I'm through with WDWToday Podcast and Unofficial Guide

[CarolA]

Well, it doesn't matter if she thinks she's funny. If she is REPRSENTING a product then it's not acceptable to use words like "cripple" There is a line between a private citizen and a person working for a company. If she was held out as "represneing the UG" then I would think the owners (Frommers publishing) are not going to be happy with her 4th grade attempt at humor.

However before you BAN the UG from your bookshelf, they don't actually write it. They are part of the team.

 

[kizmac]

you people need to lighten up serisouly... This girl is hilarious.. She was brought back to the show by popular demand so obvisouly alot of people wanted her back.. I enjoy WDW PODCAST alot and I will definately continue listening to it..

Hilarious? I guess everyones taste is different, but I just got done listening and can't find one funny thing she said in that specific podcast. Maybe she was hilarious in previous ones but she clearly was out of material and should not of come back for this one. Total lack of class. Honestly, she should be appologizing for the whole "crippled people" comments.

I did not take it as sarcasm, but real things she has done. I personally found her immature, stupid and not anyone that would ever get a dime of my money. That stuff may be funny coming from anyone other than someone whose living is being made from giving "good" advice to other Disney vacationers. If it was on "Jacka$$" or "Wildboyz" yeah, I may find it funny, but that is what kind of shows those are and what level of maturity they represent.

Of course no one is forcing people to listen, and I only listened because of this post so whatever, it won't hurt me none. It did open my eyes to the UG and like I said they won't have any of my future business. TGM for me!

 

[madgomez]

you people need to lighten up serisouly... This girl is hilarious.. She was brought back to the show by popular demand so obvisouly alot of people wanted her back.. I enjoy WDW PODCAST alot and I will definately continue listening to it..

The earlier podcast was #38. At least in that one she laughed about her own tribulations (food poisoning and vomiting) and that of another family member (feet so raw from wearing the wrong shoes they looked like raw tuna and they had to get her a wheelchair). Except for purposely knocking over the ice pop of a six year old.

As far as "back by popular demand", I know they said that on the podcast. But if you look at the comments people posted to podcast #38, there are only two. And only one says she was funny. So maybe it was the popular demand of the folks doing the podcast?

I personally like the humor in the UG - but this was not that. And I agree that the problem was she was representing the UG.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

you people need to lighten up serisouly... This girl is hilarious.. She was brought back to the show by popular demand so obvisouly alot of people wanted her back.. I enjoy WDW PODCAST alot and I will definately continue listening to it..

"By popular demand" after she explained, in #38, how she knocked a popsicle out of a six year old's hands because earlier in the day the kid had bumped her with a stroller a few times? She's a class act.

 

[babar41]

you people need to lighten up serisouly... This girl is hilarious.. She was brought back to the show by popular demand so obvisouly alot of people wanted her back.. I enjoy WDW PODCAST alot and I will definately continue listening to it..

I will give you everyone has their own sense of humor, what is funny to one person is not funny to another. While you found her hilarious, I found her at best childish and at worst offensive. Would I listen to her again? No. Do I believe others would not want to listen to her? No, but to each their own.

I am disappointed that a part of the team that writes a book I have always been in love with, one that I refer to as my Disney Bible, would publicly make the statements she did. She was representing UG, and if that was a true representation of UG I am truely disappointed.

If an employee of any business behaved as she claims to have behaved while at their job (i.e. mis-directing people, knocking ice cream from childrens hands, breaking up people minding their own business holding hands walking), went on a public format using offensive terms like "crippled people" and took items that were related to their job (i.e. Pooh and Splash Mountain with all of their characters) and turned them into sexual items, all of this on a public format... Don't know of too many businesses that would continue their employment.

I know Len is part of this board. I would love to hear what he thinks.

 

[SolitaryPhoenix]

To the poster who said some of us need to lighten up, I'm quite light and have a good sense of humor.

