4 Magical Memories

One of the things that Disney is known for is making magic for its Guests every single day. Whether it be a free cupcake for a special Princess or introducing a Make a Wish family to their child's favorite character, we're always supposed to be making magic.
However, there are times when it's the other way around. Even if they don't realize it, there are some Guests out there who have made our days much more magical. It's those magical Guests who inspire us to keep going, it's those Guests we talk about years later, after we've retired.
And it's these special Guests I'm going to be talking about today. This post is dedicated to those special Guests who made my day awesome, directly or indirectly.

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4. Hugs, Hugs, Hugs

Now, it probably goes without saying, but Character Attendants don't get a lot of hugs. The hugs are all for the Characters. But for some reason, on this way, that changed quite a bit.
One day, I was Attending for Buzz Lightyear in Tomorrowland. For whatever reason, kids tend to go the wrong way when they finish meeting him, and so I always have to get down on my knees and direct them out the exit. The little boy I was directing on this day heard me calling to him and saw me kneeling on the ground. Next thing I know, he walks over and gives me a big hug.
I almost cried. He was so sweet, then he let go and went with his parents.
Granted, this could have totally been a fluke. But for some reason, this happened twice more with two other kids - another little boy, and one little girl. Every time, I would get down on their level to direct them, and every time, I would get a big hug.

It was awesome.


3. Marriage Proposal

Also goes without saying: Marriage proposals happen a lot at Disney. Sadly, though, I only got to witness one during my time there. The proposal I got to witness was when I was Attending Mickey and Minnie during their brief stay in Tomorrowland. I was at the end of the queue, keeping an eye on things, when a man came over to talk to me. He whispered to me that when he and his girlfriend got up to the Mice, he was going to ask her to marry her - could I just let the photographer know so he could be ready? I nodded, and after he left, I spread the word to the other Attendants, the Photographer, the Characters, and our Captain. We were able to get them some Just Engaged buttons, and by the time they actually got up there, we were all so excited we almost exploded. We all watched him (very nervously) get down on one knee and pull out...bride and groom mouse ears. It took her a moment to figure out what was going on...

But then, she said yes.


2. Make-A-Wish

Make-A-Wish families come to Walt Disney World all of the time. They come and go so frequently that after a while, as sad as this is, they all blend together.
However, I remember very clearly my first one ever. I was Attending Chip and Dale, and things were Business As Usual. I then saw the Make a Wish family headed my way. I asked them if they wanted to see Chip and Dale, and they said yes. I then redirected Chip and Dale's attention to them. (Before you ask: Yes, all Make a Wish families get front of line priority...for reasons that should be obvious).
Chip and Dale were so sweet. The child in question could barely move, but they both came over and gave him as much love as they possibly could. They also gave big hugs to the parents and the sister, making things as magical as they could. Then, we all noticed something. The boy was making puckering motions with his lips. I didn't understand it, but then his mother started tearing up and said, "He's blowing them kisses." I almost lost it, but I managed to keep it together and take a bunch of pictures for them.

It was absolutely magical.


1. Name Tag Girl

This is my number one story I like telling people. I sadly cannot remember the name of the girl involved, so she will have to be Name Tag Girl. Oh well...
I was working in Town Square (where Pluto and Daisy can usually be found). I was going along and chatting with the lines, trying to make the long wait more bearable. Along the way, a little girl caught sight of my pin lanyard and asked if she could see them. Of course, I got down and showed her my pins. She was oohing and aahing over all of them. Then, she caught sight of my name tag. She went crazy over it, pointing at the name tag and looking at her mother, saying "She has a name tag! That's so cool! I want a name tag!" I then told her about the Celebration buttons - these say things like First Visit and Happy Birthday and all that. As we were right next to City Hall (Guest Relations), I told her that if she wanted one, she could go over there and ask them to write her name on a button. Her mother then took the girl to City Hall while her father held their place in line. I went off to check on the rest of the lines.
By the time I got back, they had returned. When I walked by, the girl waved excitedly at me. "Look, look!" she said, pointing at her button. "Now I have a name tag! Now I'm just like you!" Her mother then asked me if I would take a picture with her.

Of course, I said yes.

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You know you love the magic.

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.

The Life of a Character Attendant

*~*WARNING: If you don't want any of the magic ruined for you, LEAVE NOW. This article contains major Magic Destruction*~*

As I've mentioned before, one of my jobs at Walt Disney World was that of a Character Attendant.

One of these guys.

But never gone into much detail about what that job actually is. I personally thought it was self-explanatory - I attended to the Characters. But my good friend Sprinkles pointed out "I don't know how this shit works."
I guess I need to explain exactly what I did.
Well, Sprinkles, this is what a Character Attendant does.

8. Information Central

Much like the other Cast Members, you are expected to be a walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the Parks and Disney in general. You have to be able to tell someone where something is, when something is, what it is and why it is. Not only that, you're expected to always carry copies of maps and times guides, just in case you run into that Guest who hasn't read one of my previous posts. That's why it's good to experience attractions and restaurants yourself during your off days - that way, you'll know that while The Monsters Inc. Laugh Floor is an awesome, family-friendly, air-conditioned show, Stitch's Great Escape is a cage of horrors that you can't escape until Disney says so. It's also handy for you to know other Character times and locations - that can distract Guests when you have to take your own Character away.

