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View Full Version : CMs who've made your visit extra special



tink360
09-08-2002, 12:13 AM
As fate would have it, after starting the thread on some problems with guest relations, they call and say they have found my camera and are fed exing it to me - free of charge. :o Yes my face was red.
There are so many CMs who go out of their way to be helpful, or funny, and make our visits that much more special.
My son and I had lunch at Blue Bayou about a week ago - it was delightful. We were seated next to the water, and the service couldn't have been better. Every time I order the mardi gras salad and an entree, I wish I hadn't because it's too much to eat. So this time I just ordered the salad - just right with a roll. Travis was our waiter, who couldn't have been nicer about the fact I only ordered a side salad. And James went out of his way as well, being friendly & attentive. They even gave us extra chocolate coins!
My all time fav. CM would probably have to be Maynard, but that's another thread....

Klutch
09-08-2002, 07:46 AM
I vividly remember as a child boarding a Disneyland ride and a young lady CM was singing "In an Octopusse's Garden". I don't recall exactly which ride, but it had an outdoor boarding area and required a leather seat belt. As she buckled me in she was singing so softly, wonderfully, and pleasantly; amusing herself and anyone else nearby. I think that was the happiest place inside the Happiest Place on Earth.

Obviously, Octopusses Garden is not a Disney song. I've never been a big Beatles fan, but every time I've heard that song thereafter I remember that moment, and that beautiful young lady CM.

It may have been on the same visit when I was in the queue for Pirates with my mother, her twin sister, my brothers and my cousins. We were just outside the building when a CM came up next to us and very politely and discreetly opened up the other line. I don't know if it was just coincidence, or maybe he notice that my mom and aunt were twins, but he opened the rope letting us in as the very first in the new line. It was like he opened the line just for us.

This was quite a contrast to typical situations elsewhere when someone yells, "I can take someone over here!" and a stampede ensues.

I'm glad you started this thread, tink. I think we're often too eager to point out the negatives at Disneyland (yes, just like outside the park!). Obviously, CMs put up with a lot from guests. I have an aunt who works the entry gates (yep, lots of relatives in Orange County). She once told me of the countless people who cram 8-year-olds into strollers and try to get them in the park for free. She said she is always as pleasant as possible while trying to be reasonable. I hope some CMs read these posts and smile.

Little things mean quite a lot at Disneyland (yes, just like outside the park!).

MammaSilva
09-08-2002, 08:00 AM
Wow what a great thread......

Several of those 'special moments' come to mind.....Once in a crowd of kids/parents waiting to get autographs from Pocohantas/John Smith my little one fell and scraped her knee, we had been waiting so patiently for the pushers/shovers to finish for our turn and she was crying, the CM helping in the portrayal of John Smith came over, picked her up (she was still little) carried her over to the steps by the fountain, sat down, put her on his knee and she got to sit there while I cleaned her scrape up and he talked to her all about Grandmother willow and percy... we went straight to City Hall and filed a compliment form for him.....

Another time......a guest control CM for Fantasmic was chatting with our group (I'm almost always in a crowd of kids/special needs adults) and we mentioned that we'd love to see Fantasmic but no way were these troops able to maintain sitting/waiting for so long, he told us to come back to his 'station' right at the end of the first show and he would help us get the "perfect" spot to see the show....so we left, came back and there he was with three 'emergency blankets' those foil ones? as soon as the crowd cleared enough he lead us to the spot, helped unfold these blankets and two of us sat and 'held' the space while the other chaparones took the crew on HM and Pirates until almost time for the show....another compliment there..

Another one.... I was signing to my "kids" that they had to wait their turn to meet Capt. Hook and Peter Pan.....all of a sudden Peter started signing to the kids....it made the day!

With as many trips as we have made I have found every single trip at least ONE or more CM's still have the magic to make it even more special!

DLfreak
09-08-2002, 08:26 AM
Elbert at Haunted Mansion!!!!! :D

He is the BEST CM!!! He is so cool. I have only ever seen him at HM and once doing crowd control on Main Street. He gets soooo into his character on HM and does a great job! :)
We've seen him so many times and always say hi that now he recognizes us and always seems happy to see us.

