My Feelings on Holiday Crowds as a Cast Member

[BigThunderMatt]

Hold on a sec, who works here? Me? Ok, thank you. Just making sure.

And slapped. And called every name in the book you could possibly be called in every possible language you can imagine. Just because I continued to inform them they were standing smack-dab in the middle of a major walkway. With a stroller.

So many people think that by saying this we’ll automatically believe them. Told by who? Because that’s definitely not true.

Or Portuguese. Take your pick.

And, of course, my personal favorite:

However, I also love:

Wanting to literally cuss someone out and another guest jumps in and goes "WHAT THE F*** ARE YOU DOING?!"

THANK YOU!

Happy Holidays everyone!

(all images courtesy of Rage Cast Member!)

 

[TubaGeek]

Remember folks, this is directed at the 5% of guests who deserve it, not you.

 

[invader]

I chuckled.

 

[jlevis]

BigThunderMatt, I don't know how CM's put up with the crap they do. I make sure I note the name of each CM I have contact with and use it. We also fill out a "complement" card at Guest Services card with a complement when appropriate. 99% of the CM's do an outstanding job.

 

[fillerup]

Made me smile - especially the last one. I've done that from time to time.

 

[MickeyPeace]

BigThunderMatt, I don't know how CM's put up with the crap they do. I make sure I note the name of each CM I have contact with and use it. We also fill out a "complement" card at Guest Services card with a complement when appropriate. 99% of the CM's do an outstanding job.

Good to know about this! I will definitely use this.

Do the resorts have these cards too? I had an outstanding cast member at both Coronado Springs and All Star Movies this year. All Star Movies sent me an online survey when I got home and I noted the exceptional cast member by name. I also included my experience at Coronado.

I would have filled one of these out on site. I didn't think to ask if they had this.

 

[Mansion Butler]

BigThunderMatt, I don't know how CM's put up with the crap they do.

Honestly, it's not hard. At all. There are frustrating guests, of course, but they give us entertaining stories when we go home and they're in and out of our lives in moments.

And one guest stopping to tell me I've done a great job or something erases every bad guest I've had up to that point.

I make sure I note the name of each CM I have contact with and use it. We also fill out a "complement" card at Guest Services card with a complement when appropriate. 99% of the CM's do an outstanding job.

K. You rock.

 

[Mansion Butler]

See this one?

Yesterday, a CM was screamed at by a guest for letting in a Make a Wish family without (and I quote) "confirming whether or not they are actually dying."

I post this not to complain, but to wonder "aloud" about there actually being people like that out there.

 

[DDuckFan130]

My hat goes off to you CM's. I have probably been one of those who will jump in for you and defend you, not just at WDW but anywhere. Or usually after they walk away I tell the CM or employee how ridiculous the argument was and try to break the ice with them. Then I thank them profusely for helping me so they know they are appreciated. Thanks for all you do :wave:

 

[walee]

I Love guest who say what the cm really wants to say.

My hat goes off to you CM's. I have probably been one of those who will jump in for you and defend you, not just at WDW but anywhere. Or usually after they walk away I tell the CM or employee how ridiculous the argument was and try to break the ice with them. Then I thank them profusely for helping me so they know they are appreciated. Thanks for all you do :wave:

First of all the original poster is brave to put this out there. I'm a Cm and I could not and would never do this because you never know who is watching on these forums. :lookaroun

second. I have had guest help me by screaming at another guest what I really wanna say but can't. It always suprises me how truly cold hearted some people are. especially in front of their young children.

AT THE END OF THE DAY WE WERE JUST DOING OUR JOB. :shrug:

 

[heartodisney]

While we were there just a couple of weeks ago, I always tried to either thank a CM or wish them a Merry Christmas...I work in health care, and I know how "families" can be. I got shouted at standing inline with a friend and my 4 y.o. in the Peter Pan ride by just pointing out to my friend while a 3 y.o. in front of us in a monkey harness to keep up with him and his father NOT paying attention to him climbing a choking himself tangling up and the mother berating me that they have him in this due to people "stealing children" and she never untangled him..we counted at least 20 more times he almost hung himself..even my 4 y.o. shook her head. I salute all the CM's!

