Frozen meet & greet and some disturbing CM observations

[757hokie]

I'm being "that crazy dad" this morning. I waited in line and was the 3rd person to enter Epcot (without an early breakfast reservation), double-timed it over to the Norway pavilion, and I'm 4th in line for the "Frozen" meet & greet that stats at 11:00.

My girls would love to meet Anna and Elsa, and this is the only place in all of Disneydom you can meet the main characters of their most successful animated film since "The Lion King." Because of that, the wait for this experience builds to over 4 or 5 hours throughout the day. It's a choice: (a) get in line when the park opens at 9:00 and wait until it starts at 11:00, (b) wait in even more absurd lines later in the day - practically ALL day, or (c) don't do it!

Normally, we'd fall in category (c), but this is out last day in the parks after being here for a week, today is cool and rainy, and I can wait in line for all of us while everyone else enjoys the park for a couple of hours while I wait.

When I got in line outside the Stave Church in Norway, I overheard the Disney cast member (CM) in charge of the line say to two other CM's who were walking by: "that's three hours right there, three hours!" as he laughed and pointed at us. Very non-Disney-like. 99% of Disney CM's are polite, pleasant, and do all they can to make the guest experience the best it can possibly be. But I've noticed a disturbing trend on this trip. The CM's need to be thankful that people love Disney - that patents love their kids who love Disney - enough to wait in a three hour line in the cold rain so that they have a line to watch after!

I've seen lots of CM's do it before. In the midst of the craziness, they celebrate the fact that they are working to bring people happiness in "the happiest place on earth." Not this guy. And not several others I've noticed on this trip that are standing around in groups of three or four, being quite unproductive, and discussing some very non-Disney-like topics loudly enough for any child (or adult) to overhear.

I know that CM's are human like the rest of us. But as their Disney training teaches them, when you're "on-stage" you leave the rest of that junk "off-stage." You have a job to do and a very fragile reputation to uphold. If that reputation goes away, the while company erodes with it.

Business is booming at Disney Parks. I hope that management doesn't take that as a cue to ease off on the training they give on how to act as a Cast Member at what's supposed to be the happiest place on earth.

P.S. Despite all this, I still believe in the Disney magic.

 

[mesaboy2]

You're a good dad who caught a CM in a bad moment. I hope your family enjoys the Frozen M&G!

 

[lugnut33]

I noticed it also on our trip during Thanksgiving and I noted it in the letter I sent to guest communications.

 

[wiigirl]

You're a good dad who caught a CM in a bad moment. I hope your family enjoys the Frozen M&G!

x2

 

[robinb]

I hope your girls enjoy the meet and greet! Obviously you are not alone in your craziness since you were 4th in line!

 

[mefordis]

All of these profits Disney is seeing are going to the executives and shareholders, and the CMs are receiving scraps. Maybe if they shared a little of the wealth with the average worker through compensation, training programs, benefits, etc., they would get more in return from the CMs.

I'm being "that crazy dad" this morning. I waited in line and was the 3rd person to enter Epcot (without an early breakfast reservation), double-timed it over to the Norway pavilion, and I'm 4th in line for the "Frozen" meet & greet that stats at 11:00.

My girls would love to meet Anna and Elsa, and this is the only place in all of Disneydom you can meet the main characters of their most successful animated film since "The Lion King." Because of that, the wait for this experience builds to over 4 or 5 hours throughout the day. It's a choice: (a) get in line when the park opens at 9:00 and wait until it starts at 11:00, (b) wait in even more absurd lines later in the day - practically ALL day, or (c) don't do it!

Normally, we'd fall in category (c), but this is out last day in the parks after being here for a week, today is cool and rainy, and I can wait in line for all of us while everyone else enjoys the park for a couple of hours while I wait.

When I got in line outside the Stave Church in Norway, I overheard the Disney cast member (CM) in charge of the line say to two other CM's who were walking by: "that's three hours right there, three hours!" as he laughed and pointed at us. Very non-Disney-like. 99% of Disney CM's are polite, pleasant, and do all they can to make the guest experience the best it can possibly be. But I've noticed a disturbing trend on this trip. The CM's need to be thankful that people love Disney - that patents love their kids who love Disney - enough to wait in a three hour line in the cold rain so that they have a line to watch after!

I've seen lots of CM's do it before. In the midst of the craziness, they celebrate the fact that they are working to bring people happiness in "the happiest place on earth." Not this guy. And not several others I've noticed on this trip that are standing around in groups of three or four, being quite unproductive, and discussing some very non-Disney-like topics loudly enough for any child (or adult) to overhear.

I know that CM's are human like the rest of us. But as their Disney training teaches them, when you're "on-stage" you leave the rest of that junk "off-stage." You have a job to do and a very fragile reputation to uphold. If that reputation goes away, the while company erodes with it.

Business is booming at Disney Parks. I hope that management doesn't take that as a cue to ease off on the training they give on how to act as a Cast Member at what's supposed to be the happiest place on earth.

P.S. Despite all this, I still believe in the Disney magic.

 

[Victoriasmom98]

Please make sure to post those all important pics of your family with Anna and Elsa! Heck, I'm 46, just saw the movie this past weekend, and am seriously considering waiting in line for MYSELF to meet them!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

You're a good dad who caught a CM in a bad moment. I hope your family enjoys the Frozen M&G!

