Shouldn't CM know the characters they work for/with/among??

[LuckyJack65]

Here's a chat starter that I recently organized with my fellow CM's at Disney Store at my local mall:
I was recently visiting WDW resort and continued to run into the same situation: CM's who don't know the Disney characters. Granted, there are MANY characters and no one should be expected to know them all. However, I think everyone should know at least the Fab Five, the most popular, the princesses, etc. Example: I got off the Pooh ride in Fantasyland and ask a couple of young CM girls if they had any Lumpy merchandise. They gave me a blank stare, asked "who?" a couple times, and finally admitted they had no idea who I was asking about -- I kindly told them he was a baby heffalump and they didn't know what a heffalump was either!!! I was shocked!!
This past Christmas '06 my manager at Disney Store hired seasonal help, and several of them didn't know who various Disney characters were, and were always asking why DS didn't carry Dora the Explorer, Happy Feet penguins, Tweety Bird, or other Nick Jr characters........I wanted to scream!
OK, folks, let's hear it. Have you ever run into this situation at any Disney parks, and/or do you think CM's should have a base knowledge of our beloved characters? Chat on mouse-lovers, chat on!

[lesmisfan]

to be honest with you i wouldnt have known who lumpy was either. but once you said a humpfalump i did know immediatley who you were referring to.

[tloolgb]

Is Lumpy in the ride? No. He is no where in any Disney park. So if you want CMs to know the charecters they work with/for/around ask them about charecters they works with/for/around.

Btw you'd be suprised how many CMs DO know all the obscure charecters.

[yoyoflamingo]

I think if you work for the Disney Company you should have at least a working knowledge of Disney characters, events, company history, and Disney history as well. But that's from a guy whose dream job is to work in the Archives...

[LuckyJack65]

Is Lumpy in the ride? No. He is no where in any Disney park. So if you want CMs to know the charecters they work with/for/around ask them about charecters they works with/for/around.



Btw you'd be suprised how many CMs DO know all the obscure charecters.

When the Heffalump Movie dvd came out on the market, it was promoted like crazy everywhere. My daughter, son and nephews loved Lumpy from that movie and were all excited to get a Lumpy souvie from MK. I would think that when a Disney movie, theatrical release or home video, is released and heavily promoted, the CMs would know the new characters. As I stated also, the young ladies didn't even know what a heffalump was, which is my favorite part of the Pooh ride, so I assume they were knew hires. I also wrongly assumed that since Disney Store carries Lumpy (and although I work there, the product is low quality compared to theme park merchadise) that he would also be in MK.

And No I wouldn't be surprised............that's one of the reasons they do work for Disney is because of their love of the wonderful, memorable characters. I have friends and family who moved from the mid-west to Orlando and work at the parks because of this very thing.
My point is, it's jarring to be in the midst of the magic and come upon someone who doesn't know the movie characters.
Here's another example: My manager at the Disney Store attended the Halloween Party at MK last fall and wore a beautiful Evil Queen costume that she hand-made. As she was walking through the Party in the costume 2 CM's approached her and complimented her on her incredible Malificent costume!! Her husband roared with laughter as she steamed, and then another CM approached and told the first two CM's that the costume was the Queen, not Malificent. I just find that odd..... ;-)

[SummerInFL]

I think if you work for the Disney Company you should have at least a working knowledge of Disney characters, events, company history, and Disney history as well. But that's from a guy whose dream job is to work in the Archives...

Whoa, if you get that job can I totally be your assistant?

[Hench]

Sorry, Lumpy is a very obscure character, so unless you are a child, have children or are a hardcore disney fan it is hard to know who the character is. You also need to consider most of these CMs are young kids right out of High School and aren't always watching the latest Disney film, especially the straight to videos like the film you are talking about. (I'm pretty sure it was straight to video.) And your comment above pretty much contradicts itself, all cast member should know the fab five, princesses and most popular. Now that last one I guess is tricky, because it seems like most popular for you is different than most popular for me. And I think there is a big difference of opinion. Here's what I consider popular and I think the characters that Disney finds most popular: Buzz, Stitch, Jack Skellington, Jack Sparrow, Central Pooh characters (Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger, Piglet). Basically any character that has a WHOLE lot of merchandise and attractions dedicated to them.

