Walt Disney World's cast members have made magic for countless guests over the years. Now here is a new way that you can help make some magic for them.
Disney now is enabling guests to submit "cast compliments" for specific Walt Disney World cast members through the resort's official My Disney Experience app. As a former Walt Disney World cast member, I can tell you that getting a formal guest compliment through the company feels something like scoring reservations to Oga's Cantina and Space 220, then timing your arrival at Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance to walk on with no wait. It's an Ice Cube-level good day.
If you could help make someone feel that way, why wouldn't you?
Of course, someone needs to do something worthy of such a compliment, but if guests take the time to notice, I suspect most will witness quite a bit of good work being done on any given day visiting Walt Disney World. Is someone loading an attraction swiftly and with no fuss? Are food cast members getting orders from the kitchen to counter quickly and efficiently?
It's tempting to single out cast members who respond well to a problem, but the very best cast work prevents those problems. So look also for the cast members whom you might not notice - the ones whose eyes are up and looking around while engaging with guests and keeping everything moving around them. These are the cast members laying and maintaining the foundation for magic to happen.
Notice their name and hometown on the nametag. Then, to submit a cast compliment, open the official Disney World app and tap the "hamburger" icon on the lower right side of the screen (the three parallel lines). Scroll down and find the "Cast Compliment" link near the bottom of the ensuing screen and tap that.
Fill out the form and be sure to add the cast member's name and hometown. That's the new addition to the app, the one that will allow Disney to single out a specific cast member for praise.
In the past, guests could submit cast compliments through social media using the hashtag #CastCompliment and - way back in my day - by going in person to Guest Services, such as at Magic Kingdom's City Hall. Those ways remain available, but the app makes complimenting great cast members even more convenient.
Right now, the feature is available only at the Walt Disney World Resort, as it's not yet part of the Disneyland app. So when you are visiting the west coast, please continue to use one of the other methods to praise cast members doing great work. Hopefully, Disneyland will update its app soon.
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Yeah, but that shouldn't stop people from complimenting cast members, too.
I like this. As much as I've complained about recent operational changes at Disney World, and not wanting to be on my phone so much making reservations throughout the day, 95% of the cast members there are still outstanding. And another 4.999% are probably just having an off day or dealing with too many disgruntled guests. I would happily take out my phone and open the app for this.
It's great!!! And a lot of those guys truly deserve the compliments.
Mmmmm they are not going to charge us for that, rigth?.....rigth?
I love this. It's such a chore to get people to go to Guest Relations to fill out a comment card. The last time I did so, I wasn't even allowed to write the comment myself. The GR cast-member made me dictate it to her and I have no idea if what I really said was written down or not. I hope this will increase the number of positive comments the Cast gets.
I would have no problem with Disney charging for this if 100% of the money went to the cast member being complimented! Make it a new, Disney-authorized way to tip.
Honestly, superior customer service was what made me a lifetime return guest. I hate the cell phone use for most things (I want to avoid a phone on vacation), but I will use it for this.
Yo that tipping idea is great! I know people already spend a ton of money on a Disney visit but yeah a small tip here and there would be fun and deserving for these folks. But I do feel it might become unfair for some of the behind the scenes folks like in the kitchens and such. Regardless as a whole, this is a fantastic idea.
I hear "tip through the App" and my mind instantly goes to some why for The Mouse to keep a percentage of that tip through "processing and handling" fees. It does not sit right with me. Plus - I like the fact that there is no implied intention to tip for good service at the big theme parks. Lord knows those people could used the extra money - but have the MASSIVE CORPORATIONS pay them, not the patrons.
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Oh…a livable wage would have been a better option for these Cast Members.