Major Drop in Quality of Disney CM's

[EPCOTatNight]

I'm shocked at some of the vitriol directed at the OP for giving his assessment. And people telling him that the bad service was his fault.

Are you guys kidding me?

Hmmm, the new person happened to find this thread and have almost the same experience as the OP. interesting.

 

[OnSpaceshipEarth]

Money82...I'm glad you started this thread and I totally understand where you are coming from in your disappointment.

WDW CM's are definitely sliding down as are most service employees across the board in this nation.

I put a lot of blame on Disney but I also understand the society that we live in .

The best answer is to communicate with Disney management and if it isn't rectified simply stop spending your hard-earned dollars at WDW.

 

[larryz]

Hmmm, the new person happened to find this thread and have almost the same experience as the OP. interesting.

Who Dat!

 

[Money82]

The best answer is to communicate with Disney management and if it isn't rectified simply stop spending your hard-earned dollars at WDW.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Of course. But then we all have to remember that the people waiting on us are only human, and can have a bad day. Not a single one of us who works has not!

However, I don't think having to wait 10 minutes for a pop refill is horrible enough to warrant a mention of it as an example of the decline of Disney CMs. I also don't think being mad about not getting a particular room set up is warranted, when if you take the time to read your reservation you know that room types are all subject to availability. I also expect someone who has been going to WDW for years and years to know that, and to know that when they call they are not speaking to the resort but to a call center.

So the OP had a few minor irritations, and now the CMs at WDW are all doing horrible jobs. Nope. That is a large leap to make.

I agree. That's how I read it especially considering from the title of the thread. The rest was just window dressing.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Prices go up, service and quality go down. But people still flood to Disney World. Go figure.

According to your ticker, 2 weeks and 5 days till you return.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

I'm here now. I have had the good fortune to run into CMs who went above and beyond for my family. I have found the CMs to be helpful, willing to try to resolve issues, and pleasant. I am sorry if others are not so fortunate. We are determined to ignore the things that would otherwise ruin our vacation, namely rude people. No I am not talking about the OP. I've had CMs resolve a room issue (I requested a change), I asked the front desk if we could get an additional blanket when I went down for coffee this morning and it was in the room before I got back. Then after we got back we got another. We had a great bus driver last night. We were all tired and he was so cheerful; he had the whole bus laughing. Then, he lowered the lights and turned on the music and we had one of those magical moments when the whole bus was singing "wasting away in Margaritaville". I have had so many CMs help me out and go out of their way to be helpful. I think like every business there are good and bad, but the good far outweighs the bad, but I don't think overall the quality has gone down.

 

[BuzzinDownToDisney]

Then, he lowered the lights and turned on the music and we had one of those magical moments when the whole bus was singing "wasting away in Margaritaville".

Universal plant for Margaritaville at CityWalk

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Universal plant for Margaritaville at CityWalk

Tonight we had the Beetlejuice plant because we were singing the Banana Boat Song (Daylight come and me wan' go home)

Day-O

 

[sookie]

Based in the OP's responses here being snarky I don't believe that at the check in and resturant you were happy polite and the like. As someone said the aura you give off was probably returned. Snappyness eye rolling sighs commenting under your breath could have happened.

I find the fact that you waited 10 minutes for a refill either a total lie or that you never once attempted to stop your waiter/waitress. They put them in 1 area and they serve tables in one area. At any resturant while the sever might not be stopping by my table they are in th vicinity to where I can signal them. I can't imagine that they weren't around any of their tables for that long a period.

As for the boxing up if food, get over yourself. They didn't grab your plate, thy didn't say "OMG are you done yet???" Yes it was two dining meals, it wasn't Victoria and Alberts. All you had to say was no sorry I'm still working on it, you shouldn't be this upset over it, it really makes me feel like the CMS were probably telling about this ungodly rude diner at your table.

This is why I don't bash workers. It sucks to work where others vacation, it sucks that your bad day or bad morning "ruins" someone's vacation while when you are great and happy people don't even remember. I work in customer service, we have to be at 95% accuracy and deliver fast service, we do it all the time but still get people who think we are treble slow stupid lazy workers.

Are you serious? What a rude post.

