Originally Posted By myinnerpeterpan My 18 year old daughter just returned home from DL today with a very interesting and disturbing story. As her and her friend were leaving DL at 6pm they noticed a cast member yelling at a guest and his family as they were heading towards the bus staging area. She stated that an elderly man who was in a DL rented wheelchair was making his way to the buses with his family, when he was stopped by a cast member. My daughter said the cast member yelled to the guest, "What do you think you're doing!? You can't take that out of the park!" She said that several people witnessed the family explaining to the cast member that their elderly father can't walk to the buses due to extreme fatigue. All they needed to do is take him to the bus and then will return the wheelchair. The cast member told them that they were not allowed to do that,and that the wheelchair needed to stay within park limits unless a contractual agreement was signed. My daughter said that the family had suggested that she could escort them to the buses where they could "unload" their elderly family member, (which was only a few yards away) and then return the chair. The cast member was quite rude to the family and stood firm. So the family lifted the elderly man out of the chair and nearly had to carry him to the bus. My daughter (who works with hospice patients) was absolutely shocked and disgusted with the manner in which the cast member delt with the family. She said that there were several other guests that were watching the whole ordeal unfold and they too, were completely shocked! I understand the need for rules but I also understand that the needs of a guest's health, safety and welfare must come first. This was a horrible display of very, very poor judgment!
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones This may be a case of "you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't" for the employee. Had he not said anything, perhaps he would have been written up for allowing a guest to misuse a wheelchair. Had he not blindly enforced the rules, perhaps he would have been written up for being rude to a guest. Clearly the proper course of action is to not care about your job that much and let the family do whatever they want. I wouldn't be losing sleep over a guest's misuse of the wheelchair policy.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt This sounds like it was handled incredibly poorly. The story brings up a very interesting question about how does Disney control strollers and wheelchairs from leaving the property now that they are rented outside the park gates? Also, how would the above scenario been handled when the rentals were turned in before exiting? Would the gentleman in the chair been forced to walk or be carried to the bus?
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones I mean, I really wonder if people realize what they are doing when they blindly enforce company policies like this person did. Really, you're standing there arguing with some family, defending the honor of a multi-billion dollar corporation's wheelchair that they probably got cheap anyway because they bought in bulk. So let the family go. Let them steal it. Who cares? Get written up. Get fired. It's not even that hot of a job and you were probably never going to be promoted anyway. And to be promoted you have to be a Disney automaton and who wants to live that kind of life anyway? Stay in school, kids.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance I don't think the problem is with the policy, it's with that particular cast member's inability to think outside the box and be respectful and polite.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "I don't think the problem is with the policy, it's with that particular cast member's inability to think outside the box and be respectful and polite." Does Disney want their cast members to think outside of the box? I would think that if I wanted to show my superiors that I'm the perfect little Disneyland slave, I would blindly enforce the policy.
Originally Posted By CuriouserConstance You think Disney would want this guy enforcing a policy to the point where he's yelling at people and asking them what's wrong with them? Of course not! If you need help (which that family obviously did) you're suppose to be able to go to a cast member for assistance. I'm sure the higher ups would have no problem and in fact encouraged that cast member to assist them to the bus and then take the wheelchair back. They certainly wouldn't want people treating guests that way.
Originally Posted By mousermerf Walt Disney World.. and well. Epcot.. has specially marked courtesy wheelchairs at the handicapped parking areas and bus loading areas. They are regularly gathered during the day and returned to to these areas to keep them in stock, they are not allowed to pass beyond the park gates, and are differentiated from the normal rental wheelchairs by being a different color and having "Flags" on them so they are visible from a distance (think like shopping carts - large pole with a literal "flag" atop it so it stick up above most cars). This program has existed for several years at Walt Disney World.
Originally Posted By mousermerf The program was first adopted at WDW in 2002 Link: <a href="http://forums.wdwmagic.com/showthread.php?t=15050" target="_blank">http://forums.wdwmagic.com/sho...?t=15050</a>
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "You think Disney would want this guy enforcing a policy to the point where he's yelling at people and asking them what's wrong with them? Of course not!" When I used to work those kinds of menial jobs, I can think of a few occasions where I was scolded or and even written up after providing what I thought was good customer service. So I learned very quickly that the policy is the policy is there is no deviation from that policy.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I don't think the problem is with the policy, it's with that particular cast member's inability to think outside the box and be respectful and polite." That's exactly the problem. "Does Disney want their cast members to think outside of the box? I would think that if I wanted to show my superiors that I'm the perfect little Disneyland slave, I would blindly enforce the policy." Common sense dictates that for key customer service positions management must allow employees to have some decision making power. After all, they are closer to the customer than management and therefore have a better understand of guest's needs. The long term damage to that family's "magical" experience caused by the outrageous show of force is far greater than had the situation been handled more gently. I wouldn't be surprised if DLR lost a few customers because of it.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "When I used to work those kinds of menial jobs, I can think of a few occasions where I was scolded or and even written up after providing what I thought was good customer service." With all due respect Spokker, DLR is not a dive bar, late night donut shop, or some other cheap place where employees can rightfully be surly and rude to guests. Disney is supposed to be a premium experience, therefore I have to agree with Constance that the people at the top of the Disney corporate ladder would be none too happy about this public outburst by one if their employees.
Originally Posted By Mr X ***This may be a case of "you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't" for the employee. Had he not said anything, perhaps he would have been written up for allowing a guest to misuse a wheelchair. Had he not blindly enforced the rules, perhaps he would have been written up for being rude to a guest. Clearly the proper course of action is to not care about your job that much and let the family do whatever they want. I wouldn't be losing sleep over a guest's misuse of the wheelchair policy.*** Some things are more important than a McJob.
Originally Posted By mousermerf I lowered my head in shame, for I will surely never make a suitable wife.. I go back to my white bread and mayonnaise.. on the fire escape.. alone..
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "With all due respect Spokker, DLR is not a dive bar, late night donut shop, or some other cheap place where employees can rightfully be surly and rude to guests." Was the cast member rude to the guest? All we have here is that the cast member enforced the policy and only one side's story. I'm sure the cast member would say he was simply enforcing the policy as calmly but sternly as he could.
Originally Posted By SpokkerJones "Common sense dictates that for key customer service positions management must allow employees to have some decision making power." Of course, I agree, but does Disneyland management understand that?
