Cinderella's Christmas Wish occurs every night. Walt Disney World is "the most magical place on Earth," and the idea of wishing upon a star and having all your wishes come true if you only believe in the power of your dreams is a huge theme at WDW... and today's story stems directly from that.
Tonight was a Very Merry Christmas Party night, so we only had three turns for dinner. Our very last table of the night was a table for five, and the party arrived in Cinderella's Royal Elevator. This family had two adults and one child, and the mother very visibly was undergoing chemotherapy. It was her birthday, as was made evident by her birthday pin, and she was also visibly distressed. The rest of her party, two more adults, were stuck at the gate. Their plane had arrived late, and while they had day passes for Magic Kingdom, they did not have the extra ticket event tickets to get into the park after seven... which means they were not able to get to Cinderella's Castle to dine for this very special birthday celebration. After a couple interventions by our staff and Guest Relations, we were able to get this couple from the front of the park to the castle, into the dining room, and sat for their meal.
Disney cast members are well known for their tendency to go above and beyond normal customer service to give our Guests the experience of a lifetime, encouraging them to bring their families back here someday. We try and create a legacy, and it is what sets Disney theme parks apart from any other theme park across the country. Going above and beyond is not only expected of us, it is required as a Disney Cast Member.
As a Cast Member...
- I project a positive image and energy.
- I am courteous and respectful to all Guests, including children.
- I stay in character and play the part.
- I go above and beyond.
These are the Disney Service Basics. We are taught these at our Disney orientation (a four hour course called Traditions) and again at a two hour training course devoted entirely to the Disney Service Basics. Conversations are to remain upbeat, we should always be smiling... we stick to the Disney look. When speaking to a child, we get on their level, down on a knee and look them straight in the eye. We be sure to keep with our theme of each land in Magic Kingdom, down to the individual attraction... often that simply requires calling each little girl "Princess." We put in the extra time to make sure each Guest is enjoying their stay at Walt Disney World, and be sure to go above and beyond what is easy and expected to make every Guest feel like this park operates only for them.
Considering these are the rules we abide and function by, making sure this woman's family was able to dine with her on her birthday was common sense; however, it was extra special for her. This woman was facing a terminal diagnosis, and doctors did not think she'd even make it this far... to her birthday. Her vacation at Walt Disney World was the last time she would be able to vacation with her family, and it was her last wish to be able to enjoy the innocence and magic of Disney with her family... to leave her family with a positive, uplifting memory of them together before she lost her battle with cancer.
I spend a lot of my time thinking about how many spoiled kids I have to deal with, how many times I point out where the bathroom is... how many times I tell Guests that no, there is not a castle tour and yes, I'm sure that the castle tour really is in California... and explain that there is no dragon at Cinderella's castle because Sleeping Beauty has a dragon. Through all of that, I sometimes forget how special these memories people are creating in Disney really are. How important they are. Every once in a while, I need to try and draw from the memories I have as a child in Disney with my family, and how much the simple memory of meeting Sorcerer Mickey outside of Spaceship Earth on my last day of my Disney vacation in January 2000, my first trip to Disney, mean to me... and how the simple gesture of calling each and every little girl who walks up the forty stairs into Cinderella's dining hall "princess" can make a world of difference.
