When Disney bites, bite back!

[NMAmy]

You’re right, you didn’t make up the procedure, Disney does. The problem is, you’re not really sure what their procedure is in this situation. You’re assuming you do, but just like the rest of us, you’re not sure.

Just because there are a whole bunch of cards already printed doesn’t mean that they are just given out on a fairly regular basis without regard to when or why. There may be (and probably is) a policy in place that governs when to issue FPs to guests, and the circumstances of your ride disruption may not have fit the policy. Therefore the CMs were reluctant to issue them. For example, maybe the policy says that the ride has to be down for 15 minutes. According to your original post, you were inconvenienced for just over 10 minutes, so your disruption wouldn’t qualify, therefore no FPs are automatically given out.

Until you know exactly what the policies and procedures are that govern this kind of situation, you really have no right to make demands of the CMs. For all you know they were doing their jobs as they were trained to do.

I think you have me confused with the OP. I stated that I was stuck on Splash Mountain several different times on different days on different trips for different amounts of time--and about 75% of the time, I received a fast pass good for any ride in the park for that day. I have never demanded anything from the CM's. The times I received the fast passes, they were standing at the exit handing them out to all guests. Should I have said, "Oh, no, I'm not taking one."? Doubtful. I'm sure if CM's were giving them to all guests exiting a ride, everyone posting here would have taken one, too. I did not demand a fast pass from a CM when they were not passing them out but shrugged and went on with my day. It's not a big deal when it doesn't happen but it's great when it does.

You also stated earlier that you thought giving a fast pass for any ride in the park wasn't right--that's the procedure I was referring to. I didn't make that policy or even suggest that I had to have it as some kind of compensation--Disney has it printed directly on the fast passes they give out when a ride breaks down.

I'm just having a hard time understanding why some posters are so adamant that the OP did something horrible when Disney does this on a regular basis--as many other posters have mentioned here that they've received these fast passes when on a ride that was broken down, as well.

 

[tcp0421]

When did this happen? We were at TT on 9/17. We had a fastpass and when we went to the first CM she told us that they were not loading right now but we can go in. We stood in line for at least 25-30 minutes.

 

[goofyernmost]

I can't fathom why anyone would disagree with those who got stuck on a ride getting a fastpass for a re-ride! Especially if the riders waited a significant period of time to ride the attraction!

Everybody has to wait for significant amounts of time at Disney. There are no guarantee's either expressed or implied. It is a known fact that when this much equipment is used this constantly something can break. So let's say that TT is down for repairs and you can't ride it at all. Do you believe that you should get a discount because you cannot have the "total" experience?

If you cannot ride a ride say like Mission Space because of a medical problem that will be aggravated because Disney designed an intense ride, do you expect a discounted ticket because you cannot have the "total" experience?

My point is that if you go threw life demanding a collective hug from everybody because things aren't' perfect for you, then you are going to spend your whole life angry and demanding.

basically I think not expecting anything is what is going wrong with this world, just settle for mediocrity and not expect people or companies to live up to higher standards. Heck why should they go out of their way, from what you all are saying why should they, sit back and let everyone walk all over you otherwise you maybe seen as thinking you are "entitled" to something. For the love of pete, she was asking for a simple fast pass, not suing for a million dollars, a fast pass people.... wow. But like I said Disney loves people like you just keep forking over your money without any expectations. And if they would have to hand over as many fast passes as you people think for rides breaking down, maybe they need a better maintenance program
I live about an hour away from Cedar Point amusement park, and people are given meals, park tickets for much less.... it causes consumer loyalty.

How is this case anything like what you have described. Is mediocrity defined by an one persons experience or bad luck? Asking for a fastpass is absolutely ok when you have been denied the completion of the ride not just because it stopped for a few minutes. What one is demanding in that case is they should be allowed to ride twice because it didn't go exactly as one wanted. The best part is that it was stuck in the dark so absolutely nothing was missed, just delayed. You get compensation when you are not given what was promised not just because it was held up a couple of minutes. It has already been stated by many that when something goes completely wrong, Disney is right there handing them out. In this case, it is obvious to me, at least, that the demand was unjustified, the patron did not know the reason why it was stopped and in all likelihood it was something that might have been embarrassing to others to be reveled. No foul was committed. No compensation was required.

Bottom line?

STUFF HAPPENS. Get over it. Move on. Deal. You're at DISNEY for Pete's Sake.. look around and find some MAGIC elsewhere... and while you're at it, count your blessings that you are even ABLE to enjoy your family in this wonderful place.. there are millions who can not.

