Mean CM at every ride in every park and every resort, even housekeeping

[disneyisbest]

I agree with you in one way ACE. When you have a job to do the pay should not even matter when it comes to how you do your job. A wise man once said " You will never be promoted until you become overqualified for your current position." Granted in today's society there are times when you get overlooked no matter what you do. I still believe that if you are going to do something you should do it well. BTW ACE. I am 25 and think this way. It is not necessarily younger folks who think they are owed something. I know people older than me who think they deserve to be payed more for what they are doing when they aren't even doing their current job the best they can. I don't know how any CM could have expected to go further if they act like that. Bottom line is if they really wanted to be a CM they would do the job because they love it. If you love money then do soemthing that makes money. From what I am hearing here being an hourly CM obviously isn't it.

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by ACE
I have worked for minimum wage and I still treated the customers nice and with a smile on my face. If you don't like the pay you are free to leave and work someplace else. There are a lot of folks who don't have a job and would work for minimum wage and be "happy" while doing it.

The problem I see is that a lot of the younger folks seem to think they are "owed" something. That working for minimum wage is beneath them. That they are doing YOU a favor by working for you and that the customer should be grateful that they are there at all much less actually serving the customers needs.

Just my opinion.
:wave: ACE

The issue here is not with younger folks because Disney isn't like your local Theme Park who hires high School and College Kids for a summer season although there are many younger folks who work there. A lot of the unhappy people at Disney are older and have CHOSEN to make a carrer out of what is essentially a minimum wage job.

 

[mkt]

hey ACE...

let me rephrase what Dan said before. Try working a minimum wage job, while you're:

A- being treated like garbage by your management.... several members who have gotten their positions without any merit, other than whom they slept with and how much they either brownnosed or complained (NOT ALL THOUGH.. there are still some very competent members of Disney management).

B- having to deal with CM's who all they're good for is either complaints about "how it used to be," how management keep violating the union contract, and how new CM's in some skewed world view, are getting preferential treatment over existing ones.

C- having to deal with SOME of the guests (most are cool though)... especially those that will curse at you, those that will try to get favors from you, and those who assume because you work for Disney you are Michael Eisner.

D- having to deal with the incompetence of several support CM's, who are generally bitter of the decisions they have made in life t work backstage and to this day are regretting it, so they make your life HELL while you have to deal with them.

and then told to be happy.


I'm surprised a CM hasn't gone on a killing spree in one of the parks yet.

 

[mkt]

and no.. it's not usually as bad as I just painted it out to be. But my first and last experiences as a CM were definitely identical to that.

 

[NowInc]

Its hard to realize how much stress a CM has to put up with in a single shift....no..that doesnt make it EXCUSABLE..but i understand

 

[ACE]

Originally posted by mkt
hey ACE...

let me rephrase what Dan said before. Try working a minimum wage job, while you're:

A- being treated like garbage by your management.... several members who have gotten their positions without any merit, other than whom they slept with and how much they either brownnosed or complained (NOT ALL THOUGH.. there are still some very competent members of Disney management).

B- having to deal with CM's who all they're good for is either complaints about "how it used to be," how management keep violating the union contract, and how new CM's in some skewed world view, are getting preferential treatment over existing ones.

C- having to deal with SOME of the guests (most are cool though)... especially those that will curse at you, those that will try to get favors from you, and those who assume because you work for Disney you are Michael Eisner.

D- having to deal with the incompetence of several support CM's, who are generally bitter of the decisions they have made in life t work backstage and to this day are regretting it, so they make your life HELL while you have to deal with them.

and then told to be happy.


I'm surprised a CM hasn't gone on a killing spree in one of the parks yet.

Sounds like the military to me, even though they make just a little better than minimum wage (still under paid). I should know I spent twenty years there.

Of course I thought it would be different in the real world. Guess what, IT'S NOT. Everything you said applies to every company out there. All you can do is to do your job the best you can. If you think you're not getting a fair deal then maybe its time to work for someone else or start your own business.

