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How to guide: Respecting cast members

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How to guide: Respecting cast members
Great rules to follow and something I have always taught my Daughter. I will add though that some cast members could do with some rules themselves. If you find it a chore to be stopped and asked to see your pins, then do not wear your lanyard. If you are late for work and need to get to another part of the park then do not wear your lanyard. Us guests are not mind readers and when we stop you, we do not like being snapped at or being spoken to rudely. I understand that everyone ahs bad days, but If you cannot preserve the magic, then maybe it is time to turn your ears in! Respect works both ways :)
 
Well lanyards are a part of cast members costumes so they do have to wear them - its not often a choice.
If I happen to come off as a bit exasperated when pin trading most of the time it's because a guest has been staring at my chest/lanyard for a while without acknowledging me an I have to ask them "are you looking at pins?" before I get any eye contact or greeting :(
As a girl it makes me exceptionally uncomfortable when guest stare at the chest/lanyard without saying anything to me - and I would get disciplined if I didn't wear my lanyard
Also if I'm holding a stack of dolls or plush and am obviously walking somewhere and someone asks to pin trade without letting me put the merchandise down or wait a little bit = annoyed cast members
I know respect works both ways and I don't want to be rude right now but these are just my two cents, there's a lot cast members are expected to be and do all at once - by guests and by management
 
Oh I understand that for sure, it must get annoying but not all cast members are required and many are given the choice. I have asked multiple cast members across different parks and also I have a few handfuls of cast member friends, some who choose to and some who do not choose to wear lanyards. If a guest is being very polite to you (for the record I use Scoop Sanderson style manors at all times), then I expect the same back. Like it or not, cast members either make or break vacations and that should always be in the forefront of the mind if working for Disney. Rudeness is never acceptable and this was my only point :)

It is not even just pins, a cast member tried to make out we were avoiding paying tickets for our 2 year old daughter. He asked where her ticket was and we said she does not need one as she is only 2. He looked at her, then looked at us and just shook his head at us. My husband asked him if he wanted some sort of identification or something and he just said "its done, now move on". Disney does customer service better than anyone else for the most part, employees such as these should not be working for Disney. I might add that this particular incident happened at 9:05am lol
 
Awww, RATS! Here I have been doing it WRONG the whole time!!! I always go up the CM and say, I am not looking at pins, just staring at your chest... Of course, it's only the MALE CM I will do that to, because to do that to a female CM would be creepy (I am male...). :lol:

I never cease to be amazed at how little people seem to CARE about what other people think, or feel, or want... It's all about ME, with so many. I travel for work, so I spend a LOT of time in lines, at airports, in hotels, in restaurants... I am always SHOCKED when one of my colleagues asks me why the lady behind the desk gave me the quieter room, or why the gentleman cooking breakfast made my bacon extra crispy for me, when I ask, "Oh, you mean why Anna gave me that room?" and they say, "Oh, is that her name?"

Dude! You've been coming to this hotel for A YEAR and you don't know the NAME of the nice lady who checks you in? Or the nice gentleman who carries your bags to you room? Or the wonderful people who COOK YOUR SPECIAL ORDER every freaking DAY? Yeah, THAT'S why I get the "special" treatment. Because I know that Anna's son Tomas is coming home from the Army this weekend, and that Julius in the kitchen has a brother who is recovering very well from his Chemo treatments.

And YES! I also know that Paul at the front desk at the Disney resort is working here while he's on a break from college, and that Maria who cleans our room at the Disney resort has three children under age 12, who look forward to seeing her when she gets home every day. And that Vikki not only works at the pin cart, but also in two of the shops, but always in the same area, because she really loves that spot - she loves people and gets to interact with LOTS of them in that location! You don't have to stay in a place for a year, just to take a few minutes out of your busy life and learn someone's name. Learning their name tells them you care about them as a person, and not just as a uniform doing a job for you. Caring about them as a person means you treat them with a little more respect, just because they are more real to you, automatically. With no effort on your part.

I think THAT'S why one of the FIRST RULES of lanyard trading is (or used to be), INTRODUCE YOURSELF to the cast member. You have a name, he or she has a name, everybody is human, and we have some common interests! Now let's talk trading (which is not his or her primary job, just a fun extra).
 
