Do you know what Disney is about?

[Big Wallaby]

Last night, I was working Magic Kingdom, in a Gillig that had two very neat features:

• The MiMs box was not working properly, so I had to spiel on my own.
• It had a hand-held mic, which I prefer over the normal Gillig boom microphones any day.

When you put a hand-held microphone in a Gillig,it connects over on your right, above your head. If I have this, I hook the wire into my headrest so it (the microphone) comes to rest on my shoulder, where it is easy to grab and talk, and requires very little motion from when you pick it up to when it's at your mouth. Also, it means you don't have to constantly push a button with your left foot, so you can use turn signals and don't have to stop driving to turn left as you do when using the boom microphone. Also, when using the hand-held mic, it's easier for the guests to understand and hear what you are saying.

I was pulling into Magic Kingdom last night, doing my exit spiel, when I saw a manager eying me, and he started running around, first to his car, then after my bus. As I was unloading, he started asking me what I was doing and why I had that microphone, and in a very accusatory manner. Because guests were also talking to me, I was paying more attention to them and I am not sure that I gave him a very good answer... and by trying to interrogate me as they were walking by, he was taking away from my guests' experience, as I was not paying very good attention to them. He wanted to know why I was using that microphone and not the boom microphone, and as the last couple guests got off the bus, he walked off with no further explanation.


If you're going to take the time to run over and humiliate me by interrogating me in front of guests, you need to stick around so that you can give me the proper information. If you are talking to me and a guest wants to talk to me, sorry. You come second. And honestly, unless you're Walt, I don't give a flying f*** who you are. It's as much the company's rules as mine that the guest comes first and we drop everything for them. So wait until everyone's off the bus, and I'll talk to you. Oh, and treat me like an adult. Don't come over and scold me and just walk away.

I understand that with the MiMs system, guest service has now taken a back seat in Transportation, that it's not the most important thing, but I need to hear that from a manager. I would be happy if the manager in question would tell me that, to which my response would be something along the lines, "I wonder if they're looking for people who want to interact with the guests at Sea World."

I think I'm going to take this somewhere this time, because this happened as I was being replaced, I went on break and was contemplating calling the coordinator and letting them know I wouldn't be back. While it wasn't a serious thought, it was still in my head.

So there you have it. I actually got in trouble for interacting with the guests. I have what I need now to take this to a manager above Transportation and let them know I need out, that I was duped into working in Buses because they needed people to interact with guests, and so soon afterward they made it so they don't.

My only fear is that they've already lost some awesome bus drivers who used to talk, who used to do sing-alongs and other Disney bus driver activities, but they've left. If I go, what is one more? Hopefully someone above Transportation wouldn't see it that way.

[Cranbiz]

Wall, Do go talk to a Sr. manager. There is absolutely NO excuse for behaviour from a manager. The first principle of management is to not include guests and coworkers in any sort of an administrative situation. Especially at a company like Disney!

If this guy knew anything about the buses, he could have easily answered his own question by looking at the bus number. DOH, not all Gilligs have boom mikes. You and I know that, should not a transportation GSM?

Don't let him get away with this!!!!!!

[Big Wallaby]

Wall, Do go talk to a Sr. manager. There is absolutely NO excuse for behaviour from a manager. The first principle of management is to not include guests and coworkers in any sort of an administrative situation. Especially at a company like Disney!

If this guy knew anything about the buses, he could have easily answered his own question by looking at the bus number. DOH, not all Gilligs have boom mikes. You and I know that, should not a transportation GSM?

Don't let him get away with this!!!!!!

This Gillig had a boom mic, but I prefer using the handheld, now more than ever, because with the MiMs, it gives you a volume boost.

I have a day off tomorrow, and I have just the manager I am going to go talk to. Basically, the top guy we can talk to on a daily basis.

[Randy B]

This Gillig had a boom mic, but I prefer using the handheld, now more than ever, because with the MiMs, it gives you a volume boost.

I have a day off tomorrow, and I have just the manager I am going to go talk to. Basically, the top guy we can talk to on a daily basis.

That's why I wouldn't last very long as a CM. I would have totally ignored the manager until the last Guest was out of hearing and then informed him that the reason I was using that mic was because I don't have a rock star face mic with me today. Actually I automatically tend to get quieter and more externally calm the louder someone yells at me, but I also get VERY stubborn. So I would probably have just sat there, looking more and more like a seated budda statue. And as long as guest were in hearing I would have totally tuned out the "noise". I have frequently been accued of being selectively deaf, but when I am concentrating on something the rest of the world tends to totally disappear to me (see my intro posting about the photo and the trolly horse). :D: One phrase to tag the manager's behavior with (that tends to push many buttons, I have found) is "Bad Show". And a hissy fit infront of guests and interrupting guest questions and comments for this fit is the most agregious form of "Bad Show" IMHO.

Randy

[Big Wallaby]

I like that. I'm going to keep it and use it next time.

You wait until after the guests are gone to say anything or even do stuff that gets the Cast Member's attention.

That's a great point to use. Actually, I can't imagine how he would have responded to that. I might have made an enemy right there. Not that that particular manager's opinion of me is important in my mind... I'm concerned what the managers who care what Disney is about think of me, and I care what my guests think of Disney because of me.

