Originally Posted By Mr X Wow... I've just returned from a whirlwind tour of the East Coast which included several days at WDW (first visit since y2k), and while my observations are overwhelmingly positive I just HAD to bring up this rather annoying aspect of my visit. What is UP with the young girls (every person I noticed was female, and I believe also hispanic but I couldn't say ALL of them were), who are CHEWING GUM ONSTAGE!!!!???? I actually questioned one Mission:Space CM about it, and when I said "wow, they let you guys chew gum onstage?", she simply shrugged with a bored smile. I'm not talking about one or two instances, while I was in the parks I noticed at least 15 girls (probably closer to 30) chewing gum over a period of two days in more than one park. Attractions, shops, management (yes, at least twice), you name it. So, that I found more than a bit unprofessional, and CERTAINLY not very "Disney". If it were only one or two, I might have chalked it up to a couple of bad eggs, but this was prevalent enough that I have to assume the management is okay with it, OR totally out of control of their workforce. One or the other. And the other thing that bugged me, though less-so, was the constant conversations in Spanish I heard from some CM's. Now, I've worked for Disney and I'm aware that they have (or had?) a rule against ANY onstage "chatter", since it is inappropriate. But somehow seeing a couple of employees not only engaged in unrelated banter (bored), but in some other language, was rather more off-putting for some reason (I'm trying to phrase this whole thing carefully, as I'm sure some will paint me a racist who has a problem with Spanish speakers or gum chewers or something). Anyway, that's my rant. I was seriously put off by these situations, but as I will detail in another post I was also VERY pleasantly surprised by many other CM's (in fairness, quite a few hispanics, as well as several black, asian, and white employees...no bias here) who seemed to go above and beyond MUCH more than before which made me very happy and, heck, it was almost magical. BUT...gum chewing and casual, bored conversation and all that? Anyone else notice this recently? My personal impression was that at Walt Disney World the best cast members have gotten even better in the past 7 years (like, markedly better than in 1999-200 when I was last there, and FAR superior to the Tokyo CM's I encounter so much more often..big difference from y2k actually) while the bad ones seem to be getting worse (I blame the management, not the gum chewers). Thoughts?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Wow - I look forward to reading more of your views and indeed I hope you share elements of all your trip - even the non Disney. Welcome home Mr X - we've missed you. Sounds quite different to our experience last year, but yes, we met some fantastic cast members last year too, some of the best. WDW seemed to be a resort of cast member quality contrasts in our experience last year. sounds like things ar getting better. Though the gum chewing is poor. But not as bad as the Germany cast member chowing down on Subway sandwiches in front of the American Adventure last year.
Originally Posted By Mr X **But not as bad as the Germany cast member chowing down on Subway sandwiches in front of the American Adventure last year.** Oh...wow. Yeah, that's bad! I'm not sure it was the gum chewing at all really, but just the NUMBER of occasions I noticed it. Same as the on-stage conversations (Spanish or otherwise). If there is only one or two, it doesn't really register...but a whole bunch makes the experience much less magical overall. Although the subway scarfing is far more shocking, so only once is enough right?
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo "Same as the on-stage conversations (Spanish or otherwise). If there is only one or two, it doesn't really register...but a whole bunch makes the experience much less magical overall." Sadly I am very used to this as it is par for the course at Paris, the most beuatifully designed, but least Disney style park.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 Sadly I am very used to this as it is par for the course at Paris, the most beuatifully designed, but least Disney style park.<< I went to DLP this past month and we had excellent guest service inside the park. Disney Village was another story. Glad to see you back Mr. X
Originally Posted By Mr X That onstage conversation issue is one I never really noticed until this trip (whether it really is much worse now, or whether I just wasn't paying attention before...is up for debate lol). It really bugged me though. Probably the fact that they were speaking Spanish made it more noticeable to me I would imagine (how often do you pay attention to conversation in your own language, and whether or not it is "work related", right?). I'm not all that surprised it's par for the course in Paris, as it obviously is in Orlando...that is one area where I think the Asian Disney parks are far superior (if they are told not to converse onstage beyond pleasantries, I'm sure they follow that rule probably 99.99999999999999999999999999999 percent of the time.
Originally Posted By Mr X AND, please elaborate on why the Disney Village was worse than in the parks...if you care too (I'm curious). Is it possibly an issue of the Disney Village people not actually being "Disney", but some outside companies? I know this was a problem at WDW in the past (on the BoardWalk, and other places that "look" Disney but aren't actually Disney employees).
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Glad to hear William, did you write a trip report, I must have missed it. I would love to hear your views on DLP.
