asinine CM's in WDW today (12/31/04)

[mkt]

I hope this doesn't sound rude because I don't intend it to sound that way, but....

Dude. You went to Walt Disney World on New Years Eve!! The #5 destination in the USA this year for NYE. Of course its going to take longer to get a reprint of your AP and I completely understand them not wanting to store your tripod for you too. If your expecting close to 80,000 people in the park could you imagine how many tripods they would have to store. If they did it for you that day they would have to do it for everybody. There are always lockers you can rent if you don't want to carry something around. Now rude CM's is a different story, that should never be allowed. But you can't expect things to be run exactly the same on NYE as they are any other day, its just not going to happen.

I should have been more clear, so read the post that is hopefully directly above this one to clarify things. As far as the AP reprint, it shouldn't have occured. From what the few main entrance CM's I've spoken to have told me, they should've just verified my ID with the name on my AP and I should have been let in. The turnstile CM should have just let me through and saved me the 30 minutes. But they didn't, and that's what made me mad. I could've had the AP reprint done at another time, which is what I would've done, had the CM done their job and verified ID. It is NOT a Cast Members job to inconvenience the guests.

 

[Pixie Duster]

Rules and regulations don't change because of a larger volume of guests. If anything they should be enforced more. CMs need to be taught to maintain theire composure (I would have thought this is something any decent CM would know how to do) and act like Disney employees are supposed to act no matter how crowded the park may be.

If all those CMs and managers, and executives were that rude, that is not cool. However, rules and regulations do change to fit the situation. There are many, many rules that are never to be bent or changed no matter what. However, there are many guidelines that change depending on what the situation warrants. The things I see changed during our peak times at MK for istance almost make it seem like another park. And that makes sense to me. Any of our parks are a different experience when there are 80,000 vs. 20,000 guests in the park. It is a whole nother ball game. Right now I am having trouble finding the words to explain why that makes sense, please forgive me.
I have never heard of any location in any Disney park other than stroller rental, that will hold your personal items and forgo the rental of the locker. But that doesn't mean it hasn't happened. I would be very surprised, especially at Epcot, if Guest Relations ever allowed that. If they have on other days then that is a blessing. If they argued with you about it that is not cool. But if they were merely firm and attempted to stand their ground they have every right to enforce whatever guideline has been placed. They do not have any right to be rude, if they were it is a shame to hear that.

I am sorry this happened to you Rob. I would definately write the letter, especially regarding the tripod incedent so that we can find out what the rule is regarding storing personal items at GR. I hope the next time you visit your faith in WDW will be restored.

 

[mkt]

the storing of a tripod (which I've never heard of - I would assume they would tell you to rent a locker)

A tripod won't fit in WDW lockers. I regularly drop one off at Guest Relations in the morning, and claim it at night for nighttime shots. As for the wait, only the AP reprint took forever. The wait to have the tripod stored took less than 10 minutes. It was just a matter of dealing with the Guest Relations CM who was more preoccupied with clearing the queue than dealing with the guest in front of them.

 

[se8472]

However, mkt, the originator of this thread, was at one point a cast member. He knows what standards CM's should be. No matter what, a cast member should never be disrespectful to a guest. On both the day after Thanksgiving and the day before Christmas, my Disney Store was absolutely packed, but we managed to maintain the quality of guest service that the Walt Disney Company is known for (I know, I know, Children's Place now...but still).

Granted I think billy was just a wee bit out of line, I have to agree there.

I know that most AP's have a standard they keep for CM. But on days when its NYE and other times when the parks are just packed it becomes hard to maintain that standard.

I know some people even forget that CM's are people to. We are by no means perfect in any way. For the most part we still keep that standard that our guest expect out of us. Just always remember there is no reset button on CM. we can't reset ourselves every time we see and new guest. If the last 5 parties have been out of control and then you show up, yeah I think one can see the rest.

I know some of you would disagree with that...but just to say it now I would feel that you are being unrealistic

But really, if CM's are doing there jobs how can you be upset? If your AP is not working and they don't let you in the parks (CM's already knowing that the parks will be packed) how can you be mad. On any normal day I am sure you would have been let in but reminded that you need to get your ID replaced.

I will just take a guess that it was the manner in witch the CM would not let you in. But like I said, no reset button. Not trying to say that rude behavior is acceptable, but I am not being real here.

 

[mkt]

I am sorry this happened to you Rob. I would definately write the letter, especially regarding the tripod incedent so that we can find out what the rule is regarding storing personal items at GR. I hope the next time you visit your faith in WDW will be restored.

Good CM

 

[mkt]

on behalf of those who work on the walt disney world property:

SHUT THE *%@! UP YOU WHINEY $*%^!!!

cast members are people too. they make mistakes. they have bad days. they are forced to deal with the populations of small cities insisting that they each get treated like a princess no matter what the circumstance.

we're all doing the best we can. even on new year's eve.

are you?

-billy

Bad CM

 

[dvm]

A tripod won't fit in WDW lockers. I regularly drop one off at Guest Relations in the morning, and claim it at night for nighttime shots. As for the wait, only the AP reprint took forever. The wait to have the tripod stored took less than 10 minutes. It was just a matter of dealing with the Guest Relations CM who was more preoccupied with clearing the queue than dealing with the guest in front of them.

MKT - What was suggested as an alternative by the CM at GR since I'm sure you let them know that it won't fit in the lockers (other than lugging it around or back to the car = not as acceptable given place/time of visit)?

 

[DMC-12]

on behalf of those who work on the walt disney world property:

SHUT THE *%@! UP YOU WHINEY $*%^!!!

cast members are people too. they make mistakes. they have bad days. they are forced to deal with the populations of small cities insisting that they each get treated like a princess no matter what the circumstance.

we're all doing the best we can. even on new year's eve.

are you?

-billy

wow.... thats pretty magical...

I can feel the magic.

 

[Becky]

My first trip to WDW was during the week between Christmas and New Years. Big mistake for a first time visitor. New Years eve was horrible. I was in a line of hundreds of people to get hats etc. My toes were almost touching the heels of the person in front of me. The line was not moving at all. A supervisor came up to me yelling at me to get moving :lookaroun :veryconfu

There were some other unplesant experiences on that trip similar to what MKT encountered

That would have been my last trip but WDW responded to my letter (yep in those days people used the U.S. Mail) apologizing for each cited (with names) un-Disney experience. They also sent five day complementry tickets. By the by I also include the names (thank goodness for the name tags) and work areas of the many many wonderful CM's I encountered.

That was over 50 trips ago. I now know what to expect during crowded periods and I try to be a little extra nice to CM's during those times.

MKT, you were treated very poorly by a very few CM's. I wish you would have stayed to experience the magic of hundreds of wounderful CM's who have the same Disney work ethic and magic you shared when you were a CM.

"Remember the Magic". :wave: :sohappy:

 

[NemoRocks78]

Rob, I'm sorry to hear about your experience. Yes, it was NYE, the place was packed, and surely the CMs you encountered were fed up with many of the guests, but there was no reason for them to stoop down to those levels.

Unfortunately we live in a time where the quality of CMs at Walt Disney World is declining. Thankfully there are some out there that still try to keep the magic alive.

 

[HennieBogan1966]

Just a few thoughts

First of all to MKT:

Please watch your language. While I usually don't get easily offended, what with all of the personal attacks I have had to endure on here, the offensive language we can do without. No one needs to do that to make their point.

Secondly, I think that what we are all discussing here is the STANDARD for which Disney is famous. Yes, we all have raised expectations when it comes to Disney, as that is part of how the company was built to be different from other companies and competitors. So it's not unfair to expect that standard to be maintained at ANY and ALL times. I didn't make this rule, WALT DID.

Yes. We're all human, have bad days, and make mistakes. But I knew when I was hired by TDS, what the expectations were, and that rude/unprofessional behavior would NOT be tolerated. In fact, one of our asst. mgs. was summarily dismissed when he was rude to a guest, and he had been with the company for 7 years.

Do I know that guests can be rude too? Absolutely. And if you'll look at my previous post here, you'll see that acknowledgement.

However, I still believe that Disney sets the standard in guest service of all areas of business, and that standard should NOT be relaxed.

 

[Badger Brent]

I actually left one Disney Store as a cast member because of some of the things other cast members were doing. Rude or improper behavior to guests I feel their is a proper way at ALL times to represent yourself onstage as a cast member. But I have a feeling a lot of these cm's would be considered old school.

I was recruited to work at another Disney Store in the same city. When you have happy cm's working and promoting the disney magic, it's amazing how much fun that place was compared to the other. Oh, they closed that store 6 months after I started!!

I guess my point is this. You have great cm's and bad cm's today. Years back I would bet the majority of cm's knew what it MEANT to be a cm. Now it seems cm's are there today for a check. Not all, but way too many...

Flame away I guess

 

[General Grizz]

Good CM

Bad CM

Rob, you crack me up. :lol: Sorry to hear about your experience!

 

[xfkirsten]

I should have been more clear, so read the post that is hopefully directly above this one to clarify things. As far as the AP reprint, it shouldn't have occured. From what the few main entrance CM's I've spoken to have told me, they should've just verified my ID with the name on my AP and I should have been let in. The turnstile CM should have just let me through and saved me the 30 minutes. But they didn't, and that's what made me mad. I could've had the AP reprint done at another time, which is what I would've done, had the CM done their job and verified ID. It is NOT a Cast Members job to inconvenience the guests.

I gotta agree with you on that one. You should not have had to go get your AP reprint; they should have just checked your ID.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Rob.... its NYE. Theyre expecting 85-90k total guests for the day. I had troubles myself, but i managed to compromise with the CMs rather than taking an agressive road. They were more easy going because we were willing to understand and work with them, rather than cause problems.