 

[Toffeewoffy]

I have watched this thread get, over 9 pages, more and more personally abusive to the OP. He posted his experiences and his feelings on them. Why would he lie? If you've had great service, then wow you're lucky. Good for you. Does that make OP's experience any less valid or important? I don't know the OP - nor do any of you - and for all I know he could well be one of those 'miserable gits' (as we call them over here) who put people's backs up without even trying. However, whether he is or not - and none of us can know this either way - it's not for us to call him out on it.

We had such poor service at CP the first time we went (on my birthday, I hasten to add), that it put me off for years. The place was packed, we were at the end of the rotation for the characters and sat watching them oh so slowly wend their way round the tables to us - only to get a couple of quick photos and they were off again. Our waiter was clearly grossly overworked: we stopped by our table 3 or 4 times. The second time was to ask us if we wanted refills, which we did. We then didn't see him for 20 minutes. Is 20 minutes for a fresh pot of tea and a refill of OJ for DD reasonable? And to then have it brought, dumped unceremoniously on the table and him disappear again without giving me any milk to put in it? I didn't even have any choice about how much tip to leave because they added the automatic 18% even though we were a party of 3.

We went again this year and the whole experience couldn't have been more different. It was the same day (ie Valentines Day) and the Friday before Presidents weekend but the atmosphere was so much more relaxed. We were at a window table (which this time they'd put confetti on) on the other side of the restaurant, the 2nd table into the rotation, and not only was our waiter (an older gentleman) attentive and fast, but all the characters came round within 15 minutes and came round again before we'd even finished eating. Our waiter even brought the card and cupcake to the table while we were both up at the buffet which I thought was sweet.

I'm always friendly to waiting staff and always friendly to CMs. They do seem to love my British humour, as well.

The only gripe I had this year (and last) about service was that Disney are employing a lot of elderly people and while they're sweet and friendly, they are FAR TOO SLOW. Most of the check outs at the Disney shops (and the restaurants) were manned by these lovely old people, but they're just not fast enough. I only had 2 people ahead of me in the queue to pay at the big Disney shop at DTD, but I still waited 15 minutes to be served. Seriously, I watched her at work. She was literally in slow motion. When you're waiting in line on a walking stick with gippy knees, that's not good.

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I have an AP and I go a few times a week. All the CMs I deal with are wonderful.

I think the biggest problem they have is there are so many foreigners who don't speak English. A CM will make an announcement and many people don't understand and don't follow instructions so the CM repeats and still gets no response so then they have to raise their voices and get a bit aggressive. But I have found if I am nice to them and follow their suggestions then they are nice to me. I am wondering about the attitude of the complainers. Are they trying to say they are being nice and following the rules and the CM is being nasty to them? If so the CM should be reports, not whined about on a forum.

I totally agree. Very well said

 

[JanaDee]

I have watched this thread get, over 9 pages, more and more personally abusive to the OP. He posted his experiences and his feelings on them. Why would he lie? If you've had great service, then wow you're lucky. Good for you. Does that make OP's experience any less valid or important? I don't know the OP - nor do any of you - and for all I know he could well be one of those 'miserable gits' (as we call them over here) who put people's backs up without even trying. However, whether he is or not - and none of us can know this either way - it's not for us to call him out on it.

It's become the way of the Dis to dismiss and brush off those that had a less-than-stellar experience.

If it didn't happen to them, it didn't happen at all.

 

[maxiesmom]

It's become the way of the Dis to dismiss and brush off those that had a less-than-stellar experience.

If it didn't happen to them, it didn't happen at all.

Bull. But it is the way of the Dis to not just blindly agree with any statement made. And to point out when the person making the statement could have been a bit to blame for the bad situation. I've been on the receiving end of that myself. Sometimes a bit of reflection is a good thing.

If all you are looking for is blind agreement to whatever you say, a message board of any kind is not the place for you. It will never happen, not matter what the subject.

 

[eculmone]

Sad to report that I noticed a significant attitude amongst the Disney CM's on my recent trip. I don't want to come down too hard on them because they don't make a ton of money but man, the magic is gone folks. They seem more intent on bossing people around and barking orders than trying to make one's trip truly magical.

