Why Castmembers Hate DVC Members!

[dcfromva]

I was told by a lifeguard at SAB that no one can stand DVC members either. He said that SAB used to have a much higher class of guests and he thought DVC going in at the YAB club brought in the "riff-raff". He told me, "anyone can own DVC and except for you guys, most members are lowlifes"...

Perhaps this is an attitude that is being generated amongst cast members, I do not know but I must admit, I have heard this before. It is unfortunate in my opinion if other members have caused this opinion of us to become a belief between cast members.


Heidi

How odd that a lifeguard at SAB would say something like this... I stayed at BC prior to owning at BCV (Maybe it's the closing process which changed me? )

-DC

 

[Scott H]

This is very interesting thread, and I usually don't respond to these types of posts. That said:

Simply put " why cant we all just get along"..... Yes we members have a vested interest, both financial and emotional, in our DVC ownership and I take pride in being a DVC member. Thus we should report the light out in the lamp etc..., We should be treated as guests by DVC CMs, and We should also treat CMs with respect.

I help the bell service guy hump our bags, and still tip well. I clean the room and empty the trash, before trash and tidy and cleaning days, and tip mousekeeping, silly me if I am walking around a resort I even pick up trash. Will take the room assigned and might ask what else is available, just to experience a different area of a resort. I will say I might complain if I got a smoking room. I carry a small note book to jot down names of CM who I want to complement in my after stay letter. I will also let them know what I felt was not up to Disney standards, as I understand them to be.

I do believe the OP is not as they purport they are.

When we do travel to WDW I do feel like I am coming home.

Proud and very happy to be a DVC member.

I think DVC CM's are a cut above and I appreciate them very much.

Just my thoughts.

 

[MAGICinMYHEART]

Ok so I didn't read every post, but the headline irritated me enough (and I did read the OP). With that said...

I am a 10 year CM at WDW having worked Beach Club (pre-DVC), Wilderness Lodge (pre and post DVC) and am currently at OKW... ALL I have to say is that I LOVE you guys (DVC members that is)...Personally having worked regular hotels and DVC hotels, I would take DVC anyday... Members are wonderful, thoughtful and very friendly. Have I had demanding members...yes, but it's your vacation and you've put a lot of money into it, so make it what you want... Have I had demanding regular guests, Yes... it evens itself out. The first thing I was taught by my wonderful team at the Beach Club 10 years ago was that people are not mad at "you" they are mad at "the situation", don't take it personally.

First of all I think that it is funny that the OP will not state what hotel they worked at... HMMM!! I am not afraid to say I work at OKW. The OP states that they were a manager at "undisclosed hotel"... if they really were do you think they would post this? Seems unprofessional for a manager (even one that is only 23 years old)...and if it is the case that they truly are a manager I hope that I never have to work under them as I think that this is the wrong profession for them.

As a CM with obviously a different outlook on DVC members I say Welcome Home you guys ROCK!

LibertyBelle

Thank you for posting, while I do agree with some of the points the OP made, I do not agree with the generalizations. The first thing I thought is I'm going to PM LibertyBelle.

So once again Thanks

 

[dbond]

It sounds to me like the OP needs to work somewhere that doesn't come into contact with guests. He/She is certainly not a people person.

I hope that DVC reads these boards, these kinds of negative opinions coming from CM's should be taken seriously and investigated and corrected if needed. This attitude is clearly a management problem, a trickle down from above that needs to be addressed. It sounds like the resort in question may need a refresher course in Disney Customer Service or maybe a little reorganization of the staff to replace some burned out CM's.

If the resort in question is indeed BWV, we all know that BWV was the first to be a 1/2 & 1/2. They had a lot of obstacles to overcome initially. I remember those days well. It was a learning curve for DVC & Disney hotel mgt to figure out how to make it work side by side. There is probably quite a bit of baggage left over from those early rough days.

If these attitudes do exist, I hope that this post may be a wake up call to the powers that be. There may be a few naughty members, there are always a few naughty people no matter where you go, not just naughty DVC'ers, but the CM's need to be trained better about how to deal with them because this attitude will certainly have a negative effect on the non-naughty members as well.

 

[alsipd]

Seems like the original poster may have hit a nerve with a lot of people on the board! Everyone has a right to their opinion and voicing it does not mean that they are bad. I am asking that you reflect on why this thread may have offended you.

That said, I have been a DVC member for almost 5 years and to think that cast members find "us" to be offensive in any way saddens me. Has our culture come to the point that if we don't get all of our request, or get a "less than desirable room" that we feel the need to blast someone until they give in to "unreasonable requests"? I for one have seen this too many times. Rudeness and badgering until the poor castmember or manager just gives in to keep from being brow-beaten any longer. As for requests, I always ask for a Non-Smoking room as my only request and have never had a bad room. Variety is the spice of life and the cast members I deal with have always been more than pleasant and have offered me more than one room location to choose from "everytime" I check-in. If you need to have a particular room number to be happy, you came to the wrong club. Just go and enjoy Disney for the magic.
Remember, Castmembers are people too! Treat them like you want to be treated.
No, I am not a castmember! And yes I am from New England, but not a native!

