Here now, a little annoyed :/

[anniemae]

Seems every time these threads come up, I read the complaint and think "that's it?". Maybe my personal standards aren't as high as others.

DisBoards Disclaimer: This opinion expressed by me reflects my experiences alone and is not intended to replace or dismiss the experiences of the Original Poster, other posters that agreed, or posters yet to come.

I think the issue stems from the fact that Disney kind of set the standard for good customer service. It was what they were known for. It was there "thing." Guests were treated like royalty. All guests. CM's went out of there way to make you happy, it was there goal to interact with you, talk with you, make you smile, make you happy. It was like it was their mission to ensure you had a good time.

Whenever I see these threads, I can see the difference between Disney old timers (before cell phones, before the cp, before the cuts, before the crowds) who visited in Disney's hey day, and the people who just started going say, 10 years ago or so. The old timers find it unacceptable, the "newer timers" find it fine.

Neither is right or wrong IMO, just different.

 

[EricInPA]

I think the issue stems from the fact that Disney kind of set the standard for good customer service. It was what they were known for. It was there "thing." Guests were treated like royalty.

And in my experience that is still the case. Compared to basically everywhere you go, Disney is still head, shoulders, feet and toes above everyone else.

Even in the good ol' days, I'm sure there were plenty of CMs that made the fatal mistake of not making eye contact. There were no message boards to report it immediately though.

 

[LilyWDW]

This is my world in the service industry: Good day or bad day, when speaking with or faced with a customer, whatever is bothering me? I suck it up and smile...

These are human beings, not robots. Sometimes the smile slips because for a moment they start thinking about what else is going on in their lives. I will NEVER hold that against them. I have a bit too much empathy and understanding for that.

I have done some sort of front facing customer service job since I have been old enough to work. I know there have been days I have not been 100%. I had to work the day after I found out my best friend had passed away from cancer. I was randomly tearing up throughout the day, there was no way I could stop it. So someone that day may have seen me not smiling. Oh no! It's the worst thing ever... wait, no it's not. It's being a human with emotions.

Now, does this explain every single negative experience? No, of course not. Some people are just miserable. But I am more willing to give them the benefit of the doubt at first... I just think that is the right thing to do for another person.

 

[BuckeyeBama]

My opinion - the world has changed. People are just not as kind and considerate, across the board, as they used to be. The world is more about "me" today than it has been in our history. The price that we pay for success - leisure.

How does that impact customer service, particularly at WDW? First - the guests are not as considerate as they used to be. They act out in ways that were far less common (at least, in public) years ago. Second - If you get grief from guests all day long, day after day, month after month, about things totally out of your control, it is going to impact your attitude. Third - the CMs are also taken from this stock of people who are just not as kind and considerate as they used to be. So, even on their best day they are not likely to provide the same level of customer service as someone might have years ago.

That aside, I believe that many Dis posters, as frequent WDW guests, have a romanticized view of how WDW "used to be". I know that I do, but when I really search my memory I find flaws with every trip that I have taken. But that's alright - I still love WDW. I can accept this level of imperfection.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Hire full time employees. Pay them more. Quit cutting their hours. Don't make them feel like they could get sacked any minute because of what is going on somewhere else. Stop relying on interns, contractors and part-time employees so you don't have to give them benefits. Does this sound like Disney? And like how many other US corporations?

I think it's pretty rare to experience BAD customer service at a Disney park or resort, although it happens. Problem is, they rested on their reputation for their customer service being over the top good (which is why Disney fans from way back are expecting to see wall to wall smiles from CMs), and now they want to cut it down so it's comparable to anyplace else.

 

[HM]

My DD is a college Junior this year. She grew up going to WDW every year. In her mind being a CP CM was a goal. Once she actually started college, she changed her mind as she didn't see how it was going to help her at all (though her field of study may have been accomodated in some places). However, one of her friends is a current CP, just started, and she's loving it.....and she's a Photopass Photographer, which I'd think is a very good job.

I've had both great, and bad CM experiences, while most fall somewhere in between. I try not to let their attitudes be a factor of mine.

