Here now. Observations and a couple of tips.

[AngiTN]

I really feel the need to point out that going to WDW is considered "entertainment"..... a "show"..... a place where we pay big bucks to be entertained...... and as such I don't think that the guest should be responsible for doing the "entertaining" by attempting to cheer up a CM that's in a bad mood! I feel guests have a responsibility to be respectful and polite, but EVERY Cast Member is trained that this is a SHOW they are part of..... hence the reason they are all called Cast Members! So.... yes... they have a responsibility to all the guests to put on that happy face! Not the other way around.

If that is how my post came across then i did not state my point correctly

I never meant to indicate that it was up to the guest to entertain. Simply that maybe we found more engaging CM because we engaged then in conversation. We never found one rude to us, even if we didn't initiate any interactions, even the manager who got blessed out for 20 min because bees were in the pool area. Hope he kept his cool during that guests complaint was beyond me. I would have told her that it's not possible

 

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

I attribute the dirtier parks in a large part to the declining attitudes of park goers. People now a days think nothing of dropping trash on the ground rather than walk 5 steps to the close by trash can. Or get up and leave their QS table covered with their trash.

YES! This right here! We see it all the time and it's just disgusting. Too many people think since they are on vacation it is someone else's job to clean up after them.

 

[minijeanie]

Isn't there a mad tea party thing there for fireworks?
The party is free, but the desserts and drinks are charged.

that is what I am asking has anyone gone?

 

[Parker Clan]

I haven't gotten around to a "just back post" but we got back a week ago from a 7 night stay at the Grand Floridian for our Honeymoon and we had the best time we've ever had!! They sure know how to make you feel special for a celebration -- we had a bunch of surprises & we met the friendliest cast members at the GF (shout out to Brent and Maggie!) and at Trattoria Al Forno (Our waitress Mary and Chef Dave!) we were literally blown away and just want to say the Disney magic is alive!!!

 

[Angel Ariel]

I'm trying to figure out where all y'all find the grump CM. Do you engage them in conversation when you see them? I know DH and I both stop and chat with CM, asking about their day in general, telling them we appreciate them, etc. I wonder if being friendly brings friendly? No idea but there has got to be something to explain how so many say most CM are indifferent when we can go at the same time and find the CM engaging. But we put forth the effort to be engaging with them. Maybe that's the difference?

I do think there is something to the whole golden rule, treat others how you want to be treated..just throughout life in general. That said, there are also thousands of CMs at WDW every day. I think chalking up the difference to mean that the guests who come across rude of unfriendly CMs implies that the guests weren't friendly themselves or were somehow rude themselves is making a big leap, though. It's entirely probable that you're just coming across different people than those the other posters are referring to. Different parks at different times, on different days, etc..

 

[jahber]

I do think there is something to the whole golden rule, treat others how you want to be treated..just throughout life in general. That said, there are also thousands of CMs at WDW every day. I think chalking up the difference to mean that the guests who come across rude of unfriendly CMs implies that the guests weren't friendly themselves or were somehow rude themselves is making a big leap, though. It's entirely probable that you're just coming across different people than those the other posters are referring to. Different parks at different times, on different days, etc..

Anyway, if Disney is training and retaining (or firing) its cast members properly, there should be very few reports of "grump CMs." Period. Someone good at customer service will not be grumpy with a customer, no matter how rude they are. I worked customer service at a department store for seven long years, during high school and then every summer and every holiday through college. There were times I was reduced to tears and times I wanted to defend myself against some really angry, mean people, but we were not permitted to be "grumpy" or rude to customers. It was our job to be nice and help.

As a local, I can say in my experience most of the CMs are great. Really great. And working under very unpleasant circumstances at times (I'm looking at you, Florida summer), but I have definitely run across some CMs who had me scratching my head. I've never complained formally because it has never been that big of a deal, but people here deserve to know that their experience if bad service is valid and not just their imagination. I am as nice as I can possibly be to people (remember, I did my time in the customer service trenches), but being nice to someone does not guarantee they'll be nice back. And vice versa.

Edited to add: not everyone is cut out for customer service. I am not. When the managers offered me a spot in the management training program, I told them I'd take my chances with my English major, thankyouverymuch. It's not an easy job. And CMs are paid ridiculously low wages. So there's that.

 

[trouttigger]

I'm getting conflicting reports: Lower crowds? But when I look at crowd calendars, I see no low crowd days. Am I just looking at the wrong months? (I won't go during the summer, so maybe that's when crowds are lower than ever.)

 

[miamimi]

I'm getting conflicting reports: Lower crowds? But when I look at crowd calendars, I see no low crowd days. Am I just looking at the wrong months? (I won't go during the summer, so maybe that's when crowds are lower than ever.)

there havee been numerous reports of lower crowds this past summer and people are speculating that the trend may continue. Crowd calendars forecasted using previous years, so they may not be accurate.

 

[DAKL101]

I'm getting conflicting reports: Lower crowds? But when I look at crowd calendars, I see no low crowd days. Am I just looking at the wrong months? (I won't go during the summer, so maybe that's when crowds are lower than ever.)

It has been super dead all week, but with the holiday coming it is going to pick up over the weekend.

 

[chigirl]

Or maybe the difference is that they had a different experience from you? Different CM, different day, different time?

YEP! I admit.... I'm one of those hardcore Disney defenders feeling the drop in quality!

Im one, too...no one is mentioning Iger. Its his fault. He is a typical US CEO who really wants to please Wall Street, and lets face it, those are unethical dudes (just watch "The Big Short" ), even the way Iger handled the Kelly Ripa incident, a 28 year Disney employee (who I am not a fan of) who beat the Disney drum loudly, just disrespectful (and yes I know, first world problems etc, she makes millions...they still dissed her, a veteran employee). The CMs are having their hours cut due to Shanghai...wdw has extra expenses not budgeted for (fences at beaches, etc). Young parents are pissed at wdw about the alligator incident. We encountered some great CMs, ALL at POR were top notch...my husband and I are friendly, laid back people who treat people with respect. We had alot of disengaged, bored, unsmiling CMs. I did not think the parks were dirty, like some said, but the staff, especially at AK, seemed disengaged. I also saw way, way less supervisors...I could see them on every trip, observing and keeping castmembers engaged. We still had a great trip, but with the construction and cutbacks, we will not be back until HS is finished...which looks like 5 years doen the road. THAT is another issue...why so long for everything, Imagineers? Universal is working fast, WDW needs to work faster.

 

[TexasTSL]

We are outgoing and try to engage CMs in a friendly way, especially my DH. We are from Texas and consider being gracious, friendly and mannerly an 11th commandment, so the decline that ae noticed in CM "attitude" is not attributable in tbis case to us putting out bad and/or unfriendly behavior. Nor do we, by the way, feel entitled to special treatment!