Standoff with Guests

[IndyandMarion]

Ok, first, get the popcorn and drinks, you're going to be here for a while.

Good. Now here's the deal. Attractions have height requirements. If you don't meet them, if you're doing your job right, then the person isn't riding.

*The following has not been altered or exaggerated in any way*

Well I was at front grouper today when I was called to back grouper (Hell on Disney's earth to some) over at the Coaster for a second opinion on a height check (Back grouper was a new CP so he hadn't gotten the full grasp of being able to check someone's height without pysically checking it). The group had a girl that it BOARDER LINE 48 inches. I mean the closest you could possibly get to being boarder line. Well, her head still didn't hit the bottom of the rail we use to check heights and told the (I'm guessing mother) that she couldn't ride.

"Well she's been on twice today already."
"Ok, I understand this. But I'm checking her right here and while she is boarder line, she just isn't tall enough to go on."
"Well check her again." (A please would have been fine but no, it's ok).
"Alright." So I checked again and she still wasn't there (Apparently the mother was hoping the child would grow that extra inch in the ten second span). "Sorry, but she's still not hitting it."

So at this point she's becoming a little miffed about the situation and grabs the child's head (Not roughly or anything) and tries to make it covered but streches the kids neck and head to where it hits the rail. In that case, she hit the rail. I asked the mother to remove her hands (which she did) and the kid still wasn't there. THEN the other person in the group (Note: The group was apparently made up of five people, the adults being the mothers of the children in the group) does the same thing, grabs the kids head (Again, not roughly) and magically the kids head hits the rail.

At this point, the line is getting backed up and people behind the group are getting ansy for this to finish so they can get on, others are doing the "She's tall enough" deal (This will play out later). The one thing that really surprised me was that the boy in the group was actually trying to get her to stop while she was ahead, but to no avail.

"Ok. We're not getting anywhere here. I'm not permitting her to ride simply for her safety."
"But she's been on twice already!"
"Understandable. However, the other times, those people were not doing their appropriate jobs. I am doing my job and she doesn't meet the height requirement. I cannot allow her to ride."
"This is bullshit." (Which ruffles a few other the "Let her on" people's feathers)
"First off, we're at Disney. So I'll ask that you not use that lanuage here. Second, I will call a manager and he will have the final say in the situation."
"Ok, then this is BS, fine call your manager."

So I request that a manager stop by for a height situation and tell the mother that he is on his way. The other female in the group simply gives up and just suggests that they do the child swap and I begin to explain how it works when the first mother decides to chime in and intterupt me with the usual "That's not what we want to do" line. Then on top of this, moments later the second female (who before this moment was the calm one in their group) starts to jump a little. I ask the group to wait to the side until the manager arrives and go back to letting the others in.

No more than, 30 seconds later, mother one (Butts in and says "THERE'S FOUR WAITING TO GO ON RIGHT HERE!, this pertaining to the others in the group, who were in the process of making their way to the bypass door to leave), but at that point they had gotten so aggrivated (and for them to be aggrivated was pointless in my view) that they stormed down the bypass tunnel only to return a moment later with the little girl in tow. (At one point, the CM over on the other side of the track was trying to get me to just give up, which I would have, unfortunately, the mother would have none of it) Well at that point, the little one was crying so Mother One decides to yell a bit more and throw the blame on me. I stop the line once again and deal with her.
"Madam I am sorry she is crying. But it is for HER OWN SAFETY that I am not allowing her to ride. My manager will be here shortly."
"Well what's your managers name?!"
"Mike"
"Mike what!"
"No need for a last name, Just Mike. He will be here shortly Madam. Now I will let the others in your group go on if you wish."
"We don't want to go on your FUCKING RIDE Anymore!"

Well needless to say everyone else who was working the loading area was atuned to the situation. (I had found this out later but even UNLOAD, which is in a seperate area of the ride had caught wind of this during the time of the situation...Apparently from the storming around the other part of the group made). With the comment she had just made, EVERY PERSON IN THE AREA turned to her direction and I heard various gasps and "Watch your lanuage" and "There are children around!" lines coming from even the SAME PEOPLE who were only moments ago saying "She's tall enough". Heck, they were even whistling, cheering and clapping for me from myself standing against her this long and taking this.

Now everything was cool to me. I was ignoring her comments until she started verbally attacking me once more as I continued to load the rows as normal, blocking her out and going on my way (Occasionally, when we were completely full, I would turn to her, put my arms in front of me and cross my hands at my waist while she continued on, or streched a little). Well once she finally gave up with that, she actually PHYSICALLY pushed her way into the line, cut others off just to get to me and said and I quote: "YOU WILL NOT IGNORE ME WHEN I AM TALKING TO YOU!"

Well, that was it. I had finally had enough. So I request the CM in launch base to call security for me and I once again, return to my loading the rows (With the added, "Good going" and "Way to hang in there" from various people).

Just before she finally stormed off she said "YOU HAVE RUINED MY VACATION YOU LITTLE PRICK!"
*Like dirt off my shoulder I responded* "Thanks for the compliment"

So a few moments later one of my friends walks in with a under cover and the security guy. We step in the back and talk of the situation. I hear the story that they (The mother and mother two) gave and apparently, aside from my cool demenor and complete control over the situation and never rasing my voice I was "The rudest cast member ever and shouldn't be allow to work at Disney" (Thanks for the compliment again).

Meanwhile in the gift shop and courtyard, the manager is talking to the mother, all the while GUESTS are coming up to the manager and saying that she was being a complete pain and that I had never raised my voice once or never lost control (I now go to remove the HYS book, I have a new found respect for Guests).

While I am not sure of what came from the situation and if they ever rode or not, I'm just glad I had taken over to check the height because no offence to him or anything, but the CP that asked for my opinion would have been torn apart by her.

CMs who had been outside that were coming in from the rotation or for break were seeking me out to find out what had happened (Hell, even MERCHANDISE CMs were looking for me to find out what went on).

There were plenty of times that I could have just lost it and gotten the deal over with (and lost my job in the process) but I never did. I owe everything that I used in the situation to the person who spent 26 YEARS in the Marine Corps and spent 25 YEARS teaching a Marine Corps JROTC program at my former high school (He had started the program), who was my teacher for 4 years while I was in the program at the high school, who I see on a daily basis, my idol, mentor and greatest friend anyone could have, my grandfather.

[Notatourist]

Notatourist stands...

Claps....

And joins others in clapping.


Way to go. Walt would be proud.

[LittleDollClaudia]

:joins the standing ovation: Bravo. You are the kind of CM I hardly see anymore. Excellent job!

[CBeilby]

*joins standing ovation* You, sir, have far more grace than I would have.

[IndyandMarion]

Well I try. Thanks for compliments guys.

Funny thing today (No, she didn't return, although in a weird way, I was hoping for round 2, this time with an ice cream bar shoved in the kids shoes) but one of the groups from last night was at the park again and the moment they saw me they began clapping for me again.

That's when I turned around to see what was going on (Apparently they knew the back of my head better than the front because they had to stare at it last night because of the situation). Got some more "good jobs" and "How did you do it?" deals. Made up for a rather, evil day that could only happen due to idiotic CPs (I know, I know, they're new. But when you've been at an attraction for almost a month and you still don't know how to do even the SIMPLIEST position right...something is wrong)

[Jennly]

Well I try. Thanks for compliments guys.

Funny thing today (No, she didn't return, although in a weird way, I was hoping for round 2, this time with an ice cream bar shoved in the kids shoes) but one of the groups from last night was at the park again and the moment they saw me they began clapping for me again.

That's when I turned around to see what was going on (Apparently they knew the back of my head better than the front because they had to stare at it last night because of the situation). Got some more "good jobs" and "How did you do it?" deals. Made up for a rather, evil day that could only happen due to idiotic CPs (I know, I know, they're new. But when you've been at an attraction for almost a month and you still don't know how to do even the SIMPLIEST position right...something is wrong)

Yeah but I'm sure that you were looking over your shoulder just waiting for her to come back! Hopefully she was terrorizing some poor schlub at Universal today and leaving the good folks of DL alone.

Thing I used to hate most about the height restrictions would be when the parent would pull the whole "This mean lady won't let you ride" nonesense.

It was the worst at Splash when it opened in MK. The requirement used to be 44 inches and man we used to have the worst time. Also with the seating being side by side as opposed to one behind the other it just brought out this increased bravado in the parents.

I had this one man I think of South American descent argue with me at the height stick then at the entrance then at the load area when I noticed them in line from unload and made them cross the chicken bridge to do a switch off. I'm minding my own business clearing logs after that and I feel a "whoosh!" at my ankles and my lead and two security were right there (Believe it or not I think this was the ONLY TIME in my disney history that Security were actually worth anything) to escort the man and his too short child out of the building. Come to find out they were watching the guy and the whoosh I felt was the too short child trying to kick me but missing.

It's amazing how horribly people act all over a 5 - 10 minute thrill ride. Total nonesense!

JT ex CM 88 - 05 :barf:

[IndyandMarion]

Yeah but I'm sure that you were looking over your shoulder just waiting for her to come back! Hopefully she was terrorizing some poor schlub at Universal today and leaving the good folks of DL alone.

I, for some reason, like I said before, wanted her and STILL want her to come back just so I can add some excitement to our already over excited days.

DL? Try WDW. (Knew what you meant though, just joking).

[CBeilby]

Hopefully she was terrorizing some poor schlub at Universal today...

*clears throat* Hey! I resemble that remark! :aliens:

[Jennly]

I, for some reason, like I said before, wanted her and STILL want her to come back just so I can add some excitement to our already over excited days.

DL? Try WDW. (Knew what you meant though, just joking).

Heh whoops! Sorry about that! having a blonde moment there for a sec.

How long have you been at coaster? My brother opened it.

[Ottar]

I applaud you, good sir!

I've had a few situations like that one, but the manager at the time was notorious for never siding with the CMs, so we always tried our best not to call the manager unless the guest demanded it.