Just back and one complaint

[jennifur25]

We got back late last night and had a great trip, but I do have one complaint that has me really upset.

From what I've seen in the past and read here, the costumed characters are really good at backing off if they can see that a child is upset. Except this time

We were at Minnie and Friends breakfast. I have 2.5 year old twins. Captain Hook came to our table and one of my twins was terrified. Crying loudly and clinging to me for dear life And Captain Hook would NOT go away. He stood there and snickered at him for crying, pointed to my other son and made a nose picking motion and he just kept standing there and laughing. My son was so upset and he just wouldn't leave our table He still talks about it and will cry if you even mention Captain Hook I told him Tyler was scared and was attempting to calm my screaming toddler and he just wouldn't go! I understand that he is a villain, but we're talking about a 2 year old. Finally he left.

Later he left for a bit and came back with, I'm assuming, a new person playing him. He came to our table and i quickly told him no, that Tyler was scared and he nodded in understanding and walked off. Perfect!

So anytime I think about this it gets me really worked up. Tyler wouldn't go near any characters for the rest of the trip Is there anyone I can email to let them know about this?

 

[Disney Dreams]

You can always send an email to guest relations.

I do think you are correct though in the thought that Capt. Hook was playing up the villain side of Hook in effort to win your son over, and was perhaps trying to show how your other son was ok with him.

The re-appearance was probably was NOT a different Hook, but just the same Hook after a break. Perhaps he realized that your son was not "buying" the villain play up and just moved on to the next family.

If you DO write to guest relations about this negative moment in your visit, I sincerely hope that you will also give equal time to every character / Cast Member interaction that you had that added to your magic. From reading these boards, it is so clear that people will instantly complain if they can find the right number, email, address, but how many take that same urgency just to say, "Wow! We had an amazing trip and ____ who was at ____ at 9am on Tuesday was just incredible!"?

Sorry your boy got scared. Your twins sound like they are the same age as my little sister when she was terrified of the Easter Bunny at Easter brunch.

- Dreams

 

[jennifur25]

Oh yes, that was the ONLY complaint I had- we had a great visit other than that. I just can't stop thinking about that scared look on his face and I couldn't even get him out of there since we were seated on the bench side and kind of stuck in the middle.

Pluto over in California Adventures actually went out of his way to try and get a picture with Tyler, by coming over and kind of inching close to the stroller and leaning in LOL It was really cute! But with Captain Hook it was pretty obvious he was not calming down and wasn't going to be won over. Like I said, I understand he's a villain, but go pick on someone your own size Captain Hook! LOL

 

[MonkeyDishwasher]

Like I said, I understand he's a villain, but go pick on someone your own size Captain Hook! LOL

...You do realize that Captain Hook's main foe is a 12 year old child who's generally accompanied by other children and a pixie, right?

 

[justmestace]

You showed great restraint. I think I'd have gotten up and knocked his hat off if he didn't leave when I asked him to.



Disneyland Resort
Guest Services
P.O. Box 3232
Anaheim, CA 92803-3232

 

[alvernon90]

You showed great restraint. I think I'd have gotten up and knocked his hat off if he didn't leave when I asked him to.

Hear hear! By the time I was done with that guy the crocodile would be chasing Captain Hook to eat his one remaining hand and his one remaining testicle. That is an outrage! I think maybe the people playing these characters get so used to being "celebrities" that they forget how profoundly creepy they look to someone not immersed in the Disney marketing machine.

 

[jenpace]

5 years ago we took our daughter to Goofy's Kitchen to celebrate her 5th birthday, as soon as we sat down Captain Hook came over to her and scared her quite a bit. Like your Hook experience, he wouldn't GO AWAY! Alice was there with him and tried to make things better but it was no good and we had to ask to be seated in the "character free zone".

We have lots of great pictures of her in this sectioned off area/room. She was fine after we moved but it really was upsetting that Hook just wouldn't get it

 

[joseph821]

We got back late last night and had a great trip, but I do have one complaint that has me really upset.

From what I've seen in the past and read here, the costumed characters are really good at backing off if they can see that a child is upset. Except this time

We were at Minnie and Friends breakfast. I have 2.5 year old twins. Captain Hook came to our table and one of my twins was terrified. Crying loudly and clinging to me for dear life And Captain Hook would NOT go away. He stood there and snickered at him for crying, pointed to my other son and made a nose picking motion and he just kept standing there and laughing. My son was so upset and he just wouldn't leave our table He still talks about it and will cry if you even mention Captain Hook I told him Tyler was scared and was attempting to calm my screaming toddler and he just wouldn't go! I understand that he is a villain, but we're talking about a 2 year old. Finally he left.

Later he left for a bit and came back with, I'm assuming, a new person playing him. He came to our table and i quickly told him no, that Tyler was scared and he nodded in understanding and walked off. Perfect!

So anytime I think about this it gets me really worked up. Tyler wouldn't go near any characters for the rest of the trip Is there anyone I can email to let them know about this?