My hotel stay didn't start off well. I had called several times before the trip to ensure that our room was 2 queens and a day bed like we get every year and we were told, "Yes sir of course" each time. Then we get there and they say, "Oh sorry sir, we're all out of those rooms" (this was at 11am). And then I say okay fine, I'll going to need a cot then. And they try to charge me for it, hahaha, I just about lost it 1 hour into the trip. Luckily cooler heads prevailed and I restrained myself, got the cot for free. However, end of the trip at checkout, they did mysteriously try to charge me $120 for the cot which I had to argue about and finally get the charge dismissed.

A lot of my dining experiences were pretty delicious but then I experienced some awful service at Le Celier. I ordered a soup, waitress forgot it. I ran out of coke, it took the waitress 10 minutes to even stop by the table again so I ask for a refill. My mom wanted mashed potatoes with her steak instead of the risotto, waitress said nope but that my mom could buy a side. Then the kicker was I was halfway through my steak and the waitress came by and asked me "if I wanted to box up the rest and if I was ready for dessert."

I noticed a lot of really bad, bad attitudes by the ride attendants. Almost as if they were working at Six Flags not realizing they were actually employed by Disney World. Has anyone else noticed that there now seems to be a Disney CM anywhere and everywhere bossing people around? Even the most basic attractions. Pretty soon they're going to have CM's telling you how fast you can walk in the park.

Now I know that some are going to tell me that they had some truly awesome interactions with the Disney folks and I had a couple good ones too, but OVERALL (that means on average), they have significantly dropped.

Sad to say I've felt it too Wish it weren't so last 2 trips I had hoped it was just a fluke but it happened again and lets see if they can redeem themselves? I hope so for Disney's sake

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'm shocked at some of the vitriol directed at the OP for giving his assessment. And people telling him that the bad service was his fault.

Are you guys kidding me?

I do not think that word means what you think it means. Harsh and bitter describe primarily responses from the OP to posters who disagree with or question him.

 

[LilyWDW]

How about all the attacks on those who don't 100% agree with the OP? I'm pretty sick and tired of being dismissed just because I have a different opinion which I have stated politely. I shouldn't then get made fun of, be called a "Disney apologist", be laughed at, or be told I must be "wearing rose colored glasses". Sorry, but my experience is just as true as the experience that the OP had.

And by stating my experience doesn't mean I dismiss when people DO have bad experiences. I am simply letting people know that it is not all CMs and that there is NOT a "Major Drop in Quality of Disney CM's" as a general case.

 

[Suvadoo]

How about all the attacks on those who don't 100% agree with the OP? I'm pretty sick and tired of being dismissed just because I have a different opinion which I have stated politely. I shouldn't then get made fun of, be called a "Disney apologist", be laughed at, or be told I must be "wearing rose colored glasses". Sorry, but my experience is just as true as the experience that the OP had.

And by stating my experience doesn't mean I dismiss when people DO have bad experiences. I am simply letting people know that it is not all CMs and that there is NOT a "Major Drop in Quality of Disney CM's" as a general case.

I'd suggest you re-read through some of the posts. The OP is blamed for the bad CM encounters, he's accused of being a liar, his complaints are dismissed as him being too picky, or having a bad aura, or the CM's behavior is excused as their "having a bad day".

I'm glad you've had excellent CM interactions. I'm not dismissing your experiences as being lies or exaggerations. But I'm not going to disagree with the OP and tell him his experience is any less valid than yours, nor am I going to berate him or you for your opinion.

 

[dopeydons]

It was the amount of incorrect information given out by cast members that annoyed me on my recent trip. At HS I overheard a cm being asked what time the park closed and they gave the wrong time and were corrected by another guest. Also a similar thing when none of them seemed to know about an added Fantasmic show which was clearly advertised as you entered the park.

Three times (once at City Hall and twice to character attendants) I asked if a specific character would be out that day, was told no and then low and behold they were, one was even being handled by the attendant I had asked a few hours previously! The icing on the cake that day was she then wouldn't let us in line as it was closed. I realise they have to stick to this but after her mistake earlier it would have been nice to make an allowance under the circumstances. I wouldn't have been more than a minute. Great birthday that was! Honestly if I didn't read the DIS and just listened to CM's I wouldn't have a clue!

 

[DebbieB]

It's not just the OP. There was another recent thread on the same topic:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3354506

I've been going to WDW for 20 years and have never seen as many cm's with bad attitudes as I did last month. Most cm's? Of course not. But enough to make it noticeable and wonder what's going on.