Rude Cast Members

Originally Posted By kaoden39

Sometimes a simple act of kindness can go a long way. I worked with the public for many years. There are people who will be rude no matter what happens. I swore that I would try my best to treat people nicer. Or the golden rule do un to others as you would have them do unto you.

 

Originally Posted By radman33

momrussell..sounds good!

 

Originally Posted By JazzCat

Actress56, I don't want you to get the wrong idea that I condone behavior like that~far from it! Those people were way out of line and I'm sorry that you have to put up with that type of crap. But if you work with the public; especially at Disneyland; I think you just have to say "I'm sorry that happened. What can I do to help?" If the person has a brain bigger than a pea, hopefully they will realize that no, you can't control the weather or no, it wasn't your fault that the idiot made his child fall. Saying "what can I do to help you" goes a long, long way.

 

Originally Posted By Actress56

oh definitly. most of the time, someone just wants to vent. and i completly understand that. thats what my boyfriend is for. once someone is done yelling, i do try and explain the situation or why something is the way it is and then ask "what can i do to make this ok?" most of the time, someone just listening helps a great amount.

but other times, they want the world. i have had someone ask for their entire day comped just cause the fireworks were cancelled. gotta love it

 

Originally Posted By pecos bill

My experiences at the park span several decades, and I can say with absolute certainty that cast member courtesy is on the decline. When I first went to the park in the early seventies, cast members were so pleasant and sugary that it seemed unnatural, but it was a constant that you could count on, and was an integral part of the Disney experience. In recent years, I have had castmembers respond condescendingly, or roll their eyes at what they percieved as dumb questions-things you would have never seen in the earlier years. It seems that when a castmember gives you the level of courtesy that was standard thirty years ago, it is looked upon as extraordinary today. The Disney company is responsible, for not paying wages that would attract more professional and people oriented employees. There are a great many castmembers today that would still make Walt proud, but there are just as many that he would fire on the spot.

 

Originally Posted By AJTW

I read comments from another board about castmembers using "have a magical day" as a slam. When, after a fantastic trip on the Jungle Cruise, the best routine produced by a guide in a very long time, he told everyone to have a magical day when they were getting out of the boat, I gasped, and he almost apologized for saying it. That made it even more funny! I love that guide! So, they even have an in-house language to slamming guests without their knowledge. Public relations is not an easy job and excellence in it is required of young people. I think they are doing just fine considering a lot of them are teens/young adults after all. How many of them these days do you see that are earnestly friendly and cordial?

 

Originally Posted By trekkeruss

<<The Disney company is responsible, for not paying wages that would attract more professional and people oriented employees.>>

We've gone down this road before, about wages... it doesn't fly, IMO. Disney *is* responsible for their hiring and training though. But generally speaking, society overall is more unforgiving and cynical, which translates into why we see more rudeness. I can be quite nasty myself, and sometimes I need to work hard to come across as nice. When i worked for Disney though, it was easy, as I really enjoyed the "work"... to me I really did feel like I was playing a role, and being nice was in a sense an act.

 

Originally Posted By imadisneygal

"So, they even have an in-house language to slamming guests without their knowledge."

One of my favorites came from a Parades Lead who would accompany the parades down the route and try to keep Guests out of the way of floats. For some reason Guests will just jump out in front of a moving 20K pound float and stand there for their friends or family to take a picture. Apparently they don't realize those things can't stop on a dime. She'd always say, "Well bless his (or her) heart!!!" And then she'd run over and ask the Guest to kindly move out of the way of the huge float ready to mow them over. So now I always say that in traffic or whatever..."Well bless his heart!!!"

 

Originally Posted By mele

Hm, I never ever considered jumping in front of a float before...sounds exciting!

 

Originally Posted By FerretAfros

Was that lead by chance from the south? Because I seem to hear things like that all the time, so people don't feel as bad about what they are saying. It would be used like this:

"That's the dumbest boy I've ever met, bless his heart."

 

Originally Posted By HRM

#70, ;-)

 

Originally Posted By Actress56

When it comes to Disney not paying enough to attract good people, i dont know where i stand. because while some people just go to wokr to get a pay check, you picked to get that paycheck at disneyland for a reason.

yes the interview process sometimes doesnt weed out all the rolling of the eyes, so i think that the should interview everyone like they do when they hire people into innoventions. those cast members had to audition to be at that attraction, and the majority of the time you run into that higher quality cast member.

btw, looking forward to getting my smarties!! ;-)

 

Originally Posted By HRM

Thought I would add my 2 cents...

First, I do think that retail and customer service in general, not just Disneyland, is not as "Customer Friendly" as in years past. Yes, some of the fault does lie with the employee or cast member; however, I also think that part of the blame must go to the employee - GOOD Customer Service training is not emphasized as much as before, and in some cases, it is considered more expedient to just hire entry-level part-timers for a short period than train Good Customer Service.

Second, the number of attractions and attendance at DLR has increased, meaning more CM's - not all of them will be the best, as in "years past".... then read my first entry.

Third, "Customers/ Guests" sometimes expect *a little more* than even the best Guest Experience dictates. Remember, a single person's GREAT Guest Experience doesn't override everyone else's GOOD Guest Experience (or even SAFE Guest Experience). I think quite a few more Guests expect to be treated as ROYALTY at the expense of others and CM's.

Fifth, this type of thread pops up every 3-4 mos in different variations; but with the same content - CM rude; and same causes - DLR going to the pits, low pay, bad management, over work, no training, teen-age immaturity, societal morals going downhill, moon in the wrong phase, demanding and unreasonable Guests, bad hiring and low caliber CM's, planets out of allignment, etc.

Bottom line: if you are willing to pay money to go to DLR, then complain (or compliment) at City Hall; otherwise, don't go.
ºoº


I would like to thank those CM's who post on LP and in this thread for their input; always helpful to get their view on the matter.

Also, JazzCat - You've posted some very thoughtfull comments; my response in summary is that not all Guests are as mature and understanding as your husband and you; in other words not everyone "gets it" (even with experience in retail or customer service).

I've been the recipient of good, actually great, Guest Service AND poor Guest Service -- I've learn that my final experience at the end of the day is really dependant on my attitude and how I handle the situation at-hand, other people may be rude, but how I respond makes all the difference in the world.


Great Thread and lots of good comments!!

 

Originally Posted By momrussell

Well, I pitched the smarties experiment to my kids last night at dinner and they think it's great idea. 8 year old DS wants to be a scientist when he grows up(?! so he is interested to see what happens. They did think that it would be better to give out toys-r-us gift cards instead of smarties! I told them we still have to afford to send you to college someday. I'll post when we get back and let you know how it went.

Actress56 we'll ne ther april 2-8 email me where you work and we'll be sure to see you myrealtordebbie@clearwire.net

 

Originally Posted By TMICHAEL

Ferret, post #70 is so on the mark. Married to a Georgia boy and he says "bless his/her heart" all the time preceeding or post some other phrase. Usually pretaining to the stupidity of their action.

Then again, if its used by itself, it could just mean what it says. If he sees a really cute kid being cute, "bless his/her heart" means just that. ;-)

 

Originally Posted By imadisneygal

Oh, it was definitely the Southern "Bless his heart..." Meaning "for crying out loud, will you look at that lunkhead jumping in front of a parade float!" But it sounds so charming with a southern accent, doesn't it?!

 

Originally Posted By ryanbalas

You know, being a former cast member, it is sooooooo hard sometimes to keep your composure.

When you have to keep an attraction moving and right in the middle of it you get the request for "Row 1" and they want it now! Or, they want the pretty blue one. Or, "...It is little Johnnie Hornblower's 3rd week anniversary of his 4th day in a row without wetting his pants - Can the three of us have the ride to ourselves?

Or, a special needs guest brings 17 of their closest and dearest friends through the exit of the attraction "...because Lily told me this was the best way to do it and just pretend you don't know the correct way."

There are days when I could sail through 2500 people an hour and nothing bothered me and then there were days when we would have half that and I would have a meltdown.

The CM's are all just people like us. Maybe, if we take the time to apologize for being misunderstood or thank them for just being there or even help them with a stroller or two when it's 94 degrees out - their whole world can change.

I actually learned the language of requesting Row 1 when I bring out of town guests. "We were wondering, if you have the time, can we have Row 1? We are willing to wait."

That changes a CM's response tenfold. And we thank them and recognize them whenever we can.

Unfortunately, City Hall hears more complaints than compliments. Let's try to turn that around!

 

Originally Posted By ryanbalas

And, to echo others' notes.

The talent pool keeps getting smaller. Why take the $7.21/hour job running an attraction when you can temp and do less work for almost double. I work somewhere now where we can't find three people for our housecleaning/maintenance staff!

I was in the rare group that had DL as a second job. I didn't even care what I got paid - it was all mad money. I was there because I wanted to be. Not as easy to find anymore.

Cedar Fair had to hire groups from the Czech Republic because not enough people would apply in Sandusky, Ohio. Mammoth Ski Resort still flies people in from Australia and New Zealand for the same reason.

 

Originally Posted By pecos bill

The fact is, people at the park are going to act stupid or disrespect you on occasion. Thats part of the job, but that kind of crud can be a lot easier to deal with when you are being paid a fair and competitive wage. Where is the motive for being a professional when you know that the guys flipping burgers at Mickey-D's are making as much as you are. Once again, the responsibility lies with management, and the buck stops there!

 

Originally Posted By everyyearofmylife

Honestly though, (and yes, I realize this is not your point) who would want to work at "Mickey-D's" when they could be working at Disneyland?