Explaining the Disney Language

One of the things that I quickly had to be learn while working and living for Walt Disney World was the specific language that was exchanged between CMs (Cast Members). In this post I want to show you some of the different things that the first time I heard it I probably looked like an idiot with my head cocked to a side and not knowing what was being said, but by the end of the week, I too, was speaking the Disney Speak.

CM-Cast Members (any employee of Disney)
CP-College Program

• the category I fell under

ICP- International College Program

• all of my friends from across the pond that work for Disney typically for 3 months and then spend their last month in the States traveling)

Backstage-any area that is not to be seen by a guest
Onstage-any area that a CM could be seen by a guest
Disney Point (This one is HUGE)- to point with your index and middle finger together, or your entire hand.

• On your first couple shifts, you're really worried about not using the "Disney Point" and that a manager will catch your mistake, but within the 3rd shift it isn't something you think about and it comes naturally. And then you continue to use the Disney Point for the rest of your life... 

Code-V- vomit in the area (formally called a 'protein spill')
DTD- Downtown Disney
WDW-Walt Disney World
DHS-Disney's Hollywood Studios
EC-Epcot
MK-Magic Kingdom
DAK-Disney's Animal Kingdom
WOD (pronounced "wahd")-World of Disney
DDP-Disney Dining Plan
DVC-Disney Vacation Club

• CMs run when they hear a guest say "but, I'm a DVC member". It's a Disney timeshare program to an extent and MOST people that are a part of it believe they are entitled to anything and everything they want. Not how that works, people. 

ECV-Electronic Convenience Vehicle

• I've had my foot run over more times that I wish to remember by either grandparents that for that exact reason don't operate a vehicle, or people who were too fat/lazy to walk through the park. 

EMH-Extra Magic Hours (AKA, Extra Tragic Hours)

• On certain days of the week a park will open an hour early or stay open up to 4 hours late for guests that are staying on Disney property for them to enjoy the park when it's less crowded... lol, it's never less crowded. 

TTC-Transportation and Ticket Center
101-Ride or attraction is closed, typically because of weather issues.

• The reason "101" is used is because at the time that Disneyland opened in California the number of the highway that ran just north of the park was 101. The CMs were joking that since the ride was closed, it was time for the guests to "hit the highway"

102-Ride is back up and running
Running of the Bulls-Rope Drop in the morning (most commonly used for Magic Kingdom)
PAC Shift-Parade Audience Control (Crowd Control)
Mouse Height- a CM that is between the height of 4'8"-5'2"

• Disney goes into depth about who can play certain characters and one of the first requirements is height. 

ER-Early Release

• When the park didn't get as busy as expected for the day or the managers had overstaffed for the day, you could get the covenanted ER and go home early without it counting against you. 

ROS-Release of Shift

• When you had to have the day off for whatever reason, most of the time it was because you were sick, you could "release your shift" under managers approval and go home with no points against your record, but you would lose all pay for the day, even if you had already worked 4 hours of your shift that day.

ADO-Approved Day Off

• The few times when the Mouse allowed you to take a day off on your own time

Treasure Guest- a term CMs use for guests that are assholes

MagicFiles- A computer file that is started for a guest when they are a pain in the ass and where the CM can write in detail the problem they caused. 

• Other CMs can then pull up that MagicFile if that guest gives them a problem. Disney will track you if you give a CM a problem. If a guest makes up an extensive story about how they deserve a free weeks stay at their resort because their towels weren't folded in the shape of a monkey... That's something that will be tracked.