 

[jlevis]

Good to know about this! I will definitely use this.

Do the resorts have these cards too? I had an outstanding cast member at both Coronado Springs and All Star Movies this year. All Star Movies sent me an online survey when I got home and I noted the exceptional cast member by name. I also included my experience at Coronado.

I would have filled one of these out on site. I didn't think to ask if they had this.

I don't know we stay off site. Guest services at the parks has them but I suspect the resorts do also. I have had CM's tell me that they do end up in their personnel file.

 

[jlevis]

See this one?

Yesterday, a CM was screamed at by a guest for letting in a Make a Wish family without (and I quote) "confirming whether or not they are actually dying."

I post this not to complain, but to wonder "aloud" about there actually being people like that out there.

Some people just need a good slap.

 

[Belle1004]

I'm heading to Disney a week from today. I now know to make more of an effort to go out of my way to thank the CMs. I have had nothing but positive experiences with these hard workers who go above and beyond to make my experience more magical. Thanks to you all!

 

[zooey]

There's a lot of negativity about the WDC and TDO on these forums, but after every trip to the world I ask whether more disappointment came from the parks themselves or the guests inside. Every time there has been far more disappointment in the behavior of the guests and their lack of decency and courteousness than any other element experienced while on property. I'm not sure if it is a sign of the times, or what the actual reason is, but I wish people would keep their heads on straight and realize that Walt Disney World is not just for them.

Thanks to all the CMs who make it through and still give the classic WDW experience to those guests willing and able to notice it. You truly do make a difference.

 

[Timekeeper]

Yes, guests can often be complete idiots or outright rude. Yes, CMs have to put up with a lot of crap. But we can't forget that CMs are employees working at a job. In their daily routines they are agents that act on behalf of the Mouse. They were not involuntarily drafted to war; they voluntarily chose to work for the Mouse. And for their work they are paid.

Granted, CMs probably put up with a lot more "rudeness" than most of us do in our daily work routine. And yes, CMs probably aren't paid as much as they ought to be. But neither of those are valid excuses for a CM to "lose it" on stage.

As I mentioned in another thread, the difference between a "bad CM" and and "good CM" is whether he/she lets these things get to him/her and shows an obvious tone of anger, frustration, and irritation that is visible to other guests while on stage. I.e., stuff that would end up on YouTube with the word "fail" in the video title.

Don't get me wrong, I am sympathetic and I can speak from experience when I say that I can directly relate with the CMs' frustrations. But we also can't forget that putting up with so many variables - both good and bad - is essentially what their job is. If they don't like it, they should find a higher paying job that doesn't include getting yelled at by guests in a manner illustrated by the OP above (which is basically any other job that doesn't require guest service). If we over-sympathize with CMs, then we lower our expectations and standards, which leads to the obvious decline in customer service that we've seen at WDW over the years.

There are plenty of jobs out there in which employees are placed in positions of being the subject of idiotic behavior, complaints, and other forms of negativity. There are those who do well in those sorts of job roles, and there are those who do not. For those who do not, they are well advised to select a different employment opportunity, because sticking around in a job that is not a "good fit" for one's personality type is a disservice to both themselves and their employer.

So, while we cannot defend ignorant and rude guest behavior, we can remind ourselves that dealing with this sort of thing is what they signed up for.

If I can't handle the heat in the kitchen, then I don't sign up to be a cook. It's as simple as that. :sohappy:

If I can't handle the heat in the kitchen, and I do sign up to be a cook, then not only am I miserable every day, but the food quality in the restaurant is likely to decline as a result of my misery. And yes, guests will notice.

 

[MLIDisney10]

I'm heading to Disney a week from today. I now know to make more of an effort to go out of my way to thank the CMs. I have had nothing but positive experiences with these hard workers who go above and beyond to make my experience more magical. Thanks to you all!

I am a CM as well and I know that a thank you is a booster for our day. Most guests don't know what happened 10 minutes before they got there nor what will happen 10 minutes after, but that one thank you can help a lot.

