Dealing with a rude CM

[VoiceGuy07]

Ok, so maybe its b/c I was a CM at one point or have worked with the public for too long, but for every 1 bad egg @ disney, there are 100 great ones. So you were there for 14 days and had ONE bad encounter, shame, but what about the other hundreds of castmembers you came in contact with? Did you make a thread thanking them? I'm guessing you didn't, so do us (us = those who work to make your trips/visits enjoyable) a favor and give us some credit.

Also, Ive come to the conclusion that some people think TOO high of disney castmembers (Meaning, they EXPECT, instead of let things go and enjoy) and think they should be perfect at all times. We are all human, castmember or not, just remember that.

/end rant

Just got back from a great 14 days on the cruise, at Pop Century and at the Contemporary. Even in the heat, and with few exceptions, great cast member interactions.

Still can't get over the 15 or so "Earning Their Ears" cast members in Japan @ EPCOT. They were so great, so friendly, and a highlight of the trip.

 

[VoiceGuy07]

Almost forgot the "low point" of the trip. So many Brazilian groups in the MK that I couldn't keep track of which color t-shirts to run away from!! First yellow, then orange, light blue, dark blue, gray, and then out of no where.....red!

 

[TOTGuy]

I have been working at The Land for about a month now and I have come to a conclusion...Guests need to be a little more educated. I have wanted to work for Disney for over 10 years but when guests swear at me and call me horrible names because I won't let them bring a stroller inside the building due to reedy creek fire codes. I smile and let it roll off my back but I really wish management would support us a little bit. Strollers aren't allowed in any building at Epcot, not just the land. They won't put up signs because they want us to have guest interaction but they leave us alone to be berated by guests. If I didn't love the job, I wouldn't accept it. Safety is our first priority, courtesy is second. When people reach out of Land boats I have a three warning policy. First is a polite request, second is more firm, and third is a command. Please be kind to your CM's... it makes us a lot more inclined to give you a fastpass to Soarin'.

 

[VoiceGuy07]

I have been working at The Land for about a month now and I have come to a conclusion...Guests need to be a little more educated. I have wanted to work for Disney for over 10 years but when guests swear at me and call me horrible names because I won't let them bring a stroller inside the building due to reedy creek fire codes. I smile and let it roll off my back but I really wish management would support us a little bit. Strollers aren't allowed in any building at Epcot, not just the land. They won't put up signs because they want us to have guest interaction but they leave us alone to be berated by guests. If I didn't love the job, I wouldn't accept it. Safety is our first priority, courtesy is second. When people reach out of Land boats I have a three warning policy. First is a polite request, second is more firm, and third is a command. Please be kind to your CM's... it makes us a lot more inclined to give you a fastpass to Soarin'.

Congratulations! Just read your signature line....sounds like you no longer need to "hope to be a cast member". Contrary to the opinions and attitudes of some, we really appreciate all that you cast members do.

 

[TOTGuy]

Congratulations! Just read your signature line....sounds like you no longer need to "hope to be a cast member". Contrary to the opinions and attitudes of some, we really appreciate all that you cast members do.

Thank-you! Although I didn't quite get the ride I wanted I do love being down here. I do meet lots of cool people and the vast majority are really nice. We love our guests so be sure to show us some love!

 

[SallyfromDE]

Ruin the "entire" week with one bad CM interaction? Maybe the moment or the meal.....possibly even the day....but the whole week? Deal with it, report it and move on....life is too short to let something like that ruin a vacaton.

You admitted you had a nice meal so it couldn't have bothered you all that much and you didn't report it right away

Yes the whole week. She was so BAD, that I would have looked at everything and anything a CM had to say and most likely taken it the wrong way. And most likely, becuase it would be the beginning of the week, I wouldn't have wanted to put a damper on anyone's trip, I wouldn't have said anything in the way to complain. I would have "stewed" the whole time. As it was, since it was the end of the week, I felt the need to go and talk to management.

We ate our meal and I spent the whole time debating on what to do. I probably would have loved it more if I had no thoughts of discontent on my mind. As it is, we left the park immediately after eating (and we didn't plan on it) and I stopped at guest services on the way out. It never occured to me to ask for a manager in the building, until guest services had mentioned it.

 

[SallyfromDE]

You know what I find funny about all of these "rude CM's or rude guest" threads, if the guest is having a bad day (Yes it happens to guests in WDW) the guest is then crucified but if a CM has a bad day then its the old, well the CM's have to deal with so many people and probably was having a bad day. :shrug: Keep in mind here that I understand anyone can have a bad day and I'm not picking a fight, just making an observation.

