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The Miscellaneous Thought Thread
- Thread starter mickEblu
- Start date
once an hour!? Man what did you say that was so bad?EDIT: I guess I shouldnāt be hearing back from you for at least 11 minutes. Lol
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I donāt understand. You ve been able to post now for 45 minutes and you havenāt answered me
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
I made it out to the park a few days ago. Attraction reliability and maintenance was, as usual, really poor.
But I can't stress enough how the quality of cast members seems to be dropping quick. I mean I'd love for someone who knows more on the subject than I to do a deep dive on the changes Disney's made to their training, Disney Look, management, pay, the unions, etc. and how that's changed the quality of cast members and their overall morale over the last 30 or so years. But it's really obvious there are a bunch that really don't want to be there.
An example- the extended queue (former Starcade) for Space Mountain has someone selling water and popcorn at the end just before you exit the interior portion. About 10 feet from the exit. My friend briefly lowered his mask to drink some water (it was a humid day and we had been in line for like 40 minutes at this point), and she said "No eating or drinking in line. Masks are required at all times indoors and this is indoors" We observed her leave her vending station and walk around to get people to raise their masks over their nose- each time being quite abrupt in her interactions and each guest looked visibly annoyed, especially since none of them were intentionally trying to skirt the rules.
So much of customer service is knowing how to say things in the nicest way possible while still getting the point across. Typically, you don't want to say "no" or "you can't"- especially without offering an alternative. In this case, saying something like "Hey! Please wait until you're outside to drink, we ask that your mask remain on at all times while inside". This says the same thing- you can't drink and masks are required- but in a way that's far more friendly and leaves a better impression on the guest. And it doesn't require any more work then barking that masks are required and we can't drink indoors. The cast members need to think "Man, if I was at a guest at Disneyland how would I want to be talked to?"
It honestly felt like the place was being operated by a bunch of Mcdonalds and Six Flags employees.
Many cast members I saw throughout the day seemed grumpy and honestly really unhappy being there. Disney's gotta figure out how to boost morale quick (and no, the answer isn't just giving them raises- they did that two years ago and it didn't fix a darn thing, and they're still getting sued)
But I can't stress enough how the quality of cast members seems to be dropping quick. I mean I'd love for someone who knows more on the subject than I to do a deep dive on the changes Disney's made to their training, Disney Look, management, pay, the unions, etc. and how that's changed the quality of cast members and their overall morale over the last 30 or so years. But it's really obvious there are a bunch that really don't want to be there.
An example- the extended queue (former Starcade) for Space Mountain has someone selling water and popcorn at the end just before you exit the interior portion. About 10 feet from the exit. My friend briefly lowered his mask to drink some water (it was a humid day and we had been in line for like 40 minutes at this point), and she said "No eating or drinking in line. Masks are required at all times indoors and this is indoors" We observed her leave her vending station and walk around to get people to raise their masks over their nose- each time being quite abrupt in her interactions and each guest looked visibly annoyed, especially since none of them were intentionally trying to skirt the rules.
So much of customer service is knowing how to say things in the nicest way possible while still getting the point across. Typically, you don't want to say "no" or "you can't"- especially without offering an alternative. In this case, saying something like "Hey! Please wait until you're outside to drink, we ask that your mask remain on at all times while inside". This says the same thing- you can't drink and masks are required- but in a way that's far more friendly and leaves a better impression on the guest. And it doesn't require any more work then barking that masks are required and we can't drink indoors. The cast members need to think "Man, if I was at a guest at Disneyland how would I want to be talked to?"
It honestly felt like the place was being operated by a bunch of Mcdonalds and Six Flags employees.
Many cast members I saw throughout the day seemed grumpy and honestly really unhappy being there. Disney's gotta figure out how to boost morale quick (and no, the answer isn't just giving them raises- they did that two years ago and it didn't fix a darn thing, and they're still getting sued)
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Maybe if Disney treated their employees with dignity, respect and like they were human beings in general, CMs would be happier and more pleasing.
Yup! This is exactly what I experienced a couple weeks ago. Most of them were grumpy or disinterested. Just a couple examples off the top of my head.
-Headed to a popcorn cart (son is a fiend no matter what time of day) at DL around 10:30 am after a breakfast chimi (got the last one) and the popcorn vendor just pretended I wasnāt there for a solid two minutes. Granted the first batch of popcorn was still popping but just would not look at me as I was standing there a foot away. Then when I finally said something it she just came off cold, bored and almost annoyed. Just Like the ladies just up the road at the breakfast chimi stand.
- Ask an employee standing right outside Elias and Sons (after striking out at another store) about a specific Hocus Pocus spirit jersey my wife wanted and she just deadpans āI think we sold out of those.ā We walk in and find them in like 20 seconds.
Ask an employee in Fantasyland where the nearest fuel rod Machine is. After thinking about for 30 seconds directs me to āstore near where they shoot in Adventureland.ā
(Thatās Pioneer Mercantile/ Frontierland for anyone in need of a fuel rod machine)
A smile or any enthusiasm was quite rare.
