Originally Posted By sjhym333 To quote John Adams "Is anybody there? Does anybody care?" It has been very quiet here on the WDW side of the boards so here are a couple of things: Happy New Years. Though we sometimes do not always agree, I appreciate everyone who participates here. Thank you for the interesting conversations of the last year. The parks have been very very busy. Even the news here has had more than usual coverage. The MK has had phased closings all week and yesterday both Soarin and Test Track had over 3 hour waits. Even Imagination had over 1 hour wait times yesterday. According to a friend who is a CM, though they have worked several years in the park they tell me that they have never in all their years working Christmas have they ever encountered so many rude guests. They tell me they have been cursed at, given the finger and told to do some terrible things to themselves. At one point when a guest complained about the wait times my friend offered suggestions for other things in the park that would not have long waits. At which point the guest read them the riot act and called them all sorts of names. Another CM friend posted on FB about the actions of many of the guests (they were also shocked) and as of today there are some 200 comments from other CM's telling about their terrible experiences. You may now all go back to drinking your hot chocolate. Have a great New Years
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA The more people pay, and the more magic that is promised and the more crowded it becomes -- the more cranky and impatient guests are going to be.
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORGOCH: All I know is I got one a the worst hangovers I ever had in my whole sorry life! Mad Madame Mim 'n me went all out this year ta celebrate and make us the biggest pot a brew we ever made. Yer gonna' have ta excuse me if'n I has ta pass out....
Originally Posted By Witches of Morva ORDDU: My sisters and I have cast member friends who always dread the Christmas and Thanksgiving holidays when they roll around because they always know it's going to be more difficult for them than usual. The stories they have to tell!!! ORWEN: But on the plus size--I mean plus SIDE--it's finally over for now. ORGOCH: Shhhhhhhhhh!!! Cain't ya have a little mercy fer a sick sister witch and just shut the @#$% up?!?! ORDDU: Sorry dear. But if you were as eager to take your necessary medications as you are to swallow that horrible brew you always make for New Year's Eve you wouldn't have to drink anything else!
Originally Posted By pbjshakelover "According to a friend who is a CM, though they have worked several years in the park they tell me that they have never in all their years working Christmas have they ever encountered so many rude guests." For the last few years I have been there it has been getting worse. I honestly do not understand why people are so horrible, yes, horrible! I don't care how much Disney is charging to get in, there is no excuse for some of these peoples behaviors. They have ruined WDW and I for one wish they just go away!
Originally Posted By FerretAfros Those crowds sound pretty terrible. Although I'm sure there are guests taking it way too far, it seems like it would be a very frusterating time to be in the parks on vacation. I wonder how the NextGen stuff (FP+, interactive games, etc) is impacting the walkways, which can be busy at times even when the parks aren't especially crowded I feel sorry for the CMs who have to deal with this. Nobody likes working holidays, and I'm sure that rude guests don't make it any easier That said, I'm looking forward to my trip next week and really hope that the crowds are more manageable (which by all accounts they will be)
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb That just stinks. I know some in the past have complained about rude CMs who don't seem to care, but I always try to give them a big smile and a friendly attitude (sometimes I fail, because I'm apparently human, who knew?) and almost always end up with a CM who is helpful and friendly in return. I just don't see the advantage of chewing out some poor person who has no power to make your situation better. Maybe these guests need to go back to Sunday School and re-learn the golden rule. PollyAnna Milquetoast out *mike drop*
Originally Posted By Brad "The more people pay, and the more magic that is promised and the more crowded it becomes -- the more cranky and impatient guests are going to be." This. It's fine for day guests who live locally to pop in and see some lights but only an idiot plans a trip to WDW over Christmas/New Years.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub Does that include DL and DCA? I just returned from Xmas and New Years trip. Had a few problems but basically had a great time with entire family of 14 on Xmas Day at Carthay Circle Restaurant... worth every minute to see those fireworks on NYE at World of Color at midnight. AND that Mad Tea Party is pretty risqué for Disney property entertainment. I am thinking anybody that does not go to Disney for the holidays probably had a boring time...