<<<putting my soapbox back in storage now.. thanks for letting me air it out!>>>>

Exactly...if this is the worse thing that happened to them that day, and must be it was, or we would have heard about the other "disasters", then they are a pretty lucky bunch of people. Got stuck for 10 minutes on a fun ride at Disney...how awful for them. Life is a lot better if one learns to let it go and smell the roses and there are many at WDW.

 

[eliza61]

It's not about demanding a fast pass, it all about a company dealing with a problem and fixing it in a way that helps a customer feel that they are important.

Because you have to wait or had an unexpected problem you fell unimportant. seems like a whole lot of other issues going.

 

[Kathi OD]

I think you have me confused with the OP. I stated that I was stuck on Splash Mountain several different times on different days on different trips for different amounts of time--and about 75% of the time, I received a fast pass good for any ride in the park for that day. I have never demanded anything from the CM's. The times I received the fast passes, they were standing at the exit handing them out to all guests. Should I have said, "Oh, no, I'm not taking one."? Doubtful. I'm sure if CM's were giving them to all guests exiting a ride, everyone posting here would have taken one, too. I did not demand a fast pass from a CM when they were not passing them out but shrugged and went on with my day. It's not a big deal when it doesn't happen but it's great when it does.

You also stated earlier that you thought giving a fast pass for any ride in the park wasn't right--that's the procedure I was referring to. I didn't make that policy or even suggest that I had to have it as some kind of compensation--Disney has it printed directly on the fast passes they give out when a ride breaks down.

You're right, I did have you confused with the OP, I apologize for that. I really don't have a problem with Disney passing out FPs if they want to. Personally, if they do decide to do that I just think it should be for the ride they were inconvenienced on (again, my personal opinion). And in the case of the OP, no one was offered a FP. Much different from the scenario you have described. Again, my apologies.

The OP states that everyone should DEMAND a FP when there is a ride malfunction and is upset because the CMs are not so much in a hurry to do so. I don't believe that she has the right to demand one (maybe request, but not demand), because we don't know what the company policy about giving complimentary FPs is. So my real issue isn't with the passing out of FPs, but rather the fact that people think they have the right to demand something when a little bit of rain falls in their lives.

 

[declansdad]

Because you have to wait or had an unexpected problem you fell unimportant. seems like a whole lot of other issues going.

For Pete's sake, I'm talking about customer service in the big picture not me personally. If you have charged people for a service and that service can not be provided because of a malfunction while it is on-going, a smart company will look for a way to fix the problem. The problem in this case is making sure customers are taken care of. It doesn't have to be a big thing, and giving out a FP certainly isn't a big thing.

Missing out on an attraction that is undergoing a refurb is not the same thing as a ride break down. The schedule for refurbs is announced well in advance.

Just because this is Disney, doesn't mean customers should just say "Oh, let's find the magic somewhere else in the park." Disney prides itself on its customer service which is why they do things like giving out FPs if a ride breaks down. Take a course in customer service and you will see these are the things people talk about, the little things.

People need to stop looking at every post so narrowly and instead look at the big picture. This is not an entitlement issue; it is simply talking about customer service in the grand scheme of things.

 

[declansdad]

Yes, but they don’t. And comparing an airplane needing repairs to a 10 minute ride shut down is not quite the same thing.

I've been on a plane that was delayed because there was no air-conditioning. The airline boarded the passengers and we sat there for over an hour while the technicians tried to fix the air-conditioning. Finally, the airline decided to deboard us and bring in another plane. No sooner was everyone off the plane then we all boarded the same plane again and took off...still with no air conditioning on a 3.5 hour flight (Denver-Phila) in the middle of July.

There was no compensation of any kind offered nor received by those who requested it. Believe me, the time I lost on that plane was worth a whole lot more than the approximately $1.40 the OP lost as a result of her “wasted time.” As far as the airline was concerned, it was out of their control and so not their responsibility. At least Disney recognizes that at times it is necessary to give something (as evidenced by the "whole bunch of cards already printed up" the OP saw) to their guests to keep them happy (although evidently not as often as some people would like).

OK, you missed my follow up to my post. I used an airline as an example of another service company and you are right, they'd don't always offer customers things. In your situation, they did provide the service they were contracted for so I wouldn't expect anything. I have had delays in airports and the airline offered everyone lunch vouchers. They didn't have to but they did.

Now most airlines that I have used will offer you something if they need to cancel the flight completely because they are not providing what they were contracted to do.

But again, I was not comparing the cost of a ride at WDW with the price of an airline ticket literally but rather as an example of a service based business.

