Current CM.. Any Questions?

[Mags2002]

I think DCL shiuld just be more consistent. On the Dream over the Summer not a single Marvel character and toys just for toddler time. Fantasy has Marvels, Magic has Marvels so I find it very understandable that people expect them to be there when they come on the Dream for a long cruise. You have VIPs for -everyone- and princesses appeal generally spoken more to girls than boys so people were talking about the mack of boysstuff.
And I get that there are certain operational restrictions but you do have Jessie and Woody onboard but then send them out at times only families when toddlers can go meet them… it is kind of like na-ha we got them but you cant meet them.
And copy pasting schedules just seem a very easy thing. And that means for characters that are consequently scheduled late at night (read Chip and Dale) people with younger kids that wish to sort of respect their nightrest say a week into the cruise: we didnt get t see them yet.

The schedules have to work around a lot of different things so yes characters will be scheduled late at night.
If there were more toddler time meet and greets there would be less Cast and less time available for everyone else.
While there may be costumes and characters onboard, not all can be for meet and greets. There is a difference between the role of a character performer and a Mainstage performer who plays a character. They are not trained to portray a character like the character performers and cannot do meet and greets. So for example, if Pocahontas or Anna and Elsa are in the shows in the theater, yes technically they are onboard and so are their costumes. But there is no character performer trained in those roles so they cant schedule these characters for meet and greets

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

The schedules have to work around a lot of different things so yes characters will be scheduled late at night.
If there were more toddler time meet and greets there would be less Cast and less time available for everyone else.
While there may be costumes and characters onboard, not all can be for meet and greets. There is a difference between the role of a character performer and a Mainstage performer who plays a character. They are not trained to portray a character like the character performers and cannot do meet and greets. So for example, if Pocahontas or Anna and Elsa are in the shows in the theatre, yes technically they are onboard and so are their costumes. But there is no character performer trained in those roles so they cant schedule these characters for meet and greets

I know all of that but most guests dont.
And i do understand that if you see commercials/socials/neighbours telling tou they saw for example marvels on their cruise you expect them to be on every ship and I also understand if you are cruising with kids its very frustrating to find the same characters being scheduled super late at night so you either miss the same character each time either have to lkeep cranky kids past their bedtime.
The toddler thing experience we had was the exact opposite of what tou mentioned: jessie ONLY did toddler time, regular families had no opportunity.
Throughout the years I got pretty good at forcasting if a certain cruise will fulfil my charactermeet love. I know to stay away feom anytjing shorter than a week on the classics and 5n on the others. I do understand that cruises with grouppics on the classics are a big sacrifice to other eets and so are the Sanderson meets…. But of you dont have that experience you just assume every cruise has similar offerings… i learned the hardway. My first cruise in 2007 i got to see my chipmunks once: during til we meet again (yes bacl then they were still in it)

 

[Agent 86]

Q. My (newly turned 3) daughter is a bit shy / slow to warm up. She had some wonderful experiences meeting characters, especially Cinderella and Belle, on a recent trip to Tokyo Disneyland. BUT, she did seem to receive some ... favouritism in the form of "extra" time given we were foreigners and she clearly stood out. That extra time really made the experiences magical for her as she was able to "warm up".

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of meeting characters, especially the princesses, on the cruises? I'm currently thinking that we'll try to get to any character meets early either so: (1) she can meet them without a significant crowd around; or (2) if there is a crowd, she'll have time while waiting in line to "observe" them (so to speak).

 

[DisneyConvert]

Q. My (newly turned 3) daughter is a bit shy / slow to warm up. She had some wonderful experiences meeting characters, especially Cinderella and Belle, on a recent trip to Tokyo Disneyland. BUT, she did seem to receive some ... favouritism in the form of "extra" time given we were foreigners and she clearly stood out. That extra time really made the experiences magical for her as she was able to "warm up".

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of meeting characters, especially the princesses, on the cruises? I'm currently thinking that we'll try to get to any character meets early either so: (1) she can meet them without a significant crowd around; or (2) if there is a crowd, she'll have time while waiting in line to "observe" them (so to speak).

We took our young son on several cruises when he was that age and yes, had beaucoups of extra character interactions because . . .
1. We were respectful of the schedule and the Characters & Handlers jobs. Review the paper/app-based Navigator the day before and go to the lesser, followed meets in the AM, at D-Lounge, etc. Don't expect there to NOT be a line before/after Supper in the Atrium
2. Get on-line 10~15 mins before the meet so you know you'll get to meet and get pictures. Sometimes, occasionally, there will be a lag in the line later, and you all can go thru again (which is definitely permitted). Use that extra time to observe and perhaps you will meet again?

