Injustice at Test Track

[kidrericha]

I understand your frustration. And I sympathize about having your moment stolen. But I figure it's up to the CMs to do the policing, not me. If the CM doesn't care or isn't paying attention, it's not something to get riled up about. Which ISN'T to say I would have been happy about it! It's also not a reason, in my opinion, to display poor behavior by making remarks in line. It's not going to make a bit of difference in the other person's actions, anyhow. If the CM did miss the date, he had already let the guy through and might have even been embarrassed by your calling him out on it.

The remarks I made were extremely mild, I assure you. And perhaps the CM should do his job properly if he wishes to avoid the embarrassment of being called out on it. Unless you’re self employed those same rules really apply anywhere.

And to say it’s not your job to police anyone, that’s a copout. If you witness someone stealing car would you not report it? We’re all equal parts of a society and we have a certain duty to police each other.

These stories just emphasize how difficult a job the CMs really have. Trying to keep people happy - those following the rules and those who don't - must be very difficult. They don't really have a lot of choice with the rulebreakers. They can ask, and ask, and ask... but when they are ignored, they must choose to let it go or make a big scene, which I'm sure they instructed to avoid.

It's sad that there are so many people who feel entitled to special treatment at the cost of others. I think the best we can do is be considerate of the Cms and try not to let the behavior of jerks ruin our good time.

I beg to differ. The CM’s task in this particular situation was not difficult, especcially considering I did most of the leg work. All he would have had to do is ask that gentleman to produce the valid fastpasses he presented at the front of the fastpass return. Not all that difficult.

And while it was bothersome, I enjoyed every other bit of my trip. I was on the boards while in Florida and did not revisit it until today.

I'm all for following the rules - but why would you let someone like that even bother you???? This world is filled with people who will cheat and lie just to get a step or two ahead regardless of where they are.

Why not just be happy that you were at Disney World?

JMHO

On the revenge level I got over it once we buckled in. What stuck with me is the children who get to see that happen and what they take from it. Yeah, I was there to explain to my little girl what he did and why it was wrong, but what about his little girl?

Again, I was very happy to be there and honestly didn’t think about it after speaking with the show lead. But it is my life and I refuse to be just a spectator.

 

[carmiedog]

And to say it’s not your job to police anyone, that’s a copout. If you witness someone stealing car would you not report it? We’re all equal parts of a society and we have a certain duty to police each other.

Car theft and fastpass cheating are a little different, dontcha think? And no, I don't call the police to report jaywalkers or take down the license plates of speeders, either.

 

[marciemi]

When I saw your title, I wondered if you were going to have the same complaint at Test Track that I did on our trip a couple weeks ago. But I guess I saw a completely different injustice/way for people to be even more rude in my opinion.

This happened not just once but twice during our trip, both during times when the wait for TT was over an hour. My son's favorite ride is Test Track, and since he's 16, it's easy for us to ride in the single rider line (usually 5-10 minutes - a couple times they didn't even make us watch the briefing). Never once during the probably 10 times we rode this way did we get seated together - fine with us, we got a couple FP's during the week and got our pictures together then.

But I was SO frustrated by families with young kids who (cut the line) went in the single rider line. Then when they got to the front threw a complete hissy fit when the CM tried to split them up from their precious angels who couldn't possibly ride without mom and dad. BOTH times this happened, the CM just gave in and let the family ride together. Probably wouldn't have left such a bad taste in my mouth if one of the time I hadn't seen the mom give a smirk and thumbs up to dad as soon as the CM let them through. What's the point of the 17 "your party will be split up" signs if they don't bother to do that?

 

[Flametamr]

We all get anrgy at people who cheat the system. But one want to look at is that it only bothers you if you let it. The guy found a way thru the system. It worked this time but maybe next time it won't. Hopefully he go turned away on the next time thru.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

When your daughter started to ask questions I would have answered loud enough for this guy to hear you. I would have told her that in life you will run into many people that will lie and cheat to get ahead but we all know lying is a sin and we are better than that. I would also say that my job as your mommy is to help you be better than that and unfortunatly some kids don't have mommies and daddies that do that and they will suffer later in life because their parents raised them to be unethical.

If that didn't make him feel like a jerk then probably nothing else would.

 

[larryz]

If that didn't make him feel like a jerk then probably nothing ... would.

