TOTAL JERK in the Contemporary

[nwhitehead1214]

What I find amusing about this post is that this was the beginning of this man's morning. He was on his way to the parks! Imagine him at the end of the day

 

[mmackeymouse]

Have to chime in here too. I was at Disneyworld Sept 7th to Sept 12th and we ran across one really jerky lady one night. We were waiting at MK for the boat to Wilderness Lodge. For folks that haven't ridden those boats, there are 2 sizes. Large ones that can take strollers and wheelchairs with people in them without having to collapse them, and smaller boats where folks in wheelchairs or strollers have to get out, take a seat on the boat and fold up the stroller or wheelchair.

To the point: we were waiting for the boat about 3 minutes, when the new boat captain came on to the dock and was also waiting for the boat so he could take over and start his shift. This woman shouts out to him "I hope you're not going to tell me I have to take my child out of the stroller to ride the boat." He answered her in a very pleasant manner "Well, if it's a smaller boat, yes ma'am, you will have to take your son out of the stroller and transfer to a seat. Or you can wait about 10 more minutes for the larger boat to come along." She proceeded to talk really loud about how unhappy she was and how she shouldn't have to take her son out of the stroller, etc. Just really rude. I can't describe the whole tone of voice, body language, etc. It just came across as awful. We all felt bad for the captain who was literally just starting his work day.

The boat arrived and folks got on, the boat captain who she had been talking to, helped her get on the boat, got her son seated, folded the stroller up, got her seated, patiently waited for her to get settled and gave her the folded stroller. She didn't thank him or anything, just kept saying what a pain it was to have to do that. We sail on to the Wilderness Lodge and 10 minutes later are getting off, the captain again got the stroller, unfolded it, got the woman's son all in the stroller, and got the woman all set, she again did not thank him and grumbled on the dock about having to switch her son to a seat, etc. Really rude to the captain.
Now, I know it's hard to have a child in a stroller, I know it's been a long day in the park, but her son was about 3 years old, was fine getting out of the stroller and sitting, he was smiling and enjoying the boat ride. The captain helped her get organized and didn't ever complain to her, was very pleasant, and she was just awful.
We all were a bit shocked at the behavior.

Wow, that is one of the most awful things I ever heard. If I were that captain, I would have just sat there smirking to myself, as the lady whined and moaned dragging her stuff along.

Look, the guy was rude, I never said he wasn't. But WHY was he rude? Most people on this thread are only seeing it from this OPs point of view and there are always 2 points of view in every story. Everybody's so busy congratulating this guy for not losing his temper or telling stories of their own rude experiences (and passive aggressive replies). Apparently I'm the weird one for trying to figure out why this guy was rude. "He's a jerk" isn't the only explanation. Everybody out there is doing something to annoy somebody else, whether you realize it or not.

Think of all the he said-she said stories. If you only heard one side you'd be calling each person a jerk too, but you're only getting one POV.

There is NEVER an excuse for rudeness. There may have been an explanation as to why the man was short-tempered, or having a bad day, but you should never take that out on other people, especially strangers or people serving you.

Have I ever had bad or slow service? Sure. Do I get upset about it? Sometimes. But, I would never voice it in a way that is rude or demeaning. And, yes, I know what it is like to be running late or on a schedule. And, you know, if I am in a line that looks like it will take a while or the person is particularly chatty, I do without. You either need to exercise patience and wait respectfully, or you need to move on and live without your coffee/pop/ice cream, etc etc.

We've all had bad days. But, there are better ways of channeling your anger. Having a bad day may explain rude behavior, but it never justifies it.

P.S. To Big Tim, I want to personally thank you for voicing what I have been thinking for years regarding baggy saggy shorts. I thought (and prayed) they would go away, that they were a fad, but alas, no. There is nothing attractive about a guy's underwear poking out of his pants, no matter what they think, even if it is just a little bit, as seems to be the trend. But, I can live with a little bit, even if I do not like it. BUT, the types where the top of the pants don't even start till mid-thigh, and the back pockets are below their knees, to me, that is just rude and disgusting, and if it were up to me, would be outlawed (I think it is in some places. Unfortunately, not here.)

