Do Other Guests Ever Listen To You?

Status
Not open for further replies.

Montyboy

New Member
Exactly! It kind of reminds me of this one time when I was on a Disney forum and I was writing about an attraction I liked, EE. Now I really enjoyed Expedition Everest, but am certainly by no means an expert on it. Anyway, it happened to be an attraction that I thought was really fun and well done, as I think a lot of attractions are. A few posts into it, this guy who also posts, had read what I was saying, came up and corrected me because I'd gotten some insignificant details wrong (like maybe I got the meaning of Occam's ravor wrong). He acted like I was some kind of idiot because I didn't get those details correct, and his attitude was as if I didn't deserve to just enjoy the ride. When he went back to his own thing, I certainly didn't come away saying, "Wow, that guy reallys know a lot about everything! I'm impressed and now I'm inspired to learn more about Disney too! That way, I'll get even more enjoyment out of it!". What I actually said was, "What a jerk! and my friend, and the other postes agreed with me.

Okay, so it isn't an exact quote, but maybe some who have read "Slash and Burn" will get it.
 

krankenstein

Well-Known Member
I disagree wholeheartedly. My guess is that it probably didn't occur to Disney, when they first starting selling those, that people might start wearing them in the parks, and that could confuse some guests. As someone else pointed out, I'm not sure they even sell them anymore and I'll bet that's why. As with many other things that hardcore Disney fans forget that the average guest doesn't take note of, I'm sure most guests don't stop and think, "Let's ask this guy...oh wait, no that name tag is red. Disney cast members where white name tags." Most guests who see a name tag are going to assume you're an employee of the place. Don't believe me? Put on some tan Docker slacks and a red shirt and go to Target, and watch what happens.

I never said anyone wouldn't confuse you with a CM, all I said is that if Disney didn't expect you to wear them, they wouldn't sell them. That's it. You saying that Disney didn't assume guests would wear them around the parks makes about as much sense as me saying that Disney never meant for guests to wear Disney shirts, hats, socks, pins, lanyards or any other number of souvenirs you see daily on guests around the parks. It absolutely confounds me that anyone would attempt to make a different argument. :confused:

Also, I fail to see how you can jump all the way to talking about dressing up like a Target Team Member. All we are talking about is a little name tag souvenir that Disney sells, not dressing up like a Kilimanjaro Safari CM and hanging around Africa at DAK with a stack of maps in your hand or something. If you enjoy dressing up like the employees at Target, you can have fun with that. No one in this thread has mentioned dressing up like an employee for any company but you. It makes your argument even more mute, IMO.
 

devoy1701

Well-Known Member
These arguments that some people force into these threads crack me up! Thanks for making this thread even more entertaining.
 

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
Exactly! It kind of reminds me of this one time when I was at a Six Flags park and I was telling the person I was with about a Star Trek episode I had seen. Now I really enjoy Star Trek, but am certainly by no means an expert on the topic. Anyway, it happened to be an episode that I thought was really cool and thought-provoking, as I think a lot of Star Trek episodes were. A few minutes into it, a couple of guys who were also in line and had overheard what I was saying came up and corrected me because I'd gotten some insignificant details wrong (like maybe I referred to a character as a "lieutenant" when that person was actually an "ensign", or something like that). They acted like I was some kind of idiot because I didn't get those details correct, and their attitude was as if I didn't deserve to just enjoy the episode. When they went back to their own thing, I certainly didn't come away saying, "Wow, those guys really know a lot about Star Trek! I'm impressed and now I'm inspired to learn more about Star Trek too! That way, I'll get even more enjoyment out of it!". What I actually said was, "What a couple of jerks!" and my friend agreed with me.

Whenever I hear about Disney fans going up to total strangers and offering unsolicited and unnecessary advice on how they should enjoy their vacations (even if it's well intentioned), I remember that experience.

My point is, whenever any of you do that to people, you probably don't realize that most of the time, they're probably just being polite when they tell you "thank you." In reality, they're probably just wishing you'd go away and let them enjoy their vacation.

Your point is taken...and I agree with a previous post about someone going over the top with dining suggestions.

You are wrong however in assuming that just because you don't appreciate assistance that others don't. Many people (particularly those without a clue) appreciate suggestions, and enjoy discussions while waiting in lines. I'm astute enought to figure out if someone is interested in talking or not. I also make no apology for offering to take pictures for couples or groups where one is being left out. I know many have appreciated the gesture.

Many people enjoy a little interaction.
There are always those with attitudes like you display here that should be left to go on their merry way!

Have a magical day!
 
I wonder if the rest of the threads here are like this where the small minded with an expanded voacabulary that allows them to act smart and thus can belittle anyone deemed 'smaller' than them? So far it looks that way. I also wonder why no one has quoted these replies with the warning about trolling, because those far exceed what I've said so far.

Well, you kids play 'nice,' or whatever you're calling 'nice' these days, I'm through.
 

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
I wonder if the rest of the threads here are like this where the small minded with an expanded voacabulary that allows them to act smart and thus can belittle anyone deemed 'smaller' than them? So far it looks that way. I also wonder why no one has quoted these replies with the warning about trolling, because those far exceed what I've said so far.

Well, you kids play 'nice,' or whatever you're calling 'nice' these days, I'm through.


Probably best for all!
 

DTM93

Member
Anyway, I have never given advice to people as people have never asked me and plus if I am 15 years old so I don't think that people would ask me. :lol:

But if anyone ever gives us advice that helps us or is relevant, we do use it.
 

The Disney Kid

Well-Known Member
I don't give unsolicited advice in the parks very often, but every once in a while if I happen to overhear someone who's genuinely confused while waiting in a queue or at the next table in a dining location, I'll strike up a conversation with an "I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear you say...etc" and then ask if they'd like my help. If they accept, I help them out. If they say "No, thanks" I shut my trap. :)
And we're talking about true confusion here. If it's people just trying to decide what to do next or where to eat dinner, I don't say anything.



This is how I, too, go about the thing. Info when it's needed. Advice when it's asked for. I hate to be intrusive. And some folk, me, for example, like to discover on their own. It's part of the fun.
 
I wasnt aware that Disney was selling nametags at the parks...nor have I ever seen them.

I think its pretty obvious that if they are selling them inside the parks its pretty reasonable to assume wearing them in the parks is ok. Now maybe they decided it was a bad idea after the fact, but thats a different subject.
 

lilphil6487

New Member
This past summer we made the mistake of not planning our meal times and jus tplayed it by ear. We would have gotten the dining plan because we loved it the last time we had it but we were on a tight budget. Big mistake to not plan dinner. 2 times we ended up eating stouffers frozen lasagna and mac&cheese because of that. When goign to a place like wdw you really do need to plan it out so thats what we try to do and offer that same advice when asked. We went to DL in 2007 for the first time and all we had planned was dinner, the fantasmic dessert buffet, and to use our early entry into to park and run to Finding Nemo since it was busy and only opened the week before we got there. Everything that we didnt plan worked out fine but then it wasnt so crowded when we went. We waited like 5 minutes to get on ToT at DCA when we wait forever to get on it a DHS. I think the only fastpass we got at DL was for SPace Mountain. sorry if any of my typing is bad. im not feeling good today.
 

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
I wasnt aware that Disney was selling nametags at the parks...nor have I ever seen them.

I think its pretty obvious that if they are selling them inside the parks its pretty reasonable to assume wearing them in the parks is ok. Now maybe they decided it was a bad idea after the fact, but thats a different subject.

No, Disney has no problem at all with them being sold, and have been doing it for years.....it's just a few more enlightened posters here that have decided it's in bad taste or CM envy or something along those lines. The only time Disney has any problem with guests being mistaken as CM's are during MNSSHP with some of the great costumes.
 

Montyboy

New Member
Always implies every time with no inference of frequency. If someone has happened to incorrectly assume I was a CM a handful of times over the 8 trips or so that I've been wearing the name tag and I correct them each time, that is always.

It's like the joke about the monk who was only allowed to speak two words every ten years...

After the first ten years he says, "Bed hard."

After the next ten years he says, "Food cold."

After another ten years he says, "I quit."

Another monk says, "No wonder, all you've done for the past thirty years is complain."
 

Craig & Lisa

Active Member
After 18 visits with the family, and one extra with the DW, we do know entirely too much by some standards, and then by others we are still scratching the surface. We always try to give advice and greatly except it from others who been there alot more than us. If who we give our advice to chooses not to listen then that is there choice, and on some occasions we meet up with a family that took our advice they thank us and sometimes ask for more we give what we can off the top of our heads. But even though we know so much we still at times play it by ear, by that I mean being spontaneuos, and just go with the flow, and most times it works out for us, and if on accasion it doesn't, oh well it really doesn't matter, we are in WDW, there is always something else to do somewhere. :D
 

agent86

New Member
Okay, so it isn't an exact quote, but maybe some who have read "Slash and Burn" will get it.

