Something wierd happened to DD at MK

[tmarquez]

DD is 4. I was at MK with her and my mom. We rode Buzz, then DD wanted to look at the merchandise on the little merchandise cart that's out front. She does this every time we go, she never chooses to buy anything there. Just to make this clear...she was behaving, not being rough with anything. She would pick up a toy and look it over, then place it gently back on the shelf exactly where it belongs.

Ok so the CM that was working the cart comes over to her and asks her if she wants the little play set she was looking at. Of course DD said yes. Then the CM asked her if she also wanted the gun (she had been looking at a Buzz gun before the play set) and DD said no, just the play set. The CM never even made eye contact or acknowledged me or my mom who were both standing right behind DD. So the CM takes the play set from DD and tells her to come over to the register. DD had 51 cents in her hand because she was going to do a pressed penny. DD goes over to the register and the CM rings the toy up and takes the .51 cents from DD, then looks at my mom and says to DD that it'll be $xx.xx (I forget the amount) and hands the toy to DD.

At this point I stepped in. DD had $8 spending money left in her pocket. I told DD that was more than she had and to give the toy back to the CM and we would find something for her to buy at the big store on the way out. DD handed the toy back and got her .51 cents back. We just walked away. To me the whole thing was totally bizarre. Are they working on commission now or something?

I'm very grateful that DD is super mellow when it comes to times when I tell her "no". If it had been another kid, this could have caused a huge meltdown...or...the parents would have had to shell out money.

Later we talked about what happened. DD said she thought the CM was giving the toy to her.

 

[2forMe]

OH wow.. that is just not right.. serioulsy that is crazy. To ring up a toy without asking the parents if it is OK. That is wrong. Did the CM say anything when you told them you were not taking the toy??

 

[Nanisashi]

That is so bizarre. I have a DD4 as well, and they love to just look at stuff, ofcourse if someone asks them if they want it they will say yes. I've just never encountered anything like that at big dept. stores, let alone Disney! I say just chalk it up to 1 strange character. Sad this happend to your DD, how confusing it must have been for her.

 

[jakenjess]

I thought you were going to say the CM gave it to her for the 51 cents as a "Magical Moment" or something! That's completely bizarre, and kuddos to your little girl for being so mellow! You're right, with some kids that could have been a big scene, and through really no fault of the child!

 

[tmarquez]

Did the CM say anything when you told them you were not taking the toy??

She (the CM) didn't say a word to us. It was awkward, she was pretty much expressionless as well.

 

[nuzmom]

I'm curious, when the CM asked if she wanted it and you and your mom were standing behind her, why didn't you tell the CM that she was just looking? Then when she was ringing it up, you didn't say anything until after your DD gave her the 51 cents?

I do think it's strange that the CM didn't make eye contact with you or your mom, but I think I would have said something before it was rung up. I'm glad your DD wasn't upset over it.

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Very odd. I probably would have piped up and said, "oh no, we're just looking" before it got to the register, but still just strange that the CM jumped the gun like that.

 

[MSSANDRA]

I too would have thought it was a "magical Moment".

I am sure your were too shocked to say anything but I think It would have been good to question his reasoning.

 

[tadamom]

That is super crazy! Glad your DD was mellow about the whole thing b/c that could have been a bad situation.

 

[Beth E. (NJ)]

Very strange indeed.

 

[tmarquez]

I'm curious, when the CM asked if she wanted it and you and your mom were standing behind her, why didn't you tell the CM that she was just looking? Then when she was ringing it up, you didn't say anything until after your DD gave her the 51 cents?

I didn't say anything because the CM was speaking to DD, not to me. DD is at the age where she orders her own food and asks (and answers) questions to/from adults. It's good practice, alot of her friends have no clue how to speak to an adult.

The only reason I stepped in after she handed DD the toy and said how much more money it was is because DD was obviously not understanding what was going on.

We ALL thought it was a "magical moment" of some sort.

If the CM said "do you want to buy that?" instead of "do you want that? do you want the gun too? come over here." It would have all ended with DD simply saying no she didn't want to buy it, she was just looking.

 

[PinballFamily]

Something similar happened to us on our trip this past winter. It bugged me too...but...

We were sitting on the curb in front of HOP in Liberty Square waiting for Spectro. The CMs came out shortly before the parade and were playing in the street/square with the gathered kids (hula hoops, some ball thing on a string, etc.) and all were having a great time. A CM with a "glowing stuff" cart stations himself across the street (right near the wheelchair viewing area). My son (age 7 with autism) walks a few steps over and starts conversing with the vendor (wow - showing social skills!!!) and walks back to me and says "Look, the man gave me this Stitch." (a glowing, spinning thingie the CM had put into my son's hand) I said "Wow - did you say thank you?" (We had just been YOMD winners the day before - was this more pixie dust?)

My son said "Yes, I did! But I'll do it again!" then he went back over across the street to say "thanks" but returns to me (thing still in his hand) and says "Stitch costs $16 dollars." WHAT?????

I told my son he had to give it back - that he had his own Buzz Lightyear glow spinner (bought at huge clearance prices at the Disney Store before the trip - thanks dis budget board folks) right here in our bag. (Quick, quick grab it and show him...)

Of course, HUGE meltdown...tears...yelling..."but I want Stitch"... My husband went over with my son for the transfer/return - if I had, I might have gone ballistic! To me, this was over the top. Unfortunately, it is pretty obvious to any adult who spends more than ten seconds with him that my son has a neurological disability, and to put him in this situation did not make us happy. We were kind of able to distract him with the games the other CMs were playing and then the parade started...and that was it.

My guess is that this sales technique "works" more often than it fails - many parents will just fork over the dough, rather than have an unhappy child - especially at WDW. I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

 

[*KeepMovingForward*]

Something similar happened to us on our trip this past winter. It bugged me too...but...

We were sitting on the curb in front of HOP in Liberty Square waiting for Spectro. The CMs came out shortly before the parade and were playing in the street/square with the gathered kids (hula hoops, some ball thing on a string, etc.) and all were having a great time. A CM with a "glowing stuff" cart stations himself across the street (right near the wheelchair viewing area). My son (age 7 with autism) walks a few steps over and starts conversing with the vendor (wow - showing social skills!!!) and walks back to me and says "Look, the man gave me this Stitch." (a glowing, spinning thingie the CM had put into my son's hand) I said "Wow - did you say thank you?" (We had just been YOMD winners the day before - was this more pixie dust?)

My son said "Yes, I did! But I'll do it again!" then he went back over across the street to say "thanks" but returns to me (thing still in his hand) and says "Stitch costs $16 dollars." WHAT?????

I told my son he had to give it back - that he had his own Buzz Lightyear glow spinner (bought at huge clearance prices at the Disney Store before the trip - thanks dis budget board folks) right here in our bag. (Quick, quick grab it and show him...)

Of course, HUGE meltdown...tears...yelling..."but I want Stitch"... My husband went over with my son for the transfer/return - if I had, I might have gone ballistic! To me, this was over the top. Unfortunately, it is pretty obvious to any adult who spends more than ten seconds with him that my son has a neurological disability, and to put him in this situation did not make us happy. We were kind of able to distract him with the games the other CMs were playing and then the parade started...and that was it.

My guess is that this sales technique "works" more often than it fails - many parents will just fork over the dough, rather than have an unhappy child - especially at WDW. I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

Wow...I really hope this is not a Disney advocated sales technique. That is terrible that your son had that experience. Maybe it is just some unthinking CM's? I don't know.

 

[jakenjess]

I think this is something the CMs should be very careful of, especially with the YOMD thing going on. I think any reasonable parent who knows of this promotion would assume it was a YOMD gift. Totally unacceptable to be getting kids' hopes up. What if this is a family on an extremely tight budget that really can't be spending extra money on souvenirs? I might send an e-mail to Disney relating these experiences.

 

[tadamom]

Something similar happened to us on our trip this past winter. It bugged me too...but...

We were sitting on the curb in front of HOP in Liberty Square waiting for Spectro. The CMs came out shortly before the parade and were playing in the street/square with the gathered kids (hula hoops, some ball thing on a string, etc.) and all were having a great time. A CM with a "glowing stuff" cart stations himself across the street (right near the wheelchair viewing area). My son (age 7 with autism) walks a few steps over and starts conversing with the vendor (wow - showing social skills!!!) and walks back to me and says "Look, the man gave me this Stitch." (a glowing, spinning thingie the CM had put into my son's hand) I said "Wow - did you say thank you?" (We had just been YOMD winners the day before - was this more pixie dust?)

My son said "Yes, I did! But I'll do it again!" then he went back over across the street to say "thanks" but returns to me (thing still in his hand) and says "Stitch costs $16 dollars." WHAT?????

