I need to vent..

[dansyr2514]

Maybe it's just the day I'm having....but I'm so close to going off on a Pete sized vent.
So I'm just browsing the dis boards and it seems as if there are more complaints about Disney than there are good posts about Disney. I thought that's why we are all here...for our love of Disney.

Now my the 2 main things that set me off
1. Why do people expect so much? For example.. ( names, places and details have been changed to protect the complainers). A mistake has been made ....let's say with your resort. Disney has overbooked and is now offering you an upgraded room at a resort in the same category as what you booked.
Me personally...unless I had my heart set on staying at the resort..would accept. If I did have my heart set on that particular resort, I would nicely tell the cast member that and politely decline from moving to another resort if at all possible. The scenario I've been witnessing....demand an upgrade to a deluxe...demand an upgrade and a refund...demand an upgrade a refund and fastpasses. Maybe I was just raised differently or maybe I'm from a different generation ....so maybe that's why I don't understand why people feel so entitled.


Which brings me to point #2......
I see so many posts about bad Disney CM's or how Disney has declined in service. hmmmmm... do you think maybe point #1 could possibly lead to this.
When is Disney allowed to put their foot down and say "no". No to free upgrades. No to extra fast passes because someone has to wait in line 5 min longer that the posted wait time. With the attitude of alot of people these days, I can see why Disney cast members can get worn down and aren't as excited to help you have a magical day.

I know this has been discussed before and it is my personal vent. Disney is my favorite place in the world and I do not look at it through the rose colored glasses that I did on my first couple trips. Disney does not do everything right.....but they sure do a heck of alot right or they wouldn't have so many fansites dedicated to them. The funny thing is...the people complaining are the ones spending money going back year after year.

Ok ...thanks for letting me vent.
The views in this post are strictly mine and do not represent the views of all the other dis boards/ disunplugged obsessed fans like me

 

[simonkodousek]

Something I've noticed with online forums, is that people tend to post much more often about their "negative" experiences with something than their positive experiences. I always take the reviews given on the resorts or restaurants boards with a grain of salt because who knows; the restaurant might just be having an off day, the resort might have a few grumpy CM's on duty on the day you're there, etc., etc. Heck, I even take Kevin's dining reviews w/ a grain of salt. Not that they're great and I love, love, love listening to them, but they're really the explanation of one group's experience. Kevin and John may dislike a restaurant, I may love it. I'll tell you though, I'm not going to Shutters after seeing those pictures, LOL.

Okay, I've rambled long enough. I agree w/ everything you said, ESPECIALLY about people demanding entire resort category upgrades. That's insane.

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I agree point 1 leads to point 2. I chimed in a bit on the other thead and I said what you were saying. Someone said if you bought a red car and went to pick up your car and they said we don't have red would you like blue or your money back? I said to my DH imagine if we did that, bought a red Kia (which I do drive, except it's balck) and I said no, cause you didn't give me what I want I want a BMW! What are the odds of them delivering on that?

Anyway, I called last night to reduce our trip by a day, DH can't get enough time off work. I got a really sweet, young, single mom for a CM. She appologized for being slow a couple times saying her brain was fried. I kept saying no problem. She was telling me that they had a full week of (sounded like manditory) overtime and she was missing her little boy (17 months) because by the time she got home he was sleeping and she had to leave before he woke up. She said her mom was his caregiver. I told her to go home and get her little boy and snuggle with him tonight, even if he's asleep for her own sake. She said she just might do that. She said she called home on her lunch break and was near tears talking to him cause she misses him so. I told her I heard about some problems and while she didn't go into the issue, she said it had been a rough week. These poor cast members are just doing their jobs and some people are taking out their frustrations on them when they really have no power.

 

[BriarRosie]

It's been the problem for years that people feel stronger entitlements without warrant, and it is irritating, I agree. My pet peeve lately has been posts where people ask, "What is ____ ?" And blank could be food or drink items on a menu. Instead of asking, they should be using Google for that kind of thing.

As for Disney cast members, there are some great cast members, but there are some really awful ones that need to be re-trained. My friend encountered some bad ones at the MK last month who nearly left her in tears when she thought she would be stranded at the park at 2am during EMH.

I read a report on the Restaurants board where the two adults wanted character interaction at Crystal Palace, but the characters skipped their table three times. When they asked the character handler, the cast member said to them they should have brought kids with them! I think that was inexcusable.

 

[lugnut33]

I usually try to stay away from the "has service declined" or "CM are bad" threads because I think a lot of that has to do with the individual person's personality. Personally, I always think "a spoonful of sugar" helps overcome a lot of things.

