"Cast Member Moment" Number One

We take our ice cream and eat as we go, finishing pretty quickly. I manage to get chocolate all over my face. Life is good.

Just after we pass through Innoventions West, I have my first “Cast Member Moment.” This is where some blessedly well-meaning but frankly unenlightened induhvidual mistakes me for a Disney Cast Member and asks for directions, information, or a pin trade. Now, I’m 6’5”, 43 years old, over 300 pounds, and have non-Disney facial hair. I don’t think I look like a CM. I do wear slightly nicer clothing than the average guest, usually slacks and buttoned shirts, but nothing really resembling the CM costumes I see around me. I have on a “Guest of Honor” badge with my name on it, but (1) it’s red, not white, and (2) my family members, who are very obviously with me, are each wearing one also.

But it’s always me that gets approached -- and I've been in the park, what, 12 minutes? (Back in 2003, Becky did have a couple of CM Moments, but other than that, it’s been me.) I haven’t figured it out.

I do know how to respond, though. If I know the information they seek and can two-finger-point the guest in the right direction without revealing his or her mistake, I do so. No sense ruining the magic. Plus, it’s kind of fun to “play CM” (though I draw the line at picking up trash).

In this case it’s a harried mom with a young son seeking the nearest restroom. This one I know. I point her around the corner with a smile.

Okay, with my “job duties” out of the way, we check the electronic sign board for attraction wait times. Soarin’ is showing a standby queue wait time of 105 minutes, and a Fastpass return time of 8:30 p.m. Okay, that’s just not going to happen today. (Even if we didn’t have 2:00 meal reservations, we just do not wait in lines that long.)

Wait a sec – The Seas with Nemo & Friends is only showing a 30-minute wait! That, my friends, is doable. We veer right and head for The Seas.