One of my friends posted yesterday on facebook that a guest went up to him and said "How do you feel knowing that you are stuck here working while your family is opening presents and eating a nice meal without you? Suck to be you!" I was shocked at how heartless that guest was. Yes we know we are away from our families. Yes we know you are with your family and we are working. Don't rub it in.

Now I know that is not every guest and this could have been a fluke, but that guy wouldn't have been at Disney if us CM's decided to work during holidays when families make trips to parks. This is part of what we go through and while its unfortunate most of us wouldn't trade our experiences for anything and we truly love what we do.

Thanks for all of the compliments to us, our leaders and guest relations! They do get back to us with all of the great things guests say!

 

[Timekeeper]

Thanks for all of the compliments to us, our leaders and guest relations! They do get back to us with all of the great things guests say!

I have been on both sides of the issue. And yes, guests (in all industries) are more likely to take the time to complain than to take the time to compliment. That's just the way that our consumer culture generally operates. We expect our steaks to arrive at the dinner table as ordered. So when it does, most of us don't compliment the chef. If it does not arrive as ordered, then there is immediately an issue that requires a resolution.

But as a frequent guest of the parks, I also wanted to point out for you that guests often make comments to each other about how impressed they are with many aspects of the park, including CM customer service. Those comments (unfortunately) won't reach management or the CMs. But it's worth mentioning that I often overhear families make complimentary observations among themselves about some of the "good" CMs in the parks. I wish the CMs being talked about could be privy to those compliments. But alas, just know that it does happen.

And if I can overhear these positive comments, so can other guests (and the same goes for negative comments).

 

[BigThunderMatt]

So, while we cannot defend ignorant and rude guest behavior, we can remind ourselves that dealing with this sort of thing is what they signed up for.

If I can't handle the heat in the kitchen, then I don't sign up to be a cook. It's as simple as that. :sohappy:

I enjoy every day of what I do. However, that doesn't mean that I am impervious to mistreatment by guests. It can, and will get under your skin, as just like the guests, CMs (myself included) are only human.

A girl I was working with last night who is fairly short was assisting me in making sure we were keeping a walkway clear and a guest shouted at her "I heard you the first time, midget!"

Quite frankly, until you've lived it, you have no business coming into this thread and preaching to me about how if I can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen. Take your soap box and your high horse and skedaddle.

 

[Timekeeper]

I enjoy every day of what I do. However, that doesn't mean that I am impervious to mistreatment by guests. It can, and will get under your skin, as just like the guests, CMs (myself included) are only human.

A girl I was working with last night who is fairly short was assisting me in making sure we were keeping a walkway clear and a guest shouted at her "I heard you the first time, midget!"

Quite frankly, until you've lived it, you have no business coming into this thread and preaching to me about how if I can't stand the heat then get out of the kitchen. Take your soap box and your high horse and skedaddle.

First, if you read my entire post, you would have also read "...I can speak from experience when I say that I can directly relate with the CMs' frustrations." So, since I have "lived it," as you say, I will offer my opinions here, which are shared by many.

Second, your apparently emotional reaction to my post is reminiscent of the kind of reactions from CMs in the parks that are outright inappropriate from a CM (and is contributing to the decline in quality of customer service). This is especially common among CP CMs who - albeit are usually very well intentioned - simply haven't lived long enough to develop the skills (or emotional maturity) required to deal with the complex guest interactions.

Third, some guests are generally rude, and other guests outright cross the line (and I mean legally cross the line, not just in my subjective opinion). So, when I "lived it," and guests crossed the line, they were trespassed from property.

Our jobs are our jobs. For most of us, there will always be aspects of our jobs that we don't like, or simply can't stand. No one here is defending the guest who yelled out at a short CM, or disagreeing with you that the guest was "in the wrong" or otherwise behaved inappropriately. But that's what happens when a business opens its doors to thousands of people from all corners of the earth.

Thus, if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Otherwise you could end up on YouTube with the words "Disney" and "fail" in the title, which is not something Disney will be happy about. :brick: