So I'm becoming one of those and a little miffed

[Wesleyjohn]

My fam and I are at the world for the rest of this week. Being that this is our 4th trip(in-laws first in 25 years), I'm starting to look for things wrong or missing. I'm starting to raise the bar on what I see and hear. So far,pretty good, we didn't get to see the room moving at HM, wasn't crazy impressed with jack sparrow but still nice 3D, 2 screwups at LMA. maybe it's the cold that is making it seem like the CM's aren't quite as friendly and is making them cranky. I know the CM are held to high standards soil was a little miffed yesterday and maybe I just need to get it off my chest. Tell me if I'm overreacting.
Went to HS and went straight to TSM for FP. I know that they have be more strict on the FP times and simply asked if there was ANY grace period. I know there has been discussion of 5 min grace so I wanted to be aware. Simply tell me the rules and I'll go by them. CM, "No grace times" my reply "okay thanks just want to be sure". So, then I go around the corner with my son for the bathroom and I hear her barking to another CM how stupid people are that they can't get it what the FP times are.
Here's my issue - aren't they supposed to be 'on stage' at all times even when they don't think someone is listening. They've had a grace system for years, so wouldn't they be trained to expect these questions for at least another year or two.
Put me in my place please and no this wont ruin the trip, no comment on if in-laws will though. Lol

 

[Spikerdink]

Here's where I have a problem with your post - I'm starting to look for things wrong or missing. I'm starting to raise the bar on what I see and hear. Why are you deliberately looking for problems?? You are in Disney! Enjoy the moment!! Look at all that is good and great! Instead of looking for a burned out light bulb, look for the smiles on a young family building memories they will always recall. Instead of looking for show mishaps, buy your in laws and yourself a funny hat and be a kid again just for the heck of it. Be your own show that you and your family can think about when times are tough and recall that time with fondness and light.

As for the CM, you are right, they should not have said that.... if there is one thing I have learned in my life is that you never know who is listening. Even though it is cold, there is no reason to disparage guests on stage. If they want to vent, they should it in the break room or backstage, but definitely not where anyone can hear.

Have a magical day!

 

[DVC4bestvacations]

I wouldnt let it bother you for the rest of your vacation. Unless this is not an isolated case.

CM's are alowed to have bad days too.

 

[DisneyDebNJ]

My fam and I are at the world for the rest of this week. Being that this is our 4th trip(in-laws first in 25 years), I'm starting to look for things wrong or missing. I'm starting to raise the bar on what I see and hear. So far,pretty good, we didn't get to see the room moving at HM, wasn't crazy impressed with jack sparrow but still nice 3D, 2 screwups at LMA. maybe it's the cold that is making it seem like the CM's aren't quite as friendly and is making them cranky. I know the CM are held to high standards soil was a little miffed yesterday and maybe I just need to get it off my chest. Tell me if I'm overreacting.
Went to HS and went straight to TSM for FP. I know that they have be more strict on the FP times and simply asked if there was ANY grace period. I know there has been discussion of 5 min grace so I wanted to be aware. Simply tell me the rules and I'll go by them. CM, "No grace times" my reply "okay thanks just want to be sure". So, then I go around the corner with my son for the bathroom and I hear her barking to another CM how stupid people are that they can't get it what the FP times are.
Here's my issue - aren't they supposed to be 'on stage' at all times even when they don't think someone is listening. They've had a grace system for years, so wouldn't they be trained to expect these questions for at least another year or two.
Put me in my place please and no this wont ruin the trip, no comment on if in-laws will though. Lol

While I can certainly understand you being upset with the CM's comment, I agree with @DVC4bestvacations maybe the CM was having a bad day, to which we are all entitled. I wouldnt let it ruin my vacation though. You are certainly entitled to *raise the bar* in your expectations, but I wouldnt raise it so high that it puts you in a bad mood either You're at Disney, expect to have fun and relax (although when I took my inlaws to Disney decades ago, it wasnt such a magical time LOL) Enjoy the rest of your week and have fun!!!!

 

[olinecoach61]

Life is what you make of it. If you choose to look for inperfections you will find them in anything.

 

[real mad hatter]

Swop!

 

[marni1971]

Things may not be like they were, but humans will also always be human. Out of 1000 CMs one or two may not be as good as they should be.

You're right to be irked at nearly $100 a day. If it happens again, politely challenge the CM. Then note his name, time and location and take it to guest relations if its not resolved on the spot.

 

[PUSH]

You shouldn't set out looking for problems. If you do that, you're bound to get angry at some things. However, if the incident with a CM happens again, I'd take his name, place and time down and tell guest relations. Everyone has a bad day every now and then.

 

[ThankstoMOM]

Look for negativity and it will come in droves no matter where you are!!!!. Enjoy the good and smile , your in WDW. As far as the CM, forget them, they are just jealous your on vacation. Its only your 4th trip, your bound to run into more disgruntled CM (unfortunatly). GO HAVE FUN!!!!!!
p.s. major bummer on HM portrait room on the fritz, but it'll get resolved

 

[ParentsOf4]

Quoting the OP:

So, then I go around the corner with my son for the bathroom and I hear her barking to another CM how stupid people are that they can't get it what the FP times are.

