Disney jargon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Disney theme park terminology is characterized by a broad set of abbreviations and codes used at the theme parks of The Walt Disney Company. This specialized terminology is used for brevity or, sometimes, as a sort of code which will not be immediately understood by park guests. Much of the terminology has worked its way into the vernacular of Disney employees and fans.

The idea is that everyone who is working for Disney, in a place where guests may observe them, is "on stage." In order to create the illusion of the Disney fantasy, where people can visit to "get away from it all," each employee is told they are putting on a show. This means that every employee is a "cast member," every uniform they wear is a "costume," every customer at Disney is referred to as a "guest" and every job/position is a "role." Another aspect of Disney "corporate lingo" is the tendency to refer to things by their abbreviation. So the Walt Disney World Resort becomes "WDW" and the Magic Kingdom Park becomes "MK".

[edit] Terms

The following is a collection of typical Disney terms and their meanings.

100 ("one-hundred") - (Walt Disney World / Disneyland Resort)

A theme park term which means an attraction is shut down, closed, stopped, prior to the park opening or the attraction's scheduled opening time impeding past that opening time.

101 ("one-oh-one") - (Walt Disney World / Disneyland Resort)

A theme park term which means an attraction is shut down, closed, stopped, or otherwise not accepting any more people.

102 ("one-oh-two") - (Walt Disney World)

A theme park term which means an attraction is currently accepting and/or loading guests.

103 ("one-oh-three") - (Walt Disney World)

A theme park term/radio code which means "I need to use the restroom", which is used almost exclusively at the Kilimanjaro Safaris attraction in Disney's Animal Kingdom Park, part of the Walt Disney World resort in Florida.

104 ("one-oh-four") - (Disneyland Resort)

A theme park term which means an attraction is currently accepting and/or loading guests.

105 ("one-oh-five") - (Walt Disney World / Disneyland Resort)

A theme park term which means an attraction is currently accepting and/or loading guests at a reduced number of vehicles or capacity.

106 ("one-oh-six") - (Disneyland Resort)

A theme park term which means an attraction has returned to accepting and/or loading guests at a normal rate.

107 ("one-oh-seven") - (Walt Disney World)

A theme park term which means an attraction has returned to accepting and/or loading guests at a normal rate.

108 ("one-oh-eight") - (Walt Disney World)

A theme park term which means an attraction has closed for an extended period of time.

904 visible

Code for a fire visible to park visitors. (904 is code for a non-visible fire.)

904 TC

Code for a trash can fire visible to park visitors.

Alpha-Unit

A Disney code for an ambulance used not to alert a guest that there has been an accident or injury

All-you-care-to-eat buffet

A term used to indicate to guests that they do not have to eat until they are full (as in "all-you-can-eat"). This may also be used to dissociate Disney buffets from the cheap all-you-can-eat buffets abundant in the Orlando area.

Back stage

An area not accessible to customers, for employees only, where they can not be observed.

Business Casual

Term for a set of "Disney Look" guidelines that indicate how a person should dress for a particular function or event. (ex. internal interviews, networking functions, backstage roles)

Cast Member

A Disney employee at a theme park or a resort. (See also Crew Member)

Casting Center

The Disney Employment Office where a prospective employee goes to apply for a job.

Character Dining

Term for a meal (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) with Disney Characters. All character meals are fixed price, and are buffet style, family style or pre-plated with various characters each day.

College Programmer (also CPer)

A student intern on the Walt Disney World College Program.

College Recruiting

Department which conducts all the Walt Disney World College Program presentations, interviews, and processes all applications for the internship.

Costume

The outfit or uniform an employee is required to wear while working.

Counter Service

Term for a stationary outdoor food location where you purchase at a counter, from a set menu, and carry the food to a location to eat. For example, the outside food locations and bakeries at each of the countries at Epcot are "Counter Service".

Crew Member

Term for a Disney employee on the Disney Cruise line. (See also Cast Member)

Cultural Representative Program

One of two Walt Disney World International Program available for international students.

