hey! CMs! what do you eat on your breaks?

[dumbo_buddy]

so i'm sitting at my desk daydreaming about working at disney (will probably never happen) and thinking about what i would do on my lunch breaks.

first off, can you walk around? i know they don't want people in certain uniforms to be walking around the park.

secondly, do you get disney food? i think i'd eat at a CS everyday (well, until i dropped dead of a heart attack from all the burgers!).

do you CMs bring lunch? buy lunch? eat a :bar: everyday?

[Bethanymouse]

Cant wait to find out the answer to this question! Its a good one!

[smatterchu]

Well, I hate to burst your :mickey:-shaped bubble... :secret: As you have probably noticed, we leave the park shopping and dining to our guests. Those are for your enjoyment and use. :thumbsup:

As much as I would love to pop into a CS and grab a Turkey Leg or something for lunch, we actually have our own food service options backstage. It's pretty tasty - similar to any large-scale dining option....you order your food from any of several stations and pay at the central cashier. Dining options could be a sub sandwich, fresh salad, chicken stir-fry, grilled cheese or a bowl of cereal with a banana...

Many of us bring out own lunches/snacks and eat them in the break room areas. For me, being out in the heat really takes a lot of my appetite, so I'm mostly thirsty and wanting fruit. I usually have a couple of bottles of drink, a banana and maybe some other stuff before it's time to go back out. We usually have freezer pops in the fridge at the PhotoPass HQ, and those are great for helping get your body temp back down. :cloud9:

[mouseketeer mom]

What a fun question! I guess alot of us non CM's, but wannabe CM's, daydream that working at Disney is just a little like vacationing at Disney. Again, Great question!

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Sometime if you have a change of clothes, you can go upstairs and buy something from a CS location but you only have 30 minutes and that needs to include getting to and from your location.

As Smaterchu said, we have our own options backstage. I personally like Subway and the breakfast items are pretty good. I usually eat them when I am working a late night (the main Mouseketeria opens at 3:30am, perfect for us Emporium CM's working until 5am).

For the most part though, it's cheaper to bring our own food, so that is what I usually do. I get Subway when I forget mine, or sometimes when they give us free food for Cast Appreciation/Holidays/Exceeding Records. Last week we had a Luau backstage with burgers, dogs, chips, mickey bars, strawberry bars, all kinds of goodies!!

[PAYROLL PRINCESS]

The CM's cafeteria is actually run by an outside service. I had a couple of friends who worked for that food service company in the past. This is also one of the businesses that the company I work for does but not on such a large scale. Too bad because that's one road trip I wouldn't mind taking!

[tinkerbell04]

Great question!!

[Crow]

it is a good question!

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

The CM's cafeteria is actually run by an outside service. I had a couple of friends who worked for that food service company in the past. This is also one of the businesses that the company I work for does but not on such a large scale. Too bad because that's one road trip I wouldn't mind taking!

Yes, that company is Aramark.

The other major food service provider is Sodexho. Both are very good companies who give pretty good value for food.

[Gusgus]

When we went on the "keys to the kingdom tour" The tour guide said "a long long time ago" Disney staffed the food service for the cast members. However when a customer service area was running out of burgers or something, the cast area would get raided leaving happy guests and hungry cast members. That was a main reason (not the only reason) for turning it over to a private service.

Gusgus

[T-Belle]

the main Mouseketeria opens at 3:30am

Mouseketeria!!!!!I LOVE it!!!

[TheRustyScupper]

1) We get a 40-minute lunch.
2) We eat as cheaply as possible.
3) That means either brown-bag or cafeteria.

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

;) What would you guys eat if you were visiting and not working/is there some kind of guilty pleasure that you just can't stop yourself from craving?

[CaptainDisney]

I agree, the Mouseketeeria (MK) is really great. Although walking there from the monorail station takes about 15 min of a 30 min break!

Many CMs bring food. That is really the only option in some cases. For instance, if one is working at a resort after hours (which could be anything before 7:00 am or after 6:00 pm), there is no cafeteria service. I've worked shifts at the Poly until 4:45 am and the cafeteria closed before I even showed up to work!

