Back Wheels First (Warning, long post!)

[SRT_GB]

Just remember that the minute you use the magic "L" word (lawyer) your complaint goes out of the hands of the GR cm and into the risk managment office. You shouldn't have to threaten to sue to get someone to listen to and act on your complaint. Threatening to will put the case in the hands of the park's lawyers.

Totally agree. I was working at the old DCA Package Express window when an SG ran up to the GR window next door demanding a Band-Aid because his wife was bleeding. Both of us told him we couldn't give him one (even though I had one in my drawer) but offered to call CFA. He started berating the GR CM and then me, and somewhere in there he threatened to sue. Finally the SG stormed off and told me I was fired. The GR CM told me afterward that once they threaten to sue, the conversation ends and it becomes the business of Guest Claims, Legal, etc.

[EeyoresButterfly]

That makes me sad when I hear reports of fellow CMs skirting the rules and not getting into the magic. If you're going to lean against a rail all day, find somewhere else to work. Disney is an amazing place and we have a unique job that allows us to really give people a truly one of a kind experience. All it takes is one bad CM to undo all of the work of the good CMs in the mind of a guest and sour them on Disney forever.

I cannot believe that the CMs would not attempt to get the wheelchair ramp. That is basic safety 101. Please please please write Disney guest relations and tell them about your consistent experiences with this breach of policy. Obviously some retraining is in order.

[BRWombat]

Agreed. That is something that my Mother will do from time to time, and I can't stand it. Considering that I think that a person with a real intention to sue, would not try to use it as a bargaining chip, and they would just collect information for said lawsuit I'm convinced that 99% of all threats to sue are completely empty. And theoretically, if a guest were truly riled up enough to sue, then there is probably nothing from a guest service standpoint that a CM could do anyway, further rendering the "I'm contacting my attorney" line rather useless as a bargaining chip anyway.

It's funny, but since I work in traffic court, we get more average citizens through our doors than any other level of court, and I speak with literally hundreds of individuals each week -- and even I don't hear the "You'll hear from my lawyer" line very often! But when I do -- I love it.

You see, most of the people I deal with are basically pretty nice... maybe upset about their ticket or frustrated at the time and inconvenience, but still polite. Invariably it's only the obnoxious ones with overblown senses of entitlement (sound familiar, CMs?) who threaten me with a lawyer -- and I'm thrilled when they do, because most of the lawyers are much more pleasant to deal with.

[hobie16]

I'm thrilled when they do, because most of the lawyers are much more pleasant to deal with.

And coherent too!!

[Zazu]

Discuss.

Roll onto the dock. When they direct you to board back wheels first, say, "Thanks, but I'll wait for the ramp." Then do so.

If they *do* have the temerity to leave with you two on the dock (and on the wrong side of the rope), just wait for the next boat, and there demand a transportation manager -- and refuse to leave the dock until one arrives.

That'll screw up the boat system so bad they won't get things back in order until tomorrow! And if you think they won't care, such a delay will prevent the cast from getting their lunch/breaks/quit time. They'll care!

If you are threatened with Security if you don't leave, tell them to bring 'em on, and then tell Security you won't leave without speaking to a transportation manager.

Anybody here in Transportation think of a better approach?

[Big Wallaby]

Anybody here in Transportation think of a better approach?

Couldn't state it better myself. Especially since that first boat couldn't leave without you off the dock, either back in line or on the boat. It would be considered a safety hazard.

[Princess Susi]

But in the meantime, in case anyone is reading this, uses a wheelchair or ECV at WDW and stays at one of the EPCOT resorts. . .beware the Friendship boat people who are too lazy to want to get the ramps out for you.

This happened to me when going to the Studios Park. They said they did not need the ramp to get me off the boat and luckily the boat did not move and it was even between the boat and the dock on the trip over to the Studios... That was the only time I rode over that gap. That was the only time it was actually possible to do so. When we arrived back at the Yacht, they did not get the ramp and I called to them I cannot get off without the ramp. There was a 5 inch difference between the dock and the boat (and when the boat moved it rocked up higher to about 7 inches) and they were just going to let me try to make the drop. Unbelievable!

