Major Drop in Quality of Disney CM's

[fbb]

While we are at it, I don't think taking 10 minutes for a refill is a huge sin either.

It is when Disney recommends a $40-$50 gratuity for the meal.

 

[SmithSmith]

To the OP, I totally agree. I posted about the same thing the other day. It was startling to me how much the service has changed.

I don't understand why folks are so vehemently against posts like this one. If you are on the Dis, you LOVE Disney. So if Disney lovers are starting to notice some not-so-good changes, don't you think it breaks their heart?

The whole, "If you don't like it, don't go" argument irks me because I LOVE Disney and WANT to go. However, if the service keeps slipping, I won't want to give them my vacation time and money and that is so sad to me.

Folks are probably getting tired of these types of posts because they haven't witnessed this supposed "drop in quality" for themselves.

Typically when someone complains about Disney CM's and announce that they won't be going back anytime soon, it's not because of ONE bad experience, it's because of MANY. So one has to wonder, if someone keeps having these bad experiences with CM's, can it really be the CM's fault every time?

 

[J and R's mom]

To the OP.... YES! We have noticed the overall decline in CMs' attitudes and behaviors since we first started going to WDW back in the mid 1980s.

I think because Disney has focused so much attention on quality service in the past that people notice it when it slips a bit. Others have commented how the service is now similar to Walmart or Burger King. I also think people expect a high level of service because of the prices you pay to enter the park, lets face it, it costs a lot to take a family there so you expect great service. I compare it to when you go to McDonalds, you don't expect much. You pretty much expect to get grunted at and you food shoved at you. But, when you go to a 5 star restaurant, you expect excellent service and high level of attention. Some will argue that Disney pays their workers poorly so how on earth can you, as a customer, expect good service? Well I feel that is no excuse. It is not up to me to determine their pay scale.

When we were there, I did not notice anything too terrible, just a general decline. Like CM's complaining to each other, acting irritated when guests would ask questions, small groups of cm's gossiping etc. Just stuff you don't expect to see at Disney. You expect it when you are at a store in your local mall or Wendy's, but not Disney.

We have season passes to our local six flags. I find the WDW CMs are comparable to six flags workers now-a-days. Is that a bad thing? Well...it's not a good thing. It is just how it is. I do not like it..but I also know that Disney has no plans to change it either.

Both of those examples negate any claims Disney might make that le Cellier is any kind of "signature dining experience."




Except at Burger King, you can get substitutions on your meal...

We used to go to LeCellier each trip. It was DH's favorite. I would ALWAYS switch the risotto out for mashed potatoes (like it used to come anyway) and was never charged or given attitude to make the switch. And this was all BEFORE they became a "signature dining" experience. However, we stopped going to LeCellier five trips ago (about three years now), because the food quality was declining overall, in our opinion...even though the prices went up along with now charging two TS credits for both lunch and dinner.

Since switching out for potatoes was once a non-issue (prior to signature dining), it certainly should not be an issue now that they ARE "signature dining." That would frustrate me as well OP...along with all of the rest of the things you encountered there.

CMs are hired from the same pool of people the guests come from. Society in general is more rude and disrespectful these days. As a result you're going to find it in CMs as well as guests.

That about sums it ALL up!

Please CLICK HERE for some similar thoughts I wrote about on lemonpan's thread...along with PICTURES of some positive CM moments. Yes. The positives are still out there. It's just sad to see the negatives seeping in more and more each visit as well.

 

[poppinspenguins]

Some of these replies are downright rude (i know, its the internet, it is what it is!)

By saying I don't think this/that was rude, you are discounting the posters opinion at best and calling him/her a liar at worst.

Everyone's experience is valid.

I personally have only experienced a rude cast member once at AK. I realize it is not indicative of everyone. But, one would be a fool to see so many recent comments and not think maybe there is some truth to it (evn if you yourself havent experienced it)

And for those who are making excuses because the crowds are rude? I personally can not even fathom this argument. In years past I have worked both as a waitress and also a call number employee. It is your job to provide service with a smile. I was yelled out, cursed out, you name it.

OP. I would be upset about the cot as well. I called 3 times for one trip when the whole bad fridge thing was going on. we had a split stay and wanted to make sure we had a fridge for my infants sons milk. In all three cases they said I would have a fridge no problem. After we called twice and got told yes we got another letter about the fridge. we called again and they said yes, the note is right here etc. checked in, no fridge, either resort. They said no note attached. Then told me i might not get one becasue it wasnt medically necessary (even though my sons milk needed to be refrigerated. Why say yes, if they have no plans to do anything about it? I would have brought a cooler if they said they was any possibility of no fridge. they brought one in both cases...but we had to sit around waiting each time.

