Weekend @ Food & Wine Disasterish

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My wife and I spent our anniversary at the GF and Epcot for the weekend. She had really never been to Disney before and I have been going for years so I wanted to take her during what I think is the best event of the year (Food & Wine)

She was absolutely blown away at the level of customer service that Disney offered us, from the guys at the Front Gate of the MK to the Valet to the GF Front Desk personnel, she couldn't believe how nice everyone was! She even liked how the security guard checking her bag at Epcot called her "Princess."
During our first hour @ F&W we walked around enjoying all of the cuisine from the different countries and were having an absolute blast. Then things began to go downhill...

Let me preface this by saying that she is the oldest of 5 girls, and has a father that rules with an iron fist...While waiting in line at Vienna she received a phone call from her sister who turned 18 at midnight the night before, her sister informed her that, against her fathers wishes, she got her bellybutton pierced. My wife was blown away and started laughing and was not yelling, but talking loudly, to her sister about how she couldn't believe that she did it. Immediately as this happened we were ordering 2 glasses of wine and some food, a supervisor stepped in front of her pointed his finger directly at her face and yelled "YOU ARE CUTOFF!!!" she was still on the phone at the time and didn't quite comprehend what was going on, so I asked the supervisor why she was "cutoff" the man said that, "There is no way I am letting either of you have any more to drink for the rest of the day!" and then he proceeded to just simply walk away, no telling the server not to give us our 2 glasses of wine, no "blacklisting" or "cutting off"...
My wife, absolutely embarrassed that she had been "cutoff" in front of a line of 20 people threw her wine away and snuck off in a corner and got visibly upset....

I immediately chased down the supervisor and asked for his business card and informed him that we had only been there for an hour and had explained the situation about her sister. He looked dumbfounded that I wanted his business card and began to give me a line about how he was "just doing his job" (which I totally understand, but even if she was falling all over the place and throwing up I would hope the Disney protocol would be more than "YOU ARE CUTOFF!!") As we talked a bit more I realized that I was getting nowhere with him and just asked him if he wouldn't mind apologizing to my wife, he said that he was very busy and he had to go. That was the end of it.

My wife, still visibly shaken that she had been "cutoff" for the first time in her life...at Disney World to boot... was ready to leave when I talked her out of it and told her to try and forget about it.
She headed my advice and decided to forget about it, what was the point of dwelling on someone else projecting the hand they have been dealt on us, we continued on and had an awesome rest of the evening, and even though it wasn't mentioned the rest of the night, it was obviously still on her mind.

As I sit here this morning, stewing about what happened, It really makes me upset. Here I am putting up money to stay at the GF, arguably Disney's premier resort, and showing my wife who has never been to Disney, what it is all about, and someone stepped in to ruin it with no accountability or apology. She gives me flack about how I like Disney way too much and this was my opportunity to show her why I love it, and I don't blame her if she tells me, "I told you so...it isn't so magical"

I am sure someone on here has had a bummer trip to Disney and I just wanted to know what my next step should be as far as, at the very least, receiving an apology for how my wife was treated, that is really all it would take to salvage a new customer. If I can't get even that, they have undoubtedly lost 2...

 

[dmccarty]

Obviously the manager mistook your wife for a drunk. The manager needs some training on a bunch of different levels. If only the manager had bothered to talk to your wife before assuming she was drunk.

But here is a quote from a person's tag line on a different website, "I can't control my day but I can control my attitude."

Easy to say but hard to do especially when someone does what the manager did to your wife. I would complain to Disney about the manager. They will know who was working and they can address the problem if they choose too.

Sorry to hear this happened.
Dan

 

[BriarRosie]

Staying at the Grand Floridian is irrelevant to the situation. Disney cast members are trained to treat ALL guests as special, no matter where they stay, onsite or off.

That being said, I think the manager handled everything wrong, but there was something you could have done to make it right. The supervisor is wearing a nametag. Hopefully he was wearing his real name, not a randomly picked nametag due to forgetting his.

If I had that happen to me, or if I witnessed it happening, I'd have gone to Guest Relations (located on the right side of Spaceship Earth if you're walking from World Showcase to Future World) to report his behavior. But I'd have to take several deep breaths and calm myself first to report the situation clearly.

I know that if you have an incident, but don't attack the people at Guest Relations and present only the facts of what happened (and not the "I'm staying at XXX resort" diatribe), they will make sure that the proper channels handle it. They might also present some form of compensation for your embarrassment as an apology.

 

[koolaidmoms]

Guest relations would have definately been my first stop. Getting the name of the Manager and the person who was serving at the time of the incident too. They are usually very responsive to complaints and concerns.

If you so feel the need they do have a guest relations person that you can contact just to let them know of the unDisney attitude you were on the receiving end of. I can't find the number off hand but I am sure if you just call and ask they can get you to someone.

So sorry this happened to your wife and hope she has not become anti-Disney because of this one person.

 

[Mr. & Mrs. Smith]

Staying at the Grand Floridian is irrelevant to the situation. Disney cast members are trained to treat ALL guests as special, no matter where they stay, onsite or off.

I agree. I really didn't get what staying at GF had to do with anything.

That CM acted completely inappropriately. Even if he felt your DW was being a little rowdy, that was clearly not the way to deal with the situation.

I'm with the others, though, who suggested taking the matter to Guest Relations. Following him and demanding an apology was not the wisest decision.

Also, when you're standing in line getting ready to order, whether your in WDW or elsewhere, don't answer your phone. Sorry. Just a big pet peeve of mine.

 

[TDC Nala]

Yep, report it. I hope you got his name. But leave out the Grand Floridian we spend a crapload of money on the resort stuff. Obviously it would have been better to report it as soon as it happened. But you could still lodge a complaint seeing as how the cast member's behavior was egregious.

This may actually reassure the variety of posters we get who think they should be cutting off drinkers at the festival. Now they're cutting off people who haven't even been drinking an hour.

 

[andymattmom]

I agree. I really didn't get what staying at GF had to do with anything.

That CM acted completely inappropriately. Even if he felt your DW was being a little rowdy, that was clearly not the way to deal with the situation.

I'm with the others, though, who suggested taking the matter to Guest Relations. Following him and demanding an apology was not the wisest decision.

Also, when you're standing in line getting ready to order, whether your in WDW or elsewhere, don't answer your phone. Sorry. Just a big pet peeve of mine.[/QUOTE]


I agree with this post.

1. I wouldn't have been on the cell phone getting ready to order an alcoholic beverage or been talking that loudly. Some people aren't interested in listening to what is happening in your family. It is rude to those helping you in line and those who have to listen to the person in front of the talking "loudly" on their cell phone.

2. What does staying at the Grand Floridian have to do with this story. It is almost like saying I stayed here so I am better than those staying at the value resorts or offsite.

3. You should have gone immediately to the Guest Relations so they could see you were not drunk. People can get drunk in an hour and now it is a situation of your word against the CM.

Yes, he did handle it rudely and should have pulled you off to the side and in a quiet voice said you were not allowed to drink anymore. I would let Disney know of what happened. I would simplify the email or phone call to state we were at the festival and this is what happened.

Update please as to what happens....

 

[azdizzymom]

During our first hour @ F&W we walked around enjoying all of the cuisine from the different countries and were having an absolute blast. Then things began to go downhill...

Let me preface this by saying that she is the oldest of 5 girls, and has a father that rules with an iron fist...While waiting in line at Vienna she received a phone call from her sister who turned 18 at midnight the night before, her sister informed her that, against her fathers wishes, she got her bellybutton pierced. My wife was blown away and started laughing and was not yelling, but talking loudly, to her sister about how she couldn't believe that she did it. Immediately as this happened we were ordering 2 glasses of wine and some food, a supervisor stepped in front of her pointed his finger directly at her face and yelled "YOU ARE CUTOFF!!!" she was still on the phone at the time and didn't quite comprehend what was going on, so I asked the supervisor why she was "cutoff" the man said that, "There is no way I am letting either of you have any more to drink for the rest of the day!" and then he proceeded to just simply walk away, no telling the server not to give us our 2 glasses of wine, no "blacklisting" or "cutting off"...
My wife, absolutely embarrassed that she had been "cutoff" in front of a line of 20 people threw her wine away and snuck off in a corner and got visibly upset....

I immediately chased down the supervisor and asked for his business card and informed him that we had only been there for an hour and had explained the situation about her sister. He looked dumbfounded that I wanted his business card and began to give me a line about how he was "just doing his job" (which I totally understand, but even if she was falling all over the place and throwing up I would hope the Disney protocol would be more than "YOU ARE CUTOFF!!") As we talked a bit more I realized that I was getting nowhere with him and just asked him if he wouldn't mind apologizing to my wife, he said that he was very busy and he had to go. That was the end of it.

My wife, still visibly shaken that she had been "cutoff" for the first time in her life...at Disney World to boot... was ready to leave when I talked her out of it and told her to try and forget about it.
She headed my advice and decided to forget about it, what was the point of dwelling on someone else projecting the hand they have been dealt on us, we continued on and had an awesome rest of the evening, and even though it wasn't mentioned the rest of the night, it was obviously still on her mind.

As I sit here this morning, stewing about what happened, It really makes me upset. Here I am putting up money to stay at the GF, arguably Disney's premier resort, and showing my wife who has never been to Disney, what it is all about, and someone stepped in to ruin it with no accountability or apology. She gives me flack about how I like Disney way too much and this was my opportunity to show her why I love it, and I don't blame her if she tells me, "I told you so...it isn't so magical"

I am sure someone on here has had a bummer trip to Disney and I just wanted to know what my next step should be as far as, at the very least, receiving an apology for how my wife was treated, that is really all it would take to salvage a new customer. If I can't get even that, they have undoubtedly lost 2...

Sorry for what happened but you need to look at the situation from the CM's point. He saw a woman who was talking loudly on a cell phone in line and laughing...waiting to get alcohol. He assumed (wrong) that your wife was drunk. He handled it wrong, but you did also. First it is rude to talk loud on a cell phone in a line with others around and when ordering. She should have stepped out of line to take the call.

You shouldn't have chased him down. I would have gone right to guest relations and stated what happened. They could have seen you were not drunk and handled the situation right then.

I would call and let them know what happened.

It appears obnoxious on your part and you make it appear you are better than everyone when you state we were at the premier resort ...GF and spend lots of money. Is your money better than others who save for months or years and have a fabulous time staying at a value resort. When you walked into Epcot that day could you tell where everyone was staying---NO! This is an irrelevant comment that has no issue to how you were treated. I would ask for an apology but not expect compensation. Did it scar you or your wife for life--no? People are losing houses, jobs, etc these days...this is your worse event this past month chalk it up to a lesson not to talk loudly on the cell phone.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

what I really want to know is - was she really cut off? Do they have a "no more alcohol for me" stamp that they put on your hand or forehead or something? Was she able to go to other places and order wine? Obviously you were not escorted out of the park. Or was this cast member (a supervisor or manager, yet) just deciding to act like a twit because she was talking too loudly on the cell phone? Was he someone official with the festival or did he just have dominion over the Vienna booth? How would, say, the Puerto Rico booth know what went on in Vienna?

I'm sort of assuming that this supervisor really didn't have the power to cut her off and was just being an idiot. If you're a supervisor and you're going to take some sort of action against a guest you take them aside, you don't scream at them in front of everybody. This one was just a twit.

 

[WUVmyDISNEY]

I tend to really stear clear of responding to things where people are going to get heated, but this time I will. While I agree that talking loudly on a cell phone in public is innappropriate ( as I have reminded my 16 yr old on occasion) the OP's wife was not treated properly. If this supervisor were trained properly, he may have just asked the couple to step out of line for a moment to assess what was really going on. I do not agree that talking loudly and laughing in public on a cell phone should be an invitation to be embarressed in the way that she was. I did not get the feeling that the OP thought he was better than someone staying at a value resort and that he deserved to be treated better because he was staying at the GF. I think his point was ( as I read it anyway)that staying at Disney/going to Disney is a costly venture and the treatment he got at EPCOT was way out of line and not deserved. I also agree that he should have went to guest services right away. I am assuming that what he meant that his wife was "visibly upset' that perhaps she started to cry. I would have felt humiliated and I am sensitive so I can tell you, the embarressment alone of being called out like that, drunk or not, would have made me cry! OK,,,here is where I have to brace myself for the negative comments.....if that same situation happened to me/us, I can guarantee you that my husband would have defended me and demanded an apology at the least and if none was forthcoming....there would have been some choice words used. Period, end of story. Yes, hate me if you will and tell me how bad that is and how we would deserve to be banned from Disney....but that is prob what would happen. And yes, we prob would have gotten banned from Disney. Truth be told, as much as I love Disney, I would choose not to spend my hard earned money to be treated so badly.

 

[TifffanyD]

I don't normally post on these kinds of topics (just read them) but I wanted to say OP I feel for you. If someone yelled at me at Disney - no matter who - it would definitely damper my spirit. It makes it worse that it was a castmember and worse still that it was unwarranted. Yes some people could just shake it off but for others (like me) it would be more difficult.

I see other people faulting you for saying you were staying at the GF. Yeah if you used this argument it might sound like you were entitled but you might just be bummed about the amount of money you spent and then received substandard service. Of course the service was at a park and not a resort, but still.

Yeah I think people talking on cell phones in line is obnoxious and a snide remark from other patrons could be expected (and I wouldn't blame them) but to be yelled at from some off-the-handle manager on an ego trip is totally over the top. I would be livid and would definitely complain to guest relations (complain, not yell). Hope you can get the bitter taste from your wife's mouth and enjoy a future trip.

 

[DOOM1001]

Except for a mistake by the supervisor thinking your wife was drunk it looks like you had a dandy day.I definitely would have gone to guest relations to explain the situation so in the future they make sure they're really identifying drunk people.I don't know the level of how loud your wife was talking and laughing but if it was loud you could see how someone would make that mistake.Also the staying at the GF,that has nothing to do with the situation.If this would have happened to me like I said I would go to Guest relations but I wouldn't let it bother me as it was simply a mistake as they do happen at Disney.You seem to think that everything at Disney has to be perfect,and of course it's not.Let me give you an example of what happened at Halloween Horror Nights at Universal where a father bought a jello shot and let his 19 year old daughter have a sip and have been banned for life from the resort,he obviously shouldn't have let her try it but banned for life is extreme,you were able to continue your day and had no other issues.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Well that's too bad that happened, I hope the rest of your trip was magical.

You should have whipped out your cell phone or cameara, said "Smile" and taken his photo, then shown that to guest services! I had a horrible cm once (really the only time at WDW in 10+ trips) at MGM and later on I wished I had done that very thing.

I am sorry that it happened and hope your wife will return to WDW another time and not let his one manager out of thousands of cm's keep her away!

And I am not really getting from the OP that he thought staying at the GF had anything to do with it per se, but rather that here they were, having a magical time, going all out and this thing happened, sort of bursting the bubble he worked hard to create.

 

[PrincessKara22]

I think being accused of being a drunk by a total stranger in an extremely public place must have felt humiliating for your wife. I definitely would have started to cry. Also, if the only way they're judging intoxication is by voice volume then that could be a serious problem. What about people who are naturally very loud like myself? I get very quiet and thoughtful when I'm drunk! For all that cast member knew she's a loud girl who wasn't drinking but was standing in line to keep her husband company while HE got an alcoholic beverage!

The guy was obviously just being a jerk bc otherwise I'm sure he would have written down your wife's name, or stamped her hand or something as "cut off". I'm sure there is an actual protocol in that situation and that it doesn't include screaming at a guest. I've been at Epcot and witnessed people visibly, disgusting intoxicated and seen CMs just laugh and walk away. Maybe they are just much more vigilant during the F&WF?

Also, I understand that people can get annoyed when others are on their phones but honestly she was outside! It's not like she was sitting at a table in a romantic restaurant yelling into her phone! I've witnessed far more offensive behavior at Disney you should be thankful if your only "annoyance" is a woman outside on her cell phone talking loudly while you're waiting for your wine.

 

[tink too]

It sounds to me like the CM that did the shouting had no real authority since OP's wife was still actually served her alcoholic beverage.

I agree with other posters. An immediate visit to guest relations would have been my first course of action had I been treated in that way.

 

[andymattmom]

Also, I understand that people can get annoyed when others are on their phones but honestly she was outside! It's not like she was sitting at a table in a romantic restaurant yelling into her phone! I've witnessed far more offensive behavior at Disney you should be thankful if your only "annoyance" is a woman outside on her cell phone talking loudly while you're waiting for your wine.

I disagree...why should I have to listen to someone loudly (husband's words) talking on her cell phone to her sister about a body piercing. This person was waiting to order wine--what happens when she is on the phone and gets to the front of the line. I think this behavior is rude--but sadly it has become acceptable in our society. People thinking how important they are talking on the cell phone shopping- then when they get to pay they still remain on the phone rudely ignoring the cashier. People talking on the cell phone at restaurants. People whipping out the cell as soon as the plane has landed to make that important call. People causing accidents because that call HAS to be made right or the text. Look at those innocent people who died in the train wreck because the engineer HAD to text. Why should those of us around any of these people have to listen to how well Timmy and Tommy do in school, how sick mom and dad are, about how stupid the current boyfriend is, what medical ailment they have, etc. I am not stating OP's wife did anything near these things but there is a time and place for talking on the cell- especially if you are getting loud. Excuse yourself out of line or from wherever you are and go to a more private place. That way you have privacy for that important conversation and others aren't bothered by your lack of manners. I'll bet if people really thought about it and left the public area where they were to make/take a cell call it wouldn't have been that important. And the sad thing is this is the behavior we are teaching our kids.....

 

[twinnybelles]

Sorry, need to jump in on this one too....
Why has it repeatedly gotten to vicious personal attacks on these boards ?...Can nobody "vent" anymore ?
What if the phone call was "I just got engaged" or " your XXXX just died" would a loud OMG !!! been out of line? or could you ( you know who you are )people would have ben sooooo put off by that? The OP really gave no indication of the length of time his GF was speaking like that before the CM intervened. Also, the CM, trained or not, should have asked her to step aside and spoken to her privately. maybe if drunks are such a problem for Disney, the should eliminate alcohol alltogether, or at least the F & W.?
IMHO, I believe the OP was referencing the GF to make the point he has spent alot of money to invest in the Disney experience and this incident could have made that all a waste, not that he was better than everyone else. The people who state that must have an inferiority complex to internalize general statements such as those.The OP stated he was not enjoying Disney, the same way other posters' were stating the loud phone call made them not enjoy Disney, how is it different? He who is without blame, cast the first stone, or something to that effect.....

 

[DisMN]

I'm still on page one of the replies but so far I'm the only person who thinks that maybe, just maybe the manager who pointed the finger was JOKING. He obviously didn't make that clear but I've occasionally teased people who were drinking about how "drunk" they were, when I was really only joking with them.

The guests didn't get cut off, no one stopped serving them and they went on their way with no lingering problems from the accusation........I honestly do think that the manager may have been being playful with you...in a way that kind of backfired for everyone.

 

[minnierealtor]

I have to say staying at the GF did have something to do with the situation because the OP was trying to share his love of Disney by staying at an expensive and lovely resort. Unfortunately they had a bad experience with a CM at EPCOT who was way out of line. We have had CM's tease us in the past but we could always tell when it was teasing and not. One CM saw my DH and I kissing in the boat (just a peck) at Splash Mtn. and he said "stop it, this is a family place". I have answered my cell phone at Disney because I use my phone for business and when the real estate market tanks you take every call just in case. I don't have the ringer on, just vibrate and never on a ride or in line for a ride. I do excuse myself to talk out of respect for my clients and the people around me. I hope the OP can share Disney again with his wife with better results.

 

[kty]

Sorry, need to jump in on this one too....
Why has it repeatedly gotten to vicious personal attacks on these boards ?...Can nobody "vent" anymore ?
What if the phone call was "I just got engaged" or " your XXXX just died" would a loud OMG !!! been out of line? or could you ( you know who you are )people would have ben sooooo put off by that? The OP really gave no indication of the length of time his GF was speaking like that before the CM intervened. Also, the CM, trained or not, should have asked her to step aside and spoken to her privately. maybe if drunks are such a problem for Disney, the should eliminate alcohol alltogether, or at least the F & W.?
IMHO, I believe the OP was referencing the GF to make the point he has spent alot of money to invest in the Disney experience and this incident could have made that all a waste, not that he was better than everyone else. The people who state that must have an inferiority complex to internalize general statements such as those.The OP stated he was not enjoying Disney, the same way other posters' were stating the loud phone call made them not enjoy Disney, how is it different? He who is without blame, cast the first stone, or something to that effect.....

I agree 100%