5 Ways to Thank a Cast Member

TouringPlans is pleased to welcome back guest author Daria Griffis.

Cast Members are always going above and beyond to ensure a magical vacation, and sometimes thanking them can be forgotten in the hustle and bustle of a Disney vacation. Here are 5 ways you can thank a Cast Member, and make sure they’re on the receiving end of a magical day, too!

Just Say Thank You!

The simplest way to thank a Cast Member is just that–thanking them! A simple thank you and telling them that they’ve made the day that much better goes a long way, especially if it seems exceptionally busy and the Cast are working extra hard to keep everything running smoothly. Often that simple thank you can brighten their busy day. Don’t forget their name tags; you’re on a first-name basis with every Cast Member! Thanking them with their name can add that extra bit of magic.

Tokens or Gifts

This option might not be for everyone, but I’ve seen a family give a homemade keychain to a Cast Member, and that interaction completely brightened the Cast Member’s day. Small gifts with a ‘Thanks from [insert your name or family name here] can definitely brighten an unexpecting Cast Member’s day! As long as it’s not monetary, small gifts, like a keychain, are okay to give to Cast Members. (Note: During COVID-19 precautions, not all Cast Members are comfortable receiving physical objects. Feel free to offer items, but don’t be offended if they say no thanks.)

Talk to a Coordinator/Manager

If you’ve had an exceptional experience with a Cast Member, see if you can find their manager nearby. Usually a Cast Manager will be in a different costume than their fellow Cast. It’s best to look for said managers in the immediate area so they’ll know exactly who you’re talking about. Don’t be afraid to walk up and tell them how great of an experience you had with the Cast Member. They love to hear it, and they’re there to help make and keep your day magical. They take the time to get to know their Cast personally, and are glad to hear when their Cast is doing well!

Speak with Guest Services

If you weren’t able to thank the Cast Member individually, or tell their manager, or if you want to send a thank you down the pipe to the entire team that you had a great experience with, you can always head to Guest Services. They’ll gladly pass the word down to the right people that you had a great experience. And if you want to send an extra thank you after already thanking the Cast Member(s) don’t be afraid to stop by Guest Services and let them know! Written thank you statements from guests go into their personnel file and do help them in their careers.

Use Social Media and Email

The last on our list is one that’s a little less known, and is a little more for the tech savvy. There are several ways both officially and unofficially to get Cast Members recognized through Twitter. Using the Twitter hashtag, #CastCompliment, you can tweet your experience, with or without a photo you might’ve snapped of the Cast Member who made your day extra magical. In the past, Disney has looked over that hashtag feed and shared those comments with the Cast Members, and Cast Members often look at that feed to share with their friends and co-workers. You can also tweet to the official Disney guest services Twitter account @WDWGuestService. Many people use this for customer service issues, but they are always happy to hear positive news as well. Finally, you can also email any feedback about Cast Members (or anything else) to wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com. Make sure to include all the information you can remember about them (their name, where you saw them, and what day/time).

Have any other suggestions for thanking Cast Members? Want to share a magical moment you had with one on your last trip? Let us know in the comments.

Daria Griffis is a life-long Disney fanatic and Type 1 Diabetic. She is currently pursuing a B.A in Technical Theater, with an Emphasis in Lighting Design. She’s been writing all her life, and is overjoyed for the opportunity to join the TouringPlans Team!