Just my opinion on the cast member thing though. I've been to WDW and DL a bunch of times and I find the CMs in DL to be better. (Don't get me wrong, there are tons of great CMs at WDW also.) Mostly I think that's because the CMs for the most part have worked at DL for years and perfected their craft whereas at WDW you mostly run into kids on the college program. It's great that WDW gets a lot of cheap labor to help with the bottom line, but it also means there are lots and lots of CM turnover. Just when somebody is getting good at a job they leave.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

I don't think there's necessarily a correlation between 1 and 2. All Disney CMs are, or at least should be trained the same way, to handle all kinds of situations with the same professionalism. However, I think a lot of people in customer service get burned out very quickly, and the turnover rate can definitely be high. I don't think that excuses any CM from acting in a rude or unprofessional manner when they are "on stage".

As for the thread in question, I posted that I'd be pretty upset, too. Not that I'd go around demanding an upgrade, but I'd certainly want to stay where I booked, where I centered my ADRs and park days around, where I'd told my family we were gong to stay, etc. Disney goofed BIG time, and as a company known for excellent customer care, should be going out if it's way to accommodate all 400 families that booked POP and can't stay there.

 

[simonkodousek]

My pet peeve lately has been posts where people ask, "What is ____ ?" And blank could be food or drink items on a menu. Instead of asking, they should be using Google for that kind of thing.

SO TRUE!

 

[MaleficentandGoons]

First let me say that I have stated my grievances about many things. Just because I love something doesn't mean that it's perfect.

I think there are two things going on. There are people who have been with Disney for such a long time that they are now seeing some of the cut backs in service. Then there is the person who is so desperate to make a trip that they penny pinch and save to the point that life is miserable until they get to Disney because that's all they've been thinking and obsessing over. So now you have this person who expects to be treated like royalty at ever point in their Disney trip and then when they aren't they complain to the highest degree.

 

[simonkodousek]

I just spoke to my mom about this thread over breakfast, and explained the situation going on in the thread on the resorts board. We both agreed that if we were offered a stay at a comparable resort, with the added convenience of a preferred room, neither of us would turn our noses up and demand something better. I think she put it best when she compared it to flying. If you book coach and the cabin is full, the airline might give you an upgrade to first class. However, if you book coach and they seat you in the back of the plane next to the engines, you shouldn't demand an upgrade to first class. If the flight attendent or whomever at the check in desk offered you a seat closer to the front of the plane, that should be good enough.

 

[inkedupmomma]

while I think being bumped from my resort would SUCK (yes, I woulda been pissed!) , I do agree that so many people seem to be do nothing but bashing lately!

Maybe since we have season passes to Sesame Place and live so close to Six Flags, I can appreciate WDW for what it is more? Idk. But despite the prices and all that, there is NOTHING in this world that can make me feel the way I do when I first enter WDW! That is not me being silly, or naive. I know the prices suck, but ya know what, I'm planning a surprise trip to Hershey and that is SUPER expensive too! All trips are expensive, why people seem to mind it so much with WDW idk

 

[SamSam]

For me, the most irritating are people with a sense of entitlement. When people post that they recieved a free dessert (or something else special) because it was their birthday or anniversary, many people seem to think they should also get some special 'free' recognition.

I look at any special thing that happens as a wonderful surprise, a little bit of Pixie Dust, not as something I deserve because I'm celebrating.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[*NikkiBell*]

I agree and disagree with your points here.

1. I personally feel that there should not be any overbooking of resorts. They should be keeping track of how many are booked and plan accordingly. There's software to do that. Yes, I do realize this even happens with airplanes, but again, I don't think it should.

With that being said, I don't think people should make outlandish requests if this happens to them (i.e. demanding a deluxe resort upgrade). I would definitely be disappointed and possibly angry if I was in this situation as I plan on staying at a particular resort for a specific reason. If I took the time to book early, then they should take the time to make sure they are not overbooked. I am paying them for a product; they're not paying me and should monitor their reservations.

2. Even thought there are some amazing cast members and WDW/DL are my favorite places to be ever, something needs to be done about the poor service. Since I began going to Disney in the early 90s, there has been a major decline in cast member service. Many are rude, unfriendly, and far from what Disney service should be. I personally blame this on the fact that they have reduced training by half and are relying more and more on part time employees. Again, this is just my opinion, but I've felt this way more and more over the past few years.

 

[AlbertZeroK]

I think one of the reasons I like the pod cast is that Pete Rants like I do about stuff. And we both know who is really to blame for the issues.

That being said, I always make it a point to really say thanks to those who do a wonderful job on the phone with helping me, weather it's verizon wireless or disney. Then again, I'm never afraid to ask for a supervisor, but I typically phrase it as, "I understand the limits they place on helping me, can we talk with a supervisor who will have a broader set of tools to resolve this issue?"

But one of the great things about this board is that people aren't aways, "I'm Pissed". I have asked for and found some amazing information, that while not mandatory to have for our vacation, has helped us to spend our money wisely and be more prepared. I don't think it's made me spend less money or try to squeeze the last penny out, but because of a post here, I'm thinking, we'll cancel our Sea World VIP tour and pick up two other tours in stead.

So I say let people rant, as long as they don't pull the emergency slide out and delay my flight, I'm fine with it!

