Can what you say online have real world consequences?

[Westcoastwild]

I read guide books. I am not sure why you would think I didn't?

Yes, now that we travel and I know what to expect I find that travel agents aren't really particularly useful (excepting that if we were on, say, a cruise ending early or at the wrong port, etc we could call that person and put them on handling sorting out getitng us home early, etc instead of having to do that ourselves--though even then i think we'd be happier booking our own arrangements). In fact, I find them more trouble than they are worth.
but when we were new to traveling, and a week at WDW represented what felt like a lot of money ot us, then I worried there was more i was missing and a professional could be best trusted to not mess things up.

Ah. The professional angle makes sense then. I could see how that might be reassuring. I wasn't assuming you didn't read guidebooks, it's just that I haven't found a travel agent that can tell me anything I didn't find out from a guidebook- and actually they usually can tell me a lot less.

How would you end up at the wrong port? I'm guessing the cruise could end early because of weather, but do cruises often get off course?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Hm. I'm not sure where we're crossing our wires, but no, I would not assume that just because you shop at Walmart, you're poor. Neither would I assume the opposite if you shopped at boutiques. I do both.

I think it's just because some comments seem contraditory to each other. See bolded comments below for examples of what I see just in your response to me.

But I think the people who get offended that someone assumes they can't afford to shop at...say...Prada probably can't afford to shop at Prada. Otherwise they'd buy whatever they wanted and not care about what the salesman or whoever thinks. Or they wouldn't buy Prada because even if they had the money, they wouldn't be interested. Teresa is essentially a salesman. A travel agent will sell you whatever you want- it doesn't matter what they think.

I agree that the travel agent market has died down due to the internet. But I think these days, in response to that, it's more niche, and there are far fewer budget travelers using their services. And I could be wrong, but I think the podcast and its crew tends to market towards the high end travelers more. Maybe because it means more income for the agency or maybe just because it's more interesting to talk about the deluxe resorts than the all stars.

________________
~But I think the people who get offended that someone assumes they can't afford to shop at...say...Prada probably can't afford to shop at Prada.


~But I think these days, in response to that, it's more niche, and there are far fewer budget travelers using their services.

Here's from other comments
~I don't think the people I know are atypical. Even on this forum, I bet it's more of stretch to stay on property at all for most people. The values aren't all that cheap!

~The people I know in RL who use travel agencies are not budget travelers. The people I know who would be extremely offended by that comment are the people who see themselves as have-nots. They would automatically see a travel agent as a rich person thing regardless of the actual cost. (I get it's the people you know but again surely you know that's not the only way it's done plus why does a person who would get offended by that be considered a have-not? Again surely you realize that people are allowed to be offended by that comment even if they are the person who only stays at Deluxes, etc).

~She's kind of got a point though. I can afford something other than the values, I just don't think the moderates and deluxe are worth it. The comment would not have offended me enough to complain. I've got a few acquaintances who really could not afford anything other than the values, and they've massive chips on their shoulders over perceived slights like that. They can take offense to anything.

~But I don't know if the people who would be the most offended are the type of people who would use a travel agency anyway.


So what you say is "it would register but it wouldn't offend me because I don't associate hotel choice with income any more than I associate brand name clothing with income. My family stays at all different types of lodging- it depends on the trip and who is along more than budget." But then you've got all sorts of other comments that say just the opposite in that financials become the main focus.

That's why I brought up having things for $1 from Walmart because it would be just as easy to say "they can only afford that" rather than what I really am which is a cheap buyer..I don't like to spend a whole lot of $$ on clothes but it doesn't mean I don't have the $$ to do so. Just as a person staying at a Value shouldn't be looked at from a financial standpoint and should instead be looked at what works best for their traveling party for that particular trip.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Don't get me wrong here I don't want to vilify Teresa. I generally like her and she is known to be a more blunt but it still doesn't mean that I didn't think it was appropriate for her to say what she said. I would have easily forgotten if it she had just apologized and yada yada yada...it was the second comment that almost seemed worst to me than her original comment. And then as I was watching her and Pete talk I was immediately thinking of this thread.

*So in a nutshell don't get a bad impression of them just based on my comment because really they are great people..it's just you know in this case what you say on a Vlog watched by thousands of people and audio feed listened to by thousands of people can have real world consequences (though I really don't know if it actually did on the travel agency side-it's entirely possible it wasn't even a blip on the radar but still).