3. Know a little about the backstory and "personality" of each character; it really helps if one has seen the film(s) or perhaps one or two Goofy or Chip'Dale cartoons. They are on the room TV's regularly. Fur characters can't talk, but Tigger will bounce with you, Eeyore will shake his head, etc. Hook will menace and grimace.

Face characters inhabit that role and it only works if one "plays" along.
Snow White can talk about her miner friends and the friendly animals, Cinderella can discuss fire place cleanliness, etc. Arielle collects things under the ocean . . . Be "a part of their world," and teach your littles to do so too.

It's Magic, but only if one believes.

 

[RedHead0186]

I think most people don’t think it’s the CMs fault. More that DCL has scaled back staffing and thus fewer things can be offered.

But I agree with you. I think there is a strange attitude about DCL of people being very demanding. Sometimes first timers who come in with far too high expectations, but often also the experienced cruisers who know every trick to get special treatment.

It seems that currently every longer cruise at the moment comes back with these reports about DCL failing and not having characters and such. But then you have people saying it’s been as magical as ever. Not sure what’s going on, but I think part of it is self fulfilling prophecies. People read that on this and that cruise they cut down on characters and then are anxious whether their cruise is affected. And therefore look for what is missing.

Don’t take it to heart too much @Mags2002 - for everyone complaining there will be so many more that loved meeting your friends and will come back talking about their amazing time on board!

I've seen this in the social media groups for recent cruises. I was on the Wish that never made it to Castaway Cay after getting stuck overnight in Nassau back in April. I though the compensation we were given was more than fair (I didn't expect anything, but took my OBC and FCC happily). Some were just over the top, stating there was some sort of DCL conspiracy that we never made it to CC and we should have the whole cruise refunded, and they paid thousands of dollars and didn't get what was advertised, etc. Yes, I recognize for some this is a once in a lifetime vacation so missing CC was disappointing (I am very lucky I can sail on DCL pretty frequently), but they still got a great cruise out of it and DCL did do something to make up the missed CC to them.

Some first-timers in the group for my upcoming cruise in November are pissed they are 'last in line' to book excursions/onboard activities, etc. and get PATs. One even claimed they were going to cancel their cruise because of it (even before booking opened for their window, so they had no idea what they would be able to get/not get). Yeah, I get that lots of things may be sold out by the time newbie booking comes around. But, there are plenty of non-booked things to do on a ship, and you're still on a Disney cruise. The entitlement of some is just really hard to take.

 

[cinnamoroll]

Sorry I missed this! I am on the Magic right now. I have previously worked on all of the other ships and am sad I won’t get to be on the Treasure

Which princesses are currently on the Magic, and will that change before November? My daughter is VEEEEERRY excited about meeting them again!!!

(and sorry, you've already answered this in another thread a while back but I've lost track of which thread that was )

 

[happycamper47]

. The entitlement of some is just really hard to take.

I felt that attitude was unusually heavy on the WBPC cruise as well.

 

[warrenz1963]

Sorry I missed this! I am on the Magic right now. I have previously worked on all of the other ships and am sad I won’t get to be on the Treasure

No worries! I just got back from a cruise on the Fantasy. My nephew Warren is an Entertainment Host on the ship.

 

[angel's momma]

I felt that attitude was unusually heavy on the WBPC cruise as well.

So disappointing that there's so many reports of this fleet wide and it seems to just keep increasing.

It was so bad on our cruise last Dec. that we said if it had been our 1st time, it would have been our last. It was our 4th, so we knew it wasn't typical behavior. Now it feels like it may have become the norm.

We're on the upcoming EBPC, and have our first WBTA booked for next fall. I planned to book our TA airfare before the PC but we've decided to wait to see how the PC goes.

If we decide to cancel the TA it won't be due to changes DCL has made about activity volume (which is a main complaint I keep reading about) because we feel that we would still enjoy the cruise even if most activities were eliminated, it will be because the atmosphere created by the passengers is not enjoyable & it's very hard to see the CMs treated so poorly.

 

[angel's momma]

@Mags2002 - Was this your first PC or did you do it on the Wonder?