 

[Fuhnuh]

As someone who has managed employees in customer service, I used to marvel at the quality of customer service at WDW, especially in our trips during the 90s. I always wondered where they farmed such good employees. Leaving aside the issue that each visit may be impacted by the small sampling of CMs I encounter, I do notice that I no longer think the service is almost impossibly friendly. During my 1992 and 1998 trips, I thought Universal's staff were not even in the same league as WDW's, now the difference doesn't seem to be as noticeable. Some of this could be that Universal has brought up their quality of service. I am still satisfied with the level of service, but no longer amazed. I think it could be from several factors. 1. I grew accustomed to an impossibly high level of service through our many trips and expect too much. 2. Cost cutting measures leave the staff with more duties, less money, and less training. 3. The advent of the internet makes for more visitors who demand special experiences they have heard about. In our experience, the quality has leveled off in recent years. Maybe, I'll have a different opinion after our next trip, but I think Disney experiences are getting dangerously close to those we expect anywhere else. The great CM experiences are one thing that keeps me inside the Disney experience and makes it a trip where my worldly worries seem to disappear for the duration of my trip. Like BuckeyBama, I find I can accept the current level of imperfection.

 

[pktbMouse]

I feel for you OP...I hate nothing worse than trying to get served and the person serving me is off having a conversation with someone else..I think its the height of ignorance and it always gets my hackles up. Last two times at CBR we experienced terribly rude CMs that basically couldnt care less and we even had to end up reporting one to complaints as she shouted at our family for going the wrong way upsetting my youngest child. ( she was lucky I had my kids with me or I would have ripped her a new one!) try make the best of things and not let them get to you my dear and have a lovely vacation

 

[AngiTN]

And in my experience that is still the case. Compared to basically everywhere you go, Disney is still head, shoulders, feet and toes above everyone else.

Even in the good ol' days, I'm sure there were plenty of CMs that made the fatal mistake of not making eye contact. There were no message boards to report it immediately though.

The bold is especially true. While Disney may have fallen off from their prior levels they are still well above the avg.

Those that mention the "me-me-me" attitude from so many in society these days have also hit upon something that is impacting everything in our world today.

 

[Minnesota!]

I don't mean to sound full of it, but I moved down to Orlando with the intention to get a part-time job at Disney. I have been rejected from countless Disney jobs that someone in high school could do. I consider myself friendly, outgoing, and love to be around people. Then I go to the parks and have similar experiences like you had - no one really making eye contact, everyone working there looks so serious, no one is having fun. I joke that maybe my friendly, outgoing, and desire to be surrounded by people is a little too "overqualified" for the job and that's why I keep getting rejected. Heh. We're out there, it's just a matter of figuring out how to get Disney to hire us!

I see you moved from MN...how are you adjusting? We throw around the idea ALL the time...but I am skeered of the critters...

 

[mdsouth]

Nobody forces anybody to work for Disney. If you are a CM, you need to be courteous and patient and friendly at all times, good day or bad day, easy or not, because it's part of your job description. If you don't want/like to be with the public, don't work in a theme park. If a situation escalates, you have supervisors and security to help out. There is never an excuse, in the service industry, not to greet someone back or look them in the eye when you are ringing up a sale. I've been in the service industry since for ever, and this is not acceptable. We have to stop making excuses for inexcusable behavior.

I have to agree with this. At any job you are working in, most people learn to put their own personal problems aside in order to do their job and KEEP it.
For some people they do not have the attitude that the job they are doing is a permanent one (for whatever reason of their own or because of the way the company does business) and so this often effects how the perform on the job. The people who are supervising personnel that are underperforming need to speak up and let the employee know instead of just letting it continue. Disney is not keeping up with their own previously held standards, standards which they themselves developed.

//QUOTE="jeanico2000, post: 55283876, member: 291364"]You have to keep smiling, because it's your job. Same way anyone has to maintain the quality of their work through adverse or difficult conditions... as do teachers, nurses, etc... I'm not saying it's easy, because it's really not, but it is what it is when you are in customer service. Visitors to the parks should not be made to pay for whatever management's poor decisions are or whatever mood the CMs are in, sorry. Again, nobody is forcing anybody to work for Disney![/QUOTE]

Exactly! If you do not want to interact with the public on a daily basis, than do not apply for and take a job working in customer service for Disney.

 

[bryanb]

This isn't anything new. It just happens in waves. As a former Disney parks cast member (5 years, non CP), I've seen it all from the other side. Overall morale comes and goes. Every generation thinks "it's getting worse and worse" and complains about cuts. The reality is that it's always been this way. Cuts happen, then new spending happens until it gets reigned in, then the cycle repeats. Disney has never been going in just one direction downwards.

I wanted to address some criticisms of the College Program on this thread:

For the most part, CP cast members go to Disney World because they want to be there. They knew the hourly salary in advance and made the personal choice to relocate to Florida for the experience (and a little spending cash). It's not like they were forced into this low paying temp job. They certainly could've just done that at home.