Ten minutes is NOT acceptable to wait for drink.
Offering a box while someone is still eating is very rude.

I have had AWESOME cast members, but that doesn't mean bad encounters don't happen.

This is why newcomers are afraid to post on here. I love me some Dineym, but Disney can in fact do wrong. It is perfectly legit to comment here regarding it. It seems the defacto responses are:
a) Im sure it was a one time thing, i have never experienced it. (therefore it is imagined)
b) you must not like change (common in FP it seems)
c) you must have misinterpreted/misunderstood the situtation
d) why would you take time to say this on a disney fan board?
e) Sweet, less people in line in front of me. Good riddance.

 

[SmithSmith]

There are also newcomers that read all the negativity on the Dis and needlessly worry that their upcoming trip is going to be terrible.

 

[poppinspenguins]

There are also newcomers that read all the negativity on the Dis and worry their upcoming trip is going to be terrible.

That may be very true. I personally would prefer to be prepared for the worst and pleasantly surprised as opposed to overly optimistic and severly disappointed. To each there own though.

I like to cruise as well. I often read cruise critic boards and trip advisor boards. I want to know what to watch, what to plan for, what excursions are rip offs etc. Thank goodness i read cruise boards (positive and negative) before my first cruise i would have been very unprepared if I hadn't.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

I have had CM's bend over backwards from the bell hop to the Assistant GM at the GF. Who cares if some chat amongst themselves as long as they do their job well. If anything has changed its the typical guest. Had a CM rewrap all the souvenirs we bought and had to delivered to the resort because she felt they were not wrapped good enough we didn't even ask.

Networth...how booked up does the GF seem to be?

 

[MelissathePooh]

my husband just said that tonight while we were over at MK. Most of the CM's just seemed miserable and unpleasant. Not all of them, but more than not. Everyone was just grumpy and bossy trying to direct the crowd/traffic. I can't say that the guests make their job easy - there were plenty of grumpy/me and my family first at any cost kind of folks all over.

I'm just still trying to get over the fact that there was no Christmas tree up in MK yet. We had thought about going to the party last Friday and I'm so glad I didn't waste my money to get there and not even have the tree. Don't have a dang Christmas party and not have a Christmas tree!!! That and we were ushered out of MK via backstage... Don't get me wrong I was glad to get out of the crowd, but still kind of taken back that they were resorting to backstage - it really does kill some of the magic. At least what is left of it.

 

[DebbieB]

my husband just said that tonight while we were over at MK. Most of the CM's just seemed miserable and unpleasant. Not all of them, but more than not. Everyone was just grumpy and bossy trying to direct the crowd/traffic. I can't say that the guests make their job easy - there were plenty of grumpy/me and my family first at any cost kind of folks all over.

I'm just still trying to get over the fact that there was no Christmas tree up in MK yet. We had thought about going to the party last Friday and I'm so glad I didn't waste my money to get there and not even have the tree. Don't have a dang Christmas party and not have a Christmas tree!!! That and we were ushered out of MK via backstage... Don't get me wrong I was glad to get out of the crowd, but still kind of taken back that they were resorting to backstage - it really does kill some of the magic. At least what is left of it.

They don't put the tree up until they film the Christmas Parade. They put the broadcast booth up in Town Square for the parade. After the parade is taped, they put the tree in that spot.

 

[BugsDaddy]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Good service is a subjective matter. Just reading through the responses, it seems that the OP is stuck on, "my opinion is more accurate than yours" whenever a different opinion or experience is expressed.

Has Disney service declined? Maybe or maybe not but it is clear that it is not the case for everyone and does not apply to every CM or circumstance.

 

[MelissathePooh]

They don't put the tree up until they film the Christmas Parade. They put the broadcast booth up in Town Square for the parade. After the parade is taped, they put the tree in that spot.

Thankfully I didn't spend the almost $300 on Christmas party tickets. It really would have disappointed me - which is subjective of course.

 

[Queuing4Disney]

It has been commented: "Just reading through the responses, it seems that the OP is stuck on, "my opinion is more accurate than yours" whenever a different opinion or experience is expressed." This was well said EXCEPT it's those who are mitigating the OP's complaints who are playing the "my opinion is more accurate than yours" game.

