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View Full Version : Thoughts on working in the HM



XxJack SkellingtonxX
05-24-2003, 11:22 PM
I've decided to apply to work as a CM in the Haunted Mansion when I start working in Disneyland in july. Any advice, comments, or warnings about working there? I'd like to know what my chances of getting in there are, if it's true they pull the fabled "play the soundtrack backwards in the portrait room" prank on new CMs there, and if being a CM there requires you to do any Animatronic skin changing or Leota head cleaning or anything like that. Information regarding this would be most helpful in mentally preping for working here! Oh and also how bad is it setting the place up for the Haunted Mansion Holiday or does the technical crew do that?

HBTiggerFan
05-24-2003, 11:34 PM
The elevator soundtrack does not play backwards while going up. I can tell you that from being in the elevator as it goes up.

XxJack SkellingtonxX
05-24-2003, 11:38 PM
Very glad to hear that, that would have creeped me out big time.

10krbell
05-25-2003, 05:40 AM
One tip from being a CM...working any attraction is what you make of it!!!!! One of my pet peeves is seeing CMs looking bored out of thier skulls at places like HM, when you have such a wonderful chance to add to the Magic! Make it fun for you...be in character, play with guests, etc...it makes a world of difference! I was there for about 1/2 a shift while Maynard was working...need I say more? It was a blast!

Pat-n-Eil
05-25-2003, 05:54 AM
I don't know about jobs at Disneyland, but I was thinking the same thing as 10krbell. If you do get on there, please "work it" in character. That victorian feel with a hint of Dracula is awesome. My kids got just the right experience from the Mansion because they were properly prepared by the CM at the door and in the elevator..

My only problem with working at the Haunted Mansiion would be having to wear that big heavy costume in the heat of Summer..

Niwel
05-25-2003, 04:57 PM
First off ... Good luck!
It can be rough applying for attractions, and while you can tell them you would love to be a Haunted Mansion CM, there is no guarantee that you will be placed there -- initally. Give it everything you've got and even you you don't get HM right off, after a few months (possibly 6 but it might vary for each department) you can ask for a transfer.
I worked in Attractions, and while I had to do some light cleaning around my station, the big projects will be taken care of by the facilities and maintanence staffs. Some of the biggest things you will need to deal with are ride breakdowns, guests with wheelchairs and kids who get totally freaked and start screaming.
For more tips on what makes a great interview, please check out our Cast Place section:

Cast Place (http://www.mouseplanet.com/kevin/)

And please keep us posted on how it went! :)

XxJack SkellingtonxX
05-25-2003, 09:01 PM
Oh I'll deffinately be in character the entire time. I'm even going to adopt an english accent and probably create a history for my HM persona...if I get it that is. I'll be working towards it though always and I'll end up there sooner or later! I know I'll never get tired of the guests coming in and being so happy to be in the mansion, their energy will give me energy, I think I'll be a good HM worker as well because I've had 3 years of Advanced Drama and I really like the creepy acting more then anything.

justagrrl
05-26-2003, 08:06 AM
Originally posted by Niwel
kids who get totally freaked and start screaming.

What do they do when that happens? Example: when you are already in the doombuggy and off on your merry way - do they stop the ride and let the kid off through a back door exit or do they just let him screem until the end? (the screaming adds to the HM effects, right? ;) )

Morrigoon
05-26-2003, 11:36 AM
Dye your hair (a natural shade of) red before applying. I swear the Mansion has the highest percentage of redheads in DL working in it. (A friend of mine was a redhead when she applied to DL, and she hired into mansion!) Also, don't expect a lot of hours if that's your first attraction, it's a pretty "senior" attraction.

lilbitopxedust
05-26-2003, 12:48 PM
JackSkellington, to answer your question about the Haunted Holiday conversion, I believe it's the techs who do it. My uncle's one of the sound techs at DL/DCA and he's worked on that conversion before.

I'm starting at the Park this week myself. :) Even though it's not the best-paid job in the universe, I've been out of work for 2 months, and the perks are unbeatable. Even if you don't make it to the HM now, do what I'm doing...bide your time and work there anyway so you can get the job you want (I'm shooting for a job at TDA that requires Park experience).

Good luck! :)

Laffite
05-26-2003, 03:19 PM
The HM work schedule is usually packed. Lots of other CMs do want to work there too. It is one of the popular attraction to visitors and CM's alike. Chances are you won't get in as a HM CM. Best way to go is to get in as an attraction CM at a low-level attraction and transfer or request to go HM when you got sometime under your belt. Remember, they're not going to put a complete newbie, first day CM on their A-list (or in case of Disneyland, E-list), high capacity attraction.

Warm Regards,
Preston.

hazlnut
05-26-2003, 04:45 PM
Originally posted by XxJack SkellingtonxX
I've decided to apply to work as a CM in the Haunted Mansion when I start working in Disneyland in july.

Unless you were hired as RO for New Orleans / Critter Country you won't be working on Mansion. RO's with seniority choose their summer shifts before the grad nights. A summer shift is one you work 40hrs/wk for about six weeks. There are floaters (people who go where needed) but most CM's are assigned one shift for the duration of the summer season. This is done so that the park will operate at maximum efficiency.

