3. Questions about the Cast Member themselves
Another common category of strange guest questions stems from the fact that not all guests have a firm understanding of how the park works. Guests have complained that Cast Members at the Haunted Mansion look like they hate their jobs with comments like “If you can’t smile, you should just quit.” Well, they can’t smile…but that’s not because they don’t want to. It’s simply part of the elaborate theme of the attraction.
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Some guests at Kilimanjaro Safaris want to know how the animals look so real. This answer’s very simple. They look real because they are.
2. Myths about the attractions
Some guests don’t bother to ask questions but simply share their strange assumptions proudly with the rest of their party. While the Pepper’s Ghost effect used in the Haunted Mansion is fairly well known among fans of the ride, one determined guest insisted that the ghosts’ images must come from a projector. On seeing the Iron Man monorail, one woman knowingly told her family about the “Star Trek Train.” During parades, some headstrong guests steer their whole party confidently through the crowds who have been waiting over an hour for the event, convinced that they’ll easily cross the street between floats.
1. Guests' attire
On the assumption that all at Disney must be impeccably clean, guests can be seen traipsing through the park barefoot, wading into the Seven Seas Lagoon (despite the large “no swimming” signs), or reaching to trail their hands in any ride waters they can find. Disney custodial is good but they aren’t miracle workers. Please oh please stay away from any water that doesn’t come out of a fountain or actual food service location.
Since sending the same ride vehicle, selling the same merchandise, or cleaning the same room can get a bit monotonous day after day, sometimes it’s nice to have something like a genuine disbelief that Walt Disney World doesn’t exist within a magical weather bubble to change things up. And the fun isn’t exclusive to Cast Members. Just pay attention to your fellow guests and your next vacation and you’re sure to spot some shockers yourself. Just remember the 3 o’clock parade is at 3 o’clock and you’ll do just fine. And if you’re ever in doubt, just go ahead and ask. Whatever it is you’re wondering it’s probably not the strangest thing that Cast Member has ever heard.
Comments
Although I live near WDW now, I've never worked there; but in my youth (in the mid-'80s) I attended college in Williamsburg (as in "Colonial"), VA, and I spent five summers as a tour guide in Washington, DC. In Williamsburg, we used to play tricks on tourists who asked where the Wren Building (the main college building -- very historic) was, when they were standing right in front of it. We invariably pointed all the way down to the other end of Duke of Gloucester Street, to the Capitol, and said that was it. We were awful...
In Washington, I got all kinds of questions, but the ones that stick with me were (1) at Arlington National Cemetery, being asked if the bodies were buried vertically; and (2) being asked for directions to Kansas City ... while standing beside the Lincoln Memorial. (Speaking of which, I won't even tell you how many times I was asked for directions to the Lincoln Memorial -- again, WHILE STANDING BESIDE THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL.) Good times...
As a former CM it is true we get a lot of strange questions. I myself received the 3'oclock parade time question. I informed the woman it depended where she was standing, that it would be at mainstreet at 3:11 and would be where sue was standing at 3:05. She looked at me like i was the dumbest person in the world and stormed off.
I also had a lady ask me in Animal Kingdom where they could catch the monorail to Magic Kingdom, that someone told them it was in the middle of the Safari ride.
I've worked in hotels for the last 15 years and have had to deal with some bizarre questions and requests.. But I take my hat off to Disneys CM's, as much as this has made me giggle all the way though I'm unsure as to how you stay sane at times lol
Last year we got talking to a CM in EPCOT whilst waiting for illuminations, she hadn't been at WDW too long and we couldn't resist a little wind up (well we are Brits) so we told her at Christmas it snows everywhere in every park on the hour every hour - she bought it for a while bless her! I think I also got her when I asked if the brightly shining star was Walts star and do they switch in on at night, I think she thought I was crazy at first! Lol
As a CM at Disney's Animal Kingdom, I have heard many unbelievable things, but the most bizarre was when a guest asked me if Walt was buried underneath the Tree of Life. To be honest, I was so taken aback by the question that I could not come up with an equally rediculous answer, so I just stated "No". The guest looked at me quizzically. "I KNOW he is there"!
I just had to walk away....
I am a past Disney cast member at the contemporary resort and my favorite question was "do we catch the bus from the fourth floor?" I didn't know that Disney owned the magic school bus. Lol. Another one of my favorites was "there is a tree blocking my view to the magic kingdom" and come to find out that the tree was in the magic kingdom itself.