Company Policy vs Customer Satisfaction (long rant)

[NHdisneylover]

I wonder if this happened recently--if so, OP did you take a photo of your tickets so you would have the number from the back in case they are lost? This information could be useful to Disney management in trying to trace what happened to your tickets after "Greg" bough back of revised them. I think it is worth emailing all of the information to WDW (but agree with others that you need to focus on Greg's attitude and possible breaking of the rules buying back tickets and not on his failure to bend rules for you).

I am actually hoping that it did not happen recently though and that this loss is not so fresh in your mind and heart

I didn't say that you did.

Regardless, how was what you wrote not insulting?!?!?! It was intensely inflammatory, and seemed to be deliberately so. Yet, I was very polite in response.

Please stop flame-baiting. Thanks.

Okay, you did not say it, you did clearly insinuate it though I do not know what flame baiting is and I do not much care--no need to continue to discuss something purely off topic from the OP. Sorry that I came across as insulting you by asking you to clarify while fully admitting I might be the one with the issue and not you. I meant to be polite about my attempts to understand.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

I have to post this after saying that i had wonderful and magical experience with my family on our first visit to WDW. I was met with great customer services and offered a friendly smile till our last day.

Initally we had planned a 12 day florida vacation which we had saved for quite a bit of time do be able to take. As often happens in life on our 3rd day of our vacation, we were in a shuttle on our way to Disney's hollywood studios when we received a call from home. My wife's grandfather had just passed away. I was with my daugher, my inlaws (whos dad it was) and my niece. At this momment in shock we decided to get off from the shuttle and assess the situation on what we woudl do. It took us a while to get our bearings straight and decided to wait for the next shuttle to which ever park it was to go have a sitdown lunch and discuss what we needed to do next. The next shuttle was to the Animal Kingdom, were we honestly did enjoyed a great lunch and allowed us to discussed what we needed. We decided then and there to cut our vacation short and book flights for home for the next day. We also decided we might as well attempt to enjoy our remaining day and visit one of the the other parks we were heading towards.

Here is where I have a problem with company policy. Since we were not thinking at the time, when we went tried to go back into Disneys Studios, we were greeted by a non entry. The CM politley told us, dont worry, as we explained our situation and led us to the guest relations desk and she told us they woudl take care of us. The issue was that we didnt purchase the park hoppers and had just left the animal kingdom.

As we explained the unfortunate circumstances and how we would like to finish our stay at the Disney Hollywood park, the Guest Person(we'll call him Greg for anonimity) told us he was sorry, but we had to either pay a full day fee, or pay to convert all 6 tickets into park hoppers.(Another $300 or so dollars) He was very uncaring for our situation and kept telling us it was company policy. That since we Disney allows for people to "magic your way" admitance and we didnt do the hoppers we woudl have to pay. I informed him we were at most two hours at the other park, and told him our state of mind which basically we were not thinking I also told him that we inially planned to visit all parks, but had to cut our vacation really short and miss out on the remaining days on our tickets. But he refused to asssit. And I use the word Refused, since he did pretty much tell me he has the power to do something, but at this time chose not to, "Since its Company Policy".

I totally understand Company Policy, and can see other how a company needs to hold to the bottom line. But i believe exceptiosn should be allowed. "Greg" pretty much told me exceptions can be made, but he wasnt going to do so in this case. Since we were not given any choice, i decided to pay the additional amount, just to get it over with. I was upset at so many diffrent levels at this this time and given no choice. To add insult to injury he told us, "being that you are leaving anyways, and not stayin here any further, i can purchase thow unused days for $3 dollars - you konw to help with the cost". Given no choice, and trying to defray as much of the cost, and since we were truly having to leave unexepectly back home i took that offer. What burns me more, is after I payed and he processed my credit card. he then led us to a gate, where he simply let us walk thru without swipping our cards. I honestly felt he did this to show that he did have the power to pass someone if he so choose to.

Again, totally understandign company policy - should exceptions like this be allowed? Where can i voice my displeasure the way i was treated?

BTW so no one thinks I dont like Disney - i have faithfully visited Disneyland ever two years since I was 12 (with my parents) and continued the tradition with my own family. Current holder of their credit card and have bought pretty much all Disney movies to date. Was actually considering the DVC, but at this time it is out of my budget, and not exactly on the top of my list after this experience.

This was my very first visit to WDW and was overally impressed with the part and hope to be able to visit again some time soon.