For all the complaining I hear, all I can say is that, no one HAS to work for Disney, they choose to. I've worked for Toys R Us during the Holiday season and believe me, that can be tough, but I still treated my customers the way I like to be treated no matter what the circumstances.

I know a lot of folks work for Disney because they love it. That's where I wanted to work when I retired from the Navy, but my kids didn't want to move again. Guess I'll have to wait till they grow up and move out. :lol:

I'm not saying it's an easy job, but the Guests are the reason the CM's are there. Just because you don't like what's happening in your company, you still need to keep the Guest happy. There are other parks they could go to, but they choose WDW because of the "Magic" and the CM's are a major part of that.

On a side note, I've been to WDW five times in the last three years and I've never encountered one bad CM. I have on the other hand encountered plenty of bad Guests and even the CM's that dealt with the rude Guest where very nice and polite.

:wave: ACE

 

[no2apprentice]

Originally posted by mkt
I'm surprised a CM hasn't gone on a killing spree in one of the parks yet.

I guess instead of "going postal," the expression would be "going CM?"

 

[DMC-12]

Originally posted by no2apprentice
I guess instead of "going postal," the expression would be "going CM?"

:lol: I can just picture a CM gettin all mad and Crazy like Donald Duck :lol:

 

[Dizknee_Phreek]

ya know, i was starting to reconsider moving to FL and working for Disney...i mean, if it's as bad as it sounds, why bother with it? and it can't exactly be the easiest thing to make a living off minimum wage.
so, to all you past and present cm's out there...is working for Disney a worthwhile endeavor? really....i'm asking.

BUT, i also agree with you, Ace! you're gonna get that crap most everywhere you go. i worked at my local Wal-Mart for only 3 months, and i could already tell it was there...i mean, my asst. manager obviously didn't get to asst. manager because she knew what she was doing, if you follow me.
so, if i'm going to have to put up with that stuff, then why not put up with it in a place i want to be, right? unless it ruins the magic of the place...then i'd have to reconsider.

i dunno...what's your all's advice for a CM hopeful? particuarly, a Guest Relations CM hopeful?

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by Dizknee_Phreek
ya know, i was starting to reconsider moving to FL and working for Disney...i mean, if it's as bad as it sounds, why bother with it? and it can't exactly be the easiest thing to make a living off minimum wage.
so, to all you past and present cm's out there...is working for Disney a worthwhile endeavor? really....i'm asking.

BUT, i also agree with you, Ace! you're gonna get that crap most everywhere you go. i worked at my local Wal-Mart for only 3 months, and i could already tell it was there...i mean, my asst. manager obviously didn't get to asst. manager because she knew what she was doing, if you follow me.
so, if i'm going to have to put up with that stuff, then why not put up with it in a place i want to be, right? unless it ruins the magic of the place...then i'd have to reconsider.

i dunno...what's your all's advice for a CM hopeful? particuarly, a Guest Relations CM hopeful?

If you want to preserve your vision of WDW as the place full of Magical things where the employees are happy to work there and the guests are equally as happy to be able to come and visit, I suggest you really think about your desire to become a part of the SHOW.


Thats the key word right there: SHOW. On stage the world seems perfect. Off stage its just like any other place to work and in some cases worse. Disney has its own special issues because of the business it is in and the image that has been built up both by the company and through the Disney Urban Legends and Folklore Network.

If you want to ask more specific things please feel free to PM me. Explaining what its like to work at Disney could easily fill pages of text. MKT did a fair job at a summary though.

 

[jmarc63]

I know how corporations love to ignore the little guy with a legitimate problem, but IMO the problem gets too much distance if you wait and write a letter to burbank after your trip. My suggestion is if you not shy, is to ask for there supervisior or team leader at the time of occurence to discuss the problem ,if that gets nowhere go to there supervisor and so on. If they do decide to handel the issue with you make sure to get dates times and especially names and responsibilitys/title and make note of them to follow up on the matter such as an apology to you or other compensation. Now I'm not going to complain at every questionable look I may see, but there are CM that are either delibertly rude , either due to a lack of charater that sliped by the screening prosses or someone having a bad day should not be out with the guests, and maybe there better suited to work backstage or elsewhere. remember the squeky wheele gets the grease

 

[disneyisbest]

Originally posted by jmarc63
and maybe there better suited to work backstage or elsewhere. remember the squeky wheele gets the grease

It is true that not everybody is cut out to deal with people or the public. Some people just aren't people persons. And the problem is that some can fake it temporarily. Or during the honeymoon period if you will. Anyone can be happy with a job for the first couple of weeks. It is after that when most people's true character comes in. I manage a restaurant and I see it all the time. There are some who it seems like where born to deal with people. And lets be honest, knowing how to manipulate people can work to your advantage when working with the public. I am sure the good CM's do this.

 

[niteobsrvr]

Originally posted by disneyisbest
It is true that not everybody is cut out to deal with people or the public. Some people just aren't people persons. And the problem is that some can fake it temporarily. Or during the honeymoon period if you will. Anyone can be happy with a job for the first couple of weeks. It is after that when most people's true character comes in. I manage a restaurant and I see it all the time. There are some who it seems like where born to deal with people. And lets be honest, knowing how to manipulate people can work to your advantage when working with the public. I am sure the good CM's do this.

The interesting thing that should be noted here is that Disney is often not in a position to be too picky when hiring personnel. When your starting wage is 6.70 an hour and your wage progression occurs over a period of about 10 years topping out at around 11 dollars an hour, you as a company are not attracting the best candidates. In fact, unless the person who walks through the door is one of those folks who always dreamed of working for Disney, you are essentially selecting from the best of the bottom of the labor pool.

Also, because the jobs are unionized, reward comes with longevity and not performance. There is no incentive to do the best job possible except to keep management from reprimanding you. If you do get into trouble the union typically manages to save your job on some technicality.

 

[weluvtink]

I'm a nice CM-at TDS.

 

[mkt]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr
If you do get into trouble the union typically manages to save your job on some technicality.

not always..

 

[bigbadwolf]

From my last trip in oct... I remember seeing MORE smiles and greetings... Most of the old people working there are nice. But some younger cast members are just a-holes. The people working at the shops are nice people. But people at the gates... rides... and parking lots... noooooo most of them are just annoying. I heard a cast member say "F#$% it!" becuase he had a hard time with some ticket machine. :lol:

:lookaroun -yea thats what i did

 

[Woody13]

Originally posted by disneyisbest
And lets be honest, knowing how to manipulate people can work to your advantage when working with the public. I am sure the good CM's do this.

Oh yeah, I always go to WDW to be manipulated by good CM's. Manipulate me baby! :animwink:

 

[HennieBogan1966]

Having been a former CM at TDS here in Austin, I must say something here:

(1) The wage you are paid is irrelevant. You agreed to it when you were hired. If you don't like it, don't accept the position next time.

(2) You should be there with a smile on your face each and every day. It's what you are paid to do. Leave your problems at the door/gate. It was a privilege that I am very grateful for having had with the company to have worked at a store.

(3) Yes, we all have bad days. But if you can't figure out how to handle yourself in tough situations, maybe you're in over your head and should take a step back, gain some experience, then try it again.

 

[BwanaBob]

Originally posted by niteobsrvr
Also, because the jobs are unionized, reward comes with longevity and not performance. There is no incentive to do the best job possible except to keep management from reprimanding you. If you do get into trouble the union typically manages to save your job on some technicality.

My intention is not to upset anyone with what I'm about to say, ...

but that is why I'm anti-union. There are a lot of things that they may assist an employee with...but overall, it leaves a company with very little to incite employees with if they must negotiate with a "union". I venture to say you would see a slightly higher pay scale too if this wasn't an issue!

 

[Woody13]

Originally posted by BwanaBob
My intention is not to upset anyone with what I'm about to say, ...

but that is why I'm anti-union. There are a lot of things that they may assist an employee with...but overall, it leaves a company with very little to incite employees with if they must negotiate with a "union". I venture to say you would see a slightly higher pay scale too if this wasn't an issue!

:veryconfu