If it isn't against forum rules to deliberately change another poster's words and then present it in your post as a quote from them, then it should be. I've reported your post, so we'll find out.
 

agent86

New Member
It absolutely confounds me that anyone would attempt to make a different argument. :confused:

Whoa whoa, calm down there, buddy. Didn't mean to "confound" you. :lol:


Also, I fail to see how you can jump all the way to talking about dressing up like a Target Team Member. All we are talking about is a little name tag souvenir that Disney sells, not dressing up like a Kilimanjaro Safari CM and hanging around Africa at DAK with a stack of maps in your hand or something. If you enjoy dressing up like the employees at Target, you can have fun with that. No one in this thread has mentioned dressing up like an employee for any company but you. It makes your argument even more mute, IMO.

My example of the Target employee (which apparently hit a nerve of some sort...not intentional) was simply to say that if you appear to be an employee, then people are going to come up and ask you questions. I was actually with someone in a Target once who happened to be wearing tan Dockers and a red shirt, and people were coming up to her and asking her questions. It was hilarious. To me, it didn't even look exactly the same as what Target employees typically wear, but I think it certainly demonstrated that guests/customers don't generally pay a whole lot of attention to the specific details. Likewise at a Disney park. Most guests who see someone wearing a name tag are probably going to assume that person works there. Montymon pretty much confirmed that point because he said he "always corrects" people who make that mistake when he wears his. I'm sure that's not what Disney intended when they starting selling the name tags.
 

agent86

New Member
Fact is I generally walk with an air of confidence that gives seems to give people the impression I have some level of authority/knowledge.

Funny, just last night I was reading an article on emotional intelligence and it mentioned how people who have to tell you they are confident...generally aren't. :animwink:

Are you suggesting that I should slouch and shuffle in order that people don't mistake me for Management?

Huh?? :veryconfu

I regularly get approached in crowds and asked for directions. It doesn't only happen at WDW when I'm wearing the tag.

Maybe not, but you've already stated (earlier in this thread) that it's the tag that causes people to do it when you're wearing it because you "always" have to correct them. If you are someone who frequently gets mistaken for an employee at so many places you visit, then why add fuel to the fire by wearing a name tag that you've already seen people mistake for an employee name tag? That just seems irresponsible and deceitful to me. Clearly, it seems you want people to continue mistaking you for a CM and that's a very curious thing.

Always implies every time with no inference of frequency. If someone has happened to incorrectly assume I was a CM a handful of times over the 8 trips or so that I've been wearing the name tag and I correct them each time, that is always.

Once again, even in this post you are attributing the mistake to the fact that you're wearing the name tag (and not just because you happen to have that "employee" look about you... or walk with "an air of confidence" all the time). So if you know that's what is causing it, why keep wearing it?

Funny, but I have had families who, after having received some suggestions from me on how they could enjoy their vacation more, actually go out of their way to come up to me later in the day or even later in the week to thank me for the advice I've given. And not just once or twice.

So have I. But that's not even remotely close to what I've been saying. Remember, that this whole discussion started because the OP was put off by the reaction of a stranger to whom he was giving unsolicited advice while they were waiting (I think it was for the park to open...will have to go back and read it). That's a lot different from a co-worker coming to your desk to get advice because you're known at work as the "guy who's into Disney".

But again, you are somehow psychic and can read the minds of people you don't know and speak for them? :rolleyes:

No but that would be cool! You don't have to literally be a mind-reader to be pretty good at reading people though. Take, for example, the sarcasm in your last sentence, or even the remark about me being "somehow psychic", which kind of borders on a personal attack (clearly against forum rules), has nothing to do with my posts or opinions, and is a little immature.

If people are unreceptive, I am fairly confident in my ability to read that in their body language and I'm quite content to move on.

That may very well be true. I don't know you in real life, so it's impossible to say. But again, my remarks have not been directed at you specifically (except for questioning you on the whole name tag-wearing thing). My remarks have been about any Disney fanatic who fails to realize that sometimes people listen just to be polite, and also fails to realize that other guests aren't "ruining their vacations" just because they didn't take the advice of said Disney fanatic.
 

agent86

New Member
A group of people have done something similar as your Target example, but this time it was at a Best Buy with blue polo shirts and khakis: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utkkXCF8ZVc

Oh yes, Improv Everywhere. I love those guys!! That was a funny skit, because there were so many of them all at once, so the reaction from customers was more of a dumbfounded stare.

My favorite skit they did was when they all froze at the same time in the middle of Grand Central Station. Genius!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Register on WDWMAGIC. This sidebar will go away, and you'll see fewer ads.

Back
Top Bottom