Growing up in Florida, there was no avoiding Disney.
Most of us went as children, and if you didn't - no need to worry! As soon as you were old enough to start paying attention to job boards, there was Disney hiring "cast members" for just about everything everywhere.
Getting hired comes with some amazing perks, but everyone who has worked there ALSO comes away with some amazing stories. Disney just makes people ... intense... ya know?
Especially if those people are kids.
Reddit user JD-Explosion asked:
Disney Parks cast members of Reddit, what's the strangest thing a child has asked you while on the job?
The thing you gotta love about children is that they're full of all of the passion and enthusiasm of every Disney-phile, but they also have massive imaginations, no real understanding of how the real world works, and zero filter.
It's a perfect storm for shenanigans like these...
Part Of Your World
The Little Mermaid Disney GIFGiphy" 'Yesterday I went to Disneyland... And I saw the parade... And it was raining during the parade... And everyone was wearing raincoats... And the Little Mermaid was in the parade... And she was wearing a raincoat too... Why?' "
" 'Well, because everyone else was wearing a raincoat. Ariel wanted to wear one too so she could be like everybody else.' --My Castmate friend in the call center that took the call above. " - certnneed
"The point of Ariel's character is that she wanted to be human and do things they do, so the answer fits! That's how the cats members are taught how to think and answer." - Additional_Meeting_2
"She just wants to be part of our wooooorld!" - Nezzee
Probably Busy
let it go GIFGiphy"My daughter was 2-3 when we went to go see Elsa and Anna."
"There was a 4 hour line, of which my daughter would shuffle forward whenever it would move and then lie down and sleep on the floor when it didn't."
"Finally, it was our turn. We walk into the room and there's Elsa and Anna. First question my daughter asks them?"
" 'Do you guys brush your teeth?' "
"Then after the thing was done and we're leaving, my daughter casually tells me that that wasn't really Elsa and Anna, the real ones were probably busy."
"Four. Hours."
"At the time I was beyond belief. I couldn't express my emotions - between anger/rage, incredulity and plain old shell shock."
"I remember walking away thinking about the Serenity Now episode of Seinfeld but looking back on it now, it's something I'll always remember and it makes a great story. So, worth it." - various_necks
The Adults Are Worse
Reaction GIF by Macy'sGiphy"Kid: 'Where's Hogwarts?' "
"Me: 'Probably about half a day's walk away.' "
"But the adults are always worse. Like this guy:"
"Adult: 'You work during the holidays?' "
"Me: 'Yes.' "
"Adult, muttering as he walks away: 'I don't believe her. It's probably a trick to get tips.' "
"It was during Christmas. He was literally there on Christmas." - sleepytimeHoney
"They Work At Six Flags"
Bugs Bunny Flirt GIFGiphy"I started 2 months ago and my job doesn't have much guest interaction. But I did have one kid who kept asking me where characters were."
"He asked where Bugs Bunny and the rest of the Looney Tunes were and I blew his mind when I told them they work at Six Flags with Batman and Superman, not at Disney." - nowhere136
The Best Questions To Ask During A Job Interview | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Wonder What Mickey Thought
Shocked Disney GIF by Mickey MouseGiphy"When I was around 3 or 4, on a family trip to Disneyworld I drew a picture of my plane crashing on the way to Orlando and my entire family falling to a fiery death."
"Then I gave it to Mickey Mouse. I wonder what the dude inside the costume thought." - analognewb
"I wouldn't be surprised if he still has it, lol." - siel04
"Nothing would make me happier" - analognewb
Goldfishie!
Mickey Mouse Love GIF by Disneyland ParisGiphy"Not a Disney park cast member - I am the strange child."
"Went to Disneyland back in 2000 or so, I was about 5 or 6 and my first pet goldfish died shortly before we went on our trip. Went to Minnie's house and got to meet her at the end for pictures."
"I remember there being some cool animatronic goldfish bowl in her house, so I just haaaad to tell her how sad I was that my fish just died and my mom made me flush him down the toilet."
"Of course the actors aren't allowed to talk, so this poor soul playing Minnie had to watch 5 year old me sobbing for my lost pet fishy and wasn't able to say anything. That Minnie mouse actor gave me the most heartfelt, warm, sincere hug I have ever had in my life."
"Shout out to all the Disney park actors who have ever consoled a crying child, I assure you; you made it better." - MyFriendLucifer
A Pirate's Life For Me
High Five I Got This GIF by Disney ChannelGiphy"I used to be a pirate that did the pirate makeovers in magic kingdom and I had a little boy probably around 7 in my chair."
"We were talking about how I live on a pirate ship, of course, and what kind of pirate ship he would want to live on."
"He asked very concerned 'how do you take a shower on a pirate ship?' and I said 'we don't!' Then my pirate coworker next to came and smelled my armpit and confirm we absolutely don't."
"Then in return I smelled her armpit to let him know that she also hasn't showered. He didn't ask any more questions after that!" - KinZryry96
Magical
Millie Bobby Brown Reaction GIF by ConverseGiphy"I worked at Disneyland as a ticket taker/bag checker. Little boy asked me if I was magical because his grandma told him Disneyland was a magical place."
"Had numerous kids rub my skin because, according to their parents, they've never seen a Black person before. People touching you without your permission was one of the worst things about that job."
