Are Cast Members less friendly?

[honeebee86]

Am I the only one that is being less than impress with the Disney Cast Member's well known guest service? I live only an hour and a half away from WDW and I go all the time. But in the past year there has maybe been one or two Cast Members I felt lived up to the reputation you hear about. The other day I had two Cast Members not say one world to me while paying for food or merchandise. Also, a security guard that search my purse threw it down to the side after he was done and sarcastically said, "have a good time." What gives? I will still go to WDW just because I have annual passes and because of the entertainment but the Cast Members used to be what made Disney go above and beyond. It makes me sad and disappointed.

[Stu29573]

It always surprises me to see such posts. I have never, ever had anything other than stellar service at WDW. If anything, the CM's were more wonderful this past trip than they had ever been. So, in short, I see no evidence of this. Sorry!

[gollybass]

It makes me wonder what would happen if someone was to complain on the spot to a senior employee.

[BluewaterBrad]

It always surprises me to see such posts. I have never, ever had anything other than stellar service at WDW. If anything, the CM's were more wonderful this past trip than they had ever been. So, in short, I see no evidence of this. Sorry!


Ditto.:mickey:

[Daisy'sMom]

I also have noticed a difference in some. But for each one that has been less than "Disney", there is two that make my visit a pleasure.
Guess it just is another commentary on today and the people that live in this world:mickey:

[forever a child]

I noticed a couple of CM that were more interested in talking to the person visiting them at work. But other than that, I have to say "No," everyone we came in contact with was excellent. We had a lady from one store walk with us to another so my DD could try on a dress. There wasn't a dressing room so we had to go elsewhere for the fitting. At POP the CM who checked us in was extremely helpful and changed our room location for us and reminded me that my package I had shipped earlier was waiting for us. The guys checking our bags were always very talkative and some laughed at things they saw in there;) We DID had one experience at Tony's where the greater seating us and our server were less than friendly. But that was probably our worst encounter for the week. :thumbsup:

[disneymom2000]

Can't say I have ever noticed someone being less than polite or helpful. Maybe you just caught a couple on a bad day or maybe they were going through something that had their minds occupied. They are human and have days just as you and I do. Hopefully the rest of the CM's you ran into that day made up for your lack of service from those noted few.

[faline]

Goodness! I can't say I've never run into a rude cast member as I have from time to time. I can say that, more often than not, I've had wonderful and friendly interactions with many cast members. We always tend to remember the rude ones and I have some distinct memories of such encounters - even those that occurred a number of years ago. When I think back on our last trip, I was very impressed with the courtesy and caring displayed by everyone - from security to food service to ride operators. It's amazing to me that they do such a wonderful job when they are faced with masses of folks who are sometimes very rude to them!

[buzznwoodysmom]

On our trip in June I hadn't really noticed it till DH pointed it out. And he is not one to complain about much. It just seemed that a lot of CMs would have much rathered be somewhere else, and many of them seemed to hate their job.

One thing I can think of off the top of my head is a CM serving dippin dots at Typhoon Lagoon. We are a family of 4 and we got 3 small cups of dippin dots. My son wasn't sure if he wanted cookies n cream or mint chip so he asked for a "taste" of each. She seemed so put off by him asking this, puffing under her breath, rolling her eyes. Then after paying I had to ask for spoons, not a big deal, but when she gave me 3 I politely asked for one more (I wanted to just taste their dippin dots, didn't want a whole cup of my own) she rolled her eyes and literally slammed the spoon down on the counter. I could understand this if the spoons were in my reach and I was asking her to do something I could do myself, but the spoons were not within my reach. I just figured she'd maybe had a very rude customer right before us and she was still upset about it. I didn't think we were asking for anything over the top, and we were definitely very pleasant. And there were no other people behind us in line so its not like she felt we were holding the line up. It wasn't that big of a deal, and I'd pretty much forgotten about it until I read this post, but she was in some mood that's for sure. Thats just one of the many issues we encountered during the week, but it was the same type of stuff, rolling of the eyes, puffing, giving the feeling that the customers were bothering them.

However, like other's have said for every one rude CM, we encountered a bunch that were happy to help and really seemed to be enjoying what they were doing. But we definitely noticed more of the grumpy types on this trip that we have in the past. I think the heat has a lot to do with it. I know I can get cranky when its really hot.:blush:

[ransam]

i go every year, including this past may for 2 weeks, and i have only had one cast member that was impolite....other than that, to me it's like stepping in a completely differnt world.

