Page 3 of personal stories from WDWCP Alumni and other Cast Members of the Walt Disney World Resort.

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Edited by Mona

WAY back in 1993 my dream of working at Walt Disney World came true and the college program changed my life, and has left me with so many memories its tough to list them all, but when the program was done and I had to return home I felt lost, after finishing my associates degree I realized I needed some direction so I returned to Disney as an Alumni in hopes of finding myself.

I ended up working at Pleasure Island and though it wasn't something I really liked I stuck with it. One night when I arrived at work I remember my supevisor telling me that they had some unknown performer at the west end stage, and would I mind escorting her and some of the band around thee island before the show, and of course I jumped at the chance.

I remember I didnt know who she or the band was, but I remember as we walked the Island people wanted their picture with her and everyone wanted her autograph, it got so bad security escorted her back to the stage area. When she performed it was magic and she lit up the stage, I got to stay in the back area to watch (that was sooooo cool at the time) and there where thousands of people on the island to see the show.

Well I was so impressed with her that when I left that night I went to the front gate to see how to spell her name on the scrolling marquee. I still carry the piece of paper around with me in my wallet, it was Selena and Los Dinos, and the performance at PI was only about three weeks before she was killed. All I can remember is how nice she and the band were to me, and how much magic was in the air that night.

While on the Wonderful Disney Wonder, I was very good 'Friends' with Alice in Wonderland. Now, Alice being the very chatty little girl that she is, she never has trouble talking to strangers and finds friends around every corner.

Well, after one of Alices 'play times' (Where she would normally stand for a couple of hours Smiling, signing her name and having her picture taken a few hundred times!) she encounterd one little girl who did the unimaginable and had Alice 'lost for words'.

It all started when the little girl came over to Alice, she as always asked her name, asked if she was having fun, asked what she had done with her time on the ship and then out of the blue this beautiful little girl says to Alice 'Im here with Daddy and the house keeper but its a secret from Mummy.'

To which Alice gave no responce except a very forced Smile to stop her jaw hitting the ground and 'Shall we take a picture'. What would you have said?

I was in the college program in the summer of 1996, lived at vista way and worked at the alien encounter attraction in the MK. I had a blast that summer with all of my roommates and friends I made at alien.

We partied all the time and had a great time! Some of my roommates, even though I loved hanging out with them, did not appreciate the Disney experience as much as I did. Well towards the end of the program (I think we had a week left) 2 of my roommates left to go home: ironically those 2 were the ones who really did not enjoy their disney experience.

Well me and the roommates that were left decided to have a party. Of course, there were people there who did not live at Vista Way. Most of them left by the 2 am cutoff, except for the guy I was seeing (a fellow disney employee...just not in College program). Well sure enough security was called by someone and me and another roommate were terminated. Even though a third roommate was there to enjoy the party, when security came, she came out of her room pretending to know nothing of the party!!!

Anyway, my time there was cut short, as were my plans for returning the next summer. I was just thankful that I did have most of the summer to remember, unlike 2 friends I had made early in the summer who got termintaed like 2 weeks in. Having that party was one of the biggest regrets of my life!!!!!!!!!!!!! If there are any of my old chums that remember me out there, drop me a line! would love to hear from you!

It was an ordinary day, working in the most magical land in the World. Fantasyland, that is! I was working that day in Fantasy Faire, the store that PhilharMagic opens into. There was a little boy who was crying for quite a while. I went over to him, knelt down so I was eye level with him, and I asked him what was wrong. He managed to explain that he didn't know where his mommy was between sobs. I calmly asked him what his name was, and then I asked him what his mommy's name was. He stopped crying, for a moment to think, and then said, "MOMMY!" I tried not to laugh as we made our way around the store, looking for his mommy. We found her, she was in line at the cash register. It made me smile, do you know your mommy's name?