We got the ramp, but the CM getting it, looked a little perturbed that he had to get it. There is no way I could have made the jump. I am not Evel Kneivel and if I had gone over the space and dropped the 5 inches, my back would have really hurt! I don't get it.

Someone is on an ECV or in a chair and they expect you to make the transition with 5 to 7 inches. NOT ACCEPTABLE! I always asked for the ramp after that and it was not acceptable that I even had to ask for it.They should have seen the difference and automatically got the ramp. But even with it, they should have used the ramp. You never know if the boat is gonna bob or not. That makes it very dangerous for the disabled person and the rest of the folks around.

A few CMs even automatically just got it on a couple trips even when the gap was even. Several eyeballed it on some trips and told me I could make it. I told them NO, I cannot make it and hope that my back doesn't get more damaged from the drop.

What was the worst part is that they looked at you like you were causing them some kind of inconvenience. I hated having to be on the damn ECV and it felt worse when someone made me feel like I was causing more of a problem just because I needed the ramp. Some retraining is needed for some of those Friendship CMs.

After the last incident when we HAD to ask for a ramp with the 5 inch gap, we just cruised over on the path to Epcot. It was actually faster walking anyway than waiting for the boat. We did have to take the boat to the Studios, cause that is a longer walk anmd Ralph would have been very tired after only a little while in the Park if he had to do that walk as well. He is disabled as well but will not use an ECV. He did once and said it was more problems for him than it was worth. Sitting that long was worse for him than standing and walking.

Ralph didn't mind the short walk to Epcot and I could do it easily on the EVC and did not have to feel like a cripple who was inconveniencing everyone else. That feeling permeated the whole trip in other areas as well and I will post about it on my own thread about our trip.

Thanks Bru for bringing this up. I thought that that was the standard, if you could make the gap then it was no problem, but when the boat bobbed and there was a drop it was NOT possible, even tho they expected you to do it. :mad:

It seemed to me that service in general overall had dropped from our last trip to WDW in 2006. Some CMs just did not have the same level of excellence we saw on the previous trip. In general, most CMs were wonderful as always, but there seem to be new ones who either do not care or just have not been trained well yet. I hope it is the latter and we are not seeing a new type of CM who just does not care about show and service. They CAN be trained to do the right thing if they want to and are eager to learn, but if they just don't care, they need to go elsewhere.
Princess S

Oh BTW, the maid service at the Yacht was horrible and we had great concierge CMs but overall I have to say, I agree with Bru. We won't stay at the Yacht again. We WILL however do the Beach club. I rolled over one afternoon just to talk to the check in CMs about concierge and room service availability at the Beach and they do have it all and the CMs there were so friendly and bubbly. Big REAL smiles, not the fake ones Bru mentioned on the Yacht CMs faces. We will stay at the Beach, cause I love Stormalong Bay, but I must say in general, the Deluxe resorts up by the Magic Kingdom have better overall service and friendlier CMs. We had problems at the Boardwalk on our 2006 trip that were completely unacceptable and will NEVER stay there again. At the Boardwalk we had a broken toilet when we checked in and a lightbulb hanging by a wire out of the socket and peeling paint and wallpaper and the worst Mousekeepers I have ever come across in ANY hotel, Disney or no. And this was a Honeymoon cottage and we paid a mint to stay there! NEVER AGAIN! We will stick to the Giant Toaster and the Polynesian.

[Princess Susi]

That's actually one of the problems I've had at Disney lately - consistency. The cms for the most part are friendly and helpful, but they aren't being given consistent policies to follow. The other side of that problem is the newer cms seem to be unable or unwilling to think for themselves or use common sense. When I visited DHS a couple of weeks ago, I was surprised at how many cms I saw performing their jobs by rote. If they weren't taught to deal with it, they either didn't do it or were at a loss how to deal with it. If a situation came up that required some flexibility, they weren't flexible. They dealt with all situations the same. The two - flexibility and consistency - aren't mutually exclusive either. You can treat people equally without treating them the same. You can take personal needs into account without giving up policies. And you can and should do things like safety procedures, loading procedures, etc, the same way every time. That's one of the reasons I left RnRC - I was becomming increasingly afraid that someone else's inability to be consistent was going to cause me or a guest in my care to be injured or worse.

I have to agree about inconsistency. During one parade I was parked in the disabled section at the Hub and was told 4 times, 4 different things by 4 CMs who either wanted me to move my ECV up closer to the rope to allow for more disabled folks, then when I did that, another CM came along, they told me I HAD to move back I could not be over the tape line on the ground, so I rolled back. Then, you guessed it, another CM came along and told me to move up again! I had had it and went to City Hall after the Parade and told them about the inconsistency.

But it was not just there at the Parade and the MK. I found it all over the Parks. Many of the CMs did not know what the other CMs were doing and they told us completely opposite things. It made it very confusing and frustrating.
At the Parade, one of the famly members of a disabled person was standing in the front right behind the rope and I heard the CM tell her she could move forward past the tape to get her pictures. WHAT???? She stepped out in front of me and I moved up. Well that same CM told me I had to stay behind the tape. I asked why an able bodies person STANDING in the front row of the disabled section was told to move up to take pics when I could not see around her to get my pics. It was one of those moments you cannot believe are real! She then told the standing person to move back behind the tape after she saw the look on my face.

I was near tears several times with the frustration of being told so many things to do in one case. It was ridiculous. There is absolutely NO consistency at all and it makes for chaos. Why was this able bodied family member allowed to STAND in the front row behind the rope in the disabled section anyway? There were plenty of folks in chairs and on ECVs that were behind her.

One family came up after the parade had started and snuck in the disabled section and sat right down in fron tof the rope. The father sat on my foot when he and his family took up residence on the ground in front of me in the disabled section. They had arrived late to the parade and found *great* spots on the ground right in front. Trouble was it was the disabled section, and they were not disabled, just assholes and when he sat on my foot, you can be sure he felt it kicking his ass! He looked at me, mumbled a sort of sorry and just moved to the side.

What is wrong with these self entitled jerks? They sneak in under the front under the ropes and sit in front of a disabled person in the disabled section and then able bodied family members STAND in front at the rope in front of the disabled. That is why they have that section, for those of us who would take up too much room on the curb and give us a fair shot at a good view. That CM should have told the standing person to go back behind the chairs and the ECVS, not to just move a few inches back behind the rope. I still had her fat ass in my line of view of Spectro and I was pissed!

Common courtesy is not so common anymore. I saw more rude people this trip than ANY OTHER trip to WDW or DL. It was appalling. It made me angry and ruined a few great parades and shows. And it just seems to get worse. The worst offenders were some of the foreigners from a certain Asian country which will go un-named and from the Middle East. They were by far the rudest most self entitled jerks we saw all trip. Sorry if anyone feels I am pointing out certain groups, I am because they WERE the worst offenders EVERYWHERE at the resort, parks, pools, restaurants and busses. Forget lines. They don't think that they have to use them. :mad:
to be continued....

[Princess Susi]

Then there were the two Japanese girls taking a flash picture of EVERY scene on Spaceship Earth. I reamed their asses out after we got off the attraction. I am sure I came off as the ugly American cause I was telling them in no uncertain terms to STOP TAKING FLASH PICTURES on dark rides! :twisted: I got thanked by a lot of other people on that trip whose trip was ruined by the flashes. I'll have more stories to share on my thread soon.


We also saw great people, like the guy at The Hall of Presidents who offered a corner of his bench to Ralph when he saw him standing next to me in the lobby waiting for the show. He was amazing. His family had a bench and he squeezed them all together to make more room for Ralph. Ralph stood anyway and thanked the guy, cause he needs to stand as many shows and attractions he has to sit for long periods of time, but it was a wonderful moment. I thanked the man and told him he was raising his kids right. So whoever you are, THANK YOU!!!!! You are a dream hero guest! :D: I wish I would have had those stickers with me. I forgot to take the hero guest ones along. But the CMs loved the appreciation cards and stickers! ;)
Princess S

[Zazu]

Oh BTW, the maid service at the Yacht was horrible and we had great concierge CMs but overall I have to say, I agree with Bru. We won't stay at the Yacht again. We WILL however do the Beach club.

Hate to have to tell you this, but the Yacht & Beach Club is one resort, administratively. Hourly cast show up for work, they often don't know which end they'll be working in. The same management team governs both.

So if one is good and the other rotten, it may just be the luck of the draw.