Cycling Out

The middle, in-between stage where a ride is still running in order to clear out the people already inside, but no more are being accepted.

Disney Look

Term for a list of rules that govern every employee's appearance while at work. For example: no bright nail polish, no hair longer than your ears (for men), not more than one earring in each ear, one ring maximum on each hand, no un-shined shoes, no visible tattoos, no unnatural hair color, and until recently, no mustaches and no dreadlocks (for men).

Disney Point

This is a point with the index and middle fingers, as opposed to just the index finger (also used commonly by flight attendants when pointing out all six exits in a plane). Supposedly, this is because in some cultures, pointing with just one finger is rude. Also, it might remind one of when their mother would wag their fingers at them when they were bad.

Disney University

The Disney employee training location. New hires are to take "classes" at DU where they are trained on how to perform their jobs.

Disneyland Resort Line

A Disneyland Resort internal newspaper highlighting current and future news events; it is available only to employees.

Double Time

Payment equal to "double" your regular hourly pay rate, achieved when working overtime on holidays or when working more than 12 hours in a day or when working two shifts with less than eight hours "off" in between.

E-Ticket (see also E Ride Night)

An E Ticket (or E ticket ride) refers to an unusually thrilling, most-interesting, or most-expensive theme park attraction. It derives from the tickets used at Disneyland and Walt Disney World theme parks until the early 1980s. Park guests bought tickets in different denominations, from "A" through "E", with "E" tickets being the most expensive and reserved for the newest, most expensive or most popular rides and attractions. The parks no longer use this method of selling tickets, but the phrase continues to be used.

E Ride Night

The older version of Extra Magic Hours- during E-Ride Nights guests staying in Walt Disney World Resorts could purchase the option to remain in the Magic Kingdom for three hours extended past the public park closing time. Most primary attractions and merchandise locations remained open.

Extra Magic Hours

This term is used for special extended hours at all four main theme parks and both water parks, complimentary but available only to Disney World Resort Guests. Typically the park hours are extended either one hour earlier or three hours later than public park hours, with each park having rotating days that their hours will be extended. Most of the main attractions are open to Resort Guests. Guest must present a valid resort ID keycard to enter for morning Extra Magic Hours or to receive a wristband that will allow them to enter or stay for evening Extra Magic Hours.

Eyes & Ears

A Walt Disney World Resort internal newspaper highlighting current and future news events; it is available only to employees.

Guest

A customer at Walt Disney World or the Disneyland Resort.

Guest Service Manager

A salaried supervisor at any location.

Hard Ticket Event

Term for an Disney theme park event that requires separate admission to join, regular park hours are usually reduced to accommodate the event and employees cannot use their ID to gain admission. For example customers who purchase regular park entrance, and wish to stay for the event, are asked to purchase an additional ticket and often to exit & re-enter the park in order to participate.

Host/Hostess

Term used to describe an employee's position to a customer. For example, "I am a merchandise host, may I help you?" reinforces the concept of customers as guests.

Imagineers

Term for the park's artists and engineers who create, build, and test all the Disney theme park rides and shows.

International College Program.

One of two Walt Disney World International Program available for international students.

Monorail

The Walt Disney World Monorail System is a single rail serving as a track for a wheeled vehicle traveling on the system for rapid transit throughout the Walt Disney World resort in Bay Lake, Florida, USA. Three Separate tracks make up the Walt Disney World monorail system, the Magic Kingdom and Epcot tracks that allow for guests to travel quickly to the parks and then the Resort track that makes stops st the Magic Kingdom resorts (Contemporary, Polynesian, and Grand Floridian). Both Tracks meet at the Transportation and Ticket Center for transferring between trains.

Off property

A venue not on Disney property also used to describe something that would never be allowed "on property". For example, "I want to really cut loose, let's go to an off property club tonight."

On property

A Disney venue within its park or resort borders.

On stage

Any location where a customer may observe an employee; used to restrict certain activities. For example, no employee is allowed to smoke, eat, or drink while "on stage".

Out Door Foods

Internal term for the department in charge of operating the mobile "fast food" locations in a park or resort like an ice cream cart.

Plussing

A term used by Disney employees that refers to the process of adding little things to a ride, show, attraction or work of art that already seems very good. Walt Disney did plussing on every project he was involved in to reach perfection and outdo competitors. Examples of plussing include everything from adding fireworks to the rooftop scene in Mary Poppins to continuously adding things like a playable "scavenger hunt game" in the waiting area of the Haunted Mansion attraction at Disneyland Park.

Portal

The Walt Disney Company's intranet

Property Control

Employee discount merchandise outlet, located behind the Magic Kingdom in the employee parking lot. This outlet is stocked with Disney merchandise that is either out dated, has been returned or is slightly damaged. All items are offered at a 75% discount, in addition to daily sales.

Protein Spill

A Disney term to indicate that someone has vomited.

Quick Bites

New term for the mobile "fast food" locations in a park or resort. For example, an ice cream cart, popcorn stand, or a pretzel vender.

Quick-Service

(New) Internal term for the "fast food" locations in a park or resort like an ice cream cart. This term has been changed to "Quick Bites" on all customer media.

Role

A job or a position with Disney

Show

Term used to describe the importance of image, "Show", a word heard everywhere at Disney, means a great deal to the company, and the idea of an on-stage face is encouraged.

Spieling

A term used by front line Cast Members addressing large groups of Guests, whether loading/unloading from an Attraction, Tram, or Bus, or addressing Guests prior to a show or parade.

Termination (or Termed)

Term for dismissal from a position (i.e. being fired).

Utilidors

Term for the underground tunnels at the Magic Kingdom. The word is a combination of utility and corridors.

Visual Magnet

See Wienie

Wienie

A "Wienie" or "Visual Magnet" is a Disney Imagineers theme park term for a visual attraction that can be seen from far away and guides people around a theme park. The term originates from the cliché that a carrot (or other food) held in front of a horse makes the horse walk forward. In the Disneyland Park, the primary wienie is Sleeping Beauty Castle. People that arrive at that point will then see other Wienies like the Tomorrowland rocket ship or Frontierland's Mark Twain, which will in turn guide them towards further attractions.

Working Lead

A hourly supervisor at any location at the Disneyland Resort.

[edit] Abbreviations

Disney frequent uses abbreviations in everyday speech to signify locations or departments.

ADO

Abbreviation of Authorized Day Off.

AFR

Abbreviation of Accidental Fecal Release.

AI

Walt Disney World Advance Internship Program (now called "Professional Intern").

BB

Abbreviation of Blizzard Beach.

CDS

Cast Deployment System, program used by employees to "clock in/out" of work shifts and obtain position rotation information.

CP

College Program, used to reference a student intern.

CRP

Cultural Representative Program, part of the Walt Disney World International Program, used to reference cast members participating in this program.

CRO

Central Reservations, reachable by phone and able to book WDTC vacation packages or rooms.

DAK

Abbreviation of Disney's Animal Kingdom.

DCA

Abbreviation of Disney's California Adventure Park.

DCL

Abbreviation of the Disney Cruise Line.

DDE

Abbreviation of Disney Dining Experience.

DDP

Abbreviation of Disney Dining Plan.

DI

Disney Institute.

DL

Abbreviation of Disneyland Park.

DLH

Abbreviation of Disneyland Hotel.

DLP

Abbreviation of the Disneyland Park Paris.

DLRP

Abbreviation of the Disneyland Resort Paris.

DLR

Abbreviation of the Disneyland Resort.

DME

Disney's Magical Express

DPMS

Abbreviation for Disney Property Management System for Walt Disney World Resort Reservations.

DSA

Disney Special Activities (Department that handles special park VIP Tours and high profile clients).

DTD

Abbreviation for the Downtown Disney entertainment area.

DU

Disney University.

DVC

Disney Vacation Club.