I took it as, they got on and off the bus at the SAME stop; that they got the news while boarding the bus at their own resort.

Per the OP's post, they were sitting on a bus already enroute to Hollywood Studios.
Got the news and decided to get off bus.
Took next bus to have lunch-this one to Animal Kingdom.

As much as I feel for the OP and his family, a person knows when they have park hoppers or they don't. Without park hoppers, you had to have planned what park you were going to for the day. You had chosen DHS and were on a bus heading there.

The OP got off the bus and conferred with his family on what they were going to do next.

With this planning, you had to know that the minute you stepped into Animal Kingdom and then staying there for over 2 hours, you used your park entrance for the day.

 

[bicker]

... if everyone just gave up on understanding ages ago and ignores it

Sorry that I came across as insulting you

Apology accepted.

I meant to be polite about my attempts to understand.

Great; thanks. From now on, let's do this via PM, instead, okay?

 

[Mimi1965]

Nobody rode theme park rides. They went TO a theme park FOR lunch.

Reread the original post
He tried to get into a second park-AFTER lunch-and that is why he disagrees with Disney's ticket policy. The second park was to ride rides-see attractions,

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Nobody rode theme park rides. They went TO a theme park FOR lunch.

Actually, the rant (and I use rant because that is how the OP titled his thread) was because after their 2 hour lunch/vist at Animal Kingdom, they wanted to then treat their non-park park-hoppers as park hoppers, go back to DHS and finish out their day there. I am assuming finishing out the day at another park would involve riding the attractions at DHS.

Although I see nothing wrong with visiting the parks while making arrangements to get home (certainly beats sitting in the hotel room staring at each other while you grieve), the OP did want to go to another park to finish up his day.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

My commentary on this was if the OP had come to my window the results would have been a lot different. I would have gotten at least my Coordinator and probably my Manager involved. I cannot state what we would have probably done, but it would not have cost the OP any money at all and the tickets would have been good for the next trip.

I would suggest writing a detailed letter to
WDW Guest Communications
PO Box 10,000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Include the date, the times, the specific park locations, and if possible the names of all people you talked to. Include a photocopy of all tickets, making sure that any numbers on the tickets are visible. This will allow the people at Guest Communications to track down what was actually done and what you were charged for. Don't be surprised afterwards if you get credits back to your cards and other positive (for you) responses.

Sorry that the response is not as complete as I would like, but it is being written in an airport.

 

[surfgirl]

OP, my condolences for your loss.


I particularly liked the solution of swapping out the 10 day non-hoppers for 4 day hoppers. Which would have made the OP whole (he got to hop... didn't need the last 6 days) and Disney whole (he hopped... he paid for it).

I don't know the $$$ difference of doing such a transaction, but it would have been nice to see creative thinking applied that solved both problems (ie. OP leaving early; Disney needing hopping tickets).

 

[dmslush]

I'm very sorry for your loss, how terrible for that to happen on vacation!

I had a problem with park hoppers in early 2008. I was on a trip with my mother, father, and a friend of mine. My mother and father and I had APs that could hop. We purchased a non-hopper ticket for my friend. We weren't planning on park hopping but we did without thinking about it one day with our ADRs. Since it had been so long since we worried about hopping we did it without thinking and my friend entered one park and then another. It was simply a thoughtless mistake on our part. It counted as two admissions off her allotted admissions. About two days later she was greeted with a non-entry to the park we wanted to go to. We upgraded one more day on her ticket for six or seven dollars.

I was under the impression after that experience that you have a number of entries and entering two different parks in one day would use two of them. If this was the beginning of your vacation and you still had more days on your tickets, why didn't this happen for you as it did for my group? Have they changed the policy?

No, what happened that day is that we went to down town disney, and then you and your friend went to a park that evening. It didn't matter that day to us because we had APs, but she used up one of her days of admission.. we didn't hop that day.

 

[phorsenuf]

I have to post this after saying that i had wonderful and magical experience with my family on our first visit to WDW. I was met with great customer services and offered a friendly smile till our last day.