I told my son he had to give it back - that he had his own Buzz Lightyear glow spinner (bought at huge clearance prices at the Disney Store before the trip - thanks dis budget board folks) right here in our bag. (Quick, quick grab it and show him...)

Of course, HUGE meltdown...tears...yelling..."but I want Stitch"... My husband went over with my son for the transfer/return - if I had, I might have gone ballistic! To me, this was over the top. Unfortunately, it is pretty obvious to any adult who spends more than ten seconds with him that my son has a neurological disability, and to put him in this situation did not make us happy. We were kind of able to distract him with the games the other CMs were playing and then the parade started...and that was it.

My guess is that this sales technique "works" more often than it fails - many parents will just fork over the dough, rather than have an unhappy child - especially at WDW. I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

That is horrible! I felt sooo bad for your son while reading that. With YOMD going on, I would have thought the same thing too. I just can't understand why some of these CM's are doing this -- they obviously don't have kids!

 

[Rubbertops]

I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

I don't think you were a meanie/cheapskate. I think you were being a smart person that can make your own choices and wasn't going to be a push-over.

 

[wendy46001]

Wow never heard of a CM doing that...I know we have this problem a lot over seas....but those are small street vendors...they'd pass a trinket to my niece and tap us on the shoulder and tell us the price…

I'd hope disney corrects this soon…

 

[cinder1]

If you notice, both of these incidents occurred with outside kiosks/cart vendors. My son had a similar weird experience at the outside Buzz kiosk too. The CM was following my DS around, being really suspicious of him. He was 6 and was being very good, putting everything right back and I was standing right there too. The CM said something similar to my DS (whether he wanted an item) and I said no, he was just looking and that he was fine. I responded for him since I had already seen the CM eyeing him. The CM was a bit rude about it and said they have problems with people, especially kids, just walking away with merchandise at the outside kiosks. I stated that I understood her concern, but that I was right there and he was only looking.

 

[wehavesix]

They do this on the cruise ships too. Fortunately my sister warned me about it and I was able to caution my children. A cm may ask if you want something but it may not be included in the price of the cruise. There may be an additional charge for it so always ask what it costs before you say yes. One of the things in particular they did this with was smoothies before dinner. Everyone knows that alcoholic drinks are an extra charge but they don't make it clear that the non alcoholic smoothies are an extra charge too. Not that my kids couldn't have them but that they needed to be aware that they were putting a charge on our room when they ordered some things.

 

[kaysmommie]

Something similar happened to us on our trip this past winter. It bugged me too...but...

We were sitting on the curb in front of HOP in Liberty Square waiting for Spectro. The CMs came out shortly before the parade and were playing in the street/square with the gathered kids (hula hoops, some ball thing on a string, etc.) and all were having a great time. A CM with a "glowing stuff" cart stations himself across the street (right near the wheelchair viewing area). My son (age 7 with autism) walks a few steps over and starts conversing with the vendor (wow - showing social skills!!!) and walks back to me and says "Look, the man gave me this Stitch." (a glowing, spinning thingie the CM had put into my son's hand) I said "Wow - did you say thank you?" (We had just been YOMD winners the day before - was this more pixie dust?)

My son said "Yes, I did! But I'll do it again!" then he went back over across the street to say "thanks" but returns to me (thing still in his hand) and says "Stitch costs $16 dollars." WHAT?????

I told my son he had to give it back - that he had his own Buzz Lightyear glow spinner (bought at huge clearance prices at the Disney Store before the trip - thanks dis budget board folks) right here in our bag. (Quick, quick grab it and show him...)

Of course, HUGE meltdown...tears...yelling..."but I want Stitch"... My husband went over with my son for the transfer/return - if I had, I might have gone ballistic! To me, this was over the top. Unfortunately, it is pretty obvious to any adult who spends more than ten seconds with him that my son has a neurological disability, and to put him in this situation did not make us happy. We were kind of able to distract him with the games the other CMs were playing and then the parade started...and that was it.

My guess is that this sales technique "works" more often than it fails - many parents will just fork over the dough, rather than have an unhappy child - especially at WDW. I'm just too much of a meanie/cheapskate!

Your not mean or a cheapskate that CN try to take advantage of you and your DS. If someone did this to my DD she would put it back and be fine with it if she didn't have enough of her own money to buy it. But Ds on the other hand who has just turned 3 would probably have a meltdown. I would be really ticked off with the CM also.