Disney is losing some magic......

[Dizduke]

May get some criticism for this but I have been at the world for over a week and have encountered a majority of cast members that are no different than any other employees at any other place. Disney is supposed to be the leader in customer service and you are supposed to see the Disney difference in how the employees treat you. Terms like magical, happy, etc. get thrown around with very little meaning behind them. In general, the cast members seem tired, unenthusiastic, and detached. I have stayed at 3 different resorts and have been to all the parks and have noticed this overt trend from last year. It's very different. With that said I have found a few that have been amazing and I have reported how awesome they are to upper management so I'm not just focusing on the negatives; however last year the percentage of great cast members was 50%, this year it's like 10%.
I'm seeing the Disney difference in the cast members fading away. Given that, I'm also seeing a rise in the number of park attendees that lack basic manners and respect. I found myself and others confronting many people who cut lines, ran people over with ecv's and strollers, stole chairs from kids using them, and hoarded tables and space under covered areas during rainstorms even though they were not even using them.
In summary Disney needs to step it up and park attendees need to be less entitled and disrespectful. I love Disney and it saddens me to see it like this now. This is just my opinion and what I have encountered this year compared to years past of the same week.

 

[larryz]

In summary Disney needs to step it up and park attendees need to be less entitled and disrespectful.

Fish rots from the head.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

My only criticism is why start a new thread for this?

Why not find one of the other 300 thread that say about the same thing and add to it?

 

[canoe86]

My only criticism is why start a new thread for this?

Why not find one of the other 300 thread that say about the same thing and add to it?

One of a few posts on this board tonight I've seen being critical of someone. IF you didn't want to read it why bother?

SECOND, glad this board is getting edgier. Tried of the play nice BS, while some posters can get away with hostility. I guess as long as it is allowed for ALL posters.

 

[Luckybee]

Disney is supposed to be the leader in customer service and you are supposed to see the Disney difference in how the employees treat you.

Not anymore ! Matter of fact I'm not even sure this is their policy any longer.

 

[Brian Noble]

May get some criticism for this but I have been at the world for over a week and have encountered a majority of cast members that are no different than any other employees at any other place.

I'm not sure why we expect CMs to be so much more awesome than a typical service employee. They aren't paid more and they never have been. The benefits package isn't bad, but only for full time folks.

 

[chloelovesdisney]

We expect them to be awesome because for decades they have been awesome. The level of customer service has gone down. I have no idea why they ever decided to cut their training by 2/3, you can surely see the difference.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

The benefits package isn't bad, but only for full time folks.

And there are a lot fewer full time folks. they are moving to more part timers and more college program. Cheaper for the company.

 

[minnie mum]

I'm not sure why we expect CMs to be so much more awesome than a typical service employee..

Because awesome customer interaction was part of their job description. This was why every employee, when hired, spent days being taught the "Disney way" during their orientation period.

Not anymore ! Matter of fact I'm not even sure this is their policy any longer.

This change in policy (or flat out abandonment) is more than obvious when you see that the training period has shrunk from several days to less than one day. Combine that with poor pay, lack of hours, and understaffing/increased workloads, and who can be surprised if the average CM isn't exhaling pixie dust with every breath.

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

One of a few posts on this board tonight I've seen being critical of someone. IF you didn't want to read it why bother?

SECOND, glad this board is getting edgier. Tried of the play nice BS, while some posters can get away with hostility. I guess as long as it is allowed for ALL posters.

Didn't say I didn't want to read it. Just surprised the poster would start a new thread, rather than simply adding to one of the other ones.

And if you haven't seen the "Disney is losing the magic" threads, you haven't been looking. Oh, maybe you have seen them, since you indicated that the board is getting edgier.

 

[redsbe]

I also often wonder whether the larger crowds, higher costs, increased stress, need to have the perfect trip, and expectation of personal satisfaction from every experience, is also not in part driving the increase in noticing and complaining about CMs. Having had 15 trips in the past, I will keep a look for both demanding visitors and poor CM service when I am there in two weeks. But I also can see how cutting training, increasing crowds, frustration with MBs and FP+, and shift away from full time career CMs would impact services. Just no so sure for me anyways that observing and complaining about CMs - and impacts from poor service - are going to detract from my vacation at WDW.

 

[NJlauren]

But I also can see how cutting training, increasing crowds, frustration with MBs and FP+, and shift away from full time career CMs would impact services. Just no so sure for me anyways that observing and complaining about CMs - and impacts from poor service - are going to detract from my vacation at WDW.

I agree with this, I think some of the magic is lost with all this planning that is now done, I mean 180 days for ADR, 60 days for FP+, whats next bathroom fast pass? I'm not defending them because I agree they should be amazing, however dealing with people who have been stressing about every minute of there trip for 6 plus months can be stressful. I know if i plan something and then something goes wrong I can get cranky too. Who might get the wrath the CM, I don't want to upset my family. The CM who then has to deal with the next person. I am not saying people should get cranky but if you plan your ADR 180 days out, then they still make you wait 45 min and you miss your FP+ because of this, I could see people getting cranky.

I try to stay positive and nice all the time, not just at WDW but lets be honesty no one is always that happy, cut the CM's some slack, maybe they just dealt with a nasty guest, unless they are being flat out rude then complain away.

I also find if i am more pleasant the CM or any customer service person is more pleasant.

 

[Donald - my hero]

I try to stay positive and nice all the time, not just at WDW but lets be honesty no one is always that happy, cut the CM's some slack, maybe they just dealt with a nasty guest, unless they are being flat out rude then complain away.

I also find if i am more pleasant the CM or any customer service person is more pleasant.

or perhaps

We have always found that if you treat anyone in a customer service position like an equal you will get the kind of service you want. I made a point of saying thank-you to everyone we dealt with on our trip, from the CM cleaning the bathrooms (made one cry she was so grateful that anyone even acknowledged her) to the servers in the Signature Restaurants. We had some amazing things happen because of it ... I think getting the impromptu hug goodbye from the CM at our resort when we picked up our luggage before we got on the ME (we had used the "cage" for hubby's laptop numerous days so they knew us) was a huge bow on our trip!

 

[Priory]

I've had some fantastic cast member interactions the last few days. I've mostly encountered normal pleasant service. There was one old lady handing out sorcerer's cards at MK who was being downright hostile to everyone. Generally, I feel like it's okay. The one thing I have to get off my chest... the quick service cashiers. My goodness do they get them stoned before their shifts start? They've been slow, confused, and have messed up every order I've made - and its a flipping number order system! There are definitely some training opportunities in this area.

 

[danjoan14]

I also find if i am more pleasant the CM or any customer service person is more pleasant.

Ditto! On our trip last week, we encountered nothing but wonderful and pleasant CM's. I love talking to them about their experience with Disney and where they live. If they don't want to be pleasant, then maybe they should work at the Haunted Mansion. The place where no CM's have to smile.....LOL!

 

[Laz]

While I have not been to WDW in a few years, I have visited DLR (most recently last year). I still see, hear, feel the magic in their CMs. Is it just me, or do other DLR visitors come to the same conclusion? If so, why is DLR still so magical (in terms of CMs), while WDW is not?

 

[mrsbicewdw]

As a former CM I have to throw it out there - CMs are human. Disney training (and I had over a weeks worth of training, when all was said and done) or not, humans have bad days. I can't tell you how many times I had guests make me CRY they were so rude, and this was concierge level guests or villa guests - where I wrongly assumed people might be nicer and more generous than the harried and tired young families at other resorts. Sometimes our bosses suck, or our co-CMs make our life hard (very common for college kids to be snubbed and picked on by full timers), or we didn't get enough sleep. It stinks to get bad service no matter where you are, but holding CMs to some super high standard does change the bell curve a bit. Yes, disney is supposed to be more magical and awesome, but it is still human inteaction and human standards.

 

[Priory]

While I have not been to WDW in a few years, I have visited DLR (most recently last year). I still see, hear, feel the magic in their CMs. Is it just me, or do other DLR visitors come to the same conclusion? If so, why is DLR still so magical (in terms of CMs), while WDW is not?

I agree. I think it's because WDW is just the town industry. It's like living in Vegas and working in a casino. In Orlando, theme parks are just a common employer. In SoCal, there are so many industries and employment options that to work at Disneyland for relatively little money, there's something that makes those cast members want to be there. Just a theory.

 

[danjoan14]

As a former CM I have to throw it out there - CMs are human. Disney training (and I had over a weeks worth of training, when all was said and done) or not, humans have bad days. I can't tell you how many times I had guests make me CRY they were so rude, and this was concierge level guests or villa guests - where I wrongly assumed people might be nicer and more generous than the harried and tired young families at other resorts. Sometimes our bosses suck, or our co-CMs make our life hard (very common for college kids to be snubbed and picked on by full timers), or we didn't get enough sleep. It stinks to get bad service no matter where you are, but holding CMs to some super high standard does change the bell curve a bit. Yes, disney is supposed to be more magical and awesome, but it is still human inteaction and human standards.

Our visit last year, we encountered a nasty customer treating a CM like she did something wrong. Which she didn't. We witnessed the whole event. He went out of his way to complain about her to the manager. After he was done, we told the manager that what he had told him was not true. I hate someone getting in trouble for something they didn't do. Apparently a customer trying to get something for free!

 

[mrsbicewdw]

Our visit last year, we encountered a nasty customer treating a CM like she did something wrong. Which she didn't. We witnessed the whole event. He went out of his way to complain about her to the manager. After he was done, we told the manager that what he had told him was not true. I hate someone getting in trouble for something they didn't do. Apparently a customer trying to get something for free!

I had a guest accuse me of stealing her flight boarding passes (like I needed them)?? She said I stole them during turndown service. She complained to my boss and the GM on site, everyone. Had me digging in the garbage bins outside (no joke, I was going the extra disney mile even though I knew I didn't touch the passes). She called every thirty minutes to yell at the housekeeping staff in the phone room. Right before my shift was done she called again and said "I found them in my purse" and then hung up. Never said sorry! It amazes me how people act on vacation.