It was an oridinary day for me, Start at 7:00am!!! UGH!! But at least I worked in strollers( something others were willing to trade to get out of working there). But anyways, we usually get a LOT of screaming children who fuss about anything and everything. One such example was a boy and his sister who both wanted the left side of the stroller ( dont ask why). But I decided to try something. I gave them both a very cool DAK Conservation Sticker to quiet them down and then proceeded to whisper a secret in both their ears...just a very cool ride or show to make sure not to miss... I told each of them a different one. They quiet down and mom gave me a whisper "Thank You."

I felt like quite the cast member for a second and then back to stollers... throwing them out by the dozen for hours..... then around 5 or 6pm... yes a long OT day for me, the same kids ran up to the doorway that seperated the stroller storage area and the outside world and gave me some enthusiastic screams... so I went outside and they were telling me about their day completely and the things they did, the charaters they met, and EVEN THEIR LUNCH. Just to see their smiles and laughs completely made the long and exhausting day worth it. And mom told me that the kids were actually behaving themselves. For kids 8 and 6 years old, that is an accomplishment.

To know that entire family had a good time at your park simply due to 2 minutes of your time in the morning....priceless

One afternoon while working in the gift shop of the Tower of Terror, all heads turned as a large family with an angry little boy walked by. He was SCRREAMING and sobbing "I HATE you, YOU SAID IT WASN'T SCARY!! I HATE YOU!!"

The family cut the photo line and walked right up to me. They were upset and confused because their picture on the ride had not shown up on the tv screens for viewing/purchasing. I quickly walked to the edit room to find out what had happened to their picture and was reluctant to go back out when I found out their picture was not available due to "technical difficulties" (aka, someone in the picture was doing something un-disney).

I went back out with only one solution in mind. I let the family know I could put them right back on the ride with no wait so they could get the photo taken again. At the very mention of going back on the ride, the boy started wailing at the top of his lungs, "NO NO NO NO!! I'M NOT GOING BACK THERE! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME! NOOOOOO!!"

The mother was distraught.. She told me "We came so far to get here and the only thing we wanted was a picture on every ride that had one.. This just ruins everything."

My mind was spinning. How could I get them through the ride when the little boy was so terribly upset and scared? Right next to me on the counter was a container of squishy eyeball toys. When you squeezed them they made gross sounds, and fake blood swished around. But they were all I had.. and I had to think fast.

I went to the little boy and held out one of the eyeballs. "This is the eyeball of COURAGE" I said. "If you hold this on the ride and then give it to me right when you come back, it will protect you from danger!"

The little boy was not little enough to fall for that, I thought. But he looked up at me, bit his lip, looked down at the eyeball and took it from my hand. His mom asked him if he was ready to try it and he shrugged while sniffing back tears.

I took them back to the ride and then went back to my register to help more guests. A few minutes later the family was laughing as they walked by. The little boy ran up, carefully placed the "eyeball of courage" in my hands, and without a sound skipped back to his family.

Then I saw the picture.. The little boy was grinning with the "eyeball of courage" clutched victoriously in his upraised hands. I felt like I'd done the Disney thing that day.

I had been working a very long day at MK Indy Speedway. It was a hot and sticky day under the Florida sun, which usually makes me cranky. Rotation had just come through and I was sent out to greeter. I love [being] greeter, but it would have been so much better under happier circumstances.

As I walked around with my height stick in my hand, I heard a family trying to explan to their two children that it was going to be impossible for them to ride Speedway. The family had a fast pass for Buzz which was just minutes from expiring and they wanted to get to the fireworks on time.

The children looked so sad that I felt a true Magical Moment was in order. I went up to the family and asked them how many cars they would need because i was going to get the cars for them. The were so surprised, they just couldn't stop thanking me.

Just when they got of the ride the mother comes to me, camera in hand and says "Smile, your going to be in our memory book forever. You have no idea how you made my children's world today." Click! and there went the camera. After that I just though, wow I made her children's day, she had no idea how they made my day, just thinking that by helping out with such a small thing i was going to be in a families memery book for times to come!