I fixed it, 'cause I don't think that would have fazed him either. People who do that apparently have no conscience to begin with.

 

[kidrericha]

Car theft and fastpass cheating are a little different, dontcha think? And no, I don't call the police to report jaywalkers or take down the license plates of speeders, either.

Oh they're equal, buster. It's those Real World to Disney World conversion rates that get people mixed up.

We all get anrgy at people who cheat the system. But one want to look at is that it only bothers you if you let it. The guy found a way thru the system. It worked this time but maybe next time it won't. Hopefully he go turned away on the next time thru.

And on the flipside, it continues to happen if you let it. My actions probably made no difference at all. But at least I can say I tried rather just show the same indifference as that CM.

 

[babyfacebabe86]

Ohh. Why can't ppl mind there own business?!? I thought tattle tales stayed in elementary school. I can't imagine something like this getting me that upset!

 

[PinkRhombus]

The remarks I made were extremely mild, I assure you. And perhaps the CM should do his job properly if he wishes to avoid the embarrassment of being called out on it. Unless you’re self employed those same rules really apply anywhere.

And to say it’s not your job to police anyone, that’s a copout. If you witness someone stealing car would you not report it? We’re all equal parts of a society and we have a certain duty to police each other.

People like that irritate me, too, but I also think that it was a less than mature example that you showed your daughter by smarting off at the guy every time you passed by him in the line.

 

[PAcpl]

I'm all for following the rules - but why would you let someone like that even bother you???? This world is filled with people who will cheat and lie just to get a step or two ahead regardless of where they are.

Why not just be happy that you were at Disney World?

JMHO

Im sorry, but I have to agree. People have been breaking rules for a long time. Mother karma always has a way of presenting her pretty face!

 

[ScrapperBelle]

In May of 08 we were waiting for Turtle Talk to start. We were waiting outside the theater in the room with all the exhibits. DH was walking our DGD around and I was taking pics of them. I had to change the batteries in my camera, so I stood off to the side to do it and I overheard a conversation between 2 women about the fastpasses they had printed at home.

I was kinda curious because I thought it was something Disney had recently started. I had been so busy in the week or 2 before we left that I wasn't on the computer much and figured just my luck, I had missed something.

Well, the story was that one of the women's sons had "counterfeited" fastpasses to "all the rides they wanted to ride". She was showing the other woman a ziploc (wonder what's up with the use of ziplocs?) full of fastpasses.

This woman did get justice served to her about 2 days later. We were in the MK walking up to Splash Mtn. and there is a commotion at the entrance. It's this same lady with the fastpasses. But the CM there caught her. I guess something about the passes didn't look right or something. Anyway, I don't know exactly what happened to her because we went on the ride. But I do know she wasn't able to use her FP and we heard one of the other members of her party commenting that these FPs were not working out, so maybe they had been caught at other rides as well.

 

[Sandy321]

wasnt there a thread about buying some sort of pass system? If I remembered what the thread was about - it wasnt touring... but someone was going to meet the purchaser... it sounded like a scam, but it seemed to have panned out -

 

[kmk1180]

I can deal with him not paying attention. It's not ideal, but I would at least understand. To not do anything when it presented to him is a slap in the face.

I agree in principle but look at the truth of the situation.
The CM held the passes and the guy was already through.
If he could care less about the rules and have fake or invalid fastpasses, then even if the CM confronted him he would deny it.
Just say the CM must me mistaken and it was from someone else.
Even possible from the person who complained.
Basically the guy would lie and know they can't prove it.
He needed to be caught before he entered.

Sad but true.
I agree with OP frustrations, that would bug me too.
But like OP said, what goes around comes around. Eventually he'll
get real burned by this or something else.

 

[SPAM]

As far as using old fastpasses, its wrong I agree. I do think that sometimes well meaning people buy them not knowing they are not allowed. (Might not be the case here though). On your other point, when I pictured the situation in my mind, as this has happened many times, he might have thought that you were with the group in front of you and that you guys were waiting for you fp window to open. Just throwing out another point of view.

 

[KellyNY]

I can deal with him not paying attention. It's not ideal, but I would at least understand. To not do anything when it presented to him is a slap in the face.

Sure, the attitude is what was a killer in the situation.
If he would pay attention he would catch the man by hand and since he did not do his job properly, even pointed out,he probably decided to cover up by not responding to you.