Initally we had planned a 12 day florida vacation which we had saved for quite a bit of time do be able to take. As often happens in life on our 3rd day of our vacation, we were in a shuttle on our way to Disney's hollywood studios when we received a call from home. My wife's grandfather had just passed away. I was with my daugher, my inlaws (whos dad it was) and my niece. At this momment in shock we decided to get off from the shuttle and assess the situation on what we woudl do. It took us a while to get our bearings straight and decided to wait for the next shuttle to which ever park it was to go have a sitdown lunch and discuss what we needed to do next. The next shuttle was to the Animal Kingdom, were we honestly did enjoyed a great lunch and allowed us to discussed what we needed. We decided then and there to cut our vacation short and book flights for home for the next day. We also decided we might as well attempt to enjoy our remaining day and visit one of the the other parks we were heading towards.

Here is where I have a problem with company policy. Since we were not thinking at the time, when we went tried to go back into Disneys Studios, we were greeted by a non entry. The CM politley told us, dont worry, as we explained our situation and led us to the guest relations desk and she told us they woudl take care of us. The issue was that we didnt purchase the park hoppers and had just left the animal kingdom.

As we explained the unfortunate circumstances and how we would like to finish our stay at the Disney Hollywood park, the Guest Person(we'll call him Greg for anonimity) told us he was sorry, but we had to either pay a full day fee, or pay to convert all 6 tickets into park hoppers.(Another $300 or so dollars) He was very uncaring for our situation and kept telling us it was company policy. That since we Disney allows for people to "magic your way" admitance and we didnt do the hoppers we woudl have to pay. I informed him we were at most two hours at the other park, and told him our state of mind which basically we were not thinking I also told him that we inially planned to visit all parks, but had to cut our vacation really short and miss out on the remaining days on our tickets. But he refused to asssit. And I use the word Refused, since he did pretty much tell me he has the power to do something, but at this time chose not to, "Since its Company Policy".

I totally understand Company Policy, and can see other how a company needs to hold to the bottom line. But i believe exceptiosn should be allowed. "Greg" pretty much told me exceptions can be made, but he wasnt going to do so in this case. Since we were not given any choice, i decided to pay the additional amount, just to get it over with. I was upset at so many diffrent levels at this this time and given no choice. To add insult to injury he told us, "being that you are leaving anyways, and not stayin here any further, i can purchase thow unused days for $3 dollars - you konw to help with the cost". Given no choice, and trying to defray as much of the cost, and since we were truly having to leave unexepectly back home i took that offer. What burns me more, is after I payed and he processed my credit card. he then led us to a gate, where he simply let us walk thru without swipping our cards. I honestly felt he did this to show that he did have the power to pass someone if he so choose to.

Again, totally understandign company policy - should exceptions like this be allowed? Where can i voice my displeasure the way i was treated?

BTW so no one thinks I dont like Disney - i have faithfully visited Disneyland ever two years since I was 12 (with my parents) and continued the tradition with my own family. Current holder of their credit card and have bought pretty much all Disney movies to date. Was actually considering the DVC, but at this time it is out of my budget, and not exactly on the top of my list after this experience.

This was my very first visit to WDW and was overally impressed with the part and hope to be able to visit again some time soon.

Nobody rode theme park rides. They went TO a theme park FOR lunch.

Right there pretty much shows the attempt to park hop and go have fun at the park, which I would assume involved rides.

Sorry, but to me the whole thing smells of getting something for nothing. His earlier post about POP kinda set the pattern for it.

 

[KandD]

OP I am sorry for your loss.

I do think it just depends on what CM you get because I just read on another thread that someone did not know that they could not use their extra days as "park hoppers" so to speak (she thought that you could buy more days and go to different parks on the same day) and when she explained to a CM they gave her a free ticket for the park that she was at that day. So it all depends.....

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

Sorry, but to me the whole thing smells of getting something for nothing. His earlier post about POP kinda set the pattern for it.

I'm going to disagree again... because they still had tickets remaining. If it was the last day of their trip and this happened I would probably agree with you.

Regardless, it sounds to me like Greg's attitude wasn't very Disney-ish... whether he gave them what they hoped for or not. And let's not forget that the person at the gate seemed to think that Greg would be able to take care of it for them.

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Right there pretty much shows the attempt to park hop and go have fun at the park, which I would assume involved rides.

Sorry, but to me the whole thing smells of getting something for nothing. His earlier post about POP kinda set the pattern for it.

Why not just enjoy and finish out the day at Animal Kingdom where you already were?

Grief doesn't make you that stupid that after spending 2 hours in one park, you forget that you bought 12 days of non-park hoppers and now you want to go to another park.