 

[Onthebay]

I don't like the way you said NY NJ and PA , There may be rude people up north but not all of us,
My family was there 2 weeks ago and I did happen to experince what you were talking about , my son who is 8 asked what was going and I was trying to explain about "those" kind of people , the ones who think for whatever reason they are better than all the rest of us Kind well manored nice people.

 

[littlestar]

I really don't think bad manners has anything to do with having more/less income. Although some of the worst temper tantrums at Disney I ever saw were at the Grand Floridian and Yacht Club. I distinctly remember guests screaming at Cast Members about how much they paid for their "package" and they were going to get their way! Ick - it reminded me of a two-year-old. Then once at Pop Century we saw a handicapped woman giving the bellboy carrying her luggage a piece of her mind - she didn't like her location (it was by the hippy dippy pool and had to be preferred because it was close to the food court). I thought to myself, that poor kid would probably like to push her in the pool wheelchair and all, but he took it with grace/dignity. Anybody staying deluxe or value can be an out and out ***.

My husband and I noticed when we've stayed at the values and moderates that peope really seemed to be happy just to be there - to get to go to Disney. I do have to honestly say I've seen more "naughty" behavior at the high-end deluxe hotels. Last year we took an extra trip to Pop Century in February and we passed a family with two kids and the kids were thrilled to be staying there - they kept telling their mom and dad how neat the place was and thanking them for taking them - very refreshing to see (I actually had tears in my eyes because those kids looked like they had just gotten the best present in the whole wide world).

The original poster who started this thread may be real, may be a troll, or may be Disney's competition - I don't know. But, I will say this, manners and kindness are not the result of where you live or how much money you make -they come from somewhere a little more elusive than that - perhaps a product of how you were brought up and a conditon of the heart/feelings for others. My grandfather was a sharecropper from Kentucky. He never owned a car, a house, or land, but he was the most wonderful/kind person I've ever known (he died in 1975).

If the original poster is real, good luck with your new position and don't judge people by where they live, the color of their skin, or how much money they do/don't make - it goes a lot deeper than that. I'm a hoosier DVCer by the way - whatever you do, don't judge us by former IU coach Bobby Knight throwing chairs or Indiana Pacer basketball fights

 

[jarestel]

Seems like the original poster may have hit a nerve with a lot of people on the board! Everyone has a right to their opinion and voicing it does not mean that they are bad. I am asking that you reflect on why this thread may have offended you.

alssipd, your insinuation that the OP has held a mirror to our collective faces and made us feel guilty for seeing our boorish reflections is flawed. I won't speak for others, but I don't believe the OP is a CM, and that makes everything he/she posted a lie. Feel free to rub wdwzues shoulders and pat his/her hand, and dab the tears of despair from his/her eyes if it does something for you, but don't fail to consider the possibility that you're being duped by a liar.

Your points about being courteous are well made, but in 20+ DVC trips, I've not witnessed anything that would make me believe DVC members are the rude, out of control monsters the OP paints them to be.

 

[BrentKohl]

Well, normally I wouldn't even bother to comment on such an emotional thread. But, in this instance, I'm going to attempt to approach this without a lot of emotion. Let me first say that it's true that the original post was the result of a stereotype that has been created about DVC members. And yes, not all DVC members fit that stereotype. It is, however, important to remember that stereotypes exist for a reason and, oftentimes, there is sufficient evidence as to why they exist. In this case, I would suggest that a big reason why Cast Members don't have a particular fondness for DVC members is because many DVC members are much more knowledgeable about WDW than guests at the other resorts. Consequently, DVC members often have an expectation of what they want to experience on a particular vacation and, if they don't find that the scenario fits their expectations, it can yield complaints. While other non-DVC resorts may be hosting return guests, the chances that the average DVC guest has visited WDW multiple times is much greater than it would be for the average non-DVC resort guest. And lower expectations generally yields fewer complaints. Perhaps this might be a big part of the reason why Cast Members view DVC members as more problematic and unpleasant.

 

[MomsGoneGoofy]

We purchased in 1992 but we're from New Jersey.

So I guess that makes us cultured/classy jerks.

 

[DrBond007]

I think there is a very good point to be made about DVC members being excessively demanding. We see it on the forums where people regularly talk about wanting an exact room location. A few minority of DVC members tend to ge verbally abusive, and that inappropriate behavior is generalized to most DVC members, its human nature.

 

[Johnnie Fedora]

I have always found that when you "deal" with someone who "deals" with the public...you get more with honey than vinegar.

I've only had to complain one time during a DVC stay. It was at BCV, and the "issue" was politely and professionally handled by working calmly with the BCV front desk management. I thanked the manager three times: once at the time, once before we left the resort, and once when we returned home by an e-mail to BC upper management.

As frequent guests, we tend to over-compensate in the opposite direction, and try to make the CM's days less aggrevating.

I do try to let housekeeping/maintenance know when there are things that need fixing. I wish there was a "maintenance card" in every room that could be filled out and dropped off at the front desk at check-out. That would save the phone calling.

 

[alsipd]

If anyone feels duped by a liar then why even bother to validate their posting!
I am just pointing out that: one, everyone on this board is entitled to voice their opinion and two, there is an attitude that if some people do not get their way they will whine and cry until they get it. The fact that DVC members have a way to request preferences makes some people feel as if it were an entitlement rather than a courtesy. This is human nature since others will say "I always get this or I get that by requesting it".

My post also states that courtesy begets courtesy, as was also stated by the originator. Common sense says that too!

I was told on a cruise one time, "your vacation is what you make it"!
Relax, experience new things, and enjoy the warm weather as well as the southern hospitality and you will find that most everyone will treat you with respect and hospitality!

 

[vernon]

Guys, I think you're being trolled and have risen to the bait. Three posts ( all on this thread) from someone who signed on in the last few days yet claims to be a long term Disney fan, IMHO it doesn't add up.

Rick (OP) if you are genuinely a cast member (something I doubt) and particularly a new cast member you should be aware that part of that contract you signed expressly states that agressively arguing with a guest, publicly berating them (and berating them as you have in this medium would count as publicly berating them) or being hostile is a sackable offence. Disney and DVC do track these boards and I don't think it would take a genius to work out exactly who you are ( if you're being truthful).

There are rude people in all walks of life, and while I don't doubt there are some DVC members who are demanding, I don't think they are more so than other types of guests. As BrentKohl says DVC members have a much better idea of what they are entitled to expect and if things come up short they know they can request better service or location. There are plenty of occassions where staff feel uncomfortable with knowledgable clients ( they can't pull the wool over their eyes) but you can't blame the client for standing up for their rights.

I'm sure there are occasions where DVC members have been "rude" to a CM, I can remember occassions where I myself have had to eventually be pretty blunt to get the message across that something isn't acceptable or can be done when I'm being told it can't be done. My own method of dealing with a situation that isn't acceptable is to begin with being polite and explaining the situation, hopefully that will getthe matter dealt with in a satisfactory manner. At times however I have come across staff (at WDW and other locations) that will try to tell me something that I know for a fact isn't true. Sometimes this can be because they are trying to weedle out of something, sometimes it's because they are ignorant of a particular procedure. The problem of giving someone a chance to get out gracefully early ( my prefered option) is if they sometimes back themselves into a position where they will continue telling bigger and bigger lies because they are not willing to back down. In that situation inevitable they need to be told the way the world is, and at times it hurts. Genuine mistakes I don't mind, misunderstandings I don't mind, someone tries to BS me and when I show I do know EXACTLY what's going on they continue, they are likely to not feel good about the outcome.

When there is a bad interaction between a guest and a CM there are times when it is solely the fault of the guest, but in my experience it is far more likely that how the CM deals with the situation that leads to a guest becoming confrontational. If the CM is clumsy in their explanation, slow to understand what the guest is actually asking for, inefficient in dealing with a problem, is ignorant of what services are available/expected or flat out tries to lie/BS a client and gets called on it, then there is a good chance the guest is going to become hostile. IMHO as a CM if you seem to be having a disproportionately high number of guests being beastly to you, you need to have a good look at how you are dealing with those guests, because it's very likely the fault lies in your behaviour not theirs.

It's a bit like my kids telling me ALL their teachers hate them and pick on them more than any other kid in the class. My question to them is. "do you not think it's something you're doing/not doing , that is the reason for how you're being treated?" .

 

[spiceycat]

sorry you feel this way.

BW is not my favorite - so when I asked for a BW view - before members could guaranteed that view - and got for the 5th time the silly pool.....I then switched over to the standard view.

Now if you are complainting because a member PAID points for a preferred view and you send them to a standard view. Hey that is not right on your part.

If you are at VWL - then your computers need some work - I had a reservation make day by day - it was one reservation - had one reservation number from MS - but your computers had it still as a day by day - someone tried to get me to change rooms each day. that was your mistake not a member (I assume this happened to others)

I always tip bell services and valet parking - from this site most members do - I also tip the maids. You forgot them.

Now I don't tip $20.

oh by the way - DVC was much cheaper in the early days when I brought in.

I am pretty sure a real cast member would know that!

 

[kweaver]

Vernon -

Excellent, excellent post. **applause**

You wrote just about everything that's been going through my mind while I've been reading through this thread.

However...Troll or not, this post has served as a good reminder to me (and I hope to everyone else) to treat people with kindness and respect whenever possible. What's the old phrase...you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.

 

[CRSNDSNY]

However...Troll or not, this post has served as a good reminder to me (and I hope to everyone else) to treat people with kindness and respect whenever possible. What's the old phrase...you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I just think it's sad and ironic that today is Martin Luther King Day and we still have all this hate and prejudice in the World! (part truth, part sarcasm, part double entendre)

 

[gazeborob]

I do try to let housekeeping/maintenance know when there are things that need fixing. I wish there was a "maintenance card" in every room that could be filled out and dropped off at the front desk at check-out. That would save the phone calling.

WOW,
What a great idea! Perhaps you could send that idea to DVC and see if they could put that in place. I think it would realy help with the maint. issues that they have.

 

[tzvdmd]

RICK isnt the OP. I am however a DVC member at the BWV.