7. Getting the Line to Move

You've all been there. You've wanted to see Mickey Mouse, but the line was out the door and into the harbor. Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie, Stitch, the Princesses - they've all got long lines. And as the Character Attendant, it's my job to help that line move as fast as possible. That's why we're always walking the length of the line (if we can) and telling people to have all cameras turned on (and on the correct settings), to have all autograph books and pens open and set, and if they have a Photopass card, have it ready to hand off. We understand that it can get a little repetitive, especially if you have one of those kids that wants to meet every single character, but that's only to help everyone see the characters as quickly as possible. We also sometimes have to literally encourage the line to move up, especially if there are shady spots in a queue that is typically very sunny. That not only keeps the line moving, but it helps us as well - we can estimate wait times better.

6. Time Management

This is perhaps the biggest task of all Character Attendants. All Characters have to be on and off at certain times for their health and sanity. Your job is to keep an eye on the time and make sure that those times are met. This is also the other reason why you're telling everyone in the queue to have everything ready to go by the time they get up to the Characters. Remember: If the character has to be gone by 6 p.m., it's your bloody job to make sure that they are gone by 6 p.m., no matter how many people you have waiting. This is also why you should communicate often with your Character - they can speed up or slow down depending on your needs. You just need to let them know what you need them to do.

5. Directing and Taking Pictures

If you're not good at taking pictures, you'll get good really fast. Typically, the Photopass Photographer will take pictures, but there are a few Characters out there that do not have one. There are also times when a family or group will have a lot of cameras. Thus, you're going to help taking the pictures. Feel free to suggest poses, and keep an eye out for anything that you can't take a picture of. Example: If someone's wearing an explicit shirt, have them cross their arms or stand sideways. If it's a girl in a bikini top, for the love of God, have her facing the camera. You also get to make strange noises in hopes that the three-month-old who has no idea what's going on will look at the camera.

4. Pin Trading

This is how I first tasted the crack. For those who Pin Trade, you know exactly what I'm taking about. For those who don't, Pin Trading is exactly what it sounds like. You trade pins that have different Disney characters, movie images, etc. There are several sets of pins you can buy...but then there are the Collector's Pins which you cannot. You can only get them by trading with a Cast Member. (i.e. My personal collection of Figment pins. YOU CAN'T BUY THOSE)
Ahem.
All Character Attendants are issued a lanyard. While you're walking your line, you will always have some kid (or adult) go "Hey! Can I see your pins?" Why yes, little child, you can. And as a Cast Member, you have to trade with them - unless they try to give you a pin you already have.

3. Story Telling

"Buzz Lightyear's going to check in with Star Command! But don't worry - he'll be right back! Just stay in line."
"Mickey's going for a quick bite of cheesecake. He'll be right back, though. Don't you worry!"
"Stitch is heading back to Hawaii. He has a big luau to get ready for!"
And no, they are NOT going for a potty break.
As I said, Characters have to be on and off at certain times. This doesn't just mean they have to be on at 11 am and off at 7 pm. (Dear lord, I Attended Buzz Lightyear way too much...)
During the winter months, there are two people playing a Character. One goes out for 30 minutes, and then they switch. The switch generally only takes a minute, but it makes Guests panic. That's why, about five minutes ahead of time, an Attendant walks the line and tells the Guests a reason why the Character is leaving. And when it is time to go, reassure the next family that the Character will in fact be coming right back - it will only be a few minutes. Be prepared to dodge a few punches when you do this.
The other time you get to tell stories is when you close the line. Definitely have some bloody good stories for this - this is REALLY when Guests get angry. That's why you always have a Captain and/or a Manager helping you....some people just don't want to hear that they can't see Winnie the Pooh today.

2. The Gritty Backstage Stuff

Ok, here's the secret: Character costumes can be notoriously difficult to put on. Most of them at least require a second set of hands to zip it, but others require tucking, clipping, or other forms of adjustment. Guess who helps them put it on?
Yep, that would be you. And it doesn't matter how sweaty or gross the costume becomes as the poor soul stands in the sun and signs books. You still have to help them. How gross does it get?
The worst one for me was Tigger, even though I did it hundreds of times. There's an orange and white flap that hangs from his head, and it requires being tucked into the main body of the costume so it doesn't hike up or pop out during the set. How does one perform the Tigger Tuck? You reach up underneath the person's arms and pull down. As in, your arms meet up with their armpits. Think about it.
You're welcome.

1. Attend to the Characters...Or ELSE.

I'm not being funny here. This is your number one, super most important task. You must attend to and take care of your Characters. Keep at least one eye on them the whole time. If there is a costume malfunction, you have to get it fixed. If a Character gets sick or injured, you have to get them off set and find them some help. You have to communicate back and forth - let them know how much time is left in their set, tell them if there's a little kid somewhere they can't see (like right in front of them). Direct them to which camera is taking the picture. Let them know if something spills or it starts raining or thundering. Believe me, they appreciate it when you actually take care of them.

And that's what we do as Character Attendants. Glamorous work, no?

AGENT R IS OUT. PEACE.