But they chose to work for Walt Disney World -- for any number of reasons -- one of the best of which is that... it's WALT DISNEY WORLD! For the right person who is young, has few obligations, and likes Disney, it would be a great temporary job for a few months just for fun. It's not like they're stuck there.

Now, there are some people who do fall through the cracks. Maybe they just aren't a good fit and were bad hires. Maybe they realized too late that they actually hate working with the public. But for the most part, CP cast members should be self-selecting, fresh faces. Don't trust the surly posts on Yik Yak to be representative of the full population of CPs.

 

[pens4821]

We were there last week and didn't have any bad experiences. Any time we had a question it was answered nice and efficient. Most the times we were entering/exiting the CM's were all quite friendly. It seemed like the guards were less talkative, but would be nice if spoken to first. I don't expect people to go out of their way to talk to me. I have no problem with that. Maybe that's the way Disney used to be and people are used to it, but I'm perfectly fine with people just going about their jobs and not interacting much (unless their is a reason for them to). I tried to say hi or have a nice day to anyone we encountered. Sometimes it's the little things that make people feel a little better about being at work (whether Disney or elsewhere).

 

[Clare Voince]

I hate the "You don't have to work for XX" argument that people always use to defend employers who mistreat their employees. As if it is so easy to switch jobs these days, and as if many other employers are going to be much better for low-wage workers. Just because a job is 'unskilled' doesn't mean that it's ok to treat your employees like garbage. Like any company Disney will get out of their employees what they put into them. Disney employees are better than most because the people who work there generally love the magic too, but everyone is human, and you can't stay happy in a job where you are undervalued.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Are the employees being mistreated to the point where they could go get a job someplace else and be treated any better by their new employer?

Because a lot of employers are taking similar steps. You'd have to be lucky enough to find a company that isn't doing the same stuff.

And there are a lot of "good" CMs still who are nice and polite and "make magic." And yes, some of them are in the college program. So it can't all be about mistreatment. The entire world is different from what it was 10 years ago.

 

[Davey Jones II]

Hire full time employees. Pay them more. Quit cutting their hours. Don't make them feel like they could get sacked any minute because of what is going on somewhere else. Stop relying on interns, contractors and part-time employees so you don't have to give them benefits. Does this sound like Disney? And like how many other US corporations?

I think it's pretty rare to experience BAD customer service at a Disney park or resort, although it happens. Problem is, they rested on their reputation for their customer service being over the top good (which is why Disney fans from way back are expecting to see wall to wall smiles from CMs), and now they want to cut it down so it's comparable to anyplace else.

Agreed. But it's not gonna happen because Disney wants to maximize profits at the expense of their front line employees. Sad.

 

[Davey Jones II]

I hate the "You don't have to work for XX" argument that people always use to defend employers who mistreat their employees. As if it is so easy to switch jobs these days, and as if many other employers are going to be much better for low-wage workers. Just because a job is 'unskilled' doesn't mean that it's ok to treat your employees like garbage. Like any company Disney will get out of their employees what they put into them. Disney employees are better than most because the people who work there generally love the magic too, but everyone is human, and you can't stay happy in a job where you are undervalued.

Hear, hear.

And...working at Disney parks used to be a career.

 

[Sydnerella]

This Feb was our first trip of poor almost lazy service at multiple locations. Pizzafari was terrible as were many shops and quick service places. We finally stopped on the fourth day and commented out loud to each other that this was the worst service we had seen over seven trips. Both DH and I thinking it but not trying not to focus on the negative out loud until day 4 CMs "I dont know" and walk away at a shop.

 

[Boopuff]

My daughter is a DCP staff member currently. She is feeling the pressure of the Shanghi budget cuts all around her. The impact from across the world is being felt all over WDW. Many part time staff members are getting 0 hours! My daughter also said many DCP kids come for the "magic" and start work. Many (believe it or not) have never held a job or had to work real, long, exhausting hours. And dealing with a new generation of 'me first', 'gimme-the-magic' customers gets really old and difficult for DCP kids.

 

[ITALIANNYC]

I always find it interesting when people post about things while they are on vacation. My laptop is left at home and my phone is barely looked at lol. Last thing I would be thinking about at Disney is posting on a message board about the current trip I'm on.

Nothing wrong with OP doing it, I'm just stating that when on vacation, I like to forget the tech.