"What time does the 3 o'clock parade start" and other stupid questions.

[Chicago526]

Inspired by a call I just took at work.

As Disney fans, we've all heard of CM's getting asked "What time does the 3 o'clock parade start?" from park guests. So, what really stupid questions do you get asked as a part of your job?

I work as a corporate travel agent, about 99% of what I do is book airline tickets. The phone call I had not 5 minutes ago:

Caller: "I need a flight from Oklahoma City to Atlanta after 6 PM"

Me: "Well, the last flight of the day is at 5:50 PM"

Caller: "Do you have anything later than that?"

WTH? Are people that clueless or do they just not listen? By definintion, there are no later flights than the last flight of the day!

So, what dumb things do you get asked at work?

 

[poohandwendy]

I think they just don't listen. I think often people are thinking about what they can say next (anticipating the converstion, before it happens) and that gets in the way of comprehending what they are hearing.

When I was doing nails, people would ask me if the acrylic was permanent.
Um, no. I can't alter your DNA. (no, they were not asking if the 'fake nails' held for a long time, they really wanted to now if they were permanent)

 

[wvrevy]

I manage a help desk organization. Almost all we GET are stupid questions.

My personal favorites, though, all begin with, "I know company policy says we can't do this, but..."

 

[poohandwendy]

I manage a help desk organization. Almost all we GET are stupid questions.

My personal favorites, though, all begin with, "I know company policy says we can't do this, but..."

LOL, people always think they should be the exception.

We are all unique and special, just like everyone else.

 

[hiwaygal]

I used to work in Colonial Williamsburg. Outdoors. In costume.

In the winter it gets pretty cold and at some of the outdoor locations we would build fires to help keep us warm.

One particularly cold January day someone asked me (as he warmed his hands):

"What's the purpose of the fire?"

From my experience there, people on vacation tend to REALLY let themselves relax.

 

[DarthKTrava]

One I got asked at work years ago: "What pieces of chicken come with a 1 breast dinner?".

 

[Evil Genius]

One I got asked at work years ago: "What pieces of chicken come with a 1 breast dinner?".

I would have told him 3 legs and 6 thighs.

 

[ZephyrHawk]

I used to work in Colonial Williamsburg. Outdoors. In costume.

In the winter it gets pretty cold and at some of the outdoor locations we would build fires to help keep us warm.

One particularly cold January day someone asked me (as he warmed his hands):

"What's the purpose of the fire?"

From my experience there, people on vacation tend to REALLY let themselves relax.

I had a very similar work experience at a living history site. We were always getting questions like "It that food real?" as we were eating it. And then, in the summer when black flies were prevalent in our screenless 18th century houses, "Are those real flies?"

 

[Laugh O. Grams]

I manage a help desk organization. Almost all we GET are stupid questions.

My personal favorites, though, all begin with, "I know company policy says we can't do this, but..."

Because John Q. Public knows all we have to do is prod you guys a little bit and you'll roll over and give us what we want every time!!

 

[hiwaygal]

I had a very similar work experience at a living history site. We were always getting questions like "It that food real?" as we were eating it. And then, in the summer when black flies were prevalent in our screenless 18th century houses, "Are those real flies?"

There were rumors that the horses pulling the carriages were "robotic"!!!

 

[wvrevy]

Because John Q. Public knows all we have to do is prod you guys a little bit and you'll roll over and give us what we want every time!!

Not a chance.

#1 rule for all you folks when starting a new job: Never tick off the IT guy.

 

[momof3disneyholics]

One day last week I was selling a two day ticket to a guest and he said "So, I guess this means we can go one day, then another?"

 

[NMAmy]

Ahh...my personal favorite happens every time we get a snowstorm. I work at a college and we very rarely close for the weather. And yet, I'll get several calls during the morning saying, "Are you open today?"

Umm...no, I just braved a blizzard to come in and answer the telephone.

One man told me, "That's impossible! No ONE can get there today!"

Really? How do you think I'm answering the phone?

 

[ilisao]

My husband works at the White House. Once, the President of South Korea was in town visiting. A White House staffer (who should have known) walked up to DH and asked "who's visiting?" He said, "the President of South Korea." She replied, "Oh, that explains all the Japanese people walking around."

Another time, someone walked up to fence, grabbed hold, and asked "is this fence electrified?"

People have also have come up to him right in front of the White House and asked, "Where is the White House?"

 

[momof3disneyholics]

Ooh, I just thought of another one involving tickets.

We give a free day at a water park when you buy a two or three day ticket to Disney here. It's a great selling point for those tickets and I always tell guest about it. Well, I get people asking me all the time how much would it be if they don't take the water park. My response is always "Well, it's free, so the same price."

 

[missj1975]

I worked at Yellowstone National Park one summer. A visitor once asked me where we put the animals at night. The most common question was when did we feed the bears. I would just answer Yellowstone is not a zoo as I was trying not to laugh.

 

[DarthKTrava]

Ahh...my personal favorite happens every time we get a snowstorm. I work at a college and we very rarely close for the weather. And yet, I'll get several calls during the morning saying, "Are you open today?"

Umm...no, I just braved a blizzard to come in and answer the telephone.

One man told me, "That's impossible! No ONE can get there today!"

Really? How do you think I'm answering the phone?

I get that alot at work too (fast food). We're like the post office: neither rain, nor snow, nor tornadoes nor sleet nor hurricanes will make us close!

 

[Chicago526]

Not a chance.

#1 rule for all you folks when starting a new job: Never tick off the IT guy.

#2 is "Don't tick off the travel agent your company uses" (because we pick where you sit!).

 

[binny]

well being in the same industry I get the same questions

My favourite is "I need to leave the West Coast at a certain time, go to the East Coast for meetings all day and return the same day" Which would be all well and good if they were in the same time zone!!!


My favourite job was working for a cruise line up in Alaska and the Yukon.

in Skagway there is a clock painted on a cliff. It is obviously PAINTED on there. Never fail, at least once a week... "Is that clock right?" yep twice a day.


Every cruise we would hear "Will we be seeing any animals today?" hmmm I dont know let me call ahead and see if they have released them yet.

Another common one was "With all the money Alaska has its oil, cant they do something to clean up those glaciers? theyre filthy!"


My all time favourite though was when I was helping greet passengers coming off the ship. Now if youve never been to Skagway, it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. there are mountains on 3 sides and the ocean on the other. There are mountains that come right up from the ocean and tower over the town. Anyway, this guy gets off the ship, mind you it is an OCEAN GOING SHIP, and he says "Excuse me, Miss, but what elevation are we at?" Um well.... lets see you look to be about 6 feet tall... the dock is maybe 3 feet above the water.... so lets say 9 ft?

 

[ricktib]

My history-buff neighbor works at one of the local forts, and said that he's been asked, "Why did so many battles occur on National Parks?"



I've heard some doozies in my airline job too. Once overheard a lady tell her child that that great big, 80-mile-across body of water between IL & MI was the Mississippi River.