Eh, I don't listen to any podcast anywhere and don't use travel agents or even do to Disney (except Paris and hpefully Shanghia soon) so it really doesn't matter. I don't have a negative opnion abotu the person other than to think she DOES sound somewhat snooty and condescneding towards those in lower income brackets and like she has a bit of a blind spot towards how such comments can affect bussiness (based only on the ocmments here, not actaully hearing the podcast). No one is perfect and she might be lovely otherwise---but even if I wanted to use a TA and book a Disney trip I would now steer away from her. There are many TAs out there not digging themselves such holes online.

Pete? Yeah, I read his blog when Adventures By Disney gave him a trip to Australia ages ago. That and his Gay Days rant are all I have to go on for him and it is enough to turn me off completely. Really, the blog alone was.

 

[cabanafrau]

Smart salespeople don't do anything or assume anything that discourages making a sale.

Won't even walk into another Pandora shop again after observing the attitude of the clerks in two of them in our metro area. It's actually turned into almost a Pandora brand version for me because I've rarely looked at much Pandora items in other stores since then either.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Ah. The professional angle makes sense then. I could see how that might be reassuring. I wasn't assuming you didn't read guidebooks, it's just that I haven't found a travel agent that can tell me anything I didn't find out from a guidebook- and actually they usually can tell me a lot less.

How would you end up at the wrong port? I'm guessing the cruise could end early because of weather, but do cruises often get off course?

not often--but it has happend a few times. Ships have mechanical issues mid cruise and end early at the closest availabel port. I can't recall if it was DCL or RCI that ended in Villefranche isntead of Barcelona a few years back. Villefranche could not accomidate everyone in hotels. The line wasn't as fast and seemless getting busses lined up to get people back to BCN as many would have liked, etc-
We cruise 3-4 times per year. We've had all manner of other things, but not ended early or rerouted for debarkation (this also happens to avoid a hurricane) but I fully expect this to happen one of these days.

 

[DaisyJ]

You know I find that comet laughable if mods and deluxes offwred counter service the way values do I would reconsider

Oh wait back in the day comtemery (sp) offered counter service right?

Mods and some deluxes do have quick service restaurants.

 

[Westcoastwild]

Eh, I don't listen to any podcast anywhere and don't use travel agents or even do to Disney (except Paris and hpefully Shanghia soon) so it really doesn't matter. I don't have a negative opnion abotu the person other than to think she DOES sound somewhat snooty and condescneding towards those in lower income brackets and like she has a bit of a blind spot towards how such comments can affect bussiness (based only on the ocmments here, not actaully hearing the podcast). No one is perfect and she might be lovely otherwise---but even if I wanted to use a TA and book a Disney trip I would now steer away from her. There are many TAs out there not digging themselves such holes online.

Pete? Yeah, I read his blog when Adventures By Disney gave him a trip to Australia ages ago. That and his Gay Days rant are all I have to go on for him and it is enough to turn me off completely. Really, the blog alone was.

After googling the gay days rant thing, I still only have the vaguest idea of what he actually said, but relevant to this thread...that rant has been referenced as "evidence" on at least a few websites that I'm pretty sure Pete never intended to be associated with. Holy moly. Would not have thought an unofficial public event at a theme park was worth getting that riled up over.

What did he say about Australia that you found so offensive?

 

[Westcoastwild]

not often--but it has happend a few times. Ships have mechanical issues mid cruise and end early at the closest availabel port. I can't recall if it was DCL or RCI that ended in Villefranche isntead of Barcelona a few years back. Villefranche could not accomidate everyone in hotels. The line wasn't as fast and seemless getting busses lined up to get people back to BCN as many would have liked, etc-
We cruise 3-4 times per year. We've had all manner of other things, but not ended early or rerouted for debarkation (this also happens to avoid a hurricane) but I fully expect this to happen one of these days.

I could see the hotel thing definitely being a problem. That would be so frustrating.

Is the cruise line liable for hotel or transport in that case? Like an airline is? It's always been my understanding that you won't get reimbursed for hotel you pick yourself if the airline made other arrangements. Could be wrong there though.

 

[wilkeliza]

Ok to put the whole conversation into focus Teresa and Pete were literately joking about Teresa being a woman of the night.
The context is why are people not on property this summer. Kathy mentioned construction.

T: I agree with a lot of what Kathy said. I was on property last night and the construction. It was like driving through a. you didn't know where you were.
K: It wasn't Walt Disney world
T: It wasn't Walt Disney World. There was nothing magical about it. I mean I went to three resorts last night and every one of them it was just .
P: I thought you gave that up
T: No I do still work a little *whispers* i need that extra money
P: I'm tellin' sigh
T: I'm sorry
P: I thought you stopped
T: Bay Lake really you know
P: Oh I thought you were working the All Stars
T: Oh No those people don't have money, um they're saving their money for something else, well you know never whatever. I've been thinking about this too Kathy and I think, people, a lot of my clients are just fishing and wanting information about when this new stuff is coming and they are saving their money and waiting it out.......

