Be Our "Guests"

In the opinion of Erving Goffman, life is simply a performance of roles that we embody. Individuals are then actors of the space they occupy and are governed by social norms that are established and associated with that place. In this instance the actor and audience are both aware of these implied roles and respond accordingly.
The performance extreme is demonstrated by Disneyland’s ability to establish itself as a stage. Disneyland does not have employees, but instead “cast members” who serve the “guests,” not visitors. This distinction allows Disneyland to maintain the environment of “The Happiest Place on Earth” to all who visit and work there. For this reason it has earned the name “The Smile Factory” by John Van Maanen.
The cast members are the most vital part of the performance, because they maintain the entire façade. From the time they begin work until they leave, they represent the iconic image of happiness and cleanliness by following a tightly set system of behavior. During training, they are instructed to sustain a bright and cheery disposition when interacting with guests, but only provide minimal contact and to refer problems to superiors. This allows only those trained in guest relations to provide assistance, insuring no false information or bad communication.
In order to try and create an unpleasant interaction, my fellow student and I decided to stand on chairs and try to remove Mardi Gras beads from New Orleans Square in Adventureland. There were eight employees watching us, but we were not asked to stop until someone appeared from inside the restaurant. Even then we were scolded in a polite manner: “Ladies, please get down from the chairs. The beads are meant for decoration only. Thank you.” Even when stronger action is required, cast members opt for the more subdued approach to punishment. It seems that there is no misbehaving in Disneyland, only unfavorable roles.
The notion that cast members are playing the physical extension of the Disneyland image plays into how they act inside Disneyland and the audience’s interpretation of their performance. If the audience believes in the sincerity of that role then Disneyland will function, if it is disrupted then the façade comes tumbling down like Alice down the rabbit hole.