What I know is this. We love lanyard trading. Nena spends a lot of time talking to the various cast members and finding out how they are doing. We once had a cast member see us and come up to us and tell us about another cast member that we talked to who had died. She knew we talked to her and she knew we would care. We have had cast members come up to us and give us a big hug and ask us where we had been because we no longer visit the mouse as often as we use to. We knew when another cast member got married and went on his honeymoon. We don't ride many of the attractions while at Disneyland, we visit with the extended family we have made while visiting there! For this reason I totally agree with Nick.

Take the time to talk to the cast members. Learn their names! Show them you appreciate that they wear a lanyard so you can trade pins, because they don't have to. They probably have at least half a dozen bad experiences with traders throughout their day so make it a point to be a bright spot. Make it a point to try to make each one of them smile! Who knows how many people you can have an affect on just by taking the time with one cast member every day. Treat them with respect and realize you are not their first priority. They actually have a job they were hired for besides trading pins with you! Most of all be patient and polite.
 
katelouise said:
Well lanyards are a part of cast members costumes so they do have to wear them - its not often a choice.
If I happen to come off as a bit exasperated when pin trading most of the time it's because a guest has been staring at my chest/lanyard for a while without acknowledging me an I have to ask them "are you looking at pins?" before I get any eye contact or greeting :(
As a girl it makes me exceptionally uncomfortable when guest stare at the chest/lanyard without saying anything to me - and I would get disciplined if I didn't wear my lanyard
Also if I'm holding a stack of dolls or plush and am obviously walking somewhere and someone asks to pin trade without letting me put the merchandise down or wait a little bit = annoyed cast members
I know respect works both ways and I don't want to be rude right now but these are just my two cents, there's a lot cast members are expected to be and do all at once - by guests and by management
Click to expand...

I went to DLR last week and gave pin trading the ol' college try. I must say that everyone was really nice about it. I was shocked, but this comes a PTSD and massive anxiety standpoint--I was expecting some sort of flak and negativity along the way.

As for the standing back and staring. I'm guilty of that, but only because I'm REALLY trying to work through the anxiety and guilt of going up to someone I don't know. I was able to push through it most of the day, but my god; the noise that comes across my head all at once is frighteningly amazing.

for the CMs, is there an option of wearing a lanyard or pouch?
 
I've worked in retail for about a year now and I agree, people forget that you are a person! I understand we are there to assist the customer and make their experience a great one, but they can make it difficult on themselves and us at times. I agree with that old adage everyone should have to work a service position at some point in their lives to learn what it is like and get a better awareness of themselves. I for one try to treat every service professional as kindly as possible and bring lots of patience with me because whatever problem you're having with your transaction it is almost never their fault, but just the circumstances of the situation.

I haven't been to the park to start pin trading yet (I'm saving up now), but when I do I'm going to do my best to be a good guest. Because at the end of the day, whether it is Disneyland or any other establishment, you are a (albeit paying) GUEST in someone else's 'home' and that should be respected.
 
norlando319 said:
Dude! You've been coming to this hotel for A YEAR and you don't know the NAME of the nice lady who checks you in? Or the nice gentleman who carries your bags to you room? Or the wonderful people who COOK YOUR SPECIAL ORDER every freaking DAY? Yeah, THAT'S why I get the "special" treatment.

I think THAT'S why one of the FIRST RULES of lanyard trading is (or used to be), INTRODUCE YOURSELF to the cast member. You have a name, he or she has a name, everybody is human, and we have some common interests! Now let's talk trading (which is not his or her primary job, just a fun extra).
Click to expand...

+100000000 I have had to tell my son about this same thing. He once asked me why people treat us so good at places we go and if they are my friends or if I know them. I told him that I treat the people nicely and take time to talk to them. That is the reason why we get such good service. It should be real easy for everyone to understand, but many people just act like it's there job and treat workers like they are not people also. When some one has a job it's not because they have to help you, they have chose to be there and work in a service job. Please try to treat others as you would like to be treated. You will have a much better time and always get better service.
 
Wanna give a CM a real thrill? Once you find a pin on his/her lanyard you would like, let the CM select a pin from your lanyard-- most are usually surprised by this offer and appreciate the opportunity!
 
