Take routine ride-throughs

Image: Jeremy Thompson, Flickr (license)

When an attraction is over-staffed, Cast Members will periodically get assigned to various “tasks” that involve the general upkeep and maintenance of the attraction. If an attraction is extremely overstaffed, you may end up “tasking” for hours. Tasks can include things like sweeping the queue, taking guests for a backstage tour, or cleaning up the break room.

One of the best tasks you can get is a ride-through. This is a free pass to use your time on the clock to bypass the line, get on the attraction and ride like a guest. Tasks usually last for about 15 minutes, so depending on attraction, you may even elect to go multiple times.

Ride-throughs are a lot of fun, but they do serve an important purpose. You can’t rely on the average guest to report or even notice when something is amiss. Riding through in the middle of the day gives Cast Members the chance to catch pending problems early. You might notice that an animatronic is starting to tilt, or a maintenance Cast Member left a light on behind one of the ride scenes. Ride-throughs minimize the number of guests who might spot these errors and make sure that issues are handled as promptly as possible.

Close out the ride

It’s tradition for Cast Members to ride through the attraction on the last vehicle of the night. Once the queue is cleared and the last guests are put on the ride, any nonessential Cast Members can hop in the next ride vehicle and go through behind them. This helps to make sure that the ride is completely free of guests at the end of the night. Once that Cast Member vehicle comes back around, you know the ride is completely clear.

Getting a spot on that last vehicle of the night is even more fun than riding through during the day. You’re in a vehicle exclusive to other Cast Members, ready to have a little fun at the end of a long day. You all know when and where to pose for funny photos, where to pretend-shriek, and which corners to wave at to say hello to those watching in tower.

If the ride is dead at the end of the night and there are no guests on the attraction ahead of the Cast vehicle, you may even get to flip the lights on and ride the attraction without the mask of darkness around you. This puts a whole new face on the ride, and really gives you an all-out behind-the-scenes experience.

Attractions Cast Members are some of the few to see Disney rides in their full light. Though you’ll pay your dues doing mundane tasks too, it’s definitely a job you’ll never forget.