Ride Operators are usually college age and above.

You should have been told at the time you were hired what you were going to be doing and in what part of the park you would be working.

Most RO’s that start in the summer do CC – crowd control, stand at the front of the line and tell folks that you don’t know if Splash Mountain will be open later in the day or not.

I worked Mansion. The tux is very hot.

The great thing about being an RO is the breaks. You bump through the rotation and get a 15 min break about every hour to 90 mins.


Good Luck. Enjoy!!

goofey
05-26-2003, 05:31 PM
My advice as a CM is, as a buncha other people have said, make the most of wherever they put you, whether it's Mansion or not. Believe me, if you show up to a shift you don't like with a crabby, "i want to be somewhere else, i hate this location" attitude, your shift will move much more slowly and chances are your fellow CMs won't like you very much.

The best thing I can say is, keep an open mind. When I applied 3 years ago, I really wanted to work an E-ticket. But I was told there were no openings in Attractions until a few months later. So I got put in stores, but I fully intended to transfer as soon as I could. After a month or two in stores, I ended up liking it so much that I never transferred. 3 years later I'm still in stores and have no real desire to transfer. Stores does have its downside, but then again, what job doesn't? I'm not saying something similar is going to happen to you for sure, but if it happened to a person as stubborn as myself, it could happen to anybody.

Good luck to you!

Hawkeye Jenny
05-27-2003, 07:17 PM
I was told today (when I was scheduled for orientation..why orientation again when I'm an attractions rehire?) that I will either be working splash, the mansion, pirates or on a less likely note, pooh. PLEASE not pooh! I can't stand the overexposure..I'm sick of pooh this, pooh that. ARRGH I'm tense about this! I'll know on Saturday. Do any CM's here know which of those westside spots are accepting trainess?

XxJack SkellingtonxX
05-27-2003, 09:25 PM
wow, thats cool to hear, someone actually might get into the mansion as soon as their hired. I would go with Mansion since it's a simple ride to run as you don't have to wade through water when the ride breaks down, don't have to load people eaither, they just step on and you make sure they don't fall. Break downs are simple to deal with since everyone can just step out and walk through the ride. You gotta be in Character though ^_^

me&mickeymcgee
05-28-2003, 12:47 AM
i am a CM in attractions and got very lucky when i hired in and got pirates. lucky for you jackskellington, mansion is a new hire attraction so a lot of new CM's get put on it. you seem very enthusiastic about it, hope you get it. however, you may want to rethink the british accent, mansion is just that, a southern mansion on the banks of the mighty mississippi (rivers of america).

and hawkeye....don't go bashing pooh...i work on that too and it's actually lots of fun. i was not a fan of pooh at all and thought horrible thoughts about an attraction based on him. when i got trained on it, he kind of grew on me. i still don't like the character, my heart belongs to the mouse, but it is a fun place to work. especially when we go 101....it's a blast seeing the guests face when we're down....yet again!

good luck to both of you!

XxJack SkellingtonxX
05-28-2003, 10:58 AM
Oh cool! I'm really glad to hear that is a first hire ride. I'll do a southern or transalvanian accent then, I should have realized British wouldn't work. I haven't been on the Pooh ride so I can't say but there isn't a ride in Disneyland yet that I dislike.

PhilMP
05-28-2003, 11:58 AM
Well...you could have an accent like one CM I heard when the attraction.

"Yoooooooo, duuuuuuddddddddde, this ride's...like...broooooken dude."

Geez, and I thought the people I worked with (or used to work with, or maybe still work with since I'm coming back), were dumb. At least we don't have Jeff Spicolli working with me.

Phil

TruCinderella
05-28-2003, 01:17 PM
Originally posted by Hawkeye Jenny
I was told today (when I was scheduled for orientation..why orientation again when I'm an attractions rehire?) that I will either be working splash, the mansion, pirates or on a less likely note, pooh. PLEASE not pooh! I can't stand the overexposure..I'm sick of pooh this, pooh that. ARRGH I'm tense about this! I'll know on Saturday. Do any CM's here know which of those westside spots are accepting trainess?

Hey your having orientation this weekend? I'm going in tomorrow to get my orientation info and find out the dates- the last I heard the soonest they could get me in for orientation was the beginning of june(so heres hopeing theyll schedule something sooner)
Good luck anyone whos applying-me,my brother and his friend all just got hired (and were all working in completely different areas of the park) when i was hired they asked if I had a preference to what attraction I'd like to work on, so be prepared to name a few :)

Hawkeye Jenny
05-28-2003, 07:42 PM
Originally posted by TruCinderella
Hey your having orientation this weekend? I'm going in tomorrow to get my orientation info and find out the dates- the last I heard the soonest they could get me in for orientation was the beginning of june(so heres hopeing theyll schedule something sooner)
Good luck anyone whos applying-me,my brother and his friend all just got hired (and were all working in completely different areas of the park) when i was hired they asked if I had a preference to what attraction I'd like to work on, so be prepared to name a few :)


Yeah, got orientation this saturday and the 'attractions and you' introduction thingie on sunday. Dull stuff, especially when you've been through it before. 'Least I'll be paid for it!