[J9]

I usually brought food with me, or I would eat at the Take 5 cafeteria in MGM. (There was a subway....I love subway!!!!) The food is pretty good - it just reminded me a little too much of my college's cafeteria at times since both are run by Aramark.

With that said, I was lucky enough to have black shorts as my costume. if I really wanted something from the park eateries, I just had to throw on a different shirt and off I went. It was a lot easier at MGM because it is a smaller park so everything is very close.

When i did venture into the park for food I had a few standbys:

-The Dip Station over by Indy (they used to sell cheesesteaks at the time. Sometimes a Philly gal just has a hankering for a cheesesteak!!!)
-Rosie's Hamburgers
-Writer's Stop (always good for a gingerbread cookie)
-Sweet Spells (smoothies....mmmmm)
-Nestle IceCream Cookie Sandwich from outside the Little Guest Relations Kiosk by the Fountain
-And every once in a blue moon I would take a walk to Pizza Planet (although I'm not a huge fan of Disney pizza for some reason)

Actually - thinking back I ate out in the parks more often than I originally thought I did! LOL

So, I hope that helps for the sort of thing you were looking for.

[joanna71985]

It depends on my mood. Most times I will bring lunch with me, and once in awhile I will buy lunch backstage (my favorite places are at MK and DHS. I always bring lunch to Epcot- too far to buy lunch backstage. And I also enjoy AK, but sometimes it's too far). However, once in awhile I will go onstage and get lunch. I have an hour, so it gives me time to go get food.

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

Man, we really get the short end on our side. We only get 30 minutes, so not enough to walk to Mouseketeria (unless you're like me and walk really fast). And the Main Street food services close by 7pm, which is NOT fun when you are like me and working until 4 am today.

Guess that means breakfast at the Mouseketeria again!

[dolphinmickey9170]

Man, we really get the short end on our side. We only get 30 minutes, so not enough to walk to Mouseketeria (unless you're like me and walk really fast). And the Main Street food services close by 7pm, which is NOT fun when you are like me and working until 4 am today.

Guess that means breakfast at the Mouseketeria again!

Well, Jessica....we will be taking you to your favorite CS place during our fun times in August, so you better be figuring out where you wanna go!!:mickey::mickey:

[joanna71985]

Man, we really get the short end on our side. We only get 30 minutes, so not enough to walk to Mouseketeria (unless you're like me and walk really fast). And the Main Street food services close by 7pm, which is NOT fun when you are like me and working until 4 am today.

Guess that means breakfast at the Mouseketeria again!

Yeah, it stinks that the Main Street place closes so early, when Main Street is open the latest. Go figure.

[Minnie Imagineer]

If you are working as a character, you take your costume off, eat, and then put it back on right? Might be a stupid question, but do they have to re-do hair and makeup too?
Do you have to change if you are just in a uniform? I saw the costuming dept on our tour-its huge!!

[*Liz*]

I really hated Aramark food. Always felt/tasted greasy. Pride Rock (the cafeteria) over at AK had a much better variety IMO. But during the holiday season, our shifts (costuming) were longer so we got 1 hour for lunch. Our manager let us go get lunch/snacks in the park as long as we were on a break and our shirts were covered up. We used to go Casey's Corner and the Noodle Station all the time. Too bad they didn't have CS discounts though.

A bunch of us Spectro costumers would also head over to Peco's Bills for dinner as well. Even was able to ride BTMR during our lunch break. ;) I miss the college program terribly.

[Crow]

maybe we should ask where would u eat if you had time....places that you knew had good food?

[CaptainJessicaSparrow]

If you are working as a character, you take your costume off, eat, and then put it back on right? Might be a stupid question, but do they have to re-do hair and makeup too?
Do you have to change if you are just in a uniform? I saw the costuming dept on our tour-its huge!!

Well, technically, Cinderella needs to be extra careful with her dress so she often eats in her bloomers. However, it's always obvious she is Cinderella, and when she is joined by Belle, Aurora, Snow, the Prince or sometimes Jack Sparrow.

If you followed that. Meaning, she's still Cinderella, but without her dress and what I like to call her blue bib (the jacket/coat they are given when not in costume to protect the undergarments)!

[VolMickey]

... The other major food service provider is Sodexho...