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

AlbertZeroK, I think you make some good points. However, I've gotten some strange CMs on the phone in the past few weeks who a) didn't speak English very well, b) were working from home and attending to children, and/or c) could have cared less that I was calling to try and UPGRADE a room reservation and give them MORE MONEY.

 

[trivial]

As with anything, people tend to talk more about what goes wrong than what goes right. I used to work for a major cell phone carrier and was told something like, "A happy customer will tell 1 person, but an unhappy person will tell 5 people." Just human nature I suppose.

Sometimes people go overboard, but on the other hand, I think that Disney's service and offerings have declined over the years, and that's going to get people who love Disney talking about it. Not because they love to complain (for the most part), but because they're seeing something they love moving downward instead of upward. I personally would rather see people being honest than wearing rose-colored glasses, but I completely understand how much of a downer it can be to see so much negativity.

I do agree that people shouldn't expect pixie dust at every turn and free upgrades. The podcast from a week or two ago had a great discussion about this. There's no question there are too many people with a sense of entitlement out there.

 

[roomthreeseventeen]

This is what gets me upset, though. Someone in the other thread, who says they are a CM, posted this;

After you've been nasty to the wrong CM, they'll delight in "accidentally" cancelling your Ohana or Le Cellier reservation after you walk away.

 

[G66]

I do agree that people shouldn't expect pixie dust at every turn and free upgrades. The podcast from a week or two ago had a great discussion about this. There's no question there are too many people with a sense of entitlement out there.

Agreed. I can't believe how outraged people are getting over this issue. They are letting it ruin their vacation before it even starts. I think it has more to do with envy over what someone else may have been offered than the actual change from one value to another.

Just between you and me, my family liked ASMo better than Pop.

 

[LilGMom]

OP, I completely agree with your first point. If you book one thing and for one reason or another can't have that and are then offered a comparable thing, possibly with a small upgrade, why can't you be satisfied. The POP thread, in my opinion, is out of control with some of the rantings. The OP was being offered another value resort with comparable ammenities and being given an upgraded room but there were people saying 'demand more'.

If I booked a std. room at POFQ and had to be moved to a waterview room at POR, would I take it? Yes, it is a comparable room and even an upgraded room. Would I expect more? No. If I booked a std. room at the Poly and had to be moved to waterview or CL WL room, would I take it? Yes, it is still a deluxe and an upgrade room. Would I expect more? No but since an ammenity that was available at the Poly - the monorail - is no longer available to me during my stay some additional compensation would be nice. I would in no way expect it or even ask for it. If I booked a one bedroom at AKV Kidani and had to be moved to a one bedrom at AKL Jambo, would I take it? Yes. Would I expect more? No but, again, with losing the ammenity of that second bathroom some additional compensation would be nice but I would never expect it or ask for it.

WDW gets people complaining about everything and expecting freebies all the time. 'My child dropped their ice cream on their shirt, can we get another Mickey bar and how about a new shirt?', 'Little Suzy is going to have her birthday ruined if she isn't made the star of the show and get free desserts.', ' My steak wasn't cooked to my liking and I want it taken off the bill... nevermind that I ate the entire thing and practically licked my plate... it wasn't how I wanted it' (yes, I actually saw that once at Kona), yada, yada, yada. I can't imagine some of the complaints that the CMs have to deal with and my hat goes off to them because I certainly don't have the personality to deal with what they, I'm sure, have to put up with daily and all with a smile.

 

[cxcelica]

WDW gets people complaining about everything and expecting freebies all the time. 'My child dropped their ice cream on their shirt, can we get another Mickey bar and how about a new shirt?',

This is true. I think it ties into the other discussion about internet, message boards and "Pixie Dust". To use your example, one person posts about how a CM gave their child a free shirt when they dropped their Mickey bar, and then somehow it'll turn into "You should ask for a new shirt if your child drops their Mickey Bar on their shirt" to "I wouldn't take anything less than a free shirt from Disney if my child dropped a Mickey bar on their shirt" to finally "My vacation was ruined, a CM refused to give me a new shirt when my child dropped a mickey bar on their shirt. Disney is going downhill, what would Walt say if he was still alive??

This is extreme and their are many legitimate complaints about Disney but for every legitimate one their seems to be two just silly ones.

 

[grafxgirl]

It's funny you bring this discussion up because we are having a similar discussion about Disney on our neighborhood forums. There have been several people who swear they had an awful time on their one and only trip to WDW and will never go back. My advice to them was no matter where you go on vacation, it's all about your attitude. If you are going with a bad attitude, then you won't enjoy yourself. Things don't always go as planned (even at Disney), so it's best to try to just go with the flow. I also think that too many people set their expectations at extraordinary levels, then are disappointed in the end. We are DVC members since 2003 and have been to WDW 2-3 times per year and have never had an overall bad experience. Yes, we've hit some snags along the way, but we've never let it ruin our vacation. I don't know, maybe it's our attitude since both my husband and I have had experience working in customer service environments so we know what it is like on "the other side" so we can sympathize and think about how we would've handled the situation.