Worst Guest Experience?

[BandMan]

On our last trip, we were heading from Adventureland to the Castle to watch Wishes. We had just enough time (we thought) to stop and grab a Dole Whip float (our favorite treat after a hot day in MK ).

I got in line behind this - well, I'll use the word gentleman - who proceeded to take about 15 minutes to order. First he wanted to know if he could have the souvenier cup, but could he have the drink seperate. After he gets it, he then orders two Dole whips. Then his wife jumps in from the side and asks him to order several more drinks. Everything he ordered he wanted altered in some way from what was on the menu, and he asked a dozen questions about price, size, etc. And he ordered ONE THING AT A TIME.

In the meantime the line was stacking up behind us. At one point I just turned around and looked at two strangers in line behind me and went . One guy just shook his head, while the other muttered "unbelievable".

The CM was great; even thanked me for my patience while he had to wait on this guy.

Soooooo .....

My question is: What experience have you had from other guests who just don't seem to have a clue about etiquette, or just common sense?

[Marker]

Again with searching for negativity.

Y'all have fun, but I'd prefer remember the good stuff, and let the rest go. For me, no need to dwell on it.

I wonder if somewhere there's a guy telling a story about trying to order drinks for his family and the people in line behind him were getting all impatient and hostile because he had a couple of questions.

[MickeyChick]

I'm all for having a Pollyanna outlook on life but sometimes, you just need to vent a little. Sometimes, expressing the negative stuff and asking if others have had similar experiences helps to verifiy that you weren't "abnormal" in feeling the way you did. I really don't see anything that wrong with it.

Heck, I got chewed out over several pages for saying I think the mural at the Contemporary is ugly and outdated.

So, anyway, yea, I encountered some clueless people at the World who took up major time doing something that seemed simple. It's annoying when you have two impatient children who want ice cream and when there's only one person ahead of you in line and that person chooses to deliver a monologue to the CM about why she needs a drink lid at the Animal Kingdom.

I didn't have so much of a problem with other guests as several cashier CMs who were incredibly slow moving.

[divinedi]

I'm with you 'marker', I try to just let the bad stuff go. I'm sure I've posted a couple of instances on the boards, but in general, unless it's something I found REALLY offensive, I tend to forget it, why waste time, energy and anger on things when you can just remember all the good stuff that happened? And to be honest, I've never had a dole whip(although from all the raves on here, I really want to try one!), so I would probably be one of those annoying people asking questions too, until I got to know what I want and liked, then I'd be done in a flash. It really is all about perspective. isn't it, and to quote someone semi-famous (sorry, I don't remember who ) no matter how flat you make a pancake, there are always two sides.

[Marker]

Originally Posted by MickeyChick

Pollyanna outlook

according to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary :

Pollyanna

• an excessively cheerful or optimistic person.

I can live with that.

Hey, like I said, Y'all have fun. It's just not my thing.

However, I will agree that rude and impatient guests that feel they have to let everyone around them know they're unhappy are rather annoying. But honestly, as I sit here right now, I couldn't give you any specific examples, although I know I've enountered them.

[Jenemmy]

You know, I think these threads serve a purpose. Some folks are just clueless about things they do that come off as rude to others. I will include myself in that arena, too!

For instance, I like to think of myself as a courteous and consciencious person....but there was a thread a while back about folks who walk into a crowded restaurant and send half their party to find a table while they hop in line to order...."CRUD!!! Is that bad???", I thought to myself. I had probably done that on occassion with the thought of not dragging the kids through the line, but never thought that it was something that could be construed as rude by others. Now I know...now I know I won't do it again.

I don't dwell on the negative, either....but I don't have a problem with a vent on a public forum -- better than a toussle in real life!

So -- here's mine....when DS was about 18 months old, we took him to WDW for the first time. Knowing he would enjoy the parade, we got to Main Street early, got some great spots and waited it out. As the parade started, two women pushed through the crowd and stood square in front of my kiddo. I politely tried to tell them he couldn't see, and realized they were from another country and didn't really understand what I was saying. OK - no harm -- we all have different customs...so, in charade form, I show them he needs to see (he was in a stroller) They scooch a little, but not much.

What got me was then she started taking pictures of everything that moved on the parade route and as she had her arm in the air, her souvenier bag was swinging and bopping my son in the head repeatedly. Again, I point this out - with a smile -- and realize that she really didn't care. Didn't stop, didn't move the bag - just kept clicking away. I sat for the entire parade and held her souvenier bag - while still on her arm -- to keep it from hitting my son and she was all good with that solution.