Been doing the trading thing with the CM for awhile and I'm totally amazed at
times how parents will let their children just totally disrespect the very people
whom are the nicest in the world! Of course, I don't blame the kids. Some adults
can get a little silly.
 
Love this thread! I had some great guests and some not so great guests when I did merchandise, but for the most part everyone was very polite. I did get quite a few of the *walks up slightly bent over staring at my waist, waits a few seconds, walks away* guests, but I just kind of smiled through it. I have a lot of good memories from pin trading with guests, but the best one was with a little girl and her mother. I was just under the train station bridge where you return ECVs/wheelchairs/where the lockers are in the MK and the two guests came up to me, the little girl asking if she could look at my pins. While she was looking she was telling me how she just met Ariel and how Ariel called her 'her funny fish' for one reason or another. There was a pin she wanted off my 'lanyard' (I had one I wore on my hip, having one on my neck got in the way while working with the wheelchairs/strollers/ECVs) and I started taking it off for her while her mother went through the bag she was carrying, looking for the girl's lanyard. A few minutes later and she realized it was in a different bag that her husband had, and he and the family's son had gone back to the hotel already. It was pretty late, past the firework show. The little girl looked so disheartened but was like 'aw...okay, thanks anyway' and handed it back to me, but I told her to keep it. She was so excited she looked like she was going to cry! She gave it to her mom so she wouldn't lose it and told me she'd give the pin she was going to give to me to someone at the hotel tomorrow who didn't have any pins so they could start to trade, too. Guests like that always made the long shifts and not-so-happy guests worth it :)
 
this is a great thread! I have always subscribed to the theory that one can tell alot about another person by the way he or she treats those in service posts. Be polite! Treat everyone as if they are the most important person in the world. Say please and thank you.
Thanks!
Sis
 
As a former cast member, I can say that the tips listed here are simply wonderful.

The majority of cast members try their very best to make every guest have a wonderful experience. They are very aware of the cost of visiting and also are great fans of Disney themselves. They try their best even when very busy and under great pressure. Sometimes they aren't treated well.

I knew many cast members who refused to trade with adults because of past behavior. I knew some who were yelled at poked and prodded, and that wasn't why they stopped trading with adults. It was because of how those adult traders treated children. They'd push the children out of the way to get a pin, or put pressure on children to give them that pin they just traded for.

The suggestions in this thread are great. Remember it, is, exciting to see a pin you'd love to have-but don't let that excitement cause you to do something you might not otherwise do. Don't let it get in the way of basic politeness. Don't pull or poke, and please don't inhibit or intimidate children who may want to trade.
 
Thank you to all those who post positive suggestions and feedback on this area. What I'd like to get some clarity on is the scrapper issue (excluding counterfits for now). Clearly no one wants to deal in a hobby that is filled with non-authentic pieces, and I certainly don't want to be someone who is contributing to it by dealing in scrappers. But at the same time I'm not interested in spending all my time keeping up with how to identify scrappers and then sifting through CM pins for the scrappers and the reals, it loses its fun for me. So beyond the efforts of the traders here, who and what is being done to clean up and prevent it, particularly on Disney end? As I understand the direction from Disney is the same as it has been for years, official Disney pin with the logo and a mickey rubber back, nothing further. Like I said, if CM trading was a lot cleaner in terms of scrappers appearing on CM laynards then I wouldn't need to ask this. But if my young kids or even myself are going to be given 5 out of 10 scrappers per CM laynard its telling me Disney doesnt want to stop it, and I understand why they wouldnt as to not hinder the experience of guests. But if thats the case I have a hard time trying to rationalize trading my purchased pins for what could be a scrapper. Do I want to be able to get cheap scrappers on Ebay and trade in the parks, yes if what I am going to be given back is a scrapper as. I trade those for the fun, the hunt, not for top quality pins. I buy from the stores the ones I really want to show off and collect. So is there anyone, perhaps one the current or former CM that can weigh in on the "etiquette" of trading in scrappers with CM? This is not about trading among other traders, no one wants a scrapper over a real piece. This is about whether CM trading is now about trading all variations (not counterfits) and that traders should be aware that this is the new norm with that type of trading. It just makes me nervous to give a scrapper unknowingly or to get one. Thanks all.
 