 

[irunnoft]

That or you'll end up with a smashed camera or cell phone in about 9 seconds.

Possibly, but then at that point he would be arrested for assault on an officer.

 

[irunnoft]

nothing personal but she is there to work and would of got her work done faster if she was not chating with you. the guy was a jerk but bottom line is you were slowing her down and she was not doing her job!

So you can't talk and make a cup of coffee? It amazes me how you can make that assessment when you weren't even there! Stunning. Sorry, but the amount of time that might have been shaved off from making the teas would be completely insignificant. Again. . . I'm just not going to treat somebody like a tool.

 

[irunnoft]

I agree.
What I had an issue with once is when people chat up with servers at restaurants. We were at Marakesh for lunch once and it was not very crowded. The table next to us was talking to our server for long periods of time. We saw our food sitting under the lamps for about 5 minutes while the server chatted with that table. Whenever we needed her she they would be chatting with her. I think it is fine to be friendly and ask servers questions, but to get into their life story when they have other tables to wait on is rude to other guests.

I would completely agree that the situation you described is rude. However, I would expect the server to be professional enough to recognize that he or she was ignoring you and your party. However, I can assure you that with a 10.5 hour ride ahead of me, I wasn't trying to waste time.

 

[irunnoft]

Happy BDay Weekend Irunnoft! It was my BDay weekend as well, so many happy returns of the day. Overall I had a wonderful trip, but there are the couple of jerks in 1,000s of people everywhere, my burn moments. The last night after the Spectromagic parade, the line for buses were dreadful. I had my 3-year-old granddaughter that I carried through the mass of people, mostly waiting to get on the CSR bus (All the Pop buses on the other side of were much worse). I was trying to get to #8 for the Beach resort and had to put my DGD down, she weighs a ton and after 3 days in the parks with her by myself, I could not carry her the whole time, plus we were no moving, well, as soon as I put her down someone apparently just almost shoved her down trying to push their way through, I did not see who it was by my GD cried out and said someone had hit her in the head, now, I would not ever try to run someone over, ESPECIALLY a child. Also, for the Fantasmic show, there was a bit of shoving there as well, really uncalled for since there was plenty of seats. Lastly, trying to get through main street the night of Spectromagic, even an hour before, was nearly impossible. The street was at a standstill and a lady with a stroller just rammed into my leg, intentionally I know, no apology, nothing but a glare...people were at a dead stop in front of me, I do not know what she expected me to do, be rude like she was and hit them as well.... Other than that. Disney was great!.

Happy Birthday Weekend to you, too, transnet! My B-day was this past Saturday and it was awesome. This was the only downer about our trip to WDW.

That's terrible about what happened to your DGD! That would make me furious! Ram into me. Hit me. Shove me. But you better leave my son out of it!

On the flip side of things, I like to show my son how a real man should act in situations like you describe. Whenever we ride the bus back to our resort at night and there are ladies standing or ladies with young children, I will always stand up and offer them my seat. Sometimes the expressions on the face of nearby men is one of "Geez, I wish you wouldn't have done that because now I look bad." Oh well, I'll never let a lady (especially one with a child) have to stand on one of those wild Disney bus rides when I have a seat.

Hope you had a GREAT b-day. You must not have got my invitation to come have B-day dinner at the Cali Grill!

 

[irunnoft]

That is a pot stirring post and not necessary.

I didn't see this post to reply to. I posted this same thread in the podcast section of this forum, but as to it being on another forum - no. I don't go to any other Disney forums. However, it's probably the same guy being jerky to somebody else at Contempo Grounds!

 

[irunnoft]

OP you are definitely a better person than I. Unfortunately, there are times when I can't keep my mouth shut and this would have been one of them. There is no way this guy would have gotten his way. I don't think he needed any more espresso. What goes around comes around and one of these days, this guy will meet his match. Too bad I wasn't there that day.

There are many people that can talk and do their jobs quite well for a matter of fact. We frequent this one coffee establishment and the people that go in there are unreal. They have the mentality of they want what they want and they want it now. Well, if you are before me, good for you. If you are after me you have to wait just as I did.

Ya gotta love people from Jersey! LOL on all the comments about the guy not needing any more espresso. That irony was not lost on me during the moment!

 

[irunnoft]

I had a rude experience with someone too. Back when me and my mom went in 2007 we were in epcot waiting in line for Soarin (mind you we had just had a horrible expeirence where i got seperated from my mom and she started crying, and it took at least 15 mins for us to find each other again... also i will mention I asked a cast member if they could call her over the intercom or help me in any other way and he replied "Oh im sure she'll be back sometime, that won't be nessesary"

So anyways after finding each other we go and wait in line for Soarin when this girl bumps into my mom, my mom turns around to see what was going on and the girls mom starts freaking out! Shes like why are you looking at my daughter! Then my mom turns around and ignores her and she keeps on!! "She like its ok honey your only 8 you dont know how to stand perfectly in a line." I swear she made snide comments the whole way through the line!! Geez this is Disney, calm down!! If me and my mom had'nt been through what we had earlier i can assure you we would have not stood their quietly!!

Unreal! I probably would've just let them pass me by in line so I wouldn't have to put up with it. Either that, or perhaps asked her if she would like for me to call a CM over so she can complain to somebody who cares! Usually these people wind up looking like psychos and everybody else in line will know who the nut-ball is!

BTW, I was sooooo pullin' for those Vols last Saturday to beat those Gators!

 

[irunnoft]

I'm sorry to hear that your day was marred by a rude guy in a hurry. But let's look at it from his point of view. It doesn't take that long to make a tea or pour a coffee. How long were you talking?

He gets in line and needs his morning coffee (badly). The guy in front of him is busy chatting (flirting?) with the pretty coffee lady and won't shut up. They are having a pleasant conversation (to them), but it's taking forever. While it seems like seconds to them, they are really talking for minutes and he would have gotten his coffee a long time ago if they weren't talking. He's late...it's already been a bad day...and he snaps.

I don't know about you, but hasn't anybody ever needed help in a store only to find the salesmen/clerks busy chatting with other clerks/salesmen instead of aiding customers? Especially if they are teenage girls talking about what they're doing this weekend or something non-work related (which I see a lot at Target). Would you really be perfectly happy when checking out at the store and the person in front of you wants to tell the checkout lady all about her day and about her dogs and about her upcoming vacation? I don't know how long you were talking for, but I'm guessing longer than you think.

Your vacation was done and talking to the clerk was part of your "magic". But your conversation WAS distracting the clerk, who maybe could have served all the customers behind you in the time she was chatting with you.

Sometimes I think a little empathy would help when we encounter rudeness. The world doesn't revolve around the jerk, but it doesn't revolve around us either.

Ok since there seemed to be some speculation as to what was going on and what was said, here's what I tell you.

I waited behind a family that was getting multiple coffees and pastries. I didn't snap or have a problem. I waited for them to get their drinks and pastries. They weren't very friendly to this young lady. Anyhow, they get their drinks and off they go.

I approached the counter and ordered two African Celebration Chai lattes. I explained the tea to the CM because it isn't one on the menu. She seemed to know how to make it. While she was making the tea - she had to make literally four servings of tea - one African Celebration and then one Chai, put that in the cup with the vanilla syrup and then heat the milk and add that. Then she had to do that same thing all over again for the second tea. So, it's not a simple pour me a cuppa joe and go type drink. Anyhow, WHILE she was making the tea:

me: "This tea is going to help me get down the road today. I've got a long drive"
CM: "where's home?"
me: "North Carolina. I live in the Great Smoky Mountains."
CM: "Oh, it's beautiful there. I went to a church camp there once when I was 16. I would love to go back there."
me: "Yeah, it's really beautiful, but you have to trade off things that you take for granted in a big city - you know. . . things like nice restaurants, shopping and traffic lights."
CM: (laughs because I made a joke) "Happy Birthday!" she saw the button I was wearing
me: "Thanks. It was actually yesterday, but I'm milking this puppy for everything it's worth!" etc.

this is the conversation that was taking place while she was working.

It was this kind of conversation that we had WHILE she was making the drink. At no point in this entire transaction did she stop making the drink. She was working throughout the whole thing. I have every reason to believe she would've completed my drinks at the same time had she not been talking.

