dissapointing

[waymickey]

Just got back from an 8 day trip to DW. I must say I was dissapointed. The cast members and park were not what they used to be. DHS was dirty, cups and garbage on the ground, On the Splash mountian ride in MK there is gum stuck to the sides of the walls in the attraction. Turkey legs are thrown in the bushes and paper all about. As for the cast members no more cheery faces. I was in the laugh floor last row and over heard 3 cast members complain about the tourists, saying they are selfish and rude. I accidently got into the the single rider line on toy story mania with my fastpasses. I waited in line and when we got near the ride we seemed to be waiting along time. I asked the cast member why we had to wait so long and he said you are in single rider line, fast pass goes first. I showed him my fast pass and said we followed the cast member at the door when she said stay to the left. His response "sorry, too bad you are in the wrong line." The sign for fast pass and single rider is on the gates that swing open when we went in the ride at nidnight the gates were open with the sign facing the wall. No way to tell which line is which. I have been to Disney World dozens of times and this was the worst. NO Disney magic plus garabage!

[DizneyRox]

I refer to the CMs as employees these days. They are a far cry from real cast members for the most part. There are still a few good ones, but it's more the exception than the rule.

[mcjaco]

Sounds like Six Flags. Not Disney.

[Imagineer1981]

I have to say, from working there, that CMs generally bad mouth guests in the break rooms all day long. I also have noticed little things like gum, cracks in buildings, things not being painted, etc that are starting be ignored. Also there are CMs who don't meet standards.

But lets not forget that WDW is still lightyears beyond its closest competitors for quality and cleanliness and for employees. There are tons of GREAT CMs and we shouldn't let the few thorns ruin the rep of all the great ones.

Perhaps we need to be more proactive then just posting here. Write letters, tell a manager while at WDW, let Disney know that you will not tolerate the trash, the gum, the rude CMs..if enough people say something, things will change

[PeterPan]

I know how you feel - some of my trips have been like yours. BUT...there are a few things to take into consideration.

First, the time of year. This is the worst! The HUGE onslaught of people - the relentless parade of sweating humanity - finally, it wears on a person. The CM's are only human - they are pushed, shoved, yelled at, abused in a dozen different ways. Finally, they get impatient and jaded. Again, they are only human. Of course, they unload on fellow CM's - just to get it off their chest. They should NEVER say anything within ear-shot of a Guest, but it happens.

Second, you are RIGHT! CM's are NOT what they used to be. People in general are not what they used to be. When Disneyland opened in 1955, people actually dressed up to go. Seriously - women wore heels, many men wore a sport coat. Children held their parents hands and behaved. What I am saying is this...slowly, we have become a more agressive, rude society. When people go to these public places (like WDW) suddenly, they are on display - we can all observe one another in a way that is out of the ordinary (unless you go to a lot of sporting events where many, many people gather in a casual setting.) We see people at their WORST.

CM's are no different than Guests - they are people with the same social conventions and generally accepted behaviors. Now, their training tries to OVERCOME these natural tendencies - they are told over and over in their classes ("Traditions" for instance) to smile, assume the Guest is always right, don't raise your voice, defer to an authority (call a manager), etc.

I think about it like this: if all CM's were 35 years old, had 15 years of experience, loved and appreciated Disney Culture, in this job for the long haul, were building a career not just a job, had shorter shifts, worked only in the Spring and Fall when the weather is perfect in Florida, and were paid a truly exceptional wage, they would be INCREDIBLE CAST MEMBERS.

But the truth is, they are young, inexperienced, hot, tired, exhausted, underpaid, and cannot WAIT for their shift to be over.

Yes, there are exceptions to the rule - I see them every time I go, and when I spot these very special CM's who go above and beyond the call of duty, I immediately ask for a manager, and RAVE about them, insist that they be rewarded. Our waitress at Liberty Tree Tavern last January was a CROWN JEWEL. Not only did I ask for the manager and compliment her on the spot, after I got home, I sat down and wrote a real letter (paper, envelope, stamp, etc.). Those kind of CM's should be singled out and PRAISED for preserving even a SHRED of the Disney Culture we remember so fondly.

[Strmchsr]

Well said!

[wdwfansince75]

I just checked our receipts from our June trip...and we must have been to a different WDW than the OP....We noted how clean everything was, and how friendly the CM's were. In fact, thought grounds at all parks trimmer and cleaner than I ever remember.
As on recent trips, did notice clutter in the queues (particularly Soarin') during EMH's, but not during rest of day.
Really enjoyed bantering with CM's, and particularly noted friendly, smiling, and helpful CM's on TSMM.
Perhaps its an August problem....hot days, been tolerating crowds since May/June.....going back to school.....on lay off list for slow season....just tired.
I'm inclined to give them another chance!

[GrumpyFan]

Send a message to guest relations. In in it, be very specific on what you saw/heard and where you saw it. It may not fix everything, but it will help. The email address is: [email protected]

I've sent a couple on issues we had in the past. They usually respond, but it may take 6-8 weeks. Be sure and give your name and any contact information, as they may actually call you.

[SBETigg]

It is disappointing to see trash gathering, gum stuck where it shouldn't be, and CMs bad-mouthing guests in front of guests. Even if I do have to agree with them that a lot of guests are selfish and rude .

But, I think a lot of the travel experience depends on what you bring to it. You can choose to see the trash and shake your head, or you can try to look around it to find the magic (which is admittedly sometimes harder than others, depending on the trash). I never wait for someone else to make my experience for me or let a few CMs influence my vacation experience (good or bad). My good time is within my control and up to me. The rest is out of my hands and can only bother me as much as I let it creep in.

[tinkwest]

Re: Garbage
Try to remember who put the trash on the ground and the gum on the walls in the first place. It probably wasn't the CMs.

[tink2006]

Second, you are RIGHT! CM's are NOT what they used to be. People in general are not what they used to be. When Disneyland opened in 1955, people actually dressed up to go. Seriously - women wore heels, many men wore a sport coat. Children held their parents hands and behaved. What I am saying is this...slowly, we have become a more agressive, rude society. When people go to these public places (like WDW) suddenly, they are on display - we can all observe one another in a way that is out of the ordinary (unless you go to a lot of sporting events where many, many people gather in a casual setting.) We see people at their WORST.

I agree...What has happened to our society? Please, thank you and a smile go along way. When did we forget this?

We were there in July and we did not comment on the cleaniness (or lack of) as we had in prior visits. Of course, we weren't looking for trash. Soarin is the only line I can remember being on the trashy side. However, it was about 1 AM so it did not surprise me.

As far as CM go. They are human and, while on duty, held to a much higher standard because they work for Disney. I tend to cut them some slack ...I am in my happy place! That said, I think rude encounters are truly few and far between (unlike the real world).

[MississippiDisneyFreak]

We've always been impressed with the cleanliness of the parks, I hope this is not a result of shortage of CM due to cutbacks

[SurferStitch]

I'm sorry you were disappointed with your trip.

DH and I have actually noticed that CM's are much better than they were a few years ago. We've commented to each other about how friendly and outgoing the CM's seemed to be over the last year or two. I've never talked to so many happy CM's as I did during our last two trips.

I haven't noticed a decline in cleanliness, but I haven't noticed an improvement either. I didn't notice any glaring examples of poor cleanliness, but the occasional cup or napkin on the ground. Chances are I just saw it before a CM got there to clean it up. There were plenty of CM's walking around sweeping, so it was just a matter of time until someone got there to clean.

With the huge numbers of guests in the parks, and the fact that there are more and more rude/disrespectful/self-centered people out there, it doesn't surprise me that it's tougher to keep up with the cleaning than it used to be years ago.

[bruin1344]

walt is turning in his grave when see litter in his parks or rude cast members, those were major petpeeves for him

in my experiences, i find the majority of the cast members are pleasant and the parks are usually clean

[disneygeek84]

I've only encountered a few unhappy CMs in the 20 years that I've been visiting WDW. But thing that I find is that, maybe someone was rude to them, maybe it's the end of their shift and they're tired, maybe they've just had a bad day all around.

I remember one trip during EMH at DHS and we were riding RnRC over and over and over. The guy that was working the que before you go into the preshow wasn't very happy the first time we went threw. But we were so happy to be there that we kept smiling at him and telling him HI! And thanking him every time we went by that by about the 4th time we went through the line, he was much happier.

Sometimes, all it takes is a few smiles and thank yous to get a CM in a good mood. Does that mean that it's okay for them to be rude? No. But again, they're human. And really, don't we all just need a smile and a thank you for doing our jobs sometimes?

Just keep that in mind the next time you encounter a rude/unhappy CM and try to help them have a better day!

[Nascfan]

I just checked our receipts from our June trip...and we must have been to a different WDW than the OP....We noted how clean everything was, and how friendly the CM's were. In fact, thought grounds at all parks trimmer and cleaner than I ever remember.
Really enjoyed bantering with CM's, and particularly noted friendly, smiling, and helpful CM's on TSMM.
Perhaps its an August problem....hot days, been tolerating crowds since May/June.....going back to school.....on lay off list for slow season....just tired.
I'm inclined to give them another chance!

I'm sorry you were disappointed with your trip.

DH and I have actually noticed that CM's are much better than they were a few years ago. We've commented to each other about how friendly and outgoing the CM's seemed to be over the last year or two. I've never talked to so many happy CM's as I did during our last two trips.

I haven't noticed a decline in cleanliness, but I haven't noticed an improvement either. I didn't notice any glaring examples of poor cleanliness, but the occasional cup or napkin on the ground. Chances are I just saw it before a CM got there to clean it up. There were plenty of CM's walking around sweeping, so it was just a matter of time until someone got there to clean.

With the huge numbers of guests in the parks, and the fact that there are more and more rude/disrespectful/self-centered people out there, it doesn't surprise me that it's tougher to keep up with the cleaning than it used to be years ago.

We had the same experience as these two Intercotees. Wonderful, cheerful CM's, very little trash or garbage (which is no small feat due to the sheer # of guests), and just a wonderful, magical time.
Do you think there really are two WDW's, and we got the "good" one?

[Disney Doll]

Sorry you had a bad experience! I've heard a couple of people on these boards talk about the decline in CMs, but I have to say that I have not noticed. Maybe I'm just too young to remember how good it was in the good ole days. I have always been pretty impressed by the CMs at WDW and the parks have always been very clean. Occasionally I run into a CM who is not giving 110% or a stray cup on the ground, but these encounters are few and far between. Certainly if I ever experienced anything too bad I would alert management. Fortunately for me that's never been necessary. Working with the public out in the Florida heat would not be my idea of a fun job. Still, more often than not I witness CMs exhibiting super human patience and friendliness. I wouldn't hesitate to complain about bad service, but I also try to make it a point to compliment good service.

[WDWdriver]

CM's are no different than Guests - they are people with the same social conventions and generally accepted behaviors. Now, their training tries to OVERCOME these natural tendencies - they are told over and over in their classes ("Traditions" for instance) to smile, assume the Guest is always right, don't raise your voice, defer to an authority (call a manager), etc.

I think about it like this: if all CM's were 35 years old, had 15 years of experience, loved and appreciated Disney Culture, in this job for the long haul, were building a career not just a job, had shorter shifts, worked only in the Spring and Fall when the weather is perfect in Florida, and were paid a truly exceptional wage, they would be INCREDIBLE CAST MEMBERS.

But the truth is, they are young, inexperienced, hot, tired, exhausted, underpaid, and cannot WAIT for their shift to be over.

Bravo! Well said. But there is still no excuse for being rude or discourteous to a guest, no matter how much they deserve it. And some of them really deserve it!

As far as being a hot, tired, exhausted and underpaid CM - yes, I am often one of those. While trudging out of the park on the way to my car I am frequently stopped by guests asking directions or asking me to take their photo. It's tempting to say "no, I'm off the clock". But any CM who truly understands the CM role and how much is expected from him or her will take the time to stop, smile and make one last effort to be helpful and friendly.

[Ian]

It really depends on when you go. WDW in the summertime is a very different experience than WDW off peak.

It's packed to the gills with hot, sweaty, overwrought tourists (many of them clueless first-timers) and it really does wear on the CM's.

Re: the litter, I think this is also related. More first-timer guests means fewer true Disney fans (i.e. people more likely to not have a certain level of respect for the parks), higher attendance means just more litter in general, and all of this means more work and less time for the custodial CM's to clean up.

I'm the first one to tell you that Disney's service and quality of cast has declined in recent years and maintenance has gone downhill. But I do try and cut them some slack in the summer. It's just brutal conditions.

Truth-be-told, though, I would never expect WDW to go back to what it was (i.e. a Disneyland clone). WDW is the Disney cash cow. They milk it for all it's worth. If you want a true Disney theme park experience these days you have to go to Disneyland. They're still doing it right.

[indytraveler]

I accidently got into the the single rider line on toy story mania with my fastpasses. I waited in line and when we got near the ride we seemed to be waiting along time. I asked the cast member why we had to wait so long and he said you are in single rider line, fast pass goes first. I showed him my fast pass and said we followed the cast member at the door when she said stay to the left. His response "sorry, too bad you are in the wrong line."

That does stink. As long as you got to keep your fastpass and rode it again right after that would have been worth it. Hopefully you kept your fastpass when you were actually in the correct line.

I'm a glass is half full person so I'm trying to find the silver lining. I'm disappointed that your experiences this trip didn't live up to your expectations. But alot of what has been said in previous posts make sense. Time of year, with heat, underpay, etc tends to lead to bad service.

I do think when we see something bad or exemplary we should note it. May your next WDW vacation be filled with the magic you've come to expect.