SOARIN'- what happened?

[cakesnjammom]

On Tuesday the 18th we enter the ride and had just handed the CM our Fast Pass...we waited several minutes saw all the CMs running around in a panic...next thing we know the whole line waiting (several who had waited more than an hour) were asked to exit the building with no explaination whatsoever. We exited in an employee only area and then went thru a gate to re-enter the park. It was so strange and it was handled SO POORLY. When we went to guest relations they said it was technical difficulties and we would be allowed back on the ride if it were running later? WHAT? I was really disappointed in the level of service we were given!????

 

[centurythree]

On Tuesday the 18th we enter the ride and had just handed the CM our Fast Pass...we waited several minutes saw all the CMs running around in a panic...next thing we know the whole line waiting (several who had waited more than an hour) were asked to exit the building with no explaination whatsoever. We exited in an employee only area and then went thru a gate to re-enter the park. It was so strange and it was handled SO POORLY. When we went to guest relations they said it was technical difficulties and we would be allowed back on the ride if it were running later? WHAT? I was really disappointed in the level of service we were given!????

Speaking as someone in the service industry, there are times when guest safety trumps guest service. Anything could have gone wrong, from a cast member injury to mechanical failure to a small electrical fire. In certain circumstances, you just get people out any way you can. It's better to be rude than have someone be injured. Sometimes there's just no time to play nice.

Of course, I see no indication here that anyone actually was rude. And generally, if a ride breaks down at any park (Disney or otherwise) the ride returns to service as first-come-first-serve.

 

[WDSearcher]

"Technical difficulties" is Disney-speak for virtually anything that happens on a ride that causes a stoppage or an evacuation. What happened the day you were there could have been anything from a CM injury to a guest heart attack or seizure to an equipment malfunction or technical anomoly. Considering how frantic everyone seemed to be, it was likely a safety issue that caused such a quick evacuation.

As for the level of service -- while I'm sure that things like this have procedures and are rehearsed, you still never know how you're going to react until something happens. I'm sorry that you didn't receive the level of service you expected, but maybe give the CMs a break. They were likely told "Get everyone out now!" and did the best they could.

If you feel that the way this was handled negatively affected your vacation as a whole, be sure to let Disney know that, so that they can work to fix the problem or compensate you in some way.

 

[karibritt01]

We were in line for Peter Pan last summer during Wishes, and were quickly evacuated in the same manner. Once leaving the ride, we saw many people running around on the roof of the building with hoses. Guess there was a misfire with a firework... I think the inconvenience of being evacuated is far worth the safety of my family. We were impressed at how quickly they had the building from packed to empty, personally.

 

[serene56]

Just curious-- what do you think should have been done different?

 

[mdoc]

We had something similar happen during our Thanksgiving trip. We were at the Nemo show in AK. We'd waited in the line and in the theatre for about 45 minutes for the show to start, and about 5 minutes into the show, there was a commotion up in one of the front rows, and someone came onto a loudspeaker and announced that this showing of Nemo is cancelled. It was very abrupt. No explanation, they just quickly herded everyone out of the theatre. I was disappointed that we'd wasted a precious hour out of our day, but things happen. Although we were never told, I suspect there was a guest medical emergency that needed to be dealt with. That's more important than my family seeing Nemo (and we did come back for an afternoon show). I don't hear anything in your description of what happened at Soarin' that sounds like poor customer service to me. Yes, it's disappointing, and yes, it would be nice to know WHY you're being inconvenienced, but it sounds like they were just evacuating the ride a quickly as they could and I'm sure there was a good reason for it.

 

[karibritt01]

I think it is a safety issue that they don't tell people WHY they are evacuated. Something like a fire would cause panic, and possibly injuries. Someone being injured would cause gawkers, and possibly interfere with medical response. I can't think of a single building that would tell you WHY the evacuation... schools, mall, courthouse, etc. Not snarking... hope it didn't sound that way!

 

[conniehar90]

I'm thinking the OP was expecting something on the line of FP's to get back on the ride when it opened. The ride CM was probably in a rush and the Guest relations CM probably didn't really have a clue as to what happened. But, those who had waited in standby for an hour probably thought they should get priority over someone else who hadn't waited so long. JMO

 

[breezy1077]

But, what actually happened? Just curious now. Does anyone know?

 

[REL1203]

I was in the middle of the Nemo Show back in Sept 07 when one of the 2 main people was injured ( think twisted ankle or somehting small like that) and the show had to stop... It was very disappointing..

 

[boomhauer]

I was in the middle of the Nemo Show back in Sept 07 when one of the 2 main people was injured ( think twisted ankle or somehting small like that) and the show had to stop... It was very disappointing..

How dare they!

 

[CanadianGuy]

Anytime you feel something impacted your trip to Disney, positive or negatively, it's always in your best interest to write Disney directly. While complaining about it on the internet will get you a mixed bag of comments.. it won't change a darned thing on Disney property.. or with their customer service.

But writing to one of these addresses at least ensures the right people see your comments:

Walt Disney World Guest Communications
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

Sorry your experience wasn't as great as could be!

Knox

 

[AdamsPrincess]

I was in the middle of the Nemo Show back in Sept 07 when one of the 2 main people was injured ( think twisted ankle or somehting small like that) and the show had to stop... It was very disappointing..

We were at Nemo too when it first opened and the part where squirt comes out and swims around, she got stuck, the had to cancel it, we just saw it later.

 

[SnwflkCts]

You know ... I am as curious as the next guy ... but sometimes it is none of our business why something is cancelled or closed. Just my little pot stirring ...

I think maybe the OP just would have liked a FP ... (I'm guessing). It would be disappointing to wait and not get on the ride but have you ever heard of an attraction called Test Track????????????? I think my magnetic aura causes it to break down when I am up to the front of the line!! Luckily ... we were able to wait a little bit and eventually ride it!

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm thinking the OP was expecting something on the line of FP's to get back on the ride when it opened. The ride CM was probably in a rush and the Guest relations CM probably didn't really have a clue as to what happened. But, those who had waited in standby for an hour probably thought they should get priority over someone else who hadn't waited so long. JMO

Ideally, that would have been a nice solution. But if they were told to empty the building NOW that would have added time and possibly impacted safety.

As a high school teacher, I can tell you that when that fire alarm goes off, my demeanor changes. My primary concern is the safety of the kids, not their feelings. They WILL be quiet and move quickly, or they'll be sorry afterwards (in fact, this is a big part of my first day "welcome to school" speech.) If someone loses his place in the cafeteria line, then I'm sorry, but it's not something I can control. Getting those kids to safety is my concern.

Stopping to issue fastpasses or something similar would have taken personnel away from where they were needed. The odds are that, once the building was evacuated, there was other work for the CMs to do.

 

[HallGirl]

I heard that the fire alarm went off and that was why they had to evacuate. To CMs, number one priority is safety.

 

[REL1203]

We were at Nemo too when it first opened and the part where squirt comes out and swims around, she got stuck, the had to cancel it, we just saw it later.

We never got the chance to see it again. I am ok with that as its one of excuses to go back to disney this fall. Seriously, my wife is dying to see the end, she loved the movie and was sad she didnt get to see the end, but didnt want to have to wait in line again and deal with all that hassle just to see the last 10minutes... That and I am really wanting to see what they fixed on the Haunted Mansion ride as it was closed last time we were there as well (as was Spaceship Earth).

 

[mygirl]

I think the inconvenience of being evacuated is far worth the safety of my family.

well said!
any type of emergency - medical or otherwise - far outweighs my need to see a particular attraction. an emergency is just that - and i would rather be quickly and abruptly evacuated for the safety of not only my family, but also for the safety and comfort of the injured/ill person(s).

 

[bgdiznee]

Well yes, we should all be concern with public safety over inconvience. However with that being said, as I recall from post AND first hand reports from friends who had been in the parks on 9/11, Disney employees still managed to hand out return vouchers to departing guest as they were quickly evacuating the parks for that very scary emergency. Just food for thought.

 

[centurythree]

Well yes, we should all be concern with public safety over inconvience. However with that being said, as I recall from post AND first hand reports from friends who had been in the parks on 9/11, Disney employees still managed to hand out return vouchers to departing guest as they were quickly evacuating the parks for that very scary emergency. Just food for thought.

Right, but the parks had no warning that they were in imminent danger. Also, the logistics for handing out vouchers to a park evacuating as a precaution are different from that for a buliding evacuating because of actual or imminent danger. (Think the 9/11 Marriott World Trade Center hotel evacuation rather than WDW's evacuation--trust me, no one was stopping to make room keys or carry out luggage. If they had, the hotel would have lost far, far more people.)

Then there's the problem of who gets the FastPasses. Is it the people originally in line with FastPasses? The people who had waited longer in the standby lines? What about the people arriving after the ride has reopened (FastPass guests and otherwise)? Why should they have to wait longer?