Just Back - Observations

[Max Webster]

Hello,
We are hitting the parks in 2 weeks and have never been before. We are staying outside the resort so our close time will be 8pm. I'm a little nervous about the fireworks display. The hours say it starts at 8pm but that we have to leave at 8pm. Is this display only for the guests that stay within the park?
Also if anyone has had any experience with this time of year at the parks and how the lines are I'd love to hear! Thank you

Yes, you have to close your eyes and leave the parks and not watch the fireworks. Be careful not to bump into anyone on the way out with your eyes closed. Just kidding!

Here's how it works. On some nights the parks are open later for guests staying on property. You will not be run out. However, you will not be allowed into a show or onto a ride. You will be allowed to watch fireworks, shop, eat and hang out. WDW will not keep you from spending money in the parks.

I hope this answers your question, I really do think it was a very valid question, but I wanted to have some fun pulling your leg.

Cheers!

Max

 

[Oglet]

Not to drag this out, but for the record, I am not a racist (as anyone who knows me personally would attest) and hopefully am not ignorant. I was not referring to CM's in World Showcase, as I know they try to employ people from those countries. I was simply saying that it was very difficult for us to understand some of the announcers, and this was our first trip where we noticed that. It was a change from our previous experience, and not a positive one. Please forgive any offense - it wasn't intended.

 

[cmurray234]

Characters are a very different situation since they are hired to look just like a particular characters image from a movie or book so I'ts a very different situation and argument.

There have been many times that I have had trouble understanding someone both in and outside of WDW because of their accent, I understand that it's not ideal if you have trouble understanding someone because of their accent however it shouldn't be viewed as a negative and a quality issue.

I am sure there are people who have a rough time understanding some things I say from time to time (probably more than I know) and I have come across many people who I have a hard time understanding, many who are from the United States but that is just life, we are all different, we all speak a little different and to say something is a negative or a quality issue just because we couldn't understand them I feel is plain wrong.

The OP used the word Foreign, so although many people have a hard time understanding people from different regions in the US that would be okay?

But it IS a quality issue. Somebody who is hired to play Ariel, is hired to LOOK like her. Somebody who is hired to run the Safari tour is hired to speak to the people in his or her "jeep".

The quality issue is that Disney should not have cast members who are difficult to understand because of language barriers performing a role like Safari driver.

 

[si-am]

Characters are a very different situation since they are hired to look just like a particular characters image from a movie or book so I'ts a very different situation and argument.

There have been many times that I have had trouble understanding someone both in and outside of WDW because of their accent, I understand that it's not ideal if you have trouble understanding someone because of their accent however it shouldn't be viewed as a negative and a quality issue.

I am sure there are people who have a rough time understanding some things I say from time to time (probably more than I know) and I have come across many people who I have a hard time understanding, many who are from the United States but that is just life, we are all different, we all speak a little different and to say something is a negative or a quality issue just because we couldn't understand them I feel is plain wrong.

The OP used the word Foreign, so although many people have a hard time understanding people from different regions in the US that would be okay?

If you're hired for a public speaking role, your English should be clear and easy to understand. When is the last time you've seen a newscaster, for example, with a thick foreign accent? There's a reason they are "trained" to use a flat, nonregional accent.

When I worked as a phone operator back in college, I had to pass a reading test during the interview to make sure I could be easily understood over the phone.

If someone has a tour guide/speaking job and fails to communicate with the public, even unintentionally, then it is a quality control problem.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

You made the list, keep it up. The only thing tacky and offensive is your outfit.

It's okay. I've already reported you. And your last post.

 

[cmurray234]

If you're hired for a public speaking role, your English should be clear and easy to understand. When is the last time you've seen a newscaster, for example, with a thick foreign accent? There's a reason they are "trained" to use a flat, nonregional accent.

When I worked as a phone operator back in college, I had to pass a reading test during the interview to make sure I could be easily understood over the phone.

If someone has a tour guide/speaking job and fails to communicate with the public, even unintentionally, then it is a quality control problem.

Like.

 

[Max Webster]

6. I was surprised at how many attraction CM's there were in announcer roles that had thick foreign accents. To me, this is a quality issue, and a negative.
Jesse

I agree with you concering CMs with foreign accents. I had a very hard time understanding Mary Poppins. She asked me if I traveled there on my umbrella and I thought she asked me if I unraveled my umbilical cord. Very confusing!

Cheers!

Max

 

[Oglet]

Just for the record and this will be my last post on here regarding this topic, I feel that the way I read the OP's first statement was not how they intended it to be taken.

I don't think the post is a racist post or ignorant and commend the OP for their calm rational response to my very emotional reply.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

Just for the record and this will be my last post on here regarding this topic, I feel that the way I read the OP's first statement was not how they intended it to be taken.

I don't think the post is a racist post or ignorant and commend the OP for their calm rational response to my very emotional reply.

It's alright. You merely asked for clarification for the way you read a sentence.

 

[RSGroup]

re: DHS, the thing about Narnia is it could easily be a great attraction concept, and one I wish they would sink some investment into exploring (if they haven't already). There are so many things they could do with the story.

 

[kwitcherkicken99]

re: DHS, the thing about Narnia is it could easily be a great attraction concept, and one I wish they would sink some investment into exploring (if they haven't already). There are so many things they could do with the story.

But Disney sold the rights to the Narnia story. Fox picked it up after Caspian.