They don't get paid to have a bad day. When they have a bad day, they aren't doing thier job. I work in retail and it's the exact same thing. You are being paid (no matter cheap they may be) to represent the company. If you give bad service, then basically it's the company giving you bad service.

 

[mousefan1972]

On our recent trip to WDW about 2 months ago we came across a handful of CM's who seemed as though they might be having a bad day. Usually all it took was a smile from us, and a short "keep your chin up" and the CM's sunny demeanor reappeared. Yes, I know CM's are trained to always be cheerful and helpful but if a guest is very rude or cruel, it would be difficult to expect the cheerfulness to be maintained. Especially some of the younger CM's (college kids in particular) might not be able to let a guest's meanness roll of their back easily. As such, we stressed to our young kids to always smile, say please and thank you to any CM they encountered, because you never know who could have treated them like dirt right before they encountered us. And thank you to all the CM's who made our trip wonderful!:ROFLOL:

 

[Monty]

I'm apparently in a minority. In all my Disney experience [DLx1, WDWx7 and DCLx1 since 2001] I've had one negative experience with a CM. A server at LTT our last trip who was less than attentive and even masterful at walking past his tables without making eye contact. DS12 and I were shocked at the service, but after leaving less tip than I've ever left in my life, we put it aside and enjoyed every moment of our remaining stay.

Life is too short to let a negative experience "ruin" a vacation. There are many people who don't have the wherewithal to afford one Disney vacation. Who am I to dwell on something negative and ruin the best vacations I'm fortunate enough to be able to share with my son. If the overall Disney experience was remotely negative I'd vacation elsewhere, it isn't and I'm very happy to continue going back until I run out of things to do.

Who knows, maybe someday I'll make it over to Universal to check it out!

 

[BuzzComplexCM]

When they have a bad day, they aren't doing thier job.

This is not a smart thing to say. Because by your logic, anything that constitutes me having a bad day means I'm not doing my job. I lost a family member, I lost my dog, I got into a car accident, all of these things can lead to a bad day for anyone.

Some people are able to put those things behind them for the 8-10 hours they work that day and some can't. It's not their fault that these events happen nor is it their fault that they may not be ready to push these events to the back of their minds.

 

[Tim G]

Then the geniuses at Imagineering decided to make a queue that could fit strollers at Animal Kingdom. :lol:

Then the geniuses would make the lines 4 times as long...


Talking about geniuses... :lookaroun...

 

[jiminy.cricket]

This is not a smart thing to say. Because by your logic, anything that constitutes me having a bad day means I'm not doing my job. I lost a family member, I lost my dog, I got into a car accident, all of these things can lead to a bad day for anyone.

Some people are able to put those things behind them for the 8-10 hours they work that day and some can't. It's not their fault that these events happen nor is it their fault that they may not be ready to push these events to the back of their minds.

This is true; it's something that can't be forced, although I don't think CMs should be outright rude. I totally think that CM should not have been rude and I'm sorry for that experience! But people are only paid so much to put up with so much in most cases. I mean, for example, and this is an extreme example, no one is going to wait on someone hand and foot for a dollar...I believe that most CMs are very self-motivated and go the extra mile because that is Walt's legacy and it's what makes their job and the World special--not because it's their job or they're threatened or commanded.

 

[Mansion Butler]

Then the geniuses would make the lines 4 times as long...


Talking about geniuses... :lookaroun...

What, you think the Kali line is too long? That's crazy.

 

[Tramp]

I've been to WDW a gazillion times over the years and have seldom encountered a rude CM. On the other hand, rude guests are quite common and more than once I felt like some should be horsewhipped and taught some manners. Yes, guests spend a lot of money at Disney but that still doesn't give them the right to be obnoxiously demanding. And if a CM feels like he/she is at the end of their rope, maybe they need a day off or two to unwind before interacting with guests who don't deserve an attitude.

Perhaps I'm stating the obvious but it seems to me that, while most CMs are hellbent on making sure we have a good time, the most recent hired CMs are the most fun to be around. Even the part-time kids on the college program have a ton of energy and a great attitude and go out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible. It's just natural for CMs who are making a career at Disney to get burnt out once in awhile as their tolerance level for demanding guests must be tested daily. I say kudos :sohappy: to all the CMs for putting up with our crap day in and day out. I could never do your job and whatever they're paying you, it isn't enough. :wave:

 

[BuzzComplexCM]

And if a CM feels like he/she is at the end of their rope, maybe they need a day off or two to unwind before interacting with guests who don't deserve an attitude.

