Cast members
Employees are a critical part to every business' success but at Disney these aren't just co workers, but cast members
“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.” Walt Disney
Disney is a company that values the people that work for them. Whether it is the characters at the park, or the CEO of the company, each employee is a cast member and follows the same Disney Compass with four points; needs, wants, stereotypes, and emotions. Each of these aspects is part of a greater force known as Guestology, or how Disney cast members are meant to treat each customer. Each of these aspects affects the company in a positive way. In addition to this, there are various rules that Disney enforces for those employees who work in the park are required to follow, such as:
· No talking while in character costume unless the role you were playing dictated it Stay in character at all times when "on stage" aka in the park as a performer
· No reflective sun glasses so you can make eye contact with guests
· No unnatural hair or nail color
· If asked a question and you don't know the answer, reply with, "I will find out for you" and figure out a way to answer the question and get back to the guest
Disney cast members of the theme parks also go through a five-day orientation class known as traditions. In this they learn the philosophy behind Disney's customer service as well as the history of Walt Disney's dream and the history of the park itself. Disney as a corporation makes it a point to have each and every one of their cast members on the same page after this orientation class.
Since the Disney theme parks are attempting to create a show for their guests, there are various ways in which the company satisfies the needs of the guests to feel as if they are apart of the show. For instance at the Magic Kingdom located at Disney World there are underground tunnels for the employees to travel by. It is said that Walt did not want the show to be altered by having cast members who work at different rides travel through the park in costume. For instance, they did not want a cast member who works at Peter Pan’s flight to walk through the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in costume. Therefore, there are tunnels to maintain the show. In addition to this, cast members, for a very long time were not permitted to bring their costumes home or wear them outside the parks. This was also to maintain the idea of the show. Also, within each employee entrance to the park there are signs that state “Walt Disney’s vision for a great experience.” On these signs there are the four values that Disney follows, safety, courtesy, show and efficiency. Below is what this sign states.
Safety
I practice safe behaviors in everything I do
I take action to always put safety first
I speak up to ensure the safety of others
Courtesy
I project a positive imagine and energy
I am courteous and respectful to Guests of all ages
I go above and beyond to exceed Guest experiences
Show
I stay in character and perform my role in the show
I ensure my area is show- ready at all times
Efficiency
I perform my role efficiently so Guests get the most out of their visit
I use my time and resources wisely
· No talking while in character costume unless the role you were playing dictated it Stay in character at all times when "on stage" aka in the park as a performer
· No reflective sun glasses so you can make eye contact with guests
· No unnatural hair or nail color
· If asked a question and you don't know the answer, reply with, "I will find out for you" and figure out a way to answer the question and get back to the guest
Disney cast members of the theme parks also go through a five-day orientation class known as traditions. In this they learn the philosophy behind Disney's customer service as well as the history of Walt Disney's dream and the history of the park itself. Disney as a corporation makes it a point to have each and every one of their cast members on the same page after this orientation class.
Since the Disney theme parks are attempting to create a show for their guests, there are various ways in which the company satisfies the needs of the guests to feel as if they are apart of the show. For instance at the Magic Kingdom located at Disney World there are underground tunnels for the employees to travel by. It is said that Walt did not want the show to be altered by having cast members who work at different rides travel through the park in costume. For instance, they did not want a cast member who works at Peter Pan’s flight to walk through the Pirates of the Caribbean ride in costume. Therefore, there are tunnels to maintain the show. In addition to this, cast members, for a very long time were not permitted to bring their costumes home or wear them outside the parks. This was also to maintain the idea of the show. Also, within each employee entrance to the park there are signs that state “Walt Disney’s vision for a great experience.” On these signs there are the four values that Disney follows, safety, courtesy, show and efficiency. Below is what this sign states.
Safety
I practice safe behaviors in everything I do
I take action to always put safety first
I speak up to ensure the safety of others
Courtesy
I project a positive imagine and energy
I am courteous and respectful to Guests of all ages
I go above and beyond to exceed Guest experiences
Show
I stay in character and perform my role in the show
I ensure my area is show- ready at all times
Efficiency
I perform my role efficiently so Guests get the most out of their visit
I use my time and resources wisely
Each time a cast member enters or exits the park they are constantly reminded of the four keys for a great guest experience. In addition to this, each cast member is a story- teller and every cast member can contribute to the company in some type of way. Lee Cockerell, the former Executive Vice President of Operations of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, says that what makes Disney different is its ability to “start working with the third generation” and its employees abilities to make Disney “a special place for the tourist to come to.” These quotes just show how important customer service is to Disney cast members and how they are aware of this and value its ability to create such a magical experience.
There are also specific ways in which the cast members can contribute to the utopian experience, such as a magical moment. This is an instance when a cast member goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service to a family or guest, therefore creating a magical moment. One of Disney’s goals is to ensure that at least one magical moment occurs for each family during their visit. This is one of the various reasons people come from all over the world to work for Disney, to create these magical moments for people. Disney World also offers a college program for seven thousand students. These students work off of three words, living, learning, and earning. Through this experience these students are able to work for a corporation such as Disney, while gaining an education. This is one way in which Disney uniquely supports their employees.
Disney also attempts to keep each and every one of their employees excited about the brand they work for. This creates a trickle down effect. When a Disney employee is excited about the brand, they will be able to keep the magic alive to the guests and promote the brand in a positive manner. Disney employees are given special opportunities such as tours, contests, parties, backstage activities, exclusive holiday gifts, free admission, and special discounts. This creates a sense of passion amongst the cast members and therefore this passion is relayed onto the guests at the park. There is also a website each Disney employee can access known as The Hub. This website constantly changes and evolves and displays the certain events that are taking place and so forth. In addition to this employees can add their ideas to the website on movies and events and then other employees can comment on it. This website promotes innovation amongst the cast members. People who work for Disney love Disney and because of that a better experience is created.
Every cast member at Disney is dedicated to fulfill each of the keys, safety, courtesy, show and efficiency, and because of their passion towards the company utopian moments occur for the guests. Lori Schaper, who is the manager of Run Disney Expos, says, “Working for Disney is pretty awesome I am not going to lie.” This just shows how dedicated the employees are to their work. Lori has worked for Disney for twenty-five years, her daughter now works at Disney, and she loves what she does! Disney employs “some of the smartest people in the world” (McGuinn) and because of this the company sees great success. Whether it is the way they answer a question to a guests at the park, or the way in which they travel to their job, each cast member maintains the story. Through each cast members dedication of being a storyteller the utopian experience is made for the guests at Disney.
Sources Cited:
Nanton, Nick, and J.W. Dicks. "Taking Direction From Disney's Customer-Care Philosophy." Fast Company. Mansueto Ventures, LLC, 07 Feb. 2013. Web. 08 May 2015.
"Secret Rules Disney Has For Their Employees!" Entertainment Overload. Entertainment Overload, 14 Dec. 2013. Web. 08 May 2015.
Mayburry, Jodi, and Lee Cockerell. "Customer Service as a Competitive Advantage from Creating Disney Magic: Lessons in Leadership, Management, and Customer Service."Creating Disney Magic: Lessons in Leadership, Management, and Customer Service. Stichter, 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/lee-cockerell/creating-disney-magic/e/customer-service-as-a-competitive-advantage-36922047?autoplay=true>.Poadcast
Flanary, Megan. "New Balance." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
McGuinn, Alison. "New Balance." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
There are also specific ways in which the cast members can contribute to the utopian experience, such as a magical moment. This is an instance when a cast member goes above and beyond to provide exceptional service to a family or guest, therefore creating a magical moment. One of Disney’s goals is to ensure that at least one magical moment occurs for each family during their visit. This is one of the various reasons people come from all over the world to work for Disney, to create these magical moments for people. Disney World also offers a college program for seven thousand students. These students work off of three words, living, learning, and earning. Through this experience these students are able to work for a corporation such as Disney, while gaining an education. This is one way in which Disney uniquely supports their employees.
Disney also attempts to keep each and every one of their employees excited about the brand they work for. This creates a trickle down effect. When a Disney employee is excited about the brand, they will be able to keep the magic alive to the guests and promote the brand in a positive manner. Disney employees are given special opportunities such as tours, contests, parties, backstage activities, exclusive holiday gifts, free admission, and special discounts. This creates a sense of passion amongst the cast members and therefore this passion is relayed onto the guests at the park. There is also a website each Disney employee can access known as The Hub. This website constantly changes and evolves and displays the certain events that are taking place and so forth. In addition to this employees can add their ideas to the website on movies and events and then other employees can comment on it. This website promotes innovation amongst the cast members. People who work for Disney love Disney and because of that a better experience is created.
Every cast member at Disney is dedicated to fulfill each of the keys, safety, courtesy, show and efficiency, and because of their passion towards the company utopian moments occur for the guests. Lori Schaper, who is the manager of Run Disney Expos, says, “Working for Disney is pretty awesome I am not going to lie.” This just shows how dedicated the employees are to their work. Lori has worked for Disney for twenty-five years, her daughter now works at Disney, and she loves what she does! Disney employs “some of the smartest people in the world” (McGuinn) and because of this the company sees great success. Whether it is the way they answer a question to a guests at the park, or the way in which they travel to their job, each cast member maintains the story. Through each cast members dedication of being a storyteller the utopian experience is made for the guests at Disney.
Sources Cited:
Nanton, Nick, and J.W. Dicks. "Taking Direction From Disney's Customer-Care Philosophy." Fast Company. Mansueto Ventures, LLC, 07 Feb. 2013. Web. 08 May 2015.
"Secret Rules Disney Has For Their Employees!" Entertainment Overload. Entertainment Overload, 14 Dec. 2013. Web. 08 May 2015.
Mayburry, Jodi, and Lee Cockerell. "Customer Service as a Competitive Advantage from Creating Disney Magic: Lessons in Leadership, Management, and Customer Service."Creating Disney Magic: Lessons in Leadership, Management, and Customer Service. Stichter, 12 Feb. 2015. Web. 13 Feb. 2015. <http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/lee-cockerell/creating-disney-magic/e/customer-service-as-a-competitive-advantage-36922047?autoplay=true>.Poadcast
Flanary, Megan. "New Balance." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print.
McGuinn, Alison. "New Balance." Interview. n.d.: n. pag. Print.