The OP had bad experiences on his recent visit and detailed the complaints well. Many commenters then either wrote about their own bad experiences or expressed their apparent luck in getting very positive CMs who made their visits thoroughly enjoyable. These comments seemed like what the OP was looking for in these forums - a general survey of the kind of CM experiences others have had recently allowing him to get an idea of whether his bad experience was becoming the norm at Disney or maybe just an unfortunate but aberrant "bad" visit. But then it seems the "Disney apologists" came out of the wood works and essentially told the OP that it's his fault for feeling disappointment in the lackluster service he received throughout the trip. Apparently because THEY had great interactions with the CMs during their trip they alluded that the OP must be doing something wrong. More than once was the excuse that it's the "rude guests" that must be bringing down the CMs' spirits so somehow these CMs should be forgiven for taking that negativity on the next guests they encounter.

And regarding the dinner at Le Cellier, there are comments of "I don't think taking 10 minutes for a refill is a huge sin" and being asked to have his steak boxed to go when he was only half through eating it "is really a non issue" because "the CM probably got in trouble because you took too long to eat. They are expected to turn tables over in a specified time." If that's the case, then maybe the CM at Le Cellier should have brought the soup out promptly instead of forgetting it and refilled the coke quickly when it was empty instead of taking 10 minutes. Had these been done in a timely manner by the CM, I'm sure the amount of time wasted while waiting for the soup and the soda refill would have turned into a same amount of time for the OP to have finished his meal faster so the table would have "turned over" to the next dining party closer to "schedule". But it seems some commenters here are so "Disney love-struck" that this failure of this CM server at Le Cellier to adequately perform the most basic tasks of her job is not her or Disney's problem but that of the OP for not being able to appreciate the nuances of the Disney dining experience.

OP, I'm very sorry you had the bad experiences during your recent Disney World visit and hope that should you and your family decide to take another trip there it will be a much more magical and enjoyable time.

 

[disneyholic family]

DD just got back on Wednedsay from a 15 day visit to WDW.

She said all the CMs were great except two. So that's pretty darn good to have only encountered 2 lousy CMs over the course of 15 days staying on property.

She said one of them was truly unfortunate as she was stationed in a really important place - she was one of the CMs running the Belle attraction in Fantasyland (the magical encounter, whatever it's called).

DD went so far as to say this CM was one of the nastiest people she'd ever seen. And here this CM has to interact with lots of people - DD couldn't understand how they had a CM like that working in that particular place. And DD has been in that attraction multiple times, so she knows exactly what CMs are supposed to be like there.
She said that was the only example of truly bad placement of CMs that she encountered during the trip.

(the other bad CM was a server at via napoli - not a big deal in the grand scheme of things)

 

[alisigns]

So one has to wonder, if someone keeps having these bad experiences with CM's, can it really be the CM's fault every time?

I don't want to get anyone mad at me, but I agree here. I saw a lot of guests on our last trip that acted like Disney owed them everything they ever wanted because they bought tickets to the park. I actually heard a lady say that she deserved a front row seat for the parade because she was staying on property. Another said that he should get to FP all the rides he wanted because he had been coming to the parks for the last twenty years. The sense of entitlement that people have is sickening! We had cast members go out of their way for us and we got an amazing benefit from a rainy day because we were kind about asking and prepared to accept no if that was the answer. Just accept that things are sometimes not the way you want them to be, even at Disney, and show a little gratitude because most of the CMs are great people who will make magic happen for you if they can. Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

 

[pmaurer74]

Perhaps Disney has noticed as well because we got a survey in dealing with CMs a few weeks ago but we have not gone on our trip yet.

Patti

 

[LegoMom3]

I don't want to get anyone mad at me, but I agree here. I saw a lot of guests on our last trip that acted like Disney owed them everything they ever wanted because they bought tickets to the park. I actually heard a lady say that she deserved a front row seat for the parade because she was staying on property. Another said that he should get to FP all the rides he wanted because he had been coming to the parks for the last twenty years. The sense of entitlement that people have is sickening! We had cast members go out of their way for us and we got an amazing benefit from a rainy day because we were kind about asking and prepared to accept no if that was the answer. Just accept that things are sometimes not the way you want them to be, even at Disney, and show a little gratitude because most of the CMs are great people who will make magic happen for you if they can. Just my opinion, take it or leave it.

I think it boils down to this. Unfortunately that seems to be the turn that our entire society is taking, so it shows up at WDW just like anywhere else. Anyone that works in retail or any other job where you have to deal with the general public, can probably attest to that!

.