I wish it had been that easy! LOL Even if we chose to call out we get a "point" which goes toward us getting repermands. The best thing for me to do when I would drive to work and feel in a bad mood was listen to Howard Stern. As long as I heard a song parody or two on his show, I knew I could make it through the day.

Perhaps I'm stating the obvious but it seems to me that, while most CMs are hellbent on making sure we have a good time, the most recent hired CMs are the most fun to be around.

Yes they are, possibly because they haven't been told to...well, you know. I remeber when I had my first day alone in Tomorrowland, I was so excited. Finally I was able to interact with guests without my trainer looking over my shoulder. I couldn't wait to entertain the guests the way CM's had entertained me in the past. But I must admit, sometimes I would feel like my trying to entertain the guests would go unappreciated. The guests who laugh with you and make you laugh are the best. The guests who come up to you after they waited for so long to get on a ride and say "Thanks for making the wait enjoyable," those are the guests that I would look forward to every single day.

Even the part-time kids on the college program have a ton of energy and a great attitude and go out of their way to make our stay as pleasant as possible.

The CP's are the best! If it weren't for them Disney would suffer. But just to let ya know, they are not part-time. Most CP's, if not all, work more hours a week than the full-timers do. My fiancee' was a CP when I met her and I was full-time. She would work up to 60+ hours a week when I was doing maybe 45 or 50.

I say kudos :sohappy: to all the CMs for putting up with our crap day in and day out. I could never do your job and whatever they're paying you, it isn't enough. :wave:

And I say kudos to you for being a guest who appreciates what we do for you!!!

 

[LSUxStitch]

Just got back from a great 14 days on the cruise, at Pop Century and at the Contemporary. Even in the heat, and with few exceptions, great cast member interactions.

Still can't get over the 15 or so "Earning Their Ears" cast members in Japan @ EPCOT. They were so great, so friendly, and a highlight of the trip.

That's awesome to hear. Those 'Earning Ears' things were a life saver, lol. It's kind of like a 'get out of jail free' card when being bombarded by questions haha. But, let me tell you, once that thing comes off, no more excuses :ROFLOL:

 

[jedimaster1227]

Unfortunately, not everyone is as perky and magical as Gabriel Iglesias' rendition of the Disneyland cast member...

The best way that many of us have referred to incidents like this before is:

If the issue is such a big deal, you can just give up on visiting the parks. If not, then move on, enjoy your time there and don't pay the bad situation another thought of you mind... :wave:

 

[TOTGuy]

For the most part guests are pretty nice but there are those who are downright mean and aggressive. At first I was pretty scared of combative guests but now I have no problem calling security on guests that make me feel threatened. On the fourth of July we had a guest get arrested for assaulting a Soarin' CM. Too bad nothing exciting happens over at LWTL. JK! We have to be sure to look out for each other so I always like to help out a female CM when she is being intimidated by a guest.

 

[blakesse06]

Sorry about what happend to you but please rember some Cm's on the bottom like that are making 7$ an hour working 70 hours a week , living on goverment aid with 6 chirldren while sharing an aparment with some outher 7$ an hour workers also working 70 hours a week though it seems no one in there right mind would ever want to live a life like that and most would rather take a bullet in the head than live like that the fact of the matter is that a certin % of th 55,000 workers live in a situation simmlaur to this and though it may be a magical time for you its just another day for them and most still try to make youre day and though I am in no way excusing what happend to you and I do think you shuld receve some sort of compsation for bad service just rember some folks have no excape from the paycheck to pachek lifestyle and may not be as blessed and luckey as you to take a vacation with there family And probly are jelous that you get to have the luxurey to do so. I dont think someone with a good life would try to ruin youre vacation.

 

[Mr_Tom_Morrow]

I spent the day at the world yesterday with an old friend and as we were coming out from PotC jus tol the left in the small area were Peter Pan and Wendy and 2 little girls no more than 5 or 6 years old.I must say the CM playing Peter Pan was down right rude to these little girls.Rather than talk to them politely he was speaking with attitude in his voice.I happened to overhear him saying to one of the little girls "Why do you have butterflies in your shoes? They're not going to make you fly!"I looked over at him and the CM playing Wendy did as well.He gave us a big of a smug look and continued on.Had that been a kid of mine being treated that way he would've been in a world of hurt.There is absolutely no reason why a CM should have to feel as if theyre superior to a kid