As far as the flirting comment...I'm married. I don't flirt with people - only disaster (dang it! Now I'm hearing that Molly Hatchet song in my mind! ). I'm just a friendly person. I waited a lot of tables and worked a lot of counters and cash registers in my college years. I know what it's like. Really and truly, I wonder what the guy would've done if I hadn't been talking to her. I wonder if he still would've butted in and showed his fanny or if he would've just started complaining that I'd ordered too complex a drink. It really doesn't matter if I ordered an involved drink or not. The bottom line was that I was in line in front of him. He had a tantrum and jumped the line. He interrupted my order to get his order through and that will never be acceptable - EVER! I just didn't want to have this CM reamed out by Mr. Empathy after I left and, even though I had a 10.5 hr drive and he was probably jumping a monorail to the MK, I just let it go. Wasn't easy, but it was the right decision.

 

[irunnoft]

OK, I have to thank you for giving me my laugh of the day. It really doesn't take much to make me laugh.

Are you kidding me. Maybe in your world it should be like this but where I come from, ah no. There are many people including myself that can work and talk at the same time and it doesn't stop us from doing our job. In today's society we have to multitask no matter where we are. Work, home or play. I think you need to come back to reality and smell the espresso.

Oh I get it now you were the person standing by the OP.

You and Nurse.Darcy are killin' me! Killing me!!!

MEDIC!



MEDIC!!!



I think I'll meet you guys at Contempo Grounds and buy you both a supercalifragilisticexpialespresso!!! Maybe we can make somebody's head implode with all the banter and goings on!

 

[irunnoft]

I had a different understanding of the OP's post. I thought he was chatting with the CM as she was in the process of making some tea for him to go. I wasn't under the impression that he was slowing her down or keeping her from speaking to the next customer after the process had finished. He said that she actually interrupted her serving him to attend to Demanding Guy.

If the OP had continued talking to the CM after she'd finished making the drinks and completed the transaction, I would view that as inconsiderate. But I don't think another person has a right to demand that the CM work in complete silence and refrain from any conversation while she is in the process of filling an order. Nor does he had the right to expect that she will stop filling another customer's order to attend to his.

Precisely. The family that was in front of me actually ran past me to get to Contempo Grounds in front of me. I never said anything about it. I just stood in line and waiting my turn. There was nobody behind when I placed my order for my drinks. This guy showed up while my order was being fulfilled. He was definitely feeling entitled for some reason and kept threatening the CM by saying "this isn't professional." "You want me to get a manager over here to explain it to you, honey?" and was very degrading to her. I wasn't talking to this person after she'd made my drinks. It's a coffee BAR for Pete's sake! People usually talk to bar tenders and people who are making drinks for them. This lady was absolutely busy the entire time she was making the teas.

On the flip side, I did have a CM who wanted to continue to talk to my wife and I after we'd already completed our purchase at the gift shop upstairs in the Poly. While she was ringing us up, she and my wife were talking about nursing school. Her son was in nursing school and my wife's a nurse. Once we were done with the transaction, the lady wanted to continue talking but there was a line of two or three customers behind us and I politely ended the conversation by saying "Thanks so much! Have a great day!" and we walked away.

The point is, I know when a conversation with a counter person is overstepping the bounds of being rude and when it isn't.

 

[summerlady]

I bet the jerk was a YANKEE!!!

"Dopey": what a perfect name for you. Do you like to deal with stereotypes? There are a bunch of them for southerners. But because I am a yankee, I have better manners than to believe them or to post ignorant nonsense here.

 

[irunnoft]

I didn't know that the CM's were also there relaxing on vacation.

If you think Disney doesn't drill it into CM's to be friendly and courteous, you must be missing something. Frontline service like this is a high priority at WDW and the training is very specific about that. If she was relaxing on vacation then I guess I would've been making her coffee. You see, you really took this and made a HUGE leap and you're WAY off the mark. Sorry, but you're completely wrong in your assessment.

 

[irunnoft]

What I find amusing about this post is that this was the beginning of this man's morning. He was on his way to the parks! Imagine him at the end of the day

Thanks for the laugh. Never thought of that one!

 

[Lynne M]

Since this no longer has anything to do with Disney resorts, we'll end it here.