To me, "barking" suggest speaking very loudly. Yes, everyone is entitled to a bad day. However, if you were to walk into, for example, McDonald's and two employees were loudly discussing how "stupid" their customers were, would you find that acceptable?

Alternatively, if a WDW supervisor was nearby and overheard the conversation, would they simply shrug off the incident because the CM was having a bad day? Is the OP asking a legitimate question, completely understandable given the recent changes in FP return time enforcement, justification for a CM to be rude?

Overall, I thought the OP's post was positive. To paraphrase, "I'm looking for things wrong and this is the only thing that has bothered me so far." My interpretation is that, other than this incident, the OP is having a really good vacation at WDW.

 

[Glasgow]

Something I learned a while back - no one is more in control of your happiness than you. No matter what happens, you can decide to be happy or not - its up to you.

Having said that, the CM behavior is very poor - that should never happen. If you feel strongly enough, take down their name and issue a complaint.

 

[Tom Morrow]

That attitude is becoming the norm at WDW for CMs. Everyone is "stupid" for having any question at all. I see it all the time. Oh, but they'll still quickly brag about how "great" WDWs guest service is!

 

[bethymouse]

Well, my last trip, I couldn't help but notice some deterioration at some of the attractions.

 

[Fantasmic]

That CM's attitude is appalling, I'd would have challenged the CM about their attitude and taken it up with their lead!

 

[Wesleyjohn]

Thanks for everyone's posts. I shouldn't be looking for problems and be positive. I think that I was simply thrown 30 minutes into my first park and first day and got surprised by that. We're having a good time. Night all!

 

[Wesleyjohn]

That CM's attitude is appalling, I'd would have challenged the CM about their attitude and taken it up with their lead!

Was close to doing that at the time. Since it was over the top from how I asked.

 

[luv]

CMs are not allowed to have bad days that have them end up calling people "stupid." Many of us have difficult jobs that try our patience and do not allow for bad days. Suck it up when you punch in and deal with your personal issues on your time off. That is what we are paid to do.

This is an all too common problem that continues to get worse. It's like half (or more) of the staff needs to be re-trained or just fired. Plenty of people out there who would be happy to suck it up and smile for a paycheck - no reason to keep those who don't.

I agree that it should be reported, but I understand why not everyone wants to do that.

 

[Gabe1]

Look for negativity and it will come in droves no matter where you are!!!!. Enjoy the good and smile , your in WDW. As far as the CM, forget them, they are just jealous your on vacation. Its only your 4th trip, your bound to run into more disgruntled CM (unfortunatly). GO HAVE FUN!!!!!!
p.s. major bummer on HM portrait room on the fritz, but it'll get resolved

I too get annoyed when any employee or CM for that matter gets snotty with me. Yet at some point it has to be beyond frustrating to CMs when guests ask dumb questions repeatedly, everyone seems to want to push the envelope just a little farther. So much that there is a joke about 3oclock parade and it still lives on today. I don't believe jealousy plays into comments like this one, normally they would quietly talk about you, and yes they do talk about the dumb

My son looks at how some are raising their kids and that is his daily breaking point, parents encouraging their kids to do what they shouldn't be doing. Not thinking he is jealous of the little misbehaving parents and their spawn.

I think when you are looking for trouble you get trouble. Everyone by now knows the FP time rule, what if someone said yes 5 minutes and the next CM didn't honor that?
I vote for not asking CMs annoying questions.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

That attitude is becoming the norm at WDW for CMs. Everyone is "stupid" for having any question at all. I see it all the time.

Sadly, this attitude is becoming the norm at many places.

Employees get terribly worked up about 'stupid customers' with 'stupid questions'. It is the favourite lunchtime subject. They whip each other up into disdain for the customers to the point where they feel entitled to treat customers in a derogatory manner. Feel that they should put into place any customer that strays just a little into 'stupid guest territory'.


These employees tend to overlook two things:
- Stupid questions often aren't stupid at all - from the perspective of the other.
- Even if you (employee) are subjected to stupid questions all day long - as anybody is who deals with the general public - it doesn't mean that all your customers are stupid, or even a great many of them. It just means that for every thousand interactions you have, five will be stupid. But then...they would! It's normal! I too have five stupid questions out of every thousand I ask. And five (fifty?) out of every thousand posts of mine here are stupid - this doesn't mean I'm a brainless maniac. Just human.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

Thanks for everyone's posts. I shouldn't be looking for problems and be positive. I think that I was simply thrown 30 minutes into my first park and first day and got surprised by that. We're having a good time. Night all!

I think it was the CM who was 'looking for problems', who had a preconceived mind about silly, annoying questions.

The way to answer the simple question of 'Excuse me, is there a five minute grace period' is: 'No sir, I'm afraid there isn't'.

Everything else is uncalled for bollocks. You don't need to be treated as if you had just harrassed them for half an hour to be let in after you missed your fastpass deadline by an hour. Yes, they encounter that all day long. But no, that wasn't you, so to you they smile and answer your simple straightforward question without giving you lip behind your back.