No more magic?

[PixiePowered]

A friend of mine just got back from a weekend trip to DL. He and his girlfriend were fortunate enough to stay at the Grand Californian (at a GREAT rate)... but their experience was HORRIBLE. Every cast member they encountered was unfriendly and less than helpful. My friends decided to not let the unpleasant cast members in the hotel "ruin" their disney magic but they encountered some uncaring cast members in the park. After a cast member asked why my friends were "so chipper", my friend said "because we're in the happiest place on earth!" The cast member actually replied "NOT IF YOU WORK HERE!" My friends walked away from their mini vacation with an unpleasant taste in their mouth.

My question to all of you is have you had problems with uncaring, not-so-friendly cast members and if so, what did you do about it? My friend wants to call DL, or write or send an email... but is at a loss as to who or where to start.

Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions?

THANKS!!!!!!!!

 

[trodrigue]

Wow, that is really sad. I just hate it when people don't have a wonderful time at Disneyland. I practically beg to help people with their plans, so they will have a great time.

We just had a trip with lots of challenges in December, but we had many moments where it truly was the CM's that returned the magic to the moments for us.

I wanted to "report" the magical experiences that we had many times, but city hall was too busy. I would gladly send an e-mail now, if I knew where to send it to.

 

[funnygarcia]

Here is Disneyland's contact page
https://secure.disney.go.com/disneyland/en_US/help/contactUs?name=ContactUsPage

and address

Disneyland® Resort
P.O. Box 3232
1313 S. Harbor Blvd.
Anaheim, CA 92803-3232

Bummer about the unfortunate moodiness of the CMs, a bad expereince can really change a perons feeling about the park and prevent them from coming back.

I've read on various boards that CMs have not been treated as kindly by Disney, sadly it's starting to show in some areas. My main concerns are that dining / food has gone downhill in the past 5 years and seeing a few CMs with less than professional demeaner while "on show". I don't expect every CM to be perky enthusiastic little busy workers, but I do expect them to do their job instead of chit chatting with co -workers to the point of ignoring guests.

I was annoyed last weekend while doing canoes. The lady CM in front could barely be heard, thus limiting the "show" aspect. meanwhile we had two CMs in the back chit chatting about co workers and plans to go out for a "fun time" after work. I had to explain to my guest that it was an atypical experience... in fact, we found it quite dull. I normally love canoes, but I may avoid them if those CMs are in attendance next time I visit.

 

[Albort]

I must say, It feeling more of just a job. Disney has declined much in terms of treatment and other stuff. I really dont want to talk into it but things has changed from a year ago.

 

[nmclennan]

I couldn't agree more...We spent a week there this month and we experienced the same treatment as this poster. We could compare our most recent stay to our previous stay in September 2005 and boy have things deteriorated. We stayed on concierge in a suite, so it was not an inexpensive stay - all I can say is that we paid to be close to the parks.

Have a look at my hotel review on www.tripadvisor.com - it is titled -

"I have received warmer welcomes at a funeral."

 

[PixiePowered]

I couldn't agree more...We spent a week there this month and we experienced the same treatment as this poster. We could compare our most recent stay to our previous stay in September 2005 and boy have things deteriorated. We stayed on concierge in a suite, so it was not an inexpensive stay - all I can say is that we paid to be close to the parks.

Have a look at my hotel review on www.tripadvisor.com - it is titled -

"I have received warmer welcomes at a funeral."

NMCLENNAN, I read this review once my friends got back from their trip! I can't believe that this is the quality of service that the G.C. is providing! I personally, have yet to stay at the G.C. (and have long dreamed of it), but after my friends experience and some of the most recent reviews left on trip advisor I don't know if I care to ever stay at the G.C.

 

[Golfing Goofy]

Oh, this makes me so sad.

We stayed there in March 2007 and the service was so great! We couldn't believe it and we didn't even stay in conceirge or anything. Everything was so magical and the people working there really tried to accommodate all of our requests.

We went back to DLH in December 2007 and stayed at the DLH. The service was good, but we missed the feeling of the GCH. I just loved the resort feel of the hotel.

But now, I don't think I want to spend all that money if that magical feeling is gone....Its too bad for DLR, because a lot of people will look elsewhere....

 

[blackjackdelta]

A friend of mine just got back from a weekend trip to DL. He and his girlfriend were fortunate enough to stay at the Grand Californian (at a GREAT rate)... but their experience was HORRIBLE. Every cast member they encountered was unfriendly and less than helpful. My friends decided to not let the unpleasant cast members in the hotel "ruin" their disney magic but they encountered some uncaring cast members in the park. After a cast member asked why my friends were "so chipper", my friend said "because we're in the happiest place on earth!" The cast member actually replied "NOT IF YOU WORK HERE!" My friends walked away from their mini vacation with an unpleasant taste in their mouth.

My question to all of you is have you had problems with uncaring, not-so-friendly cast members and if so, what did you do about it? My friend wants to call DL, or write or send an email... but is at a loss as to who or where to start.

Any ideas, thoughts, suggestions?

THANKS!!!!!!!!

My first question would be "why isn't your friend posting this". I have never stayed at GC not in my price range and secondly after a number of years of going I have only had 1 CM that I had a problem with.
It is best to take care of those problems while you are there and in a timely manner making sure you have the correct information to go to the manager or lead with.
I have had more bad encounters with jerk visitors than ever with Disney. I would do what another poster suggested and write or call but generalizing will get them no where.
Just some thoughts,

Jack

 

[Pezalicious]

Both my mom and I have had problems in the past, and our family owns a store, so we deal with the public all the time and treat other's in customer service better as a result of our own experiences. Grumpy cast members have become much more common recently, compared to our many trips in the past.

I also went to Disneyland with my boyfriend last October for his first trip ever, and at one point during our visit, he asked me why all the employees are so surly.

And on a trip last March with my mom, a manager in California Adventure interrupted our sale to tell the cast member he had to extend his shift, and the manager was very rude about it, to the point where both my mom and I were embarrassed for the one being chewed out and my mom wanted to go complain. That example really makes me question how the cast members are being treated and if their Disney magic was taken away by the higher ups.

 

[LisainCalifornia]

I couldn't agree more...We spent a week there this month and we experienced the same treatment as this poster. We could compare our most recent stay to our previous stay in September 2005 and boy have things deteriorated. We stayed on concierge in a suite, so it was not an inexpensive stay - all I can say is that we paid to be close to the parks.

Have a look at my hotel review on www.tripadvisor.com - it is titled -

"I have received warmer welcomes at a funeral."

I just read your review:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...and_Californian_Hotel-Anaheim_California.html

That is a direct link to it if anyone wants to read it. Good for you for writing about it! We also had a less than great stay at the GC. We actually like staying at the DLH much better--as long as we get a good view room with a pool view. The rooms at the DLH are much bigger and more comfortable than the ones at the GC. We also had housekeeping issues with the GC--I complained the first day after we checked in when it was obvious that the bathroom had not been cleaned and there were crumbs on the carpet near the beds. The went back and re-cleaned the room, but there were other issues that kept happening there. The rooms are so small and dark as well.

 

[nmclennan]

I just read your review:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...and_Californian_Hotel-Anaheim_California.html

That is a direct link to it if anyone wants to read it. Good for you for writing about it! We also had a less than great stay at the GC. We actually like staying at the DLH much better--as long as we get a good view room with a pool view. The rooms at the DLH are much bigger and more comfortable than the ones at the GC. We also had housekeeping issues with the GC--I complained the first day after we checked in when it was obvious that the bathroom had not been cleaned and there were crumbs on the carpet near the beds. The went back and re-cleaned the room, but there were other issues that kept happening there. The rooms are so small and dark as well.

You must have have stayed in the same room. LOL. We had crumbs, kid's head ties, hair clips and a tissue left on the carpet near the beds for 4 days before I got down and cleaned it up crumb by crumb! The housekeeper(s) must have seen them each day when the beds were made and in the evening when the beds were turned down - it would have been impossible to miss, but miss they did. This was just one example in one area.