I must say of all that went on in my life during the year 2002, my time at Walt Disney World will be the most memorable story I'll probably ever have. Just remembering the fact of working in the most magical place in the world brings a smile to my face everytime something undesirable occurs.

The biggest memory I have is when I had to do a TAKE 5 run at EPCOT'S Imagination studios. As I was walking, to search for the person to give the TAKE 5 to, I came across this 3 elderly folks that were lost. They wanted to go to American Adventure which was in the other side of the park. They looked so confused and saddened that I decided to give my TAKE 5 to them and I personally walked them all the way to the other side of the park. On the way, we shared some stories about each other they shared their vacation memories with me and I came to find out that one of them was 87 years old. This was her first time at WDW and she was so happy to be here. she was telling me how this could probably be the first and last time she would ever be here. So she was really glad that someone took the time out and shared a litle bit of time with them. THAT right there hit me straight to the heart and made me realize that no matter how old, or how sick one can ever be, there is always a first time for anything and everything, and that disney is for all types of people varying from newborns,to the most elder and that the magic is not made by the attractions, "THE MAGIC STARTS WITH THE SMILE AND DEDICATION OF A SIMPLE CAST MEMBER".

One night I was working at the load postition at small world, when I saw the person at dispatch having some sort of a problem with the panel. We had been having trouble all night, and it seemed like the ride was going to go 101. We called maintenance and our manager, and soon a maintenance guy was in the tower resetting something. He got it going again, and the boats started coming out. What no one had realized was that the lights inside the ride had gone out for a few minutes, leaving the guests inside in the pitch black. What's funny is that no one in the first few boats that we unloaded said anything about it.

But then a family came out, and the mother was livid. She was yelling at us for leaving them in the dark, sayng that her little boy was scared to death. We apologized, saying we had no idea the lights had gone out, but she was soo mad. Luckily, our manager had just gotten there, and he started talking to her. A few minutes later, the manager came to me and told me that they hadn't gotten to ride Peter Pan or Whinnie the Pooh yet, and since it was almost closing time, he wanted me to take them on both.

This presented a bit of a problem for me, since the CMs at both those attractions were going to be shutting down in a matter of minutes, and they are on opposite sides of Fantasyland. So, I took the family first to Pooh, since I worked on the small world side of Fantasyland, and didn't really know the people from the east side very well. All the time, I was trying to tell the little boy there was nothing to be afraid of, since his experience on small world had made him afraid of rides in the dark. While they were on Pooh, I had 3 minutes to sprint across Fantasyland to Peter Pan, tell the CMs there not to shut down until I got back there, and run back to Pooh to meet the family. I met them at the exit (the boy loved it), and ushered them back to Pan. As they got on, the mother thanked me, and the boy was beaming. I had another 3 minutes till they got off, so I went next door into the Lion king theater, and got a bunch of Simba and Beauty and the Beast stickers, and ran back to Pan. They were just coming out, and I (VERY out of breath at this point), gave the stickers to the boy "for being so brave." He looked about 1000% happier than he had after small world, and I was glad I could make such a scary experience better for him.

His name was Gerald. He was a boy with down syndrome, and he LIVED WITH a life-threatening illness.

When I met Gerald, he came to my restaurant with a big, blue give kids the world badge on. I feel it is my duty to pay special attention to my guests (friends :) from give kids the world. Of course it is also my duty to make sure each and every guest has the most fabulous time of their life while at WDW, but I wanted to make this one have a more fabulous time than the rest...

I got him an ice cream bar, since that's pretty much all I can do while working quick service. When I gave it to him, his face lit up, and he literally started SCREAMING with excitedness. He walked over to his mother, and said "Mommy! Mommy! LOOK!". She started glowing, and a tear dropped down her face.

Here's the sinker... he ran over to me, pulled me out of my chair, and gave me a big hug, and refused to let go. Naturally, I got a bit choked up... OK, OK, I'll admit it... I let a couple tears slip too.

The magic doesn't live in WDW... it lives in the hearts of the guests.