 

[Chipmunkmaniac]

Talking about entitlement: in August on the Dream a man went to gr cause the atrium pianoplayer didnt let his son play…

One of the -new- things i ve been noticing a lot on the ships over the past year is line cutting: at characterlines, at cabanas, at elevators etc.
And the general disrespect for fellow cruisers and crew: reports on stolen magnets and fish extendergifts have never been so high, screaming on hallways and public areas, leaving empty plates/cups/trash just anywhere,…

 

[Flossbolna]

I felt that attitude was unusually heavy on the WBPC cruise as well.

On my one WBPC (May 2014) I felt the entitlement of the seasoned cruisers was the worst. The group at embarkation lunch at Parrot Cay who argued with the head server which table they would get assigned and if it was close enough to a window and still not too far from the buffet. And how they needed a table for 8, but some of the party of 8 would not get on the ship for another hour... The group that always grabbed two of the tables in the adult pool area early in the morning, covered them with towels and always had one person sit there to protect their tables. The lady who complained about the back ground music in Tritons because she had been on the ship for 30 days by then (doing lots of back and backs before) and she didn't enjoy the music anymore.

We still had an amazing time, the best cruise so far. Even though the Wonder Alaska cruise nearly topped it - but how can a 7 night cruise top a 15 night cruise. ;-)

I have to say one of the best cruises with regard to entitled people was the recent Alaska cruise. It seemed that people mainly cruised for the itinerary and second for the Disney fun. We are not character people, but ended up having loads of character interaction as lines sometimes were not long at all and there were quite a few characters walking around the ship at various times. All in all I felt people were just so much more relaxed.

I think it might be as prices go up for all Disney cruises people just feel like they paid so much they need to get as much out of it as possible. I have seen a similar development at the theme parks.

 

[Mags2002]

Q. My (newly turned 3) daughter is a bit shy / slow to warm up. She had some wonderful experiences meeting characters, especially Cinderella and Belle, on a recent trip to Tokyo Disneyland. BUT, she did seem to receive some ... favouritism in the form of "extra" time given we were foreigners and she clearly stood out. That extra time really made the experiences magical for her as she was able to "warm up".

Do you have any tips for getting the most out of meeting characters, especially the princesses, on the cruises? I'm currently thinking that we'll try to get to any character meets early either so: (1) she can meet them without a significant crowd around; or (2) if there is a crowd, she'll have time while waiting in line to "observe" them (so to speak).

Aww Cinderella loves meeting little Princesses!!!
I would recommend letting her watch a few before even lining up. The line itself might be overwhelming.
Once you do get to meet the character, let the character take the lead and the character will go with the flow with however your daughter wants to play it. If she is shy and doesn’t really interact, try again another time

 

[Mags2002]

Which princesses are currently on the Magic, and will that change before November? My daughter is VEEEEERRY excited about meeting them again!!!

(and sorry, you've already answered this in another thread a while back but I've lost track of which thread that was )

Cinderella, Rapunzel, Tiana, Belle and Ariel. The Princess lineup is always subject to change, but there shouldn’t be any significant changes before November. Cinderella is excited to see you all again too!

 

[Mags2002]

@Mags2002 - Was this your first PC or did you do it on the Wonder?

No I have done it on the Wonder

 

[Mags2002]

There’s always going to be Guests who think they are entitled to more than everyone else, or have not learnt basic social skills in order to understand that their wants do not rank any higher than anyone else’s.
BUT the Guests who come onboard and genuinely want to have fun and enjoy the Disney magic far outweigh any negativity from some Guests.

Anyway… back to happy thread!!!!
Not long until I am officially living on land so if anyone has any burning questions about life as a CM etc then ask away!

 

[DMMarla07860]

There’s always going to be Guests who think they are entitled to more than everyone else, or have not learnt basic social skills in order to understand that their wants do not rank any higher than anyone else’s.
BUT the Guests who come onboard and genuinely want to have fun and enjoy the Disney magic far outweigh any negativity from some Guests.

Anyway… back to happy thread!!!!
Not long until I am officially living on land so if anyone has any burning questions about life as a CM etc then ask away!

Do You know Marko(beverage manager) or Matt(CD) on Magic? They are my favorites

 

[Mags2002]

Have the MDR menus changed on the Magic? I heard they were 'testing' a new one out but not sure if it was permanent.

Sorry I missed this. I am not sure as I do not frequent the MDRs lol. I will see what I can find out

 

[angel's momma]

No I have done it on the Wonder

Were you on the 2022 WBPC?

 

[Mags2002]

Were you on the 2022 WBPC?

No I wasn’t