Sodexho doers our food service at the main hospital of our health system. Great company and great folks to work with on-site. Sounds like you guys have a food court, though I think "Mouseketeria" sounds better. Our new facility, opening in a few months will have a wok station, Mexican, American, sushi station, etc. Great selections.

[luvdiznee]

DS works for Sodexho. He has for the past years, maybe he will consider a transfer....:mickey:

[TheRustyScupper]

If you are working as a character, you take your costume off, eat, and then put it back on right?

1) If you are a face-character, you can't be seen publicly in make-up.
. . . if eating in cast areas, no problem
. . . if eating in public areas, oops
. . . so, they usually take of parts of the costume to eat
2) If you are non-face character, your clothes are too wet and sweaty for public.
. . . you sweat a lot in those duds
. . . ok, if eating at cast places
. . . maybe a little stinky if in public
. . . but, you really can't eat in a big costume
. . . plus, they are REALLY hot inside
. . . that is why you work in 20-minute shifts, or less

[dumbo_buddy]

hi everyone! thanks for responding to my post. i was sad after it didn't get any replies for a long time! i'm thrilled to log in again and see this!

in my disney dreams i think of all the cast members going incognito on their breaks and eating at all the CS's and stuff! :thumbsup:

[lockedoutlogic]

hi everyone! thanks for responding to my post. i was sad after it didn't get any replies for a long time! i'm thrilled to log in again and see this!

in my disney dreams i think of all the cast members going incognito on their breaks and eating at all the CS's and stuff! :thumbsup:

disney employees...generally speaking....don't really make enough to go out and have a 10 dollar burger basket everyday.....

...but it's an interesting question nonetheless....

generally speaking.....the location that you work at effects the "disney-ness" of the work experience....

While working at Caribbean....some of us would go off the radar screen and go down to wolfgang pucks......occasionally go swimming on lunches....that kinda stuff.....
it was fun....but not a very "Disney" place.....actuallly it was a bad work environnent.....but the management was non-existent...so those of us that basically were shift supervisors made out own rules....within reason....

working at the GF....if was a little more structured (but management was still non-existent)....but just being in that hotel on the lagoon made it more "disney".....
one of the great things there was that the chef from victioria and alberts used to pass some of his time by hamming it up with the employees in the employee cafeteria (which is conveniently right behind V&A's)....
that made the day to day grind a little more fun....a little less like work....

i think the employee experience varies greatly from location to location.....as it does in any company.....and the overall satisfaction is greatly influence by skilled and charasmatic managers......so it is at WDW as well....

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . but management was still non-existent . . .

1) This is the case at most WDW locations.
2) The management is not very good.
3) One reason is that there is very little management training.
4) That is why when you "ask for a manager", you can get lots of freebies. *
5) What a pity.

* The current mantra is "Every guest should have the best time ever at WDW." So, the way you get promoted as a manager is to not have complaints go above your level. I ENCOURAGE EVERY GUEST to "ask for a manager" sometime during their stay and complain about something, anything. Chances are they will get something for free. I normally do not want peopel to get something for nothing, but this is a different case. If you don't want a trained management force, then you get what you deserve.

[lockedoutlogic]

1) This is the case at most WDW locations.
2) The management is not very good.
3) One reason is that there is very little management training.
4) That is why when you "ask for a manager", you can get lots of freebies. *
5) What a pity.

* The current mantra is "Every guest should have the best time ever at WDW." So, the way you get promoted as a manager is to not have complaints go above your level. I ENCOURAGE EVERY GUEST to "ask for a manager" sometime during their stay and complain about something, anything. Chances are they will get something for free. I normally do not want peopel to get something for nothing, but this is a different case. If you don't want a trained management force, then you get what you deserve.


you're preaching to the converted, my brother.....

i wish i had a nickel for everytime that i had to handle an issue because the managers were "busy" or just plain disappeared....

one of the things that has greatly eroded the overall quality and worker morale at WDW is that the management and rank and file have no delineation of duties now....and the command structure is often disreagarded simply to get the day over and keep the ship afloat....in FAR too many locations and situations....

Someday i would like to return and work there again.....but i don't think i can until they stop talking about worldclass service...while the whole time doing everything they can behind the scenes to make it an almost impossibility....