Why do I know more than the people who answer the Guest Information line at WDW?

[julia & nicks mom]

I know the answer is b/c I DIS - but it is really ridiculous

I can not believe how often I call to get information and the person on the other end gives me wrong information or does not know the answer - what is that? why wouldn't they inform their CM's about their parks?

For example:the other day a CM told me that Soarin' was a preview attraction at WDW and after the celebration it would be moving to CA where it would become a permanent attraction!!! HELLO!!! I hardly think it takes a Disney expert to know that it is already in CA and being brought to WDW as explained in EVERY Happiest Celebration Promo!

or another one told me that the performers in Cinderellabration were all Asian - b/c they were the CM's from Tokyo - he truly believed they packed their cast up and brought them here I tried telling him I know someone who is in the show and she is from the US - he didn't believe me - how could I possibly know more than him?


so what set me off now- I just called to see if they could give me any information on the Kick off next Thursday - and she told me there were NO special events at the MK that day!
why do I bother - I don't think I can trust WDW CM for accurate info anymore!!

What other ridiculous things have a CM told you - and did you correct them?

 

[bytheblood]

I feel your pain and I can relate. I don't want to be unkind to them, but I have felt like asking, "are you new?" or "how long have you worked at Disney?" There is no way to ask the former without it coming across the wrong way, so I do not ask.


When I called to book my trip, 1/04, I had a CM tell me that Pop Century Legendary Years would be completed by the end of the year with all of the business they are getting, they just cannot accommodate all of their guests. Classic Years was just completed at that time and there were no teams working on the Legendary side....not to mention, Disney business was not so great.

What made it funny was he was talking like they would put all of the over-flow guests at PC.

 

[MNSusan]

We had a Keys to the Kingdom tour guide tell us there was no such thing as Hidden Mickeys!!!

 

[Luv2Roam]

I have always said if you want to know WDW information, ask a guest, not a CM.
CMs generally know from what info and speil they are given. Which I have seen is not always correct. Or if that area is not their forte'. Not everyone working at Universal probably knows ALL about Univeral either.
And I wonder how many CMs guests speak to over the phones are not in Orlando or Tampa. In addition many CMs don't go to the parks often, if at all.
Lots are factors in play.

 

[bytheblood]

And I wonder how many CMs guests speak to over the phones are not in Orlando or Tampa.

I have wondered that, too. I ask every CM I speak to if they are in Celebration and they say yes. They may be coached to say that, but they seem to always be able to carry on a conversation about the weather and going-ons in Florida.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Just for the heck of it I use to ask of they were in the DRC building in Orlando. Usually they were in Tampa. I rarely got an Orlando CM and finally stopped asking.

 

[jackskellingtonsgirl]

I called the other day to TRY to book Family Magic Tour. AAA agent told me she couldn't book it for me until 90 days out. CM told me I couldn't book until 90 days out. Two other DISers already booked tours AFTER the date I need mine - one November, one December and I needed October. Finally someone posted for me to call WDW-TOUR, and that was how I got my tour booked!

I will say I did find that same info in my UG after the fact, but I wasn't looking for the tour info in the UG and there is so much info in there I might never have run across it.

On the other hand, I was thumbing through my Birnbaum guide today and even THEY say tours are booked at 90 days! HELLO?

I agree it is very frustrating. My AAA agent called on Monday to add two nights to our Pop ressie. The CM told her there were no rooms. GRRR. The agent called me to tell me. I said "There are no rooms for BOTH nights, or just one?" I was adding one on each end, not two consecutive. Lots of ways to work around it if one was available and not the other. AAA agent put me on hold and called back to find out which night was causing the problem. That time they "magically" managed to add BOTH nights I wanted! So of course I was pleased, but why didn't it work the first time? Did somebody call in that 10 minutes and cancel for a night in October that happened to be the night I wanted? I don't think so.

 

[MagicalMom]

I used to answer phone calls for a museum that I had never been to. You should have heard me trying to play it off like I knew what I was talking about. They had remodeled a certain room at this museum & I only knew about it from calls with customers. They would ask so many questions about how it looked & what all was going on. The the next phone call I'd answer would be for AAA in CA. I live in DE! They'd ask for directions to their nearest station & I'd have to pretend to know the area. Then I'd hang up & pretend to work for Warner Brothers. Where I spent a good 25% of the time explaining that Warner Bros. does not sell Disney merchandise! You really can't blame the employees. They are just doing what they are told.

