Bad interaction at 50s primetime/Hollywood & Vine

[disneydreamer1980]

Back in May, we were eating in 50s when my son had to use the bathroom. I walked him there and waited, when he was done and we were walking back to our table we passed the open doorway between 50s and Hollywood & Vine. Through the doorway Goofy was standing there, my son saw him (he’s 6) and before I could stop him he ran through the door. I was close behind him about to grab him when the Cm with Goofy literally launched herself, moved faster than I’d ever seen anyone move, grabbed my son by the arm and push/pulled him back through the doorway. She then yelled, very nastily, at both of us “this is extremely rude, you didn’t pay to be in here. Things like this will get you thrown out.” And then she literally rolled her eyes and walked away. I didn’t even get a chance to tell her what had happened or that I was about to grab my son, because she stormed off. I didn’t think to get her name either and for the rest of the trip my son was scared to see any characters. And I had literally spent THOUSANDS on food this trip (2 weeks with 7 people), not that it should matter. I keep thinking about this interaction and it just really bothers me. Maybe don’t have an open doorway with a giant character lurking right on the other side and then be angry when kids run up to them?? My son had no clue this was a different restaurant and we do a ton of character meals (though never at H&V, yuck!) so he didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. Sorry for the rant.

 

[GroupB]

Sorry about the bad experience; it's clear you had good intentions. I'd reach out to Disney and politely let them know so that they are at least aware of the issue. Sometimes they will just take note, but they also sometimes will offer ways to reconcile.

 

[k5xs]

guest.services@disneyworld.com

 

[hildarumpole]

That's awful and sad your son is now afraid of characters. The behavior of that CM was completely unprofessional and should be brought to management's attention. Contact Guest Services and let them know what happened, giving as much detail as you can remember, including description of the CM with date and time. They should be able to figure out who it was. If someone is overreacting in that manner to a minor incident, especially involving a child, even if they are personally having a bad day or whatever excuse people like to use, they are not a good fit in guest interaction positions and a poor representative for Disney. I hope they respond to you and at least apologize.

 

[loves to dive]

I see both sides of this. As a mother I understand it's not always easy to grab those little suckers once they are off and if you didn't know that doorway was going to be open, no way to warn him in advance he wouldn't be able to go hug a character.

As a CM having to deal with who knows how many rude guests per day trying to take advantage of that open doorway to hug a character without either having to stand in line or eat at the place, there might have been a tipping point. Should that CM have said what they did? Absolutely not, no excuse for rudeness no matter what. They could have easily just gotten in front of Goofy and held out an arm or hand and gently told your son they were sorry but Goofy had to leave or something. I'm sure they train them for those situations.

I would have just explained it to my son and gone about our day/week. Maybe stopped by GS on the way out of the park and explained the situation and nicely told them they might should consider putting a barrier of some sort up.

 

[Her Dotness]

Sounds like an email to guest services

Contact Guest Services and let them know what happened, giving as much detail as you can remember, including description of the CM with date and time.

There are lots of very new CMs replacing veteran ones laid off or retired when the shutdown struck. Such a strong reaction is unacceptable, of course, but sounds like a retraining issue emphasizing The Disney Way is called for.

I suggest following the above advice and possibly mentioning that you hope this CM will get additional training on relating to children.

 

[Narcoossee11]

I would send the email. It will make you feel better.

But May was a long time ago.
You don't know who the CM was and even if they still work for WDW.

 

[Marthasor]

That's terrible. I would definitely write an e-mail. Putting her hands on your child and threatening to throw you out because a 6-year old was excited to see Goofy? That's really unacceptable, IMHO.

 

[lockets]

OMG I would have calmly sat my son back at our table assuming there was another adult in your party to watch him. Marched my a** over to HV and dealt with it right there and then with a manager refusing to leave till they either brought that CM over to understand the issue or gave me her information to write up a complaint. I might have even brought my son back to the manager for the CM to apologize to him directly (if she understood her overreaction and wrong assumption) to have a teachable moment that no one has a right to talk to him like that (because he was being was innocent and playful not intentionally misbehaving) and there’s no need to be scared. That’s the key. I would be livid that someone scared him enough to impact his experience of the trip.

Even if he did something wrong (I’d call it more impulsive than intentionally wrong), it’s the job of the parent to explain to him how to do better next time - not the CM. I wouldn’t be aggressive but I’d be assertive and explain that to the manager and CM.

Zero excuses or empathy for anyone who touches anyone physically in my party much less a 6 year old and then patronized/admonished me plus the child without seeking to understand us first. Zero.

All she needed to do was say “Oops! Hi there! Goofy is on a break!” (Or whatever) And let you catch up to him to grab him. If she can’t hold her tongue that’s not the place for her to work. Bless you for waiting this long and then ranting. You are better than I lol.

I’m guessing this incident shocked you and naturally with shock it can cause a delayed reaction. I’m so sorry that happened!

 

[Raya]

I don't understand, do castmembers regularly touch children? I feel like any adult handling a kid is a major no-no. Let alone grabbing or yanking when angry. That's not okay.

 

[FSU Girl]

That’s absolutely awful. You should definitely write to Disney about it, the situation was not handled correctly. I wonder how the CM would even know you didn’t originally come from that side of the building

 

[Day-al]

You’re too late to report this. Problems like this need to be addressed as close to the time it occurred as possible. Let it go and move on. You’ll be happier.

 

[MikeOhio]

Aw with most things, what really happened is probably somewhere in the middle. I’m sure the cm would tell a different version.

Let it go.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

.