I've been a Disney fan for several years, especially when this movie with Lumpy in it came out and had no idea who the character was until about a week ago. Does that make me less of a Disney fan or a Disney fan who doesn't waste his time with films that are straight to video or very minor releases.

[yoyoflamingo]

100%....Hey, I already have the Masters in Library Science. It can happen

[ghosty4]

One time in DCA I asked a Character Guide if Daisy would be making an appearance, but she said she was shopping with Minnie. Only to hear the page from Tress MacNeille(the voice of Daisy Duck!) for Cruella to go somewhere within the studios. To which I said, "You mean she's currently working as a dispatcher for the studios?" and the guide was like, "uh, yeah". This was not the first time we heard this page over the speakers. Apparently it was for the guide? It's so miniscule, but it TOTALLY bothered me!

[aerinpegadrak]

One time in DCA I asked a Character Guide if Daisy would be making an appearance, but she said she was shopping with Minnie. Only to hear the page from Tress MacNeille(the voice of Daisy Duck!) for Cruella to go somewhere within the studios. To which I said, "You mean she's currently working as a dispatcher for the studios?" and the guide was like, "uh, yeah". This was not the first time we heard this page over the speakers. Apparently it was for the guide? It's so miniscule, but it TOTALLY bothered me!

To be fair, I'm pretty sure Daisy never identifies herself as anything but the Hollywood Pictures Backlot operator. Personally, the only place I've heard the recent voice match for Daisy was in Kingdom Hearts, otherwise I wouldn't have been able to place it.

I consider myself an expert in all things Disney, and I couldn't tell you who Lumpy is. Certainly, I've never seen anything of him in the parks, at least in California. (I've seen plenty of heffalump stuff at DL, but I couldn't tell you if it was Lumpy.)

The Disney Store carries a great deal of merchandise that isn't available in the parks. In fact, I'd say that most of their stuff isn't.

[SS_Columbia192]

Example: I got off the Pooh ride in Fantasyland and ask a couple of young CM girls if they had any Lumpy merchandise. They gave me a blank stare, asked "who?" a couple times, and finally admitted they had no idea who I was asking about -- I kindly told them he was a baby heffalump and they didn't know what a heffalump was either!!! I was shocked!!

The fact that they didn't know Lumpy right away is not surprising to me, but not knowing that he was a Heffalump, that is just disgraceful!! Especially if they work in Fantasyland at the Many Adventures of Winnie The Pooh. I think a part of CM training should be to familiarize them with classic Disney characters like Heffalumps, and woozles (Is that th right spelling?)
futurecm21

[ZeekSlider]

I didn't know Lumpy's name, but I'm still aware of the Heffalump addition to the Pooh Characters, as well as the marketing replacement he has become for Eeyore. Poor Eeyore. They introduce a new cute character, and he gets the boot from marketing.

Then again, I'm the idiot that knows the social status of each of the Disney Princesses. And I'm friends with someone that knows each of the Disney Princesses AGES.

[VeganPrincess]

I posted this a few days in the Disneyland forum, but is it definately worth repeating.....

I have a few heffalump plushes from Pooh Corner in DL. One day, I was at the World of Disney in Downtown Disney, and asked a CM - one who was in the plush section of the store - if the store carried any heffalumps. She proceeded to ask me if a heffalump was a type of food?!

[DocPaddock]

Coming from a former/current cast member from WDW:

You have two types of people that work at a Disney theme park.

1. Those that believe it is the best job ever and love Disney as much as anyone on this discussion board. Getting to work for Disney one of the best things in their life because they love creating magic and being a part of it all.

2. Those that simply are there for a job. This job pays the money for the rent. They care about picking up extra hours and work all the time to afford living that they are simply grumpy all of the time and could really care less about making magic or a difference. They just do what they are told and really have nothing to add to Disney.

From my working experience, these two groups are about 50/50. So you never really know what kind of cast member you are going to get to meet.

[Cmash95]

100%....Hey, I already have the Masters in Library Science. It can happen

darm amd I wanted the assistant job. frankly I should get it cause i am older and wiser, and know lots of useless disney facts. well and some useful ones too. actually I remember reading an article in the local tampa paper about training for work at WDW and DL back in the olden days ( like 80s) and the cms were quoted as saying they were quizzed daily on trivia that might be asked in the park. this included, characters, movies, locations, and disney history. oh for the good old days.