[BellesRose]

Am I the only one that is being less than impress with the Disney Cast Member's well known guest service? I live only an hour and a half away from WDW and I go all the time. But in the past year there has maybe been one or two Cast Members I felt lived up to the reputation you hear about. The other day I had two Cast Members not say one world to me while paying for food or merchandise. Also, a security guard that search my purse threw it down to the side after he was done and sarcastically said, "have a good time." What gives? I will still go to WDW just because I have annual passes and because of the entertainment but the Cast Members used to be what made Disney go above and beyond. It makes me sad and disappointed.
I know exactly what you mean and I agree completely. I also live about an hour and a half away and go often with my passes. They seem to get more rude each time I go. I just think back to 3 years ago when I had an amazing CM and dwell on that to get me through :)

[DizneyRox]

There has been a steady decline in the quality of CMs since about 2001 or so from what I've noticed. I'm sure there's a reason for it (or several reasons) but Disney has certainly lowered their standards of late.

There have always been a few standouts, but overall there has most definitely been a decline. I would go as far as to refer to them as employees than Cast Members.

[MaxPower]

Two words: Part Timers

For the past 15 years, I have believed strongly that the quality of Cast Members has gone down once Disney consciously started hiring more part-timers to cut costs.

Many people used to think of working at Disney World as a career. Now for MANY cast members, working at Disney World is no different than working at McDonalds.

Take a look around at the majority of cast members now---many are teenagers or retirement-age seniors working part-time only. As a result, many cast members could not care less about the overall guest experience.

Are there still good cast members? Of course.

But generally speaking, today's cast members are not seeking advancement within the company and behave as such. Clock in, Clock out.

Here's a report from 2004:

Walt Disney World is cutting costs by expanding its part-time work force, a segment of Disney workers that does not receive health coverage or retirement benefits, the Orlando Sentinel reported.

The resort's part-time work pool has grown 10 times faster than full-time positions in the past decade and, according to the newspaper, the Walt Disney Co. has signaled that it would hire even more part-timers to operate rides, entertain park guests and clean hotel rooms.

While Disney has always hired part-time workers during busy tourism seasons, the number of part-timers at Walt Disney World has increased 140% since 1994, so that the sector represents 30% of the resort's 53,800 employees, the newspaper reported.

[crltkcagle]

I haven't had any bad experiences with Cm's. In fact one CM who was by the monorail at the Poly saw our anniversary badges and sang us a beautiful song. He could really carry a tune! He than saw a little girl wearing a birthday pin and sang happy birthday to her! I was really impressed with him and will always remember our little entertainment skit while waiting for the monorail.

[TikiLounger]

To be honest, until our last trip in June, I had never, ever been treated rudely by a castmember. That being said, I do have to say that, during our June trip, my daughter and I found the cast members who work in the food court of the Pop Century to be very rude and unfriendly. I didn't see one smile our entire visit. To be fair, it was VERY crowded, but really...crowds are a part of any Disney employee's life. No excuse, imo.

[DVC2004]

I can only think of 2 over all the years that were downright rude. Most are fine and nice, but I feel like there aren't a whole lot who are exceptional lately, at least in our experience. Overall I still feel like Disney is better than many other places. Maybe it's just the changing culture in general- everything seems to be a hassle these days. I often feel like people who provide service often treat you as though you are bothering them to do thier job. Fortunately I haven't really felt that at WDW.

[azcavalier]

I can only think of one CM that I had an issue with, and I was partly to blame. It was a safety concern. Even though I was complying and being apologetic, he was still a complete jerk about it.

Besides that, nothing but great interactions.

My wife is an avid pin trader, and she was trying to collect a certain pin set. We stopped at the information booth by the docks just outside the main gate to the MK, and one of the CMs in the booth (security, maybe?) had a pin lanyard on. So, she asked him if she could see, and he had one of the pins. They traded, and she mentioned that she was looking for certain pins. He said, "I might have some of those", and then reached under the desk to pull out a couple of BOOKS of pins. He went through them, and traded my wife for every single one that was in her set. It made her day.

Of course, now every time we go past the booth, she stops to check and see what else they've got.

[sherriepaul]

While I have not been to WDW, in 20 years, am planning a trip for next year. I do work retail in customer service, and have to say everyone has a bad day, everyone has a bad customer that puts a sour outlook to the rest of your shift. While that shouldn't change anything for us the customers- it does. Also we don't know what disney expects of their employees and what rate of pay they are getting. I'm sure just like everyone else the CM are feeling the pinch of having more responsibilities with less help and not enough pay.

[Renfairwedding]

To be honest, until our last trip in June, I had never, ever been treated rudely by a castmember. That being said, I do have to say that, during our June trip, my daughter and I found the cast members who work in the food court of the Pop Century to be very rude and unfriendly. I didn't see one smile our entire visit. To be fair, it was VERY crowded, but really...crowds are a part of any Disney employee's life. No excuse, imo.