I agree with you. I would write a thoughtful and concise letter to Guest Communications. I have a feeling that you might get complimentary tickets to Minnie and Friends for your family when you return to the Resort. Please let us know what Disneyland says in return. Your little son did not get to enjoy his breakfast and he should have.

 

[austinosphere]

I'm sure it seemed like a lot longer to you also because you're like why won't this guy leave - and with your kid crying. Sometimes things seem to take forever to me but really are only like 30 seconds.

My little girl got upset when she heard the big "SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH" from the cooling station over by Space Mountain. Things scare kids. I'm sure he wasn't trying to cause any problems.

My point is, it sucks that your boy got scared, but hopefully venting here in the board is enough to make you feel better.

You're awesome and hope overall you had lots of fun on that trip!

 

[Sherry E]

I agree with you. I would write a thoughtful and concise letter to Guest Communications. I have a feeling that you might get complimentary tickets to Minnie and Friends for your family when you return to the Resort. Please let us know what Disneyland says in return. Your little son did not get to enjoy his breakfast and he should have.

Guest Communications has not been very giving lately, when DLR has screwed up in some way. Most likely they will not offer anything, but if they do, it may be an autographed picture of your favorite character. I had to fight and correspond with someone in Guest Comm. repeatedly to get compensated for a bad Carnation Cafe experience. They tend to want the guest to complain to management on the spot rather than when they get home. Some people have been lucky after bad experiences and have been offered nice treats to make up for their bad time, but I think it depends on which CM is dealing with your complaint, and how soon you make the complaint. But DLR is definitely not handing out freebies left and right, that's for sure, even for very valid complaints. The CM I dealt with made me work for my meal vouchers, that's for sure!

 

[joseph821]

Guest Communications has not been very giving lately, when DLR has screwed up in some way. Most likely they will not offer anything, but if they do, it may be an autographed picture of your favorite character. I had to fight and correspond with someone in Guest Comm. repeatedly to get compensated for a bad Carnation Cafe experience. They tend to want the guest to complain to management on the spot rather than when they get home. Some people have been lucky after bad experiences and have been offered nice treats to make up for their bad time, but I think it depends on which CM is dealing with your complaint, and how soon you make the complaint. But DLR is definitely not handing out freebies left and right, that's for sure, even for very valid complaints. The CM I dealt with made me work for my meal vouchers, that's for sure!

I had only positive experiences with Guest Communications. I am glad that you got your vouchers. I think it is worth a letter in this situation. I do agree with you that DLR would like complaints at the time the activity occurred so they can deal with it right then and there. Guest Communications has a tough job at the DLR and the manager and his staff have been great to me and my family.

 

[Sherry E]

Yes, I finally got the vouchers after several e-mails back and forth with the Guest Comm. lady. I think they are much more accommodating when you complain while there at DLR, but the problem is, sometimes the issue in question is not huge enough to make a big fuss right then and there and take away from limited time in the parks, so I would guess that many people wait until they get home to complain. It is definitely worth it for Jennifur to send an e-mail about the Hook experience at Minnie's, if for no other reason, just to let them know where they can improve at Minnie's. But you never know, Jennifur, you may just get a CM in Guest Communications who wants to go that extra mile to make up for the creepy Hook experience!

I see a certain irony in the fact that (reportedly) DLR got rid of Jack Sparrow and some of his pirate friends because people were being aggressive and overbearing towards them, while over at Minnie's, Captain Hook - the lone 'pirate' standing - was being aggressive and overbearing towards people!!!

 

[jennifur25]

Yeah, I'm not looking for them to give me anything, just to give them some feedback and maybe they can pass it on to the cast member with a reminder to back off from scared and inconsolable kids.

 

[justmestace]

Just as some kids are afraid of department store Santas....and personally, I think those Easter Bunnies are creepy.....I would guess that a LOT of the characters can be scary to some small kids. I would think that Disney would insist upon training ALL CM's in this situation to back off. There's no excuse for it at all.
Cruella can be pretty rude, too, by the way. And while I understand it's the character...there's still a point of going too far.

 

[pixiewings71]

I'm sorry your DS was afraid. It's sad when that happens. I hope he's "over it" soon. On another note, I asked DD9...OMG, I need to update my siggie, she turned 9 today!!!!!!!!! Anyway, I was joking around yesterday and asked her if she wanted to go to Chuck E Cheese, she said no, he freaks her out. LOL I said "Mickey Mouse doesn't scare you", and she said "CEC looks more like a rat" LOL "Besides Mom, it's Mickey Mouse...HOW would MM be scary?" LOL But when she was younger she didn't like the characters at 6 Flags.....my point is there is hope that he won't be afraid forever.

 

[Disney Dreams]

Okay, I'm going to be the unpopular voice right now...

...I have a feeling that you might get complimentary tickets to Minnie and Friends for your family when you return to the Resort....

Why? Because Captain Hook stayed in character and acted like, well, Capt. Hook at a character meal? OP said 1 of her boys loved him. Why should they give a free meal?

Guest Communications has not been very giving lately, when DLR has screwed up in some way....