I sat in the same spot for 8 hours waiting or fireworks (To the Texans and Canadians we chilled with, y'all rock!) and i didnt see one rude CM. Lots of rude guests walking across our blanket, but that was solved by several New Yorkers and the EPCOT cast just as soon as they could make it through the crowd to maintain crowd control.

As for the issue that you "had" to leave something at Guest Relations, i'm not even going to go there..... Suffice to say, waiting until the last minute always bites you in the end.

*shrug*

 

[billybluenose]

Let's Go to the Videotape!

in the spirit of today's college bowls, let's review the play by play:

"I found my AP, it was demagnetized, and the turnstile CM wouldn't let me in with it, even after showing him ID. So I had to wait for over 30 minutes in line for an AP reprint.. something that should take no more than 10 minutes to do."

gosh, you had to wait longer for something on the busiest day of the year? i can't imagine why. the fact that you are aware that it should have taken no more than 10 minutes tells me that you set expectaions on the cast member that were quite possibly unachievable. when your expectations were not met, you became grumpy. which lead you to...

"And then at Epcot GR, I had to literally argue with the CM there to have an a tripod stored there, which on any other day of the year, I've had done with no problem."

you had to ARGUE with a guest relations cast member. the fact that you do something once, twice, or a hundred times does not mean you can do it EVERY time. guest relations may have been swamped with similar requests in the past (or that day) and decided that it could no longer honor requests to stow personal belongings AND provide the level of service that guests expect from their visit to disney. maybe it was a safety concern. it could have been anything. the bottom line is you were told no and you didn't like it. rather than handle the situation in a civil manner, you ARGUED with someone who was trying to help you.

"And then the delays getting out with parking CM's pointing me in every which direction EXCEPT the exit. "No, I'm not entering, I just wanna get out, so get out of my way.""

or, perhaps the exit plan had been altered to accomodate the heavier than normal traffic load and you mistook that for cast member incompetence. i'm sure you would have reached your destination in a more timely fashion had you been patient and allowed the cast members to direct you.

or maybe all of wdw has turned against you. either way, i'm sure you'll write your letter, i'm sure you'll be compensated in some way, and i'm sure that every cast member who dealt with you that day or deals with you letter will remember you the same way: as a #*%@!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

-billy
bringing magic to all since 1998
bring reality to morons since 2005

 

[Testtrack321]

Sorry about the bad things mkt, i've had bad times at Disney and non-Disney parks. I also understand this is the busiest time of the year and things change. Hope you have a fun trip latter on.

 

[Slipknot]

in the spirit of today's college bowls, let's review the play by play:

"I found my AP, it was demagnetized, and the turnstile CM wouldn't let me in with it, even after showing him ID. So I had to wait for over 30 minutes in line for an AP reprint.. something that should take no more than 10 minutes to do."

gosh, you had to wait longer for something on the busiest day of the year? i can't imagine why. the fact that you are aware that it should have taken no more than 10 minutes tells me that you set expectaions on the cast member that were quite possibly unachievable. when your expectations were not met, you became grumpy. which lead you to...

"And then at Epcot GR, I had to literally argue with the CM there to have an a tripod stored there, which on any other day of the year, I've had done with no problem."

you had to ARGUE with a guest relations cast member. the fact that you do something once, twice, or a hundred times does not mean you can do it EVERY time. guest relations may have been swamped with similar requests in the past (or that day) and decided that it could no longer honor requests to stow personal belongings AND provide the level of service that guests expect from their visit to disney. maybe it was a safety concern. it could have been anything. the bottom line is you were told no and you didn't like it. rather than handle the situation in a civil manner, you ARGUED with someone who was trying to help you.

"And then the delays getting out with parking CM's pointing me in every which direction EXCEPT the exit. "No, I'm not entering, I just wanna get out, so get out of my way.""

or, perhaps the exit plan had been altered to accomodate the heavier than normal traffic load and you mistook that for cast member incompetence. i'm sure you would have reached your destination in a more timely fashion had you been patient and allowed the cast members to direct you.

or maybe all of wdw has turned against you. either way, i'm sure you'll write your letter, i'm sure you'll be compensated in some way, and i'm sure that every cast member who dealt with you that day or deals with you letter will remember you the same way: as a #*%@!!!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

-billy
bringing magic to all since 1998
bring reality to morons since 2005

Wow. If that is the mindset of CMs today... How the hell did you get your job with that attitude??? And, please. Try and act your age. Not as a jackass teenager. Your almost 30 years old. GROW UP!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[General Grizz]

I feel the magic.

Let's turn this into an AA meeting. Anyone else wanna share in a dream come true?

 

[luvorlando]

All this fuss because someone wanted Epcot GRs to do them a favor on, arguably, the busiest guest day of the entire year.

:dazzle: