College Program Questions Thread Pt 2

[CheshireSmile]

Okay, I hope someone on here can settle a disagreement between myself and my mother. Those blue light scanning things that they have you put your thumb on when you enter the parks......what are those? Are they fingerprint scanners or not? And what exactly do they do, and why? Anybody wise to Disney technology?

 

[Joanna71985]

Okay, I hope someone on here can settle a disagreement between myself and my mother. Those blue light scanning things that they have you put your thumb on when you enter the parks......what are those? Are they fingerprint scanners or not? And what exactly do they do, and why? Anybody wise to Disney technology?

It just is to link you to your ticket (or in your case, your ID), so in case you lose it no one else can use it.

 

[csaribay]

Okay, I hope someone on here can settle a disagreement between myself and my mother. Those blue light scanning things that they have you put your thumb on when you enter the parks......what are those? Are they fingerprint scanners or not? And what exactly do they do, and why? Anybody wise to Disney technology?

That's the "Ticket-Tag System." They're essentially biometric scanners. Basically, the idea is that it attaches a certain finger measurement (not fingerprints) to the ticket you use. Measurements vary quite a bit from person to person, and in that, it allows Disney to control the transferability aspect of park admission (tickets are non-transferable). It quickly authenticates the one and only user of that ticket.

There used to be a more complicated, two finger process that would hold up the admission lines quite a bit. You can read more about that and the current process at AllEars. If you have signed the back of your ticket or Key to the World card, you can use a photo ID (if you choose) instead to prove you're the ticket's user.

(Sort of OT but good to know: if you have your cast ID in a lanyard holder and don't want to pull it out, most of the turnstiles have a bar-code reader behind the raised biometrics area. Put your ID under the red light beam until you hear a beep, then use the ticket-tag system as usual. Never had to pull out my ID to stick into a turnstile machine once I found that out.)

 

[Katy0708]

(Sort of OT but good to know: if you have your cast ID in a lanyard holder and don't want to pull it out, most of the turnstiles have a bar-code reader behind the raised biometrics area. Put your ID under the red light beam until you hear a beep, then use the ticket-tag system as usual. Never had to pull out my ID to stick into a turnstile machine once I found that out.)

wow, i did not know that, chris... Thanks!!

 

[shastatikipunch]

wow, i did not know that, chris... Thanks!!

Chris and Joanna both deserve some kind of expert Disney knowledge award haha. I can honestly say I've learnt a ton about Disney and the CP from both of them.

 

[Katy0708]

haha! well, i knew about the measurement, but i didn't know about the barcode... that is something i will have to try this time around!

 

[Joanna71985]

There used to be a more complicated, two finger process that would hold up the admission lines quite a bit. You can read more about that and the current process at AllEars. If you have signed the back of your ticket or Key to the World card, you can use a photo ID (if you choose) instead to prove you're the ticket's user.

(Sort of OT but good to know: if you have your cast ID in a lanyard holder and don't want to pull it out, most of the turnstiles have a bar-code reader behind the raised biometrics area. Put your ID under the red light beam until you hear a beep, then use the ticket-tag system as usual. Never had to pull out my ID to stick into a turnstile machine once I found that out.)

I remember the old way. It sure was annoying!


I didn't know that!! That sure is good to know!

Chris and Joanna both deserve some kind of expert Disney knowledge award haha. I can honestly say I've learnt a ton about Disney and the CP from both of them.

You're too kind!

 

[csaribay]

Chris and Joanna both deserve some kind of expert Disney knowledge award haha. I can honestly say I've learnt a ton about Disney and the CP from both of them.

Thanks- though I have to give a lot of credit to Joanna, she answered a lot of my own questions back before I embarked on the program! Many kudos!

 

[Joanna71985]

Thanks- though I have to give a lot of credit to Joanna, she answered a lot of my own questions back before I embarked on the program! Many kudos!

You're too kind!

 

[CheshireSmile]

Okay I am having some concerns after reading around on other areas of this board. After reading some very angry threads full of angry guests who are mad about things that I think aren't/shouldn't be that big of a deal, I'm wondering how I will stand up in difficult guest situations. I'm very sensitive to people yelling at me and am not known to have a lot of sympathy for people who just seem to like to stamp their feet and shout like children and expect better service for it. I know this is anti-Disney, who tries to make everybody happy no matter what, but I'm worried that if people yell at me I'll either cry or yell back. I do have customer service training and I know to remain calm and listen to the customer and all of that, and I can do it, but it's very difficult for me sometimes because I think the people are being ridiculous. So anyhow, to come to my rambling point, have any of you had to deal with bad guests? Or what does Disney tell you to do? I'm sure this is part of training, but I thought I'd ask because the people who post her have had so many different types of roles which I'm sure bring out different sorts of situations. Any stories/situations you'd care to share would help.

 

[Katy0708]

oh my goodness!
i've had TOO much experience with that!! Being in QSFB doesn't help any either... but my first CP was my first job, and had never really had to deal with people before. So let's just say i did a lot of teaching and learning from myself.
but you get every type of guests, from the parents of bratty children, to the mean elderly, to the very sweet guests.
But i can remember a male guest who apparently had problems on his vacation (maybe because he made everything more difficult than what it was) and had problems understanding the dining plan. Let's just say the guests get the dining plan and don't even know about it or don't know how to use it. ANYWAY this guest didn't really know what he was doing and bought a whole bunch of snacks that he didn't have on his dining plan. So I had to void everything and try to explain everything to him in a matter of 30 seconds, which is almost impossible. But this man thought he knew everything and wanted to do what he wanted, which couldn't be done. So he blamed all of his troubles on me and actually yelled at me to stop saying that everything was "okay" because that is what "all of the cast members said to him".
I don't know if any of this made sense, but what some of the guests do is so ludicrous, you can't help but laugh on your off time.
But if you want more stories, man do I have a lot, and i'm happy to share!!

