Working at one of the Disney theme parks is a dream for many Disney fans. I was lucky to get to live this dream twice. In the summer of 2016 I worked at the Magic Kingdom as part of the Cultural Exchange Program. In 2018 I returned to Walt Disney World, this time working as a Cultural Representative for fifteen months at the UK Pavilion in Epcot. As a cast member, you’re prepared to answer basically any question put forward to you by a guest. Some questions are asked so regularly that you’ve got the answer rolling off your tongue as if it’s a script you’ve rehearsed over and over. Others? Not so much.
I really loved my time at Disney, and helping guests was what made my job as magical as it was. However, there are some seriously weird and wonderful questions guests ask Disney cast members and I want to share some with you.
"How do we get to the Golf Ball?"
Now, this may seem like a perfectly normal question should you be in Epcot. The park’s icon, Spaceship Earth, has lovingly been named the Golf Ball by guests and cast members for years. Only, this question wasn’t asked at Epcot, it was in fact asked in Tomorrowland at Magic Kingdom. The guest in question thought that Tomorrowland was Future World at Epcot, an honest mistake to make. They even had an Epcot park guide in hand! I had to let them know that to visit Spaceship Earth, they’d need to exit Magic Kingdom and take a monorail to Epcot. Let’s hope they had a Park Hopper ticket!
"At what time is the 3 o'clock parade?"
You’ve just answered your own question! As incoming cast members, you’re advised you will be asked this question more often than you think you would be. Trainers are never wrong about these things. To be fair to these guests, Disney can sometimes change the time of the famous “3 o’clock parade” and, depending on where you stand on the parade route, the characters can pass you by at a time later than the 3pm start. I’d always advise you to check the performance times for that day on the Disney Parks app or on the times guide available at the park entrance.
"Your accent is spot on. How long did it take you to perfect it?"
Because Disney is so well-known for their world-class entertainment, many guests believe that all Disney cast members are paid actors. This is especially true of the cast members working around the World Showcase at Epcot. Did you know Disney employ people from the actual countries represented in the park? It’s a pretty long hiring process! Some guests truly believed that in the UK pavilion we were American actors putting on British accents. I loved to tell them it took me 22 years to perfect my Scottish accent!
"How do you say 'Hello' in England?"
Well, first of all, I’m from Scotland. And, second of all, the clue is in the name of the language you’re using. Some guests were really surprised to find out that we spoke the same language as them, even though it was our ancestors that brought the language over in the first place. Yay, colonialism.
"Where can I get on the Hogwarts ride?"
You’ll need to fly on your broomstick to the ‘Other’ theme park.
"Can we see inside Christopher Robin's bedroom?"
This probably sounds really creepy without context. Let me explain. If you’ve been to the UK Pavilion in Epcot, you might remember that, once upon a time, Winnie the Pooh used to do meet and greets inside Christopher Robin’s bedroom near the merchandise locations. For a while, these meet and greets stopped, and the location essentially become a cast member meeting or training room. However, it was also the location for magical moments. Whenever a guest was particularly sweet or magical, we’d sometimes surprise them by inviting them to check out the ‘Cast Members Only’ on-stage location. The room was filled with cool Winnie the Pooh memorabilia and is laid out exactly like Christopher Robin’s room. Guests started to find out about the surprise magical moment and would often pester cast members in the UK pavilion, asking for a peek inside. Well, its not a magical moment if you ask, is it?
And finally, my favourite question…
"Can you close the bubble so that the rain turns off?"
If you know anything about Florida, you’ll know that it rains. A lot. This can make for some miserable Disney guests, although the parks strive to be a magical place for everyone in all weather. You might be surprised to learn that Disney operates year-round through all holidays and weather. During it’s 50 year history, the resort has only closed a handful of times due to extreme weather conditions (we’re talking life-threatening hurricanes), as well as in the aftermath of the September 11t attacks in 2001 and during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. So, some guests are left in disbelief when they find out most rides and experiences stay open during the rain. Some are so surprised that they think Disney have controlled the weather. Cast members have often been asked to switch off the rain, or close the bubble covering the park, so that guests can enjoy their day in the sun. While the Walt Disney Company may be one of the world’s most powerful companies, it thankfully cannot play the role of Mother Nature and control the weather. That would be seriously concerning.
In all seriousness, I loved my time as a cast member at Disney and I’m forever grateful for the friendships and memories my programs gave me. While some of the questions asked of cast members can be a little crazy, it serves as a reminder of just how special the Disney theme parks are. Where else could you ask about the best time to meet Peter Pan, or where’s the closest place to buy Mikey Ice Cream bars is?