disneyvoice
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 13, 2000
So until our trip last week we have never had a "bad" experience with a CM. Last week's experience was odd and so totally out of character for a WDW CM we were completely taken by surprise.
We got to the TTC really early for EMH, it was so early there weren't any CMs in the parking booths yet and there were VERY few cars going into the TTC. Typically you veer to left until you get to the point where you turn right to head down toward the parking spaces. Well this day the only other cars that were in the parking lot veered to the right instead of continuing to the left. There was a sign with an arrow that said "MK Parking" pointing in the direction they were going so we followed the other cars thinking it was so early we were being parked in a different area of the parking lot. When we pulled into the space the CM guided us into he asked if we were heading to MK and told us they were actually parking people there for a golf event and that we should drive back around until we get to where we can "go across" to get to the main parking lot where we would be closer. No biggie. We thanked him and headed that way.
So we went back around and came to an area where we could either turn right and basically go to just the other end of where we had previously "parked" for the golf event or we could "go across" and head over closer to the entrance for the TTC. Since he said "go across" we thought that was what he meant. There were no other cars there and no CMs in sight to verify we were headed the right way. When we got to the place where you turn right to head to the parking spaces there was a CM and my husband told him we were trying to park for MK and asked him if we were in the right place. He said "Yes, follow the cones and then park behind the row of cones up there." He did the two finger point to where he was telling us to go. So we do as he says and before we get to the row of cones a CM walks in front of our rental mini van with his hands out. My DH rolls down his window and the CM says in kind of a snotty voice "Where do you think you're going?" My DH replies "They told us to come this way for MK parking?" The CM kind of sarcastically laughs under his breath and responds "Oh, so you just decided to ignore all the arrows and cones and just go whoever you want to go?" My husband, confused, replies "No, the guy back there told us to drive up here." My DH is totally calm and friendly as he talks to him. Then the CM says "No. No no one told you that." We were confused so I tried to clarify "Yes, the CM back there (and pointed to the man in the distance) told us to come up here." He then takes a deep breath like he's trying to control his temper and gives me this hard stare as if I have just challenged his "parking authority" and repeats "No. You know no one told you that, you just think you can do whatever you want to do." Then he curtly told my husband to drive across the parking lot to the end of the row and park next to the only other car there.
Okay. So we are very nice, non-confrontal people who do NOT break rules. We were in a rented mini van. It was me, my husband, our 28 year old son and his 27 year old girlfriend and our 16 year old son. We were not rude at all. In fact it was clearly apparent that we were lost in the parking lot and just trying to figure out where we were supposed to park. So we pull into the parking space and the one other car there next to us is another mini van with a man and woman and two young children eating McDonald's. My older son gets out of the van while asking "What was that guy's problem." The man in the driver's seat in the car must have heard him because he rolled down his window and asked "Did that guy give you a hard time too?" We said yes. His response - "That guy should NOT be working at Disney."
So it didn't affect our day at all except that it annoyed us. Having a WDW CM accuse us of lying? Umm, no. Unfortunately we were so thrown by his behavior that none of us thought to look at his badge and get his name so we could write to WDW about the incident. I have NEVER even considered complaining about a CM before but being accused of lying really ticked me off. In the end we decided that maybe he was just having a really bad day for some reason so we didn't complain. But it sure feels good to it off my chest here! Whew!
We got to the TTC really early for EMH, it was so early there weren't any CMs in the parking booths yet and there were VERY few cars going into the TTC. Typically you veer to left until you get to the point where you turn right to head down toward the parking spaces. Well this day the only other cars that were in the parking lot veered to the right instead of continuing to the left. There was a sign with an arrow that said "MK Parking" pointing in the direction they were going so we followed the other cars thinking it was so early we were being parked in a different area of the parking lot. When we pulled into the space the CM guided us into he asked if we were heading to MK and told us they were actually parking people there for a golf event and that we should drive back around until we get to where we can "go across" to get to the main parking lot where we would be closer. No biggie. We thanked him and headed that way.
So we went back around and came to an area where we could either turn right and basically go to just the other end of where we had previously "parked" for the golf event or we could "go across" and head over closer to the entrance for the TTC. Since he said "go across" we thought that was what he meant. There were no other cars there and no CMs in sight to verify we were headed the right way. When we got to the place where you turn right to head to the parking spaces there was a CM and my husband told him we were trying to park for MK and asked him if we were in the right place. He said "Yes, follow the cones and then park behind the row of cones up there." He did the two finger point to where he was telling us to go. So we do as he says and before we get to the row of cones a CM walks in front of our rental mini van with his hands out. My DH rolls down his window and the CM says in kind of a snotty voice "Where do you think you're going?" My DH replies "They told us to come this way for MK parking?" The CM kind of sarcastically laughs under his breath and responds "Oh, so you just decided to ignore all the arrows and cones and just go whoever you want to go?" My husband, confused, replies "No, the guy back there told us to drive up here." My DH is totally calm and friendly as he talks to him. Then the CM says "No. No no one told you that." We were confused so I tried to clarify "Yes, the CM back there (and pointed to the man in the distance) told us to come up here." He then takes a deep breath like he's trying to control his temper and gives me this hard stare as if I have just challenged his "parking authority" and repeats "No. You know no one told you that, you just think you can do whatever you want to do." Then he curtly told my husband to drive across the parking lot to the end of the row and park next to the only other car there.
Okay. So we are very nice, non-confrontal people who do NOT break rules. We were in a rented mini van. It was me, my husband, our 28 year old son and his 27 year old girlfriend and our 16 year old son. We were not rude at all. In fact it was clearly apparent that we were lost in the parking lot and just trying to figure out where we were supposed to park. So we pull into the parking space and the one other car there next to us is another mini van with a man and woman and two young children eating McDonald's. My older son gets out of the van while asking "What was that guy's problem." The man in the driver's seat in the car must have heard him because he rolled down his window and asked "Did that guy give you a hard time too?" We said yes. His response - "That guy should NOT be working at Disney."
So it didn't affect our day at all except that it annoyed us. Having a WDW CM accuse us of lying? Umm, no. Unfortunately we were so thrown by his behavior that none of us thought to look at his badge and get his name so we could write to WDW about the incident. I have NEVER even considered complaining about a CM before but being accused of lying really ticked me off. In the end we decided that maybe he was just having a really bad day for some reason so we didn't complain. But it sure feels good to it off my chest here! Whew!