They decided at Animal Kingdom during lunch that they were going to cut their vacation short. Why not go to Guest Services there and inquire what can be done with the remaining tickets?

Why hop a bus to DHS, try to get in, and then rant because they won't let you in?

A reasonable thing would have been to go FIRST to guest services and see what the options were for their tickets and the remaining time they had.

Just showing up, knowing full well you don't have a ticket to get in would be akin to them showing up at the airport demanding to get on the next flight home without first going through reservations to change their ticket. Then ranting that the airline wouldn't let them on because of their grief.

 

[OceanAnnie]

I am sorry for your loss.

My commentary on this was if the OP had come to my window the results would have been a lot different. I would have gotten at least my Coordinator and proba bly my Manager involved. I cannot state what we would have probably done, but it would not have cost the OP any money at all and the tickets would have been good for the next trip.

I would suggest writing a detailed leteer to
WDW Guest Communications
PO Box 10,000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Include the date, the times, the specific park locations, and if possible the names of all people you talked to. Include a photocopy of all tickets, making sure that any numbers on the tickets are visible. This will allow the people at Guest Communications to track down what was actaully done and what you were charged for. Don't be surprised afterwards if you get credits back to your cards and other positive (for you) responses.

Sorry that the response is not as complete as I would like, but it is being written in an airport.

I am glad to see CF's response. I think you should write to Guest Communications as well.

I was really stumped at the $3 per ticket buy back. That was strange to me. The whole experience seemed really off. You did have unused tickets, I'm wondering how many days were unused.

I hope it gets resolved satisfactorily for you.

 

[phorsenuf]

I'm going to disagree again... because they still had tickets remaining. If it was the last day of their trip and this happened I would probably agree with you.

Regardless, it sounds to me like Greg's attitude wasn't very Disney-ish... whether he gave them what they hoped for or not. And let's not forget that the person at the gate seemed to think that Greg would be able to take care of it for them.

Doesn't matter if they had one day left or 10. Still wanted something for nothing.
Did you read the other post about POP? He said what an enjoyable and memorable time they had. Don't you think someone in his situation would write "despite the bad news we received of my grandfathers passing, and having to cut our trip short, we had an enjoyable time.

Call me cynical but something just doesn't seem right.

 

[Carly_Roach]

First of all, my condolances to the OP for his/her loss.

Maybe the CM thought it might have been a story that was concocted since you were telling him you wanted to go to another park for the day before flying home? Just a thought, I'm sure people have tried all types of stories with them to change tickets and what not.

Not the meal-the argueing with the CM to continue riding theme rides at another park seems rather gauche, in view that an immediate loved one just passed away.

This was not a matter of getting on the wrong bus and going into Animal Kingdom by accident due to grief and then realizing you were originally headed to DHS, turning around and heading right over there. By your own admission, you spent over 2 hours in AK, way longer than a typical vacationer's lunch. How was the CM at DHS to know that you didn't really go and see the attractions and then want to beat the system and now do DHS?

The above is kind of how I see it, too. While everyone grieves differently, it's quite unusual for someone to decide to "finish out the day having fun" when a family member has passed. A majority of people typically drop what they're doing and make travel plans/funeral arrangements amidst their grieving. I'm not discounting those few who had special circumstances (ex: elderly relatives who had dementia, etc), I'm just remaking on what the majority does.

Back in 2007, I wasn't in WDW 24 hours when I recieved the news of my grandmother's passing. The call came at 3:30am. My only reaction was, how do I get back home, NOW??? I immediately went to the front desk and inquired what to do? I didn't expect much being 4am and all, but I did get some phone numbers to call and a genuine sense of sympathy.

I had purchased trip insurance for my 7 day vakay so that did reimburse me the majority of my trip (including tickets) as well as my emergency flight back I had to pay upfront for. I ended up paying for about 25-30% of my total trip and only spending one day in a park. But, when it comes down to it, I didn't expect anyone to bend over backwards for me or recieve special treatment due to the loss of a family member so being dissappointed was never an option. Accidents, sickness, bad weather and death are unexpected, that's what trip insurance is for.

Trip insurance would have been the wise choice. Especially for a 12-day vacation where so much money was already invested.

Okay, you did not say it, you did clearly insinuate it though I do not know what flame baiting is and I do not much care--no need to continue to discuss something purely off topic from the OP. Sorry that I came across as insulting you by asking you to clarify while fully admitting I might be the one with the issue and not you. I meant to be polite about my attempts to understand.

Flame-baiting is when someone intentionally says something inflammatory, knowing full well that they'll be setting off another poster.

An example of flame-baiting would be, "Why do all SAHM's smell so bad! Good GRIEF! I was on a bus with several SAHM and they REEKED! Take a shower, SAHM's!" When a SAHM (of which there are many on this board) takes offense and says so, the Flame-baiter then hones in on that one and continues to say things that are worded in such a way that can be considered personal attacks, but the flame-baiter will attempt to defend themselves by saying they weren't talking to the poster but were talking about someone else.

Example in this vein:

"I wasn't talking about you, BettyBoop, and if you weren't so thin-skinned you'd have realized it. I was talking about my next door neighbor, Betty Bop, who REEKS. But if you took offense to my critique of SAHM Betty Bop's personal hygiene, then maybe it's time you look in a mirror."

It's an acquired skill, flame-baiting. One that's been honed for years by those who've been banned many, many times, but keep coming back. The thinking seems to be, "Well, if I got banned then I'm going to see to it that so-and-so gets banned, too, because I don't like him/her." So they flame-bait to try to get their target poster in trouble or outright banned.

If their target takes up the bait and responds in kind, then all their friends land on the thread, render multiple clicks on the "report" button, write posts calling the target out on his/her "personal attack", flood the PM box of the the DIS Mods, telling them to "do something" about the horrible person who is personally attacking the flame-baiter.

Please be aware that I'm not accusing you of flame-baiting, NHdisneylover. Far from it. But I thought I'd better explain the practice so other posters can realize what it is and avoid being victims of it. I, myself, was a victim of it yesterday on the fireworks thread and, like many victims, I've become an advocate for educating others so they don't experience what I did.

It seems that there's been quite a bit of baiting and flame-baiting going on the past few days, and I should have known better. I blame the heat, the long weekend and the lack of sleep for my inability to see that I was being flame-baited.

 

[kaytieeldr]

OP, my condolences for your loss.


I particularly liked the solution of swapping out the 10 day non-hoppers for 4 day hoppers. Which would have made the OP whole (he got to hop... didn't need the last 6 days) and Disney whole (he hopped... he paid for it).

I don't know the $$$ difference of doing such a transaction, but it would have been nice to see creative thinking applied that solved both problems (ie. OP leaving early; Disney needing hopping tickets).

Except that it's not a Walt Disney World-sanctioned solution. First, the cost difference between three days used and ten days purchased is $27 each PLUS tax, not $3 each flat. Second, WDW tickets are nonrefundable.

 

[NHdisneylover]

Why not just enjoy and finish out the day at Animal Kingdom where you already were?

Grief doesn't make you that stupid that after spending 2 hours in one park, you forget that you bought 12 days of non-park hoppers and now you want to go to another park.

They decided at Animal Kingdom during lunch that they were going to cut their vacation short. Why not go to Guest Services there and inquire what can be done with the remaining tickets?

Why hop a bus to DHS, try to get in, and then rant because they won't let you in?

A reasonable thing would have been to go FIRST to guest services and see what the options were for their tickets and the remaining time they had.

Just showing up, knowing full well you don't have a ticket to get in would be akin to them showing up at the airport demanding to get on the next flight home without first going through reservations to change their ticket. Then ranting that the airline wouldn't let them on because of their grief.

Absolutely the best way to handle it--good call

Flame-baiting is when someone intentionally says something inflammatory, knowing full well that they'll be setting off another poster.

An example of flame-baiting would be, "Why do all SAHM's smell so bad! Good GRIEF! I was on a bus with several SAHM and they REEKED! Take a shower, SAHM's!" When a SAHM (of which there are many on this board) takes offense and says so, the Flame-baiter then hones in on that one and continues to say things that are worded in such a way that can be considered personal attacks, but the flame-baiter will attempt to defend themselves by saying they weren't talking to the poster but were talking about someone else.

Example in this vein:

"I wasn't talking about you, BettyBoop, and if you weren't so thin-skinned you'd have realized it. I was talking about my next door neighbor, Betty Bop, who REEKS. But if you took offense to my critique of SAHM Betty Bop's personal hygiene, then maybe it's time you look in a mirror."