Here is another example of a bad CM. For the first two days we went to CA,
the GC entrance opened at 9.30 am (before the 10.00 official opening) and we could enter the park and ride Soarin'. The third day we went there was a CM standing in the middle of the waiting area before the security check (this was approx 9.20 am) and we was turning people back and away telling them the park doesn't open until 10.00 am. I went to ask what was happening and he replied very rudely that the park does not open to 10.00 and to I should come back then. Mmmm. I turned around with my family to do what he said, but his manner got the better of me and I went back and explained to him that we had entered every day at 9.30 am and what's more we rode Soarin' twice before the park opened - he then replied to me sarcastically - could I not read the 'times guide?' for the park opening times??

He continued to turn people away as they arrived. We went to the gift shop in the hotel and at 9.35 I decided to go back and have a look - and on the way to the CA entrance from the gift shop, we passed this CM who was returning to the hotel - and sure enough the entrance was opened as was Soarin. I felt really sorry for all the people this CM turned away and told them not to bother returning until 10.00 am. They missed out one of the supposed bonuses of staying at the hotel and an early start in the park.

Anyhow, I could go on and on but there is little point, because as I have learnt until managment starts managing, nothing will change.

 

[JenDisneylandlver]

We stayed there in Oct with no real problems. We had two adjoining rooms over looking the front of the hotel. Housekeeping was okay. Some of the CM's could have been a little more friendly, but nothing that ruined our trip. We also find the rooms fine for our family (just the 3 of us). I could see it being an issue if there is more then 4, but I would think that would be a problem at most standard room hotels.

It's a beautiful hotel, so I sure hope the service isn't going downhill that bad. I'm also sorry to hear that anyone has had such bad experiences, especially for the price they pay. Which has been my only issue, the outragious price! No hotel is worth $360+ a night! I don't care how nice it is IMO. If it wasn't for the Gay Days rate we got last Oct we would have stayed offsite.

 

[audrabolster]

I just went last night, and my waitress was horrible. I really felt like she could have cared less about us. Like as if she was bothered that we were sat at her table in Cafe Orleans. I wish I had taken down her name :-/.

I know everyone has their off days, but the cast members really can make the magic happen more or less depending on how they act. And I know that sometimes it can be hard to remember that when someone is having a bad day, but man! It sure sucks to have a bad cast member.

 

[fairycat]

I understand how easy it is for one person to ruin your day but I have been so very lucky with all my trips to DLR (not so much with WDW but that is for another thread). I have on occassion had issues but always let someone know and most often it was quickly remedied.

Two weeks ago I was there and had one of the hostesses at Blue Bayou be rather snippy (that is the nice word for it ), I found her manager after dealing with the other Host (who was wonderful, helpful and apologetic). I let him know what had happened and let him know that we didn't want anything but to let him know this was not acceptable. He went way out of his way for us, more then we needed to make us happy, which was excellent on this managers part.

But the contrast is earlier in the day we made THREE compliments at City Hall for CM's who were fantastic! One of these people is always fantastic and if she leaves I will cry the others were just wonderful on their own, CM's we had never seen before.

I do not stay at the hotels since I am local, so have no idea about the hotel situations.

Basically it can happen that their can be issues these are people and there is some overhead issues. But I don't believe all the service and "Magic" have left Disney. I see CM's keep it all the time. So report any issues that upset you and move on, don't let it ruin the magic of your trip.

 

[PixiePowered]

My first question would be "why isn't your friend posting this". I have never stayed at GC not in my price range and secondly after a number of years of going I have only had 1 CM that I had a problem with.
It is best to take care of those problems while you are there and in a timely manner making sure you have the correct information to go to the manager or lead with.
I have had more bad encounters with jerk visitors than ever with Disney. I would do what another poster suggested and write or call but generalizing will get them no where.
Just some thoughts,

Jack

blackkjackdelta, my friend is not posting this himself because he's not quite the Disney-fanatic that I am. He visits the park, annually, if he's lucky and when he does he'll almost always come to me and ask for questions or tips.

