Update: The big problem has been fixed! The Cast Compliment section now allows guests to give the cast member’s name, city and the date of the interaction. This goes a long way in fixing the original problems outlined below, though we’d still like to see a comment section that allows the guest to explain the experience.
Original Story:
The My Disney Experience app for Walt Disney World has been updated with a new section about cast compliments. The section aims to recognize cast members who provide positive experiences for guests at the theme parks and resorts. Unfortunately, the update has one major problem.
You can find the Cast Compliment section within the 50th anniversary guide in the My Disney Experience app.
Clicking on the ‘Share Your Compliment’ button brings up a screen with two dropdowns.
The first button allows guests to select how a cast member impacted their stay. Options include celebrating a milestone or ensuring a location was clean.
The second button allows the guest to select a location. Surprisingly, you aren’t allowed to get too specific in this section. Options are limited to general areas such as Magic Kingdom Ticketing.
After the options are picked, the feedback is submitted directly to Disney.
Overall, this is a great concept. It should be easy to recognize awesome cast members. But, there’s a significant issue that raises a lot of question. Guests can not submit the cast member’s name or a description of what happened to earn the compliment. The only information submitted to Disney is a limited choice of good deeds and a rough location.
For example, if a cast member named Erica at Epcot’s Regal Eagle Smokehouse made your night with some extra magic, the closest the compliment can get is Dining in World Showcase. You can’t even pick a specific pavilion or restaurant. How can Disney possible figure out which cast member was responsible? Or even what they did?
Meanwhile, the old online method of notifying Disney of a Cast Compliment (using #CastCompliment on Twitter and tagging specific Disney accounts) no longer works. The accounts and the hashtags aren’t monitored.
This seems like a decision that wasn’t completely thought out. It also feels like a move that will recognize department heads rather than specific cast members. Hopefully Disney will update this section soon to allow for cast member names and descriptions. We have had some outstanding experiences with cast members, but we want to make sure the right person is recognized.