It's an acquired skill, flame-baiting. One that's been honed for years by those who've been banned many, many times, but keep coming back. The thinking seems to be, "Well, if I got banned then I'm going to see to it that so-and-so gets banned, too, because I don't like him/her." So they flame-bait to try to get their target poster in trouble or outright banned.

If their target takes up the bait and responds in kind, then all their friends land on the thread, render multiple clicks on the "report" button, write posts calling the target out on his/her "personal attack", flood the PM box of the the DIS Mods, telling them to "do something" about the horrible person who is personally attacking the flame-baiter.

Please be aware that I'm not accusing you of flame-baiting, NHdisneylover. Far from it. But I thought I'd better explain the practice so other posters can realize what it is and avoid being victims of it. I, myself, was a victim of it yesterday on the fireworks thread and, like many victims, I've become an advocate for educating others so they don't experience what I did.

It seems that there's been quite a bit of baiting and flame-baiting going on the past few days, and I should have known better. I blame the heat, the long weekend and the lack of sleep for my inability to see that I was being flame-baited.

Thanks for that explanation I have seen that sort of thing--I guess it is a subset of pot stirring intended to insult people. I think an entire thread was started to do that a week or two ago. I didn't realize what it was until several pages in and then I felt so badly for the person that i think was being made fun of and hoped she did not think I had been doing so when I posted. I didn't way anything though--just ducked out of the thread. That was certainly not my internet and I hope I did not come off that way. Posts like that bug me; I hate to think I seemed to be doing the same thing. I guess I just figure if I have a question then others probably have the same one (I always told my students that if they did not understand something chances were 5 other people didn't as well so PLEASE ask for clarification) so I wanted to ask--and I always seem to be asking that one same poster to clarify so I thought I would make light of that. Anyway, apologies all around if I came across as trying to insult someone by flying under the radar.

 

[Disney Doll]

OP, I'd take Cheshire Figment's advice and wrtie to WDWwith as much info as you have regarding the tickets, who you spoke to, time of day and date etc.

I don't so much have a problem with the not doing the park hopper thing since those are the rules as I do with the the "I could do this but I'm not going to" attitude and that buy back business. That sounds fishy to me...

 

[Mickey's Minion]

Doesn't matter if they had one day left or 10. Still wanted something for nothing.
Did you read the other post about POP? He said what an enjoyable and memorable time they had. Don't you think someone in his situation would write "despite the bad news we received of my grandfathers passing, and having to cut our trip short, we had an enjoyable time.

Call me cynical but something just doesn't seem right.

I have to agree again.

The OP and family got off a bus, decided as a group to go to lunch to plan what they were going to do next. They hopped a bus to Animal Kingdom where they had a 2 hour lunch to plan what they were going to do from there on. That implies logical thinking and a whole lot of strategic planning time.

Not once during this 2 hour planning pow wow did somebody say "hey we have 12 day non-parkhopper tickets, maybe somebody should run over to guest services or even pick up a cell phone and call them and see what our options are?"

And then after this 2 hour marathon planning lunch, you can't then turn around and claim you were so consumed with grief that you forgot that you didn't have park hoppers and now Disney has to let me in because I am so grief stricken.

I agree that "Greg" does sound like he was not on the up-and-up, but then again, this is the story coming from the OP.

 

[Carly_Roach]

Thanks for that explanation I have seen that sort of thing--I guess it is a subset of pot stirring intended to insult people. I think an entire thread was started to do that a week or two ago. I didn't realize what it was until several pages in and then I felt so badly for the person that i think was being made fun of and hoped she did not think I had been doing so when I posted. I didn't way anything though--just ducked out of the thread. That was certainly not my internet and I hope I did not come off that way. Posts like that bug me; I hate to think I seemed to be doing the same thing. I guess I just figure if I have a question then others probably have the same one (I always told my students that if they did not understand something chances were 5 other people didn't as well so PLEASE ask for clarification) so I wanted to ask--and I always seem to be asking that one same poster to clarify so I thought I would make light of that. Anyway, apologies all around if I came across as trying to insult someone by flying under the radar.

It may be likely that you are right about an entire thread being started for that purpose. I can't really judge because I'm typically not on the DIS all that much (lunch hours, mornings before work, etc) so I may have missed it.

But trust me, ducking out of the thread and letting it go is one of the best ways of dealing with these people. They will goad, accuse and continue their baiting in hopes of getting you to come back and fight with them again, all with the goal of getting YOU banned the way they were. Case in point: