What's up with WDW Magic Kingdom these days?

[BiffyClyro]

They are allowed to talk about personal things. But they also shouldn't forget that they are on stage. Show comes before their personal BS.

I have recounted this story a couple of times, but it bears repeating. I was at WDW in April, spent some time perusing the shops in Liberty Square. We are were in Yankee Trader, two cast members were "working". They were both speaking rapid and loud spanish behind the counter. Completely disregarding customers, not greeting anyone, and even continuing in their private conversation whilst ringing up one guest. This type of behavior is flat out unacceptable. When you are on stage, you are ON STAGE.

Well that's totally different isn;t it. I'm not saying they should be allowed to disregard customers, but if the person is offended by two CM's talking on the way back from lunch break, that's pretty petty.

Take everything out of context as usual.

 

[xdan0920]

Well that's totally different isn;t it. I'm not saying they should be allowed to disregard customers, but if the person is offended by two CM's talking on the way back from lunch break, that's pretty petty.

Take everything out of context as usual.

As usual?

Also, I don't see it as different. On stage is on stage. IMO. Once you are off stage, talk about anything your heart desires.

 

[Stitch_Fan_NJ]

If people are actually enjoying their vacation instead of looking for negatives then most people don't pick up on this stuff. The standards for cast members have dropped since they can no longer be critical of the type of person they hirer. It used to be clean shaven and no tattoos ...not anymore. It's a different time people need to catch up with the times.

 

[Tip Top Club]

2. Today was Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and as such they did not announce the closing of the park at 7pm. Due to the number of people left in the park, while exiting, we got separated but did not notice until we passed a checkpoint. The lady at the checkpoint wouldn't let one of us go back to check for our lost family member and instead kept reiterating that we should proceed to the exit. Surely some compassion or common sense would have been good considering distance to the entrance, number of people exiting, and the fact we only wanted to check one small area immediately behind her.

3. There is a Cast Member entrance beside the Phillamagic exit, behind a chain link. We parked a stroller in front of the chain link due to rain, not realizing there was a CM door there. The cast members seemed annoyed we were blocking their access to the door. They rudely said "EXCUSE ME" and barged right through us while we were changing our toddler's wet shirt from the rain. If the entrance is so important, surely someone should stand guard or there should be a clearer sign?

5. The condition of WDW seems poor... cob webs, rust, chipping paint, discolored concrete... I was at Disneyland in Cali in March and was VERY impressed by the service and condition of the park.

2. I'm sorry, but I've gotta defend Disney on this one, Park hours are posted everywhere, online, times guides, and they do in fact make announcements about the earlier than usual time of park close on party nights. (Usually at 6:00, 6:30, 6:45, and then 7:00 for close). And while I'm sure the Cast Member could have explained the situation in a better way, they don't mess around on hard-ticket nights, other people paid upwards of 60$ for their tickets to this private event and they are not willing to risk anything, perhaps if you had found a security guard or a manager to escort you while you looked rather than a Cast Member who was stationed at a position and most likely couldn't leave.

3. I can't say I know exactly where this is, but Cast Member only signs are generally small so as to not advertise the backstage locations. It seems to me that common sense would be to not block the door. That being said, It does suck that they were rude to you, you're right, there is such a large number of cast members that you are bound to have some bad eggs in there somewhere.

5. This one I will absolutely not defend Disney on, since they are basically a timeshare company now, there is essentially no maintenance at all in the parks. Declining standards will eventually lead to declining revenue, and I can't help but think that just maintaining the parks would be cheaper than a certain program specifically designed to part people with their money. (You all know what I'm talking about).

 

[DisneyGal1221]

To your point about the Jungle Cruise - I think the CM's there are all charged with being funny and cracking jokes at the guest expense. Most of the time they are quite amusing. However I have seen a couple of times (out of the probably 50 times I have enjoyed this ride), where the cast members take the joke a little too far and offend someone. I don't think they mean to, but it is a fine line between joking at someone's expense and offending them. I have also seen them chastise guests for exiting the wrong way, again, I think they generally think it is in good fun, but can see how some might be embarrassed or take offense. Now there is no excuse for yelling, but maybe they viewed it as all part of the show.

 

[BiffyClyro]

As usual?

Also, I don't see it as different. On stage is on stage. IMO. Once you are off stage, talk about anything your heart desires.

Are you really offended by two cast members quietly talking to each other whilst walking somewhere, having no customers at their till etc,....
It's not affecting your experience at the park, not upsetting anyone.

If so that's pretty petty. Then again I worked with the general public for four years, so know how absolutely pathetic they can be.

 

[xdan0920]

Are you really offended by two cast members quietly talking to each other whilst walking somewhere, having no customers at their till etc,....
It's not affecting your experience at the park, not upsetting anyone.

If so that's pretty petty. Then again I worked with the general public for four years, so know how absolutely pathetic they can be.

I am. I guess I'm petty. But I really think that on stage means on stage.

And I know the general public, believe me. I'm in a business that serves hundreds if not thousands if customers daily. And I'm on the front line for a lot of that. People are awful. Not an excuse to not follow the rules of the workplace though.

 

[marni1971]

If people are actually enjoying their vacation instead of looking for negatives .

Until it gets harder to enjoy it due to the negatives. Negatives that jump out at you without being hunted down.

Especially when it's not just geeks and fans who feel impacted by them.

 

[CaptainJackNO]

I think the problem for cast members are the long hours and, now, year round crowds. The stress of being slammed all the time by rude, self-centered schlubs makes it difficult to msintain that "happy place" for some.

 

[LeafsFanNL]

The only thing I'll comment on is the maintenance. All I'll say is some of the 1.5 Billion that they spent on FP+ could have been better spent on the physical plant in WDW.

 

[Gabe1]

4. Saw multiple CMs walking together, chatting, and joking on their way/from break... is this normal? Always thought Disney didn't like to lose the "magic"? Seems CM standards is lax?

Many have noticed what you have described other see nothing. But as far as your number 4, I'm excited when I see happy CMs.

 

[RoyWalley]

Hi Everyone,

I just returned back to the hotel from my first trip to the Magic Kingdom in ~5 or 7 years and I'm a bit disheartened by the experience.

1. An abnormally high number of cast members seem downright grouchy. This was most apparent with the Jungle Cruise crew... mostly the CMs that help you in and out of the boat. The instructions the CMs gave while undocking were unclear and conflciting, and they ended up yelling at a few guests because they got out the wrong door of the boat. Their comments were a bit snarky too ...

2. Today was Mickey's Very Merry Christmas Party and as such they did not announce the closing of the park at 7pm. Due to the number of people left in the park, while exiting, we got separated but did not notice until we passed a checkpoint. The lady at the checkpoint wouldn't let one of us go back to check for our lost family member and instead kept reiterating that we should proceed to the exit. Surely some compassion or common sense would have been good considering distance to the entrance, number of people exiting, and the fact we only wanted to check one small area immediately behind her.

3. There is a Cast Member entrance beside the Phillamagic exit, behind a chain link. We parked a stroller in front of the chain link due to rain, not realizing there was a CM door there. The cast members seemed annoyed we were blocking their access to the door. They rudely said "EXCUSE ME" and barged right through us while we were changing our toddler's wet shirt from the rain. If the entrance is so important, surely someone should stand guard or there should be a clearer sign?

4. Saw multiple CMs walking together, chatting, and joking on their way/from break... is this normal? Always thought Disney didn't like to lose the "magic"? Seems CM standards is lax?

5. The condition of WDW seems poor... cob webs, rust, chipping paint, discolored concrete... I was at Disneyland in Cali in March and was VERY impressed by the service and condition of the park.

What's up with WDW? Googling seems like these are "common" complaints? Is the park just too big that even Disney can't maintain their standards?

 

[coolspot]

This is one strange thread. Just arrived back to the hotel, still vacationing, gets online, makes first post on a Disney forum since 2006, gets a backup post through someone's second post.

It is just that I was very disappointed with the experience at WDW, considering my past trips in 2008 to WDW and earlier in the year to Disneyland.

Yesterday went to Hollywood Studios and the experience was much different. Except for the fact Light Motor Action was cancelled after 30 minutes of waiting and R2D2 was broken in the Star Tours ride, it was a much better experience. The CMs at Hollywood Studios seemed to be in a much better mood than MK, perhaps they deal with less kids? Ha Ha....?

 

[coolspot]

Are you really offended by two cast members quietly talking to each other whilst walking somewhere, having no customers at their till etc,....
It's not affecting your experience at the park, not upsetting anyone.

I dont mind if they were taking quietly amongst themselves but it was a group of three joking, laughing, pushing each other, and cracking semi inappropriate jokes loudly on their way to a break. It's not a big deal for me but I always thought Disney kept such public displays hidden in their tunnels and not in public.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Interested to hear what park management said after you brought this to their attention.

?

 

[daisyduckie]

?

Meaning that if these problems had such a huge impact they should have been brought to someone's attention at the time. Posting here complaining doesn't help fix anything.

 

[daisyduckie]

I want to add that at least 3 of the instances you saw as CM issues seem to stem from guests not paying attention. During the Jungle Cruise they explain a few times how to enter and exit the boats. Along with what door to use and to not climb over the boxes in the middle. Yet someone always seems to do what they were just told not to do. And for every party there are signs up stating what time the park will be closing at to day guests. Lack of attention on a guest's part does not equal the CM being rude.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Meaning that if these problems had such a huge impact they should have been brought to someone's attention at the time. Posting here complaining doesn't help fix anything.

It was more of a rhetorical question that I asked.....

 

[Matt_Black]

People are awful.

"If you look for the bad in mankind expecting to find it, you surely will."

 

[FettFan]

Eh. I'm going to do like Milli Vanilli and Blame It on the Rain. When I was there in July, the CMs were all in good spirits in the morning and evening, but when the afternoon rains rolled in, combined with the huge number of complaining customers, it's only natural for them to get short and ragged.

Yuck, that is one disturbing image.

You want disturbing? True tube-eggs.