 

[Joanna71985]

Okay I am having some concerns after reading around on other areas of this board. After reading some very angry threads full of angry guests who are mad about things that I think aren't/shouldn't be that big of a deal, I'm wondering how I will stand up in difficult guest situations. I'm very sensitive to people yelling at me and am not known to have a lot of sympathy for people who just seem to like to stamp their feet and shout like children and expect better service for it. I know this is anti-Disney, who tries to make everybody happy no matter what, but I'm worried that if people yell at me I'll either cry or yell back. I do have customer service training and I know to remain calm and listen to the customer and all of that, and I can do it, but it's very difficult for me sometimes because I think the people are being ridiculous. So anyhow, to come to my rambling point, have any of you had to deal with bad guests? Or what does Disney tell you to do? I'm sure this is part of training, but I thought I'd ask because the people who post her have had so many different types of roles which I'm sure bring out different sorts of situations. Any stories/situations you'd care to share would help.

Oh yeah. I could write a book with some of the experiences. I only had 1 or 2 bad ones in merchandise, and not really any in custodial. The majority of mine have come as a character attendant.

 

[Katy0708]

Oh, and there was a time where a guest almost made me cry (I had serious tears welling up in my eyes), and I am a person who rarely cries... i bet a lot of CPs have encountered this.

 

[Joanna71985]

Oh, and there was a time where a guest almost made me cry (I had serious tears welling up in my eyes), and I am a person who rarely cries... i bet a lot of CPs have encountered this.

Yep. Had one of those my first CP, and a few of them my second.

 

[CheshireSmile]

See, this is why I'm nervous. If I start crying (and again, it's not difficult to do this) then I just won't stop. And I highly doubt a crying CM is exactly the image Disney is trying to portray. I just can't understand why some people are such pains, at my usual job I sometimes can't believe the requests that come in, and people feel like they're entitled to a ridiculous level of service and get all huffy when you tell them, no I'm sorry, I cannot go down to the warehouse and make a custom-height barstool for you. And secretly I'm wondering why I got the call of the one person who needs a custom-height barstool, and why they made their counters some odd height, or the call of people who want to know if they try and push their bookcase over, if it will fall over on them, and if they can then sue our company for it. No joke, got that call. And since these are run-of-the-mill Crate&Barrel customers, I'm just nervous what'll happen when things are stepped up a notch at Disney, land of customer service. But go on, I'd like to hear some demon guest stories, maybe it'll help me prepare. The more ridiculous, the better! I need something to top the bookcase guy.

 

[Joanna71985]

Yeah, there can be those guests in FL.


But believe me, I have had many more great guests compared to the amount of bad guests.

 

[csaribay]

See, this is why I'm nervous. If I start crying (and again, it's not difficult to do this) then I just won't stop. And I highly doubt a crying CM is exactly the image Disney is trying to portray. .

I think it's fair to say that any one who has done the program has had some very challenging guests and situations, myself included. I always tried to have some perspective (our guests are on vacation where they expect everything to be idyllic, and are paying a very appreciable amount of money for that) and remember that if a guest has an issue, it's never something that is personal, just a matter of circumstance. That helped me deal with almost all situations that came up.

I say almost because there was one situation where I simply was not able to either satisfy the guest or direct the conversation in in a proper way (the guest was upset, and was talking at me in such a way that caused me to get upset as well). The only thing that you can do is excuse yourself from the situation as politely as possible, and call your management in to help (and sometimes others). You're never really alone, and in almost any case, all you need to do is excuse yourself and then you can unwind and let the situation go, backstage. Management is human, and understands that sometimes the situations cast members have to deal with are extraordinary, and it can take its toll.

I wouldn't be too nervous about it though. You'll find that challenging situations are less than a factor than you probably expect them to be. There were a lot more in the way of content, happy guests that just poured in the compliments than those who had concerns.

 

[Board57796]

This is something I was also thinking about. However, assuming I am placed as a monorail pilot, I am excited because normally most people who ride in the front cab of the monorail are in a generally plesent mood I am told, since they are doing something pretty exciting and out of the ordinary. It will suck though if there is an akward moment, because you can't exactly excuse yourself from the train 50ft in the air and it would just be you and the angry guest in an awkward silence, lol.

 

[csaribay]

This is something I was also thinking about. However, assuming I am placed as a monorail pilot, I am excited because normally most people who ride in the front cab of the monorail are in a generally plesent mood I am told, since they are doing something pretty exciting and out of the ordinary. It will suck though if there is an akward moment, because you can't exactly excuse yourself from the train 50ft in the air and it would just be you and the angry guest in an awkward silence, lol.

There would be an exception in that particular case, but keep in mind that transportation also involves working the monorail platforms (if selected to go into monorails). I highly doubt you'll have any difficult situations in the front cab of a monorail car, most issues would probably occur on the platform.

In any case, I don't think it's a significant issue that any one need worry too much about. Many guests are pleasant, and almost always completely reasonable.

 

[Joanna71985]

In any case, I don't think it's a significant issue that any one need worry too much about. Many guests are pleasant, and almost always completely reasonable.

Amen!!