One gentleman at the Main Street train station really shined as he cleared a way for my grandma to sit as we waited for the train and then let us board first.
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But why does it seem so much worse now? Never really noticed it before. At least to this degree.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
Yup! This is exactly what I experienced a couple weeks ago. Most of them were grumpy or disinterested. Just a couple examples off the top of my head.
-Headed to a popcorn cart (son is a fiend no matter what time of day) at DL early in the morning right after a breakfast chimi (got the last one) and the popcorn vendor just pretended I wasnāt there for a solid two minutes. Granted the first batch of popcorn was still popping but just would not look at me as I was standing there a foot away. Then when I finally said something it she just came off cold, bored and almost annoyed. Just Like the ladies just up the road at the breakfast chimi stand.
- Ask an employee standing right outside Elias and Sons (after striking out at another store) about a specific Hocus Pocus spirit jersey my wife wanted and she just deadpans āI think we sold out of those.ā We walk in and find them in like 20 seconds.
Ask an employee in Fantasyland where the nearest fuel rod Machine is. After thinking about for 30 seconds directs me to āstore near where they shoot in Adventureland.ā
A smile or any enthusiasm was quite rare.
One gentleman at the Main Street train station really shined as he cleared a way for my grandma to sit as we waited for the train and then let us board first.
There are still a few gems for sure. My server at Club 33 was one of the best servers I've had at a restaurant in my life (if not the best, she put the last server I had at Morton's to shame). Same with a guest relations lady I struck up a conversation with while providing a compliment about the Club 33 server.
I've enjoyed conversations with a couple of the Splash Mountain CM's and they tend to be cheerful and engaged in their work.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Could be the pandemic. Iām honestly not as happy as I was pre-2020. I would imagine some of the CMs may not be happy with their lives in general. Knowing myself, if I worked at Disneyland right now in the midst of this pandemic, ON TOP of dealing with mean and crappy Disney management, my mental health would decline and Iād probably be short with guests as well, especially the annoying and entitled ones who refuse to listen to simple instructions.
My mental health is in the toilet half the time but I suck it up especially at work. Also I think Iāve come to the conclusion that if someone is working at DL for peanuts itās because they believe the perks outweigh what they have to deal with. Itās probably harder to get hired at DL then any of the other places down the street that pay more or the same and are much less stressful.
I hate to not go along with the crowd, but I've been three times in the last two months. Most all the CMs I talked to were pleasant. Engineers I knew from before called me over and chatted. Had a long chat about the Philippines with a guy from Manila at Hungry Bear.
You shouldnāt have to have a long personal convo or have rapport with CMs for them to be pleasant. Being polite should suffice. A lot of the vloggers kiss their @$$ all the time and rave about them because they call them by first name and talk to them every week. They re out of touch like the suits who valet at the Grand Californian and donāt make the one mile walk of shame to the park gates.
SuddenStorm
Well-Known Member
I know you and I have very different opinions on what it's like working for the mouse- but I honestly think this statement is a bit short sighted.
Disney has done quite a bit to lay the groundwork to make Disneyland a really solid place to work as far as entry level jobs go. The pay is competitive. And with the Disney Aspire program, someone could work for Disney for a few years, get a degree or certificate, use that to get a better job that has nothing to do with Disney and do it all without debt. Not to mention the amazing customer service practice you get working in the parks, since you're interacting with people of all ages and backgrounds and have to learn how to adjust to each person's individual needs and expectations. And this experience is beneficial in any future job.
Not to mention the Main Gate pass which makes entertaining family and friends a breeze and really are an insane free perk- especially with the rising costs of day tickets.
Now, someone not getting treated with dignity and respect is more the fault of the direct management in that location- and there's no way to be a manager that every single employee loves. Some people work better under different types of management.
My biggest gripe working there was the backstage cafeterias- which I thought were crappy and way overpriced. If Disney gave SodexoMagic the boot and found a way to offer decent food at a cheaper price point, giving CM's an inexpensive option without having to bring food that'd be amazing.
For an entry level position you can do much worse, and if you play your cards right working at Disney can set you up for a very successful career outside the company.
But also, any customer service job isn't for everyone and it really does take a certain type of person to do it and be good at it. And honestly anyone that doesn't enjoy it shouldn't subject themselves to it, since it can be really brutal at times.
