Stupid Guest Tricks

Just a very simple question, but maybe not a simple reply.

Why does it seem that the CM's go out of their way not to enforce the rules.

I see smoking out of selected areas.
Kids on healy's.
Line cutting.
etc.

Are the CM's told not to enforce the rules? Just wondering.

Actually anytime that I saw someone doing something that they weren't supposed to be doing I would point it out to the CMs and they would jump into action especially on the smoking thing. I guess sometimes they don't see somethings. They are very busy doing other things.

I've seen CM's tell people to stop smoking, and stopped the line jumping, the only thing I have not seen them do is stop the hellies, but every time I see a kid using heelies I look for a CM and havent seen one close by that could see them riding them. As stated they are busy and with thousands of people streaming by all day long they cannot police everyone.
Steve

We do what we can. As a bus driver, I tell people getting on my bus whose kids have the Heelys on that they are not allowed to have them in the parks. Then, when mom and dad are in a moment of shock (Oh, no! We have to go back to the room, get new shoes, come back and wait for another bus), I "let them in" on the fact that as long as Junior stays off the wheels and doesn't skate, none of the Cast members will be any the wiser, so just stay off the wheels.

Mind you, if mom and dad don't have that moment of shock and concern, I don't let them think they'll even get into the park with the skates. Usually, it works best at the Magic Kingdom.

That is a low blow so here are my answers based on my life experience, being on this and other boards, etc.

1. Enforcing the rules can be a hassle for a CM and other guests. Do you shut down the FP line to go and tell someone to stop smoking? Do you hold up the line for one minute to call security only to have security show up and not find the guy. Is it fair to a happy guest who is buying popcorn to have to wait while a CM explains the rules to another guest. Is is good for Disney to have unattended stores and rides because CMs are busy scolding guests.

2. Some CMs do not care a hoot. They are the people you meet at the store, bank, movie theatre, or other form of employment who do not care about enforcing rules.

3. Whose job is it to enforce the rules? Should a store clerk run out of a store and tell a guest to stop breaking a rule? Who minds the store while she is gone? Should Dumbo be down because the person handling the line has to spend 1 -10 minutes arguing with a guest over whether heelies are allowed. Do you want your waitress to go enforce rules while you meal gets cold?


Why not report the problem to security or better yet have fun in the parks and stop nit picking about CMs.

Sometimes the guest is to far to go and talk to them and cannot leave a safety position.

There is nothing we can do about line jumpers. What is done is already is done. It is too much trouble to argue with a line jumper, it is not worth it. Same thing with heelys, the SG parents will argue about about their child's heelys. It is just not worth it. No big deal.

My Theory....
No One likes to mention the rules at the risk of being screamed at and then being reported to administration as being "Rude"..... :mad:

I try to at least mention the rules to guests that may be "in violation"

The ones that I usually get are Heely's and smoking. For some reason, guests seem to feel that the loadzones are designated smoking areas. It's not worth a verbal confrontation as it will draw more attention to the issue than necessary. If I can have a quiet word with the guest, I will and offer alternatives. If I cannot be discrete, it's not worth it.

One has to remember, when onstage everyone see's your actions. Creating an uproar is a disservice to many guests. A rule infraction may be a smaller disservice.

When I am working a gate and someone approaches with a cigarette I will point out to them the location of the ashtray near the gate. When the person finally comes through a turnstile I will give them a park map and point out that the smoking locations are indicated on the map, and that they may want to park themselves and their group near the smoking area.

If I am at a gate and we are not on a severe time crunch (long lines), or I am working the area outside the gates, and I see a child wearing heelys I will tell them, and their parents, that roller skating is not permitted in any Disney park, and please remove the wheels from the shoes. If they (especially the parents) try to give me a hard time I will ask them where are the child's pads and helmet, which is required for any child under 14 years old roller skating in Florida. So far I have always won.

DisneyMom wrote:My Theory....
No One likes to mention the rules at the risk of being screamed at and then being reported to administration as being "Rude"..... :mad:

That was always a primary concern of mine.

When the Parks set up designated smoking areas and banned it everywhere else, I decided that I would enforce the smoking ban as best I could, given the limits on leaving my station et al ... until and unless I got a complaint about it from management. Surprisingly, I never did. In fact, I got a couple of attaboys from non-smokers who appreciated it.

Now that my resort has gone to designated smoking areas, I'm all ready to do the same, except for a memo from management that we are not to enforce the smoking ban without a complaint from another guest. <sigh>

Now I have to go find a smilie that says "no spine".