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Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:54 pm
by shorty1219
The Chevron Corp has a contract with Disney to keep handing out free cars with the Autopia until the year 2010. There are 4 cars in the series (Orange, Green, Yellow and Purple/Blue). The Orange and Green cars have white drivers. The Yellow car has drivers which look of Asian decent. And the Purple/Blue car has the African-American drivers. It's with the Purple/Blue car that we get the most complaints. It's sometime funny to hear guest try not to sound racist as they ask about the cars.

"Do you have any blond haired people?"
"Do you have any with lighter skin?'
"Do you have any with (Whispering) White skin?" (Gives me a cheesy smirk)

There was one night right before closing when a family of Out-of-Towners (They were obviously not from CA) came into the store with 3 of the cards. I "X"ed them out like usual and put them away. When the mom saw the cars and drivers, she went crazy.
"Do you have any Non-Black drivers?"
"No, that's the only one we have tonight."
"Will you have a different one tomorrow?"
"Probably not"
"My son doesn't play with toys with black characters."
"I'm sorry it's the only car we have to give out."
"Can I get my cards back?"
"I already marked them, they're no longer valid."
(Woman near TEARS) "I don't want this car."
"You can wait to see if 3 more people will come in to switch cards with."
"I don't want to do that...we're just gonna go." They leave- Mother still near tears.
When she left, I just laughed at her ignorance. Only later did I learn that the people are removable.

So does anyone else have any storys of racist guests? This is my first time starting a topic, so I don't want it to get too crazy then getting locked.

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 8:26 pm
by BRWombat
shorty1219 wrote:"My son doesn't play with toys with black characters."
Wow. It's not like the kid came to that perspective on his own. Wonder where he learned that attitude, hmm, Mom? Some people are pathetic.

But on the other hand it's pretty funny that their own personal "toy apartheid" kept them from even getting their car!

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 8:36 pm
by madhatter04
The other night at Riverbelle, this hispanic family was about to order, and a bleach-blonde white lady behind them started this:
G: Excuse me, I just need a coffee and a shortcake...
Me: Yes ma'am, but these guests are ahead of you, so I'm going to go ahead and help them first.
G: But they're gonna take forever!
Me: I'm sorry, but they were here first, so they're getting served first.
G: (talking loud enough for everyone to hear) This is ridiculous. You know these Mexican families... they're gonna order for twenty people and take forever!!!

I was SOOOO shocked! :eek: The family was shocked too, and I was so embarrassed even though I surely wasn't the one who said such a thing. Thank goodness they were nice and just ignored her, but commented on her rudeness to me. They were very nice people and I'm sorry it had to happen to them. That's my little story!

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:08 pm
by Chabobo
dont get me wrong, I am not racist and I am totally against other racist guest. BUT it REALLY pisses me of when black families try to pull the whole you wont let me cuz I'm black crap.

there was one incident...

guest: "how you gonna tell me I cant see them, I came all the way from ________"
me: yes ma'am I realize, the characters will be right back out..
guest:" I know why, its cuz Im black! I knew ya'll was racist!"
me: no ma'am I just did the same thing to that nice white family other there...

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 10:59 am
by BRWombat
Chabobo wrote:dont get me wrong, I am not racist and I am totally against other racist guest. BUT it REALLY pisses me of when black families try to pull the whole you wont let me cuz I'm black crap.

there was one incident...

guest: "how you gonna tell me I cant see them, I came all the way from ________"
me: yes ma'am I realize, the characters will be right back out..
guest:" I know why, its cuz Im black! I knew ya'll was racist!"
me: no ma'am I just did the same thing to that nice white family other there...
Oooo, that burns me too.

This all reminds me of W.C. Fields famous quote: "I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally." :)

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:13 am
by lady ulrike
I may have posted this somewhere else, but it goes along with someone else's quote (I'm tired and lazy, don't wanna look up who) Anyway...

I was grouping at Small World and the next group told me 3, when I asked how many in their group. I let two women and a baby go by and then stopped the next person. He says, "I'm with them" and I just kind of went oh, okay and let him go. As he gets to them, he says, "She stopped me because I'm black" (the women were not) I heard that, turned around and say, "Actually, I stopped you because they told me three, and *I* counted the baby."

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 11:47 am
by Stduck
This isn't my story, but one of the parade leads told me this because he wanted us to know that if there was a difficult group he would handle it cause the people at City Hall know him and would rather have them deal with him and not one of us.

It was right before the parade of the stars and the lead was making EVERYONE sit down. There was this hispanic family and he hadn't even been paying attention to who was who and was making them sit down (they apparently had been a difficult group). He said he later heard back from city hall that there had been a complaint about him because he didn't force the "white people" to sit down. He was shocked that the race card was played on him, and said to me. "I made everyone sit down!"

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:13 pm
by CBeilby
Chabobo wrote:dont get me wrong, I am not racist and I am totally against other racist guest. BUT it REALLY pisses me of when black families try to pull the whole you wont let me cuz I'm black crap.
I had someone try to pull this on me when I first started at Knotts back in 1996. I let a group of white kids on, and stopped the line because the ride (Dragon Swing) was full. The next group in line was black, and they first accused these kids of jumping the line (which I couldn't do anything about since I didn't see it,) then accused me of being racist because I didn't let them on. Unfortunately, being called a racist is one of my few hot buttons. In the entire time I've been working in the tourist industry (ten years,) it was the ONLY time I ever lost my temper with a guest. I'm lucky I didn't get fired that day.

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:55 pm
by hobie16
I've found over the years that when you're accused of being a racist/sexist/etc. and you are innocent, the issue needs to be addressed immediately. That will eliminate any festering of bad feelings on both sides and probably make the accuser that's probably gotten away with it for a long time think twice before using doing it again.

Re: Racism At The Parks?

Posted: Fri Feb 11, 2005 4:06 pm
by Jennly
Chabobo wrote:dont get me wrong, I am not racist and I am totally against other racist guest. BUT it REALLY pisses me of when black families try to pull the whole you wont let me cuz I'm black crap.

there was one incident...

guest: "how you gonna tell me I cant see them, I came all the way from ________"
me: yes ma'am I realize, the characters will be right back out..
guest:" I know why, its cuz Im black! I knew ya'll was racist!"
me: no ma'am I just did the same thing to that nice white family other there...
Hey everyone!

New here and newly an EX CM after 16 years so I have seen my SHARE of stupid guests tricks! Now... on to my racist story

I was working greeter at BTMRR (Orlando) and this must have been oh... maybe 1992 or so so a loooong time ago. I used to be a bit of a sarcastic smartypants when I was younger. (still am really, but I have learned the fine art of not shooting my mouth off :D)

Anyway, I'm at greeter and I'm doing the greeter thing including no eating, drinking, smoking in queue and this little old black lady shuffles up to the line and she has an ice cream in hand.

Me: Howdy ma'am please finish your ice cream before stepping in line. Thanks
Her: (mumbling as she's stepping off to the side) You probably wouldn't have said that to me if I were black.
Me: (in full out sarcasm mode) I'm sorry ma'am but you could be pink with purple polka dots and you're STILL not getting into this line with that ice cream!

Overheard applauses from every other guest who was around and saw/heard the exchange.

That's one... I'm sure there have been more but that one really sticks out in my mind. :)

Jennly
EXCM 1988 - 2005 :barf: