Kudos to the FP Police

[Syndrome]

I take it as a matter of course that the CMs at Disney "police" the FP line and stop all the SG behavior, i.e. people coming early, people trying to sneak in without a FP etc. The only thing I've ever seen 'em let people slide on is returning late on the same day, and I can sympathize with that (so many ways to get delayed).

But it was really brought home to me on my last trip to USF. We bought Premier APs, which give us FOTL access after 4 p.m., and we paid dearly for them (nearly $300 each, vs. a $99 renewal for the regular ones). For that kind of money, I expect the Express Line to be policed. Here are two incidents, both on the same day at the same ride, that really annoyed me. I was stuck behind the Loser Families in each of the incidents:

CM: You need a hotel key or Express Pass to go through this line.
SG (with hubby and kids in tow): HOW DARE YOU!! You jerks make me put all my stuff in a locker, and now you're telling me I have to show you something that you made me lock up?!?! Our keys are in my purse, and it's YOUR fault I don't have them. I am NOT going back to the locker, and you ARE going to let us through.
CM: Okay, go ahead.

Mind you, this is 6 p.m., with the park closing in an hour. There is no way this loser didn't know that you are supposed to have your key...but of course, I'd bet the farm that she didn't have one anyway.

Next incident, 15 mins. later on the same ride:
CM (looking at a family's purchased Express Pass, which allows them to use it ONCE on each ride): This is only good once on each ride, and you've used everything up.
SG: Uh, oh....uh....well, I didn't know...uh, are you sure...I thought..."
CM: Oh, it's okay, go ahead.
That really steamed me because he popped $20 for that pass, while I paid nearly $300, and I don't try to whine and weedle to use mine before 4 p.m. Since it was less than an hour before closing, he knew full well it wasn't good anymore. Wonder if he got away with that routine all evening.

So for you WDW CMs who put up with SG abuse at the FP entrances and refuse to give in, kudos to you!

[Main_Street_Merch]

Don't call the employees at Universal CM's. They aren't. They're employees.

[Syndrome]

Oops, please excuse my faux pas...force of habit! Guess I was due for a SGT of my own.

[CBeilby]

As someone who used to work at Universal (albeit Hollywood, not Florida,) please accept my most profound apologies, Syndrome. This really is unacceptable, and frankly, you should go back and talk to their leads or managers about the matter. When I worked at UH, I insisted that there be a Gate A pass of some sort if you used the line, no exceptions.

[Syndrome]

Actually I had some pity for the worker w/the first guest (you could tell she was used to coming on so strong that people back down just to shut her up)...doesn't make it right, but I could see he was taking the easy way out. The second time was the one that bugged me...you could see the SG clearly knew he was in the wrong, so it only enabled/emboldened him to let him do it. I hate to be a complainer, but if that seems to be a trend over multiple visits, I might have to make a complaint.

[Anna]

They are called team members. Just because you paid for a premier pass does that mean that the TMs can't do something nice for someone else? I've seen others get surprise fastpasses at Disney when I've had to run over to the fastpass machine and get one and then wait for the window. Is that fair? What about people who get comp tickets when I have to pay for my tickets? I've seen CMs at Disney give people free pins, merchandise, and gasp! even food, when I had to pay for mine. Where is the justice?

There is a $100 price difference between a Premier Pass and a Preferred Pass. With that $100, you get free valet parking, free water, a ticket to Halloween horror Nights, upgrades at the hotels, free express after 4:00 PM, and even more stuff. This adds up to much more than $100. Your complaining reminds me of the AP holders at Disney who think they deserve special treatment. You got express but then begrudged someone else who got it because they don't have a Premier AP.

Don't tell anyone but I got to go through the fastpass line at ToT without a fastpass once and even got to ride two times in a row without getting in line again. Why? Because a CM decided to do something special for me. Is it fair? Not really but it certainly made my day.

[Syndrome]

Personally, I think "nice" things should be reserved for "nice" people (or at least random people like the Disney program), not a woman literally yelling at/berating the team member and obviously lying to boot or a family that I would be willing to bet my bank account was milking their used-up Express Pass all day. Niceness should be a random thing, not a reward for "cheaters." Perhaps I should come to the parks any old time I feel like it, berate the team members if they dare to tell me that's not 4 p.m. yet, and see if they'll do something nice for me too? :twisted:

(Oh, and you might want to read my post a little more closely if the above didn't make it clear. I was NOT begrudging others who had Express because they didn't have a Premier Pass. I was begruding others who DID NOT have Express but pretended that they did and who had a used-up pass.)

[Notatourist]

Anna-

Syndrome was being cool on this one. It was more of an apology to the folks who have to deal with not stupid guests but horribly obnoxious ones. Thanks Syndrome, I got it.

One slight correction...you're still in the Express line. You want Front of the Line access, try a VIP tour. That's the truest form of "what? there was a line?" access.

It's actually really great at Halloween.

[Anna]

Maybe my anger toward you was unjustified. It was the post that called team members "employees" that just seemed to be a little jab at Universal. I know that this site was started by Disney cast members but I thought it was a place for all CMs at any of the themeparks to post stories. We are all in this together, for good or bad. I love my job and respect others for the job they/we do with dealing with SGT.

Most "employees" at any themepark deal with angry or unreasonable guest. Sometimes we all bend to unreasonable guests, someitme we don't. I certainly don't think rewarding complainers is good but each CM or TM does this from time to time. It was the end of the day, you can continue to argue with them, refuse them entry, hold up the line while you handle them and then have a manager over-rule you. SG can go to Guest Relations at Disney or Universal and complain (Trust me the SG will change the story) and have a negative put on the castmember and then have Guest Relations possibly offer the guest compensation.

Personally, I wouldn't have let them in the express line and dealt with the consequences. Others may not. But the bottom line is we all have to make choices in our job and, sometimes, just handling the issue at the ride is better than getting managers, guest relations, and other guests in line involved. It's not like they let an entire Brazillan tour group in front of you. Letting those two families in line probably did not lengthen your wait time.

[Syndrome]

Thanks for explaining...the reference wasn't meant as a jab at all, just ignorance on my part. And believe me, I understand and respect what you have to deal with on a daily basis. I admit that I COULD NOT do it...I'd be ready to bitch-slap the SGs within the first hour...y'all have the patience of saints. That's why I'd never complain to Guest Relations about something like this...for all I know, the team member might have been in confrontations with SGs all day and just be sick of it by then. It's not about the wait time, but rather being disgusted with SGs who've obviously been working the system all day.

We did the VIP tour two or three times before we moved to FL and LOVED it. That was definitely FOTL, and also front seat on the coasters...so cool!! But even though there is wait time with the premier pass, I LOVE LOVE LOVE it, and it's going to be a godsend this summer. There's nothing like a late lunch/early dinner at Bubba Gump's, followed by some quality time on Hulk & Spiderman or Mummy and MIB.