Originally Posted By sjhym333 I think that if you go to any of the Disney parks over Christmas you need to go understanding the crowds. I have been to the parks on New Years Eve and went knowing that I probably wouldn't be riding very much. The problem is many people really cannot conceive of the size of the crowds even when you tell them that it is very busy. They have no point of reference until you do it once
Originally Posted By Disneymom443 Just working at the Disney store, this year guest have been very demanding. Many angry guest coming in wanting something (Frozen) and expecting it to be there. (It was last week) When so many other guest are wanting and buying the stuff they see. they want us to literally pull a rabbit out of the hat. So knowing how crazy and rude some of my guest were, I'm sure WDW was 10 times worse. Most guest want things handed to them on a gold platter.
Originally Posted By LuvsDsnyTrips People act like they are more entitled than ever before....it is sad..
Originally Posted By Wingman1969 I think you have hit the nail on the head LuvsDsnyTrips. Over the years I've noticed that many guests seem to see the fact that they are on Disney property as a reason to act as if they are more special than the other guests around them and entitled to preferential treatment. A number of years ago I had one person attempt to move my child, who was three, from curbside viewing of a parade so that he could sit down to watch it, despite the fact we had been there waiting long before the parade. I can remember when guests tended to treat one another with courtesy and respect while in the parks.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Another CM friend posted on FB about the actions of many of the guests (they were also shocked) and as of today there are some 200 comments from other CM's telling about their terrible experiences." I feel for these workers, but using a public forum like Facebook to complain about customers is inappropriate no matter how stupid they are to visit Disney World during the busy Christmas season.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub I never once felt stupid for being at DL and DCA ten days to celebrate Xmas and NYE.
Originally Posted By Mickeymouseclub But i do feel sorry for everybody that could not be there for the incredible Disney New Year Celebrations.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "I never once felt stupid for being at DL and DCA ten days to celebrate Xmas and NYE." Were you blowing your stack and verbally abusing cast members because of the overwhelming crowds that descended on the place? If not, then what I said doesn't apply to you.
Originally Posted By hopemax There's a story in the Randy Bright Disneyland book, I think, about how early in DL's history, guests were walking in the flower beds and grass areas. While others talked about how rude and uncouth the guests were, and the need to erect fences, Walt instructed that the guests were telling them something important...there should be walkways in those areas. I like to keep that story in mind when I hear how "terrible" guests are. Also, another snippet that Disney used to teach in their "how to run your business better" seminars. "It's not my problem, but it's my problem to solve." I also have a family member that works at WDW. No longer in the parks, but still some guest interaction, and I can't keep track of the times that my family member was told, "Thank you for being the first person that I've interacted with today that has empathized with me and tried to help me with my problem." So many times my family member has had to untangle messes because someone else just couldn't be bothered. And some of it's simple stuff, like finding a wheelchair for a disabled guest. Sure, my family member has had to deal with some crazy people, but many times it's just people who are simply frustrated after multiple encounters of things going wrong. It's easy to blame the person who doesn't understand that dinner reservations need to be made at 180 days out, and now how Magic Bands and Fastpass+ works. But as previously mentioned, WDW is a hard place to comprehend when you haven't experienced it. Big City folks from NYC and Chicago, like to dismiss the reservations issue, but outside of weddings, I'm sure most people don't reserve dining options more than a couple weeks in advance for things like Mother's Day or Easter brunch. And this year is a very big game changer with ride reservations. If it seems like "more than the average" number of people have gone nuts, my immediate reaction is not "how rude" directed to the guests, but "how has Fastpass+ "broken" holiday period?" Focusing on the guest reaction, misses the bigger picture on WHY so many people are reacting so badly. The "easy" answer is to blame the guest, because then everyone can wipe their hands. "There's nothing we can do." But I'm positive that, operationally, things are very different this year and some changes are extremely detrimental to a subset of guests. How much attention was paid to the effects, who knows? I doubt anything along the lines of,"Due to changes to the Fastpass system, people may find that there usual touring schedule does not work this holiday season," was passed around. I suspect that it's not just people who walk into WDW over Christmas without a plan who found themselves overwhelmed this year, but people with time-tested holiday plans that can no longer work with how many ride seats are pre-distributed.
Originally Posted By Dr Hans Reinhardt "Focusing on the guest reaction, misses the bigger picture on WHY so many people are reacting so badly. The "easy" answer is to blame the guest, because then everyone can wipe their hands." Excellent point, Hopemax, and proves just how out of line it is for cast members to complain about guests on Facebook.
