What is "The Show"?

We want to level for a second. As we publish this blog, the longest, most drawn out, and most hotly contested presidential election appears to be... probably?... maybe? drawing to a close in the next day or two. We write this blog from Wisconsin, where coronavirus cases are completely out of control and where our state is incredibly divided politically. And to be real, it's hard for a second to return our thoughts to our hobbies and Walt Disney World. We debated whether to publish a blog tonight. It seemed off the mark when all our fellow countrymen care about right now is the results of the election and when the pandemic is going to end. We're on pins and needles and publishing this week felt like it might seem ambivalent.

But we decided to do it. And the main reason is... we need an escape. And we figure you probably do too. And what better way to enjoy our favorite escape this week than by talking about how exactly Walt Disney World gives us that escape. So, hang in there. Stay safe. Stay sane. And welcome to what little escape we can provided this week.

If you've been reading us for a while, you know that people who work at Walt Disney World are called Cast Members. Have you ever wondered about why they are called that, even when all they are doing is emptying trash cans or selling hot dogs?

Walt Disney World is a Stage Production

Think about Walt Disney World for a moment. If you are in Tomorrowland in the Magic Kingdom does that feel different than if you are in Harambe Village, Africa, at the Animal Kingdom? Sure, the decorations in that part of the park make a difference, as well as the music and attractions. The workers there are also likely to be in costume appropriate to the theme. The trash cans and restrooms are even themed. A Cast Member in Tomorrowland may say "Hello!" while a Cast Member in Harambe might say "Jambo!" which is Swahili for "hello".

Now compare Walt Disney World to anything outside of Walt Disney World, like your local drug store for example. What do you expect from Disney that you don't expect from your local drug store? Having been to Walt Disney World several times, I expect exceptional customer service with a smile from a clean-looking person in a spotlessly clean place. I don't expect these things from my local drug store.

The thing is, as a guest, we don't think about these expectations. They just are. They are part of the "magic" that makes going to Walt Disney World feel different than anywhere else. They lend to that sense that you are in a magical land. Everything is clean, everything is safe, everyone is friendly.

It may surprise you that Disney puts a lot of effort and thought into creating that feeling. And part of that is "show", meaning thinking of Walt Disney World as a stage production. Do the actions and appearance of the Cast Member make sense for the image we are trying to create in this land? Does the Cast Member and the Cast Member's work area create the feeling of safety and cleanliness?

Examples of "Good Show"

Disney Cast Members are trained in "show" and will compliment or chastise each other by describing something as "good show" or "bad show". If a Cast Member has their cell phone out and is distracted by it, that's definitely "bad show". If a Cast Member is leaning against their work station like they are tired, that's "bad show". If they recently decided to grow 2 inch nails and paint them black, even if that's awesome in the real world, it doesn't mesh with the Disney image, and it's "bad show".

"Good show" involves a cast member's body language, appearance, and their work station appearance. Some examples of "good show" from my work in outdoor foods were:

• Your costume is ironed, clean, and worn properly and your hair, if long, is neatly tied back

• You stand straight and smile (no leaning or slouching)

• When I sold ice cream on a hot day, it was normal for condensation to form on the top of my freezer which was also my work surface. I had a stack of 20 or so bar towels which I would use throughout the day to wipe it down and keep it dry and shiny.

• Same thing with ice cream spills. A sticky workstation is bad show. We would wipe any spills immediately.

• I'm not sure of the rules now, but when I worked there, cell phones were not permitted "on stage".

• At times, things would happen that would make me angry or scared. For example, I once had to call an ambulance for a guest who was out of sight of other guests. Maintaining show meant using codes for scary words like "ambulance" and "medical emergency" and speaking on the phone in a calm demeanor. I had people standing in line when I made the call and they had no idea what the nature of the call was that I was making because "good show" meant hiding your nervousness, remaining calm, and using codes that made it sound like any other call.

"Good show" also means you are in character. Being in character doesn't have to be a major undertaking, but if a Cast Member is a villager of Harambe, for example, then they should know a thing or two about Harambe and use the traditional greeting in that area. They also won't leave that area in their area-specific costume and go to another area where it would look weird to see them walking around.

Super importantly for "good show" is to buy into the Disney stories. For me, that meant if a guest asked me how many animals were carved into the Tree of Life, these would be the right and wrong answers:

Wrong Answers: "I don't know" and "There are 325 animals carved into the Tree of Life"

Right Answer: "There are currently more than 300 animals and new ones emerge every day as the tree grows."

If someone asks all the places they can find Mickey Mouse:

Wrong Answer: "Mickey is at Chef Mickey's all morning, but you can also find him at Magic Kingdom all day, and we have Safari Mickey here on the character greeting trails all day."

Right Answer: "Mickey travels around a lot so I'm sure we can help you find him. Right now, he is at the character greeting trail at (nearby land)". (There is only ONE Mickey!)

If someone asks how the Imagineers made the plants in Pandora glow in the dark:

Wrong Answer: "They installed fiber-optic...."

Right Answer: "The plants on Pandora are bioluminescent and naturally use stored sunshine to glow once the sun sets."

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You can see by now how important "Show" is to making Walt Disney World the place it is. Anyone can build a theme park. Anyone can even theme that theme park so it feels immersive. But it takes a whole different level of commitment to make every interaction in that theme park immersive. In my opinion, it's what sets Disney apart from the rest, and the word for that is "show".

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