DP- are the cast members always this rude ?

Beazle

Earning My Ears
Joined
Aug 29, 2014
Just back from Disneyland Paris. Its a truly beautiful park with some excellent rides. But, I was shocked at the lazy, abrupt and frankly, rude behaviour of the cast members. And it wasn’t just one bad apple either. Our tour group all felt the same and were of the view that very few of the cast members we experienced would measure up to what we are used to at either Anaheim or Orlando.

Quite a shock.
 
I have found, that when you travel anywhere you should take the time to read, and find out about the cultural difference, and what is considered good etiquette. Learn to speak a little of the language, and what some of there customs are, after all travelers or wanders (like my husband and I are)... we feel we are guest in their home (country) and should behave like we are a guest in someone else home... using your best manners.............

That sense of entitlement, or a demanding demeanor is not going to get you very far...and its all how you talk to people and react and interact with them... for every action there is a reaction...

What we consider rude or abrupt or direct here in the US...is simply just their way...

Think of it like.... going to a fancy dinner and there are so many forks, spoons, and knifes that you have no idea where to start, so I will watch the host or hostess to see how to proceed.
 
Some of it is also they do not always completely understand English, so they can sometimes use harsher words than intended.

I work for a French company and my French counterparts can come across as rude, but a lot of it is a language issue. They don’t completely understand what I’m saying and then they don’t know how to fully express their thoughts.
 


totally agree with everything @LovesTimone has said, I wish more people had that level of understanding

Also another thing to consider is the pop culture / nostalgic factor of the Disney company as a whole.

Here in Europe people just dont have the same emotional attachment to the Disney brand as Americans do. For example, you will rarely see people in Disneyland Paris in the summer dis bounding or wearing lanyards or full of pins. You will barely see any type of Disney merchandise being worn by park guests.

Working at Disneyland Paris for most is just a job, they dont have the emotional or nostalgic connection to the company the same way Orlando CM's would have.

For many Americans, working for Disney is a dream job and may specifically move to Orlando or Anaheim just to work in the parks. You wont get that in Disneyland Paris.
 
On the radio today I heard that a waiter in Vancouver who was sacked for being rude and disrespectful to customers is claiming unfair dismissal on the grounds that he isn’t rude he is French!! We have been to DLP 9 times and have never found any CMs rude - on the other hand the excessive happy smiley “have a nice day” of Florida does grate on me a bit, especially if I’m hot and tired and just want to get back to the resort!
 
totally agree with everything @LovesTimone has said, I wish more people had that level of understanding

Also another thing to consider is the pop culture / nostalgic factor of the Disney company as a whole.

Here in Europe people just dont have the same emotional attachment to the Disney brand as Americans do. For example, you will rarely see people in Disneyland Paris in the summer dis bounding or wearing lanyards or full of pins. You will barely see any type of Disney merchandise being worn by park guests.

Working at Disneyland Paris for most is just a job, they dont have the emotional or nostalgic connection to the company the same way Orlando CM's would have.

For many Americans, working for Disney is a dream job and may specifically move to Orlando or Anaheim just to work in the parks. You wont get that in Disneyland Paris.
This is so true. Almost no adults were wearing Disney shirts. And we only saw one group wearing matching shirts.
 


It's a cultural difference. French people often come across as rude, even to Dutch people (and a lot of people consider us rude). If you take this into account, the people in DLP are way nicer then the people in France generally are. But in contrast, we were in America for the first time last fall and for us it felt like everybody was overly friendly and this felt fake to us. Just remember you aren't in America and different cultures have different habits.

that's so funny...
the dutch aren't rude...you're just much more serious...or seemingly serious as compared to americans....
but you're all beautiful...just serious!!!

cultural differences can be hysterical if you hit it with the right frame of mind..
but sometimes it can really get you down....(like all that line jumping and pushing!!)

where i live you get pushing and line jumping...
another ex-pat was really frustrated....
so a third ex-pat said, you want to feel better?
go spend a week in france...you'll come back and think everyone here is super polite and patient....
the french really are pretty impressive in their pushing skills!!