Of course I also love Maynard! :D

socabch
09-08-2002, 08:34 AM
Wow, you know there are so many that I could mention. Kevin at the place where the post ride times is one. Alot of ODV CM's that even while standing in the hot sun have a cheerful attitude. A few of Custodial CM's that chit-chat with my kids as they are cleaning the que's (sp). All the CM's that post here and provide us with info to make our visits easier, especially "tabacco, PhilMP & Uncle Dick".

MammaSilva
09-08-2002, 09:55 AM
ahemmmm and let's not forget one of our favorite bellhops !HTHBellcaptain

Matterhorn Fan
09-08-2002, 09:59 AM
Originally posted by mammasilva
ahemmmm and let's not forget one of our favorite bellhops !HTHBellcaptainHe works at DisneyLAND? When did this happen? And how come I'm just hearing about it now, hmm? :rolleyes: ;)

MammaSilva
09-08-2002, 10:12 AM
ROFL "my bad" I was thinking in terms of Favorite CM's not just the DL ones. .... I tend to forget to check which forum we are in, but hey we could always hope that when they get off the dime and get our ToT open he could transfer?

Matterhorn Fan
09-08-2002, 11:27 AM
I'm just teasing you. Actually, the original post doesn't ask about DL CMs specifically (though we are in the DL section).

Upanova
09-08-2002, 11:39 AM
Maynard of course, and my friend Greg! He worked with me on Treehouse and was such a nice guy and would always go out of his way to make the guests feel special! He really had a talent for putting people at ease, and making guests days a little brighter! A truly professional CM!

Upanova

Mythgard
09-08-2002, 01:37 PM
My family and I went to Disneyland about two weeks ago. We went into the Disney Gallery to see about the print on demand, and she asked us if we would like a tour of the "Apartment". We said sure, and she gave us a good tour of the "almost" apartment, and she also gave us a bunch of Pirates postcards for free. I thought that she was great, and went to City Hall and complimented her.

Also during this time, my mom was in a wheelchair, and we got to come up the evevator entrance to the Gallery, which is the kitchen of Club 33!!!

Phineas85
09-08-2002, 02:39 PM
I know who Elbert is - he's that huge dark guy isn't he?

He's certainly one of the HM's best CMs. He's the only one I saw there who stopped the line and closed the foyer doors when the foyer spiel was on - all the others just continue letting people in until the elevator is ready to go down!

rexfarms
09-08-2002, 03:39 PM
Well there a WAY too many to post. I am starting to keep a list. Patty at the Primere Shop was a great CM. We chatted about TDA for about a half an hour. She was great. Shawn the tour guide was also great. And Ken working Security at the Disneyland Entrance was very cool. He did a great Sean Connery impression. Of course Maynard. Also Rod over at Coke Coner. Just to name a few lol. I make sure I tell them how great they are and then tell City Hall too. But we know see that City Hall may be a joke. At least I tell the CMs. :)

stinkerbell
09-08-2002, 05:15 PM
In 1997, when Courtney was 2 1/2, we spent a whole week at Disneyland. She had a ball the whole time, but the best time was spent one night during a parade. We hid out in a store on Main St., because she was afraid of the parade. There was a CM named Danny who spent more than an hour (actually almost two hours) playing with her. We have about 30 min. of it on video. He was so great. She just fell in love with him. He sat on the floor with her and they just swapped life stories. When we got all the pics developed from the trip, the one she carried around was one of the MANY we took of her and Danny.

While they played together, my husband and I just held hands and laughed until we had tears streaming down our faces. It was so great to see a CM take such a huge interest in our child. He was a wonderful person, I could tell, and such an asset to Disneyland. He had the next day off (our last day there) and it was such a bummer for Courtney. She wanted her new buddy to spend the day with her. :) So we went to City Hall to write him a postcard (she had a lot to tell him!) with his thumbs up from us. I hope he got it.

I still look for Danny when I walk down Main St. Knowing full well he prob. moved on. But I still look. :) I'd love to tell him how special he made that trip.

That same trip, Cinderella spent about 10-12 minutes listening to Courtney tell her stories. Not impatiently, either. She gave Courtney her full attention, then when it was time to switch with another Princess, she took Courtney's hand and spent even more time with her outside of the visiting area. Truly magical for her first Princess love.

rexfarms
09-08-2002, 06:02 PM
Originally posted by stinkerbell
In 1997, when Courtney was 2 1/2, we spent a whole week at Disneyland. She had a ball the whole time, but the best time was spent one night during a parade. We hid out in a store on Main St., because she was afraid of the parade. There was a CM named Danny who spent more than an hour (actually almost two hours) playing with her. We have about 30 min. of it on video. He was so great. She just fell in love with him. He sat on the floor with her and they just swapped life stories. When we got all the pics developed from the trip, the one she carried around was one of the MANY we took of her and Danny.

While they played together, my husband and I just held hands and laughed until we had tears streaming down our faces. It was so great to see a CM take such a huge interest in our child. He was a wonderful person, I could tell, and such an asset to Disneyland. He had the next day off (our last day there) and it was such a bummer for Courtney. She wanted her new buddy to spend the day with her. :) So we went to City Hall to write him a postcard (she had a lot to tell him!) with his thumbs up from us. I hope he got it.

I still look for Danny when I walk down Main St. Knowing full well he prob. moved on. But I still look. :) I'd love to tell him how special he made that trip.

That same trip, Cinderella spent about 10-12 minutes listening to Courtney tell her stories. Not impatiently, either. She gave Courtney her full attention, then when it was time to switch with another Princess, she took Courtney's hand and spent even more time with her outside of the visiting area. Truly magical for her first Princess love.

That sounds so great. I hope that you find these CMs sometime again. I love great CMs! :):D

Laffite
09-08-2002, 06:26 PM
She didn't do anything speciail, but it was special! See my thread!

http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9601

HTHBellcaptain
09-08-2002, 07:15 PM
Originally posted by mammasilva
ahemmmm and let's not forget one of our favorite bellhops !HTHBellcaptain

And then later she wrote

ROFL "my bad" I was thinking in terms of Favorite CM's not just the DL ones. .... I tend to forget to check which forum we are in, but hey we could always hope that when they get off the dime and get our ToT open he could transfer?

Thank you very much, MamaSilva. Oddly enough, I had a guest at ToT tell me that he read a rumor on internet board somewhere other than MP that they were transferring me out to DCA for the new ToT. That's news to me. :D Although, I can't wait to see it when it is finished.

I think this is a wonderful thread. I remember going to DL when I was 5 years old (1969). The wonderful CM back then helped to hook me into being a huge fan of Disney. DL has a lot of great CMs (WDW does too. I work with a lot them. They're great people) who go out of their way to make others feel special. I have been to DL many times and have found some absolutely wonderful CMs that would make Walt proud.

DLfreak
09-08-2002, 10:56 PM
Originally posted by Phineas85
I know who Elbert is - he's that huge dark guy isn't he?

He's certainly one of the HM's best CMs. He's the only one I saw there who stopped the line and closed the foyer doors when the foyer spiel was on - all the others just continue letting people in until the elevator is ready to go down!

YES! That's him! :) He's the best!
My mission is to find where he's working while HM is under refurb. :)

tink360
09-08-2002, 11:34 PM
Originally posted by DLfreak
Elbert at Haunted Mansion!!!!! :D

He is the BEST CM!!! He is so cool. I have only ever seen him at HM and once doing crowd control on Main Street. He gets soooo into his character on HM and does a great job! :)
We've seen him so many times and always say hi that now he recognizes us and always seems happy to see us.

Of course I also love Maynard! :D

Elbert is wonderful! He ran out and scared my son, but I'm the one who screams - silly me. He gets so into character, he really is amazing.:D