How did DLR screw up? Yes, Hook probably should have backed away sooner, but maybe he was trying to get the scared boy to see the not scared boy's acceptance, but did DLR really screw up here?

Yeah, I'm not looking for them to give me anything, just to give them some feedback and maybe they can pass it on to the cast member with a reminder to back off from scared and inconsolable kids.

THANK YOU!

I know I am not a parent, so maybe I am off on this, but I don't think that every single thing that does not go perfect on a trip should result in a free _____. Disney has made us all so happy for ever that we expect perfection. The OP had a great vacation with the exception of this one character interaction. Hook is a scary character. A child (sadly) got scared. Is that Disney's "fault" to the point of giving out freebies or else they are being tight? In my opinion, no.

Goes into hiding in preparation for attacks on her view,
Dreams

 

[bumbershoot]

DDreams, I'm with you. And I was a kid scared to pieces by characters, and even now, if DS didn't like them I would just stay away from them. Don't like 'em, don't understand the purpose. Well, OK, I thought the Jack Sparrow was very cool, though I wasn't a fangirl, and I adored the Bootstrappers b/c they were funny. But the rest of 'em can retire for good.

I also have a 4 year old who is brave in many ways (loves all three POTC movies) but for an entire year wouldn't go on the actual ride, because he didn't want to go through the misty Davey Jones. He was concerned about the carolers at PPH and wouldn't go near them. But went on Grizzly a total of 10 times in 2 days.

Kids are odd sometimes, and sometimes they just need cajoling, and I'm sure this character has seen kids go from scared to all over them with just the right sort of interaction many times.

That said, it sounds like he could have been seen as making fun of your son...the nose picking on first read-through sounded like making fun, but as I write this I realized he *might* have been trying to make him laugh...my guy might have found that to be hilarious! Then again, when meeting Peter Pan on this trip, my guy had a really hard time warming up to him because PP had a little bitty girl watching out for Captain Hook, and DS truly thought Hook might show up and he was frightened about that prospect. Strange little beasties...

 

[jennifur25]

Actually, I never said my other son loved Hook. He just sat there and tried not to make eye contact with him. But he wasn't terrified, like Tyler was.

But like I said, I'm not looking for anything free whatsoever. I just wanted to let them know of my experience in the hopes that it might be prevented from happening to another child.

 

[Sherry E]

No one is going to attack you, Disney Dreams (the HoJo thread is controversial enough; we don't need anymore controversy anywhere!). You can take off the protective headgear!

I was really just using the term 'screwed up' in general (whether it is DLR's actual fault or not). I do think SOME legitimate things merit complaints, even though we all love DLR. They are not perfect. In my many, many years of visiting DLR, I have only had reason to really want to complain once, and that was for some legitimate issues on the last trip, so I think I am allowed one time in 36 years!! Otherwise, DLR has always gone above and beyond the call of duty, and there is nothing to really complain about, usually. I try to reserve my own complaints or commentary to very specific things. I am not one of those people who goes into DLR and complains left and right - 'oh, give me a refund because it was too crowded,' or 'oh, give me a refund because there was a storm' or whatever. Or, 'I don't like the shower curtain so I am complaining.' I am very particular on what I am going to comment on to DLR, and it is a very limited selection of issues!! I can pretty much roll with most things and don't like to make a fuss. For example, my friend was complaining at Blue Bayou because she can't eat things with a lot of dairy ingredients in them. She ordered what she thought was basic chocolate cake, which she said she would have been okay with, but received chocolate mousse cake, which she said she couldn't eat. She grumbled and complained about it at the table, instead of just telling the server she didn't realize there was mousse in it and couldn't eat it. She was blaming Blue Bayou when she could have fixed the situation and they probably would not have charged her for the cake. On the one hand, yes, maybe the servers should specify "Chocolate Mousse cake" instead of saying "chocolate cake," but my friend also could have asked them if it was just regular cake or if there were any jazzy ingredients in it, or she could have just sent it back and gotten the Flying Dutchman! She didn't. So I didn't think she should be complaining because she let it go.

I also like to make a point of mentioning CMs' names who have been exemplary, or tip extra to the servers who went out of their way, because those folks deserve praise!

I would have had to witness the Hook scene in Minnie's myself to determine if I thought it was crossing the line - it IS possible that that particular Hook could have been too overbearing, in which case it should be brought to Disney's attention, BUT I, personally, probably would not have bothered mentioning that incident to DLR if it happened to me because I would have just assumed it was one of those 'kid things' where some of them get creeped out by certain people/characters and others don't. But I think Jennifur (OP) has a right to comment to DLR on it - Disney wants to hear all comments, good and bad - and I don't think she is looking for any compensation, nor do I think DLR would give it, most likely. I think she just wants to bring it to their attention and let them know what happened.

 

[Phalene]

Almost totally OT, and not to make light of what happened, but what I've done in the past when young children (nieces, nephews, my own...) were nervous around a character is to try and help them find a way to 'turn the tables' For example, Captain Hook will usually run away and act scared if you start telling him "Tick Tock"