You’re too late to report this. Problems like this need to be addressed as close to the time it occurred as possible. Let it go and move on. You’ll be happier.

Yep
I get that you’ve stewed over it and it’s something you can’t let go
I get it
Unfortunately the time has passed to truly have any good come from it
Even if you know the time it’s unlikely they’ll pin point the exact handler with goofy at that exact moment on that exact day
It may not have even been goofy’s handler at that second, could have been one of the others and you encountered a moment where they were off to the side have a word together. So many possibilities and too long ago now to sort it all out
Write an email if it makes you feel better but except nothing
Time is gone for even a teachable moment with the handler

 

[MomOTwins]

Aw with most things, what really happened is probably somewhere in the middle. I’m sure the cm would tell a different version.

Let it go.

I thought the same thing. Our kids knew wayyyy before six years old you don’t run up to characters. Especially since I know the layout of that restaurant and goofy is not a roaming character. He meets at a set location, there is a line of people waiting for their photo with goofy, and it absolutely is rude to run up just like line cutting at any other meet and greet.

 

[disneydreamer1980]

I thought the same thing. Our kids knew wayyyy before six years old you don’t run up to characters. Especially since I know the layout of that restaurant and goofy is not a roaming character. He meets at a set location, there is a line of people waiting for their photo with goofy, and it absolutely is rude to run up just like line cutting at any other meet and greet.

I’m sorry but Goofy was standing right on the other side of an open doorway and my son assumed he was in our restaurant since we do tons of character meals. He wasn’t trying to be rude. We are DVC members and go to Disney for at least one (sometimes 2) 2 week vacays every year and he knows how to behave around the characters, he just got excited.He didn’t even make it to the character. He’s an impulsive 6 year old, but obviously you’re a much superior parent and your kids never make mistakes . Regardless, we shouldn’t have been treated like that. I’m not going to write an email or complain to Disney because time has passed but my husband brought up the incident today as an example of how Disney CMs have changed and it just got me angry all over again. Sorry but it’s never ok to touch someone else’s kid and then yell at them for something that wasn’t intentionally done.

 

[TheDailyMoo]

For what it's worth Hollywood & Vine was the only place we felt we were rudely treated by multiple cast members. I like the place and the meet and greets are fun with the characters but I changed a couple of those meals to other meals after the first day. Every other dining the CMs went out of their way and were so pleasant but H&V left a bad taste in my mouth. Maybe it's just a staffing issue currently or maybe we really did just get workers on their bad days. It is what it is but only thing to do is move on and have as many good interactions with characters for your son so as to put distance in his head between that event and other positive ones going forward. Do breakfast at Topolinos...man they treated everyone like royalty there. Had a manager coming up to tables asking if they've had enough interactions with characters and then sending the characters back again. And good food and not that much more than other character breakfasts all while being in a beautiful new restaurant with views? Yes please! Lol.

 

[Skip Coffee for Rope Drop]

Back in May, we were eating in 50s when my son had to use the bathroom. I walked him there and waited, when he was done and we were walking back to our table we passed the open doorway between 50s and Hollywood & Vine. Through the doorway Goofy was standing there, my son saw him (he’s 6) and before I could stop him he ran through the door. I was close behind him about to grab him when the Cm with Goofy literally launched herself, moved faster than I’d ever seen anyone move, grabbed my son by the arm and push/pulled him back through the doorway. She then yelled, very nastily, at both of us “this is extremely rude, you didn’t pay to be in here. Things like this will get you thrown out.” And then she literally rolled her eyes and walked away. I didn’t even get a chance to tell her what had happened or that I was about to grab my son, because she stormed off. I didn’t think to get her name either and for the rest of the trip my son was scared to see any characters. And I had literally spent THOUSANDS on food this trip (2 weeks with 7 people), not that it should matter. I keep thinking about this interaction and it just really bothers me. Maybe don’t have an open doorway with a giant character lurking right on the other side and then be angry when kids run up to them?? My son had no clue this was a different restaurant and we do a ton of character meals (though never at H&V, yuck!) so he didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. Sorry for the rant.

They both share the bathroom and it was an acceptable misshapen on your part. Your son was not the first to do this I'm sure. Many of the restaurant union workers have left after having their health insurance taken away from them for 25+ years of service while the stock price when up 75%.......and so now they have new staff who are not in the job for the long haul. Working at Disney is a job not a career for the new hires. (We have seen the same servers at Vine, 1900 and also Crystal for decades). I don't blame them for leaving. They were replaced by people that never got the same Disney University training, coaching and union representation. In 2019, the cast member would have said to your son, "Goofy is very busy right now but he wants you to wave to him in the parade later on today and you can take a picture with him and Max in front of the Chinese theater."

 

[Marthasor]

I thought the same thing. Our kids knew wayyyy before six years old you don’t run up to characters. Especially since I know the layout of that restaurant and goofy is not a roaming character. He meets at a set location, there is a line of people waiting for their photo with goofy, and it absolutely is rude to run up just like line cutting at any other meet and greet.

So you expect every person who eats at 50's and H&V to know the layouts of the restaurants and character interaction protocols? Including small children? I don't think that's realistic. Given the layout of the restrooms and the meet and greet area at this location, H&V is just inviting young children to do exactly what OP's child did. There are much better ways to correct a small child, excited to see a character than putting hands on them, scolding them and threatening to throw them out of a park.

 

[FreeTime]

The CM was out of line but so was the child. As to the OP saying we are DVC members and do this often and he assumed Goofy was in his restaurant…then he should also have known that in his restaurant you don’t run up to him and wait your turn. As others have said, this is too late to report and not worth stewing over.