What do Cast Members Talk About Behind the Scenes – Confessions of a Theme Park Worker



What do Disney cast members and theme park employees talk about when you can’t hear them? What discussions do they have? What gets passed around the break room? Here’s a little look at what they may be saying

A behind the scenes look at what a former worker at Disney World, Silver Dollar City, and Busch Gardens Florida experienced in his time working at the parks. From driving large safari trucks around live wild animals while cracking one silly joke after another, to spending 5 years as a #PhotoPass photographer at #WaltDisneyWorld and seeing and experiencing all sorts of things, to being a conductor and #trainrobber on the famous Frisco Silver Dollar Line at #SilverDollarCity. With 10 years of working in the parks, there’s lots of stories to tell. Here is some of them…

Not only did I work in theme parks for 10 years, I’ve visited a whole lot of them as well. Here’s some stories of great visits, not so great visits, favorites, reviews, and much more.

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17 thoughts on “What do Cast Members Talk About Behind the Scenes – Confessions of a Theme Park Worker”

  1. i can vouch from just about everything you said @sirwillow there however also times where the day just went bad for whatever reason and sometimes we just wanted to be left alone and would go find a spot to hide in back stage and just try to relax and decompress

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  2. I think a real good general rule of thumb would be don't act like an ass to where the people who work there are talking about you when they get behind the scenes. I think it's pretty safe to say it's not that hard to have them not talking about you.

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  3. George, you and I are around the same age, and have similar experiences. Great America, Santa Cruz, and wonderful families. I also use a scooter and it is a way to get back some of my independence!!! I hope to go meet Kent Rollins at SDC one spring or summer!!! You have a lovely family and may GOD bless you all!!!

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  4. Like everything else, if you treat people the way you want to be treated, you will get great service. We met my daughter and her husband at Kilimanjaro in AK. We were in line at the Tusker House. We talked with them and walked up, they were in front, I wasn't sure the CM would let us, but I politely asked if we could join up. He said no problem. Unclasped the rope. We thanked him and we apologized to the other guests in line and everything was kosher. And… I am going to be a grandfather in Feb!!!! Now we will have a little one to take to WDW and we can go back to experiencing it through a child's eyes. And we were going to sell our DVC!

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  5. The same is in retail. I think any job that deals with the public will be about the same. We talk about the customers at either end of the spectrum, good and bad. Sometimes we have to walk very quickly to get off the sales floor before we explode. But honestly we talk about what is going on and joke around with each other more than anything else

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  6. When I worked at the park with the wizards, like backstage was very similar too, it was usually like talk about the job, maybe something silly happened, “hey this still ain’t fixed yet”, “oh you’re at this cart today” , things like that

    I was actually a trainer so I had a lot of talk with my trainees about like “this is what they want me to tell you by the book, alright I said it, and here’s how it really is” and every trainee I had was very grateful that I set them up for success and was honest with them about how things actually are.

    Now when it comes to morning meetings and all that, like really unless it’s an event going on we really didn’t have that. Like we had just notices on the board but no meeting, but that was my area not sure about others.

    When it comes to venting I swear I was like a therapist for the other workers, whether it was about guest issues or like a new policy going on, “no I’ve been here three times in a row stahp!”, like I heard it all. Even I had to go to the back to vent

    I got stories I can tell from my almost a decade at the theme parks both with the wizards and the mice but overall it’s an experience I also will never forget because the people I met and worked with were all wonderful. And you also met some wonderful people too.

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  7. got some churros after a nice meet with some characters for free as thank for doing my Give Kids the World Signatures for the Shirt that I donated later on the DIS unplugged Marathon Auction. So that was pretty surprising and sweet (wish they were fresher but a free gift is a sweet gift so no complains) the Cast Member even told me WWE Star Kevin Owens were also on the Labour Day Halloween Scary Party I think it was after my Stitch Elvis visit they were funny experience we had fun Stitch had break came back to me wiped his claws on my Shirt cuz I were dressed as a Big Ceni the Paunch is Here (WWE Star John Cena) and when I was there and had got his Signature we joked around he can´t see me he closed his eyes and does the wave as well it was so sweet and funny.

