4. Notice How they Talk to Kids

Cast Members are trained to talk to kids in a very special way. Children are usually “princess” or “Prince Charming.” They take a knee to hear what pint sized guests have to say, and often have a creative themed response. Like Disney pointing, or responding to birthday buttons, this is a difficult habit to ditch.

Even some parents will barely bend down when they’re talking to their children (after all, you’d have to spend the whole day in a perpetual crouch to really come down to their level for everything they say). If your child strikes up a conversation with the next person in line and they automatically drop down to his or her level to answer, there’s a good chance you’re talking to a Cast Member. If they know all the right things to say in response to your child’s lively story about her meeting with Cinderella, you can be certain it’s someone who spends their working week in the park.

5. Look at Their Bags

Some tourists traverse the parks with so many supplies you’d swear they were headed into a third world country where basic necessities are in no way guaranteed. Those bulky bags are nearly always an indicator of a visitor. In the same vein, a lack of bags is a good sign of a local.

If you see a woman without even a purse, it’s probably a Cast Member who doesn’t need anything more than an ID and a credit card because she’s only in the park for a few hours. Cast Members can also leave their belongings backstage in a locker, making it even easier to visit without lugging around a lot of extra items.

6. Watch for Lanyards

Cast Members can’t have their ID showing when they’re onstage out of costume, but many will simply flip them around and keep their handy ID lanyards on anyway. These aren’t like the thick pin lanyards that you can buy in any park gift shop. Cast Member lanyards have a thin string and a metal accent that’s usually either a character or a popular theme park icon. These lanyards can have either a plastic card holder or a small credit card sized zip top bag at the bottom. Regardless of the card that’s on display, these lanyards are an almost foolproof indicator of a Cast Member.

Cast Member spotting can be fun if you’re avidly curious about the people who put the everyday magic in Walt Disney World. Since they can get into the parks for free any time, there are always plenty of Cast Members around on their days off, or passing the time before a shift.

Try to keep in mind, though, that these CMs are off duty and enjoying their time at Disney much like you are. They probably can point you to the nearest bathroom, but so can the greeter passing the time outside the nearest attraction, and she’s getting paid for it.