When working at Walt Disney World for my first WDWCP, it was a great experience, but one that still took a lot of learning on my part. Even though I was working at popcorn and ice cream, there was a lot that needed to be taken in and implanted in my brain.
One of those things was learning how to pronounce the name of the rainbow popsicles called “Itzakadoozies.” Many don’t realize how to say it, but it’s quite simple when you break it down: Its-ah-kah-doo-zee.
Simple, right?
Another thing that I needed to learn as a young 20-year-old kid was how to deal with guests that could bring about complaints or scams or troubles or kids or anger or anything that could come my way.
Working at Walt Disney World isn’t like any other job in the world. When presented with troubles, you’ve got to remember to keep calm, smile, and bring the magic even when dealing with the hardest of situations.
The Cast Members like to be friendly and kind and playful with guests. Not only is a part of the Disney persona, but it also helped pass the time when standing in one place at work for 8-12 hours.
Often times, guests would come up to my ice cream wagon and ask for whatever they wanted and some would simply point at the Itzakadoozie and say “That one.” After a few weeks and getting my footing, I’d always tell guests…”You’ve got to say it in order to get it.”
It would bring about some funny pronunciations and some laughs.
But, with that kind of thing…you’re going to get the people that don’t want to joke around, aren’t happy about anything, or just think they are above that sort of fun. Such was the case one day when two young teenagers thought it would be fun to mess with the Disney Cast Member.
One day, I was stationed at an ice cream wagon that used to sit outside of the front of Haunted Mansion. It was a slow day, and there I stood with my blue knickers and white frilly shirt on, which was the required costume for that part of Liberty Square back then.
That was when two teenagers – maybe 13 or 14 each – walked up, and it was obvious they thought they were the coolest people in the park that day.
Doctor Disney: “Hi there, how I can help you both today?”
Kid 1: “I’ll have one of those Mickey-head ice creams.”
Kid 2: “Give me one of those (points to Itzakadoozie).”
Kid 1: “Me too…I want one of those instead.”
DD: “Which one?
Kid 1: “That one (points again)!”
DD: “Oh…what’s it called?”
Kid 2: “Come on. Just give us the popsicles.”
At this point, I take two of the Itzakadoozie pops out of my freezer and hold them up.
DD: “What are they?”
Kid 1: “You know what they are. Just give them to us.”
DD: “If you can’t say the name of them, then you can’t have them.”
Kid 2 starts cracking up laughing and pointing at me.
Kid 1: “Ohhhh you think you’re so cool. Well, you have to give them to us because we are paying and all you do is work here.”
Now, he throws money (change and all) down on the top of my wagon and stares at me.
Kid 1: “So give them to us.”
I flash a huge smile, hand him back his money, open up the top of my freezer, and put the two pops right back in. I look over the shoulders of the kids and speak to the next guest to help them.
Kid 1: “Hey!”
Kid 2: “You…you’re not going to give them…sell them to us?”
DD: “Pardon me guys, I’ve got other guests here.”
The two teens just stand there off to the side as I help other guests. One tells me, “Good for you!” and another guest just places her order and moves on. A moment later, my wagon is clear and there are no guests at the time.
The rude and angry teenager steps right back in front of the wagon.
Kid 1: “Two eye-zak-add-oozies please.”
I hand him the two pops. He hands me the money. I thank them both and wish them a magical day. As they’re walking away, the second teen turns back around.
Kid 2: “Thank you, sir. Have a good day!”
I would have gladly sold them the popsicles even if they hadn’t said the names. It’s not required, but there was no need to get ugly about it.
Just because Cast Members at Disney are wearing outfits that you may find funny or because you think they’re nothing more than “employees” doesn’t mean you can treat them as less than people.
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