"My favorite story is this girl was leaving the park and wanted to know how could Mickey just finish Fantasmic but be on Main Street with completely different clothes."
"Her mind was blown, hands on her head just trying to comprehend how could he be in two places at once. I told her that he has a bunch of underground tunnels so he can avoid the crowds and get to the front to say goodbye. She was satisfied with that answer." - pharmrterri
Slow Moving Potato
Nose Swimming GIFGiphy"I don't work for Disney directly I run a kayaking business that Disney subcontracts for their kayaking trips. The Disney cast members shuttle the guests in a bus to our location about 30 minutes away."
"This happened on an offsite kayaking trip through a natural area. The bonkers question didn't come from a child, but a mother with her 2 kids in tow."
"She asked 'How do they work? Are they animatronic or do you have a remote control?' Talking about the live, wild, manatees"
"She threatened a lawsuit on Disney for endangering her kids... with manatees... The gentlest of sea creatures... Giant slow moving potatoes." - SkoomaSalesAreUp
Yeah ... the most magical place on Earth just keeps serving up the best stories, doesn't it?
Redditor TractorLoving wanted to hear about the things many of us have seen that left us shaken and a bit scared, so they asked:
"What's the most creepy thing you've ever witnessed?"
I've lost track of the number of things that have creeped me out in life.
I barely leave the house.
From the bushes...
the lion king disney GIFGiphy"When I was about 12 I was sleeping on my trampoline with a friend and we heard the bushes move behind us, we flashed our flashlight to the bushes and a mountain lion was laying there stalking us, I have never run so fast in my life."
Fortherecord87
Voices
"Finding my dad dead in his recliner. I swear I heard his voice when the coroner came for his body."
PolesawPolska
"My granddad knocked over my great-grandma's ashes in his car accidentally, and to this day swears he heard her laugh, loud and clear as if she was standing next to him. She had a hugely wicked sense of humor and would have found this (and my very stressed granddad carefully collecting her ashes back into the container before my grandma saw) very funny."
Tanyaaahhh
From the Sea
"When I was serving my time as an engineer in the merchant navy we used to have to clean out what is called 'sea chests;' they're basically big filters for seawater that we would pump in to use as coolant and if the pumps were on when we were dockside we'd find all sorts of things like bottles, fish, crabs etc."
"One day we opened up the chest, pulled out the filter, and immediately saw this gold shiny thing which turned out to be a Rolex watch. Usually, we'd just dump out the filter but with the mitigating circumstances, we went through it thoroughly and found a piece of a shirt with cufflink still attached and last but not least a nicely rotted finger."
"The police ended up closing off the dock and dredging it but never found anything on the end." ~ MarkyBhoy101
Terrified
Watching I See You GIF by TravisGiphy"This guy followed me home. Said he saw me there often and named a few local spots I go to sometimes as places he sees me. It’s been about a year. Never saw him again. I was terrified for a little while for sure."
ewqdsacxziopjklbnm
Stay vigilant out there kids.
People are watching and some of us don't notice.
Back Up Creep
Scared Homer Simpson GIF by reactionseditorGiphy"I was in a restaurant years ago on lunch break. At the time I was a very thin 25-year-old woman. There was this big creepy guy sitting there who would NOT stop staring at me from the moment I walked in the door."
"I mean just open face staring without blinking for the entire 15 minutes I was eating several seats away. I asked for a box and left early to get away from him. As I walked out he said, 'You shouldn't be out alone. Someone's going to grab you and steal you away." 100% convinced creepazoid had someone locked up in his basement."
xain_the_idiot
'Youth in need'
"Was working in a restaurant. Nice place. That night we held a charity dinner for a 'youth in need' type of house. The guy representing the house, a worker there, was such a nice and kind man. Every teen there was only saying nice things about him. A good soul, that was giving everything he could for these teens."
"At one point they gave a big check to the charity. I must guess an amount they rarely received. Well under the excitement, that poor man had a cardiac arrest. Dropped there on the stage, cheque in hand. He couldn't be brought back. He died. Seeing this was already bad enough, but the kids everywhere in the restaurant screaming and crying for hours after... haunting."
Agronut
Inside the House
"One random night in middle school I woke up and had the odd feeling that something or someone was present in the house and coming towards my room. I was scared so I closed my eyes to pretend to be asleep. I could faintly hear something come into my room and it felt like someone was standing over me, looking to make sure I was asleep. I laid on my back, eyes shut, until the feeling passed, and ended up falling asleep. I woke up in the morning to find out that our house was robbed."
ThatOtherOtherGuy3
There in lies the rub...
"Well dressed 50 something business dude on a quiet Chicago L train reading a Wall Street Journal. Pretty woman with long curly hair dozing in the seat in front of him, her hair dangling behind the seat. The guy is rubbing and playing with her hair while reading his paper so I figure she's his wife or girlfriend who just wanted some space to nap."
"He is now intently rubbing and fondling her hair and not reading anymore. Suddenly she snaps awake and pulls in her hair like a bug was in it or something. She gets off at the next stop, he continues reading. They didn't know each other at all."
mtzuker
Why do people feel the need to overshare?
People really need to discuss boundaries.