 

[DisneyBaby2004]

After reading your (DIS)posts I decided to call back to add some requests to my POP room. I asked for the 70's with a lake view. She said there are no lake views, I kindly said yes there are right in the back of the 70's building. She said no, I (again kindly) asked if she had ever visited it before and she rudely said yes, I asked her what building did she stay in and she said 60's and I said well did you not notice some water in the back of those (50 & 70) buildings. She said no and I did not know what I was talking about. We went on like this for about two minutes after which I just said "just put the request in". I asked her if she had a map and she looked at the map and I told her where to look on the map. She said "well I didn't see no lake when I was there, this must be something new". I was so frustrated but got over it quickly cause - I"M GOING TO DISNEY .

 

[Lives4Disney]

I totally know what you mean. Whenever I call CRO to make reservations I feel like I have to explain to them in detail what room category I want. Sometimes I feel like a Disney Know-it-all brat.

I know this is a bit off, but in February we checked into the GF on a Sunday night. It was EMH at the MK that night. The concierge told me the park closes at 9 pm, don't bother heading over....I told him it was EMH and he was like ???
He didn't even know what EMH was!!! I told him about it and he called another concierge to check on it! I love the GF, but come on! The staff should know what's up at the park they're right next to!!

The DIS is great. I feel armed with info. Unfortunately, it can be overwhelming to have to keep track of so much for a trip - but if I don't get the info and note everything, I really don't have a lot of confidence in the CMs knowing the right answers.

Happy planning!!

Lives4Disney

 

[Shagley]

I called to get a PS to H&V for the Fantasmic package for May 20th. When I called on April 20th, the CM said that H&V was completely booked for that night. I said "that is okay, I will try to call back in a few days to see if anything has opened up". The CM said "I don't think that will happen, because we are totally booked". I explained to her that I had heard that later times usually open up about 20-25 days out, and she said "I don't think that is true, if it is, that is news to me".

Well, I called this morning and got my 6:40 PS for H&V on May 20th.

 

[Ducky4Disney]

Staying at SSR last December I had to correct the CM about what the UPH tickets included. She had the laminated (LAMINATED!) breakdown sheet thingy and was getting it wrong with it printed right in front of her. She was confusing my father so I persisted until she got it right. I'm sure there are other things, but I can't think of them right now.

D4D

Lives4Disney - what a great picture! What kind of dog is that? Looks like a Black Lab but the fur looks long.

 

[Bunch24]

When we booked our trip, we wanted to get our PS for Hoop-Dee-Doo also. We're going in December, so my wife asked to be transferred to Dining to make some PS.

Well, when the CM answered, my wife said "Yeah, I'd like to make a PS for Hoop-Dee-Doo on December 15." The CM replied, "You can't make PS for Hoop-Dee-Doo until 90 days prior to the date." My wife responded that she was under the impression you could make HDD PS up to two years in advance and the CM said again, "No, you can not. You have to wait until 90 days."

My wife was a little befuddled, so she said OK, then hung up. I grabbed Birnbaum's and made sure it did say two years. Called back the next day and got the PS with no questions asked. Now, if it would have been a busy time and cost us a spot on the date we wanted, I would have been very angry. But I laughed it off.

 

[Lives4Disney]

Ducky4Disney - Thanks - She is a Newfoundland puppy. The photo was taken last July when she was about 70 lbs. at 7 months. SHe is now 112 lbs and much furrier, even. Newfs love water and this was her first pool day. Before this, the big baby wouldn't get in the water unless I carried her hefty 70lb. body in and "zoomed" her around like an infant. THe day the photo was taken was the first day she actually got in alone and LIKED it!! Now we can't get her out. Even when the pool is closed in the winter, she gets on the cover and sinks it down to get herself wet.

Lives4Disney

 

[Wild4WDW]

I called in mid-April to book a PS for Donald's Breakfastaurus in AK. I asked for the earliest seating time so that we could enter the park early (We have done this on 2 previous trips). The CM told me that Donald's Breakfastaurus did not start until 10:00am. I said "breakfast" starts at 10am? He said "yes". I just said thank you and hung up.