How to Give a Cast Compliment

The other day I was waiting for a friend in the Magic Kingdom. We were supposed to meet at Tomorrowland Launch Depot (that store between Space Mountain and Tron), but my friend was delayed and I ended up having to hang out in the store for more than a normal amount of time. It was pouring rain. I was wet, tired, generally cranky, and with my aggressive phone scrolling, probably giving off a decidedly grumpy vibe.

As I checked my watch for the billionth time, I looked down to see a tiny vehicle heading toward me. It was a remote controlled light cycle that zoomed in my direction, did a quick circle around me, and stopped at my feet. I scanned the area and saw that the cycle was being controlled by a cast member standing on the other side of the store. She pointed at me and then at the cycle, indicating that I should look bend down to examine it. When I did, I noticed that it was “holding” a Mickey Mouse sticker. The cast member then nodded at me, indicating that the sticker was a gift for me, from her, delivered by Tron cycle.

All of a sudden that freebie piece of sticky paper had turned my mood around. A sweet CM saw me (literally and figuratively) and acted to perk me up. I was cranky and she made me smile. Now I was engaged and amused. How does the cycle work? What other fun things were happening in the store? Seriously, that cast member’s tiny kindness changed the trajectory of my entire day. Interactions like this happen a thousand times a day at Walt Disney World. It’s not hyperbole to say that they are really what make Disney special and differentiates it from many other entertainment venues.

At the store, I walked over to Hannah the CM and thanked her in person for boosting my mood. But I also wanted to let her managers know that she had done a great job of making a guest’s day better. The easiest way to do this is by giving an official “Cast Compliment.”

To give a Cast Compliment, open up the Disney World app on you phone or tablet. You can do this in the moment or at any later time.

When you open the app, you’ll get a screen that looks like this (but probably with a character that’s less awesome than Mrs. Incredible).

From there, scroll allllll the way down until you see the Cast Compliment menu.

Click there and you’ll be taken to the Cast Compliment portal.

At the portal, you’ll be presented with two drop down menus. The first says “Send magic to a Cast Member for …” and then gives you the option to select:

• Acknowledging our special day and making it even more magical
• Sharing great recommendations and unique insights
• Remembering us and making us feel like family
• Going out of their way to make our day unforgettable
• Being great to talk to and incredibly friendly
• Making such a positive impact on my day
• Going out of their way to be caring, kind, and helpful
• Making the day magical for my children
• Creating a special magical moment for us that was the highlight of our trip
• Being so entertaining and engaging that they made our day
• Going above and beyond to resolve a situation or issue
• Sharing their fun energy with us and making us laugh
• Inspiring my child to be a future Cast Member
• Going above and beyond to keep the area around us sparkling clean

The second drop down menu asks you to select a location where your positive event occurred (theme park, hotel, transportation, etc.). There are then fields to add the Cast Member’s name and hometown (these are on every CM name tag) as well as the date that your positive event happened.

That’s it. The entire thing takes about a minute. CMs get notified when guests thank them on the Cast Compliment portal and having an abundance of compliments can have a positive impact on the CM’s career path.

Have you thanked a Cast Member recently? Tell us about your positive interaction.