Cast Member’s Corner: Goofy Guests and Magical Memories

Working at Walt Disney World I got to see a lot of things both behind the scenes and out among the guests.  Being a guest at Walt Disney World you can also see most of these things as well, which makes visiting the parks both fun and entertaining.  Disney provides a lot of visual stimulation in it’s architecture and decoration but sometimes that’s not even the best part.  Sometimes the guests themselves provide the entertainment while other times, it is those who come with them who are creating the fun.

As a Cast member I was lucky enough to work with all of the different characters.  I got to see Donald Duck fly on Dumbo’s back late at night.  I also was privileged enough to see the Princesses come down from Cinderella’s Royal Table and take a ride on Cinderella’s Royal Carousel.  Both of these happened during extra magic hours.  This means that as long as you are staying at one of the Disney resorts you can stay at the parks on designated nights later than other guests.  It does not cost extra and you get a lot of special opportunities you might not usually get such as riding along side Donald or the Princesses. 

During normal park hours I was able to witness and work alongside my favorite character, Peter Pan.  Every once in awhile Peter would do one of my favorite things, and one of the most memorable events I’ve ever witnessed at Disney…..crow like he does in the movie!  One day while I was working in the castle’s shadow, in Fantasyland, I was able to see a bunch of people trying to pull the sword from the stone in front of the carousel.  Peter Pan was in his usual spot beside Mickey’s Philharmagic and beneath the stain glass window with our favorite fairy in it.  Peter Pan didn’t have many Lost Boys and Girls in line to get pictures with him so he decided to go on an adventure over at the Sword in the Stone.  He called the older contenders codfish, as they were unable to retrieve the sword from the stone and crowed when a young prince or princess was able to do it.  It was a very unique experience, and  I loved being able to witness and participate in it.

Another event I was privileged to see, and one that any guest could see at any time, is a proposal.  I happened to catch a proposal one night before the fireworks.  The future husband asked us if he could be the last one cleared out of the area immediately behind the castle, by Cinderella’s fountain next to Castle Couture….and of course we agreed.  Some other Cast Members and I were given a camera to help capture the moment for the happy couple.  The woman was caught completely by surprise and of course said yes. 

Disney is a big place for proposals.  There are plenty of scenic places and romantic backdrops that make that magical moment even more memorable.  Another reason Disney is popular for proposals is because the Cast Members are more than willing to do their part in helping in any way they can, be it taking pictures or making it more public, private, or unique for the happy couple.  It is always a special and magical moment to be able to witness.

Many great things I’ve seen while working at Disney have to do with the guests themselves.  It is always a treat to witness a larger group visiting the parks.  Whether it be a family reunion or one of the many tour groups, they always provide entertainment to those around them at the park.  My favorite things to see with these big groups were how they were able to tell who was with them.  Between bright color shirts, a flag in the backpack of the leader, silly hats, or even funny shirts, you could always tell who was in the group.  Many groups will wear a shirt saying what they were celebrating and also put a name of a character on it.  I’ve witnessed a large tour group going into the Philharmagic and riding on Cinderella’s Carousel singing and thoroughly enjoying themselves and providing entertainment for those around them.  There are also those guests tucked in among these crowds that just make you take a look because of what they’re wearing.

There are many great things to see at Disney and many of them are things that your fellow guests are doing or wearing.  My favorite thing to see are the happy couples young and old celebrating anything and everything, or the smiles and looks of awe on the younger guests as they see their favorite characters.  You don’t have to work at Disney to enjoy any of these either. 

Next time you’re at the parks just take a seat in the shade one day and people watch the guests around you.  You’ll enjoy the entertainment around you too.  As always my friends, have faith and trust, and this time around the guests are providing the pixie dust!

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Jess was born and raised on Long Island, New York but once college began so did her adventures. She’s lived in Florida, Wisconsin, and now South Carolina. Her family is part of the Disney Vacation Club and has been visiting since she was a little girl, and continuously goes every year. Besides being a big Disney fan she has also been a Disney Cast Member working in Magic Kingdom, and she counts it as one of the most magical experiences. She worked with everyone’s favorite elephant Dumbo, Cinderella’s Carousel, and Mickey’s Philharmagic. Jess has also visited Disneyland, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort, and gone on two Disney Cruises. She has so many great memories from Disney besides running half marathons and 5ks, birthday parties, and family reunions. If asked where she would want to go it is almost always Disney, and when asked why, it is almost always because she can eat awesome gluten free food! And it doesn’t hurt that there is always faith, trust, and pixie dust with magic in the air!