Originally Posted By WilliamK99 I am back in the desert once again. But last month I was home on leave and went to Paris for 5 days, we went to Disney Village a couple times and ran into rude CMs and just felt out of place, we were surrounded by British tourists so you felt we would fit in but during the Bonfire Celebration we got yelled at by a CM to move because our spot isn't good to view the bonfire and to move to other side of the lake. It was actually yelling and not what I would expect from Disney, but then again it was outside the park. Otherwise we had a great time, and I am sorry for hijacking your thread.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost Let me say first that I don't think anyones opinions are wrong here, whatever floats your boat, as they say, but, it seems extreme to feel that one CM cannot talk to another CM if nothing is going on. That wouldn't be working, that would be prison. I'm just not sure why that would spoil the magic. I wouldn't expect human beings to act any other way. Now if you needed them for something and they just kept chatting on and on, then a problem exists. Gum chewing...bad form on any job, anywhere. Eating in a nice shady spot, off duty, is another human function. Granted there are better places to do that but I wouldn't be bothered by it. It's almost like saying, "I can't believe it...a CM actually went into the restroom, in full costume. Why don't they hire CM's that don't need to do that kind of thing. Walt would be shocked! Talk about destroying the magic! Of course, I'm exaggerating here, but, as adults we should be able to retain our own magic without asking our fellow human beings to stop being human beings, just for our entertainment. As I said, this is just my opinion, but, I'm right...just kidding...I'm a kidder! Seriously, I guess I am just more oblivious to it, but, I doubt I would even have notice it. Gum chewing...yes! That I would have noticed.
Originally Posted By Mr X **I am back in the desert once again.** Sorry to hear that! Please keep safe and come home soon bro! **it seems extreme to feel that one CM cannot talk to another CM if nothing is going on.** A casual "hey, how are ya" or whatever is fine. But the Disney standard is based on the fact that if you're chatting with your co-workers (remember, this is "on-stage") you're probably not paying much attention to the guests. And yes, I felt that way, as a guest, quite a few times. It's not an issue of "prison", or whatever, it's simple customer service. If some chick is painting her nails, chewing gum, and chatting with a co-worker while 10 customers are waiting to be assisted, that's not okay. Just mho, of course.
Originally Posted By Mr X **I'm just not sure why that would spoil the magic.** Somehow, it did. Very much so, in fact. **I wouldn't expect human beings to act any other way.** So, "less than professional" is how you expect humans to act? Not me. And CERTAINLY not at DisneyWorld, where customer service is supposedly superior to the rest of the planet.
Originally Posted By Mr X >>Otherwise we had a great time, and I am sorry for hijacking your thread.<< Glad you had a great time, thanks for your comments about my question (message received...not very Disney-like, I would say), and no worries on the hijack...I am personally a big fan of thread drift actually.
Originally Posted By Mr X **If some chick is painting her nails, chewing gum, and chatting with a co-worker while 10 customers are waiting to be assisted, that's not okay.** Stick a cell phone in her ear and give her a new york accent and she could probably audition for a New York cocktail hostess gig. Get the picture?
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: My sisters and I agree with the points you're making, Mr. X, duckling. We've noticed the same behavior. Recently when Orwen went into the Candy Store off of Town Square, she had to wait to be acknowledged and served by two chatty-Kathy cast members behind the counter because they were so engrossed in their own conversation they didn't seem at all aware that they had a guest waiting for them to finish their conversation-- ORGOCH: --and how in the world ANYBODY could miss a big, fat thing like Orwen is beyond me!! ORDDU: Even after they turned to look at Orwen they didn't ask her how they could help her. They merely stared at her and waited to be prompted. Very bad show. Of course you have to know that you're very brave in bringing up any points like this about a cast member. The last time we did this, ourselves, we were accused of 'attacking' them. But then the person who accused us of such a thing often misinterprets us anyway.
Originally Posted By mousermerf Gum chewing is a no-no. Don't know why it's happening, but it shouldn't be. Maybe yet another misguided attempt at a CM holiday-work-stress-reliever was to give everyone candy which included gum? About the Subway, that's at Epcot's backstage cafeteria. It shouldn't be eaten on stage, but just know it wasn't lugged in from the outside world. CM's only pay a few pennies for Coke and they Milano cookies back there too. Can't find them in the parks anywhere, but the backstage cafeteria at Epcot sells them. Bribe a CM if you're needing a fix. Spanish chat? You probably noticed it because it was Spanish, but the CMs do talk all the time - otherwise the job is really really boring, and in many locations forming a group-bond is very important in keeping it functioning. There really isn't breaktime to chat or get to know people, as people take breaks at different times. They shouldn't be talking about anything taboo, offensive, or ignoring guests though. They're supposed to appear as "normal" pleasant people. Good CM's will sort of stare blankly off into space (actually watching the crowd) while talking to the person right next to them - and of course breaking off mid sentence to see to a guest's needs. Are you sure the convos in Spanish weren't work related? When i was in the parks working, i knew several CMs who spoke Spanish but they only did so with other CMs who spoke spanish, and only about work related stuff, or to guests who spoke spanish.
Originally Posted By cmash95 maybe it's just me, but if you are working in a park in the usa, then speak english. I don't care if you are an international cm or not. as a matter of fact I know a very nice cm in the international program and even when he has the chance to speak his own language, he still speaks english if anyone is around. To me it's rude to speak another language in front of a guest even if it's work related. as far as the gum chewing, It looks hideous and i can say if i were in charge, I would ban it from all parks. they don't sell it in the parks for a reason.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<BUT...gum chewing and casual, bored conversation and all that? Anyone else notice this recently?>> A bit, but no more than say 2-4 years ago. Certainly not to a major extent. But maybe what you witnessed explains all the gum splotches all over the pavement and walkways.