    Maybe KO even were strived by me after I think someone said to me a sweet word and I think he was it in some costume as well cuz I guess he was with his son there inkoqnito of course, but maybe some other WWE Stars were also with him who knows or just him and Fam but with Celebrity treat I guess.

    So I hope all my sweet experiences with the Characters and Cast Members those Days was something they had enjoyed that day helping me out making some bucks for the GKTW. My only sad concern is that maybe non of them still around with Disney after so many furloughs or are furloughs only like short-works thought it is like fired or not that and most of them are back????

    But Princesses have only limited times to be characters. Q) So how long have they usually before naughty Disney tells them you can´t be that sweet anymore (even when it is almost rediculous as they would lose their beauty that quick)???

    Q) Would you think even when they may not be the same would like to see if I show them some pics I put on my autograph book (I wish those people could see, showing them the moment where they helped me with their signatures for that GKTW) I think it would make them happy but don´t know if some other Girls would have that same feeling when they aren´t those sweet ones????

    With Fur Characters it is maybe easier even when they could be also definetely others under those Costumes but they have a bigger chance to be still the same since we don´t see their faces and there are no reasons to not use the same people unless they found better jobs or had other issues for not coming back.

    Q) So would you think those Characters plus Princesses will be still happy even when they may not be the same sharing it with them????

    At least maybe I am lucky some would be the same want to share that hope tink will be back as well. Rayna I read is the new included Princess guess Moana as well but don´t think both are seen around in WDW maybe if even than in the Parades or Cavalcades Ships in AK or so if even????

    No matter what can´t wait to meet them again only sad haven´t enough Money or time to do the Halloween Party to see the Wonderland Crew cuz they aren´t around outside only Alice but the rest I think not to catch. Also sad story heard no seven dwarfs this year around okay 7 dwarfs maybe to much with this pandemic they may fear or too busy in the mountain for digging jewels😂😪sad for the party goers like on the first day(s) some rainy weather postponed some events.

    I hope enough Photographers are back not too many boxes replacing them it seems Launch Bay has them uuuggggh wondering if new characters will come the Mando and Grogu Boba and Fennek could join the Party since one spot is free there on the board they have a blanket spot and Chewie and BB-8 could say goodbye since they are part of Batuu, yeah I know poor Chewie but doesn´t make much story wise sense since this new characters also will not lurk around batuu with the Galactic Star Cruiser as extended part of the Story with guests visiting there and making an overall Story Arc that doesn´t include Characters from outer periods (that´s why Launch Bay should stay for giving those Characters a chance even when it would be cool seeing them strolling around Batuu like in Disneyland).

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  8. Question: I'm currently saving up to take my two best friends on their first ever trip to Disney World. In a few years one of my friends and I will be turning 30 within a few months of each other (her in March and me in May). We want to take our mutual friend with us, as the trip will likely end up being her bachelorette party as well. I really want to add some extra magic to our trip, but I'm not too sure how to do that, and I can't really afford all that much… Any advice?

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  9. Something seems to be missing from most public services jobs in food and retail and I think it's when some people don't just see you as a means to an end. I want my coffee and I'm using fast food because I need it quick. I want these clothes, do the legal stuff so I don't look like I stole them. Were cast members ever seen as more than that?

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  10. As a zookeeper I can kinda relate to a lot of this. In our morning meetings we talk about things like what animals are getting checkups, if there has been any changes to show times , if any conferences or other events are happening, or share how training our animals is going. During lunch break is when we share dumb guest questions, the most recent ones I’ve gotten are do male ostriches lay eggs and are there lions in the kangaroo walk about…. The answer to both of those questions is NO.

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  11. My biggest thing I’d vent about at Six Flags is when guests had dumb questions about their refillable cups. Most notably when a guest brought me a warped one that they had said out loud they intentionally put it in the dishwasher when they’re totally not dishwasher safe😂 They we’re expecting me to replace it because it was ruined in the dishwasher, and it was against policy to do so without a receipt, which they didn’t have. If it was an accident I would’ve responded differently. They didn’t like that answer and they definitely let me know that!

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