That manager could learn a thing or two from those of us who think that way. That's not to brag... I've only been here seven months, and I have much to learn. If asked to go into management tomorrow, I would turn it down because I realize I am not ready. I would turn it down with the request to help me get to the point wherethe next time a position into which I would fit well opens I am ready. That's to say that any manager on whom I look down as I now do this one, is really bad and doesn't belong here.

[Whazzup]

We were exiting the TTA last month when an announcement was made that the TTA would be closed until further notice. A very young and chagrined looking CM was walking along behind another CM who was ranting and raving at him in a loud voice about the STUPID MISTAKE he had made, telling him it was his fault the ride was going down and he had TOLD HIM over and over not to do whatever, and on and on. Whatever the kid did, it must have been pretty bad to bring the TTA to a standstill. Any idea what might have caused the problem?
If the CM doing the raving had been close enough, I might have politely mentioned that it was bad show to go off on another CM in front of guests, but we were on our way down the escalator. Would it have been SG of me to try and mention something to the upset CM, or is it better to let them hash it out, even if it is in front of guests? The recipient of the ranting looked very embarassed and I felt badly for him, even if he did do something stupid.

[Big Wallaby]

There's not a good reason to do that in front of guests. Ever. I see it kinda like parents: They shouldn't fight with each other (especially about parenting) in front of the kids. I believe some friction is necessary, and arguing to some degree will happen, but should never be in front of one's children. It does a couple things: First of all, it exposes the kids to a parents' weak buttons so the next time they want to stay out of trouble, they know exactly what buttons to not just push, but dive for.

In the same way, but for different reasons, you don't berate someone in front of guests, even if they have it coming. It's simple to take that stuff backstage, and even then it needs to be in private, and quietly. If you can take ten minutes, gather yourself and your thoughts, and discuss the person's stupid mistake with them in a calm manner, then by all means you should. Of course, if you've been telling that person over and over not to make that mistake, then it should be reflected on their record card so that they have a limited number of times they can do it again, but chances are they won't if they're not an idiot (and by your description of the expression on the culprit's face, I'll bet they learned their lesson, besides being humiliated in front of guests).

Disney World is a happy place for our guests, and everyone, especially the leads, need to work to make sure the guests see it that way. Our jobs quite literally depend on it.

So in your case, Whazzup, I would have said something, although I would *not* play up the fact I was a Cast Member. Save your Cast Member some face, and the company too, while you're at it! Without understanding the faulted CM and the attraction and its intricacies, I wouldn't probably say anything to the one at fault. But most certainly to the one doing the lead. Bad show!

[Randy B]

I agree. I only know of one situation when a loud comment should be uttered on stage. And that is when an urgent safety issue needs to be addressed NOW (Such as a shout to hit the emergency stop because a SG has wandered into harms way). But once the immediate danger has ended, any further discussion should be done either VERY quietly or backstage where such a discussion will not effect the guests. And it is even beyond bad show. If an operations CM is being dressed down in public it gives the impression that they are incompetent in their position. And this puts in the mind of the guests that there may be others who the guest is counting on to safeguard their life and health. We all know that the impression that "nothing bad can happen because we are at Disney" may be wrong and can cause some of the more stupid SG tricks, but it is an impression that it is good to foster in the general public (to some extent). But if we (as the guests) suddenly are confronted with the fact that some CMs may not be the best there is or ever was at their jobs, it may manifest in some minds as mistrust or even fear.

So a fast happening emergency is one thing, but an ongoing discussion should not be noticable by the guests, IMHO.

Randy

[Princess Susi]

No Manager or Owner of any business should ever do that to ANY employee/CM ever Onstage or in front of customers. I had it happen to me when I worked at a small pet shop in Berkeley. The Owner gave me a dressing down for something I did not even do right in the middle of the store in front of God and all the customers. Later I told her She would NEVER, EVER do that to me again and she was lucky, I did not walk out right then. I would have been leaving her alone in the store, that is how short handed we were. The reason I did not walk, was because the animals needed to be fed and given their evening water change and it would NOT have gotten done if she had been left alone. The animals would have suffered in this case. In any other retail business that did not include live creatures that needed to be cared for, I would have walked. I told her if it ever happened again, I was gone, no doubt! Never happened again. She apologized and told me it was uncalled for and that it would NEVER happen again and I knew it was sincere. She was not a bad person, but a very volatile one emotionally. We got along very well most of the time. I told her simply she would respect me enough to never take out her emotional stress on me, EVER again! She is my age so I was not afraid and it was a job that was easily replaced with another retail gig to earn some chump change. I just loved working with the animals and giving them love and attention. That store is in fact where we found our babycat, Orion! =^.^=

I think I might have walked up to the CM berating the younger CM who allegedly broke down the TTA and told the hollering CM, "Bad Show!" Take it backstage!" That may have defused it for a bit. I would not tolerate any CM or lead berating another, have not seen it yet, (probably does not happen very often onstage) but would DEFINITELY tell them it was "Bad Show". I know that mortifies many CMs and you can be sure I would have gotten the hollering CM's name and reported the "Bad Show" to City Hall. Perhaps the young CM DID *Break* the Wedway, but you don't clobber him/her in front of guests. Bad Show... :(
susi

[Princess Susi]

So a fast happening emergency is one thing, but an ongoing discussion should not be noticable by the guests, IMHO.

Randy

I have to agree with this...
susi