So as you see in context yes maybe it was not the in the best taste but it was joking about sex work at the hotels. We all know Teresa doesn't actual work as a prostitute at the Disney resorts and that when you listen to it they were joking in banter.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I could see the hotel thing definitely being a problem. That would be so frustrating.

Is the cruise line liable for hotel or transport in that case? Like an airline is? It's always been my understanding that you won't get reimbursed for hotel you pick yourself if the airline made other arrangements. Could be wrong there though.

not legally responsible (for US and Canadian bookings---I think that they might have to for European bookings, at least when also sailing in Europe--though I am not positive of that). However, most lines try to get people back where they were supposed to land, otherwise it is a PR disaster. In this case it was a hot day, they had little warning, etc. I recall they floated offshore for 24 hours with people remaining onboard to buy time to prepare. They gave free phone and internet use but everyone was using it so it was super slow. Being able to make only one call to a TA and hten let them handle it would have been nice for those without cell phones with EU plans or knowledge of the local area.
Whether or not people would be reimbursed for arranging their own hotels in such a situation seems to vary and usually NOT be known at the time. If it had been us, we wouldn't care. We'd rather eat some cost and get somehting we were happy with than spend perhaps hours in the heat waiting on the line to get us somewhere (as happened in the case above).
(and for that matter, we've done that with a hotel for a cancelled flight as well--though in that case the airlilnes were not obligated to pay as it was out of their control, Atlanta was shut down for a secdurity issue---DH booked a hotel while we sat on the tarmac, which was good beucase there were not enough rooms locally to support all the stranded travellers and everything was booked by the time we got off and the airlines could have done it).

 

[NHdisneylover]

After googling the gay days rant thing, I still only have the vaguest idea of what he actually said, but relevant to this thread...that rant has been referenced as "evidence" on at least a few websites that I'm pretty sure Pete never intended to be associated with. Holy moly. Would not have thought an unofficial public event at a theme park was worth getting that riled up over.

What did he say about Australia that you found so offensive?

good point that it is a good example of something posted online by a bussiness person that is coming back to haunt him years later.

I haven't read the Australian blog since it was first up, so my memory is fuzzy. My feelings about that at the time were that it is was the ultimate example of the stereotypical rude American traveller. The two things that really bugged me were that he was really insulting about the local food and making a big fuss about wanting a McDonald'S and there not being one for several days. It didn't come across as silly/laughing at himself for being picky---it felt rude and insulting to the country he was visiting and the company that gave him a free trip.
AND, what really did me in is one of the guides was a young man, I want to say he was 18 or 19. In my memory there were multiple reference to how hot this guy was, and what felt to me like creepy reference and being overly interested in the barely legal from the middle aged blooger (who was o na Disney trip no less, given to him for free, and writing about it as marketing). Again, it might haveb een meant to be funny but it felt really off and uncomfortable to me---and i am rarely someone who gets bothered by thigns like that and often think others are reading into innocent situations.

Again, it has been years so I might have details wrong---but the impression I got was that I had a bad feeling about the guy and wanted nothind more to do with him and I wondered if Adventures by Disney regretted giving him based on his presentation.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Ok to put the whole conversation into focus Teresa and Pete were literately joking about Teresa being a woman of the night.
The context is why are people not on property this summer. Kathy mentioned construction.

T: I agree with a lot of what Kathy said. I was on property last night and the construction. It was like driving through a. you didn't know where you were.
K: It wasn't Walt Disney world
T: It wasn't Walt Disney World. There was nothing magical about it. I mean I went to three resorts last night and every one of them it was just .
P: I thought you gave that up
T: No I do still work a little *whispers* i need that extra money
P: I'm tellin' sigh
T: I'm sorry
P: I thought you stopped
T: Bay Lake really you know
P: Oh I thought you were working the All Stars
T: Oh No those people don't have money, ugh they're saving their money for something else, well you know never whatever. I've been thinking about this too Kathy and I think, people, a lot of my clients are just fishing and wanting information about when this new stuff is coming and they are saving their money and waiting it out.......

So as you see in context yes maybe it was not the in the best taste but it was joking about sex work at the hotels. We all know Teresa doesn't actual work as a prostitute at the Disney resorts and that when you listen to it they were joking in banter.

ok, thanks---in contet that isn't a big deal (other than that the DIS will give out points and shutdown threads for less suggestive stuff than that, and yet those in charge are doing it?--but that is a seperate matter entirely)

 

[wilkeliza]

ok, thanks---in contet that isn't a big deal (other than that the DIS will give out points and shutdown threads for less suggestive stuff than that, and yet those in charge are doing it?--but that is a seperate matter entirely)

Just realized the ugh should be um. Pete will always say the vlog is not these boards. He can say what he wants just like when he said bag of dicks or when Ryno said ****** and he won't force them to apologize for stuff like that.

Outside of that when they do cross a line Pete steps up. The podcast is real people and as someone who listens to a lot of podcasts and vlogs I will say I prefer the ones that have real people over ones that are just Disney machines.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Just realized the ugh should be um. Pete will always say the vlog is not these boards. He can say what he wants just like when he said bag of dicks or when Ryno said ****** and he won't force them to apologize for stuff like that.

Outside of that when they do cross a line Pete steps up. The podcast is real people and as someone who listens to a lot of podcasts and vlogs I will say I prefer the ones that have real people over ones that are just Disney machines.

ok--as i said I do not listen to the podcasts (which ARE linked from here)---I thought this was said to ahve happened there. If there is som vlog not even linked to the boards I suppose that adds a layer of speration from teh bussiness that I was not aware of. I pretty much only go on the boards and in recent years on the CB and once in a great while DLP. I quit sailing DCL a while back, prefer anotehr board for RCI, and ma not going to the Us based parks these days. . .
I only happened to read the blog about Australia becuase someone who knoe I was toying with the idea of an ABD there told me it was coming up. That, and hte gay days rant are truly all I have known about him. And i donT really care much about who he is or what he does. But this follow up with what you quote him as saying in a public forum? Yeah, that making me even less likely to seek him out. Link you name to Disney in some way and then use the public forum tthat creates to be vulgar? I mena, people havea right to do what they want to do, but it isn't anything I am interested in seeing.

 

[wilkeliza]

ok--as i said I do not listen to the podcasts. I pretty much only go on the boards and in recent years on the CB and once in a great while DLP. I quit sailing DCL a while back, prefer anotehr board for RCI, and ma not going to the Us based parks these days. . .
I only happened to read the blog about Australia becuase someone who knoe I was toying with the idea of an ABD there told me it was coming up. That, and hte gay days rant are truly all I have known about him. And i donT really care much about who he is or what he does. But this follow up with what you quote him as saying in a public forum? Yeah, that making me even less likely to seek him out. Link you name to Disney in some way and then use the public forum tthat creates to be vulgar? I mena, people havea right to do what they want to do, but it isn't anything I am interested in seeing.

I do feel like I now have to defend at least Ryno and I'll only do it once. When he used the word in one of the first or second dispops there was nothing vulgar about it. It was on a costuming discussion of female superheros or captain phasma if I remember correctly and he wasn't doing anything vulgar just using the actual term for the area. So I just feel bad that by only giving a small snippet of what was said it came off to you as him being vulgar when it was anything but that. He also did apologize for offending anyone but would not apologize for using the proper term.

With Pete it is up to the individual and like you said you don't have to like what he said or listen.

 

[SirDuff]

Absolutely, what you say can have consequences. I was talking about this with someone the other day. I've got my social media locked down pretty tightly - if Google my name (normal or with Google images) nothing with me comes up on the first page of results. So, do I worry that someone (potential employer, for example) thinks that I'm one of the people that does show up on the first page? Definitely wouldn't want to be mistaken for some of them. I don't really worry, but did cross my mind.

 

[NHdisneylover]

I do feel like I now have to defend at least Ryno and I'll only do it once. When he used the word in one of the first or second dispops there was nothing vulgar about it. It was on a costuming discussion of female superheros or captain phasma if I remember correctly and he wasn't doing anything vulgar just using the actual term for the area. So I just feel bad that by only giving a small snippet of what was said it came off to you as him being vulgar when it was anything but that. He also did apologize for offending anyone but would not apologize for using the proper term.

With Pete it is up to the individual and like you said you don't have to like what he said or listen.

I can't even see what Ryno said--it's starred out. And as I said, they have every right to say things (and in context of a discussion and using proper terms is one i fully support)---I'm jsut saying I was already not inclined to spend my time seeking out anything by Pete and am now even less likely to with that bit added---not my thing

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ok to put the whole conversation into focus Teresa and Pete were literately joking about Teresa being a woman of the night.
The context is why are people not on property this summer. Kathy mentioned construction.

