The Big Mouse Giveth... The Small Mouse Taketh Away

[Zazu]

Right now there's a 40% discount for cast members at a half dozen restaurants for lunch. Being basically cheap, I've been visiting them all.

This one is a bit unusual in that there are NO blockout dates. I certain of it, because I'd gotten two emails about it earlier in the week from global. Works for me!

Christmas Day found me and three guests seated at Olivias.

"Is anyone on a Disney Dining Plan?"
"No, I'm a cast member here on the 40% plan."
"I'm sorry, we aren't honoring that today."
"WTF?!?"
"I've been hearing that a lot today. Let me get my manager."

In short, the area manager had decided not to honor *any* discounts on Christmas. (And left his GSMs behind to enforce it.)

"Your area manager, is he about 6' tall, long fingernails, wrinkly skin, all green?"

Even before I could suggest it, my guests said, "We're leaving!" We went next door to the Turf Club and had a very nice lunch -- with the full 40% discount.

Now I honestly don't know if this is a case of an area manager who needs to get hit with a clue stick or somebody in Global who's making promises he isn't authorized to, but I have a hunch.

For CMs: any ideas on the best way to make sure this doesn't happen again? Union grievance? Harassment complaint? Plaintive email to Al Weiss? Suggestions?

[felinefan]

All of the above?

That reeks.

[mechurchlady]

If he is making up his own rules then he needs a scolding by his boss. I would complain to his manager. Disney made the offer and did not stipulate any limitations such as no holidays therefore he could not arbitrarily say that holidays are not included.

It is not a union problem but a service problem. Disney did not back down on the deal but one ninny did the backing down. It is like you going to the park and one CM tells you that you cannot ride a ride the it is , yo manager it is retraining time, not time to yell for union to help you because of you CM free admission to the park.

[TdcOgre]

Right now there's a 40% discount for cast members at a half dozen restaurants for lunch. Being basically cheap, I've been visiting them all.

This one is a bit unusual in that there are NO blockout dates. I certain of it, because I'd gotten two emails about it earlier in the week from global. Works for me!

Christmas Day found me and three guests seated at Olivias.

"Is anyone on a Disney Dining Plan?"
"No, I'm a cast member here on the 40% plan."
"I'm sorry, we aren't honoring that today."
"WTF?!?"
"I've been hearing that a lot today. Let me get my manager."

In short, the area manager had decided not to honor *any* discounts on Christmas. (And left his GSMs behind to enforce it.)

"Your area manager, is he about 6' tall, long fingernails, wrinkly skin, all green?"

Even before I could suggest it, my guests said, "We're leaving!" We went next door to the Turf Club and had a very nice lunch -- with the full 40% discount.

Now I honestly don't know if this is a case of an area manager who needs to get hit with a clue stick or somebody in Global who's making promises he isn't authorized to, but I have a hunch.

For CMs: any ideas on the best way to make sure this doesn't happen again? Union grievance? Harassment complaint? Plaintive email to Al Weiss? Suggestions?

The best thing you could do is walk. You should also make the manager cognizant of why you are leaving. SWMBO and I have a disagreement on this type of thing while shopping. As I recall, one of the reasons stores went to UPC tags was inventory control yet at every turn there are empty spaces on shelves. So, at the checkout when the cashier asks:"Did you find everything?" I say in a loud voice:"NO. You were out of ....." Sometimes they find what I wanted and other times they don't. But the idea is to point out their failure. SWMBO says I'm making a nuisance of myself. But that's her opinion.

:p:

[Ms. Matterhorn]

So, at the checkout when the casier asks:"Did you find everything?" I say in a loud voice:"NO. You were out of ....." Sometimes they find what I wanted and other times they don't.

:p:

Some cashiers say that automatically, like a Storybookland spiel. Once I answered, "No, I was looking for x and I couldn't find it" and cashier said "Oh" with no further response. Just went on scanning my items. She was trained to say that and just hoped no one would answer truthfully.

[Big Wallaby]

Do you have any executive contacts, personally? I would call, and not complaining, just ask if the e-mail was legitemate. Then, when told the truth, if it was legit, "Well, that's funny, because on Christmas..." and then ask what you should do.

Be non-confrontational about it, but explain how embarrassing it was for you that you brought your friends for this experience, and then had to do something else.

Of course, there might be some fine print somewhere saying the manager can do that, too. Which would suck.

[glendalais]

Is this the Disney Family Holiday Celebration discount? I do believe that one does have a clause allowing management to change the restaurants it's valid at without notice.

Truth be told, I've always had a weird experience with WDW Cast Dining Discounts. Here at the DLR, our Dining Discount is 20% at every Food & Beverage location resortwide with the exception of Outdoor Vending. There's also none of this ridiculousness about blackout dates and times.

This caused quite an issue the first time I went to WDW and kept trying to present my Cast ID at the QSR Restaurants in the Parks, lol. I was totally convinced I had lost my mind until I asked a Manager (who I found out used to work at the DLR) who informed me of the difference in policy.

[Big Wallaby]

I can't help but think you should give the Cast the discount everywhere, because who better to inform your guests of a good place to eat? If that guest asks a CM and the CM doesn't know of a good place, there's always some buffet on 192 that would LOVE to take our guests' money.

Wouldn't it be better to make sure the front line Cast have a chance to try everything, at least once?

Of course, that's coming from a CM that likes pushing our restaurants and services and keeping people on property for their entire trip...

Please, Doctor McKey, nothing about AK-47s, Bambi, or conversations I will emphatically and categorically deny having had while at Concourse.

[mechurchlady]

Please, Doctor McKey, nothing about AK-47s, Bambi, or conversations I will emphatically and categorically deny having had while at Concourse.

I remember you trying to take out Bambi with your bus. Now you are planning to use an AK-47 to hunt down and kill Bambi from your monorail.

Mother: Hunny that sounds like a machine gun but we are in the middle of nowhere and on a monorail.
Father: Yep, probably sound effects is all.
Child 1: DADDY, I saw a dead Bambi.
Child 2: It stood there then there was blood everywhere.

Various passengers are heard screaming as many Bambi are obliterated from the WDW landscape by Wallaby and his trusty AK-47.

This has been presented to you by the Marsupial Monorail Cafe featuring the finest venison and other monorail-kill. :springbk: :deadbun: :deadbun: :sheepdead

[Big Wallaby]

Yes, the word "venison" didn't come up.