Please say "please" and "thank you"!

[MilitaryMouse]

Here now and usually, I'm the first to complain about less than magical CMs but on this trip, I've been so impressed by how CMs have handled what seems likes hoards of rude guests - especially those giant tour groups! Anyways, not gonna get into the specific rude guest behaviors we've seen, but we were in line for Space, and a CM assigned us to our seats. We said "thanks!" like we usually do and moved up in line w/o thinking about it. The CM followed us and told us we were the first people to thank him in a month and a half! We were blown away. He also said that no one has said "please" to him when asking for a specific seat in 6 months! He gave us anytime fast passes...for common courtesy. The same thing happened this morning at EE. I can't believe a little thing like saying please and thank you has become so rare that it brightens up a CMs day to hear it, but since it does, please don't forget to thank your CMs!

 

[Klayfish]

Great post! I said the same thing when I came back from our trip a few weeks ago. The CMs make the visit to WDW magical. To me, they're one of the biggest differentiators from WDW to a plain old amusement park.

No comment on the giant tour groups. Been through that discussion already.

 

[Mikie]

Wow! This happens to me on a smaller scale around home and I am just so disappointed to hear it. Once an assistant principal who I didn't realize knew my daughter specifically, told me how "great" she was. I found a polite way to ask what she had done or why they had an encounter and the principal basically said she smiles, makes eye contact and replies when he says hello in the hall!! Of course, I am pleased that she has decent manners, but just like in your story I think it's so sad that simple (un)common courtesy is noteworthy!!

Terrible that a CM hadn't been "pleased" or "thanked" in over a month - so glad your simple manners brightened his day and I hope you're not the last one for another 2 months

 

[smallworldnh]

How sad it is that hearing anyone say please or thank you these days is such a rarity. I sometimes wonder if the decline in how the CM's interact with the guests is a direct result of how rudely they are treated lately. It's amazing how much a smile or kind word can positively affect someone and brighten their day.

 

[Trixie15]

Also don't forget "You're welcome!" My son's second grade teacher was blown away when he responded with You're welcome once after she'd thanked him. She told me she had NEVER heard a student use those words. I was shocked!

 

[jeepnjudy]

It all goes back to parenting and what you are being taught!

 

[RLGNC]

Here now and usually, I'm the first to complain about less than magical CMs but on this trip, I've been so impressed by how CMs have handled what seems likes hoards of rude guests - especially those giant tour groups! Anyways, not gonna get into the specific rude guest behaviors we've seen, but we were in line for Space, and a CM assigned us to our seats. We said "thanks!" like we usually do and moved up in line w/o thinking about it. The CM followed us and told us we were the first people to thank him in a month and a half! We were blown away. He also said that no one has said "please" to him when asking for a specific seat in 6 months! He gave us anytime fast passes...for common courtesy. The same thing happened this morning at EE. I can't believe a little thing like saying please and thank you has become so rare that it brightens up a CMs day to hear it, but since it does, please don't forget to thank your CMs!

This is unfortunate and somewhat shocking! I think "thank you" is fairly natural for me in these settings, but I will be extra conscious of it now when we go in a couple of weeks.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I love when I ask guests where they're from and what they're looking forward to doing in the parks and they respond by throwing their credit card at me and shouting "two adults."

(Sometimes if I want to be a jerk I make the joke that selling adults is illegal but I can sell them some tickets if they want.)

 

[skywaywaver]

That's sad. I think please and thank you fall out of my mouth without me even realizing. My kids are the same. I may have been a bit rushed at some Disney counters but that was because I was so excited. When ordering, I try to always say please. And of course I always say thank you. The other stickler one that you'll rarely here is "excuse me" but I usually wind up having to almost bellow it when somebody leaves their cart in the middle of the aisle at the store (the manners there...so bad). I'm glad you were able to make this CM's day and I hope he encounters more polite people like you.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Great reminder! I was just told how polite my son was by a cashier on Monday. She was mid 60s and said kids just don't have manners anymore and said what a good job we'd done raising him. Great there are parents with younger kids still showing the value of please, thank you and you're welcome! When i sub and there is a party with parents giving treats out its amazing how many don't say you're welcome! My complimented baby is 21! I was a proud mom that day and it is great seeing people teaching their kids.

 

[mickeymom629]

I love when I ask guests where they're from and what they're looking forward to doing in the parks and they respond by throwing their credit card at me and shouting "two adults."

(Sometimes if I want to be a jerk I make the joke that selling adults is illegal but I can sell them some tickets if they want.)

That makes me sad.

 

[PabloMax]

Wow, a free FP for being nice? Maybe nice guys (or gals) don't always finish last.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Things have changed over the years.. I'm 52 now, but when I was 16 working in a restaurant we were trained to say "thank you" to the customer when they paid at the register. Now it's expected the customer to thank the employee.
That makes absolutely zero sense to me.

MG

 

[bumbershoot]

I love when I ask guests where they're from and what they're looking forward to doing in the parks and they respond by throwing their credit card at me and shouting "two adults."

(Sometimes if I want to be a jerk I make the joke that selling adults is illegal but I can sell them some tickets if they want.)

You've said you're in ticketing? You might consider the idea that they can't hear you through that glass. The few times I've been to a CM behind glass I can barely hear them.

 

[georgina]

I don't think it ever occurred to me to say thanks to the person who said 'Row 2'. I'm not asking for anything, they are just telling me where to stand. If I asked for something specific, then I probably would.

 

[bpadair32]

Things have changed over the years.. I'm 52 now, but when I was 16 working in a restaurant we were trained to say "thank you" to the customer when they paid at the register. Now it's expected the customer to thank the employee.
That makes absolutely zero sense to me.

MG

I think the business should thank the customer and the customer should thank the business. You paid the business and should be thanked. They provided a service and should be thanked.

 

[Disneylover99]

You've said you're in ticketing? You might consider the idea that they can't hear you through that glass. The few times I've been to a CM behind glass I can barely hear them.

Then the correct response is, "Pardon me? I'm sorry, but I can't hear you!"

 

[Maistre Gracey]

I think the business should thank the customer and the customer should thank the business. You paid the business and should be thanked. They provided a service and should be thanked.

They are thanked by me giving them money. They did nothing gratuitous.
The customers polite response should be "you're welcome".

MG

 

[MaryLovesPoohBear]

I love when I ask guests where they're from and what they're looking forward to doing in the parks and they respond by throwing their credit card at me and shouting "two adults."

(Sometimes if I want to be a jerk I make the joke that selling adults is illegal but I can sell them some tickets if they want.)

That makes me sad.

Me, too.

I always make it a point to treat cast members as though they are (gasp) people.

 

[BrianL]

I may not always thank the groupers, but I do sometimes. It kinda depends on if things are hectic or kinda smoothly running and such. I definitely do it sometimes.

One time at Disneyland I went to use a restroom stall, and the custodian had was just coming out of the available one. I told him "Thank you so much" since I was about to defile the freshly cleaned stall, and he looked at me at first like I was the only person who had ever said that to him and then replied, "You're very welcome." I really don't think people thank the CMs very much at all.