.
 
i work for a very large international company with offices in pretty much every country in the world...
the cultural differences can be so difficult that they have cross company training..

and interestingly, one of the most difficult cultural differences to work through is between the british and american employees who have to work together..
though we speak the same language, the differences can be pronounced, especially in the workplace...

i participated in a week long course in the UK, and the brits shared story after story of how difficult it was for them to work with americans...
and it all boiled down to misunderstood cultural differences....(between brits and americans)

i found it terribly interesting!!! though as an american ex-pat of 35 years, i was coming from a completely different point of view...

.
 
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i work for a very large international company with offices in pretty much every country in the world...
the cultural differences can be so difficult that they have cross company training..

and interestingly, one of the most difficult cultural differences to work through is between the british and american employees who have to work together..
though we speak the same language, the differences can be pronounced, especially in the workplace...

i participated in a week long course in the UK, and the brits shared story after story of how difficult it was for them to work with americans...
and it all boiled down to misunderstood cultural differences....(between brits and americans)

i found it terribly interesting!!! though as an american ex-pat of 35 years, i was coming from a completely different point of view...

.
I’m assuming Americans are too direct?

I know most Europeans I work with don’t like that I don’t give a damn where they went to school or who their family is.
 
that's so funny...
the dutch aren't rude...you're just much more serious...or seemingly serious as compared to americans....
but you're all beautiful...just serious!!!

cultural differences can be hysterical if you hit it with the right frame of mind..
but sometimes it can really get you down....(like all that line jumping and pushing!!)

where i live you get pushing and line jumping...
another ex-pat was really frustrated....
so a third ex-pat said, you want to feel better?
go spend a week in france...you'll come back and think everyone here is super polite and patient....
the french really are pretty impressive in their pushing skills!!

.
The dutch serious? Thats the first time I hear that one. Usually we're told we're rude because we have a tendency to be honest and direct. Not directly offensive tho, we just speak our mind. We also don't avoid confrontation, if something bothers us we say so. At least a fair bunch of us. We don't only mind our own business, if you're loud enough for everyone to hear you can expect strangers commenting on it.
And the last thing I can think of Dutchies do that can be seen as rude is; we might push our opinion a little. (Ja toch of niet dan? Am I right?)
 
The dutch serious? Thats the first time I hear that one. Usually we're told we're rude because we have a tendency to be honest and direct. Not directly offensive tho, we just speak our mind. We also don't avoid confrontation, if something bothers us we say so. At least a fair bunch of us. We don't only mind our own business, if you're loud enough for everyone to hear you can expect strangers commenting on it.
And the last thing I can think of Dutchies do that can be seen as rude is; we might push our opinion a little. (Ja toch of niet dan? Am I right?)

my daughter corrected me...she said you're not serious - you're cold....hahahaha...
that's what she calls it...

it's just that europeans tend towards the cold (as compared to americans)....if you want to call it direct....ok...i call it serious..

as opposed to american buddy buddy, glad handing, happy go lucky, chat you up, etc..

europeans just stare at you without smiling.....(the swiss are the absolute best at this....that stare down....always gives me the willies)...

northern europeans...or non-med europeans...

the french are rude....as are the spanish and the italians....must have something to do with the Mediterranean.... :)

but in truth all of this comes under the definition of cultural differences...

what we, as americans perceive as being rude or cold or serious or indifferent is due to cultural misunderstandings...

it's all entertaining really...

i haven't lived in america for 35 years, but i'm still more american than anything else....
still too happy, too friendly, too loud, too chatty, too nosy, too opinionated, too everything...

but not rude or cold or serious....though that's a generalization too...
there are plenty of americans in that cold, serious, direct, unfriendly type....i went to school with some of them...

but no question that when americans find themselves in europe, there are plenty of cultural mishaps along the way..

and i'm guessing DLP has no shortage of them...

.
 