T: I agree with a lot of what Kathy said. I was on property last night and the construction. It was like driving through a. you didn't know where you were.
K: It wasn't Walt Disney world
T: It wasn't Walt Disney World. There was nothing magical about it. I mean I went to three resorts last night and every one of them it was just .
P: I thought you gave that up
T: No I do still work a little *whispers* i need that extra money
P: I'm tellin' sigh
T: I'm sorry
P: I thought you stopped
T: Bay Lake really you know
P: Oh I thought you were working the All Stars
T: Oh No those people don't have money, um they're saving their money for something else, well you know never whatever. I've been thinking about this too Kathy and I think, people, a lot of my clients are just fishing and wanting information about when this new stuff is coming and they are saving their money and waiting it out.......

So as you see in context yes maybe it was not the in the best taste but it was joking about sex work at the hotels. We all know Teresa doesn't actual work as a prostitute at the Disney resorts and that when you listen to it they were joking in banter.

Hmm..that still isn't how a lot of people took it (as far as the working sex stuff)..and really isn't something you should probably joke about period but even I understand they're at-times crude humor.

And my initial comment wasn't taken out of context..she made a comment about people in a certain resort category not having money-then followed it up poorly. Enough people didn't see it as a harmless sex joke...no they saw it as a dis to people who stay at the Values.

Her comment regardless of sex or no sex was people at Values don't have money....that is the crux of her statement. Especially when you hear her apology which was "I rewatched last's week's episode and the only people who could have been offended are those who can't afford what we were talking about"

I mean really are you denying that she said "No those people don't have money" when speak in direct relation to the Values?

 

[wilkeliza]

Hmm..that still isn't how a lot of people took it (as far as the working sex stuff)..and really isn't something you should probably joke about period but even I understand they're at-time crude humor.

And my initial comment wasn't taken out of context..she made a comment about people in a certain resort category not having money-then followed it up poorly. Enough people didn't see it as a harmless sex joke...no they saw it as a dis to people who stay at the Values.

Her comment regardless of sex or no sex was people at Values don't have money....that is the crux of her statement. Especially when you hear her apology which was "I rewatched last's week's episode and the only people who could have been offended are those who can't afford what we were talking about"

I mean really are you denying that she said "No those people don't have money" when speak in direct relation to the Values?

I'm not denying that is what was said. I'm just saying they were joking about visiting resorts for sex work and so everything said in that moment was all joking and not what they actually feel. I do agree maybe the apology wasn't the best but it wasn't like they were saying value people can't afford the dessert party or values won't get access to Minnie Van because they can't afford it anyways or something like that. I think she knew the "they don't have money" part came off wrong because the statement continued to they are saving their money and other stumbling. I'm not sure how people didn't realize what Pete and Teresa were joking about.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Eh, I don't listen to any podcast anywhere and don't use travel agents or even do to Disney (except Paris and hpefully Shanghia soon) so it really doesn't matter. I don't have a negative opnion abotu the person other than to think she DOES sound somewhat snooty and condescneding towards those in lower income brackets and like she has a bit of a blind spot towards how such comments can affect bussiness (based only on the ocmments here, not actaully hearing the podcast). No one is perfect and she might be lovely otherwise---but even if I wanted to use a TA and book a Disney trip I would now steer away from her. There are many TAs out there not digging themselves such holes online.

Pete? Yeah, I read his blog when Adventures By Disney gave him a trip to Australia ages ago. That and his Gay Days rant are all I have to go on for him and it is enough to turn me off completely. Really, the blog alone was.

For the most part I've just learned their characteristics and generally can ignore things. I remember right after the Pulse shooting they did an episode and while I didn't agree with some of their viewpoints towards gun control and whatnot I respected that they took the time to discuss what was obviously a very difficult and close to home situation.

But I do understand sometimes things just rub you the wrong way and you know it goes from there.

I wouldn't say I use travel agents perse but I have popped into my local AAA in the past year or two as I have been planning for this upcoming trip and they've been able to answer questions and help me with things. I went in there June and I guess Disney doesn't really do paper brochures and stuff as much with AAA anymore (I had gotten some things when I was in Hawaii at a AAA office just this past September too) but the lady behind the counter got some info from me like my interests and put together an e-brochure and e-mailed it to me. She also gave me a Tour Book for Central FL and one for Nevada (as we are going to Vegas in October).

Generally speaking I prefer to do things myself. Has nothing to do with budget and whatnot just something I prefer to do. It's been nice though having the DIS because without this forum there are a lot of things I would have been blind sided by unless I could find other blogs and things on Pinterest that are more up to date.