DWWS

Disney's Wide World of Sports.

EC

Abbreviation of Epcot.

EHH

Extra Hours Hotline, the system used to "pick up" shifts in addition to a Cast Member's scheduled shift in multiple locations (WDW)

EPCOT

Abbreviation for "Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow", Walt Disney's progressive idea for a self-contained community. The idea has since morphed into a theme park. Among employees, EPCOT holds several humorous, well-intended meanings such as "Every Person Comes Out Tired", "Every Paycheck Comes On Thursday", and "Evil Polyester Costumes Of Torture ". Note that the park's name is no longer an acronym, and so it is properly written Epcot.

ER

Abbreviation of Early Release.

ETRS

Abbreviation of Employee Time Recording System. System that documents Cast Memember time worked for payroll.

F&B

Abbreviation for Food & Beverage.

GAC

Abbreviation for a Guest Assistance Card.

GEMS

Group Employee Master Schedules. Scheduling software used at the Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort.

GC

Guest Control.

GCH

Abbreviation of Disney's Grand Californian Hotel.

GR

Guest Relations.

HKDL

Abbreviation of Hong Kong Disneyland.

HKDR

Abbreviation of the Hong Kong Disneyland Resort.

HOB

House of Blues restaurant & club located in Downtown Disney.

ICP

International College Program, part of the Walt Disney World International Program, used to reference summer cast members from the International Program.

IP

International Program, used to reference International Program cast members.

MEGS

Abbreviation for the Main Entrance/Guest Services department.

MGM

Abbreviation for the Disney-MGM Studios.

MK

Abbreviation of Magic Kingdom Park in Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. Note that Disneyland Park in California is NOT the Magic Kingdom Park and was never officially named the Magic Kingdom Park.

MNSSHP

Abbreviation of Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party. Also referred to as the 'Not so Scary'.

MVMCP

Abbreviation of Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party.

MYW

"Magic Your Way", the WDW ticket type offered from 2005 to present (usually on a WDTC package)

ODF

Out Door Foods, the department which runs the outdoor vending services in the parks & resorts.

ODV

Outdoor Vending/ Outdoor Ventures (collectively Disneyland Resort Outdoor Vending), the department which runs the outdoor vending services (churros, popcorn, cotton candy, glow, frozen lemonade, pretzels, etc.) in Disneyland and Disney's California Adventure.

PI

Pleasure Island - A late night club entertainment venue which is provided free to cast members each Monday and Thursday night.

PPH

Abbreviation of Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel.

PVH

Abbreviation of [pinocchio village haus].

RDO

Abbreviation for a Regular Day Off.

RO

Ride Operator - Disney "slang" for Attractions Host.

ROS

Release of Shift - Being permitted to go home sick prior to scheduled shift end.

SIN

Service Industry Night, a free night of admission (Usually Sunday) to the HOB club or an extremely discounted dinner show ($8 each on the first Tuesday monthly) at Arabian Nights for all service industry employees.

ST

Abbreviation of Disney-MGM Studios.

TDA

Abbreviation for Team Disney Anaheim, the Disneyland Resort Administration office.

TDL

Abbreviation for Tokyo Disneyland.

TDR

Abbreviation for Tokyo Disney Resort.

TDS

Abbreviation for Tokyo DisneySea.

TL

Abbreviation for Typhoon Lagoon.

TTA

Abbreviation for Tomorrowland Transit Authority.

TTC

Abbreviation for Transportation & Ticket Center.

TWDC

Abbreviation for The Walt Disney Company.

WDI

Abbreviation for Walt Disney Imagineering.

WDTC

Abbreviation for Walt Disney Travel Company.

WDS

Abbreviation for Walt Disney Studios (Paris).

WDW

Abbreviation for Walt Disney World Resort.

WDWCP

Abbreviation for the Walt Disney World College Program.

WDWIP

Abbreviation for Walt Disney World International Program.

WL

Abbreviation of Working Lead.

WOD

Abbreviation for the World of Disney at Downtown Disney.