what you have filmed. It is so interesting

 

[tlprice]

Exactly! They work so hard, and get very little time off.

I recall seeing some entertainment CM's at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. I said hello, they acknowledged and were friendly, but I left them alone as they should not have to be "on" with a guest during their time off.

When we did our Med. cruise a few years ago there was a cast member that was at the Leaning Tower of Pisa with us. She asked me to take some pictures of her since she was sightseeing solo.

When we got to Naples she and a couple of other cast members were looking for transportation to Pompeii as were we (me-single mom with younger daughter). We recognized each other and found some transportation together which I think made us all feel a bit more comfortable (even though we didn't actually know each other). I could tell she was just as excited as me to be experiencing these places.

 

[Sakura1017]

Do you know which cruises you can meet Mulan? I see pics on fb and feel like it varies. I think some people had her on their Alaska cruise but when I went on mine she wasn't there.

 

[DisneyKatie1]

@RetiredChipmunk do you think that there is a big difference between when you were there doing the same job as @Mags2002? Is it easier/harder now?
Also in her other thread Mags said some things about being a character and people complaining because they are expecting too much. Do you agree with this? I want to make sure I don’t cause unnecessary stress for the performer when I meet them

 

[RetiredChipmunk]

@RetiredChipmunk do you think that there is a big difference between when you were there doing the same job as @Mags2002? Is it easier/harder now?

It's nice that there are some more resources and improved spaces for crew nowadays but I would hope that the food situation has gotten better. I used to spend SO much of my pay just getting decent things in port and with how much things cost now I don't know how I'd do it!

I'm in a shoreside role now and I can tell they only put out the "good" food in the crew mess if someone's visiting on that turnaround because of how everyone seems to jump on it.

 

[DisneyKatie1]

It's nice that there are some more resources and improved spaces for crew nowadays but I would hope that the food situation has gotten better. I used to spend SO much of my pay just getting decent things in port and with how much things cost now I don't know how I'd do it!

I'm in a shoreside role now and I can tell they only put out the "good" food in the crew mess if someone's visiting on that turnaround because of how everyone seems to jump on it.

ahaha so just the food has changed? Seems that is the most important part of the job !
what is classified as good food?

 

[RetiredChipmunk]

Also in her other thread Mags said some things about being a character and people complaining because they are expecting too much. Do you agree with this? I want to make sure I don’t cause unnecessary stress for the performer when I meet them

If there's anything I can say, remember that the character performers on a ship deserve ALL the gold stars and extra patience because of how much extra stuff they have to deal with. On land if we have a bad day, we can just go home to our own bed or go to Mcdonalds or run outside in nature or I don't know mindlessly scroll the internet without spending $100. There's no escape on board, if guests are mean you're stuck with them and you have multiple different jobs to do, have to wake up crazy early constantly, keep your room tidy for random inspections and do drills that are extra annoying if they're every 3-4 days. On land, there's at least a healthier work/life separation but Mags2002 seems to be able to take care of herself well to handle it

Before you could just perform without worrying about whatever you do ending up on TikTok or torn apart online so it can be stressful if you think about that :/

 

[DisneyKatie1]

If there's anything I can say, remember that the character performers on a ship deserve ALL the gold stars and extra patience because of how much extra stuff they have to deal with. On land if we have a bad day, we can just go home to our own bed or go to Mcdonalds or run outside in nature or I don't know mindlessly scroll the internet without spending $100. There's no escape on board, if guests are mean you're stuck with them and you have multiple different jobs to do, have to wake up crazy early constantly, keep your room tidy for random inspections and do drills that are extra annoying if they're every 3-4 days. On land, there's at least a healthier work/life separation but Mags2002 seems to be able to take care of herself well to handle it

Before you could just perform without worrying about whatever you do ending up on TikTok or torn apart online so it can be stressful if you think about that :/

It sounds very full on. No wonder @Mags2002 is going to the park.
Is there anything that guests can do to make the characters lives a bit easier? (Apart from not being rude and complaining about everything)

 

[FastPasser.]

I'm in a shoreside role now and I can tell they only put out the "good" food in the crew mess if someone's visiting on that turnaround

Can you expand on what that shoreside role is and in what country?

Is the comment about the food when you were on the ship and not in your current position?

 

[FastPasser.]

It sounds very full on. No wonder @Mags2002 is going to the park.

It’s a trade off. As Mags2002 mentioned previously, her non working life will be normal but working at WDW for anyone has some challenges.

On the ship CMs get ready and within minutes they’re at work. At WDW, and it varies depending the role, you get ready, fight the traffic, try to find a spot in the huge MK CM parking lot that’s reasonably close to the entrance, do what you have to do in costuming, catch the CM shuttle to the utilidor, clock in, get to your location, which in my case was a longish walk through the utilidor from the back to the front of the park and then deal with the huge crowds. Oh, the crappie food in the CM cafeterias is not free.

But even with all that, I’d rather work at the parks than on a ship.