1) I, also, hope the kids enjoyed the M&G.
. . . very nice of you to wait that long
. . . great that the kids were able to handle the wait

{FLAME PROOF CAPE OUT OF DRAWER AND IN PLACE}
2) While not saying it out loud (aka "on-stage"), I do share that CM's sentiment.
3) As many of us CM's do IN PRIVATE.
4) I, personally, can't see waiting 2-5 hours for a M&G.
5) If it were a prince or princess of England, maybe.
6) But, not for a character.
7) Then again, I can't see waiting more than 30-45 minutes for a ride/attraction.
{FLAME PROOF CAPE BACK INTO DRAWER}

NOTE: I would never demean or criticize guests for waiting, as this is their
choice for the event or the M&G, and they could/should spend their time as
they wish. It is simply my feeling as to the value of time. Nor, as the CM in
the posting did, would I point to a guest and single them out for waiting.
This is simply wrong, wrong, wrong.

 

[ethanwa]

CM's who do that stuff in front of guests don't last long at Disney. Don't worry, you just saw a bad egg.

 

[jbish]

4) I, personally, can't see waiting 2-5 hours for a M&G.
5) If it were a prince or princess of England, maybe.[/I]

It really is in the eye of the beholder, right? In return, I have zero interest in meeting royalty from England. I did end up waiting in line for Anna & Elsa for my daughter - and this was BEFORE the movie came out, so she didn't even know who they were. But I wasn't missing out on this chance. I would much rather meet a "character" that will help keep the magic alive for my kids.

To the OP, I hope you either can say something to a CM next time or make a note of the CM's name and get some feedback to the company. I know that CMs are human and prone to having bad moments. But when they're on stage, they need to do their part. Sure, they can't always be sunshine and roses, but they would be better off not saying anything at all. I bet if you had said something right away, that CM would maybe have taken note that he/she wasn't as sly as they thought. While I wish I was always quick on my feet, I rarely can think of the right thing to say at the time, so it's not easy to know what to do in the moment, especially when you're caught off guard like that.

 

[MrsSilvaStrat]

That's terrible behavior! shame, shame!

You are a great dad! Your kids are so lucky you would wait in that line for them to do the M&G ! Way to go!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

You are very kind to wait for this M&G. What am I missing, though? You are 4th in line and the CMs were pointing to you and saying "three hour wait". Am I the only one confused by this?

BTW, it would bug me BIG time to hear CMs speak like that in front of me. Certainly not what I would expect OR appreciate.

 

[vicki_c]

You are very kind to wait for this M&G. What am I missing, though? You are 4th in line and the CMs were pointing to you and saying "three hour wait". Am I the only one confused by this? BTW, it would bug me BIG time to hear CMs speak like that in front of me. Certainly not what I would expect OR appreciate.

He was there 3 hours before the start of the M&G.

 

[TDC Nala]

Likely they weren't pointing to HIM specifically but pointing out the line, unless he was the only one in line. Anyway if you get in line at 9 and they start at 11, it's two hours, not 3. Unless it was extra magic hour they were wrong about 3 hours.

Still inappropriate. Save it for the break room.

I hope that management doesn't take that as a cue to ease off on the training they give on how to act as a Cast Member at what's supposed to be the happiest place on earth.

Apparently such training HAS been cut, from three days to less than one. Maybe you got his name and reported his rudeness to Guest Services. That may indicate to WDW that further training is needed.

 

[Ormonster]

Please make sure to post those all important pics of your family with Anna and Elsa! Heck, I'm 46, just saw the movie this past weekend, and am seriously considering waiting in line for MYSELF to meet them!!

I just turned 42 this Monday and I did the m&g. I saw Frozen 2 weeks ago and thought it would be neat to meet them on my birthday. I got to Epcot at rope drop and headed straight to Norway. It was a little awkward feeling as I had no kids, just a good friend who went above and beyond waiting with me. The total time in line was about 3 hours. Anna and Elsa were awesome and wished me happy birthday and wanted to make sure I had chocolate on my birthday.

 

[summermac]

So? Did your daughters love the M&G or what?! That's the most important part!

 

[Miskey]

2) While not saying it out loud (aka "on-stage"), I do share that CM's sentiment.
3) As many of us CM's do IN PRIVATE.
4) I, personally, can't see waiting 2-5 hours for a M&G.


It is simply my feeling as to the value of time.

. . . I'm just standing in a line
. . . You should be happy because
1) I'm not complaining
2) I'm not causing you to do more work

YOUR value of time my not be MY value of time.

To the OP, hope the kids loved it!!

 

[ArwenMarie]

All of these profits Disney is seeing are going to the executives and shareholders, and the CMs are receiving scraps. Maybe if they shared a little of the wealth with the average worker through compensation, training programs, benefits, etc., they would get more in return from the CMs.

 

[Cais]

Where was the part where the character attendant killed a puppy? I'm confused.

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[757hokie]

Thanks to all who commented saying they hope my kids enjoyed the M&G. They were thrilled, of course. Maybe it's because they're sisters and are about the same difference in ages as Anna and Elsa, but they seem to identify with them more than any characters they have before. We'll, that, plus they've been singing the soundtrack for two months straight! My youngest actually sang part of "Let it Go" to them, which they seemed to get a genuine kick out of.

I understand that waiting like that is not for everyone and as stated in the OP, it's usually not for us either. And I can empathize with the CM, because I've walked by people waiting in crazy lines before and thought "those people are nuts." When I saw posts on New Year's Eve about a five hour wait for Test Track, I was guilty of that too. As someone said, I guess the value is in the eye of the beholder. The question of whether or not it's "worth it" is up to each individual to answer. You just never know that individual's circumstances that may contribute to that value judgment.

I'll try and post a pic to the thread once I get home... We've had our flights back to VA cancelled two days in a row due to Snowmageddon Part 2!