We were there last december and had the same experience. Bad service and the place was a mess. Food service mamagment was no help untill I hunted down upper hotel managment only then did the food people seem to see the light.

[magicalmom]

Unfortunately, I'm afraid people are becoming less civil in general, which has to make CMs' jobs much more difficult. We've all seen folks who figure that vacationing is a license to litter, spit gum on the ground, and leave messes behind them in restaurants and restrooms, all of which are pretty thoughtless of CMs.

Also, for most of us, times are tight; we are tense, and we are wary. More of us fear that things are going to go wrong, or the people we deal with won't be competent - assumptions which often become self-fulfilling prophecies. So, we're already prickly when we encounter the CM who is weary of badly behaved guests.

(Just an acknowledgement that it's possible to be a part of the problem without realizing it or meaning to be.)

Fotunately, we all know a cure, or we wouldn't be on Intercot . . .

[WDW*Dreamer]

I haven't run into any "rude" CM's, but it does seem like many of the younger (teenage) CM's are getting that aloof "this job is beneath me" attitude. It's not just Disney, I see this everywhere.

Then again, maybe I'm just getting old :old:....nevermind, that can't be it ;).

[eeyorepoohfan]

I found that CMs were very helpful and polite when my DH and I went last December 10-15. :thumbsup: Ocassionally we would come across a CM who didn't seem to really want to be there, but they did their job sufficiently. Just not above and beyond. We had other CMs who were fantastic!! I still find the CMs at WDW to be great employees who often strive to do their best. I have visited many other places and have encountered very rude employees and heard terrible language used in front of guests. It may just be my mentality of being at the happiest place on earth but I feel like I'm in a bubble and none of the bad "outside" stuff can get to me at WDW! :cloud9: It's still the only place that I want to spend money for a vacation! :mickey:

[joanna71985]

I've never had any problems with CMs

[dnickels]

I've had nothing but good experiences in the time I've lived in the area and visited.

That said, I think the cost-cutting, switch to part-time aspect could certainly play a part. From looking at sig-lines it's easy to see that the majority of intercot posters aren't making minimum wage. Most of us have careers or jobs that allow us to vacation in Disney. Now imagine taking away that career, working part-time for roughly minimum wage, no benefits, and imagine just how cheery we'd all be when we have to deal with the 50th parent of the day who wants their too-short to ride child to be allowed on Big Thunder Mtn because they paid good money to be there. It doesn't excuse rude behavior, but it's certainly something to keep in mind.

Ideally Disney would be able to employ only the best, most helpful, most cheerful people who could make visits magical without worrying about paying the rent or putting gas in the car. I'm guessing that would take more than minimum wage and we all know higher costs = higher ticket prices or room rates.

[Joannelet]

Maybe you just caught a couple on a bad day or maybe they were going through something that had their minds occupied. They are human and have days just as you and I do.

This is not how they train their cast members though...you should NEVER see someone on an off day. We are NOT as cast members allowed to bring our problems onto the stage......

As far as the initial post, if you are seeing anything that makes you unhappy please say so. Disney does take pride in Cast Member excellence....it what blows any competition out of the water so it's very important to the company. And they do listen to every single complaint.

[Tekneek]

When your hiring practices/policies become more like Six Flags, then their performance is going to be more like Six Flags.

If there is one thing that seems to prove itself out over and over again, it is how intentionally going cheap has blown up in Disney's face (in one way or another).

[11290]

With all due respect to the OP and others that have posted, "rude" is a very subjective thing.

Some guests think that we are being rude when we ask them to be on the sidewalks and not in the street during parades. Many like to stand into the street even when parade floats are within several feet of them.

Some think that it is rude that we let them know that chair and stools are not allowed on the parade route (safety issue - tripping hazard). When we see them carrying stools from the Sleepy Hollow or Peco tables to the rope line and then ask them to return them, the answer is usually, "they were already here". (We had just put up the rope and they were not there).

Some guests think that it is rude when they cannot stand in certain areas to watch parades that are marked off (emergency exits come to mind).

Some guests think it is rude when their biometric scans do not match their ticket even after 4 or 5 tries and we have to send them to Guest Relations to have their tickets checked.

CM's could go on and on about how "some" (although a very small percentage) of the guests treat them. One lady didn't like the fact the one area was a reserved seating area, so she responded by punching the CM (a 50+ lady) in the stomach.

Just my $.02. I work parades most of the time and for the most part I would have to say that the guests are fantastic, but that very small percentage is still out there that makes it very difficult to allow the CM to be "happy" every minute of every shift, but we still try. Does this "excuse" the CM from being "rude"? No, but just try to keep in mind that if you have 10,000 CM's on a shift that it is generally impossible for there not to be a few that may not be 100% up to par all of the time.

[TikiLounger]

I totally agree with you. Rude IS a subjective thing. I've seen a lot of difficult guests walking around the parks over the years and yes, I can see many of them complaining about being "reminded" of the rules. As I said in my post about the Pop Century food court, I'd never seen a castmember do anything I'd call rude until this last trip. It really takes a lot to get us upset and these workers really pushed us over the edge. Maybe it is just us, but I almost got the impression that some of them were intentionally being rude. My daughter (18yrs old) made a comment that some of the cashiers and cleaning people were meaner than the lunch ladies at her high school. Trust me...that's pretty rude. LOL. BTW...this complaint doesn't apply to any other area at the Pop Century. Everyone else...check-in, baggage people, airline check-in, mousekeeping, store employees, etc...was great.

[SandmanGStefani24]

you know, I am usually the "glass half empty" type, more realistic (some say negative) and at times cynical about things and even I have to say I don't agree that CMs are less friendly then they were.

I actually see WDW as the one place left where people are still friendly and work at making your day. At MK, the "main street", small town type service makes you feel like you're meeting someone and not just buying something from their shop. At Epcot in the WS, CMs are happy to help, and are always eager to teach you a word or two of their language if you'd like to learn. Ect, ect...

11290 and TikiLounger have good points too, and I will say you reap what you sow as well. Smile and chat it up with CMs and you get one amazing experience. If you're rude to them, you might get it right back. (whether you deserve it or not is neither here nor there) I think you'll find 98% of CMs are stellar, and the 2% that aren't might just need a little coaxing. (their nametags are great ways to start.) Usually if you ask where someone is from it leads to a lengthy and friendly conversation.

Ok, there goes my :twocents:.
Just my thoughts, but I still say WDW service is some of the best out there...:number1:

[disneydad153]

We just returned from our trip. I think all the CM's were great except for one at MK when I had an issue with my annual pass holder discount and not having a photo ID with me. She was the only one that had an issue with it during our stay. Everywhere else the CM's talked to us and were overall nice. As I expect when there:mickey:

[Urbss]

I ran into one very rude and obnoxious CM on our last trip, he was a manager at the restaurant in Liberty Square (I can't remember the name). Anyway he argued with me about a dessert. It was weird, I would have thought that a manager would understand how the dining plan worked - guess not.

Anyway, that was the only one. And, on the other side of this equation, I met so many that went beyond expectations. Unfortunately, it seems like I have an easier time remembering the nasty ones. I guess that is human nature.

[queenmom9497]

Sometimes it's nice to "kill" those crabbys with kindness. I always take the time to thank those who are cleaning the bathrooms, sweeping up garbage and emptying the garbage cans at WDW. They are trying to make my day better so I figure a little "thank you" could maybe make theirs better as well. Just a thought.

[LVT]

I have to chime in on the side of CMs. I feel that in the past 10 years the guests have gotten incredibly rude, demanding and downright piggish.
The bathrooms are my primary peeve. The CM's
are not throwing garbage. There is seldom an excuse for gross restrooms other than the patrons. The CM should not need to do more than stock supplies and remove trash unless someone gets ill.

[frozman]

I remember posting a topic a couple years back after getting back from Disney World about which attraction seemed to have the rudest cast members. I think at least 2 people responded with the same answer as me... ROCK N ROLLER COASTER. I think the Six Flags roller coaster operators are friendlier. So, it's been going on for some time.
But as someone who works in a facility where people come and spend their spare time, I can kind of understand where they are coming from. It can be hard seeing thousands of people happily on vacation while you are stuck at work, of course I hide it and they should too.

[hbell]

Just returned today from the 4th trip to WDW this year and I have to agree that the CMs don't seem as friendly or as concerned with our "magical experience" (as Disney would say) as they were in years past. From check in to mouse keeping, wait staff to ticket takers, ride operators to CMs in general there seem to be less smiles and a sense of real inconvenience to them. It's never been anything serious, but in years past CMs have seemed to go above and beyond and out of their way to be friendly and helpful...and I hate to say it, but when I am shelling out that kind of money over and over again at a business, I expect them to go above and beyond at least on the friendly scale... .:mickey:

[tigmickey]

OK, here is the thing to remember. We a person is tired or crabby they tend to look at the world in a negative way. If you just spent a day traveling and $$$$$$$$$ on tickets and meal plans and the first CM doesn't smile and jump through hoops for you, they are rude. Then the next CM and the next. It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. Every time we raise our expectations it becomes harder for the CMs to meet them. Remember you are on vacation and they are at work.

My 2 cents.

[TheVBs]

We've been 5 times in the last 10 years and I can only remember one CM who seemed rude (and I'm not talking about not smiling, I'm referring to some really bizarre behavior). I think that is extraordinary service!

