Ok, here is the full story about what happened to me.. Let me start by saying I had purchased the Universal AP after visiting the park in 2007... I figured I was an owner in the DVC, and since I would be going down every year, I'll spend a day or two away from Disney over in Universal...
So, I get back from 2007's trip and purchase the pass...
When HHN tickets went on sale, my friend in Orlando purchased them for us.. This was to be my first time at HHN... And yes, I can say I was very excited.. After asking people who have done HHN, we decided to purchase Universal's fast pass for the haunted houses...
So, the day started off fine... We drive out to Universal and get there around 12:30... Our first stop was Margaritaville... My friend and I walk in to put our name down on the list for dinner.. The woman working the front desk asked if we had reservations.. I told her no, that the person I spoke to on the phone told us we didn't need them, that they don't do reservations, and to just walk in and put my name on the list... The front desk girl shot back with a bit of a nasty attitude, WELL YOU NEED THEM.. I tried to explain to her that their people gave false information and asked if she could do anything for us since, well, it was their fault... She huffed and puffed and turned her head on me... I asked to see her manager and she down right refused to get her... Well, someone else working by her heard the conversation and she pulled us aside.. The girl who pulled us aside and told us they had this problem often.. She told us to wait there as she went to get the manager... The manager came out and, after repeating what happened to her, she shook her head and took my name down.. She didn't promise a particular sit down time, but she told us to come back at 4:30 like we planned and she would make sure we got seated, just didn't give us a time...
Ok, so that situation was handled, in my opinion, properly by the manager.. However, the other girl gave an attitude that I find commonplace... Well, on to the next....
After having that situation resolved, I entered the park... We started heading down to the Simpsons ride.. On the way down, we saw Scooby Doo, gy, and Woody Woodpecker out... We decided to go get pictures with the characters since there were no lines what so ever.. We approached Scooby's area when the character escort turned to us and said SORRY SCOOBY AND GY ARE GOING IN NOW... So, we turned and went over to Woody Woodpecker.. Only to be told the same thing... Knowing the characters do stay out only a certain time, we figured their time was up, so we left... As we walked away, another group of adults approached the characters, and wouldn't you know they were able to get their pictures taken with them??? So, I started wondering why we were not allowed.. I looked at our shirts.. ALL OF US HAD DISNEY SHIRTS ON!!! Opps, a no no in Universal... Could it be they purposely lied to us cause we were wearing Disney shirts??? Hmmm guess we will never know... I want to give them a bit more credit than that...
So, anyway, we get to the Simpsons ride.. We spent a good 20-30 minutes checking out the area, taking pictures like crazy.... We get online.. I spent the time online watching the movie playing in the queue... My friend and I were loving the movie... Now my interest was speaking even more... I couldn't wait to get on the ride... We finally reach the front of the queue.. The girl working there asked us how many, then told us it would be a minute.. She put a chain up then walked away.. She came back about 10-15 minutes later.. I was wondering why she was gone so long...
Anyway, we finally get to our ride bay... We were in the room watching the safety speil, histerical laughing... The doors open and we approach the ride vehicle... The anticipation was killing me... I couldn't wait to check this ride out...
Well, we took our seats in the front row, while a family of 4 took the back row... We pulled the lap bar down, but it wouldn't lock.. The female working the ride asked us to try again.. And again it didn't lock... She approached the ride vehilce and did something, not sure what she pressed... The lap bar again wouldn't lock into place... You could tell the girl was getting frustrated, as were we... She asked us to stand up and to sit down while pulling the lap bar down at the same time.. Nope, didn't lock in... Her voice started getting very condensending, telling us to stand up yet again, and to slowly sit down... 5 times we did this.. and 5 times she spoke to us like we were dumb... Lap bar wouldn't lock in...
She then decides that the smallest person in our group had to move to the back because, since there was a very tall guy in the back, that's why the bar wouldn't lock.. So, my smallest friend and the tall guy switched seats... And the lap bar didn't work again... I asked the girl if the vehicle could be broke or malfunctioning.. Her response? NO THE VEHICLE JUST WORKED.. YOU GUYS AREN'T DOING THE LAP BAR RIGHT... I asked her how many different ways is there to pull down the lap bar??? She said WELL IT ISN'T HARD TO PULL THE LAP BAR DOWN YA KNOW...
Someone else came over and told her to put the vehicle down while they checked it out... They moved us to another room.. We had to watch the speil again.. Finally, we get to another ride vehicle.. however, before taking our seats, the person working this ride bay said LET'S SEE IF YOU GUYS CAN GET IT RIGHT THIS TIME, AS YOU SIT, PULL DOWN ON THE LAP BAR... She said it very sarcastically, again, like we were idiots...
That was the final straw... I walked out of the ride... I never walk out, but, the attitudes we encounted from the minute we walked in finally got to me.. I went to Guest Services to complain...
I got to GS, and spoke with a Jenny, I think... She apologized, and took out a complain form... Her manager came out to speak with one of the other girls working the front desk about a computer issue... As Jenny asked me for information to fill out the complaint form, the manager over heard... She came over and asked Jenny what happened.. As jenny explained to her the sitation, the manager roller her eyes and passed a comment: FIGURES, LOOK AT THE SHIRT HE IS WEARING... I asked her what does the shirt have to do with anything.. She said OBVIOUSLY YOU ARE A DISNEY FAN... I told her yea and that I am an AP holder for Universal as well.... She roller her eyes and said YOU WOULDN'T COMPLAIN IF A DISNEY CM SPOKE TO YOU LIKE THIS, WOULD YOU.. I told her I most certainly would have, that I am their customer and I expect to be treated with a certain degree of respect... She then said YOU ARE WEARING THE WRONG SHIRT HERE THEN, IF YOU WANT RESPECT.... I asked why they have the need to mock those wearing Disney shirts in their parks, that I wore a Universal shirt in Disney, a Disney shirt in SeaWorld, and never once was I mocked.. but wear a Disney item in Universal and they mock you... SHE TOLD ME IF I DIDN'T LIKE IT, THEN LEAVE AND GO TO DISNEY...
Not the proper business attitude... So, I told her, ok, now cancel my AP and I will go enjoy the better park, DISNEY.... She said no problem... And cancelled the AP... No apology for her pathetic attitude toward me.. My friend then said he wanted his money back on the HHN stuff, and she gave it right back to him.. No questions asked...
True, money played a part as well, but only after the manager's rudeness toward me.. Her rudeness convinced me to not go back to Universal for a while.. So, I refused to pay for the AP while not using it... Makes sense, no?
So, there ya go.. That's my little story.... Now, this doesn't mean I won't go to Universal ever again... I just won't go while I have the bad taste still in my mouth from this experience...
And if there is anyone here who says SeaWorld, Six Flags, or Disney would even do such a thing to their guests is a bold faced liar... I can't see any other theme park treating their guests like that...