Mac Tonight
Well-Known Member
Itās too bad that not everyone who works customer service can be as peppy and happy-to-be-at-their-job as the guy who works the drive-thru at my local Starbucks. Legitimately, he says the phrase āwe love itā after repeating every item you order. āVenti hot vanilla latte? We love it.ā But the best is when he comes back with a rhyme. āDouble smoked bacon and cheddarā¦ breakfast doesnāt get any better.ā
Also, maybe itās just me, but when I see and overhear a group of CMs at Haunted Mansion just hanging out and discussing their upcoming weekend plans onstage while the line is slowly movingā¦ I donāt think, āDisney ought to treat them with more dignityāā¦ I think āthereās a group of college-aged kids who probably like telling people they work at Disneyland more than they actually like working at Disneyland.ā
Also, maybe itās just me, but when I see and overhear a group of CMs at Haunted Mansion just hanging out and discussing their upcoming weekend plans onstage while the line is slowly movingā¦ I donāt think, āDisney ought to treat them with more dignityāā¦ I think āthereās a group of college-aged kids who probably like telling people they work at Disneyland more than they actually like working at Disneyland.ā
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
I didnāt make that comment to excuse CM behavior, but to explain what could possibly be going on with CMs. Also, do you work in customer service, serving hundreds of people per day? That should be taken into account here. If CMs are struggling, they should be actively looking for other work and quit when they find it though.
I wouldnāt say the pay is competitive at all, unless the current pay rates have skyrocketed since I was a CM ten years ago. I donāt keep up with current rates and itās entirely possible that I would find them competitive now. I was making I believe $9 an hour in 2011.
I donāt think itās shortsighted, given that I know and have come across dozens of people who work or used to work for Disney in various capacities other than Disneyland and have mostly all shared very similar negative experiences working for the company. At that point, itās not a coincidence, itās not just a direct management problem, and something is wrong. It wouldnāt hurt Disney to reconstruct their business practices that would trickle down to better management, one that doesnāt want to make your employees hate coming to work, give them anxiety, etc.
Disney definitely sees to it that their CMs get good customer service training. At least when I was there. However, I would argue that it becomes ineffective when it becomes micro-managed (a supervisor constantly coming up to the CM to tell them to smile, for example) and when the CMsā own well-being isnāt taken into consideration (had a co-worker who was slapped by a guest and management did pretty much nothing about it). I worked at Universal as well and not only was I trained on good customer service there, but they emphasized that team membersā well-being shouldnāt be compromised for it. Because of that, I was never anxious on the job, was better at my job, and was overall happier. In turn, the guests were happier and more pleasant. I felt that Disney expected near perfection from us and I remember some of my other co-workers expressing the same sentiments.
The Main Gate pass is a nice incentive, but personally, itās not enough to put up with an unhealthy work environment. For the CM that has no problems at all with work and loves the parks, itās an excellent incentive and well worth it. It depends on the person, for sure.
As a graduate student, I supervised a group of undergraduate English tutors for the writing center on campus. I of course emphasized that the students who sought out our services needed to be treated with great service and helped in the best ways possible, but I never let that compromise my tutors. The work environment was both professional and pleasant. I never let students disrespect my tutors and stuck up for them. I actually listened to the problems my tutors brought to me, gave them time off when they needed, never once scheduled them for work on days they requested not to work (unlike Disney), and made myself available. In turn, my tutors were happy to come in to work, sometimes on their days off, and our students were always pleased with the tutoring. We even got compliments from upper management on how good of a job we were doing. Itās basic and common knowledge that a professional, but pleasant and healthy work environment breeds happier employees and in turn, better results.
I donāt think itās a coincidence that some of you are noticing poor CM service. I agree with you that customer service is not for everyone, and Iāll repeat that any CM who isnāt pleased with their job should actively be looking for other work and should quit as soon as they find it. Guests do matter and they do notice things. They shouldnāt be subjected to poor service simply because CMs are unhappy or are having bad days. But I stand by what I said about the company as a whole. Some things need to change.
I also agree with you that a career with Disney can lead to some wonderful future opportunities. I can and always also acknowledge that my experience working for Disney is solely mine. My uncle was head of security for the Walt Disney Studios for decades. He hated it and complained about the same things I did, and he warned me about working for the company years before I joined it. But he always told me that I needed to have my own experience and see for myself, and Iām glad I did. I do the same in return. I never discourage people from pursuing work with Disney, if thatās what they truly want. I tell them to make the best of their time with the company and I hope they have a much better time than I did.
Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
I didn't have any issues with cast members while I was there last week, but I did see people/guests treating cast members abusively. It was also 104*.
Californian Elitist
Well-Known Member
Rude guests can ruin oneās work experience, and thatās anywhere. Gotta have some patience and thick skin. The older I get, the less patience I have.
An older student was so rude to one of my tutors once and I snapped right back at her and told her to refrain from speaking to my tutors with such disrespect. I could tell she was shocked that I said something to her lol. She made a complaint to my supervisor, of course, but nothing happened. Her name was Barbara and my tutors and I started calling her āBoomer Barbā outside of work.
socalifornian
Well-Known Member
Was Epcot this bad?
Dear Prudence
Well-Known Member
I think Disney customer service is the pits now, period. I think regardless of CMs at the parks, even when we were trying to make ticket reservations and adjust them, was terrible. You couldn't even get a live person on the phone half of the time. We were told 4 different things. Thankfully, I had take screen caps of everything, and we got it all sorted out, but this was the worst experience I had ever had from them. I don't think it's the CMs fault, I think the new management is garbage.