I could be mistaken, but is there a correlation here between people who go more often and people who think the service is declining? Perhaps going more frequently increases the opportunity to run into the rare CM who doesn't give good service?

[LauraByTheSea]

Working in the hospitality industry, I have developed a pretty critical eye when it comes to how I am treated by others either in the same industry or retail or any type of customer-based industry. At the hotels I work at, even if we have a horrific fight with our best friend in the back office, when you step out on "stage" at the front desk, you smile and it's all about the guest. Now having said that, I have encountered a couple CM's here and there that didn't "put their game face on" completely. In fact, I got what I would call and "almost eye-roll" from a parking attendant recently. For the most part everyone is nice and smiles and says thank you and are very helpful, but there have been a few that have caught my attention not being "on".

[honeebee86]

Thank you for all your replies and I am happy to see that most of you have had pleasant experiences with the CM's. I do understand that CM's have bad days just like everyone else. It just seems that every time I go recently I notice more things that make me feel uncomfortable. Like I said, the security guard picked up my purse to check it and when done he dropped it from about a foot of the table back onto the table. And when we paid for our drinks at Main Street bakery, the lady didn't greet us or say one word the whole time. And in the confectionery; same thing. WE actually ended up leaving early. We had gone to AK from 9am to about 1pm then to MK from 1pm to 5pm. We were planning on staying until close but with the crowds being on the crazy side and the cast members not seeming to friendly we left. I should add that I have worked for both the Disney Store and as a CM on Main Street so I know the do's and dont's. I also know that at both locations I respected my job and enjoyed the honor of having it. So when I see two CM's having a conversation while they are supposed to be helping me or acting upset because I interrupted the one they were having it makes me not only upset but uncomfortable. Maybe it is because I go so often that I see it more.

[beksy]

The only time we have had trouble with rude CMs is with the buses. Mom has to use an ECV so I know that can be a hassle and does take up more time, but still she has as much right to take the bus as anyone. Some drivers are WONDERFUL! They help her back on and park (some even get off the bus and guide her on so it goes faster and nobody gets frustrated.) Some will talk, offer advice, and make her more comfortable. Others don't say anything and huff and puff, acting like this is something they shouldn't have to deal with. These just watch as she attempts to park on her own (after weeks of practice she still needs some guidance!) and then get upset if she doesn't get off quick enough to suit them while others get mad if she gets off. We had one tell her she had to remain in the chair and wasn't it bad enough that the chair was taking up space without her taking up another seat while the policy seems to be to get off if you can for safety. The worst was a driver picking us up at the CR. This was an empty bus and he clearly saw us but loaded everyone else and then said there was no room for us without making someone stand and another bus would be by in half an hour! I could understand if there were already people on the bus but this was really ridiculous. Other CMs have been great.

[MushuGrl]

I haven't run into any "rude" CM's, but it does seem like many of the younger (teenage) CM's are getting that aloof "this job is beneath me" attitude. It's not just Disney, I see this everywhere.

Then again, maybe I'm just getting old :old:....nevermind, that can't be it ;).

Thank you for your post! I can only think of VERY few CMs that I would classify as out and out rude, but I noticed on our last trip more of what you stated, the "OH MY GAAAAWWD III'M SOOOO BOOOOOORED" type treatment. Not exactly rude or hateful, but "I don't care." One instance in particular was a a lady shutting the cars at Buzz Lightyear (we do Buzz in rounds - usually twice in a row, so whoever loses can redeem themselves). Went through the line twice, same lady twice, went out of my way twice to smile and be nice to her and try to make HER smile...nope. Wouldn't even look at me.

But then again, I have to work for the public and had customer service drilled into my head before I even learned my skills, so I tend to be overcritical.

[Scrappy2]

We just returned and we had great service. The hotel staff at the movies were just great and very helpful. We had a couple of request and they were so nice about them. We also had the GAD vouchers to turn in for the fastpass tickets. We were their for 5 days and had a voucher for each day. The vouchers were good for you and family guest in your party. We had 7 in our party. Each day they all made exceptions for us and gave all members the FP card. We also had a couple of babies with us so we were having to us the Kid Swap on several rides. All CM very friendly and helpful. Even explained how it worked. I was very pleased with Disney CM. No matter what job we have we all have a bad day.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

We have gone to WDW at least once every year since 1991 and I am amazed at the number of people saying they have never come across a rude cast member. I guess we are just unlucky, because we come across at least one every trip.

My wife and I have both spent many years in customer service oriented positions so we try very hard to make allowances for those just having a bad day or whatever. We always treat CMs the way we would want to be treated and have raised our daughter to be the same.

Years ago the average CM was "very good" with "Excellent" quite common and "bad" rare. Nowadays there are still EXCELLENT CMs around, but way too many that are indifferent or worse.
We see CMs throwing their weight around, giving orders (not requests) just because they can.

