Has a CM ever been rude/nasty to you?

[aaarcher86]

I really do think that's what is at risk of happening.

Agreed. That seems to be the easiest answer when things get complicated.

 

[Rebekkap]

99% of the CMs we've encountered have been amazing! Our one bad experience was at Tusker House. I booked the character breakfast for me and DH (We are in our 30's no kids) because Donald is DH's favorite and we heard the food was good. Our waiter totally ignored us! He brought us one round of drinks and that was it...did not check on us at all! We also had characters completely bypass our table! That has never happened to us! We eat at Crystal Palace every trip and have had meals at 1900 Park Fare, Chef Mickey's and Cape May and always have great character interaction. I was so distraught as I wanted it to be a special meal for DH that I started crying! I realize some adults without kids don't want the interaction but we never made any indication that was the case for us and as I said it's never happened elsewhere.

We haven't been to Tusker House since and have no plans to go back anytime soon if ever!

My partner and I had a very similar experience at Disneyland at a character meal - we were completely bypassed by all the characters - not a single one came to our table. It was the last morning of our holiday and by the time we were leaving I was in tears - we might be two adults, but obviously if we book a character meal we want to interact with the characters!

The experience was redeemed somewhat by the lovely CM on the way out who noticed I was upset and asked why - she then fetched several Winnie the Pooh characters over to have photos taken with us.

 

[mom2rtk]

My partner and I had a very similar experience at Disneyland at a character meal - we were completely bypassed by all the characters - not a single one came to our table. It was the last morning of our holiday and by the time we were leaving I was in tears - we might be two adults, but obviously if we book a character meal we want to interact with the characters!

The experience was redeemed somewhat by the lovely CM on the way out who noticed I was upset and asked why - she then fetched several Winnie the Pooh characters over to have photos taken with us.

If that was the Plaza Inn, then I'm not surprised. That was the least organized character meal I've ever done! We still enjoyed it, but I was really surprised at how hit and miss the characters were in touring the restaurant.

 

[Mrs Eeyore]

I have been trying to think of a single bad encounter with a CM and I'm really not coming up with anything significant. There was one young man who annoyed me by harassing my daughter, who was then 14. It was at one of the water parks. He overheard DD telling us, in a private family conversation, that she thought the water was too cold in one of the attractions. This little dweeb started following us, making crying/whining noises at her and yelling comments like, "Do you want me to call the WAH-mbulance?" He was probably not that much older than she was and it was probably a primitive attempt at flirting. We all wanted to sock him and it did cross my mind that if he continued to follow us we might have to ask for a manager. I forget how we got rid of him; I guess he got bored when we ignored him. But since that's the worst incident I can think of, I'm pretty impressed with the CMs overall.

 

[Cadets74]

We had a minor incident with a CM... We were sitting waiting for the parade at the Animal Kingdom and I was getting some ice cream for the kids and my wife overhead a CM (a young college age girl) commenting to another CM about the size of our family (we have 7 kids)... My wife said she mumbled a few things and then finished it off with "they are freaking crazy"... The other CM though (an older man) told her it wasn't crazy and he was from a large family as well... But if I had a dollar for every comment someone made about the size of our family I could have stayed a few more days...

 

[McKelly]

I had an incident happen.......can't say I blamed the CM all that much, but it was embarrassing all the same. We were eating with another family and we were explained the 18% tip rule when we checked in. The mom of the other family we were traveling with is a "non-tipper." BUT, we explained BEFORE we went there that they would have to pay the tip with such a large party, tipping was NOT optional. This was the ONLY way we agreed to eat with them.

Anyway, we went to sit down and wait for our table to be called and I saw my friend march up to the podium and I could tell she was complaining about something (we were not seated near each other in the lobby because it was Xmas Day and it was a madhouse). So, our buzzer went off and I took it up to the podium to be seated. My family went first, followed by the other family. Halfway to the table, the host turned around and said to me, "So, you have a problem with tipping your server?" I was shocked and explained that I did not, but the other half of my party might because she is from Australia and that appparently is not what they do (even though she has lived here for 25 years) there. He was put off and said "Well Merry Christmas to you too!", really snotty. I was embarrassed. And ticked, at my friend.

 

[Golden Rose]

I have one bad experience with a CM that has lingered for decades. It wasn't being precisely rude, but it was a horrible experience. When I was a teenager, 15 or 16 but looked older, I was felt up by either Chip or Dale. I was a very well-endowed young lady, and while I was posing for a photo, the CM grabbed my bosom and ran his hand up and down my waist and back to my breast. At the time, I was shocked and almost in tears. My mom was appalled, my then step father thought it was really funny and made jokes about it for years afterward. Of course we should have reported it, but we had no idea who to report it to, and my step father kept discouraging me from making a fuss.

To this day, my family still compares pretty much all bad experiences at WDW to being "molested by a chipmunk".

 

[KrisM]

We saw the horse/trolley at MK last week. DD wanted to ask what the horse's name is. We went towards the CM leading the horse and I said that DD had a question and DD opened her mouth to speak. Before she could, the CM said "no. There is no petting". I said that's not her question. The CM said, "That is always the question" and walked away. DD is 7 and was rather confused since it wasn't her question and she really wondered about its name.

Not horrible, but really not very nice either.

 

[surferdave]

We were eating with another family and we were explained the 18% tip rule when we checked in. The mom of the other family we were traveling with is a "non-tipper." BUT, we explained BEFORE we went there that they would have to pay the tip with such a large party, tipping was NOT optional. This was the ONLY way we agreed to eat with them.

You went to WDW with Mr. Pink?

 

[Ero_FL]

Sorry, but the this info is wrong, as is so often the case, on the really awful WDW site.

The official Disney website that lists rules, is incorrect? I'm pretty sure that is not the case. That doesn't even make sense. If it is, which I do not believe, then they need to abide by their posted rules.

 

[Hannathy]

The official Disney website that lists rules, is incorrect? I'm pretty sure that is not the case. That doesn't even make sense. If it is, which I do not believe, then they need to abide by their posted rules.

They would have to follow the official written rules in corporate/legal, not the website. I"m sure there is a disclaimer somewhere that says these are the rules that are official not any errors on the website. All businesses have this little disclaimer that they aren't responsible for mis prints or errors made by advertising.

The website has made errors before and they do what is official not what is on the website.

 

[nadira36]

I will admit to being one of the ones that will benefit from the child swap strategy on our June trip to maximize or FP+ selections and get around tiering at Epcot and DHS. It is in fact a big part of our strategy. I have an 8 year old that will benefit tremendously from it. However, I can assure you, that whoever gets stuck waiting with my then 23 month old would rather be walking on the sun barefooted So while it is a strategy, it is definitely not an ideal strategy for most of our party except DS8

He will be 40" by our November trip and who knows where FP+ will be by then but at least I know we will do ok on our June trip.

Tell me about it! Last trip I was PG AND stuck waiting with our 2 yr old while everyone else rode TT - that was the longest hour ever! Even with a playground, Mickey Bar, misting fans I was running out of things to keep her occupied. Someone proposed the family ALL wait in line and do rider swap at the end of the wait - no way! I'd just refuse to ride the rides. Trying to keep a baby or toddler happy on TSM is hard enough, but something like spaceM would drive me nuts.

 

[Hannathy]

Tell me about it! Last trip I was PG AND stuck waiting with our 2 yr old while everyone else rode TT - that was the longest hour ever! Even with a playground, Mickey Bar, misting fans I was running out of things to keep her occupied. Someone proposed the family ALL wait in line and do rider swap at the end of the wait - no way! I'd just refuse to ride the rides. Trying to keep a baby or toddler happy on TSM is hard enough, but something like spaceM would drive me nuts.

That's the way it was for years! before fast pass you all waited in line.

A lot less abusing it that way to.

 

[disneynewbee]

I'm also sure that somewhere in small print is the statement that they are not responsible for errors on the website and the written rules (somewhere) are the official rules.

Again why can't people be happy with the chance if your child is unable to ride due to a Disney rule they will work with you but if it is just personal preference you have to deal with it.

I can't go on the tea cups cause they make me sick & I don't like them, my kids love them,should I be able to get a switch pass so they can get on quicker just cause I don't like them? Same idea as being afraid.

I know that isn't a height restricted ride, just using it as an example of difference between personal preference and a written rule.

It's not the same because you can be left unattended while kids can't. People are not using it to get on faster they are using it to not wait in line for the same ride twice. If my family waits in line for an hour for a ride, should I have to wait another hour because I was waiting with my child who barely makes the height requirement.

 

[Mad Hattered]

Yes. But they were *****ing about FP+ so I understood and took it in stride.

 

[maxiesmom]

They would have to follow the official written rules in corporate/legal, not the website. I"m sure there is a disclaimer somewhere that says these are the rules that are official not any errors on the website. All businesses have this little disclaimer that they aren't responsible for mis prints or errors made by advertising.

The website has made errors before and they do what is official not what is on the website.

Exactly right!

 

[Robo]

"Staying current" always takes work.

Staying current with Disney is an ongoing endeavor.


.

 

[Hannathy]

It's not the same because you can be left unattended while kids can't. People are not using it to get on faster they are using it to not wait in line for the same ride twice. If my family waits in line for an hour for a ride, should I have to wait another hour because I was waiting with my child who barely makes the height requirement.

because that is your choice! It is a personal choice. Disney doesn't have to do this, there are many, many parks who don't do this. It is a nice perk that is starting to get abused and will soon go away. And people are using it to get an extra FP.

I still think it was best to avoid abuse when you all waited in line and waited at the ride to switch.

 

[mom2rtk]

It's not the same because you can be left unattended while kids can't. People are not using it to get on faster they are using it to not wait in line for the same ride twice. If my family waits in line for an hour for a ride, should I have to wait another hour because I was waiting with my child who barely makes the height requirement.

Actually people ARE using rider swap to get on rides faster. If the first person has a FP, then is given a swap pass, I don't think they other family members are required to use a FP slot to then enter the FP queue. It's a handy little way of dealing with tiers at EP and DHS. And why my "rent a baby" program is going to be so popular.

 

[morethananyonex]

Rider swap doesn't really help with the tiers time wise, especially at Epcot, since those FP lines still take so long. Families with small children aren't coming out ahead.

In early February when we went, the stand by for TT would generally be about 60 minutes during the day. We just used single rider after using FP+ for TT once and realizing what a pain it was. Anyways, using a FP+ at Soarin took about 30 minutes to get half the group through. Takes the other half the same. If we used one at TT too it would be about 20-30 minutes for each groups, making our total wait for everyone to get a turn about 1.5-2 hours.

Now, a family who can all ride together gets a FP+ for Soarin. About 30 minutes max. They then go wait stand by for TT, so 60 minutes. That's 1.5 hours, which is similar or less than the family who got to FP both rides. Having to do everything twice for everyone to get turn takes away from saving tons of time, and that's kind of the point. It's faster than standing in the regular line twice, but taking 2 groups through the line still takes longer. It will be nice when our son is older and our group can ride once together instead of in shifts. That's a bigger "advantage" than RS IMO.

Rider swap only provides a significant advantage if you have people in your group who don't ride certain rides, or a small enough group that certain members (usually the children) can get a re ride. If you legitimately want everyone to get a turn, rider swap just levels the playing field, it doesn't create a significant difference.