Making an alarm noise when someone takes a flash pic where they're not supposed to? I like it and would hope it might be effective [or at least embarrass the idiot doing it], although I wouldn't have the nerve to make a noise like that myself. I love taking pictures, but always obey requests for no/no flash photography, so it really irritates me when others just snap away.

However...

...Tells people about hidden Mickeys that aren't really there and watches people look for them in vain.
...Gives wrong directions to foreign tour groups...
...Intentionally walks in between people who are holding hands when she is sweaty.
...Looks for sexual references on rides...
...Referred to "crippled people" when making the sound that the bus makes when loading a wheelchair.
....Intentionally gets in others' photos....

...the rest of these are just rude, crude and/or obnoxious, and certainly not necessary. Definitely not amusing, at all. I utilize mostly just online references for my planning, but knowing that this person is one of the team writing the UG would certainly guide my choices if I were to buy a guide in the future. Very unprofessional and quite stupid, IMHO.

 

[DisneyDotty]

Wow--I've been a huge fan of UG and have recommended it to everyone. C. Testa's comments really rubbed me the wrong way, and I'd like to think I have a good sense of humor. I could have been one of the idiots who she talks about--walking in between me and my DH, getting in my pictures, giving me wrong directions.
Thanks for making me feel like a stupid tourist, UG. Frankly, I wouldn't recommend you let Ms. Testa represent your company. You're going to lose some readers. You've lost me.

 

[disneyjunkie]

I wonder how people would react if they heard some of thing CM do/think about park guest?

Would they stop going to the parks? Boycott WDW and only visit universal?

Based on what I read in this thread, I think some of her "jokes" were funny, many were in bad taste. However, that won't keep from purchasing the UG next fall.

 

[Kenswing]

I wonder how people would react if they heard some of thing CM do/think about park guest?

Would they stop going to the parks? Boycott WDW and only visit universal?

I'm sure that CM's talk about the guests all the time. But do you here them doing it in a public forum? If they did, they would be fired on the spot. I think that she said these things is immature. But the fact that she was representing the UG is deplorable.

Ken

 

[bwbuddy5]

Definitely not sarcasm - they rarely rehearse before the show, and she was caught by surprise when asked to relate another real-life story. She proceeded to tell a story of when a lady who asked her while in Disney-MGM where the silver ball was, so she told her it was behind ToT. If you listen to the banter between Testa1 and Testa2, they react to each other quickly enough, that it's obvious they're reacting to each other based on their experiences.

I guess I bought UG so many times that I was niave enough to think they didn't just want to make money, but were actually helpful in nature. Now, I feel like a fool.

 

[JandT'smom]

I am with skylarr29. As a travel agent will never recommend the UG again. Just a bad feeling all around about them after that.

 

[Quinn222]

WDW Today is my favourite of all the poscasts and I look forward to every episode. I haven't listened to this one yet but I enoyed it the last time she was on. I don't think it is at all fair to paint the UG with a broad brush just because you don't like Christina Testa. She is Len's sister and from what I understand she just goes along on research trips to help with the numbers. She isn't an author of the guide and she explicitly stated in her earlier appearance that her opinions are neither asked for nor used in the UG.

Given a choice I'd far rather run into Ms. Testa in the park than a pack of cheerleaders.

 

[HockeyGoddess]

ok, gotta admit...some things were funny to me - the whole siren thing for flash photography, i wish i had thought of that...even the hidden mickey's, i giggled. after that - downhill, not funny, ended the program 1/2 way thru.

 

[madgomez]

I don't think it's an issue of "liking" Christine Testa. I think it's a matter of her "representing " the UG on a public forum - she was there as a UG researcher, not a guest comedianne. And it wasn't just her. Len did not discourage the banter, and apparently found her comments very amusing, laughing and going along with it.

Was it all supposed to be a joke, as Len said? I would suppose, since I have a hard time thinking the Testa's would think it would be OK to say these things seriously. Nevertheless, I, for one, will never feel quite the same about the UG again.

 

[Matt]

Truth and perception are quite different.

