I always make it a point to thank custodial CM's specifically. That's a tough job! I remember one time at
Disneyland I had gone into a restroom and the guy just finished cleaning the stall that I was going to immediately use. I told him, "Thank you," and he looked at me puzzled. I don't think people say it enough!
What I was never aware of for fifty years of going to the parks, the amount of training that goes into most roles. What looks like a role that you show up, they tell you what the buttons are for and in an hour you’re good to go.
I was safety critical for a year, looks like you served your time too lol, constantly on your toes, you never know where, why or what’s going to happen. The little ones always scared me. They are quick. In most positions you cant even have a short conversation with anyone. That was the main reason I transferred. I like talking to people. Where are they from, what did they do today etc.
I’ve met people who lived three blocks away from me for thirty years and I never seen them before in my life and I meet them 1200 miles away.
I’ve worked with so many great people, CPs , ICPs, people of all ages from all over the world all with their own stories. Walking through a park with your family and you hear someone yelling your name. It’s a handful of CPs that work for you and they want to meet your family and say hello. Or they run up and tap you on the shoulder and give you a hug. When their family comes to visit they go out of their way to find you at work and introduce you to their parents. One mom had tears coming out of her eyes telling me what an impression I have on her son. He lost his dad a few years ago and I got him out of his shell. I had no idea I made such an impact on him.
It’s not an easy place to work. A lot of the CPs, ICPs never had a job before, some never been away from home before. It can be an intimidating place to work. A lot of people in a huge area. Some come in, chin is down, no eye contact and they talk so soft. My job is to start talking to them, getting them to lift their chin up, look someone in the eye, smile and speak with confidence. And when they start doing it and they start feeling it, you couldn’t knock the smile off my face with a shovel. A lot of fist bumps along the way, a lot of good jobs, a lot of praise.
People put down the younger generation and their work ethic. What I have found is they don’t know, nobody ever showed them what to do. When you're done doing your job, help someone else do theirs, team work, we will get it all done together, all high five after a loooooong day and all go home tired and smiling.
They do something wrong, show them the right way to do it, they don’t know. Putting them down or calling them names won’t get them or me anywhere.
Letting them know I’m here for them, you’re not alone and I have their back. There is no stupid questions.
It’s fun! It’s the most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life!!
Now, it’s not all pixie dust, it’s a major corporation with 70k employees on site, they have rules like any other corporation. Got to come to work on time and when scheduled.
Did it kill the Magic a little……….. yes. My daughter was a cp in 2013. She did her year and came home. I thought she would stay and see where it would go. When I asked her why, she said do you like to vacation where you work. Valid point. You look at things a little differently, a lot of the mystery and magic disappears. But, I see the boss, the guy with the two big round black ears just about everyday on his way to on stage and everyday I give him a high five and say Hi Mickey.
I wouldn’t give any of it up for the world!