LOL -- you know, now I think it is kind of absurdly funny, looking back on it. She probably went home and told people about the great customer service Disney has that someone will even hold your bag for you during the parade!!

[MNNHFLTX]

Just a moderator reminder to everyone--venting about something on the boards is fine, as long as it is kept within INTERCOT's Terms of Service. The trouble we have encountered in the past with these types of threads has had to do with people making broad (and often offensive) generalizations about groups of people and/or becoming too descriptive (in a non-family friendly way) in their posts. As long as we avoid both of those situations, the thread should be okay.

For those who have nothing to vent about, no problem--there are plenty of other threads to wander through!

[dumbo_buddy]

thanks beth!

marker - rather than poo-pooing someone's thread subject, perhaps it would be better to just ignore the ones you don't like instead of making people feel bad about wanting to talk about something.

really the only thing that gets me annoyed is when people take pictures using their flash when they aren't supposed to. isn't it engrained in people's heads by the fifth ride that "no flash photography" is allowed?

luckily, i've had examples of guests being EXTRA nice which is always great. one time i totally bit it - fell with a full tray of stuff at the POR foodcourt. this couple raced over to me to make sure i was ok (i was, just embarrassed) and the guy even bought me a cookie b/c he figured i needed something "good after such a fantastic fall!"

[Von-Drake]

Gee Worst Guest Experience.

I was in 8th grade and had a cold and sinus infection. It was a very slight drizzle late in the afternoon and everyone in my family party, except me and my mom, went to go ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. We were supposed to wait for them in Pecos Bill Cafe. Well being upset I could not go I sat down in a huff in a seat with no back and flipped clean over. I rushed back to my feet in time to see a man across the cafe hold up "10" on a napkin.


We laugh about it all the time now. I guess not all bad experiences are the results of someone else's actions.

[dumbo_buddy]

sheesh! at least somebody helped me after my fall!

[vicster]

I'm on vacation at the happiest place on earth so nothing bothers me while at WDW!

[1EeyoreFan]

I was getting some much needed a.m. coffee at the food court of ASMu when a lady splashed hot coffee on me. I yelped more out of shock than pain. However, it was quite hot. The lady that spilled it looked at me like I was insane, turned her nose up at me, then left her trash on the counter and turned and walked off without even looking back. I was fine but my white Mickey shirt may never be the same after the coffee stain set. lol. An onlooker came to see if I was ok and commented on how inappropriate some adults can act.

I guess this can happen anywhere and anytime. It just happened to me when I was on vacation.

[BandMan]

I'm sorry if I started something I shouldn't have. Our overall WDW experience was wonderful - everyone was generally so polite and well-mannered that this incident just really stuck out. We do look back on it and laugh, precisely because it was SO over-the-top.

I am a very patient person, and do not get upset when people need to take their time. But this guy didn't have "a couple of questions", he wanted to special order every single item. When the CM would explain that he couldn't have it a particular way, he'd try to special order it another way. He ordered 6 drinks this way, one at a time. That is, after he recieved and paid for each one, he'd then proceed to order another. I am not exaggerating when I say we were in line for 10 minutes waiting for him to order and receive 6 drinks.

I was just wondering if anyone else had had a similarly comically-bad experience like that. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone.

[PirateLover]

Originally Posted by BandMan

I'm sorry if I started something I shouldn't have. Our overall WDW experience was wonderful - everyone was generally so polite and well-mannered that this incident just really stuck out. We do look back on it and laugh, precisely because it was SO over-the-top.

Hey bandman, don't worry about it! It's all good here on Intercot
I thought you clearly detailed your experience and that the family in question was definitely rude. You should have your order ready when you approach the counter. I have had it happen to me a few times where the person finally reaches the front and either doesn't know what they want or keeps changing their order around.

I wouldn't say I have a worst guest experience. But I do think it's bothersome when some guests monopolize character time. Sometimes I stop and try to get character pictures even if I'm not going to wait in line (Is that creepy since they are interacting with others? I just love the characters!) Anyway, once a CM announced that Stitch had about 10 mins left and wouldn't be coming back...Of course there were still a gazillion people in line. Up comes a man, no children. OK no prob here, I don't have kids and I wait in line for characters. He takes about 5 poses... OK I like great character pics....
But then he proceeds to pull out -no lie-about 15 different items to be autographed. And I guess the CMs didn't want to cause any problems because Stitch signed every single thing. What should've been a 1 min meet and greet turned into at least 7. Only one more family got to get a picture. I felt bad for all the other kids.

[Marker]

Originally Posted by BandMan

I'm sorry

No worries BandMan. A perfectly valid topic it is, and as I have been repeatedly told, "venting" is a healthy and educational thing. In fact, I'd be lying if I tried to say that I don't occasionally "vent".

However, we do seem to be getting an abundance of "what's the worst" topics lately. Perhaps that's my vent about worst guest experience. Perhaps for me it's the trend to look for things on the bad side rather than on the good side, be it here or at the parks. I'm sure we've all been around people at the parks who do nothing but complain, and if they don't have something legitimate to complain about, they reach for anything they can find. There are no doubt some folks who are not bothered by that at all, and that's fine. But if that's my vent, then that should be just as fine.

It can also be important to remember, that all those things we might complain about, all those things we find annoying.... there are two sides to every story.

[DisFan01]

Originally Posted by Marker

I wonder if somewhere there's a guy telling a story about trying to order drinks for his family and the people in line behind him were getting all impatient and hostile because he had a couple of questions.

Good point...I would have never thought of it that way.

Originally Posted by MickeyChick

I'm all for having a Pollyanna outlook on life but sometimes, you just need to vent a little. Sometimes, expressing the negative stuff and asking if others have had similar experiences helps to verifiy that you weren't "abnormal" in feeling the way you did. I really don't see anything that wrong with it.

Another good point!!

Well, I agree with both point of views, but I really haven't had any bad experiences with guests, other than the usual (ex: flash pix..ect).

[PirateLover]

Originally Posted by Marker

However, we do seem to be getting an abundance of "what's the worst" topics lately.

I think it's just cycles. I would say that 90% of posts on here are typically positive. But sometimes reading one post jogs your memory and you want to share a similar experience that might warrant it's own thread. In the Water Cooler there are currently 3 separate threads about cars and 2 about houses, all spawned from each other. It's just kind of how message boards go I think. I also typically like to look more towards the positive, but I have had some bad experiences at WDW just like any other place and if I want to share them, that's OK. I do think that there are people out there who always look for the negative, but there are also people who refuse to admit that anything could ever be wrong. Both sides can be annoying.

[Tink's Mom]

Originally Posted by Jenemmy

For instance, I like to think of myself as a courteous and consciencious person....but there was a thread a while back about folks who walk into a crowded restaurant and send half their party to find a table while they hop in line to order...."CRUD!!! Is that bad???", I thought to myself. I had probably done that on occassion with the thought of not dragging the kids through the line, but never thought that it was something that could be construed as rude by others. Now I know...now I know I won't do it again.

Could you please tell me how long ago this was posted? I would like to read it. When we eat counter service, sometimes our DD's go and get the plastic tableware, napkins, and condiments, then they sit down and sort of "set the table" and wait for us to bring the meal. I never considered that this was rude . I would like to see opinions about the topic. I would never want to offend anyone. Thanks much!

[irish1967]

Originally Posted by Tink's Mom

Could you please tell me how long ago this was posted? I would like to read it. When we eat counter service, sometimes our DD's go and get the plastic tableware, napkins, and condiments, then they sit down and sort of "set the table" and wait for us to bring the meal. I never considered that this was rude . I would like to see opinions about the topic. I would never want to offend anyone. Thanks much!

I guess it goes to show we can have different opinions about this topic - We generally have only 2 people get in line to handle to food order as a means to keep the lines flowing smoothly - why have 7 people stand in line when 2 are sufficient?

As for bad experiences - we tend to let them become inside jokes for the rest of the trip.

[Marker]

Originally Posted by Tink's Mom

Could you please tell me how long ago this was posted? I would like to read it. When we eat counter service, sometimes our DD's go and get the plastic tableware, napkins, and condiments, then they sit down and sort of "set the table" and wait for us to bring the meal. I never considered that this was rude . I would like to see opinions about the topic. I would never want to offend anyone. Thanks much!

I kind of have mixed feelings about this. All in all, I don't think it's a "bad" thing. I think where the trouble comes in, at least in my experience, is if there is a very long line, and someone is holding a table for 20 or 30 minutes, whiles others with food can't find a seat. On the other side of that, if the lines are of reasonable length such that they are only holding the table for a few minutes, I think it's a smart thing to do.

Courtesy does play a role in this. If someone is holding a table when their party is nowhere near to getting their food, the courtesy thing to do would be to let someone who is looking for a table have it and look for another. But if you're party is being served, or basically on their way, then I'd hang on to the table.

There's the flip side too. If your party has finished eating, and there are people looking for seats, then by all means, MOVE. To sit and chat endlessly while people are look for a spot to eat is just as inconsiderate.