fter attending an unpleasant Disney merchandising event in 2000, there were two Cast Members that stuck out in our memories as really working magic to salvage the Guests' experiences. When the dust settled, we spoke about the kind and thoughtful treatment we received from these two individuals. We said to each other, "You know, if Walt were alive, that's just what he would have done" and with that, an idea was born.

We wanted to tell these Cast Members what a difference they made in our experience, but the traditional feedback card didn't seem to do justice to the star performance we had just experienced.

Walt Disney, himself, had forbidden tipping within the Park. Here is how strongly he felt:

I have no use for people who throw their weight around as celebrities, or for those who fawn over you just because you are famous.

he next idea came out of the blue. Our family is not into pin trading -- our experience collecting all 103 of the Disney Store millennium pins last year cured us! But we recognized that pin trading was a popular activity in the Park. One that Cast Members were even encouraged to share with Guests! A simple pin that a Guest could give a Cast Member as a way of saying thank you for sharing your personal magic. Remembering the sacrifices our parents made to provide us with Disneyland trips, we knew the pins had to be inexpensive enough to give away without knocking some of the glitter of the family's magic.

Then we thought that a place was needed to let YOU tell the Cast Member's story of what they had done to deserve YOUR recognition.

From there, the idea grew to "Disney needs to know about these people, who they are, how hard they work, and what they do to make a Guest's visit so memorable." So we figured that YOUR stories would make it very easy for Disney to discover who gave the best service to their Guests.

Finally, as our business plan was developed, it was clear that we wanted to give something back. We have selected to fund efforts to preserve the Disney brothers' legacy through an existing organization and the creation of a new one. You can learn about them here.

We invite you to read on, and join in our quest to preserve a little Disney magic for future generations.

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Why We Do This

I started working as a mystery shopper. “Why not!” I thought. I have spent years training front line employees on guest service, auditing restaurants and verifying training compliance. What a nice way to earn a few bucks doing what just comes naturally.

And it is.

Sort of.

You see, I’m enjoying getting free food and odd items and assessing the service and cleanliness is really second nature. However part of this endeavor is extremely unsatisfying because I don’t get to give the feedback to the employees I’m assessing. Granted I don’t miss giving bad news or saying, “Hey, you blew it here,” but I DO miss giving the pat on the back. Just last night I did a mystery shop at a popular fast food chain. (Nope, not telling.) The food was perfect. The dining room was beautifully kept. The crew was great. It was, without a doubt, the best fast food experience I had in more than three years! And I couldn’t tell anyone about it.

Oh the restaurant will get the feedback eventually and they’ll look at the report and the date and piece together who was there and if those employees still work there they might get a “good job” from the manager or owner. But that just isn’t the same as being told, within minutes, that you really did a great job with that customer. Those moments send you higher than a kite. Those moments make all the bad ones worthwhile. Those moments make you feel like you can do anything! You know. You've been there!

And there lies the beauty of the What Would Walt Do program. The What Would Walt Do pin, presented to a cast member tells him or her that their service and attention was great, was appreciated and made a difference. The lag of corporate communication is cut out so the feedback you provide is infinitely more meaningful. This positive, meaningful feedback keeps cast members providing great service and more inclined to stay at their jobs, even on those challenging days.

You love Disneyland and Disneyworld. It has been a part of your life and the source of some of the best memories you have! Presenting a WWWD pin to a deserving cast member helps keep the good memories coming.

They’ve made a difference in your life. Make a difference in theirs.

- Allison

 

This Week's Featured Nomination

Marjorie's Sunny Disposition

I walked from the Polynesian to the Transportation/Ticket center on my way to find a bus to Animal Kingdom. I passed Marjorie (from Connecticut) in her scooter and she noticed I had a pin trading lanyard and offered to show me her pins, she also was able to show me where to go to catch the bus. Her whole attitude was just "sunny", her interaction with me, and even with her fellow cast members as I walked away was just so pleasant that I felt she exuded that "Disney attitude". She had a bright smile on her face and seemed genuinely happy to be there and to help. Her sunny disposition said to me "Yes, I am in Disney World."