I understand that part-timers may not have the same level of commitment to a job that a full time person would, but in my world if you are collecting a pay-check you owe your employer 100%, whether it is for 10 hours a week or 40.

Just my way more than 2 cents worth...

[Tekneek]

I understand that part-timers may not have the same level of commitment to a job that a full time person would, but in my world if you are collecting a pay-check you owe your employer 100%, whether it is for 10 hours a week or 40.

Perhaps Disney (the employer) is not as demanding as they once were? Have to wonder why this is becoming more common if Disney isn't more tolerant of it, right?

[madhatterrules]

I have the CMs at WDW to be great but my recent trip to DL I noticed that there were a lot of rude/unfriendly CMs. Several of them seemed like they dreaded being there; it definetly takes away some of the magic.

[donnine]

It always surprises me to see such posts. I have never, ever had anything other than stellar service at WDW. If anything, the CM's were more wonderful this past trip than they had ever been. So, in short, I see no evidence of this. Sorry!

I agree completely. We just visited for our
28th time last month and found the service to be as we expect it to be.

[c&d]

In all the times we've gone we've only had one bad experience with a cast member. It was so bad, it made us laugh because we couldn't figure out how it could get worse. Trust me it did. It was a CM serving us at the Concourse Steakhouse.

Short story, on the dining plan, when it first started, and didn't know what we wanted to eat immediately as we sat down. Apparently bad move on our part. When we, as she said, were finally ready to order, the appetizers came, followed shortly thereafter by a flyby throw of the steak knife onto our table. After that main course came, while still eating appetizer. Mine not cooked correctly, sent back, huuuuge mistake. Steak came back followed no less then 5 minutes later by dessert. Meanwhile all plates previously used were still on table. We piled them up on the table. A most enjoyable meal, followed by a letter to Disney. :D

[JROriole8Fan]

When you hire over 50,000 people who are working long hours in the heat, CMs are bound to have bad days. While not an excuse, you should also consider that people in general have changed. The stories of extreme abuse that CMs endure on a regular basis (no one who posts on INTERCOT of course) are very well know. Having to be yelled/cursed at on a regular basis would probably affect your outward job appearance. I think when you take it all into perspective, the CMs at WDW are remarkable and more times than not, make everyone's vacation magical.

[BigThunderFan]

When you hire over 50,000 people who are working long hours in the heat, CMs are bound to have bad days. While not an excuse, you should also consider that people in general have changed. The stories of extreme abuse that CMs endure on a regular basis (no one who posts on INTERCOT of course) are very well know. Having to be yelled/cursed at on a regular basis would probably affect your outward job appearance. I think when you take it all into perspective, the CMs at WDW are remarkable and more times than not, make everyone's vacation magical.

Well put:thumbsup:

It's sad that the CM's have to put up with so much from the guests, but that is the world we live in now. If only Disney would at least pay them more for everything they do, but alas then my ticket prices would go up so much I couldn't afford to visit any more. (not that I can afford it now, but we go anyway:secret:)

[11290]

Well put:thumbsup:

It's sad that the CM's have to put up with so much from the guests, but that is the world we live in now.

Was working the day parade this afternoon when out of the clear blue, an elderly man (looked to be around 80) came up to me and started cursing at me about why Disney doesn't give ticket discounts to veterans. Was somewhat taken aback by the intensity of his anger.

Commented about how we do give discounts to active duty military and that I was also a military combat veteran, but he would have no part of that conversation. Referred him to guest relations but he didn't want to hear that either.

His family member did finally talk him into moving on. Actually felt a bit sorry for him but I don't make ticket pricing policy.

Everyday it is something that someone wants to go off on a CM about something. All part of the job though.

[minnielove]

For what we pay to go there to vacation the cast Members should all but pick us up and carry us where we need to go/feed us with a spoon! LOL

That being said, we have had great experiences with the staff however on the last trip we paid EXTRA MONEY to attend the Christmas party in Magic Kingdom, we came upon Jasmine and her prince taking photos with kids so we got in line so when we made it to the line the cast member with the magic photopass camera was rude and even looked at me and said Do you want me to take a pic, i wanted to say.. no i just waited in the line to look at my kids with Jasmine.. of course i did, so i gave her a curt yes i do and then got my camera out b/c i was afraid with her bad attitude she wouldnt take a good pic. I will say it left a bad taste in my mouth for the night.

[DisneyNut6777]

:mickey: In our visits to the parks we have not really seen too many rude cm's, have seen some rude guests tho. Interesting story though. I had been in restaurant management for years. During our second to last trip (DW's 1st trip) as we were exiting the MK we went to ask how you would go about seeking employment with WDW as DW and I were making the move to central FL. While waiting to speak with a guest relations Supervisor we had the chance to see what this gentleman in particular had to deal with. A very, very unhappy man who was ranting and raving about his tickets not being accepted. Seems he had bought them from a source not approved by Disney. The gentleman from WDW was very polite, during the whole time he was dealing with the guests wrath. I of course, told the unhappy fellow he should be ashamed of his self and his dirty mouth as children were around. The WDW cm then told us what we needed to know and we complemented him on his handling of the earlier situation. We went to a job fair at WDW and we were both hired, i as a cook 1 at Hollywood Studios, and DW as a cm at Mouse Gears. We took every minute and opportunity that came our way to heap on any extra pixie dust that we could on anyone that we could find. Sadly after a death in the family we had to come back to TN after 3 months employment with an excellent employer. I will say this, we had 1 day of training. I had heard that years ago disney required atleast a week maybe more before you were even considered ready. This was not job training, just stuff on how to greet the guest, and the importance of being a cm. I was kind of sad as I sat there with 2 guys at my table that had too much fun talking back in forth to one another, than paying attention to the people in charge of the class. But as I am sure there are some of those guys/girls out there, that there are many, many more that are simply true CAST MEMBERS. and for that Thank you.:mickey:

[nrianb]

I have been to Disney several times in the last few time. Prior to my December 2010 trip I was there December 2008. I noticed a huge differnece in the Happiest Place on Earth. The cast members were unfriendly and at times downright rude. The final straw was a Cast Member in charge of Ariel. My daughter had met all of the other princesses with the exception of Ariel. I was in Magic Kingdom by the Jungle cruise I told my daughter because we had fast passes for the Jungle cruise as soon as we got off we would go back to see Ariel. We finished the cruise within 5 minutes and went straight to Ariel. We were 3 steps from the ropes and a cast member stepped in front of us and clipped the rope shut. I asked "What is wrong!" Her comment back was "Ariel needs a break. I looked at my watch and it was a odd time. If it had been on the hour or quarter of an hour but it was 4 after the hour. My daughter burst out in tears. I asked the lady "can we please see Ariel my daughter has big tears rolling down her cheeks." Her comment was a sarcastic "NOT NOW". I did continue to ask and she told me Ariel will return in 45 minutes. We did wait for the Cast Member to proceed to be rude. When we were walking away the Cast Member comment was condescending "Well atleast you saw her, Right?" Her additional comment was absolutley unneccesary.

[clausjo]

For what we pay to go there to vacation the cast Members should all but pick us up and carry us where we need to go/feed us with a spoon! LOL

Unfortunately, I think that this is most of what the problem is. Disney vacations cost us generally more than other vactions and I think that the expectations can be set extremely high. I've been to Disney many, many time since it opened and, although all of the CMs may not be "over the top" friendly, I'm very happy to say I've never encountered a rude one. All of the CMs seem to be happy to help and pleasant. I also understand that the characters need breaks and this doesn't always coincide with my schedule. Everyone has a bad day, but for the most part, the CMs seem to hide it well.

Just my opinion based on my experiences.

[forever a child]

I have seen way more GUESTS rude than CM'S. The degree of rudeness by GUESTS have been way worse than anything I have witnessed by any CM during any of our visits. Spending $ does not give you the right to stomp all over people. Many of those CM's are students, retiree's and people who need to earn a living. I think giving respect to them and their duties and positions at WDW will get you better return on cheerfulness at WDW. That extends beyond WDW to our everyday lives too. If you look for rude people...you'll find them. If you look for happy helpful people, you'll find them too. Just my :twocents:

[MarkC]

I have seen way more GUESTS rude than CM'S. The degree of rudeness by GUESTS have been way worse than anything I have witnessed by any CM during any of our visits. Spending $ does not give you the right to stomp all over people. Many of those CM's are students, retiree's and people who need to earn a living. I think giving respect to them and their duties and positions at WDW will get you better return on cheerfulness at WDW. That extends beyond WDW to our everyday lives too. If you look for rude people...you'll find them. If you look for happy helpful people, you'll find them too. Just my :twocents:


Ditto the post above. I have a friend who has a son who works for Disney. When checking into the hotel he was working at some guests asked to borrow his car to take it to the mall. When he told them "no" they asked to speak to the manager, complaining about the lack of the so-called great Disney service. They were floored when the manager also told them no, they could not use his car. Shocking. We've had maybe two bad cast members in 20 trips, but they are far outweighed by CM's surpassing the expected service.

[MarkC]

Adding one more comment, I think most of us on here have been to Disney many times and notice countless things that first timers would not. Therefore, we're a lot more critical (which is good and bad) if we see something that is lacking in service and/or quality. First time guests are usually so overwhelmed by everything they don't even notice the service, although many of them note it is a lot better than other places, resorts, etc. Just my thoughts.

