Are WE to Blame?

[mcd2745]

I tend to agree with the OP and with the notion that in most cases we are to blame due to either unrealistic expectations or trying to force certain things. The best experiences are the unexpected and/or spontaneous ones. Too often, we try to recreate either one of our own past experiences or maybe an experience we read about here or on another site or in a guidebook. Whenever you try to force something instead of letting things happen organically (and I've been guilty of this - at WDW and other places), you're almost always going to end up disappointed. We need to go into each trip with the mindset of just having a great experience - any great experience, as it comes - instead of having the mindset that we must duplicate the exact same great experience we had last time, or that someone else had and you would like to have. Have some of Disney's cutbacks been disappointing? Of course. But more often than not, we are probably our own worst enemy, and deserve a majority (though not all) of the blame.

 

[ellie05]

Years ago, a lifetime ago now, I worked on charter sailing yachts.....the really big ones with lots of crew. We would clean the staterooms each morning. Our guests had some serious $$$$$ to be chartering these yachts. They were not from ....... The hood.

Honeymoon couples would leave used condoms all over the place. One of the yachts had hand pump heads (toilets) and an entire group refused to pump/flush the heads themselves. They would come out and say ....... "I'm finished" and we would go in and flush it for them.

People would drink too much and pass out into their plate of food at dinner. We would clean them up and put them in bed. Or the drunks would get seasick and vomit into the $25,000 Waterford bowl in the main saloon.

Rude behavior is nothing new. Hospitality work is tough. And yes, we had great guests too!

Luckily for us, the times without guests made up for it!

You are correct it is nothing new. I should have mention I worked at a ski resort that is why it was so ridiculous people would complain that is cold. Thankfully I didn't work in housekeeping because those people have it rough. Nothing like the stuff you see in the industry.

 

[Cee]

It's perspective and attitude. Anytime I've had a subpar experience, it's been due to my mood at the time. Every company wants to make money and deliver the best product and customer service possible. Sometimes they fall short. Sometimes I do too.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoards

 

[RHMH]

As a CM let me say I have seen this happen too many times. Sometimes it depends on the manager in charge. Some won't accommodate a guest like that, and some will just because they want to avoid the situation getting worse.

However, if it truly upsets when an irate guest gets what he wants. I believe you should let guest relations know or write a letter to the company. Let them know that you are upset that just because a person makes a scene shouldn't get seated first. They should have to wait after everyone else that has a reservation gets seated.

also let me add that sometimes you can't keep up with guests. I have a friend that works in Custodial and I saw her while I was visiting the park. She had just come up from cleaning up the bathroom. Not even 5 minutes later I go into the same bathroom and it looked like a bomb had been thrown in there. There was a family there and the kids were playing with the water throwing papers everywhere. One was taking her pen to write on the walls. Where was mom? In the same bathroom just happily chatting away with someone else. When I exit the bathroom I went to my friend and told her that she better hurry and get to the bathroom before all the toilet paper was gone. She had to wait for the kids to finish doing the damage for her to clean the same bathroom she just finished cleaning. I'm sure that the guests coming in thought that this was poor up keeping on our part. But believe me we do try.

I highlighted your last sentence..... You do a Fantastic Job !!!

I appreciate your dedication to Disney and every second of everyday you are on STAGE....

In the beginning of our WDW visits, everything was MAGICAL!!! and I thought and believed was everywhere and it was...

About the fourth WDW trip, I caught myself as soon as I enter the park looking for magic to happen because of my expectations, thinking I spent all this hard earn money and my DD and I had better be happy... of course I don't throw a fit just to get attention..

About mid day I stopped and asked my DD, are you having a great time? DD said OH!! Yes Daddy it is so great to be here.. I looked at her and started to cry... and responded, yes your are so right...

That moment I stopped expecting and started to thank and shake every CM's hand I came in contact with.. From that moment on and to this day... I don't expect anything from anyone at Disney and the only thing that matters to me is to look over at my DD and see her smiling and looking back at me with watery eyes.

Thanks and I truly appreciate every CM working at Disney...Even if you are having a challenging day because there are days I have them also.