My perception is that the Testas are kinda crass and don't really "get" Disney.

It's not my job to get the truth out. I think the Testas did a very good job of making the UG look bad.

 

[disneyaggie]

That is so rude. I'm very disturbed by her behavior. Surely, they all aren't like this are they? I really like my UG book but if this is the way the people act I will not buy another one. Yuck!

I totally agree. Another poster added "trust issues" -- I am there with that as well. Nope, no more UG for me. If they can't be respectful or insist on lying to others seeking assistance just "for grins", well, I am not into that. Thanks for the head up, OP! Tour Guide Mike for me from now on!

 

[bwbuddy5]

I sent the note below to wdwtoday; I'll let you know if they reply. I have also read a post on another website from a "crippled" person, who is greatly offended by the comments.
-----------
I hope you guys realize you're getting barbecued on every "unofficial" Disney website out there from DIS to tourguidemike and many others after your totally tasteless WDWtoday podcast on Friday. I for one am finished with wdwtoday, touringplans.com, and the UG. Sadly, the attention the discussion is drawing on the websites is sure to cause more downloads than ever, as people are curious, and that's unfortunate.

My biggest fault was being naive enough all these years purchasing the UG to think that you were actually in it for more than just making money, and that you actually possessed helpful attitudes. I was wrong - I won't be wrong again. I know this won't put a dent in your book sales, your site hits, or your downloads; I hope it will at least put a dent in your hearts.

 

[CleveRocks]

I wonder how people would react if they heard some of thing CM do/think about park guest?

Would they stop going to the parks? Boycott WDW and only visit universal?

Based on what I read in this thread, I think some of her "jokes" were funny, many were in bad taste. However, that won't keep from purchasing the UG next fall.

I have no problem with bad taste. I love the Unofficial Guide BECAUSE of its sarcasm, as well as its incredible data. But after listening to the podcast myself a few minutes ago, I've come away very disappointed.

Christina Testa wasn't simply talking about her disdain for stupid and clueless guests or a secret wish that they'd all just disappear and/or leave her alone. She was talking about being hot and smelly and sweaty and miserable and seeking out a happy couple that looks freshly bathed and purposely squeezing between them so that her sweat will wipe off on them and they won't be so happy and fresh anymore. That's taking disdain and humor to a whole new level. It's just gross, physically gross. And mean. I don't find purposely causing other people to be unhappy to be funny.

I'll give her a pass on the giving bad directions thing (even though I don't like it, I'm trying not to judge TOO MUCH), and I'll chalk up her "crippled people" comment to harmless but egregious ignorance.

But choosing to wipe her bodily fluids on me just to get that stupid happy smile off my face? No thanks, I don't wish to ever again pay money towards her salary.

 

[jann1033]

well #1 on the list explains why i can never find hidden mickeys.. i figured it was just me

if she really does some of it, it's pretty stupid. i think the guide is funny but to intentionally misinform etc is just mean to me. everyone is not a "disney expert" and i'm sure they wouldn't like it if the shoe were on the other foot.

it seemed like they were all being kind of silly/sarcastic and trying to be funny but failing pretty miserably and so maybe they really thought it was funny. and some of the other people seemed kind of taken aback and not really sure how to take her when she said some things. maybe some of it would have been funnier in another setting..

 

[goofy4tink]

Listening now...have to say that I'm a bit surprised. It's not my type of humor. I'm hoping it was more a 'tongue in cheek' kind of thing. I don't know...I've met Len, and he certainly comes across as very nice and above making fun like this. But, I could be mistaken. I have to wonder about those poor people that ask her for directions, and are given bad directions. This could have been there one time visit to the park, and now they're all discombobulated, walking around following the 'directions' the nice lady gave them. Not so very nice, imho.
I can only hope that most people don't actually listen to the podcasts. We can only hope. I know that I won't be recommending them solely based on this one show.
Oh terrific...she just referred to the value resorts as 'roach hotels'....Nice.
Oh..now it's B'odorbits.