[Granny Jill A]

Disney is not immune to the woes of the world. It's easier to be cheerful about your job if you are making ends meet financially. It's also difficult to be upbeat if you have little or no say in what you do each day. On one trip, my daughter was talking to an employee who was just told by her supervisor that she could NOT leave at the end of her shift as she had planned. It had been a long day for her, but she was stuck for another 3 hours. Things like that can wear you down.

[rubato]

I am in complete agreement that it is the guests, not the CMs. If I had to put up with a quarter of what those poor CMs have to put up with, I'd be a very unhappy person. I just got back 2 nights ago and have never seen such horrible, rude guests. Every CM I encountered was, at the very least, pleasant. Some were amazing. Not one was rude.

[I LoveJack]

Ditto. My DD age 10 kept getting ran over and pushed by rude people this past New Years trip. The CM's were all great and probably not nearly well paid enough to put up with some of the rude people there. One working in Fantasy land told me that she had already been cussed out and the park had only been open 10 minutes that morning.
We have tried to be extra friendly and nice to all the wonderful people who make our trip special and have made a few new friends in the process.

[mom2morgan]

We've been very lucky, I guess. In our trips to WDW and our one and only trip to DL this past summer, we have been uniformly impressed with the cast members. Many have gone out of their way to make the Magic for us - lots have been "neutral" so left no particular impression one way or the other - and only one was even close to what I'd call "rude" (it was a bus driver, and I WAS in the wrong, so can't hold it against him too much, even if he did make me feel kind of stupid for a mistake). One thing I noticed at DL was that the staff seemed a LOT more into "acting". I got a kick out of so many little things - even a custodian sweeping the street greeted a "Mickey" character with "How's it going, boss?" SO in character it really made my kids and I smile. Can't say as I've seen that level of enthusiasm as often at WDW.

[hubbyofadisneyholic]

Adding one more comment, I think most of us on here have been to Disney many times and notice countless things that first timers would not. Therefore, we're a lot more critical (which is good and bad) if we see something that is lacking in service and/or quality. First time guests are usually so overwhelmed by everything they don't even notice the service, although many of them note it is a lot better than other places, resorts, etc. Just my thoughts.

Very good point!

Also, those of us that have gone many times over a number of years can compare the current CM's to those of 20 -25 yrs ago. And while there are still more good than bad CMs the ratio is a LOT closer than it was years ago when the "bad" CM was definitely the exception.:(

[waymickey]

I don't think they are less friendly per say , they just don't seem to have that "disney " magic. The cast members just don't seem to go the extra mile anymore to make the day special. Don't get me wrong some do, but the majority do not. I thought that on my last trip it was becasue I had older kids and not little kids around anymore. I know the Disney store is a pre-school paradise but that is really about it. Not much there for adults or even preteens anymore.:(

[Ian]

I have to say that our last trip (12/10/10 - 12/15/10) restored a little bit of my faith in the Cast Members.

We really had a great experience with them, with many going the extra mile to spread some Disney magic. Maybe it was the holiday spirit or something, but we ran into a whole lot of really great CM's on this trip.

Made the whole experience a lot more enjoyable! :mickey:

[SplashFan01]

Personally, I havent encountered too many 'rude' cm's. I have, on the other hand, came into contact with a lot of cms who did not seem happy to be there, and were not up to Disney standards. I can understand that dealing with rude, obnoxious, grumpy guests must be very frustrating, however, I dont think anyone should be making excuses for the CM's behavior/attitude. The bottom line is that it is their JOB to remain pleasant and friendly no matter how they are being treated in return. Customer service is not for everyone, and if you can't interact with people while keeping a smile on you face NO MATTER WHAT (having a bad day, personal issues, whatever) then you need to look for employment in a different line of work.

[mom2morgan]

Personally, I havent encountered too many 'rude' cm's. I have, on the other hand, came into contact with a lot of cms who did not seem happy to be there, and were not up to Disney standards. I can understand that dealing with rude, obnoxious, grumpy guests must be very frustrating, however, I dont think anyone should be making excuses for the CM's behavior/attitude. The bottom line is that it is their JOB to remain pleasant and friendly no matter how they are being treated in return. Customer service is not for everyone, and if you can't interact with people while keeping a smile on you face NO MATTER WHAT (having a bad day, personal issues, whatever) then you need to look for employment in a different line of work.

I think this has to go both ways, too. I know there must be some awful guests, but I have to assume that the vast majority are happy, pleasant people on vacation. I'd hate to think that one or two bad apples a day could so sour a cm's attitude - just like we are saying that most cm's are great and we shouldn'tover-emphasize the negative experiences!