 

[mickeymousemom]

After having read half this of this thread, I'm at a loss as to why some posters are comparing what happened on the ride to things that happen in everyday life. This isn't the same...neither is getting bad food in a restaurant, having your new car break down, having your brand new sweater shrink 3 sizes even though you washed it in Woolite by hand in cold water, yada, yada.
This is about customer service, folks. I don't necessarily think I should get a FP everytime a ride breaks down, but I paid(boy, did I pay) for good service at Disney. No. Wait. I'm at Disney. I paid for great service.
Yes, it's what I paid for. I don't get GREAT service half of the time, and that's okay. I accept the good with the bad while I'm there. What I do expect, though, in a situation like this is at least an apology(and I'd happily accept a FP ). A previous poster was right about Universal: When a ride breaks down they immediately escort you to the "front of the line". We had it happen to us a few years ago on Spiderman. FIVE times in a row. It got ridiculous.
With that said, I don't think that handing out FP's every single time a ride breaks down is absolutely necessary. Sadly enough, rides breaking down in WDW happens a bit too often and sadly enough, we need to accept that and go on. If you feel like you deserve a FP, then by all means, ask. If you are told no, then don't "bite back".
My thing here is that we all should expect at least GOOD customer service from the greatest theme park in the world. Walt would have expected that we get it. If we don't, some of us will go on,and others will ask for extra compensation...nothing wrong with either one of those(as long as it's not over the top...and the OP's request is not). For all the posters bashing the OP, what would you do if you were in Ohana and the meal was rushed, the meats were dry, and your server never refilled your drinks? You'd complain. If not there, then here. I think what the OP is trying to convey is that we should all expect at least GOOD customer service while we're at Disney. She expected it, she asked for it, and she received it(begrudgingly or not). Nothing wrong with that....

 

[declansdad]

After having read half this of this thread, I'm at a loss as to why some posters are comparing what happened on the ride to things that happen in everyday life. This isn't the same...neither is getting bad food in a restaurant, having your new car break down, having your brand new sweater shrink 3 sizes even though you washed it in Woolite by hand in cold water, yada, yada.
This is about customer service, folks. I don't necessarily think I should get a FP everytime a ride breaks down, but I paid(boy, did I pay) for good service at Disney. No. Wait. I'm at Disney. I paid for great service.
Yes, it's what I paid for. I don't get GREAT service half of the time, and that's okay. I accept the good with the bad while I'm there. What I do expect, though, in a situation like this is at least an apology(and I'd happily accept a FP ). A previous poster was right about Universal: When a ride breaks down they immediately escort you to the "front of the line". We had it happen to us a few years ago on Spiderman. FIVE times in a row. It got ridiculous.
With that said, I don't think that handing out FP's every single time a ride breaks down is absolutely necessary. Sadly enough, rides breaking down in WDW happens a bit too often and sadly enough, we need to accept that and go on. If you feel like you deserve a FP, then by all means, ask. If you are told no, then don't "bite back".
My thing here is that we all should expect at least GOOD customer service from the greatest theme park in the world. Walt would have expected that we get it. If we don't, some of us will go on,and others will ask for extra compensation...nothing wrong with either one of those(as long as it's not over the top...and the OP's request is not). For all the posters bashing the OP, what would you do if you were in Ohana and the meal was rushed, the meats were dry, and your server never refilled your drinks? You'd complain. If not there, then here. I think what the OP is trying to convey is that we should all expect at least GOOD customer service while we're at Disney. She expected it, she asked for it, and she received it(begrudgingly or not). Nothing wrong with that....

Well said.

 

[Kathi OD]

OK, you missed my follow up to my post. I used an airline as an example of another service company and you are right, they'd don't always offer customers things. In your situation, they did provide the service they were contracted for so I wouldn't expect anything. I have had delays in airports and the airline offered everyone lunch vouchers. They didn't have to but they did.

Now most airlines that I have used will offer you something if they need to cancel the flight completely because they are not providing what they were contracted to do.

But again, I was not comparing the cost of a ride at WDW with the price of an airline ticket literally but rather as an example of a service based business.

Using the example strictly as a service based business and leaving the cost factor out.

Did the airline get me where I was going? YES. Did they do it on time and without interruption? NO. Did Disney provide a complete ride to the OP? YES. Did they do it without interruption? NO. Same results, different types of service based companies. An airplane not taking off because of a mechanical malfunction is indeed similar to a ride at Disney breaking down. Neither company plans for the malfunction to happen, but happen they do. The difference, Disney sometimes (and more often than not) offers a "remedy" so to speak when their service is less than perfect, and so people feel they are entitled to demand the remedy in every instance. Most airlines do not offer any remedy, and yet that is OK? I guess you could call this a case of "no good deed going unpunished."

 

[Kathi OD]

With that said, I don't think that handing out FP's every single time a ride breaks down is absolutely necessary. Sadly enough, rides breaking down in WDW happens a bit too often and sadly enough, we need to accept that and go on. If you feel like you deserve a FP, then by all means, ask. If you are told no, then don't "bite back".

my point exactly.

We should all expect at least GOOD customer service while we're at Disney. She expected it, she asked for it, and she received it(begrudgingly or not). Nothing wrong with that....

Don't have a problem with people asking for something, it's the idea that demanding is acceptable when we don't get what we expect.

And now I'll say no more on the issue.

 

[SandyCA]

 

[declansdad]

 

[mickeymousemom]

Well said.

Thank you!

 

[UrsulasShadow]

my point exactly.



Don't have a problem with people asking for something, it's the idea that demanding is acceptable when we don't get what we expect.

And now I'll say no more on the issue.

The problem I have with the OP is the demand that I demand as well. No, sorry. I won't.

 

[NMAmy]

You're right, I did have you confused with the OP, I apologize for that.

No worries. I'm not a demanding kind of person and didn't want folks to think I went around doing that.

 

[sydconmom]

I think the bottom line here is this. Not that a fast pass being issued is a good faith sign of customer service. But, more so the DEMAND or "BITE BACK" as stated by OP. Asking for it if it wasnt recieved is one thing...demading it or "Biting Back" is the issue (for me at least). And as some others have stated no one knows the conditions under which CM's are told to issue the fast pass...a delay of 15 minutes, being removed from the ride, lights turned on? I agree that Disney is in the business of customer service, but a 10 minute ride break down is NOT bad service, and the should not be "Biten" for it!

 

[DJ Disney Kid]

Thats funny, the original poster came here and stirred up an argument and hasn't been back. Someone should lock this.

 

[Enderikari]

Walt would have expected that we get it.

In this thread, there seems to be a lot of speaking ex cathedra on behalf of the man himself... Luckily, I have the tie-line for Walt's Apartment, and the Wayback machine so I can give him a call and see what he says, I'll have Mr. Peabody do the transcription.

Me - Hello Walt, it's me again, Enderikari, calling from 2007.

Walt - Hey Ender, long time no talk, you still overseeing the magic of Disneyland?

Me - For the last time, I am at your parks in Florida, Roy built 'em for you.

Walt - Fine, fine, I'll believe it when I see it. So what can I do for you?

Me - Well, there's a debate raging on the internet ___

Walt - Wait, what's the internet?

Me - Oh yeah, its a worldwide communication tool which links people from all ages and cultures.

Walt - Sounds great! Think of the marketing I could use this for!

Me - Well, it sounds great and theory. But, The internet has become a place where people can come together to complain about movies and share their negative thoughts with the world. It also harbors folks who really can't make business decisions trying to come up with the plan for how to operate a fortune 100 company.

Walt - We're a Fortune 100 company?

Me - Yeah, thanks to a pair of guys Frank Wells and Michael Eisner. But anyway, its kind of like the people on the sidelines of your polo game telling you not to fall off your horse.

Walt - Nice analogy.

Me - Thanks. Anyway, a guest started a thread about how they deserved compensation when Test Track stopped operating while they were on it.

Walt - What's Test Track?

Me - An attraction at Ep... at one of the Florida Theme Parks.

Walt - One of them?

Me - Yeah, there are four, but that's besides the point.

Walt - Four? That's simply amazing, I guess we did buy all the land to hold the dreams of my imagination.

Me - Yeah... (under breath) except Epcot..

Walt - What?

Me - Nevermind. So, what do you think, attraction goes down, guest gets compensation?

Walt - Son, do you remember the flying saucers in Tommorrowland?

Me - Wasn't even close to being born when you removed them, Walt?

Walt - Whipper-snapper... They broke at least once an hour, we couldn't possibly have given every single guest something every time they went down. It would have driven me out of business. People understood that things happened, and were just happy to be at Disneyland. The only time people got something when an attraction stopped working is if the mules were kicking them off their saddles and they got hurt.

Me - Interesting, thanks for your help, Walt. So, just to clarify, the guests would have never gotten a fastpass from you?

Walt - What the %$^&* is a fastpass?

 

[ransom]

I've been following this discussion for a while now, and I still don't see what's wrong with raising the economic cost of failure.

If, every time a ride broke down, Disney knew it had to offer something in compensation or it would lose cusotmers, they would certainly have an incentive to make sure rides break down less often.

That would benefit every guest...and, ultimately, Disney itself.

What's wrong with that?