I suppose the problem with scrappers on lanyards is partly due to CMs not refusing to trade if they think the guest is offering a scrapper. I would imagine inferring to a guest that their pin is a scrapper could result in an argument and time wasted when the CM should be working. If they just accepted scrappers carte blanche and then threw them away and replaced them with genuine pins everyday then I guess people would know where to take their scrappers ;). Not sure what the answer is.
 
We found that the cast members were wonderful with the pin trading. We rarely had one who was reluctant to trade. Yes, they were out there. Many times my girls would be looking for a certain set , especially with the cast lanyard pins and they would go out of there way and get a manager with pins or go in the back and look for us. Great spots were Grand Floridian, Store by the Epcot entrance by the hotels., and in Downtown Disney the main emporium store. ( where the princess makeovers were done) , can't remember name. We moved from that area five years ago. Miss it.
 
My daughter is 5 and LOVES to trade when we are at WDW and online with my help once in awhile too. We have always found CM's to be ... just like everyone else. If you treat them kindly, they will do the same to you. This past summer when we were there, my daughter started trading with a CM while my back was to them. She said, "please and thank you" all on her own and when I turned around, she was being handed a pin AND a golden ticket for a free Dole Whip. The little note, said that it was for being a respectful pin trader. Needless to say I was a proud papa that this had happened w/o my direct supervision.

One other quickie ... We stayed at The Coronado and apparently there is a CM there at night who always has all the latest and greatest. My daughter looked forward to trading with him every night. Our last night there, he was not in his usual place. She asked for him by name (they had chatted it up quite a bit each night) and when the CM went in the back to get the CM (Name with held) my daughter was asking for he came out with a big smile and addressed her by name. She traded for what she wanted and completed one of the HM sets, said good bye and gave him a hug.

The CM's really do go out of the way for you, especially if you are respectful to them. As we have taught her, you harvest what you sow ... Thanks for the rules. I had not ever thought to let them check out her lanyard first. I like that tip :)
 
katelouise said:
Well lanyards are a part of cast members costumes so they do have to wear them - its not often a choice.
If I happen to come off as a bit exasperated when pin trading most of the time it's because a guest has been staring at my chest/lanyard for a while without acknowledging me an I have to ask them "are you looking at pins?" before I get any eye contact or greeting :(
As a girl it makes me exceptionally uncomfortable when guest stare at the chest/lanyard without saying anything to me - and I would get disciplined if I didn't wear my lanyard
Also if I'm holding a stack of dolls or plush and am obviously walking somewhere and someone asks to pin trade without letting me put the merchandise down or wait a little bit = annoyed cast members
I know respect works both ways and I don't want to be rude right now but these are just my two cents, there's a lot cast members are expected to be and do all at once - by guests and by management
Click to expand...

Omg, that's not nice! People can be so rude :confused:, I'm sorry! :(

Counselor said:
My daughter is 5 and LOVES to trade when we are at WDW and online with my help once in awhile too. We have always found CM's to be ... just like everyone else. If you treat them kindly, they will do the same to you. This past summer when we were there, my daughter started trading with a CM while my back was to them. She said, "please and thank you" all on her own and when I turned around, she was being handed a pin AND a golden ticket for a free Dole Whip. The little note, said that it was for being a respectful pin trader. Needless to say I was a proud papa that this had happened w/o my direct supervision.

One other quickie ... We stayed at The Coronado and apparently there is a CM there at night who always has all the latest and greatest. My daughter looked forward to trading with him every night. Our last night there, he was not in his usual place. She asked for him by name (they had chatted it up quite a bit each night) and when the CM went in the back to get the CM (Name with held) my daughter was asking for he came out with a big smile and addressed her by name. She traded for what she wanted and completed one of the HM sets, said good bye and gave him a hug.

The CM's really do go out of the way for you, especially if you are respectful to them. As we have taught her, you harvest what you sow ... Thanks for the rules. I had not ever thought to let them check out her lanyard first. I like that tip :)
Click to expand...

This is a beautiful story! You are a great father to a great daughter! Lovely people! =)

Btw it's really sad how some people take kindess for granted!
 
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