 

[2infinityandbeyond]

The OP should have recorded the offending CM's name and marched right to Epcot Guest Services, demanding that the slacker CM be terminated.

Sheesh, get over it. One guy cheating the system gets you into this kind of tizzy?? I spend my vacation time enjoying my vacation, not playing rules cop.

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

When I saw your title, I wondered if you were going to have the same complaint at Test Track that I did on our trip a couple weeks ago. But I guess I saw a completely different injustice/way for people to be even more rude in my opinion.

This happened not just once but twice during our trip, both during times when the wait for TT was over an hour. My son's favorite ride is Test Track, and since he's 16, it's easy for us to ride in the single rider line (usually 5-10 minutes - a couple times they didn't even make us watch the briefing). Never once during the probably 10 times we rode this way did we get seated together - fine with us, we got a couple FP's during the week and got our pictures together then.

But I was SO frustrated by families with young kids who (cut the line) went in the single rider line. Then when they got to the front threw a complete hissy fit when the CM tried to split them up from their precious angels who couldn't possibly ride without mom and dad. BOTH times this happened, the CM just gave in and let the family ride together. Probably wouldn't have left such a bad taste in my mouth if one of the time I hadn't seen the mom give a smirk and thumbs up to dad as soon as the CM let them through. What's the point of the 17 "your party will be split up" signs if they don't bother to do that?

They are getting better about this though. We saw 4 times parties getting split up at TT. One day the woman got smart back w/ the CM and refused to move to another 'car' the CM had another come over and the offended woman and her teenage child were sent out of the que area. We got in our car at this point so I'm not sure what happened. Yesterday we saw it happen again, this time a family w/ a teenage / early adult developmentatlly challenged child try to get thru single rider. CM dutifully split thier party up among different cars. Good for her!

At AK we saw a CM nearly come to blows w/ another CM at EE b/c CM holding single rider line sent a party of 2 into a line together. CM1 asked one of the riders to step back to single rider line, they refused, the doors opened for the next train and the single rider party of 2 hopped right on! I couldn't beleive it, neither could the CM, she just shook her head and her mouth was hanging in disbeleif. She went back and had words w/ CM working the single rider line. It was not a pleasant conversation I assure you, but I didn't see CM single rider line mess up again the rest of the trip!

OP: good for you!! I commend you for passionate view of obeying rules. I am the same way. Given the time of day and how hot/tired I was I might have made more of a scene out of it than you did. DH and I flat out refused to let 2 teenage girls cut in front of us at TSM last week. I didn't get out of bed at 7am to get on TSM for them to get in front of me and I saw them getting FP's and trying to cut line while I waited paitently watching the line growing for my DH to get our FP's. We just wouldn't move so they could get ahead. Stood side by side in the cue w/ our hands on bars on each side, we made a "wall of rule enforcment". DH made a point of telling them loudly they weren't skipping in front of him and if they needed to meet thier chaperon they could go outside and wait for him to come out. I turned around and told one they could be expelled from the park for skipping and I would gladly snap her picture and hand my camera over to the CM at the front of the line (and I SO would have, I am not a morning person). They shut up and a few min later just flat out disappeared. We didn't see them climbing thru the cue so I am assuming they stopped and started letting people pass them. The family in front of us applauded us for sticking to our guns, said they already told them no to skipping earlier in the line and we became friends while we waited.

 

[ILoveDisney-Angie]

People never cease to amaze me. I love vacationing at WDW but I always run into jerks like that. The only thing you can do is try to make them feel like the jerk that they are. I make little comments that they can overhear on how I would feel embarrased if I were them to do such things and so on. If I did something to offend someone and they made a little comment like that I would feel horrible and think twice about doing it again...but I guess that's just me. I'm sure the jerks that do those things don't let it bother them.

It is frustrating for all of us to follow the rules to witness those that don't. I like to think there is such a thing as karma and it will come back to bite them.

 

[disneygirlinnj]

Ugh! I hate when people do these things. I would definitely write to Guest Relations and explain the whole situation and mention that you think this should be addressed and not allowed.

 

[CanadianPaco]

The varying degree of support (or lack of) support in these posts is so interesting. I see the OP frustration bu think he handled it marvelously. There will always be cheats and jerks in our lives and in Disney, it's no different. How we act and react is the only thing we can control and I guess, learn from.