Rude Cast Member

[Phrank40]

Just got back from WDW trip and for the most part cast members were friendly and helpful. However, there was what I think was one glaring exception. When we parked our car at Epcot lot and got out there was a cast member on a Segway telling people to stay out of traffic patterns, don't walk behind cars to get to shuttle. I understand the safety angle of keeping people away from incoming traffic but this cast member's attitude was not pleasant. He was almost yelling at people. I thought to myself at the time that he needed to relax little bit. Then a guest getting out of her car was told to "Stay out of the traffic pattern" and she yelled at him that he didn't have to be so rude about it. Anyhow, seems to me the first employee you interact with at a Park shouldn't come across as overbearing. He had a job to do, but he could have been a lot more pleasant about doing it.

Of course, now whenever my wife and I walk across a parking lot we tell each other "Stay out of the traffic pattern".

Phrank

 

[MrsJ Henry]

I would write a letter just stating what you wrote here.

 

[Horizons16]

I would too... thats kind of dumb too. I mean she was getting out of her car...

 

[fam4jc]

So sorry to hear about that CM having a bad day. That sure can take the magic out of WDW fast. I have a little story for you. At my 2 DD's school there is this one teacher who we call the traffic nazi. She shouts and points, I've even seen her stomp her feet at parents. She is very intimidating. One day I was in my DD's room and in comes this teacher. We began to talk about the traffic before and after school. She explained that she is terrified of one of "her kids" getting hit that she just goes nuts to keep everyone doing what they should be doing. I understood her a little better after that.
Maybe that CM was just worried or overworked. In either case, I'm sorry you had to witness it!

Just be sure to stay out of those traffic patterns
fam4jc

 

[ShadowWind]

I've run into unfriendly CM's on rare occasion and while it may ruin some of the magic, I always cut them some slack. People don't realize that it's not easy to stand out there all morning in the heat trying to keep people from doing something dangerous. They aren't exactly paid that well either, and like most humans, may not be having the best day in the world. Many don't realize how many people scream at them. So before writing a letter to get the guy disciplined and/or fired, try to put yourself in their shoes for a few minutes. We are on vacation, they are not.

 

[safetymom]

I go to the parks quite often and see so many clueless people walking into the path of oncoming cars in the parking lot.

The CM's can't win. If something happened because someone was walking in the wrong place in the parking lot people would be posting that the cast member wasn't forceful enough!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I wouldn't be surprised if I knew which one it was and saw him in action on a tram.
A few weeks ago at MGM and Epcot (separate days) I witnessed a few of the tram employees with bad guest attitudes.
One I was VERY tempted to walk back and get his name off his tag. I only stopped as I didn't want someone to get fired just because he was a jerk at that moment.
Luckily CMs like that are rare. And I bet they are not CMs for long.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by safetymom
The CM's can't win. If something happened because someone was walking in the wrong place in the parking lot people would be posting that the cast member wasn't forceful enough!

 

[webmomom]

I agree with most of the people here about not writing. It has to be a horrid job. Most people do not know what it happening. They are there to get into the park. I have watched and they asked people to walk out of the traffic area and they don't listen. If he seemed rude, it worked. As you said you and your wife now when walking across a parking lot say "Stay out of the traffic pattern.

I have been quilty of the same thing. Walking in the traffic pattern and you should hear my DH yell at me. You think the CM was rude. They are only doing it to keep you safe to enjoy the rest of your trip.

 

[2angelsinheaven]

Yup, Parking Lot attendant is not a job for me, more power to you if you can handle that kind of thing. However he could have been more polite.

 

[Daryl]

Many of the posters do have a point, it can be a horrid job, however, it is a job. One of reasons the Disney parks are so magical is the fact that the castmembers are trained to go out of thier way to create a great guest experience. That's why they are called "castmembers" as opposed to employees. When they are in public in the parks they are on stage. I would be just as quick to write a letter of praise regarding a castmember who made my trip special as to write a letter of complaint. Reports of rudeness should be investigated and if there is cause, the castmember should be repremanded and retrained. I was yelled at by a castmember, and it did ruin that day for me. I'm lucky, I get to go to both U.S Disney parks quite often, but some families only get to go once. It would be a shame if such a family had part of a trip ruined by rudeness. Working in a Disney park can be tough, and many of the castmembers are very young, but creating the magic for the guests is one of the most important parts of the job.

 

[campingcorgi]

How bad a job could it be--he was riding a Segway!!! They charge big bucks for the chance to ride those!

Just kidding--but I really want one of those things! Looks like a cool toy

 

[Daryl]

oops sorry, I posted twice by mistake.

 

[CanadaPT]

I agree with many of you, rudeness shouldn't be tolerated.

However, being rude and being strict with the rules can be two different things. I worked at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 and helped managed crowds a couple of days. You would not believe how many people thought that it was ok to just ignore what we were telling them and go against the crowds or backwards through security areas. There were times we had to practically yell at people because they simply weren't listening. I'm sure that by the end of the day we were more stern with guests, mostly because we had dealt with so many unruly ones prior.

 

[sconnell]

We were at MGM on Friday and we also experienced a "rude" CM in the parking lot. We weren't in the traffic pattern, just following the crowd. We were waiting for the last person in our party to make it to the end of the row. The CM told us to move to the other side of a line, so we moved. No biggie. When we were all together and started moving, he yelled at us for not staying on the other side of the line. I still haven't figured this one out, there was no traffic and there where probably 50 people walking 20 yds in front of us who weren't on the other side of the line.
It's not a big deal, but I wish he would have used a different tone. But, like others have said, it was very hot and I got a little grumpy in the heat myself.

 

[Stepharoonie!]

I admire the CMs that work in the parking lots and the trams. It's REALLY hot and bright out there! And they have to deal with all sorts of weather, like rain, excessive heat, and cold. I think they do great jobs

 

[Tinkbell]

I guess this guy's whole job involves keeping people safe and "out of the traffic pattern". It's hard to yell something like that all day and do it in a pleasant sounding voice. It's hard to yell ANYTHING and sound pleasant. If he didn't yell, then someone would be bound to run into the "traffic pattern" and Disney parking would be deemed unsafe.

 

[eleanor]

Sometimes I want to yell at stupid people at WDW. I cant believe how unthinking some people are. The guy isn't perfect or he would be working somewhere else.

 

[Cinderella37]

The guy isn't perfect or he would be working somewhere else.

It's a little harsh to characterize this CM in that manner. Pretty much any job at WDW is more challenging than working in other places, just because of the sheer number of people you must please on a daily basis. He should not have been rude or rude sounding, but I don't think this warrants judgements as to his ability or assuming that CMs are not intelligent and trained in any other areas. Let's remember that many executives at Disney started out selling popcorn on Main Street.

 

[Flower4Pwr]

Originally posted by eleanor
Sometimes I want to yell at stupid people at WDW. I cant believe how unthinking some people are. The guy isn't perfect or he would be working somewhere else.

People have bad days even at Disney world. NO ONE is perfect reguardless of where they work.

I think that you should write a letter, if it really upset you. Sometimes CMs don't realize how forceful they are coming across.