Anyone done both Disney and Universal since re-opening?

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Disney has always been lax with their rules, not providing enough support to front of the line cm. Now ir seems management is actually pushing for this type of enforcement a "better safe than sorry" attitude. I don't think cm enforcing rules will put people off from returning unless obviously they cross the line. All the instances you posted are supposed to be monitored just we, as guests, are not used to Disney enforcing things so forcefully.
If you allow one person to take a pic without a mask it will become a problem. Better try to set the standards so everyone does it

I disagree. When the last thing I experience after a lovely day at Disney is a cm — in a rude tone — telling me to put on a mask when I’m literally in between sips of water (outdoors with no one around) — it leaves a bad and un-Disney taste — that’s too much.

I‘Ve been going to WDW regularly for 15 years — to be able to make a longer list of aggressive even nasty CMs in a few days as compared to 15yrs tells me they’re going too far. I don’t see this as tenable, and I really hope they ease off. Makes the place feel less hospitable and quite un-Disney at those times.

And I doubt an “end of line” cm standing FOUR DISTANCE MARKERS behind the actual end of his line should be rudely telling unsuspecting guests not to cross his queue. But when you empower people to be more aggressive, it can spill over — that’s what I’ve been seeing happen in places where it is not needed. Too many CMs not exercising common sense judgment in the situation. They have no experience dialing this right (bc as you say, they erred on not enforcing aggressively since day one) — and IMO they’re not succeeding since the rules have become stricter.

I used to be critical at times of Disney being SO non-interventionist wrt some rule enforcement (like line cutting etc). Now I would gladly take that back!! I see how the overall guest experience is more magical without aggressive staff — even if not every rule is strictly enforced. I can see why they erred where they did. I think they had it JUST RIGHT in Aug — felt VERY safe. Now it’s too much. And they’re not making people safer in practical terms with the uptick in aggressiveness in the areas they’ve chosen it.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I've seen this growing more and more popular the last few years, not just with COVID protocols.

At best, the tone is often passively aggressive if not downright aggressive. I've been in the Voyage of the Little Mermaid queue with 6 other people and my 9 year old was sitting down while the CM walked past her, went to the pa system and instructed everyone to stand and fill in all available space. There were 9 of us and the CM was on their way to the mic to let us in.

I'll sit down on an attraction next to my daughter and make sure my daughter is good to go (ears off, phone in her pocket, water bottle is secure etc) and have a CM standing next to me (in my deaf ear) while I am in the middle of talking......"Sir, can you lift the lap bar please? Sir? Pull up!!!!"

Look, I get it, they've got to turn the attraction over but I put myself through college in the hospitality industry so it's not like I don't know anything about customer service and safety. The last few years it's gone from maybe a time or to per trip to a couple times a day. The one place I can consistently say I haven't seen it is with the bus drivers and boat captains/staff. Maybe it's because they are generally a bit older but for the most part they have been the most overwhelmingly enjoyable to interact with.

 

[Tormania]

We're doing 3 days at USO (sandwiched around Thanksgiving) and then 7+ days at WDW so we'll get a solid taste of both in a few weeks. I am looking forward to Express Pass usage at USO as well as being able to park hop between the two parks as well. And this thread is the first I've heard of being able to take at least some pics at USO with no masks, great news!!!

Everyone has their own "comfort" level right now but I still have to ask in general, if you are the type so concerned with what others are doing (concerning masks, social distancing, pushing the "rules") maybe a trip to a major theme park should be put off for a couple years for some folks. Now I imagine people are sharing their observations to help all the nervous Nellies out there to make a decision on whether to go or not. But if you decide to go try and enjoy yourself at the park, stop worrying about what every other Tom, Dick, and Harry is doing. Before the pandemic we ALL have observed other guests at theme parks not following the rules, be it line jumping (usually kids trying to meet up with their friends), people "running" at rope drop and pushing through crowds to get to rides, etc.... Is your trip to either theme park made more enjoyable complaining about what others are doing? Probably not, and in fact you can stress yourself out of you are expecting everyone else to share your exact same expectations for adherence to certain rules to the letter.

Relax, have fun, take a deep breath. The vast majority of guests are all trying to adhere to the changes as best they can, but it can be easy to forget certain things from time to time as all of the new rules fly in the face of normal human behavior.

 

[yulilin3]

I really do understand where both of you are coming from and I, as a guest, can relate. Not to turn this thread into an off topic discussion about CM behavior but they are dealt with an impossible hand, they have to be polite and happy and magical while they know they will encounter people who yell at them, verbally and physically abuse them on an hourly basis, now with masks and other guidelines it's worse.
I give them the benefit of the doubt, If I am following the rules and one still approaches me in between sips of water to tell me to put my mask on, I will comply, thank them for their help and walk away not feeling irritated, they really go through so much crap

 

[Tormania]

I really do understand where both of you are coming from and I, as a guest, can relate. Not to turn this thread into an off topic discussion about CM behavior but they are dealt with an impossible hand, they have to be polite and happy and magical while they know they will encounter people who yell at them, verbally and physically abuse them on an hourly basis, now with masks and other guidelines it's worse.
I give them the benefit of the doubt, If I am following the rules and one still approaches me in between sips of water to tell me to put my mask on, I will comply, thank them for their help and walk away not feeling irritated, they really go through so much crap

While I agree that CMs do go through a bunch of crap with some guests, but the over-zealous reports about the between sips mask issue is downright ridiculous. If that happened to me I would quietly put my beverage to my mouth and just stare at the CM until they walked away. I didn't appreciate being treating like a child when I was a child, I won't stand for it as an adult, especially when I'm adhering to the rules. Don't need a bunch of mini Gov. Newsoms running around harassing folks who ARE following the rules, that is really unnecessary.

 

[yulilin3]

While I agree that CMs do go through a bunch of crap with some guests, but the over-zealous reports about the between sips mask issue is downright ridiculous. If that happened to me I would quietly put my beverage to my mouth and just stare at the CM until they walked away. I didn't appreciate being treating like a child when I was a child, I won't stand for it as an adult, especially when I'm adhering to the rules. Don't need a bunch of mini Gov. Newsoms running around harassing folks who ARE following the rules, that is really unnecessary.

again, don't want to take this off topic. First of all please remember to check the guidelines for the DIS, political arguments like the one you posted are not allowed and will have you incur in warning points.
Second that passive aggressive behavior that you say you would do is exactly what exacerbates the CMs attitudes.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

again, don't want to take this off topic. First of all please remember to check the guidelines for the DIS, political arguments like the one you posted are not allowed and will have you incur in warning points.
Second that passive aggressive behavior that you say you would do is exactly what exacerbates the CMs attitudes.

But they wouldn’t get that particular attitude if they weren’t being ridiculous by targeting someone literally in btwn sips of water. There is an element of reaping what you sow and exacerbating issues with their attitudes these days. I think the main issue is Disney giving them poor direction in empowering them to aggressively now go after guests — it’s spilling over and creating an un-magical experience in many of the cases I’ve experienced or observed — and we’re a family of rule followers!! It’s too much now IMO. I hope they ease up or we will go less. Don’t need the negativity when we ARE in fact following the rules.

I’m anxious to experience Universal — maybe we’ll just spend more time there if they’re more reasonable.