I, myself, have never (knock on wood) had a bad experience at Disneyland, in the parks or hotels. And if I were in my friend's shoes, I too would do like you, blackjackdelta, and dealt with the issue then and there by asking to speak with a superior.

In the meantime, since he was unable (or unwilling) to voice his concerns or comments at the time, I have already forwarded him the contact information provided on the board, so that he can contact DL.

 

[Dobie]

I think that someimtes housekeepers, who generally work really hard for little pay, are rushed to get through rooms quickly because there are guests who are waiting to get checked in--they can't finish their shift if they have rooms left to clean. I, for one, have no trouble calling the on duty manager and very nicely asking them to send a vacuum to the room so I can clean it myself--I usually don't have a problem with housekeeping after that

 

[mariezp]

Not that it makes it okay for CMs to be rude, but has anyone noticed it is not just at Disneyland. People seem like they are getting ruder all the time.
I can only imagine the number of guests that behave like jerks that the CMs encounter on a day to day basis. I have been witness to a few encounters.

Still, each CM can choose to MAKE their job enjoyable or they can drive themselves to misery which ends up being reflected on their job which in turn is often displayed towards park guests. Seriously, if things are that bad they need to get a new job!

Management certainly does need to step up it's part on keeping morale up and seeing that they hire people willing to do a good job. Probably not an easy task for them either. While they could offer higher pay, these days it seems like many just don't have the same work ethics as days gone by.

I have been fortunate to have been in the group who has never had a rude CM. Hopefully, before that changes (in the near future)the higher ups will notice they have a problem and find some way to fix it!

 

[bumbershoot]

I got a snarky comment from an Alaska Airlines gate agent last night. Wanted to smack her for it. But you don't smack airline employees.

Let's see...at Enginears I got into a convo with a CM who indicated that she couldn't wait to get off shift since it was a Friday night, but hey, who doesn't feel that way? I did think she was lucky she was talking to me, since I understood.

And I watched a CM at ToT have a tantrum at her co-workers...she then was the CM in the room on the way to the boiler room, and she was just in a bad mood. I smiled at her and she gave me a really nasty smile back...but I just felt bad that she was having such a bad day. And the ToT CMs aren't supposed to be peaches and cream anyway.


But I had pleasant encounters with CMs all weekend!

Now, there's no chance I would fork out the bucks for GCH, not at this point (or in the forseeable future), even though I just saw pictures showing that you can watch GRR riders get soaked from certain rooms. That could make it worth it, but then I'd never go into the parks! Instead I pay cheaper rates at offsite hotels, so I don't feel the "I'm paying so much and encountering these moods?!!" feeling.

And I met Maynard, a "celebrity" CM, while waiting for the fireworks on Friday, and he riffed with his routines for about 20 minutes, just for me, so that made the whole time magical.


So to me I'm just not seeing more negative CMs than positive!

 

[kikiq]

We just returned from 2 nights at the GCH concierage...and it was magical!
Spent my birthday there and from the moment we pulled into the hotel to the moment they loaded the luggage into our car this afternoon, all was pure Disney.

The concierage CMs were wonderful even managed to get us last minute Napa Rose reservations. Even the overworked CM serving us in StoryTellers was pleasant...no complaints here. We live close to DLR, have AP and will definitely return to the GCH again.

 

[NVDisMom]

We probably won't stay at GCH again. We stayed in mid Dec concierge level for 4 nites. We got our room late, we had issues w/ housekeeping and the CM's at concierge level. If I could have found a lead or manager up there I would have complained, but there was never one to be found and downstairs was always a nightmare. At some point you are simply unwilling to waste your precious vacation time to complain. When we got home I dropped an email to Disney. There response was one of "oh sorry about that". Doesn't exactly leave you w/ a warm, happy feeling.
Its too bad, b/c we absolutely loved our stay the year before (non concierge). The housekeeping was impeccable, and everyone went out of their way to make the stay magical. The room did come late, but they upgraded us and offered a free character meal b/c of it. Nothing even remotely close this time around.
So back to offsite for us until Disney figures out that my hard earned money is going to be given to those that appreciate it.