[but I'm with you... DHS needs MAJOR help]

 

[woodkins]

I feel like DHS misses the boat on many of the disney characters that kids and tweens like. Phineas and Ferb are a huge hit for Dis Channel, yet they replace JoJo's Circus (which has been off the channel forever) with Special Agent Oso. There are little to no tie ins with any of the tween shows like Hannah Montana, Suite Life, Sonny with a Chance, Wizards Waverly Place. If they put in one shop carrying tween merchandise featuring those shows they would sell out hand over fist. I know my 8 yr old would be in there for hours.

One of our funniest memories of WDW was when our dd was 5 and we took a Jungle Cruise in MK. The CM guiding the tour boat was from Japan & no one could understand ANYTHING she was saying. Everyone kept looking around at each other cracking up because she was laughing at her own jokes and then everyone would join in laughing. At the end my dd asked "shouldn't this ride be in Epcot instead of Magic Kingdom if it is in Japanese?"

 

[KCSherri]

I agree with you concering CMs with foreign accents. I had a very hard time understanding Mary Poppins. She asked me if I traveled there on my umbrella and I thought she asked me if I unraveled my umbilical cord. Very confusing!

 

[cmurray234]

I think AK AND DHS need help.

My kids have no idea what Honey I Shrunk the Kids is. We went into the play yard and my kids wanted to know why there were giant blades of grass. The GMR and IJ are also outdated.

Dinoland in AK needs a complete overhaul. That area of the park is just a massive fail. It almost seems like it is a carnival. It's simply not up to Disney standards.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Wow, I didn't read that as racist and ignorant. I read it as with the thick foreign accent the announcers were difficult to understand

yeah...ditto this. I agree that it can be very hard to understand people with thick foreign accents, and then I miss everything!

 

[DizBelle]

I would expect a cast member in Disney World in Florida or in Disneyland in California to be able to speak clearly in english.

I would also expect a cast member in Tokyo Disney to speak clearly in japanese. If japanese folks don't understand what is being said, I would consider that an issue.

I would also expect a cast member in Disneyland Paris to speak clearly in french. If french folks don't understand what is being said, I would consider that an issue.

The fact that I do not understand japanese and only a bit of french so would probably not understand what they are saying is not a negative against Disney.

If someone is speaking in what they think is english, and I don't understand it, I would consider that an issue. Whatever accent it is (foreign, Boston, deep south), if they can't speak clearly, that is an issue.

 

[Leajess99]

But it IS a quality issue. Somebody who is hired to play Ariel, is hired to LOOK like her. Somebody who is hired to run the Safari tour is hired to speak to the people in his or her "jeep".

The quality issue is that Disney should not have cast members who are difficult to understand because of language barriers performing a role like Safari driver.

Just so you are aware, it is NOT just a "language barrier". I have had some Born and raised Americans that I cannot understand due to their accent. So it is not just because someone speaks a different language or is from a different culture. There are many things that affect a person's ability to be understood. Whether it is their accent, a speech delay/disABILITY, or that they are from another country. It seems like a lot of assuming going on. And by the way, how do you think Disney should handle those people from my previous examples?? "Oh, because you have a very thick southern accent from Kentucky you cannot be a jeep driver on the safari." I am sure that would go over well. And yes, I have heard some very thick accents from Kentucky and even my youngest has a thick accent for whatever reason (other than she picked it up from the kids in her preschool or her speech therapist). Someone from a Northern state may have a hard time understanding someone with a southern accent. Just because a couple of people have a hard time understanding does not mean everyone will.

Just some food for thought as you may not always be very well understood from someone from a different part of this very country.

 

[si-am]

Just so you are aware, it is NOT just a "language barrier". I have had some Born and raised Americans that I cannot understand due to their accent. So it is not just because someone speaks a different language or is from a different culture. There are many things that affect a person's ability to be understood. Whether it is their accent, a speech delay/disABILITY, or that they are from another country. It seems like a lot of assuming going on. And by the way, how do you think Disney should handle those people from my previous examples?? "Oh, because you have a very thick southern accent from Kentucky you cannot be a jeep driver on the safari." I am sure that would go over well. And yes, I have heard some very thick accents from Kentucky and even my youngest has a thick accent for whatever reason (other than she picked it up from the kids in her preschool or her speech therapist). Someone from a Northern state may have a hard time understanding someone with a southern accent. Just because a couple of people have a hard time understanding does not mean everyone will.

Just some food for thought as you may not always be very well understood from someone from a different part of this very country.

There are lots of jobs at Disney. Someone with a thick accent of any kind that would make it hard for guests to understand the spiel should not hold a "host" position.

 

[delaneyc52]

I agree with you concering CMs with foreign accents. I had a very hard time understanding Mary Poppins. She asked me if I traveled there on my umbrella and I thought she asked me if I unraveled my umbilical cord. Very confusing!

Cheers!

Max

 

[delaneyc52]

Just so you are aware, it is NOT just a "language barrier". I have had some Born and raised Americans that I cannot understand due to their accent. So it is not just because someone speaks a different language or is from a different culture. There are many things that affect a person's ability to be understood. Whether it is their accent, a speech delay/disABILITY, or that they are from another country. It seems like a lot of assuming going on. And by the way, how do you think Disney should handle those people from my previous examples?? "Oh, because you have a very thick southern accent from Kentucky you cannot be a jeep driver on the safari." I am sure that would go over well. And yes, I have heard some very thick accents from Kentucky and even my youngest has a thick accent for whatever reason (other than she picked it up from the kids in her preschool or her speech therapist). Someone from a Northern state may have a hard time understanding someone with a southern accent. Just because a couple of people have a hard time understanding does not mean everyone will.

Just some food for thought as you may not always be very well understood from someone from a different part of this very country.

So true. 36 years ago we honeymooned down South. Nobody understood my NYC accent!!