I am no longer a cast member, and this occured on my last day of employment - I would say I went out with a bang.

Working Happy Hearts Day can be a magical experience for Attractions Castmemebers. One day in the summer of 2000, I was not feeling the ol Disney Magic during code 90 weather. However, a young guest with a non visible disability touched my heart. her name is Jennifer and this was her last visit to the "Magic Kingdom" She asked if she could be my whale watcher/co-captain. With tears in his eyes, her father quietly told me this may be her last trip to Disneyland due to an illness. I felt a bit of Disney Magic was in order.

After sitting on the house of Ariel, I sat up and held the microphone in one hand and wrapped my arm around Jennifer's waist. I started my spiel with "Jennifer, it's time for your first Storybook boat driving lesson! Hello everyone welcome to StorybookLand, my name is Steve and your drivers name is Jennifer..." I gave my best spiel and personalized the attraction for my special guest.

At the end of the journey (after being in rotation for what seemed like hours...!) Jennifers family unloaded their party, and Jennifer gave me a hug. For those of you who ever interacted with magical experiences, you know how it feels to be appreciated. I touched the heart of a small child and felt rewarded.

Later that day, I was pulled to Monorail. Ahhhhhh! air conditioning!!! At least while driving! Around 8pm or so, I bumped from the tower position to train. Upon entering the nose cone, my friend Jennifer was sitting with her family. They were happy guests asking a lot of questions in which i was happy to answer. After a trip to Downtown Disney and back, they snapped several pictures of me and Jennifer. I gave Jennifer a co-pilot license and a hug. About two weeks later, Jennifer passed away. To this day, I will always remember her and the Magical moment i helped create.

I was "working with" Chip one night in Toontown when this cute little boy came in with his family. He ran over to Chip and Dale and handed us each a doll character of ourselves which had already been signed. He then proceeded to hug us very tightly. His mom came over and explained that the boy had already seen us at a charactor breakfast and dinner, but that we were his favorites and he wanted to see us again.

The next night I was in Toontown again when who should come through but the same little boy and his dad! He came over and hugged us and this time Dad said that it was the family's last day in the park and while the mom and sister were on rides, the little boy had insisted on coming back to say goodbye. Even though our set was over, Dale and I stayed in the room, playing with the little boy. Finally his dad said we needed to leave to go get some nuts. The little boy hugged Chip one more time and pulled "my" ear to his mouth. "I love you Chip," he whispered. "Give me a call when I get home." He then proceeded to whisper his phone number. That night was one of the most magical times I had at Disney!

Rich and I met during September of our CP, during the annual "Cast Blast" for CP's. Soon after we began dating did he realize my love for spontaniousity and suprises...and he managed so many suprises during our program together. I truly discovered the "magic" of Disney while experiencing it with someone I fell in love with.

One of my favorite memories (and suprises) took place one night after a hard night at work. I wanted to stay at the apartment and watch TV, but Rich dragged me out of the apt, saying "there was something important he wanted to show me". As we drove onto disney property, he took me to Fort Wilderness (where, mind you, I was still bewildered about what exactly was happening!!) We began walking through the grounds when we came upon a huge hayrack with tons of people. He knew that I had always wanted to go on the hayrack ride, but never had time to plan it.

Now, this was just the start of it all. We got our tickets, and sat on the hayrack for a minute or two, when Rich jumped up again. He looked at me, told me to stay put, and ran off the hayrack and talked to a person in charge for about 5 minutes. He then looked at me and motioned for me to come to him. Of course, I had no idea what was up his sleeve. As I followed him, I asked him what on earth was going on, and he told me, "We're going to do the hayrack ride, but somewhat different..." and as he finished his sentence, there stood a horse and carriage, waiting for us. I had no idea he would ever go to this extreme to make me this happy. We then took a half hour romantic carriage ride around Fort Wilderness. It was an unbelievable night, one I will never forget!

Romance? Yes. Memorable? Yes. Forgetable? No.