 

[Money82]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Good service is a subjective matter. Just reading through the responses, it seems that the OP is stuck on, "my opinion is more accurate than yours" whenever a different opinion or experience is expressed.

Has Disney service declined? Maybe or maybe not but it is clear that it is not the case for everyone and does not apply to every CM or circumstance.

You think I'm stuck on "my opinion is more accurate than yours?" Ha that's funny. If you go through all the replies on this thread, the majority have also noticed a decline in the quality of CM's.

I didn't post any snarky replies to people who simply disagreed. I posted snarky replies to people who tell me that my complaints are bogus or that Disney policy dictates that the server is just in trying to rush me out of a signature dining restaurant. And I post snarky replies to people who ask me why I'm posting negative thoughts on the Disboards.

Sorry if that offends your sensibilities but I have no interest in just holding hands around a camp fire, roasting marshmellows, and singing "the sun will come out tomorrow."

 

[Money82]

It has been commented: "Just reading through the responses, it seems that the OP is stuck on, "my opinion is more accurate than yours" whenever a different opinion or experience is expressed." This was well said EXCEPT it's those who are mitigating the OP's complaints who are playing the "my opinion is more accurate than yours" game.

The OP had bad experiences on his recent visit and detailed the complaints well. Many commenters then either wrote about their own bad experiences or expressed their apparent luck in getting very positive CMs who made their visits thoroughly enjoyable. These comments seemed like what the OP was looking for in these forums - a general survey of the kind of CM experiences others have had recently allowing him to get an idea of whether his bad experience was becoming the norm at Disney or maybe just an unfortunate but aberrant "bad" visit. But then it seems the "Disney apologists" came out of the wood works and essentially told the OP that it's his fault for feeling disappointment in the lackluster service he received throughout the trip. Apparently because THEY had great interactions with the CMs during their trip they alluded that the OP must be doing something wrong. More than once was the excuse that it's the "rude guests" that must be bringing down the CMs' spirits so somehow these CMs should be forgiven for taking that negativity on the next guests they encounter.

And regarding the dinner at Le Cellier, there are comments of "I don't think taking 10 minutes for a refill is a huge sin" and being asked to have his steak boxed to go when he was only half through eating it "is really a non issue" because "the CM probably got in trouble because you took too long to eat. They are expected to turn tables over in a specified time." If that's the case, then maybe the CM at Le Cellier should have brought the soup out promptly instead of forgetting it and refilled the coke quickly when it was empty instead of taking 10 minutes. Had these been done in a timely manner by the CM, I'm sure the amount of time wasted while waiting for the soup and the soda refill would have turned into a same amount of time for the OP to have finished his meal faster so the table would have "turned over" to the next dining party closer to "schedule". But it seems some commenters here are so "Disney love-struck" that this failure of this CM server at Le Cellier to adequately perform the most basic tasks of her job is not her or Disney's problem but that of the OP for not being able to appreciate the nuances of the Disney dining experience.

http://youtu.be/ckNu9uDnPxY

 

[Laketravis]

I haven't noticed any outright rude CM's over the last 9 days, but I have noticed quite a few professional indiscretions. Such as one CM to another at a snack cart "Thank God, just one more hour" or a CM making a face to another CM after a guest compliments her on her smile and then turns away.

I suppose you could call this an open disdain for certain aspects of their job combined with immaturity. For the most part, every CM we've encountered has been polite - when they knew they were being watched.

 

[Here4mydisneyfix]

Hmmm.... Well if it's of any help I recently contacted Guest Services because I had an issue (wasn't even Disney's fault) and they went above and beyond my wildest expectations to make sure my next visit was that much more enjoyable. Totally expected a "cut and paste response", but didn't get one... maybe this time you won't either.

THIS. We had a similar experience. Our last trip to the other coast (Disneyland) was awful on so, soooo many levels. I did write a letter because I really just wanted to vent. I've been going to Disney my whole life and the immense sadness I felt that my "happy place" was no longer...well happy, was so tremendous....I just had to tell someone. I was fully expecting a generic letter from a "grunt" as well...but what they did to remedy the situation was FAR beyond anything I could have ever hoped for! It took us from questioning if we ever wanted to go back to Disney at all, to marveling at their insanely awesome customer service and highly anticipating our next trip! You just never know what writing of your experience will do...and if nothing else, you can be happy knowing that if they keep getting so many complaint letters (strength in number, people!), they will see that there are big issues that need fixing, and things will start to change...nothing like disgruntled dollars on the line!