Haha, you can always be sure to find a fellow Dutchie anywhere to explain what you wanted to say ;)

No, Americans are too friendly and enthusiastic, it really comes across as fake to us. And I thought the Americans cared more about where somebody went to school then we do? With the whole Ivy league thing. We can't be turned down at university if you have the right prior education (except some studies where there are too many students and there they have a lottery, so it doesn't matter who your family is either)

You must be thinking of Americans from east coast. I’m from Texas. We are our own breed. It’s all about meritocracy. I don’t give a damn about pedigree. I want to know what you’ve accomplished.

I’ve seen too many Harvard idiots in law firms that think just bc they went to Harvard I should kiss their feet. Not interested.

And they always introduce themselves as having gone to Harvard.
 
As long as we're not talking about Parisians (these gys are the final boss of rudeness), the French aren't actually that rude, it mostly boils down to cultural misunderstanding, as most Europeans are not nearly as friendly as Americans ; most Euros will actually find the Americans rude! Either this, or fake/forced, or both.
I guess that it's just that emotions are less shown, as long as you're not being literally insulted or yelled at, a French person won't feel that their behavior is rude, but rather think of it as being professional.
 
We have an upcoming trip to Disneyland Paris and DCL cruise so I'm doing a lot of research. I will agree that cultural differences make the biggest difference in people's perception.

When we went on the DCL British Isles cruise, we spent a few days in London. We were expecting some differences in people's attitude or demeanour, but generally didn't find any.

During the cruise we met a lovely European family who asked us where we're from because, according to them, we can't possibly be from US. When we told them we're Canadians, they just smiled and said "We knew it". So, cultural differences are everywhere...even between Canada and US...and sometimes it's very evident.

When we go to WDW or DL, we don't feel like they're overly nice, sometimes, quite the contrary...but we understand the differences and know that rudeness may not always be intentional. It's a cultural thing.

However, this does not excuse people who are intentionally rude. These are also very evident and do not reflect a whole country. There are always going to be rude people from EVERY culture.
 
I spent 5 days in Paris a few years back and didn't think the French were rude at all. I attempted (very poorly) at speaking French. At least saying " Hello, do you speak English?" Or "Sorry I cant speak French" in French. I think they appreciate the effort. I also found no other europeans (English, Dutch, German, Austrians) rude either. I did find however that it was easy to spot an American abroad. Maybe its your culture but some came across rude to me and seemed quite demanding, complaining about waiting and quite loud/obnoxious. (Don't get me wrong Australians can be like that too) Everyone has culture that is perceived different and possibly rude by a foreigner we all just have to be open minded and respect the country we are visiting...
 
As a mid-western American, it doesn't matter who your family. That is an east coast, upper class thing.

After a few trips to Europe, I decided there was no way that people would not know we were Americans. I'm talkative and friendly and outgoing and it is real, not an act. Sorry, that's who I am and serves me well the vast majority of the time.

That said, I do try to reign it in some when I'm abroad. And to dress a little more formally than I do at home. And to speak the language of the locals a little. Trying not to add to the bad opinions the rest of the world has about us.

Our last trip to Paris - I don't remember thinking that the French were rude. People mainly kept to themselves, but a few were very helpful the two times the language barrier became an issue. I do remember thinking that Germans like to cut in line a lot.

It does get old though, repeatedly hearing that our culture is bad or wrong.
 
As long as we're not talking about Parisians (these gys are the final boss of rudeness), the French aren't actually that rude, it mostly boils down to cultural misunderstanding, as most Europeans are not nearly as friendly as Americans ; most Euros will actually find the Americans rude! Either this, or fake/forced, or both.
I guess that it's just that emotions are less shown, as long as you're not being literally insulted or yelled at, a French person won't feel that their behavior is rude, but rather think of it as being professional.

I didn't find the majority of Parisians rude at all. But I'm from New England, where we aren't overtly friendly and prefer to keep to ourselves.
 
I have never had a bad experience with a DLP cast member, but I have been living in Europe for quite a while now, so maybe I don't notice anything strange with their attitudes. As a matter of fact, I've always admired the CMs ability to rattle off instructions or directions to guests in no less than 3 languages (sometimes 6 )- usually French, Spanish, and English. I never assume for someone to speak English, so I always ask " Is English OK?" It should come as no surprise that the CMs have always said, "Yes- of course!"
 

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